“God Bless You!”
My friend and I sat together listening to the music and the
message of God, and the serving of the Lord’s Supper. At the end of the service, she grasped my
face, kissed my the side of my face and said, “God bless you!”
message of God, and the serving of the Lord’s Supper. At the end of the service, she grasped my
face, kissed my the side of my face and said, “God bless you!”
Her prayer of blessing uttered each week with such
simplicity and love touched my heart and echoed often during the week that
followed. Another scene, in another
state, and another time during a morning Bible Study, a different scene was
portrayed. It was time for prayer. Prayer requests dealing with so many
different ailments of those we know, we added to the list. Then it came time for praises. The room was silent as if praises, the
response to blessings, were none existent or timidly offered. This empty response was from those who walked
with the Lord? How can that be?
simplicity and love touched my heart and echoed often during the week that
followed. Another scene, in another
state, and another time during a morning Bible Study, a different scene was
portrayed. It was time for prayer. Prayer requests dealing with so many
different ailments of those we know, we added to the list. Then it came time for praises. The room was silent as if praises, the
response to blessings, were none existent or timidly offered. This empty response was from those who walked
with the Lord? How can that be?
What is a blessing?
What does, ‘God bless you’,
mean? It is a spiritual prayer of
someone who invokes God’s continued favour and protection us. It is serving a need of others through giving
help that can be financial, emotional or physical to someone else. My Mom, a
giver and server, found herself in the hospital with cancer surgery. She was near tears when others blessed her by
taking care of her needs. She did not
have the strength to return their kindnesses.
She lived by “it is better to give than to receive”. She didn’t understand that she needed to let
others give to her, to receive all the blessing of giving to others.
What does, ‘God bless you’,
mean? It is a spiritual prayer of
someone who invokes God’s continued favour and protection us. It is serving a need of others through giving
help that can be financial, emotional or physical to someone else. My Mom, a
giver and server, found herself in the hospital with cancer surgery. She was near tears when others blessed her by
taking care of her needs. She did not
have the strength to return their kindnesses.
She lived by “it is better to give than to receive”. She didn’t understand that she needed to let
others give to her, to receive all the blessing of giving to others.
This is difficult to do – and one I am learning as we need
more and more help in this stage of our lives.
Sometimes my heart is so filled with gratitude for those who do, those
who pray, those who listen, those who care, that it brings me to tears. Our children are at the top of the list of
those who show God’s love to us and bless us daily with the love, their
attention and care in many ways.
more and more help in this stage of our lives.
Sometimes my heart is so filled with gratitude for those who do, those
who pray, those who listen, those who care, that it brings me to tears. Our children are at the top of the list of
those who show God’s love to us and bless us daily with the love, their
attention and care in many ways.
How many ways does God bless us when we belong to Him
totally? Giving our lives to Him in many
ways, looking to help others in some small way?
Have you ever sung the hymn, Count
your many blessings, name them one by one? Did the lyrics touch your heart?
totally? Giving our lives to Him in many
ways, looking to help others in some small way?
Have you ever sung the hymn, Count
your many blessings, name them one by one? Did the lyrics touch your heart?
Will we enter into the middle years and beyond without
knowing, realizing, and being a blessing to someone else? The first time I heard someone pray for me by
name, I cried. That was a blessing to me.
God is a forever Giver and his bottom line is LOVE. Until we learn to love like Jesus,
unconditionally, we can’t understand Him or His love completely.
knowing, realizing, and being a blessing to someone else? The first time I heard someone pray for me by
name, I cried. That was a blessing to me.
God is a forever Giver and his bottom line is LOVE. Until we learn to love like Jesus,
unconditionally, we can’t understand Him or His love completely.
Have you ever wondered, when things are bad, if the sun is going
to come up in the morning? Have you ever
wondered if you would go hungry? Have
you ever held a grudge? Do you judge
others from their heart or their appearance or actions? The Lord’s Prayer is a blessing from God
because it gives us a blue print of being truly His.
to come up in the morning? Have you ever
wondered if you would go hungry? Have
you ever held a grudge? Do you judge
others from their heart or their appearance or actions? The Lord’s Prayer is a blessing from God
because it gives us a blue print of being truly His.
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your
kingdom come,
your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give
us this day our daily bread, and
forgive us our debts, as we
also have forgiven our debtors. And lead
us not into temptation, but deliver
us from evil. Matthew 6:9-13
kingdom come,
your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give
us this day our daily bread, and
forgive us our debts, as we
also have forgiven our debtors. And lead
us not into temptation, but deliver
us from evil. Matthew 6:9-13
Below is my partial
list of the ways God blesses me. There
are more. My prayer is that I can bless
others with the blessings God gives me.
Have you tried to make a list of your blessings?
list of the ways God blesses me. There
are more. My prayer is that I can bless
others with the blessings God gives me.
Have you tried to make a list of your blessings?
†
– For by grace you
have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is
the gift of God, for through him we both have access in one Spirit to
the Father. Ephesians 2:8,18. The blessing
of faith and grace, a gift of God.
– For by grace you
have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is
the gift of God, for through him we both have access in one Spirit to
the Father. Ephesians 2:8,18. The blessing
of faith and grace, a gift of God.
† –In him
we have obtained an inheritance, having been
predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according
to the counsel of his will, Ephesians 1:11 The blessing
of an eternal inheritance – life everlasting.
we have obtained an inheritance, having been
predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according
to the counsel of his will, Ephesians 1:11 The blessing
of an eternal inheritance – life everlasting.
† –But to all who did receive
him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become
children of God. John 1:12. The blessing
of becoming children of God.
him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become
children of God. John 1:12. The blessing
of becoming children of God.
† – But now that
you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of
God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal
life. Romans 6:22. The blessing
of choosing to serve God.
you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of
God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal
life. Romans 6:22. The blessing
of choosing to serve God.
† – For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of
power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
2 Timothy 1:7. The blessing of having a sound mind and
losing fear.
power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
2 Timothy 1:7. The blessing of having a sound mind and
losing fear.
† – Peace I leave with you, my
peace I give unto you: not as the
world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let
it be afraid. John 14:27. The blessing
of knowing peace and being unafraid in life through Jesus Christ.
peace I give unto you: not as the
world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let
it be afraid. John 14:27. The blessing
of knowing peace and being unafraid in life through Jesus Christ.
† – In my
Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you
that I go to prepare a place for you? John 14:2. The blessing of the surety of an eternal
home with Jesus Christ.
Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you
that I go to prepare a place for you? John 14:2. The blessing of the surety of an eternal
home with Jesus Christ.
† – And I
will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with
you forever John 14:16. The blessing of the knowledge that Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to
comfort and guide us in this life on earth.
will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with
you forever John 14:16. The blessing of the knowledge that Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to
comfort and guide us in this life on earth.
† – The
Lord will rescue me from every evil deed and bring me safely into his heavenly
kingdom. To him be the glory forever and ever. Amen.
2 Timothy 4:18.
The blessing of knowing our citizenship is
in Heaven.
Lord will rescue me from every evil deed and bring me safely into his heavenly
kingdom. To him be the glory forever and ever. Amen.
2 Timothy 4:18.
The blessing of knowing our citizenship is
in Heaven.
† – Waiting
for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our
great God and Savior Jesus Christ. Titus 2:13. The blessing of the return of Jesus to
earth.
for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our
great God and Savior Jesus Christ. Titus 2:13. The blessing of the return of Jesus to
earth.
Comments? eacombs@att.net