1 Corinthians 1:3 - A blessing

Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

A blessing for you this morning as I begin 1 Corinthians.

Lord, Thank you for new beginnings. Please bless this study. Amen.

Psalm 1:3 - Daily supply (Rerun)

This is an old post I am reposting because I have been having trouble getting into the word and making posts on a regular basis.

That person is like a tree planted by streams of water,
     which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither—
     whatever they do prospers.

"That person" refers to (v. 2) the one who delights in the law of the Lord and meditates on his laws day and night. In order to produce fruit and remain alive in Christ, we must receive a regular, daily supply of his word. The blessings of God are available, we just have to reach out and take them.

Lord, thank you for your word. Please help us to study it daily. Amen.

Psalm 128 - A blessing

1 Blessed are all who fear the Lord,
    who walk in obedience to him.
2 You will eat the fruit of your labor;
    blessings and prosperity will be yours.
3 Your wife will be like a fruitful vine
    within your house;
your children will be like olive shoots
    around your table.
4 Yes, this will be the blessing
    for the man who fears the Lord.

5 May the Lord bless you from Zion;
    may you see the prosperity of Jerusalem
    all the days of your life.
6 May you live to see your children’s children—
    peace be on Israel.

Lord, thank you for blessing us every day. Please help us to obey you. Amen.

Psalm 127:5 - A blessing for sports?

Blessed is the man
     whose quiver is full of them (children).
They will not be put to shame
     when they contend with their opponents in court.

When I read this passage, I had to laugh. I immediately thought of a Sports Dad watching his son play basketball on the court. I'm not sure that is what it means, but children, as difficult as they can be to raise, are indeed a blessing from the Lord.

Lord, thank you for children, whether they be sons or daughters, nieces or nephews, part of our blood family or part of our Christian family. Please help us to give you the glory for these blessings. Amen.

Psalm 119:71 - Good from bad

It was good for me to be afflicted

     so that I might learn your decrees.

Sometimes God lets us go through something bad to get to something good.

Lord, thank you for doing what is best for us, Please help us to endure the afflictions in our life. Amen.

Psalm 112:1 - Fear and obedience

Praise the Lord.

Blessed are those who fear the Lord,
     who find great delight in his commands.

The two blog entries before yesterday sort of went together. Yesterday and today's entries go together as well. Yesterday we learned that the fear of the Lord and obedience bring wisdom and understanding. Psalm 112 is all about other blessings that come with fearing the Lord and obeying his commands, as well as being generous to the poor. The list includes wealth, riches, enduring righteousness, good, never being shaken, not fearing bad news, and more. The Lord loves us so much and looks for ways to bless us when we are following him faithfully.

Lord, thank you for your generous gifts. Please help us to fear you and obey your commands. Amen.

Psalm 90:15 - Life, a curse or a blessing

Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us,
     for as many years as we have seen trouble.

This is kind of a strange statement, but I get it. Life is so full of trouble, pain and sorrow. It is an affliction. Yet we ask God to help us see this affliction as a blessing and to be glad.

Lord, thank you for life, with all it's trouble. Please help us to see every year as a blessing. Amen.

Psalm 89:21 - God will take care of him

My hand will sustain him;
     surely my arm will strengthen him.

When someone you love is struggling, it is hard to watch. When you have hopes and dreams for them and you see some of those hopes and dreams falling away, it is so disappointing. But I have to remember, God is in control. He will sustain and strengthen them. He will let the things happen that need to happen. I am not in control of the situation and worry will not help. Look for the blessings within each disappointment and manage our expectations.

Lord, thank you for taking care of those we love. Please help them to reach out for your sustenance and strength. Amen.

Psalm 85:12 - A Thanksgiving Verse

The Lord will indeed give what is good,

     and our land will yield its harvest.

Lord, thank you for the harvest and all that is good. Please help us to be always mindful of the blessings you give us. Amen.

Psalm 67:1-2 - Gifts with a purpose

May God be gracious to us and bless us
     and make his face shine on us—
so that your ways may be known on earth,
     your salvation among all nations.

We all want good things from God, but his purpose in giving us good things is greater than just a blessing towards one who loves him. When God is gracious to us, blesses us and shines his face on us, we become a reflection of God's goodness. We shine a light on God's paths and plans. We expose the world to the salvation God offers to everyone.

Lord, thank you for giving us your blessings. Please help us to allow you to use those blessings to reveal your ways and salvation to the world. Amen.

Psalms 41:1-2 - Thank you to those who serve the weak

Blessed are those who have regard for the weak;
     the Lord delivers them in times of trouble.
The Lord protects and preserves them—
     they are counted among the blessed in the land—
     he does not give them over to the desire of their foes.

