THE FATHER'S BLESSING

The word “bless” in the Greek is EULOGIA (Strong’s #2127). good, well, excellent, right, and correct.To bless is to speak well of, give a good report, a good word; “well done,” “excellent, that’s right,” “correct.”From the LORD of Hosts it is the expression of His Divine Favor.

THERE ARE 5 ELEMENTS OF THE BLESSING

1. Meaningful Touch

Hugs and touch that express genuine warmth, approval, and affection. This kind of touch is not abusive, and does not violate physical or sexual boundaries.

2. Spoken Message

Affection and approval are not simply assumed, but stated verbally. There is an absence of verbal insults or demeaning statements.

3. Attaching a High Value

Communicates significance, great worth and honor.

4. Picture a Special Future/ Prophesy

Messages are given that convey hope for the future. Expresses faith in the person's abilities to succeed.

5. Commitment to that Future

Demonstrates an active commitment to be there as much as possible to help that special future come to pass.

The Father speaks a blessing on you today. Here it is:

FATHER’S BLESSING

God has called you by your name,_________________ and speaks your identity to you. Father God has chosen you to be His child, called by His name, adopted into His Kingdom to inherit all of His love in Jesus, our Savior and Lord. You a member of His family and we bless you to know your identity in Him. Father God created you to know His love, to receive it and share it with others. We bless you to know this destiny in your heart and soul. You are called to live as a child of God, chosen and loved, forgiven and cleansed, released and set free. Father God speaks His blessing over you now and releases you into the authority and responsibility of womanhood/ manhood.

The Father says: My child, I love you! You are special. You are My gift to mankind. I bless you with the healing of all wounds of rejection, neglect and abuse that you have suffered. I bless you with overflowing peace, the peace that only I can give, a peace beyond comprehension. I bless your life with fruitfulness—good fruit, much fruit and fruit that remains. I bless you with success. You are the head and not the tail; you are above and not beneath. I bless you with health and strength of body, soul and spirit. I bless you with overflowing prosperity, enabling you to be a blessing to others. I bless you with spiritual influence, for you are the light of the world and the salt of the earth. You are like a tree planted by rivers of water. You will prosper in all your ways. I bless you with a depth of spiritual understanding and a close walk with Me. You will not stumble or falter, for the Word of God will be a lamp to your feet and a light to your path. I bless you with pure and edifying relationships in life. You have favor with God and man. I bless you with abounding love. You will minister God's comforting grace to others. You are blessed, my child! You are blessed with all spiritual blessings in Christ Jesus.



FAITH THAT

Faith (with references)

1. THE FAITH THAT WALKS AWAY FROM A JOB
James and John (Matthew 4:21,22; Mark 1:19,20)

2. THE FAITH THAT PRESSES THROUGH TO JESUS
The woman with the issue of blood (Matthew 9:21,22)

3. THE FAITH THAT REACHES OUT FOR SOMEONE ELSE
Jairus, for the healing of his daughter (Matthew 9:18,23-25)

4. THE FAITH THAT SEES THROUGH BLINDED EYES
Two blind men (Matthew 9:29,30)
Blind Bartimaeus and a fellow blind man (Matthew 20:30-34; Mark 10:46-52; Luke 18:35-42)

5. THE FAITH THAT STANDS ON MERCY AND RESPONDS WITH THANKS
The Samaritan leper (Luke 17:11-19)

6. THE FAITH THAT TOUCHES THE POWER OF GOD
The sick people of Gennesaret (Matthew 14:36; Mark 3:10;6:54-56)

7. THE FAITH FOR A FRIEND THAT FIGHTS TO THE FINISH
Those who brought the paralyzed man to Jesus (Luke 5:18-20)

8. THE FAITH THAT REALIZES THE POWER OF A LITTLE CRUMB FROM A GIANT GOD
The Syrophoenician woman (Matthew 15:22-28; Mark 7:25-30)

9. THE FAITH THAT KNOWS A WORD IS ENOUGH
The nobleman whose child was sick ( John 4:46-53)

10. THE FAITH AWAKENED THROUGH A DISCERNING WORD
Through the prophetic and proclamation of Jesus ( John 4:39-42)

WHAT ARE YOU EXPECTING?

