Showing posts with label bible truth. Show all posts
Showing posts with label bible truth. Show all posts

Blessings - Benedictions

A Blessing or Benediction...

asks or pronounces good things
upon or for someone

it is well speaking
(bene [as in beneficial] = well + diction = speaking)

simple:
a prayer aloud or written out - done by anyone
for or over someone else (family, friends, etc.)
asking God's blessing to be upon them
asking His help and care for them
in general, and on special occasions
(marriage, births, when embarking on long trips, new jobs, etc.)

formal:
a pronouncement - usually by clergy
for or over the congregation
at the end of public worship, and on other occasions
invoking God's Name (asking God to put His Name) upon His people
asking His blessing on His people
(for grace, mercy, faith, unity, protection, comfort, etc.)

usual formula: 'May the Lord...' (do this for you)

~

(expanded)

sample of constructed blessings - benedictions using the Scriptures:

May grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. (2 Pt 1:2)

May the God of our salvation keep you steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord. (1 Cor 15:58)

May the Lord cause you to increase and abound in love for one another and for all people. (1 Ths 3:12a)

May the God of all grace, Who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, perfect, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. (1 Pt 5:10)

(the Aaronic blessing used by the priests in the OT - Num 6:24-26)
The LORD bless you, and keep you,
The LORD make His face to shine on you, and be gracious to you,
The LORD lift up His countenance on you, and give you peace.

Biblical Dynamic at Work

(rehearse the top portion)

God's Word is...

inspired (God-breathed)

living (alive)

active (powerful and effective)

sharper than any two-edged sword
(piercing, cutting to the quick, laying open)

performing its work in me (the believer)

accomplishing what God desires

~

(expanded)

note: these are from 2 Tim 3:16; Heb 4:12; 1 Ths 2:13b; Is 55:11

Bible Truth

(rehearse the top portion)

The Ten Plagues

plague 1. water turned to blood

plague 2. frogs

plague 3. gnats

plague 4. swarms of flies

plague 5. death of livestock

plague 6. boils

plague 7. hail

plague 8. locusts

plague 9. darkness

plague 10. death of the firstborn

~

(expanded)

from Ex. 7-12

The Love Chapter

(rehearse all three sets in the top portion)

Love is...
patient
kind

Love is not - does not...
be jealous
brag
be arrogant
act unbecomingly
seek its own
be provoked
take into account a wrong suffered
rejoice in unrighteousness

Love...
rejoices in the truth
bears all things
believes all things
hopes all things
endures all things
never fails

~

(expanded)

note: these are from 1 Cor 13:4-8a

Fruit of the Spirit

(rehearse the top portion)

The Fruit of the Spirit is...

love
joy
peace
patience
kindness
goodness
faithfulness
gentleness
self-control

~

(expanded)

note: these are from Galatians 5:22-23a

note: two working definitions of the word fruit: outcome or results
used here in the singular (one fruit [outcome], not many fruits)
all words are nouns, not verbs
yet each is exhibited in our lives as a result of the Holy Spirit's work in us

The Beatitudes

(rehearse the top portion)

Blessed are...

poor in spirit
... have the kingdom of heaven

those who mourn
... will be comforted

gentle (meek)
... inherit the earth

those who hunger and thirst for righteousness
... will be satisfied

merciful
... will receive mercy

pure in heart
... will see God

peacemakers
... will be called sons of God

righteous persecuted
... have the kingdom of heaven

insulted, persecuted, falsely spoken evil of, on account of Jesus
... have great reward in heaven

~

(expanded)

Note: these are from Mt 5:3-12

The Ten Commandments

(rehearse the top portion)

The Ten Commandments

1. no gods before God
2. no idols / graven images to worship or serve
3. not take the Lord's name in vain
4. remember / keep holy the Sabbath day

5. honor father and mother
6. not commit murder
7. not commit adultery
8. not steal
9. not bear false witness against neighbor
10. not covet

~

(expanded)

note: these are from Exodus 20:3-17

note: all are toward God - and the last six are toward our fellow man

The Lord's Bond-Servant

(rehearse the top portion)

As the Lord's bond-servant I must...

not be quarrelsome
be kind to all
be able to teach
be patient when wronged
gently correct those in opposition

~

(expanded)

not be quarrelsome
(acting as though I'm at war, quarreling, disputing, battling)

be kind to all
(especially with my words, be affable, mild, kind)

be able to teach
(able to instruct, communicate by teaching)

be patient when wronged
(enduring ill, forbearing with others)

gently correct those in opposition
(with gentleness and humility)
(correct as with training a child, educate)
(those who set themselves against or opposite of truth)


If perhaps God may grant them repentance
leading to the knowledge of the truth

and they may come to their senses
and escape from the snare of the devil
having been held captive by him to do his will.

note: these are from 2 Tim 2:24-26 and definitions from Bible dictionaries

Six Days of Creation

(rehearse the top portion)

Six Days of Creation

Day 1:   light
Day 2:   expanse
Day 3:   seas - dry land - vegetation
Day 4:   sun - moon - stars
Day 5:   sea creatures - birds
Day 6:   land animals - mankind

~

(expanded)

On Day 1 You created light (the separation of light from darkness - and You called the light day and the darkness night)

On Day 2 You created an expanse (calling them heavens - and they were to separate the waters below from the waters above)

On Day 3 You created the seas, dry land, and vegetation (You gathered the waters to one place and called them seas - the dry land appeared and You called it earth - vegetation was caused to grow)

On Day 4 You created the sun, moon, and stars (the lights in the expanse of the heavens were to separate the day from the night and to separate the light from the darkness - You made them to be for signs, for seasons, for days, and for years - the two great lights were to give light on earth - the greater light governs the day and the lesser light governs the night)

On Day 5 You created the sea creatures and the birds (the sea creatures were to be in the seas, and the birds in the open expanse of the heavens)

On Day 6 You created the land animals, and then mankind (the earth's creatures / animals were created - and last, man was created from the dust of the earth, and woman from the man's side, both the man and woman were created in Your image)

note: these are from Genesis 1:3-27

My Days Are Ordained

Truth: The number of my days are already ordained, having been pre-determined by God.

Point: I might increase the quality of my life by how I live, but I can never increase the quantity of my days.

Remember: Each person is hurtling inexorably toward their day to step into eternity.

~

(expanded)

(NAS followed by the NIV)

(Ps 139:16)

Thine eyes have seen my unformed substance;
and in Thy book they were all written,
the days that were ordained for me,
when as yet there was not one of them.

Your eyes saw my unformed body.
All the days ordained for me
were written in your book
before one of them came to be.

(Job 14:5)

Since his days are determined,
the number of his months is with Thee,
and his limits Thou has set
so that he cannot pass.

Man's days are determined;
you have decreed the number of his months
and have set limits he cannot exceed...

(Ps 39.4)

Lord, make me to know my end,
and what is the extent of my days,
Let me know how transient I am.

Show me, O LORD, my life's end
and the number of my days;
let me know how fleeting is my life.