Blessed in the Storm

[God] comforts us in all our trouble so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. (2 Cor. 1:4)

Thoughts: We are comforted to comfort.  It is possible to be blessed in the midst of suffering and storm.  In fact, often God speaks to us in the middle of the tough times.  When God comforts us, we should remember that and seek to comfort others.  When we have been helped we should remind others of the help that they can have as well.  We are blessed in the midst of suffering so that we may bless others.  Jesus said, "Blessed are those who mourn for they shall be comforted."  God does bless us with His comfort in the midst of the storms

Prayer: Lord, give me the heart to feel your comfort when you give it.  Give me the grace to pass your comfort and help on to others- reminding them where they can go to find grace.

Receiving Grace to Give Grace

1As God’s co-workers we urge you not to receive God’s grace in vain. 2For he says,

“In the time of my favor I heard you,

and in the day of salvation I helped you.”^a

I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation. (2 Corinthians 6:1)

Thoughts: God sends the opportunity to respond to His grace and favor.  When He does, we must respond.  If we are hearing this, then we need to say, "Yes!" to God.  It would be receiving God's grace in vain to say no to God- or turn from Him in apathy.  But when we have received it, we should seek to bear fruit for God.  As Paul says, we should seek to be God's co-workers in the great work of spreading the good news to others. 

Prayer: Lord, le tme respond to you- personally, and then be a blessing to others with the grace I have received.  

Helped to Help

Rescue those being led away to death; hold back those staggering toward slaughter (Pr. 24:11)

Deliver me from my guilt, O Lord my Savior, and I will teach sinners your ways and sing of your righteousness.  (Psalm 51:14)

In 2013 Paul Kemp was awakened by his dog Sheeba to his house catching on fire.  He in turn, rescued the dog.   This is the way we all can view life.  We who have been rescued to hope and to a purpose can point the way for others.  We are helped in order to help others. God rescues us that we might be able to point the way for others.

Prayer: Lord, show me your salvaiton and I will tell others what you have done for me.

Blessed Through the Storm

When you pass through the waters I will be with you.  The floods will not overcome you. (Isaiah 43:1)

Thoughts: One year ago today the thousand year flood did $1.5 billion in damage to South Carolina. But God was with us and is with us. There are still 1200 displaced families in the midlands.  Some cannot rebuild because of government regulations.  But story after story came in about how a neighbor helped.  There were few deaths despite the suddenness of the water's rise. The churches worked together.  Our church has hosted 21 different groups from all over ( WI, IL, GA, NJ, AL, NY, TX) - about 350 volunteers who helped.  Today 3 Presbyterian churches and presbytery funds gave $100,000 for flood relief. 

     This week another hurricane heads our way. But God will be with us again.  He blesses us through the storms.  He provides for us so we can be a blessing.

Prayer: bless us in the storms that we might bless others. 

We are to Bless

22The Lord said to Moses, 23“Tell Aaron and his sons, ‘This is how you are to bless the Israelites. Say to them:

24“ ‘ “The Lord bless you

and keep you;

25the Lord make his face shine on you

and be gracious to you;

26the Lord turn his face toward you

and give you peace.” ’

27“So they will put my name on the Israelites, and I will bless them.” (Numbers 6:22-27)

Thoughts: This is a great passage.  It tells us about blessing, and reminds us that God wants to bless His people and He does it through us.  It is not that we have the power to bless, but it also does not mean that human beings should not ever bless.  We bless in the name of the Lord- "The Lord bless you."  What right do we have to say this?  Here it is evident that believers are called to be instruments of God's blessing.  We do not bless in and of ourselves, it is the Lord who blesses us.  But we speak the words of God's blessing.  We give the benediction (literally "words of blessing" eulogia in Greek).  

The Lord bless you and keep you- is asking God to pour favor on us and to preserve us from evil hurt and harm.
       The Lord make his face shine on you- as the sun shines and lights up our world, so we are wanting God's presence to rise upon us.
          "And be gracious to us" means that God pours His unmerited favor- and gifts on us.
          "The Lord turn his face toward you" is similar to "make his face shine on you."  It means that God does not ignore us, but pays attention to us- cares for us.  A king could turn his back on a subject that comes for a request.
          "Give you peace" is a reminder that God is a giver of peace.  But it is also a reminder that we are to seek peace and pursue it.  Peace is not just a personal peace- peace of heart- but shalom- a peace of wholeness and completeness- peace with God, others, and ourselves.  God is the only One who can give us this shalom- a whole peace. 

Prayer: Lord, bless me and keep me.  make your face to shine upon me and be gracious to me; turn your face toward me and give me your peace.  Bless me, O Lord, that I may pass your blessing on to others.  

Blessed to Be a Blessing

If anyone wants to come near to God, they must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who diligently seek Him.  (Hebrews 11:6)

Thoughts: We are designed to be blessed by God and to come near Him.  To do that we must believe in Him- but also believe that He acts in goodness toward us.  To believe that God rewards is tangled up in the idea God is good.  God's benevolence toward us is really far greater than we know.
    There are those who do not want to believe God exists and do not want to believe God interacts with us or interacts with us in goodness.  But God is kind and more loving than we know.

Prayer: Lord, let me grow in knowledge of your blessing toward me and give me grace to bless others.

From Surprise the World- 5 Habits of Missional People by Michael Frost.
We can bless others with a) Words of Affirmation, b) Acts of kindness, c) Gifts- large or small.
We are called to bless 3 people this week one of whom is a church member and one of whom is not (you have freedom on the other one).

Cursed in Order to Bless

21God made him who had no sin to be sin^b for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. (2 Corinthians 5:21)

Thoughts: This is an important passage on the substitutionary atonement.  It incorporates the whole concept of the Old Testament sacrifice where an animal dies in our place while our sins are "transferred" on to the animal.  But the difference is that Paul is not talking about an animal, and a symbolic transfer.  Paul is speaking of Jesus- the infinite invaluable Son- who came as a ransom for us.  He paid the price to set us free- His life.
      In our Fellowship in the Fall study this week we are talking about blessing.  This is the greatest blessing that God offers us- a way to get past our sins and get into heaven.  Our mistakes, sins, and failures do not have to hold us back forever.  Jesus came to set us free.  He was cursed- made sin- in order to bless us.
     One of the great things we can do is to bless us others with forgiveness.  When we forgive others, there is always a price to be paid.  Someone has to pay for the sin- maybe the one sinned against or the one who does the sinning or both.  This week, seek to bless someone with forgiveness.

Prayer: Thank you Lord, for Jesus who gave Himself for us that we may be made right before you.