“The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace”(Numbers 6:24–26).
We have the opportunity to regularly encourage others with an admonishment for the Lord to bless them. This is the power of the spoken word. You can build up another by conferring upon them the favor of God. What a simple way to sincerely wish upon another the Lord’s best with a kind “God bless you.” We are not to say it glibly or out of habit, but with deep feeling and a genuine desire for God’s commendation. We can also pray God’s protection on others: their health, their travels, and their relationships. In any situation of uncertainty and/or danger, we can ask God to “keep them.” Or maybe there are those who are in dire need of experiencing the fullness of God. They are tired of “trying to live” the Christian life and need a fresh “baptism” of God’s Spirit, anointing, and power. You can see it in the hardness of their countenance or in the fatigue of their posture. They are lacking in energy, motivation, and drive. They need an outpouring of blessing, Spirit, and power, which can be contained in a simple "God bless you".
We have the opportunity to regularly encourage others with an admonishment for the Lord to bless them. This is the power of the spoken word. You can build up another by conferring upon them the favor of God. What a simple way to sincerely wish upon another the Lord’s best with a kind “God bless you.” We are not to say it glibly or out of habit, but with deep feeling and a genuine desire for God’s commendation. We can also pray God’s protection on others: their health, their travels, and their relationships. In any situation of uncertainty and/or danger, we can ask God to “keep them.” Or maybe there are those who are in dire need of experiencing the fullness of God. They are tired of “trying to live” the Christian life and need a fresh “baptism” of God’s Spirit, anointing, and power. You can see it in the hardness of their countenance or in the fatigue of their posture. They are lacking in energy, motivation, and drive. They need an outpouring of blessing, Spirit, and power, which can be contained in a simple "God bless you".
“May God Almighty bless you and make you fruitful and increase your numbers until you become a community of peoples” (Genesis 28:3). God’s grace is a safe environment to recover from rejection and hurt or to gain strength for the journey. Grace (God's unmerited favor towards us) is inviting and invigorating. It is cool water for a thirsty soul. Life at times can knock the wind of grace from our hearts while intimacy with Jesus infuses grace into our being. You can be a grace killer or a grace giver, and it is determined by the words we speak one to another (life and death is in the power of the tongue). People will flock to you because of your graciousness or avoid you like the plague because of your gracelessness.
The secret to giving God’s grace is receiving God’s grace. Each day ask God to renew your grace quota, as it is new to us each morning. Allow the grace of God to fill your tank so you can bestow grace on others. What a joy to extend grace to the ungracious and to receive grace from the greatest grace giver, Jesus. Furthermore, our benediction and admonishment to others can be for them to experience God’s peace. Once you discover peace with God, you have the peace of God. His peace can lie dormant in our hearts, or it can flourish. Be a peacemaker. Yes, you can win the argument, but you may lose the relationship. Why not bless with peace rather than curse with contention? When you bless others, you too enjoy the blessings of God.
--
Rev. Todd A. Brown, Pastor
First Baptist of Chesterbrook
1740 Kirby Rd. Mclean Va. 22101
First Baptist of Chesterbrook
1740 Kirby Rd. Mclean Va. 22101
Worship with us Sundays at 9:45am
Vision:" Disciples Making a Kingdom Impact"
Vision:" Disciples Making a Kingdom Impact"
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.