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John was given a glemce of what heaven would be like in Revelations:

• A rainobw encircled the throne v4:3
• God was dressed in white with golden crowns v4:4
• Lighting and thunder came from the throne v4:5
• Before the throne was a sea of glass, clear as crystal v4:6
• Strange creatures with eyes covering them were continually praise God v4:6-8
• Jesus approached the throne to open the scroll v5:4-5
• All the living creatures and the 24 elders fell down before the Lamb v5:8
• They held golden bowls full of incense which were the prayers if the saints v5:8
• 100 million angels appeared to loudly sing about the Lamb along with a great multitude v5:11-13

Heaven is a place full of blessings

Jesus referred serveral times to our reward in heaven

No eyes have seen, no ears have heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared - 1 Corinthians 2:9-10
God will give us all things - Romans 8:32

No one can stop us from going to heaven but ourselves
Heaven is worth any earthly price - Romans 8:18

He is preparing an incrediable guest room for us

Do you think of God as one who wants nothing more than to bless your life?

Fathers, start spending more “heart to heart” time

ATTENTION

Get their attention, ask important questions like:

• Tell me how you are doing.
• What have you been up to lately?
• What are you most excited about right now?

Make a little one-on-one time with Dad

AFFIRMATION

Kids, as well as adults, want the approval and praise from their dads

They want their father’s "blessing” in their lives.
To bless means "to speak well of"

God: “You are My beloved Son, in You I am well-pleased” - Mark 1:11

It is important that you communicate to them, “You are my son (daughter) and I dearly love you. I am very pleased with you.”

Anytime you greet them or talk to them, your countenance, the look in your eyes, and your tone of voice either says, “You are a delight to me” or “You are an irritation to me.”

You should praise them privately, one-on-one, and publicly in front of others. “That is awesome! You are really good at that,” needs to come from your lips as their biggest cheerleader. Regardless of your past, step up to do this now!

AFFECTION

Father pours out His unconditional love on us (Romans 5:5), and so should we to our sons and daughters.

Interact with them in ways that make them fully see, hear, and feel your love.

not only the discipline of a father but also his warm affection and tender love.

Boys who feel loved by their dads are bolder, stronger, kinder to others, and more secure

Girls who feel valued by their dads are more radiant, less desperate for a boyfriend, and more careful whom they marry.

So invest in them, take them places, flood them with tender affection, leaving no question in their minds about your genuine love for them.

Summary

Eliezer met Rebekah by the well exactly as he had prayed.

Observations

Genesis 24:12 - Please give me success today
So much of our success or failure can depend on our willingness to pray. Eliezer [Genesis 15:2] learned to pray to the "God of my master" and to have a dependant faith via Abraham. What are the people around learning from our prayer life and faith? Do we ask God for guidance before our important and not so important ventures?

Genesis 24:14 - This is how I will know; "I will water your camels too"
Abraham's servant prayed in great detail for Issac's wife to show herself. Hospitality standards of the time was to offer a drink to weary travelers but not to the animals. He did not ask for a certain number of ear rings and braclets (beauty) as a sign of Isaac's future wife but rather for woman great inner beauty. For Rebekah, this second mile offer to provide water for the ten camels, would be no easy feat. A camel can drink up to 30 gallons at a time. After just finishing the journey of 450 miles and two weeks, the camels probably drank pretty close to that amount. How many trips to the well would that have been for Rebekah? 10 camels x 30 gallons = 300 gallons;  1 gallon = 8.2 lbs; Maybe she could carry 40 lbs; 40lb / 8 = 5 gallons per trip; 300 gallons / 5 gallons per trip is about 60 trips.

Genesis 24:15 - Before he finished praying
God knows what we need, we just need to ask for it. Eliezer received an exact and immediate answer. He was left to watch in silience [Genesis 24:21] (possibly shocked) as God answered his prayer exacly as he prayed. When we pray according to His will, he will answer and bless us beyond what we have imagined. Rebekah not only provided water for his animals but she did with kindness and with servant heart. Not only did she provide some water for the camels but enough water until they were finish.  God also answered by blessing the servant with other attributes of Isssc soon-to-wife. The Bible also describes her a very beautiful phyiscally, old enough to marry, and a virgin.

Application

I do not have the dependant prayer I need to have. I have many failures because I depend on myself and do not ask God.

