Tzephanyahu Posted September 15, 2018 Group: Diamond Member Followers: 0 Topic Count: 69 Topics Per Day: 0.03 Content Count: 1,625 Content Per Day: 0.79 Reputation: 2,033 Days Won: 1 Joined: 09/10/2018 Status: Offline Share Posted September 15, 2018 Shalom brothers & sisters, We say “bless you” to each other a lot. But what is that exactly? Blessing the person is blessing them with… what? Um, blessings… Erm.. Nondescript from God… Err, you know, just a nice…. blessing. I think blessing is actually giving selfishly, caring for someone or even just listening to them. You can bless a person with a gift, by doing something for them or helping them with something. We associate blessings with miracles, but that's how Yahweh blesses. As for us, we can give and help selfishly and freely out of love. Maybe we have inherited our Father’s traits of being able to ‘make things be’ with our words. After all, we are created in His image. We can surely give someone a good day, helpful advice or make them smile with just words - so surely we can give our creative words to God as well. So, why do we say “bless you God”? Aren't we just saying that to God without giving Him anything? But what can we give or do for the Master of the Universe? We can give him thanks, appreciation, recognition, words of love, adoration and share our thoughts with Him. These things we can give the Father freely and out of love, which He wouldn't have otherwise. We can “bless” Him with our words. Not giving him a gift per se, but our love creatively. The sacrifices of the patriarchs and in the Levitical system were a gift to God. Not that He needed it, but it was the free will offering itself that counted. Have we stopped giving gifts when we just say “bless you God” instead of actually offering a true sacrifice of praise? Well, what about when we say “bless you” to our brothers and sisters? “Bless you” and then no gift or warm, personal words to help. How is that a blessing? I think we have fallen into a bad and lazy habit here. Saying “bless you” or “blessings” does reflect our heart intention, but it fails to actually bless someone. We may as well say to each other “hope God looks out for you!”. Instead of saying “blessing”, as if we're calling them down from God, we should DO the blessings for each other. We should give to each other, speak loving encouraging and personal words to each other, share each others burdens - physically and mentally. That's a blessing. “Blessed is he…” the Messiah says in the beatitudes. That is to say, Yahweh will reward him with life, peace and fullness. That's a blessing. So maybe next time we see a friend instead of saying “bless you”, we should say “is there anything I can do to help you?” or “it's such a joy to see you again!”. Love & Shalom 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fidei Defensor Posted September 15, 2018 Group: Royal Member Followers: 18 Topic Count: 165 Topics Per Day: 0.06 Content Count: 3,997 Content Per Day: 1.57 Reputation: 2,607 Days Won: 15 Joined: 04/29/2017 Status: Offline Share Posted September 15, 2018 9 hours ago, Tzephanyahu said: Shalom brothers & sisters, We say “bless you” to each other a lot. But what is that exactly? Blessing the person is blessing them with… what? Um, blessings… Erm.. Nondescript from God… Err, you know, just a nice…. blessing. I think blessing is actually giving selfishly, caring for someone or even just listening to them. You can bless a person with a gift, by doing something for them or helping them with something. We associate blessings with miracles, but that's how Yahweh blesses. As for us, we can give and help selfishly and freely out of love. Maybe we have inherited our Father’s traits of being able to ‘make things be’ with our words. After all, we are created in His image. We can surely give someone a good day, helpful advice or make them smile with just words - so surely we can give our creative words to God as well. So, why do we say “bless you God”? Aren't we just saying that to God without giving Him anything? But what can we give or do for the Master of the Universe? We can give him thanks, appreciation, recognition, words of love, adoration and share our thoughts with Him. These things we can give the Father freely and out of love, which He wouldn't have otherwise. We can “bless” Him with our words. Not giving him a gift per se, but our love creatively. The sacrifices of the patriarchs and in the Levitical system were a gift to God. Not that He needed it, but it was the free will offering itself that counted. Have we stopped giving gifts when we just say “bless you God” instead of actually offering a true sacrifice of praise? Well, what about when we say “bless you” to our brothers and sisters? “Bless you” and then no gift or warm, personal words to help. How is that a blessing? I think we have fallen into a bad and lazy habit here. Saying “bless you” or “blessings” does reflect our heart intention, but it fails to actually bless someone. We may as well say to each other “hope God looks out for you!”. Instead of saying “blessing”, as if we're calling them down from God, we should DO the blessings for each other. We should give to each other, speak loving encouraging and personal words to each other, share each others burdens - physically and mentally. That's a blessing. “Blessed is he…” the Messiah says in the beatitudes. That is to say, Yahweh will reward him with life, peace and fullness. That's a blessing. So maybe next time we see a friend instead of saying “bless you”, we should say “is there anything I can do to help you?” or “it's such a joy to see you again!”