Are you a healthcare worker, social worker, minister, police officer, fireman or in another role where you serve the weak? If you are, thank you for your service. As our son is headed off to college, this verse has helped me to remember all the people who have served our family over the years. The Lord has special blessings for you. Thank you again.

Lord, thank you for offering special blessing for those who serve the weak. Please help us to remember them and be thankful. Amen.

Psalm 37:3-4 -The good life

Trust in the Lord and do good;
     dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.
Take delight in the Lord,
     and he will give you the desires of your heart.

Do good and good will come to you.

Lord, thank you for being so good to us. Please help us to trust you an do good. Amen.

Psalm 31:19 - Good things

How abundant are the good things
     that you have stored up for those who fear you,
that you bestow in the sight of all,
     on those who take refuge in you.

God has plans and blessings for us. That doesn't mean we won't have hard times, but God wants to bestow good things upon us. When we fear God and take refuge in him, he will bless us. The good times seem better and the bad times don't seem as bad when we rely on God. Those around us will notice and it will be a witness for God.

Lord, thank you for the good things you have stored up for us. Please help us to fear you and take refuge in you. Amen.

Psalm 30:11-12 - Wailing into dancing

You turned my wailing into dancing;
     you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy,
that my heart may sing your praises and not be silent.
     Lord my God, I will praise you forever.

Just yesterday I heard three stories of tragic things which happened in people's lives, but this tragic thing produced a gift. None of us want to go through hard times, but God can use anything for his good. He takes our pain and transforms it into a blessing we could never have imagined.

Lord, thank you for using our pain in a beautiful way. Please help us to see the beauty you have created. Amen.

Psalm 21:6 - The joy of your presence

Surely you have granted him unending blessings and made him glad with the joy of your presence.

This verse is speaking to God of a king who has great trust in the Lord. Right now I need joy. I'm letting the stuff of this world cloud my joy in the presence of the Lord. I need to remember the unending blessings God has granted me and put my trust in him, not myself or my possessions (yesterday's verse is still working on me). "The joy of the Lord is my strength!" (Neh. 8:10)

Lord, thank you for your blessings and the joy your presence gives us. Please help us to be glad with that joy and trust only in you. Amen.

Psalm 1:3 - Daily supply

That person is like a tree planted by streams of water,
     which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither—
     whatever they do prospers.

"That person" refers to (v. 2) the one who delights in the law of the Lord and meditates on his laws day and night. In order to produce fruit and remain alive in Christ, we must receive a regular, daily supply of his word. The blessings of God are available, we just have to reach out and take them.

Lord, thank you for your word. Please help us to study it daily. Amen.

1 Thessalonians 5:28 - A blessing

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

Amen.

Genesis 47:7-10 - Bless you

7 Then Joseph brought his father Jacob in and presented him before Pharaoh. After Jacob blessed[a] Pharaoh, 8 Pharaoh asked him, “How old are you?”

9 And Jacob said to Pharaoh, “The years of my pilgrimage are a hundred and thirty. My years have been few and difficult, and they do not equal the years of the pilgrimage of my fathers.” 10 Then Jacob blessed[b] Pharaoh and went out from his presence.

Footnotes:

1. Genesis 47:7 Or greeted
2. Genesis 47:10 Or said farewell to

I love the use of the word blessed in these passages. Jacob blessed Pharaoh. According to the footnotes the first blessing meant to greet and the second meant to say farewell to, but I like the idea of blessing people when we see them and when we leave them. I think of a blessing as a little prayer to God on behalf of a person. If we did this every time we greet or depart from a person, do you think it would make a difference in their day and maybe also in our attitude when interacting with that person?

Lord, thank you for the opportunity to come to you in prayer and to ask for a blessing for others. Please help us to think of every interaction with people as a blessing. Amen.

Genesis 27:38 - Blessings for all

Esau said to his father, “Do you have only one blessing, my father? Bless me too, my father!” Then Esau wept aloud.

This story has always bothered me. I mean Jacob and his mom deceive Isaac. Through this path, Jacob is blesses and becomes one of the great Hebrew fathers. Don't you feel bad for Esau? Can't you hear him crying, "Bless me too!!" But God doesn't just have one blessing. He has blessings for all of us. We are all his "firstborn", his favorite. 

Lord, thank you for loving me and giving me your blessing. Amen.

Genesis 12:2

"I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing.

In this passage God promises good things to Abram, but the purpose of the promise is to be a blessing to others. When we ask God for his blessings and for his help, what is our purpose? Are we simply asking for ourselves, or are we asking so that we may be a blessing to others and bring glory to His name?

Lord, please bless me so that I may bless others. Amen.