Bible Study Notes Sharing God’s Blessings
Intimacy with the Lord, material prosperity, freedom from sin, and the comfort of having close relationships—it’s tempting to enjoy such things and forget that others are hurting. We need to remember that God blesses us so that we might bless others. Galatians 5:13 says, “Do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.”
There are endless ways to enrich the lives of those around us. Here are just a few examples:
1. Begin by serving in your home.
Unfortunately, we often show more patience and courtesy toward acquaintances and strangers than toward our spouses and families. Read 1 Peter 3:8-11.
§ Does verse 8 describe how you treat your family? If not, in which areas could you improve?
§ How could applying the principle in verse 9 help resolve conflicts more quickly?
§ What effect would choosing to “seek peace and pursue it” have on your household?
Read Colossians 3:12-14. Verse 12 tells us to “put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience” (emphasis added). We may not feel like being kind or patient with our families, but through the power of the Holy Spirit, we can adopt those attitudes.
§ Which of the traits in Colossians 3:12 come naturally to you? Which ones do you sometimes have to “put on” when dealing with your family?
§ How can remembering God’s complete forgiveness help you generously forgive your family (Col. 3:13)?
2. Serve using your natural abilities and spiritual gifts.
Find a way to serve using your talents, skills, and experience. A handyman could offer to help widows with home repairs. A successful businessperson could mentor younger people just beginning their careers.
§ Why were Bezalel and Oholiab useful in building the first temple (Ex. 31:2-6)?
§ What God-given ability did David have (1 Sam. 16:18)?
§ What new way could you use your skills, talents, or experience to help others?
Each believer should find a way to use his or her spiritual gifts.
§ Romans 12:3 cautions us not to think more highly of ourselves than we should. How does this apply to a person’s spiritual giftedness?
§ Although Romans 12:5-8 is not a complete list, what spiritual gifts are mentioned in this passage?
§ What spiritual gift or gifts God has given you?
§ What types of opportunities do you have to use them?
For the most part, you should find joy in using your abilities to serve the Lord. If you don’t enjoy how you are serving, evaluate if you need more time to rest, or if you have misunderstood or ignored God’s guidance. It’s also possible that a season of service is coming to a close.
3. Give financial or other material gifts.
Most individuals reading this study are blessed with money and material goods. You may not feel rich, but in comparison to the majority of the world’s people, you are comfortably well-off.
§ What advice does 1 Timothy 6:17 have for wealthy people?
§ Read 1 Timothy 6:18. What does it mean to be “rich in good deeds”? Does this phrase describe you?
§ What could you do this week or month to be generous with your finances and material possessions?
4. Get involved in local, national, or international missions.
One of the most important ways to serve is by helping to spread the gospel.
You can participate in evangelism by serving on a local, national, or overseas outreach team, or by supporting missionaries with prayer, care packages, emails, or letters. Some people enjoy traveling to areas of natural disaster and ministering there. You can even serve simply by being a genuine friend to someone who doesn’t yet know Christ.
§ Which of the above things have you done before?
§ What did you enjoy about it? What was difficult?
Sharing your faith can be frightening and uncomfortable. However, it can also be one of the most joyous experiences on earth. Remember, if you rely on the Holy Spirit, He will provide the words you need at the right time (Acts 1:8).
5. Keep your eyes open for opportunities to serve in simple ways.
Every day provides opportunities to bless others in small ways: opening a door for a dad who has his hands full, guiding someone toward the right aisle in a large store, or allowing another person to go ahead of you in line. The Bible tells us that God will reward the simplest acts of kindness.
§ Read Matthew 10:41-42. What do you think it means to “receive a righteous man in the name of a righteous man”? How could you do this?
§ What simple acts of kindness do you enjoy performing?
Consider asking God to give you more opportunities to serve those you come in contact with each day.
Prayer: Father, thank You for blessing me in so many ways. I pray that I would take the time and effort necessary to pass on to others some of what You have entrusted to me. Guide me toward the best ways to invest myself in the lives of others. Amen.
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