Recounting God’s Unspeakable Gifts

28/12/2017-

          Recounting God’s Unspeakable Gifts

2 Corinthians 9.15

God’s gifts to mankind are uncountable and unspeakable. They are too numerous to be counted, for, since the creation, God has always been providing for man His gracious gifts in every area of life. His greatest gift to man is Jesus Christ, His only begotten Son, whom He gave for our redemption. That is why every thoughtful individual in all ages have always come to conclude that God is very good to all.

Though the circumstances around us, like the economic, political challenges and family expectations may indicate the contrary, yet the deeds of the Lord speaks volume of His manifold blessings towards mankind. Particularly to believers, we cannot fully quantify God’s supernatural gifts to our lives. No wonder somebody said, “He that is thoughtful will always be thankful”. To be thoughtful is to recount the gracious works of God to our lives, families, businesses, church, and ministry. Recounting God’s unspeakable gifts to us must move us to respond positively towards him in gratitude and towards the fellow man in reaching forth to help others know this faithful father. Saints of old who tread the path of gratitude for God’s unspeakable gifts always rejoice and receive much more abundance from Him but the ingrates and unthankful end up in rejection and unworthiness. Tonight, we must all think through to see all God’s blessings in our lives and appreciate Him for all He has done.

Recounting God’s Supernatural blessings Psalm 103.1-3, Ex. 15.26, Ps. 50.15, 91.15, Ps. 35.9-10, Ps 107. 1-9, 43, 1 Chronicles 16.23-29, Ps 46. 8-9, Ps 145, 1-5, 8-10

King David was a thoughtful leader who knew that he could not  have achieved anything in life without the help of the Almighty. He began to enumerate the benefits and the goodness he received from the Lord. He opened the catalogue with the blessing of pardon from sin (V.3). Sin, which  was the stumbling block against God’s blessings, was removed and all other mercies began to flow into the believer’s life such as (i) Healing from sicknesses and diseases (Ex. 15.26), (ii)Rescue from danger and destruction (Ps. 50.15, 91.15) (iii) Happiness and fulfillment in the midst of worldly worries and woes, (iv) Pleasures and satisfaction when others are in severe needs and troubles, (v) divine promises and assurance when others are in fears of hopelessness and helplessness` (Deut. 31.6,8; Ps. 3.2), (vi) Wisdom and wealth in times of famine and scarcity, (vii) Defense and deliverance in critical moments of fear and troubles (Ps. 34.4, Jonah 2.2). Believers then and now need to be thoughtful of God’s supernatural blessings – to themselves as individuals, to their families, to their churches and to their communities and nations in general. For his peace in the time of wars and commotions all around the world, and for many countless benefits, God is worthy of our praise. Praise the Lord

Our Response towards God’s blessings Ps. 116. 10-14, 16-19, Ps 63. 1-8, Exodus 15. 1-19, Ps 22.25-28

Realizing God’s great blessings to us must make us respond positively towards Him. Particularly, those who had received God’s grace at salvation will always express their appreciation to God through their love, loyalty, lives, and obedience to God. We must yield and submit our hearts and lives to Him totally as people who knew that He owes us, keeps us and sustains us. We must, therefore, be committed to the Almighty God in our thoughts and our actions day by day in response to all He had done for us. Here the inspired writer expressed the appropriative response we must have in our gratitude to God. God’s goodness to us must make us to (i) uphold holiness of life and character, (ii) speak of God’s goodness to everyone by preaching Christ to all people, (iii) pay our vows, tithes, offerings and all financial commitments to God, (iv) be engaged in the building up of the body of Christ, positively contribute to the growth of God’s kingdom, (v) evangelize others to come into God’s goodness as well, and lastly by showing reciprocal goodness to everyone. Our expressions must not just be in the mouth only. It must not be only on Sunday services; neither should it be only when we want to pray, but every time and everywhere. In our utterances, conduct, and character, and in our attitude to other believers and unbelievers alike

Rendering Praises and Thanksgiving for God’s blessings Psalms 103:1-5; 107:1,2,14-15; Acts 16:25-26; Hebrews 13:15; Philippians 4:6, Joshua 6.20, I Sam 2.1-8, Ps 46.1, 8-9

Praises and Thanksgiving is the only celebration we can offer to the Almighty God. We have many reasons for our thanksgiving to Him. The following are some of the reasons for which we must praise the Lord. God’s creation and redemption, Salvation – Psalm 103:3, Healing and deliverances - Psalm 103:3, Divine provision - Psalm 103:5; 36:25, Divine protection and preservation – Psalms 91:1-16, Power to lead the Christian live - 2 Corinthians 2:14, The hope of living eternally with our Savior – John 3:16, Answers to prayer – Psalms 65:1-2, Divine guidance - Psalms 73:24. Our praises could be rendered in many ways and many manners. By Singing praises to God, we are showing Him that we submit and surrender to His Majesty and that  He should continue to rule and reign in our lives and affairs. This always moves God to do more for us and to bring enlargements and supernatural miracles to us in return. All through the scriptures, we discovered that everyone who appreciates God always increases with breakthroughs and divine multiplications. Hannah praised God and paid her vows, then God added more children to her in return. Paul and Silas prayed and sang praises in the prison, God opened the prison doors through an earthquake, Israel praised God with a shout and trumpets and the thick Jericho walls fell down flat. Hezekiah and the people of Judah simply praised God with thanksgiving and they received abundance of victory and the supernatural defeat of their enemies. This night shall be a night of Victory through our praises and overwhelming thanksgiving to our Awesome God who keeps us, supports us and sustains us.