Characteristics that are blocking our Blessings

I. SELFISHNESS IS A BLOCKADE TO SPIRITUAL BLESSINGS.

We often wonder don’t we, “where are my Blessings?” We have prayed, we have talked to God.

1. Selfish people think only of themselves;

Luke 12:17–19 17 He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.’ 18 “Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store my surplus grain. 19 And I’ll say to myself, “You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.” ’

2. Selfish people show a lack of love; Sound Familiar?

1 John 3:17–18 17 If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? 18 Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.

3. Selfish people reap what they sow; “The old saying, what goes around comes around right?

Acts 5:2 2 With his wife’s full knowledge he kept back part of the money for himself, but brought the rest and put it at the apostles’ feet.

Acts 5:5 5 When Ananias heard this, he fell down and died. And great fear seized all who heard what had happened. Acts 5:10 10 At that moment she fell down at his feet and died. Then the young men came in and, finding her dead, carried her out and buried her beside her husband.

WHAT ABOUT LAZINESS? IS LAZINESS A BLOCKADE TO SPIRITUAL BLESSINGS? FROM MY OBSERVATION, I WOULD HAVE TO SAY YES. THEY DON’T WANT TO GET INVOLVED, THEY DON’T WANT TO MAKE A COMMITMENT, THEY DOT’.THEY DON’T WANT TO WORK AT ANYTHING DO THEY?.............BLA-BLA-BLA

WE READ IN PROVERB:,Proverbs

Proverbs 20:4–5 4 Sluggards do not plow in season; so at harvest time they look but find nothing. 5 The purposes of a person’s heart are deep waters, but one who has insight draws them out. SINCE THEY ARE LAZY, THEY REALLY HAVE NO INTENTION TO WORK WHEN THE HARVEST IS GREAT DO THEY? ALWAYS MANY EXCUSES.

Lazy people beg in the harvest; Prov. 20:4.

2. Lazy people come to poverty;

Proverbs 6:9–11 “9 How long will you lie there, you sluggard? When will you get up from your sleep? 10 A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest— 11 and poverty will come on you like a thief and scarcity like an armed man.” .

3. Lazy people will not work for Christ;

Luke 19:20–24 20 “Then another servant came and said, ‘Sir, here is your mina; I have kept it laid away in a piece of cloth. 21 I was afraid of you, because you are a hard man. You take out what you did not put in and reap what you did not sow.’ 22 “His master replied, ‘I will judge you by your own words, you wicked servant! You knew, did you, that I am a hard man, taking out what I did not put in, and reaping what I did not sow? 23 Why then didn’t you put my money on deposit, so that when I came back, I could have collected it with interest?’ 24 “Then he said to those standing by, ‘Take his mina away from him and give it to the one who has ten minas.’

III. COVETOUSNESS IS A BLOCKADE TO SPIRITUAL BLESSINGS. WHEN WE ARE WANTING WHAT OTHERS HAVE TO A POINT OF SINNING!

1. Covetousness troubles one’s own house;

Proverbs 15:27 27 The greedy bring ruin to their households, but the one who hates bribes will live.

2. Proverbs 15:27 27 The greedy bring ruin to their households, but the one who hates bribes will live.

3. Covetousness brings God’s judgment;

Jeremiah 8:10–11 10 Therefore I will give their wives to other men and their fields to new owners. From the least to the greatest, all are greedy for gain; prophets and priests alike, all practice deceit. 11 They dress the wound of my people as though it were not serious. “Peace, peace,” they say, when there is no peace.

IV. PRAYERLESSNESS, NON PRAYING, NOT TALKING TO GOD, THIS ACTION, OR REALLY INACTION IS A BLOCKADE TO SPIRITUAL BLESSINGS.

1. CHURCH, Prayerless people are troubled people; IF YOU AREN’T PRAYING, PROBABLY YOU ARE NOT RECEIVING BLESSINGS

Daniel 9:13 13 Just as it is written in the Law of Moses, all this disaster has come on us, yet we have not sought the favor ( THEY HAD NOT PRAYED)of the Lord our God by turning from our sins and giving attention to your truth.

2. Prayerless people are disobedient people; WHEN WE START OUR DAYS, WE DO NOT PRAY, WE DO NOT READ GOD’S HOLY WORD, WE RUSH AROUND, OUR DEMEANOR IS SOMEWHAT SELFISH, MY LIFE, MY DAY, MY WANTS.....

Luke 18:1 1 Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up.

James 4:2 2 You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God.

3. Prayerless people shall not prosper; Jer. 10:21.

V. WORLDLINESS IS A BLOCKADE TO SPIRITUAL BLESSINGS.

1. 1 John 2:15 15 Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. OUR Worldliness reveals the inward life; WHATS REALLY IN OUR HEARTS

2. Worldliness does not please God;

Romans 8:5–8 5 Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. 6 The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. 7 The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. 8 Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God.

3. Worldliness separates us from God;

James 4:4 4 You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. Isaiah 59:2 2 But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear.

VI. UNFRUITFULNESS IS A BLOCKADE TO SPIRITUAL BLESSINGS.

1. Unfruitfulness comes from not abiding in Christ; not staying with Jesus, not.......

John 15:5 5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.

2. Unfruitfulness results in the loss of reward;

1 Corinthians 3:14–15 14 If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward. 15 If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved—even though only as one escaping through the flames. 3. Unfruitfulness brings judgment;

VII. UNFAITHFULNESS IS A BLOCKADE TO SPIRITUAL BLESSINGS.

1. Unfaithfulness is sin;

Romans 14:23 23 But whoever has doubts is condemned if they eat, because their eating is not from faith; and everything that does not come from faith is sin.

2. Unfaithfulness robs of the Crown of Life;

Revelation 2:10 10 Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you life as your victor’s crown. 3. Unfaithfulness cannot please God;

Lastly this morning, I close with this scripture. We come to church to please God, we pray to please God, we do stuff to please God. If we continue not be “all in” our unfaithfulness is not good enough.

Hebrews 11:6 6 And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

Billy Apostolon, Preach the Word, Dollar Sermon Library Series (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1966), 25.