Jeshua and Zerubbabel joined his fellow priests in rebuilding the alter of the God of Israel - Ezra 3:2-3

Ask yourself what tops your list of things to do, if spending time with God is not, then it is time to make an adjustment

Their actions created a buzz - they insisted on rebuilding the alter before rebuilding the city wall

"Can't that wait?" "Don't these guys understand the danger we face?"

Jeshua and Zerubbabel understood without God's protection, their enemies would destroy them, wall or no wall

They remembered what happened to the previous wall builder - they forgot to include God and their wall came tumbling down

Does anything on your to do list come before spending time with God?

When you make time with GOd your top priority, you invite blessings on all the other items on the list.

You rule over everything - 1 Chronicles 29:12

David understood that although he had worked hard, God was the source of all his accomplishments

King David realized no one, whatever his station in life, ever receieves anything good apart from God

David died at a ripe old age, having enjoyed long life, wealth, and honor - 1 Chronicles 29:28

God loves hearing you declare him as your source of all good things

Allow others to see God at work in your life and open yourself to additional blessings

Lord to Moses: Gather 70 men and they will bear the burden of the people along with you - Numbers 11:16-17

Moses had reached the point of burnout and no more to give

So much so, Moses said: "Just go ahead and kill me" - Numbers 11:15

God sent help his way

When you allow others to help you bear your burdens, you receive great blessings for yourself and for those who help you

Allow your brothers to share your burdens so that you can keep moving forward

You have not kept the command the Lord your God gave you - 1 Samuel 13:13

Full blessings from God depends on our obedience

Saul, Israel's first king, fell flat on his face

Samuel had given Saul clear instructions - Go ahead to Gilgal and wait me me - 1 Samuel 13:8

He foolishly decieded to play the role of a priest and perform sacrifices in a way that clearly violated God's law

Saul squandered his chance at greatness because he lacked the courage and wisdom to obey

Live according to his Word and you put yourself in a prefect position to receive all he had for you and your family

They realized this work had been donw with the help of our God - Nehemiah 6:16

Nothing keeps a man's feet on the ground like remembering that everying blessing he has comes from the hand of God

Nehemiah understood the importance of giving God the credit in all things

Order of events:

1. Nehemiah learned of the city's wall condition
2. He sprang into action
3. He surveyed the problem
4. Prayed about it
5. Came up with a plan to rebuild the walls
6. Reconstructed he the wall in 52 days

Nehemiah knew when he gave God the credit that the swiftness of the rebuilding project would be a warning to Jeruslem's enemies

There is no self-made men - only men who recognize the God who made them

What good thing is God doing in your life right now? Have you given him the credit?

I will give the Lord whatever comes out of my house to meet me - Judges 11:30

As it would happen, the first to leave his house was Jephthah's daugther

The Bible contains hundreds of God's conditional promises of blessings

Jephthah's vow went terribiy wrong when he tried to set his own conidtions for blessing rather than appoarching God in faith

Have you felt that you needed to offer God something to receive his promised blessing?

You can't buy what God already wants to give you.

Get up! Why are you lying on your face like this? - Joshua 7:10

This tragic event illustrates the terrible ripple effect of sin

God gave crystal clear instructions ofr the invasion of Jericho

He promised the Israelites a crushing victory over the city and in return they would put aside for Him all the gold, sliver, and other valuable they would seize during the raid

Achan paid no attention to God's instructions

His sin had removed God's hand of blessing from the Israelite army and three dozen innocent soldiers died in the reulting unheaval

Even sin that might be reguarded as secret affects you and those closest to you

Where do you most feel the tug to stray?

Phinehas has turned my anger away from the Isrealites by being as zealous among them as I was - Numbers 25:10

Phinehas had seen the immorality going on around him and could not stand idly by and allow his people tp defile themselves

Neither could he allow God judgement to continue without trying to bring it to an end

His last straw momenet was when he witnessed his Hebrew brother shamelessly taking a Midianite into his tent

Phinehas' zeal kicked in and passionately executed the man

From then on, he showed his willingness to take a stand and the people of Israel were spared and decendants received God's blessings - Numbers 25:12-13

When you are enthusiastic about your relationship with God, you are bound to affect the people around you 

Motives can be everything

The Bible insists that God sees not just what we do but also why we do it

Example: Balaam spoke blessings on the Isreal three times but he was denounced in scripture as an evil man

Joshua tells us that the only reason Balaam didn't curse Israel was because God made hime speak blessings - Joshua 24

Balaam was considered a false teacher who:

• Lured unstable men into sin - 2 Peter 2:14
• Loved money by doing wrong - 2 Peter 2:15
• Showed Balak how to trip up the people of Israel - Revelation 2:!4

Do you obey God from the heart? Do you find yourself doing the right thing for the right reasons?

