17 Instruct those who are rich in this present world not to be conceited or to fix their hope on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy. 18 Instruct them to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, 19 storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is life indeed. 1 Timothy 6:17-19

Whatever it is that we face in our lives can become a blessing or a curse. The outcome is not determined by our actions. God only has the power to deliver a blessing or curse based on how we obey His guidance. 

An illness can be a blessing or health can be a curse. A marriage can be a blessing or a terrible fate. Money can be a blessing or cause your demise. How does it become a curse? It does so when we believe it is all we need to be happy and mistakenly believe it comes to us through our skill. We must shed this behavior and thinking. If we do, we will be able to embark on the path towards salvation.

When faced with hardship, our natural inclination is to look to ourselves to resolve it. We try to address it through our own skill, wits, and experience. We must repent and change this thinking. We must shift our approach and recognize that only God can deliver us. Rather than look to ourselves or others, first pray to and seek instruction from God. 

“I pray to you, Lord, to make this hardship a blessing for me.”

“Please Lord, make this hardship turn into a blessing.” 

“Lord, I have received this illness, please turn this illness into a blessing.”

Because God only has the power to bless or curse, then we must seek to receive His blessing. If we obey and follow His guidance, God will bless us. But where do we find this direction? We find it through His truth and the inspiration of the Holy Spirit which comes to us in our devotion. We must pray to find our path to blessing. This will never change and is always true. 

Once we have received God’s blessings, we must use them well. If we do, the blessing grows and multiplies. If we do not, this blessing will not grow and instead turn into a curse that blocks our salvation. How do we use God’s blessings correctly? The Bible tells us here. Do good, be rich in good works, be generous, and share. 

What does it mean to do good? After we have received His blessing, we must live according to God’s purpose, not that of the world or yourself. Align and live with God’s guidance in every relationship, every situation, every task and action. For a married person, it means following God’s purpose and direction when raising your family and working in your job. Seek to bring God joy in everything you do – this is using God’s blessing well.

What does it mean to be rich in good works? It means to continue doing good. When we act according to God’s purpose and help others to find faith through our example, do not stop there and be self-satisfied. Continue to be good. Every task we do, it is essential to build it step by step according to God’s direction. We grow and build more into a sturdy foundation of faith.

To be generous is to use whatever remains after we serve God, whether it be wisdom, health, works, and wealth, to help others to share God’s blessings and live according to God’s purpose. Whether it be money, our care, or advice – give it to others to help them. We must not only obey God ourselves but help others to do the same. We must live with the mindset to work to enable others to receive God’s blessings too.

To share means to empathize with the feelings of those around us. If someone is feeling sad, we must share their sadness in order to help them. Try to be in their shoes, feel as they do, and become one with them. When we do this, we are better in helping, teaching, and guiding them to God. However, be careful not to be drawn into their direction if it is away from God. We must move them to God’s purpose, not be moved away from it. 

When we use our blessing well in these four ways, we build a strong foundation for the future for all eternity. To summarize:

1. There is one path to receive blessing. 
2. We must escape the path to destruction through blessing. 
3. We must realize everything can be a blessing or curse depending on how we face it. 
4. We must use this blessing well in four ways:
   1. Do good
   2. Be rich in good works
   3. Be generous
   4. Share 

When we face each moment in our lives following God’s direction, it is our faithfulness, not our own efforts, that determines if we are blessed or cursed. When we receive His blessing, we must use it in four ways. Then we build the foundation for eternal salvation. We build a joy that grows step by step. Avoid the path of destruction and follow the path of blessing. Live eternally blessed by God building a foundation for eternal joy. Choose the path to receiving God’s blessings.

Click for Korean sermon https://soundcloud.com/yhpaik/1983-11-23-short-1b?si=446aa228c8c843f2aac2b6dc495cfe81&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing