What does it mean to bless God?

Posted on January 11, 2019 by KD Manes under God's Call

(Photo and quote by Jacqueline Cooper.)

How has God blessed you? I’m sure many of you would agree that God is a loving, gracious Father. That His love and forgiveness alone is more than we deserve. If we are in Christ, God has poured blessing upon blessing into our lives. He even turns our messes into something beautiful if we let Him.

I love the The Message translation of Ephesians 1:3: “How blessed is God! And what a blessing he is! He’s the Father of our Master, Jesus Christ, and takes us to the high places of blessing in him. Long before he laid down earth’s foundations, he had us in mind, had settled on us as the focus of his love, to be made whole and holy by his love. Long, long ago he decided to adopt us into his family through Jesus Christ. (What pleasure he took in planning this!) He wanted us to enter into the celebration of his lavish gift-giving by the hand of his beloved Son.”

Did you know that it is possible to bless God? Some may argue: Because God is altogether perfect and lacks nothing, He doesn’t need our blessings. Though I agree that we don’t add to God’s character, or somehow strengthen Him through our blessings, I do believe that our attitudes, words, and actions can bring joy to his heart and a smile to His face. When we bless, praise and acknowledge God, we are fulfilling His original purpose of creating us.

What if we make it our priority to daily bless God in 2019? For He truly deserves it! You may read more on this topic here: What Does It Mean to Bless God? And for all of you scholarly readers, you might enjoy John Piper’s thesis: What Does It Mean to Bless God?

The School of Life (Part 3), Exodus 16:16-31

Posted on April 21, 2017 by KD Manes under Bible Study

Since God is not the author of confusion (1 Cor. 14:33), whenever He starts something new, He always gives the instructions necessary to make the venture successful. If we obey His instructions, He will bless, but if we disobey, there will be disappointment and discipline. The principle is still ‘Let all things be done decently and in order.’” – Warren Wiersbe

You may read Exodus 16:16-31 here: Bible Gateway.

The gathering of the manna. God first instructed the Jews to gather enough manna daily for each person in the family. By pooling their daily supply together, family members never lacked for nutritional sustaining meals to equip them for their day’s trek in the wilderness.

(Sweet Publishing/FreeBibleimages.org)

Since the desert sun would melt the manna, the Jews arose early to gather this heavenly bread. Wiersbe points out an important lesson here: “We must start the day with the Lord, gathering spiritual food from the Word, because it we wait too long to meet God, the day will become cluttered, we’ll get distracted, and we’ll suffer from spiritual malnutrition.”

The keeping of the manna. Although Moses warned the Israelites to not save some manna so they could sleep in the next morning, some did so anyway. As a result, maggots were attracted to the rotting manna. Wiersbe again gives a personal warning for God’s people today: “We can’t hoard His Word and try to live on yesterday’s spiritual nourishment. . . . There’s no substitute for a daily time alone with God, gathering fresh nourishment from His Word.”

Manna for the Sabbath. While the Sabbath is called “the seventh day” in Genesis 2:1-3—commemorating the Lord’s rest after six days of creation—Scripture first mentions the name Sabbath in Exodus 16:23. It appears that the Jews were taught to observe the Sabbath before God gave them the Ten Commandments.

Wiersbe writes: “The Sabbath was a day given especially by the Lord to the Jewish people as a reminder of His covenant with them (Ex. 20:8-11; 31:12-17; Neh. 9:13-15). The word Sabbath in Hebrew means ‘to cease working, to rest’ and is related to the Hebrew word for ‘seven’.”

The Jews were supposed to prepare their meals in advance, including the gathering of the manna, so they wouldn’t have to work on the Sabbath. On the sixth day, they were permitted to gather twice the amount of manna. God not only miraculously showered down the manna, but also miraculously kept it from rotting on the Sabbath.

However, there were some who failed God’s test of obedience as they searched for manna on the Sabbath. This insult to the Lord showed Him that those who disobeyed his instructions regarding the simple gathering of manna would most likely disobey His statutes and laws that He prepared to give them.

Question of the Day

As God tested the Israelites with instructions for the manna, where might God be testing you in the area of obedience?

Genealogy: Adam to Noah, Genesis 5:1-32

Posted on May 22, 2015 by KD Manes under Bible Study

Although this second genealogy, (the first is Gen. 4:17-34), doesn’t appear inspiring at first glance, there are some cool findings here.

Genealogies show that people as individuals, not just nations, are important to God.

This fifth chapter in Genesis lists the ten descendants of Adam to Noah and spans at least 1,600 years—the longest period in world history. The development of the human race and showing the time lapse between these two major individuals seem to be the primary purpose for this genealogy. Of the ten people listed, the average age is about 900.

I would love to see that many candles on a birthday cake.

Come to think of it, I would love to visit with a 900 year-old!

How did our ancestors live so long?

The NIV Life Application Study Bible offers three explanations:

The human race was more genetically pure in this early time period, so there was less disease to shorten life spans.
No rain had yet fallen on the earth, and the expanse of water “above” (1:7) kept out harmful cosmic rays and shielded people from environmental factors that hasten aging.
God gave people longer lives so they would have time to “fill the earth” (1:28).

Grace Trumps

Although the death theme rings loud in this chapter as a reminder of the consequence of sin, God’s grace trumps. References to fertility (sons and daughters), life, and other blessings illustrate God as a loving parent who provides an inherited blessing and insures the future well-being of His children, (Seth down to Noah’s family).

I find Enoch’s story mysterious and fff9ade3efebdb1f86636aed7f01af0a intriguing. Interestingly, Enoch and Lamech (Cain’s descendant) were both the seventh generation from Adam. They exemplified the contrasting positions toward God.

Only two men have been recorded as “walked with God” (NEV): Enoch and Noah (5:22; 6:9). Walk describes the closest communion with God—as if walking by His side—representing fellowship and obedience. Divine blessing are the results.

Enoch never experienced death. He was just 365 years when God took him to be with Him.

Goodbye 2013

Posted on December 27, 2013 by KD Manes under Uncategorized

This marks my last post of 2013. Thank you for visiting my baby blog, which is now one-year old. I am grateful for you! I’ve been encouraged from reading many of your posts and by your likes, follows, and comments.

I hope you’re finding time to connect with family and friends this Christmas season, and have pondered God’s great love for us through the gift of His son, Jesus Christ.

Dad & Mom

I also thank and credit God for His provision, guidance and abundant blessings this past year. He has blessed me with a wonderful husband, kids, and extended family.

During a recent snow ridden trip to visit extended family, God protected my immediate family from a head-on collision when another driver passed too close into our lane. We also came across a car—loaded with people—that spun off the road. Their front tires clung to level ground while their back tires angled down an icy embankment. We were glad—as were they—to help transport them to a nearby phone.

During our whirlwind—but worthwhile—weekend family visit, we found ourselves in the hospital three times. In the face of cancer and a fractured hip from a fall, both Eric’s mom and grandma were visible testaments to God’s peace. We’re thankful for God’s healing hand as both Eric’s mom and grandma recover from surgery.

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.” –Isaiah 43:2

How has God provided and guided you this past year?

Blessings,

K.D.