Welcome to the assembly ofthe Vegas Drive Church of Christ!

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Attitudes and actions that garner God’s blessings

• What is this series about?

• An examination of 21 attitudes and behaviors identified in the New Testament as “blessed”

• A look at Christian conduct and characteristics that will enrich our lives with lasting joy

• A look at the condition of those who lack these qualities

Deuteronomy 11:26-28

• Outline

• The blessed life is a choice

• The blessed life is enriched with God’s gifts

• The cursed life is a choice

• The cursed life is repaid with God’s wrath

• The blessed life is a choice• You choose to embrace it or reject it (Deut. 28:1-2)• It is conditional upon your effort to obey from the heart• Blessed are the poor in spirit, those who mourn, the gentle,

those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, the merciful, the pure in heart, the peacemakers, the persecuted, the insulted

• Blessed are those who are not offended at Jesus, who hear the Gospel, accept the invitation, believe in Jesus, have faith like Abraham, wash in the blood

• Blessed are the effectual doers, the benevolent, those who are dressed & ready, the busy workers, those who persevere under trials, and those who die in the Lord

“How blessed are the people who are so situated;How blessed are the people whose God is the LORD!” Psalm 144:15

• The blessed life is enriched with God’s gifts (Eph. 1:3)• Receive a kingdom, comfort, inheritance, satisfaction for

spiritual cravings , mercy, see God, called sons of God, receive a reward, will not be disappointed, gain understanding, united with Christ, overcome the world, accounted righteous, success, joy, clothed with Christ, unashamed, have endurance, satisfaction with life, eternal life, rest from labors

“The LORD has been mindful of us; He will bless us” (Ps. 115:12)

• The cursed life is a choice• You choose to continue in it, or escape it (Deut. 28:15)• Cursed are the arrogant, the unrepentant, the brutal, those who

crave wickedness, the vengeful, the impure in heart, the peace-breakers, those who are loved and praised by the world

• Cursed are those who are stumble over Jesus, who reject the Gospel, ignore the invitation, deny Jesus, lack faith, who do not wash in the blood

• Cursed are the forgetful hearers, the selfish, the unprepared, the lazy, the quitters, and those who die outside the Lord

If you do not listen, and if you do not take it to heart to give honor to My name,” says the Lord of hosts, “then I will send the curse upon you and I will curse your blessings; and indeed, I have cursed them

already, because you are not taking it to heart. (Mal. 2:2)

• The cursed life is repaid with God’s wrath• Kingdom of darkness, discomfort, no inheritance, no

satisfaction for spiritual cravings , no mercy, not see God, not called sons of God, receive a punishment, will be disappointed, lack understanding, cut off from Christ, slaves of this world, accounted wicked, sorrow, naked, ashamed, weak, unsatisfied with life, eternal death, torment

“the anger of the Lord and His jealousy will burn against that man, and every curse which is written in this book will rest on him, and the Lord will blot out his name from under heaven” (Deut. 29:20)

• Summary• Moses said, “I call heaven and earth to witness against you

today, that I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. So choose life in order that you may live, you and your [descendants, by loving the LORD your God, by obeying His voice, and by holding fast to Him; for this is your life…” (Deut. 30:19-20)• You are the soil upon which God sends opportunities. What

will you produce?

“For ground that drinks the rain which often falls on it and brings forth vegetation useful to those for whose sake it is also tilled,

receives a blessing from God; but if it yields thorns and thistles, it is worthless and close to being cursed, and it ends up being burned.”

(Heb. 6:7-8)

• Believe in Jesus Christ (John 14:1; Acts 16:30-34)• That He died for your sins and was resurrected (1 Cor. 15:3-4)

• Repent of your past sins (Acts 17:30; 2 Peter 3:9)• Commit yourself to holy conduct (Acts 26:30; Titus 2:11-12)

• Confess your faith (Matthew 10:32)• Declare your belief that Jesus is God’s Son (Acts 8:37)

• Receive Baptism (Matthew 28:19; Acts 2:41; Acts 8:12)• Baptism puts you into Christ (Romans 6:3-5; Galatians 3:27)• Baptism is for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38; Acts 22:16)• Baptism saves you (1 Peter 3:21)

• Be faithful until death (Revelation 2:10)• Trust His grace and obey His commands (Hebrews 5:9)

• Or face the retribution due to those who do not obey• 2 Thessalonians 1:8; Romans 2:8; John 3:36

Pray without ceasing…Practice what Jesus preached…Prepare for our next assembly