. Love & Shalom Indeed, the Apostle James said, “Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, "Go in peace; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.” (James 2:15-17). 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Willa Posted September 16, 2018 Group: Worthy Ministers Followers: 68 Topic Count: 186 Topics Per Day: 0.04 Content Count: 14,228 Content Per Day: 3.33 Reputation: 16,652 Days Won: 30 Joined: 08/14/2012 Status: Offline Share Posted September 16, 2018 My prayer is that God bless others with spiritual blessings--salvation for the unsaved and that the eyes of the saved would be opened to Eph. 1. True riches are spiritual and eternal. Eph 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, Sometimes we don't realize how rich we truly are who are IN CHRIST. Meeting the immediate needs of others is a given. Christ in us can do no other than have compassion. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Retrobyter Posted September 16, 2018 Group: Worthy Ministers Followers: 9 Topic Count: 40 Topics Per Day: 0.01 Content Count: 6,582 Content Per Day: 1.07 Reputation: 2,443 Days Won: 1 Joined: 06/28/2007 Status: Offline Birthday: 10/28/1957 Share Posted September 16, 2018 16 hours ago, Tzephanyahu said: Shalom brothers & sisters, We say “bless you” to each other a lot. But what is that exactly? Blessing the person is blessing them with… what? Um, blessings… Erm.. Nondescript from God… Err, you know, just a nice…. blessing. I think blessing is actually giving selfishly, caring for someone or even just listening to them. You can bless a person with a gift, by doing something for them or helping them with something. We associate blessings with miracles, but that's how Yahweh blesses. As for us, we can give and help selfishly and freely out of love. Maybe we have inherited our Father’s traits of being able to ‘make things be’ with our words. After all, we are created in His image. We can surely give someone a good day, helpful advice or make them smile with just words - so surely we can give our creative words to God as well. So, why do we say “bless you God”? Aren't we just saying that to God without giving Him anything? But what can we give or do for the Master of the Universe? We can give him thanks, appreciation, recognition, words of love, adoration and share our thoughts with Him. These things we can give the Father freely and out of love, which He wouldn't have otherwise. We can “bless” Him with our words. Not giving him a gift per se, but our love creatively. The sacrifices of the patriarchs and in the Levitical system were a gift to God. Not that He needed it, but it was the free will offering itself that counted. Have we stopped giving gifts when we just say “bless you God” instead of actually offering a true sacrifice of praise? Well, what about when we say “bless you” to our brothers and sisters? “Bless you” and then no gift or warm, personal words to help. How is that a blessing? I think we have fallen into a bad and lazy habit here. Saying “bless you” or “blessings” does reflect our heart intention, but it fails to actually bless someone. We may as well say to each other “hope God looks out for you!”. Instead of saying “blessing”, as if we're calling them down from God, we should DO the blessings for each other. We should give to each other, speak loving encouraging and personal words to each other, share each others burdens - physically and mentally. That's a blessing. “Blessed is he…” the Messiah says in the beatitudes. That is to say, Yahweh will reward him with life, peace and fullness. That's a blessing. So maybe next time we see a friend instead of saying “bless you”, we should say “is there anything I can do to help you?” or “it's such a joy to see you again!”. Love & Shalom Shalom, Tzephanyahu. First, allow me to point out that "bless" and "bliss" come from the same root in English. To "bless" someone is to make that someone "happy!" To pay truly for someone's meal or to provide clothes for someone's back or to provide a roof over someone's head IS to make that someone happy! However, we need also to discuss the Hebrew word translated as "bless" in the Scriptures: The word is usually a form of "baruwkh," the imperative form of the verb "baarakh." 1288 baarakh (baw-rak'). A primitive root; to kneel; by implication to bless God (as an act of adoration), and (vice-versa) man (as a benefit); also (by euphemism) to curse (God or the king, as treason) -- X abundantly, X altogether, X at all, blaspheme, bless, congratulate, curse, X greatly, X indeed, kneel (down), praise, salute, X still, thank. So, to "bless God" is to "kneel to God" or to "bend the knee before God." Such obeisance would be pleasing to God and make Him happy. After all, He is worthy of our adoration and our reverence. When God blesses us, He doesn't move; so instead, He is lifting US up in some way! That is, He is exalting us or He is giving us something beneficial, whether that be status, monetary benefits, or benefits in some other way, such as health. He is treating us as His dear, special children. And, the Bible word for "special" is "holy." "Holy" does NOT mean "righteous"; it means "singled out" or "special." We become someone whom God has noticed and singles out, usually to benefit Himself in some way, as well. He gives us the means by which we can perform His will in some way. We become mutually beneficial to each other. 2 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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