Saul had a spear in his hand and suddenly hurled it at David intending to pin him to the wall - 1 Samuel 18:11

Jealousy is the emotion we feel toward someone who has something we believe we should have

KIng Saul jealous toward David, who did nothing but serve the king faithfully

Saul grow angry with him because of his growing popularity

Saul promoted David to army commander where he excelled, defeating the Philistines

Jealousy took over and and Saul went insane and it his life's goal to kill David

Being jealous steals the joy and contentment the Lord wants us to experience

Who is most likely to make you feel jealous?

Rest content in the knowledge of God - He has mapped out a life of blessing specifically for you

Jethro was delighted when he heard about all the good things the Lord had done - Exdous 18:9

Paul: "be happy with those who are happy" - Romans 12:15

Jethro, Moses' friend, celebrated with the people of Israel: "Praise the Lord, for he had rescued you from the Egyptians - Exodus 18:10

He immedidately blessed those around him with words of praise

The same thing can happen when you share in another's joy over God's kindness and blessing

They incited a rebellion against Moses, along with 250 other leaders - Numbers 16:2

Korah was a strong man who organized a corp of leaders with the intention of usurping Moses' authority and installing his own very of the preisthood

He forgot what happened to Aaron and Miiam when they challenged Moses' leadership - Numbers 12

Korah was a special leader but he wanted more than what God had given him

God removed them from their positions and removed them from the earth altogether

Some of God's greatest leaders have been willing to rock the boat but they also have a strong grasp of respecting authority

When we submit to those in authority, we demonstrate a key condition for God's blessing: humility!

This only a simple thing for the Lord - 2 Kings 3:18

"You first, God" approach to obedience often means missing out on his blessings and maybe a miracle or two

Israel march against Moab but the soliders had run out of water 

Eliaha spoke to God and would provide water under one condition: they were to dig ditches in the valley and wait for God to act

Their choice was to laugh and ignore the command or obey and wait for a miracle

Jehoshaphat and Joram acted in faith and obedience - received more water than they knew what to do with

When God commands you to do something that seems humanly unreasonable, do you act immediately or wait for him to act first?

Jesus returned to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them - Luke 2:51

It is easy to ignroe the yield signs God puts up for us

We enjoy God's blessing and protection when we heed the warning signs

As the Son of God, Jesus knew his identity

He understood that to grow into a perfect man of God, he needed to honor his earthly mother and father

Everything Jesus did, said, and thought sprang from the fact that he had yielded his own will to his Father - John 5:30

Jesus built his life on a solid foundation of submission

What foundation have you build your life on?

Issac's wife was unable to have children and the Lord answered his prayer with twins - Genesis 25:21

In those days, a married couple without children for a long period of time was considered to have shameful lot

Would he give up? Would he father a child with another woman? Would a child come when they were old?

His heart was set on something and he got on his knees and prayed

God delivered not only once but twice

It took 20 years but Issac recived God's blessing in God's way

You will not stay angry with your people forever, because you delight in showing youe unfailing love - Micah 7:18

The Bible is largely a book about finding balance - between God's hattred for sin and his desire to completely forgive the sinner

Micah understood this balance

Challenges:

• Called for repentance
• Against false prophets, political corruption, and spiritual apostasy
• Preached against greed, selfishness, and explitation

Opportunites:

• God's promises of blessing and forgiveness
• God longs to do good to those who forsake their sin and return to him

Repentant hearers had hope for better things ahead

Are there people in your life who need to see both sides of God's nature?

You will see it happen with your own eyes but you won't be able to eat any of it - 2 KIngs 7:2

God generously give to those who are willing to ask him and beileve him for what they need

Nothing keeps God from blessing people quite like unbelief

Samaria's people suffered a terrible famine follwoing the Aramites invasion

The desparate king sent his officer to ask Elisha to do something

Elisha said within one day there would be more than enough flour and barley for everyone - 2 Kings 7:1

The king's officer just couldn't believe it even if the Lord opened the heavens

He was dead wrong and when it came down, the officer could not enjoy any of it

In what areas of your life do you need to take God at his word?

