Monday, May 27, 2013

Blessed to be a blessing: Genesis 12:1-3


Genesis 12:1-3  (NIV)  "The Lord has said to Abram, Leave your country, your people and your father’s household and go to the land I will show you.   I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you.  I will make your name great and you will be a blessing.  I will bless those who bless you and whoever curses you I will curse; and all the peoples in earth will be blessed through you.”

                In many ways the Bible is all about blessings.  It's the story of how we are blessed and how God wants so desperately to bless us.    Of course the greatest blessing of all is our relationship with Jesus Christ.   As I begin my blog on my top 100 Scriptures I think it is fitting to start here in Genesis.   I believe God has always been about the task of gathering to himself a holy people.  God has always been about the desire of calling people from one place, one land, from one’s selfishness and one’s sin.   God is calling us.   When you read the Scriptures you will hear that call.    Jesus said it best,  “Come to me all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:26)   We will get to that Scripture soon enough.   This I believe is God’s formula for love.     God calls us.   We leave behind….  We are blessed.   We offer the blessing to others.    I remember the phrase from the Bethel Bible Series I went through some years back.   It simply said that we are “blessed to be a blessing”.  You can surely see the entire Word of God through that lense can't you?    So today as we walk through the Word I invite you to be on a journey.   I invite you to put your full trust in God.   I invite you to give the Lord your burdens and take up a royal robe that God has prepared for you.   I invite you to be a blessing.

Prayer:  Dear God,   I thank you for your grace and for your love.   I thank you for the new country you have for each of.  Help us to walk toward the new country and lay aside those things that hinder us; our sins, our pride, and our selfishness.   Be our guide and whatever blessings might come our way  help us to share them with others.   May your name be praised and Gloried in our lives.  We pray in Jesus name.    Amen

To ponder today:  In what ways is God calling me today?  Are there things I need to leave behind?  Are there things I need to gather for God’s journey?   Who is God putting in my path to bless today?

5 comments:

Pastor Tim said...

Abram was a man of faith. Can you imagine being called to leave your home to move to a new place never to return again? And by the way God didn't tell Abram where he was going and how long it would take for him to get there. But Abram trusted God. God also promised to make him and his descendants into a great nation. God told him this same thing over and over but there was still the problem that his wife was unable to conceive. Abram tried to solve that problem by taking matters into his own hands. Perhaps this was a sign that even he didn't have perfect faith. The good news is that sometimes even when we are not faithful God is and in just the same way that God cared for Abram he will care for us. Hopefully you won't have to have a child when you're in your nineties to realize that truth. But sometimes when God does show his hand it does make us laugh for God is so good. So what unexpected challenges and blessings has God taken you through? Make sure you say thank you!

Pastor Tim said...

We'll.... I promise not to add comments everyday but the Genesis 12:1-3 passage is so foundational that I've decided to add another thought. This passage tells me that from the very beginning Israel was set aside by God as a Holy people not to become isolated from the world. Rather they are set apart as holy with the purpose of bringing blessings to the world. Verse 3 says, "And I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse. And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed." NASB

In the New Testament it offers the idea of being "In the world but not of the world." Unfortunately it took Jesus to come along to take that message out to the world. God's people,even today, are not meant to hate those who don't believe or act as we do. Rather we are to remain clean from evil ways so we can shine as a light in the darkness.

So what do you think? Is Israel still God's holy nation? Are we blessed as a people and as a nation as we bless Israel? Who are Abraham's children today? Why don't we pray for the nation of Israel that it will embrace Jesus the Messiah and that Israel will be a light not only in the Middle East but to the entire world. Remember we are "Blessed to be a blessing!"

Pastor Tim said...

ok last comment on our passage this week. I want you to notice that it was God who said... "I will show you the land. I will make you a great nation. I will bless you. I will make your name great. I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse...." Now did you count up the "I will" statements! God will do it!!!! that is the wonderful promise of Scripture. Oh we have our part to play but most of life's blessings.... if not all are a gift from God. We need to trust God for as it says in Matthew 7:8-11 For every one who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it shall be opened. Or what man is there among you when his son shall ask him for a loaf, will give him a stone? Or if he shall ask for a fish, he will not give him a snake, will he? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more shall your Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him! NASB. Never forget if God is calling you. God has a plan and God will provide for you! Romans 8:28 reminds us, "And we know that god causes all things to work together for good to those who love God to those who are called according to His purpose." Thank God that Abram was called! Remember if God calls you he will supply your needs in Christ Jesus!

Pastor Tim said...

thanks for Walking Through the Word with me this week. God bless you!

Unknown said...

Tim, thanks for sharing your heart with us!
Darrell