Like the laws of nature that govern the physical universe, there are supernatural laws that govern the spiritual realm. The law of measures outlined in the Bible is exhibit A: “With the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” You cannot break the law of measures – it will make or break you. It’s the spiritual equivalent of Newton’s third law of motion, and it’s the key to being a blessing…
I. When God blessed Adam and Eve, they were acted on by an external force…
Genesis 2:16-17 AMPC
16 And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, You may freely eat of every tree of the garden; 17 But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil and blessing and calamity you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.
A. Nothing will stop the
Corinthians 5:21 AMPC
21 For our sake He made Christ [virtually] to be sin Who knew no sin, so that in and through Him we might become [endued with, viewed as being in, and examples of] the righteousness of God [what we ought to be, approved and acceptable and in right relationship with Him, by His goodness].
B. The cross is where the
II. So how do we conserve the momentum of God’s blessing?
A. Some observations:
1. The only way to maintain momentum is to
2. If we fail to flip the blessing, we hit the point of
3. Eventually, we lose all spiritual
4. I’ll tell you exactly why: God doesn’t bless selfishness – if the
5. Instead of being a
III. If you were truly selfish, you would be more generous…
A. This seems
Acts 20:35 AMPC
35 In everything I have pointed out to you [by example] that, by working diligently in this manner, we ought to assist the weak, being mindful of the words of the Lord Jesus, how He Himself said, It is more blessed (makes one happier and more to be envied) to give than to receive.
B. There is only one way to grow in the grace of
II Corinthians 8:7 TPT
You do well and excel in every respect—in unstoppable faith, in powerful preaching, in revelation knowledge, in your passionate devotion, and in sharing the love we have shown to you. So make sure that you also excel in grace-filled generosity.
Word Nugget: The English word “Excel” comes from the Greek root “Perisseuo,” which means “above and beyond” or “to go above all measure.”
C. Some final observations about growing in the grace of giving:
1. The first level of generosity is giving
2. The second level of generosity is giving
3. The third level of generosity is giving
4. The fourth level of generosity is giving
II Corinthians 8:1-3 TPT
1 Beloved ones, we must tell you about the grace God poured out upon the churches of Macedonia. 2 For even during a season of severe difficulty, tremendous suffering, and extreme poverty, their super-abundant joy overflowed into an act of extravagant generosity. 3 For I can verify that they spontaneously gave, not only according to their means but far beyond what they could afford.