Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:

I. Why we don't bless God:

A. Reasons related to the concept of blessing

We're afraid of what others will think of us rather than what God thinks of us (1Sam 6:20-22)

Our pride keeps us from recognizing the superiority of the One who blesses us (Dan 4:30-35)

Our craving for personal worth inhibits us from bestowing worth on others (3Jn 9-10)

B. Reasons related to His Fatherhood and Christ's Lordship

We fail to recognize and keep the Father/child, Master/servant relationship (Lk 6:46; Mt 6:9-15)

We underestimate His goodness and desire to bless (Mt 7:11)

We tend to blame God for our circumstances (Pr 19:3)

C. Reasons related to His blessings

We don't know what He's done for us and thus can't appreciate it (Ps 103:2)

We don't value what we can't see (lack of faith) (2Cor 5:7)

When we don't get what we want, we can't appreciate what we have (tastes bad) (Ex 16:8)

We fail to realize the totality of His blessings, thinking He's withholding something good from us (Ps 84:11)

D. Reasons related to the fact that the blessings are spiritual

We have our mind set on earthly things (Rom 8; Jn 3:12)

We're ignorant of the realm of the Spirit and the spiritual dimension (1Cor 2; Col 1:9)

We're deceived by Satan into thinking that this world is all there is (Mt 4:17)

Our bellies are our god (Phil 3:19)

Gal 3:9 So then they who are of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham.14 That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

E. Reasons related to the fact that the blessings are in the heavenlies

We're ignorant of the seventh dimension, the realm where rulership of the earth takes place (1:20;2:6;3:10;6:12)

We're not looking forward to the kingdom (Col 3:1-4; 2Tim 4:8,18; 1Pt 1:13; Heb 11:16)

F. Reasons related to the fact that the blessings are in Christ/we're blessed in Christ

We fail to abide (John 14:21) (Js 3:10)

We've broken our union with Christ because we've strained or broken our union with others united with Him (1Jn 1:7,4:20-21)

We're not in Christ, so we feel blessings aren't deserved, or that we'll receive cursings instead (1Pt 1:15-17; 2Cor 5:10)

II. Reasons we should bless God:

It pleases Him, us, others, and makes it easier to say please

It keeps us aware of our dependency and His sufficiency and beneficence

III. How we should bless God...with words, works, wealth, and whooping it up...(just like God has done for us)

We need to know who He is, what He's done (and experience it), what He plans to do, and what He likes

Ge 14:20 And blessed be the most high God, who hath delivered thy enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all.

1Ch 29:20 And David said to all the congregation, Now bless the LORD your God. And all the congregation blessed the LORD God of their fathers, and bowed their heads, and worshipped the LORD, and the king. 21 And they sacrificed sacrifices to the LORD, and offered burnt offerings to the LORD, 22 And ate and drank before the LORD on that day with great gladness.

Ne 9:5-32...Stand up and bless the LORD your God for ever and ever: and blessed be thy glorious name, which is exalted above all blessing and praise.

Da 4:34 I Nebuchadnezzar...blessed the most High, and I praised and honoured him that liveth for ever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom is from generation to generation:

Lu 2:28 Then he took him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said...

2Co 1:3 Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort;

1Pe 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again to a living hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

1Co 10:16 Rev 5:12-13; 7:12

Questions for Reflection/Discussion/Response:

1. Does God have a need for our blessing of Him to massage His ego?

2. What are some benefits of blessing God?

3. What's your favorite way of blessing God? What helps you bless Him?

4. What is God's favorite way of being blessed? How can we do more of that?

5. If spiritual blessings are superior to temporal, why do we prefer the temporal?