Be sure to carry out the ministry the Lord gave you - Colossians 4:17

Church on Sunday morning, do you recongnize that God has a specific purpose and ministry for you that day?

Don't miss out on the blessing you can receive when you assume your place of service in the body of Christ

Archippus' ministry was apparently important enough to the apostle Paul that he encouraged the young man to make sure he got the job done:

1. Paul didn't want him to see his ministry as a burden
2. Archippus was responsible for continuing to put the gift he was given to good use

God has given you a particular ministry and the gifts it takes to effectively carry it out.

Are you pursuing your role in the church with all of your heart?

Take this young man to the commander. He has something important to tell him - Acts 23:17

Bible counsels us to alert and ready to move when God gives us a message of blessing, teching, or warning

Paul's nephew saved his life because he remained alert and ready to act on what he knew

Paul was chosen to speak his message of salvation to "the Gentiles and to kings" - Acts 9:!5

As Paul waited in jail for his opportunity to speak to Caesar, his nephew alerted him and his guards of a plot against his life

When you remain alert and step out in faith at the opportune time, the Lord can use you to alter the course of history

I have fought the good fight, I  have finished the race - 2 Timothy 4:7

Paul contemplated his own end, he knew:

• The futility of trying to earn God's favor
• Faithful service would prepare him for God's staggering blessings
• He had remained faithful to his calling
• What lay ahead of him beyond the executioner's sword

He felt at peace with his imminent death and did not see his life as his own - 2 Timthoy 4:6

Nothing in this life can compare with what awaits you in heaven as a follower of Jesus Christ

Please let me inherit a double share of your spirit - 2 Kings 2:9

Prophet-in-training Elisha achieve greatness because he had the faith to ask for a blessing when he had the opportunity

Three times Elijah told him to stay behind, three times he said I will never leave you - 2 Kings 2:2-6

Elijah asked Elisha what he wanted, he didn't hesitate - double portion of his spirit

Elisha got exactly what he requested

When we need God's empowerment, take your shot and for it in faith

I will tell everyone about the wonderful thing you do - Pslams 73:28

It is never a good idea to establish a ruputation as a bragger

It is always good to count your blessings and boast of God's goodness

Asaph expressed frustration and anger toward God about the injustice, oppresion, godlenssness he saw

Although he was displeased, he still rememberd to thank God for his blessings

How often do you brag on God and his goodness?

They disobeyed the Lord by buring before him the wrong kind of fire, so the fire burned them up - Leviticus 10:1-2

Aaron's sons were called to priests and were given significant and solemn reponsibility 

There was little wiggle room in the regulations governing the Tabernacle and the sacrifices

Nadab and Abihu wiggled too much

The treated God's commands casually and carelessly and cost them everything

Their action cost them the blessings that God wants to generouly give to everyone who will listen to him

How do you regard the Word of God?

• A code of conduct?
• A book of restrictive rules?
• Road map to blessing, honor and joy?

I will not let you go unless you bless me - Genesis 32:26

When did you last wrestle with God?

For most men, the idea of wrestling with God seems a little out there

God could have ended the struggle with a single word

He dislocated Jacob's hip with a single touch

God allowed the wrestling match to go on for one reason: He wanted something from Jacob and for Jacob

When you wrestle with God over the important issues of your life, he has you right where he wants you

Wrestling is when you are most ready to receive a blessing

Are you willing to struggle persistently for answers and blessing from God?

May the Lord our God show us his approval and make our efforts successful - Psalms 90:1

The formula for failure is trying to please everyone

Lasting blessing comes when you make pleasing God and seeking his approval your focus

In Psalms 90, Moses wrote while in the wilderness, plainly about the consequences of their stubbornness and disobedience

Most of those who left Egypt would never see the Promise Land but still found hope understanding the connection between willing obedience and divine blessing

Life is far too short and God's blessing to wonderful to miss anything he wants to give you

Come and stay with us... I have a room all ready for you and a place prepared for the camels - Genesis 24:31

Hospitality is a lifestyle that God commands his people to adopt

When God's people are in need, be ready to help them - Romans 12:13

Laban, brother-in-law of Isaac, understood the blessing of practicing hositality because he had recieved it himself

Eliezer traveled to find a wife for Abraham's son, Issac, Laban welcomed him into his home and card for his camels

