Bless, 3of3

~ Current Blessings From God To Christians ~

Justification Now (justified by His blood)  ~  “For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.  For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die.  But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:6-8). 

Deliverance Now (delivered from the Law)  ~  “But now we have been delivered from the law, having died to what we were held by, so that we should serve in the newness of the Spirit and not in the oldness of the letter” (Romans 7:6).  “For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.  For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit” (Romans 8:2-4). 

Freedom Now (no more condemnation)  ~  “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1a). 

Relationship Now (intimate communication)  ~  “That at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.  But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ” (Ephesians 2:12-13).  “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.  And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise” (Galatians 3:28-29).   

Sonship Now (sons of God)  ~  “For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:26).  “Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God!  Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him.  Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.  And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure” (1 John 3:1-3). 

additional thought:  Better to lose count while naming your blessings than to lose your blessings while counting your troubles.

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW

NOTES:

(1)     The current TOP 10 ALN posts are listed at the very bottom of this home page.

(2)     There is an INDEX of all ALN posts accessed by scrolling down the left column.

(3)     You may LINK to any ALN posts on your own blog or website. 

(4)     You may COPY any ALN post, but please credit ALN as the source by prominently displaying the following statement:  Reprinted from “Abundant Life Now,” a free blog which offers inspiring moments, thought-provoking comments, and solid Biblical insight at http://RobertLloydRussell.blogspot.com/ .

Bless, 2of3

~ Who Can Bless Something Else? ~

Divine To Human  ~  “And God blessed them (Adam and Eve), saying, ‘Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth.’  So the evening and the morning were the fifth day” (Genesis 1:22-23).  Other references include Genesis 1:22, 28, 12:3, 24:35; Job 42:12; Psalm 45:2, 104:24, 28; Matthew 5:44; Luke 11:9-13; and James 1:17.

Human To Divine  ~  “And I [Abraham’s servant] bowed my head and worshiped the Lord, and blessed the Lord God of my master Abraham, who had led me in the way of truth to take the daughter of my master’s brother for his son” (Genesis 24:48).  Other references include Deuteronomy 8:10; Psalm 103:1-2 and Psalm 145:1-3.

Human To Human  ~  “By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff” (Hebrews 11:21).  Other references include Genesis 14:19, 49:1-28; Numbers 6:23-27; Deuteronomy 23:1-29, 27:12-26, 28:1, 68; Deuteronomy 33; Joshua 22:6-7;Luke 24:50; and Hebrews 7:1, 6-7.

Human To Inanimate  ~  “Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry.  I speak as to wise men; judge for yourselves what I say.  The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ?  The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ?  For we, though many, are one bread and one body; for we all partake of that one bread” (1 Corinthians 10:14-17). 

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW

NOTES:

(1)     The current TOP 10 ALN posts are listed at the very bottom of this home page.

(2)     There is an INDEX of all ALN posts accessed by scrolling down the left column.

(3)     You may LINK to any ALN posts on your own blog or website. 

(4)     You may COPY any ALN post, but please credit ALN as the source by prominently displaying the following statement:  Reprinted from “Abundant Life Now,” a free blog which offers inspiring moments, thought-provoking comments, and solid Biblical insight at http://RobertLloydRussell.blogspot.com/ .

Bless, 1of3

~ Primary Meanings of The Word Bless In Scripture ~

There are three primary meanings in the Scriptures of the concept bless (or blessing). 

Giving Undeserved Good  ~  “And God blessed them, saying, ‘Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth.’  So the evening and the morning were the fifth day” (Genesis 1:22-23). 

Setting Apart or Consecrating  ~  This is a much less frequent use of the term in Scripture.  “Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made” (Genesis 2:3).

The Desire, Hope or Wish for Good  ~  “So they sent away Rebekah their sister and her nurse, and Abraham’s servant and his men.  And they blessed Rebekah and said to her: ‘Our sister, may you become the mother of thousands of ten thousands; and may your descendants possess the gates of those who hate them.’  Then Rebekah and her maids arose, and they rode on the camels and followed the man.  So the servant took Rebekah and departed” (Genesis 24:59-61).

“Then Isaac said, ‘Behold now, I am old.  I do not know the day of my death.  Now therefore, please take your weapons, your quiver and your bow, and go out to the field and hunt game for me.  And make me savory food, such as I love, and bring it to me that I may eat, that my soul may bless you before I die’ …  Isaac said, ‘Bring it near to me, and I will eat of my son’s game, so that my soul may bless you.’  So Jacob brought it near to him, and he ate; and he brought him wine, and he drank.  Then his father Isaac said to him, ‘Come near now and kiss me, my son.’  And he came near and kissed him; and he smelled the smell of his clothing, and blessed him and said: ‘Surely, the smell of my son is like the smell of a field which the Lord has blessed” (Genesis 27:2-4, 25-27).

additional note  ~  The word bless is used primarily in the Old Testament however there are some uses of the word in the New Testament.  “Jesus said, ‘Bring them here to Me.’  Then He commanded the multitudes to sit down on the grass.  And He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, He blessed and broke and gave the loaves to the disciples; and the disciples gave to the multitudes” (Matthew 14:18-19).  In this New Testament example the word bless has the connotation of being grateful, giving thanks, or receiving something with a grateful spirit. 

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW

NOTES:

(1)     The current TOP 10 ALN posts are listed at the very bottom of this home page.

(2)     There is an INDEX of all ALN posts accessed by scrolling down the left column.

(3)     You may LINK to any ALN posts on your own blog or website. 

(4)     You may COPY any ALN post, but please credit ALN as the source by prominently displaying the following statement:  Reprinted from “Abundant Life Now,” a free blog which offers inspiring moments, thought-provoking comments, and solid Biblical insight at http://RobertLloydRussell.blogspot.com/ .