Five Ways to Bless and Be a Blessing

Genesis 27 Isaac blesses Jacob

Eph 6:4 Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger by the way you treat them. Rather, bring them up with the discipline and instruction that comes from the Lord.

1) Affection-Meaningful Touch – a hug, a pat on the shoulders, holding them in your arms, laying hands on their head, etc… appropriate meaningful touch is a way to say “I love you!” all through Scripture. 

2) Affirmation Spoken (or Written) Words –the Blessing ALWAYS involved WORDS, either spoken or written...

3) Attach High Value - that helps them know they have great value in your eyes and in God’s eyes well: highlight a character trait by describing a specific time when they demonstrated. (When your little sister falls or hurts herself, you always show compassion to be to help her feel better with her and to get help.) 

4) Assure a Special Future – Scripture paints pictures like Jeremiah 29:11…I have for you a future and a hope.” Kids tend to be literalists when it comes to hearing about their future from their parents. (Which is also why negative words, like, “You’re so stupid” stay in them.”

5) Advance in Genuine Ongoing Commitment –while often linked with a special situation or occasion, (marriage, birth, death, moving away, etc.), the 5 elements of the Blessing are things that we can choose to add to a loved ones life each day!

Just like we can choose to be joyful for a change, and to amend our ways, we can choose from now on to live out these words of affirmation and actions of encouragement and love in our lives together.

“Take the Blessing Challenge” by creating a special, intentional, purposeful events, and look for ways to live out these 5 elements of the blessing with your child. 

This list was adapted from these websites where you can see samples of a letter to write to your children and other ideas and training to change people’s lives by blessing them.

www.TheBlessing.com   and http://johntrent.publishpath.com/the-blessing-challenge

This week I will honor and bless by doing the following:

Honor and blessing are keys to be joyful for a change

Honor: preferring the other person above yourself, in status, service and sacrifice of themselves in order to bless the person and their purpose.

1.       I will bless by showing affection to ________________________,

by ____________________________________________________

2.       I will bless _______________________________ by

(circle one or both-saying / writing to them telling them a specific thing they did and something good about their future.)

Ideas: _____________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

3.       I will show honor for them and their purpose by (circle one or more-serving / sacrificing) for them by

___________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

4.       I will honor my spouse by _________________________________

___________________________________________________________

5.       I will show honor for my parents, obeying and respecting them, by 

____________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________

Notes:

Sanctity of Life Sunday

Jesus and John the Baptist were distinct persons while still in their mothers' wombs - John jumped for joy when he heard Mary's voice (Luke 1)

Science has confirmed that life begins at conception. Modern medical practice can do surgeries and treat the unborn. Criminal justice precedents favor the unborn that if you murder a pregnant woman you are guilty of two homicides. Sociologically people are aware abortions are terribly disproportionate against non-whites. All this confirms our theology and informs our conscience of the sanctity of human life beginning at conception.

Nevertheless we still see our tax dollars funding a culture of death. Planned Parenthood - the largest abortion business in America - aborted nearly 330,000 babies last year - more than the year before - an average of one abortion every 90 seconds. It took over half a billion tax dollars from you, the taxpayer, and it wants even more. It wants more abortions and more tax dollars. The abortion industry had a banner year at your expense - the abortion giant received more than $528 million of your tax dollars. Planned Parenthood is profiting from death, bragging about ObamaCare, and touting how many pro-life laws it has defeated. Not only did its abortions increase last year, so did its bottom line. It has more than $1.372 billion in assets.

We pray for the unborn and their mothers and that fathers will protect their unborn and take responsibility.

We pray against the culture of sexual promiscuity that prostitutes God's gift of sexuality without regard for the consequence. We pray the fear of God come on us as a nation. We pray mercy and healing for those who have had abortions. We pray against the demonic evils of murder and selfishness that motivates the abortion industry and planned parenthood. We pray deliverance for the abused and victims of trafficking. We pray blessing on families and on all children, in the name of the Father fr whom all family derives it's name, and the Son and Holy Spirit.

Next Sunday we will offer blessing prayers on all children and families who are brought forward.

 Invite guests.

-PD

Five R’s toward Joyful Change (Repent & Redirect)

Our theme Scripture Luke 15:10: there is joy in God’s presence over one who repents (changes their mind and amends their ways). This is not a new year’s resolution but is being intentional and resolute to share the joy God in us by humbling ourselves, detaching from the world and being transformed in His love. Here are some things to examine as we participate in and are united with the body and blood of Jesus our Lord.

1. Red Flags: recognize “Triggers” and take a step that HALTS a pattern of sin. Example: if tired get better rest; if stressed exercise; take steps to get support.

H=hungry for love/satisfaction;

A=angry/frustration;

L=lonely/insecure;

T=tired;

S=stressed or depressed.

2. Reflex: interrupt the unhealthy habitual reflex. Stop/slow down/breathe/be still/meditate.

3. Ritual: instead of moving toward the unhealthy thing or sin pattern, substitute it with a phone call or visit for accountability or to do good for someone else. Practice God’s presence and receive and give God’s love.

4. Result: remind yourself of the negative result of the habitual sin (shame, guilt, humiliation, bondage or fearful consequence). Realize you can make different choices than the reoccurring bondage.

5. Repentance into mind renewal: Above are four steps of repentance but they are incomplete without change in both conscious and unconscious thought patterns. Biblical transformational change is progressive, one moment at a time. We gradually know Him better, love Him more and use our bodies and all created things for his glory. We participate in His likeness and image. True repentance moves forward from asking for merciful forgiveness into profiting from receiving the “power of his grace that teaches us to say, ‘No,’ to sin.” 
   
   
   
   
   -PD
   
   
   
   
    

Epiphany: Christ is Light and Life to all People (s)

 

Matthew 2:10-11 When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. 11 And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

"As with Gladness Men of Old"

by William C. Dix, 1837-1898

1. As with gladness men of old

Did the guiding star behold;

As with joy they hailed its light,

Leading onward, beaming bright,

So, most gracious Lord, may we

Evermore be led by Thee!

2. As with joyful steps they sped,

Savior, to Thy lowly bed,

There to bend the knee before

Thee whom heaven and earth adore,

So may we with willing feet

Ever seek Thy mercy-seat!

3. As they offered gifts most rare

At Thy cradle, rude and bare,

So may we with holy joy,

Pure and free from sin's alloy,

All our costliest treasures bring,

Christ, to Thee, our heavenly King!

Is 61:10-12 I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, My soul shall be joyful in my God; For He has clothed me with the garments of salvation, He has covered me with the robe of righteousness, As a bridegroom decks himself with ornaments, And as a bride adorns herself with her jewels. 11 For as the earth brings forth its bud,

As the garden causes the things that are sown in it to spring forth, So the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations.