ARE YOU TOO STRESSED TO BE BLESSED?

[Lady Divine]

And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary. And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women. And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be. And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. LUKE 1:26-30




IN A MATTER OF MOMENTS MARY……HAD HER LIFE CHANGED FOREVER BY A MESSENGER SENT FROM GOD WITH A MESSAGE.


GABRIEL THE HIGH RANKING ANGEL,

GABRIEL GOD’S AMBASSADOR,

GABRIEL A REPRESENTATIVE SENT FROM GOD ON A MISSION CHANGED MARY’S LIFE FOREVER WITH A SIMPLE GREETING……

Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.

ANGELS ARE REAL AND ACTIVE EVEN IN OUR LIVES TODAY. FOR GOD HAS COMMANDED HIS ANGELS TO STAND GUARD OVER US AND WATCH OVER

FOR THE PURPOSE OF DIRECTION.
FOR THE PURPOSE OF PROTECTION.
FOR THE PURPOSE OF ENCOURAGEMENT.
FOR THE PURPOSE OF REVELATION.


HAVE YOU EVER BEEN TOUCHED BY AN ANGEL ……….

I BELIEVE…. AND THIS IS JUST MY HUMBLE PERSONAL OPINION

ANGELS ARE EVERYWHERE AND EVERY ENCOUNTER WITH AN ANGEL IS INTENTIONAL AND SENT BY GOD FOR A SPECIFIC REASON OR SEASON OF YOUR LIVES.

IN A MATTER OF MOMENTS MARY……HAD HER LIFE CHANGED FOREVER BY A MESSENGER SENT FROM GOD WITH A MESSAGE THAT SENT HER ON A MISSION.


DON’T BE AFRAID OF MESSENGERS SENT FROM GOD…… ALLOW GOD'S ANGELS TO DO THEIR WORK IN YOUR LIFE.

ANGELS COME ON A MISSION FROM GOD WITH MESSAGES TO CHANGE OUR LIVES.



GABRIEL’S GREETING LEFT MARY CONFUSED, DISTURBED, PERPLEXED AND TROUBLED AS TO THE MEANING OF IT…..


MARY WAS JUST TOO STRESSED TO BE BLESSED……..


MARY DID NOT GRASP THE IDEA THAT ………

“THOU ART HIGHLY FAVOURED, THE LORD IS WITH THEE: BLESSED ART THOU AMONG WOMEN”……….. REALLY MEANT SHE WAS BLESSED BIGTIME!


MARY WAS TOO STRESSED TO BE BLESSED……..


THE NASB SAYS SHE KEPT PONDERING WHAT KIND OF SALUTATION THIS WAS…SHE WAS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT IT MEANT.


MARY WAS CONFUSED!
MARY WAS DISTURBED!
MARY WAS PERPLEXED!
MARY WAS TROUBLED!

MARY WAS TOO STRESSED TO BE BLESSED.

THE ANGEL TOLD HER “BLESSED ART THOU AMONG WOMEN”

BLESSED ART THOU…….
HAPPY ART THOU
TO BE ENVIED ART THOU

MARY WAS STILL STRESSING……..

GOD WAS WITH MARY.
THE ANGEL TOLD HER “THE LORD IS WITH THEE”

MARY WAS STRESSING…….. BUT GOD WAS BLESSING.



GABRIEL CALMED MARY DOWN BY SAYING TO HER…….., FEAR NOT, MARY: FOR THOU HAST FOUND FAVOUR WITH GOD.

UNEARNED, UNDESERVED, UNMERITED FAVOR.

YOU ARE SITTING HERE ON THE LAST DAY OF THE YEAR STRESSING ABOUT STUFF THAT HAPPENED AND STUFF THAT DID NOT HAPPEN IN 2008.

LET IT GO… YOU ARE TOO BLESSED TO BE STRESSED!!!


A QUICK TRIP THROUGH THE END OF THE YEAR NEWS SHOULD BE ENOUGH TO LET YOU KNOW HOW BLESSED YOU ARE TO HAVE MADE IT TO THE LAST DAY OF 2008.

JUST LIKE MARY ---------SOMEBODY IS SITTING HERE RIGHT NOW BLESSED AND YOU DON’T EVEN KNOW IT.


STOP STRESSING……….YOU ARE TOO BLESSED TO BE STRESSED!!!


JUST LIKE MARY -----------------SOMEBODY IS SITTING HERE RIGHT NOW AND YOU ARE HIGHLY FAVORED.


STOP STRESSING……….YOU ARE TOO BLESSED TO BE STRESSED!!!


JUST LIKE MARY --------------SOMEBODY IS SITTING HERE RIGHT NOW AND THE LORD IS WITH YOU AND YOU DON'T THINK THAT HE IS.

STOP STRESSING……….YOU ARE TOO BLESSED TO BE STRESSED!!!


THE LORD IS WITH THEE…..………….LET’S TAKE THAT IN TO 2009 WITH US.


GOD TOLD JACOB……..

AND, BEHOLD, I AM WITH THEE, AND WILL KEEP THEE IN ALL PLACES WHITHER THOU GOEST, AND WILL BRING THEE AGAIN INTO THIS LAND; FOR I WILL NOT LEAVE THEE, UNTIL I HAVE DONE THAT WHICH I HAVE SPOKEN TO THEE OF.


I AM TELLING YOU TODAY WHEREVER YOU GO IN 2009 GOD IS WITH YOU!!TAKE THAT WITH YOU



GOD TOLD JOSHUA………

HAVE NOT I COMMANDED THEE? BE STRONG AND OF A GOOD COURAGE; BE NOT AFRAID, NEITHER BE THOU DISMAYED: FOR THE LORD THY GOD IS WITH THEE WHITHERSOEVER THOU GOEST.


I AM TELLING YOU TODAY WHEREVER YOU GO IN 2009 GOD IS WITH YOU!! TAKE THAT WITH YOU



YEA, THOUGH I WALK THROUGH THE VALLEY OF THE SHADOW OF DEATH, I WILL FEAR NO EVIL: FOR I KNOW GOD IS WITH ME………


I DON’T KNOW ABOUT YOU BUT I AM GOING TO TAKE THAT WITH ME INTO 2009……..


BECAUSE I AM TOO BLESSED TO BE STRESSED…..


Sermon Excerpts December 31, 2006 adapted for 2009