Well, Bless My Soul
Sunday, June 24, 2007 at 09:44PM “Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous: 9 Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing.” 1 Peter 3:8-9
There is a reason why I believe what I believe and why this church holds the positions on faith, doctrine and lifestyle that we do. Critics look at all of this and say it makes no sense. They say we conform to these beliefs out of tradition, narrow-mindedness, ignorance, guilt and a host of other reasons.
I do not know why some make these charges. In my opinion, they stem from a desire to emulate the ideas and philosophies of the world. Whatever the reason, they end up rationalizing away the real, biblical truths that motivate us.
It is no more complicated than this: We do what we do because there are specific, tangible reasons that are so convincing and so powerful that they form the basis for living our lives.
Much of this has to do with God’s pronouncement of blessing on the lives of the believing and obedient.
All of us want and need to be blessed.
“By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come. By faith Jacob, when he was a dying, blessed both the sons of Joseph; and worshipped, leaning upon the top of his staff.” Hebrews 11:20-21
Some say, “I am blessed.”
It means that we understand that we are weak, frail and vulnerable. We cannot hope to survive in this world without the favor of God resting upon our lives. Too many things can go wrong with our plans. Too many people want to encroach on our happiness and peace. A best-selling book was recently titled “The Prayer of Jabez.” It was based on
10 And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, Oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that thine hand might be with me, and that thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me! And God granted him that which he requested. 1 Chronicles 4:10
1. We do not say, “I bless you.” We say “God bless you.”
The lesser cannot bless the greater. Hebrews 7:7
2. The concept of blessing goes all the way back to Abraham.
1 Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee: 2 And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: 3 And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. Genesis 12:1-3
This blessing was not to be taken for granted.
It was not to be forgotten. If you want a blessing, get ready for a testing!
Abraham’s faith in God’s blessing was tested by offering Isaac.
15 And the angel of the LORD called unto Abraham out of heaven the second time, 16 And said, By myself have I sworn, saith the LORD, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son: 17 That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies; 18 And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice. Genesis 22:15-18
God’s blessing is not an entitlement.
God’s blessing is not wrung from his everlasting hands.
26 Behold, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse; 27 A blessing, if ye obey the commandments of the LORD your God, which I command you this day: 28 And a curse, if ye will not obey the commandments of the LORD your God, but turn aside out of the way which I command you this day, to go after other gods, which ye have not known. Deuteronomy 11:26-28
12 Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him. James 1:12
Through faith, we are become the children of Abraham.
If we are the children of Abraham, we have a connection all the way back to the blessing that God gave to him in Genesis 12.
8 And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed. 9 So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham. Galatians 3:8-9
12 And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them. 13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree: 14 That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. Galatians 3:12-14
13 For when God made promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, he sware by himself, 14 Saying, Surely blessing I will bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee. 15 And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise. Hebrews 6:13-15
How do we inherit the blessing of Abraham today?
We become Abraham’s children.
John 3:1-8 There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews: 2 The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him. 3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. 4 Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born? 5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. 8 The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.
That means that through the new birth, Abraham is our spiritual father.
The blessing he received from God, his father, now flows to us spiritually.
In addition to receiving the blessing of God through the new birth experience, we actualize God’s blessings upon us in this life by living according to God’s word!
- There is a reason for the holiness lifestyle. Rom. 6:22-23 (NIV)
- There is a reason for proclaiming the name of Jesus. Acts 3:6-8.
- There is a reason for receiving the Holy Ghost evidence by speaking in tongues. Acts 15:7-9
- There is a reason that we put Christ at the center of our lives. Romans 12:1-2.
God will bless your soul when you do the things that God blesses!
Reader Comments (1)
And now can take victory over our God and of his word and promises, and prophecy in this last time injoy and blessing to us and all the nations hope and praise to God,be encourage and believe in Christ more and more ,thanks and bless and pray for the Scandinavien,keijo sweden