The Bible Speaks - Words of Inspiration - But Are You Ready?

[00:00:37] [SPEAKER_00]: The Bible Speaks

[00:00:38] [SPEAKER_00]: Welcome to The Bible Speaks with your host, Elgin Carelock.

[00:00:42] [SPEAKER_00]: The Bible Speaks is a daily podcast dedicated to sharing the good news of Jesus Christ, rightly

[00:00:49] [SPEAKER_00]: dividing the word of truth and learning how to apply it to our daily lives.

[00:00:55] [SPEAKER_00]: You may contact Elgin at the address given at the end of the broadcast.

[00:01:00] [SPEAKER_00]: And now, here's Elgin.

[00:01:03] [SPEAKER_01]: Brothers and sisters, I welcome you in the name of our risen Savior, Jesus Christ, to

[00:01:10] [SPEAKER_01]: another edition of Words of Inspiration, where we explore how Biblical principles can guide

[00:01:16] [SPEAKER_01]: and transform our lives.

[00:01:19] [SPEAKER_01]: And today, we're diving into an important question.

[00:01:24] [SPEAKER_01]: I know that you ask God to give you blessings, but are you ready?

[00:01:31] [SPEAKER_01]: We will be discussing the growth required to receive more than we can ever ask or even

[00:01:38] [SPEAKER_01]: imagine.

[00:01:40] [SPEAKER_01]: But as we unpack this promise, we need to ask ourselves, are we truly ready for what

[00:01:46] [SPEAKER_01]: God has in store?

[00:01:48] [SPEAKER_01]: Ephesians 3.20, reading from the New International Version, is one of those verses that fills

[00:01:56] [SPEAKER_01]: us with hope and expectation.

[00:01:59] [SPEAKER_01]: Now to him, who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according

[00:02:07] [SPEAKER_01]: to his power that is at work within us.

[00:02:11] [SPEAKER_01]: It is a reminder of God's limitless power and his ability to bless us far beyond our

[00:02:17] [SPEAKER_01]: wildest dreams.

[00:02:20] [SPEAKER_01]: But as much as we love this promise, there's a crucial aspect we often overlook, our

[00:02:26] [SPEAKER_01]: readiness to receive such blessings.

[00:02:30] [SPEAKER_01]: You see, God's blessings are not just about getting what we want.

[00:02:34] [SPEAKER_01]: They're about stepping into something greater, something that requires us to be prepared,

[00:02:40] [SPEAKER_01]: both spiritually and emotionally.

[00:02:43] [SPEAKER_01]: So the real question isn't just about God's ability to bless us, but rather,

[00:02:48] [SPEAKER_01]: are we ready for those blessings?

[00:02:52] [SPEAKER_01]: Let's start with the idea of character development.

[00:02:55] [SPEAKER_01]: God's blessings are often tied to responsibilities.

[00:02:59] [SPEAKER_01]: For instance, if we're praying for more influence, it's essential to ask ourselves

[00:03:05] [SPEAKER_01]: if we develop the integrity to handle the influence without falling into pride or

[00:03:11] [SPEAKER_01]: misuse of power.

[00:03:13] [SPEAKER_01]: If we're asking God for financial prosperity, have we cultivated a heart of

[00:03:18] [SPEAKER_01]: generosity?

[00:03:19] [SPEAKER_01]: Or are we still holding on tightly to what we have?

[00:03:23] [SPEAKER_01]: God, in his wisdom, sometimes withholds certain blessings until we've grown into

[00:03:29] [SPEAKER_01]: character.

[00:03:31] [SPEAKER_01]: He knows that without the necessary maturity, what is meant to be a blessing

[00:03:36] [SPEAKER_01]: could become a burden or even lead to our downfall.

[00:03:40] [SPEAKER_01]: So part of getting ready for God's blessing involves a honest evaluation

[00:03:44] [SPEAKER_01]: of our character and a willingness to grow in areas like integrity,

[00:03:51] [SPEAKER_01]: humility, and generosity.

[00:03:55] [SPEAKER_01]: Another key area of growth is spiritual maturity.

[00:03:59] [SPEAKER_01]: Ephesians 3 and 20 talks about God's power at work within us.

[00:04:04] [SPEAKER_01]: This means that the blessing God has for us are not just external.

[00:04:10] [SPEAKER_01]: They're deeply connected to the work he's doing in our hearts.

