June 22, 2025 | Ptr Ricky Sarthou
God’s Amazing blessings
Have you been blessed by God, and are you amazed by His blessings? Even in difficult times, have you seen His blessings on your life? When we pray in awe, we recall the amazing works of God from the day we were born up to this day.
“Count Your Blessings” (by Johnson Oatman, Jr.) is a classic hymn that tell us that when we count our blessings, do not be generic — be specific! This is especially needed when we experience “life’s billows” and we are “tempest-tossed”; when we are discouraged, “thinking that all is lost”. David expressed being overwhelmed by God’s goodness to him as he “sat” before the Lord and asked the Lord, “who am I…what is my house, that You have brought me this far?” (2 Samuel 7:18). To “sit” before the Lord carries the same idea as “abiding” in Him, planting ourselves firmly in the presence of God; to settle yourself in quietness before God so you can hear from Him clearly. David was remembering something that happened in the past (2 Samuel 5:4-5). At the time David prayed this prayer, he was already king over all Israel. God spoke to David through the prophet Nathan that God will make him ruler over His people; from “following the sheep”, to leading the nation of Israel. God cut off all David’s enemies and promised that He will make his name great (2 Samuel 7:8-9). God reminded David where he came from (a shepherd) to the throne (as king). David’s life had it’s up and down, but through it all, God preserved David. How far has the Lord brought you? Where were you before you came into a relationship with Jesus? Who am I, that I should be God’s child? Who am I to receive God’s great blessings in my life?
| THEN | NOW |
| Sinner | SAINT! 1 Corinthians 1:2 |
| Lost | FOUND! Luke 15:24 |
| Darkness | LIGHT! Ephesians 5:8 |
| Dead | ALIVE! Ephesians 2:1-5 |
| Spiritual pauper | ROYAL PRIEST! 1 Peter 2:9 |
God’s Wonderful promises
As we look forward, knowing and remembering the promises of God in His word, the Bible, can help us pray in awe of Him. David was awed by how God treated him in the past, and 10x David referred to himself as “Your servant”. But David was also amazed with the promises of God to him for the future (2 Samuel 7:19-21). God promised David that He will build the house of David, a dynasty that will last forever (2 Samuel 7:4-7, 11-13). The LORD promised that David’s son, Solomon will be the one who will build God’s house, not David. God promised that He will be a father to Solomon, and will discipline him if he sins, yet will not remove His love from Solomon like He did from king Saul (2 Samuel 7:14-15). You may be deeply concerned about the world your family is growing up in. But who can better take care of our children and grandchildren than God (Psalm 100:5)? That’s why it’s so important to know God’s promises from His word!
| Samples of God’s Promises | |
| When burdened with the guilt of sin | 1 John 1:9 – If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive… |
| When your heart is troubled | John 14:27 – “My peace I give to you…Do not let your heart be troubled…”/td> |
| When feeling lost | Psalm 32:8 – “I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you should go…” |
| When needing help | Hebrews 4:16 – Therefore, let us draw near with confidence to the throne…and find grace to help in time of need. |
| When disappointed with yourself | Philippians 1:6 – He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus. |
| When lonely | Matthew 28:20 – “I am with you always even to the end of the age.” |
Do you wonder what your future will be like? “The future is as bright as the promises of God.” – Adoniram Judson.
God’s Everlasting character
Finally, what God did (blessings in the past), what God promises (blessings in the future) is all because of God’s everlasting character.
The focus of David’s prayer was God’s character, who God is (2 Samuel 7:22). What have you heard about God from His word? Immerse yourself in God’s character through the Bible. The magnitude of the visible universe has 100 billion galaxies with billions of stars in each galaxy. Yet the God who created all these knows each of us by name (Isaiah 43:1)! The Bible tells us that we are His masterpiece (workmanship), we are not “accidents” (Ephesians 2:10).
The most amazing promise of God to David was about an everlasting kingdom (2 Samuel 7:16). This was not about Solomon, it was about Jesus, the Messiah and King, David’s descendant (Matthew 1:1, 5-6,16)! Today, our purpose as God’s children is to let the world know about Jesus. Tell others of God’s amazing blessings and promises and His everlasting character!