Being hospitable to Abraham's servant held a blessing - Rebekah, Laban's sister, would become Isaac's wife and would be in the lineage of Jesus Christ

It's Esau, your firstborn son - Genesis 27:19

Jacob tried to accomplish something that God already said was his will

It went terribly wrong when he schemed and lied to make that goal a reality

He received his father's blessing but only after lying to him at least 4 times

Jacob and Rebekah decieved his father through sinful means what God had wanted to do through righteous means

They would face many consequences for his sin including Laban's deception before giving him Rachel as Jacob's wife - Genesis 29

They looked the other way so they would not see him naked - Genesis 9:23

Certain offices command respect:

• Government
• Police
• Parents
• Spouce
• Boss
• Church Leaders

Noah's two eldest sons respected their father positon even when he drank too much wine and passed out

Their brother, Ham, on the other hand sinned aginst Noah and God by staring at his father - Genesis 9:22

Shem and Japheth went out of their way to cover their father - walking backward into the tent and covering him

They did everything to protect their father's honor and enjoyed a blessing which their brother was excluded from

Moses saw the calf and burned with anger. He threw the stone tablets to the ground - Exodos 32:19

Moses anger may have come from serveral reasons:

• People wasted his time and effort
• His own brother, Aaron, had sold him out
• The people that God wanted to richly bless had so quickly turned away from him

We can have a righteous anger that can come from missing out on God's blessings 

He turned his heart to worship other gos instead of being completely faithful to the Lord - 1 KIngs 11:4

Solomon was the proverbial riddle wrapped in an enigma

He was the wisest man who ever lived but he turned away from God and toward pagan idols

This turn led to the loss of everything he have accomplished - 1 KIngs 11:11-13

Despite God appearing to him twice and blessing him in every way, Solomon still turned to idols

Solomon's poor choices tained his service and led to big problems for the kingdom of Israel

It is far more important to perserve focus on the eternal prize God has for those who finish strong - 1 Corinthians 9:24-25 

Summary

Isaac dug wells, and at Beersheba the LORD blessed him.

Observations

Genesis 26:14 - Harvested a hundred times more grain than he planted, for the Lord blessed him

Genesis 26:22 - Isaac moved on and dug another well. This time there was no dispute over it

• When Abraham prospered, there became a conflict between his shepherds and Lot [Genesis 13:5-7]
• Philistines grew jealous because everything that Issac did seemed to go right
• Jealousy is a dividing force strong enough to tear the mightiest nations

Genesis 26:28 - We can plainly see that the Lord is with you

• Thanking God for their blessings is a great way to overcome this
• Before striking out in anger, consider what you may lose - a friend, a job, etc (foolish pride)
• We should be receptive to those who want to make peace with us
• When God influences our lives, our lives attracts people, even enemies
• We must take the opportunity to reach out to them with God's love

Application

When we see God's blessings, it is an opportunity to share with others with what God has given to us

Prayer

Please help me to see my many blessings and share with others freely

Summary

Rebekah and Jacob tricked Isaac into giving Jacob his blessing. Esau vowed revenge so Rebekah told Jacob to go to her brother Laban.

Observations

Genesis 27:12 - What if my father touches me... he'll curse me instead of bless me

• How we react to a moral dilemma often expresses our real motives
• Jacob was more concerned about being caught than doing what was right
• Jacob's questioning gave Rebecca an opportunity to reconsider but she was too wrapped in her plan instead of God's plan
• Correcting yourself in the middle of doing wrong may hurt but it will also bring freedom from sin's control

Genesis 27:20-24 - How did you find it so quickly?... Come closer so I can touch you and make sure that you are really Esau... But are you really my son Esau?

• Issac voiced suspicion three times
  • Logical - The timing of his return answer
  • Touch - Feeling his arms for confirmation
  • Vocal - Ask him directly
• Although Jacob got the blessing he wanted, he paid dearly
  • Never saw his mother again
  • His brother wanted to kill him
  • He was deceived by his uncle
  • His family became torn of strife
  • Esua became the founder of an enemy nation
  • He was exciled from his family for many years
• Jacob's blessing was part of God's plan all along but he did it his own way [Genesis 25:23]

Application

How am I implementing God plan via his promises? My own way or in God's timing?

Prayer

Lord, I want to be obedient and hunble to your plan and in your own way and your own timing.