[00:04:14] [SPEAKER_01]: Are we spending time in prayer, studying his word and deepening our

[00:04:19] [SPEAKER_01]: relationship with him?

[00:04:20] [SPEAKER_01]: Are we learning to trust him in both good times and in challenging

[00:04:24] [SPEAKER_01]: times?

[00:04:26] [SPEAKER_01]: Spiritual maturity equips us to handle God's blessings with the right

[00:04:31] [SPEAKER_01]: attitude.

[00:04:32] [SPEAKER_01]: It helps us to maintain a posture of humility and gratitude rather than

[00:04:37] [SPEAKER_01]: entitlement.

[00:04:39] [SPEAKER_01]: It also ensures that we remain close to God, recognizing that the

[00:04:44] [SPEAKER_01]: blessings come from him and are meant to draw us closer to his

[00:04:48] [SPEAKER_01]: heart.

[00:04:49] [SPEAKER_01]: Finally, walking in God's blessing requires that we align our will

[00:04:54] [SPEAKER_01]: with his.

[00:04:56] [SPEAKER_01]: It's easy to get caught up in our own plans and desires, but true

[00:05:01] [SPEAKER_01]: readiness involves surrendering those to God's greater purpose.

[00:05:06] [SPEAKER_01]: Are we willing to let go of our own agenda to embrace what God has

[00:05:10] [SPEAKER_01]: planned, even if it looks different from what we imagined?

[00:05:15] [SPEAKER_01]: This alignment requires a heart of submission.

[00:05:19] [SPEAKER_01]: It means being open to God's leading, even when it challenges our

[00:05:24] [SPEAKER_01]: comfort zones.

[00:05:25] [SPEAKER_01]: When we align our will with God's, we position ourselves to

[00:05:30] [SPEAKER_01]: receive blessings that are not only beyond what we can ask for,

[00:05:35] [SPEAKER_01]: but are also perfectly tailored to fulfill his purpose in our

[00:05:39] [SPEAKER_01]: lives.

[00:05:42] [SPEAKER_01]: Brothers and sisters, as we reflect on the incredible promise of

[00:05:46] [SPEAKER_01]: Ephesians 3.20, let's remember that receiving God's blessing isn't

[00:05:50] [SPEAKER_01]: just about asking for them.

[00:05:53] [SPEAKER_01]: It's about being ready for them.

[00:05:55] [SPEAKER_01]: This readiness involves growth in our character, deepening our

[00:05:59] [SPEAKER_01]: spiritual maturity, increasing our skill set and

[00:06:03] [SPEAKER_01]: effectiveness in the skills that he's given us, in the gifts

[00:06:06] [SPEAKER_01]: that he's given us, in the talents that he's given us,

[00:06:09] [SPEAKER_01]: and aligning our will with God's.

[00:06:13] [SPEAKER_01]: So the next time you pray for God's abundant blessing,

[00:06:17] [SPEAKER_01]: take a moment to ask yourself, am I ready?

[00:06:21] [SPEAKER_01]: And if you're not, that's okay, because God is patient and he's

[00:06:26] [SPEAKER_01]: willing to walk you through the growth process, preparing you

[00:06:30] [SPEAKER_01]: for everything he has in store.

[00:06:33] [SPEAKER_01]: I thank you for joining me on today and I look forward to

[00:06:38] [SPEAKER_01]: our conversation on tomorrow.

[00:06:40] [SPEAKER_01]: Until then, God bless.

[00:06:47] [SPEAKER_00]: The Bible Speaks is sponsored by C-squared Realty and New Gen

[00:06:53] [SPEAKER_00]: Construction Group to help spread the gospel to the corners of

[00:06:58] [SPEAKER_00]: the earth.

[00:06:59] [SPEAKER_00]: If anything you've heard poured into your life, please share it

[00:07:04] [SPEAKER_00]: with someone.

[00:07:05] [SPEAKER_00]: You can find the Bible Speaks on Spotify, Amazon Music,

[00:07:12] [SPEAKER_00]: Deezer, and many more.

[00:07:14] [SPEAKER_00]: Follow us on YouTube at the Bible Speaks Online.

[00:07:19] [SPEAKER_00]: You may contact Elgin at PO Box 5582 or Calla, Florida 34478

[00:07:29] [SPEAKER_00]: or by email at thebiblespeaksonline at gmail.com