A. This series is based on the message of Psalm 16:11 – "You will make known to me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; in Your right hand there are pleasures forever.”

B. In our present lesson, let us consider that joy is always associated closely with blessings.

1. The word "blessed” (Gr. makarios) means "happy,” so there is a natural connection between blessings and happiness or joy. (Consider the Beatitudes in Matthew 5:3-12.)

2. Therefore, we should take notice of our blessings in order to increase our joy.

II. COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS IN THE PRESENT

A. No matter what trouble or hardship comes to you, there are always blessings in your life to bring you joy.

1. First and foremost, the spiritual blessings in Christ are always abundantly available to anyone who will take hold of them through faith in the gospel.

a. Consider this wonderful statement in John 1:16 – "For of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace.” These blessings from the fullness of Christ and grace upon grace are yours for the taking. There are no better blessings than these.

b. For Christians, we should be assured that God "has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ” (Eph. 1:3).

c. These blessings consist of forgiveness of sins, salvation from destruction, hope of eternal life, fellowship with God and other Christians, access to God in prayer, and much more.

2. Beyond the spiritual blessings, we all have temporal blessings to bring us joy.

a. In different measures, we all enjoy life, health, safety, shelter, clothing, food, liberty, relationships with friends and family, and many other things.

b. Let us be reminded that every blessing, no matter how great or small, has come from God (Jas. 1:17). Our joy over blessings is a mark of our gratitude to the Giver of blessings.

B. To see your blessings clearly and experience joy in the present fully, you must have the right attitude.

1. Much of the unhappiness in the world is a product of discontentment, jealousy, envy, greed, covetousness, and ingratitude. These sins rob a person of joy and offend God and men.

2. The attitude of contentment is a key to joy in the present. Consider Paul's words concerning contentment in the following passages:

a. 1Timothy 6:6-8 – But godliness actually is a means of great gain when accompanied by contentment. For we have brought nothing into the world, so we cannot take anything out of it either. If we have food and covering, with these we shall be content.

b. Philippians 4:11-13 – Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.

c. Many people have food, covering and much, much more and are still unhappy. Unlike Paul, they do not know "how to live in prosperity” because they are discontent. Such persons are surrounded by temporal blessings and yet have no joy.

III. REMEMBER YOUR BLESSINGS IN THE PAST

A. The sweet memories of blessings in the past can be a source of great joy and comfort today.

1. In the Law of Moses, Israel was commanded many times to remember the blessings of God from their past. They had monuments, memorials, feast days, and ceremonies that commemorated their past blessings. These were to remind them of God's kindness toward them, bring them joy in the present, and cause them to trust God.

2. Consider Job, who lost nearly everything that was precious to him and then said to his wife, "Shall we indeed accept good from God and not accept adversity?” (Job 2:10). Job did not forget God's former blessings, and these memories brought him comfort and taught him to trust God even in his distress.

3. Likewise, our memories of past blessings should bring us joy, comfort, and trust.

a. We should be happy that God has always cared for us, provided for us, and given us blessings far beyond anything that we deserved.

b. We should also know that God has not changed, and He continues to care for us now. Notice James 1:17 – "Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow.” God has always provided for us, and His record of providence is a powerful witness to His trustworthiness.

c. When we realize how much God has given for us in the past, we should have great joy and confidence for the present and the future. Consider Romans 8:32 – "He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?”

B. Sadly, many people do not rejoice over past blessings, but instead they mourn over them.

1. Rather than viewing past blessings as something gained, many view them as something lost. Some even become angry over lost blessings and rebel against the God who gave them. (Consider the example of Jonah and the plant in Jonah 4:5-9.)

2. Should we expect God to bless us in the present or future if we mourn over blessings in our past? When we behave as ungrateful, spoiled children who are angry for not getting our way, we cannot expect to garner God's favor. Why would He give us more blessings if our past blessings cause us to be unhappy and ungrateful?

IV. HOPE FOR YOUR BLESSINGS IN THE FUTURE

A. Knowing that God has blessed us in the past and the present, we can rejoice in expectation of His blessings in the future.

1. God has never forsaken us, so it is foolish and unfaithful to worry that He will abandon us in the future. Instead, we should rejoice in knowing that our future is in the hands of our kind God who has always cared for us.

2. Consider the evidence of our future temporal blessings.

a. David wrote, "I have been young and now I am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or his descendants begging bread” (Ps. 37:25). There is no reason to expect that we will be forced to beg for bread in the future if we remain faithful.

b. Jesus promised, "But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you” (Matt. 6:33). Certainly, we can trust His promise to give us our needs, for He even gave His life for us.

B. The word of God assures us that the greatest blessings we will ever have are in our future. The anticipation of these eternal, spiritual blessings should bring us great joy today, for the best is yet to come.

1. Even in midst of present hardships, trials, and suffering, our joy over these future blessings should not be diminished. In fact, the joy of our hope should become even greater during difficulties.

2. Let us consider and share Paul's attitude in his hardships and suffering from these passages:

a. 2Corinthians 4:16-18 – Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.

b. 2Timothy 4:6-8 – For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith; in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing.

V. CONCLUSION

A. By surveying our blessings from the past, present, and future, we see that each of us has many reasons to be joyful. God has blessed us richly, so let us return to Him our expressions of joy and thanksgiving.

B. May we refuse to let discontentment, ingratitude, bitterness, or any present distress rob us of the joy we should have for God's wonderful blessings.