WHAT ARE YOU EXPECTING TODAY? Not expecting is doubt. Are you expecting good things or the same old, same old. Expectation of good is hope. Hope is defined as the confident expectation of God's goodness.

Here is what the Word says:

Some Expectation Scriptures:

Luke 7:19 And John, calling two of his disciples to him, sent them to Jesus, saying, “Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?”

Psalm 37:34 Wait on the LORD, And keep His way, And He shall exalt you to inherit the land; When the wicked are cut off, you shall see it.

Hebrews 9:28 so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation.

1 Corinthians 9:10 Or does He say it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written, that he who plows should plow in hope, and he who threshes in hope should be partaker of his hope.

Acts 26:6“And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made by God to our fathers.

“What shall we do about the hundred talents which I have given to the troops of Israel?” And the man of God answered, “The Lord is able to give you much more than this.” 2 Chronicles 25:9

Ps. 62:5My soul, wait silently for God alone, For my expectation is from Him.

Even creation expects:

Rom. 8:18For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. 19For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God.

Phil. 1:19For I know that this will turn out for my deliverance through your prayer and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, 20according to my earnest expectation and hope that in nothing I shall be ashamed,

WHAT IS DOUBLE PORTION?

You hear alot of teaching now about getting God's "double portion." What is double portion?

Double portion", in the Old Testament that simply meant the firstborn's inheritance. Let me explain.

Suppose a man had two sons and divided his inheritance amongst them. The firstborn son gets two shares in the inheritance, the younger son gets one share. So the inheritance would actually be divided up into thirds; the eldest gets two thirds and the youngest gets one third. That's what double portion means. The firstborn son would get double what the second son would receive.

But in the New Testament we are "joint heirs with Christ".

Romans 8:17 Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.

So I would say that Jesus already got the double portion (as the firstborn among many - Romans 8:29).

Is our portion equal to Jesus' portion? Depends how you interpret Romans 8:17, if you think co-heir with Christ means you get the same portion, then that is what you would expect. If, however, you take the OT view that the co-heir simply means we get to inherit alongside Jesus, but as firstborn He gets double what we get, then you'd expect Him to get the Double portion.

I think the parable Jesus told in Matthew 25 is more useful: the master of the household gives us talents according to our ability, how we use what we have been given is up to us, developing talents into strengths. And if we do well with it, we get more. So some could end up getting double, or triple or ........

And you can look at it this way.(Eph 3:20) says," Now to Him who is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us,"

Exceedingly, abundantly above is infinity. So double portion is infinity.

But here's a question. If God has infinite resources then what size is a portion of infinity? And is it any different to a double portion? (Answer: a portion of infinity is still infinity. And double infinity is still infinity. That thought makes me want to praise the Lord!)

Rest in the Day of Trouble

REST IN THE DAY OF TROUBLE

Habakkuk's chief message was a sad prophecy of the triumph of the Chaldeans (Babylonians) over Israel. He warns his people of the Divine retribution that would come swiftly and overwhelmingly: Habakkuk is unique among the prophets in that he openly questions the wisdom of God (1:3a, 1:13b). In the first part of the first chapter, the Prophet sees the injustice among his people and asks why God does not take action:

Hab. 1:2-11"How long, O Lord, shall I cry and You will not hear? I cry out unto You of violence, and You will not save .... Behold, I will raise the Chaldeans, that bitter and impetuous nation that march to the wide spaces of the earth to conquer dwelling places that are not theirs. Terrible and dreadful are they; from them alone go forth their laws and dignity. Swifter than leopards are their horses, and fiercer than wolves at night. And their horses come riding on, arriving from afar. They fly like eagles, hastening to eat. They all come for violence; their faces are like the east wind, and they gather captives as the sand. And they will make sport with kings, and princes will be a play to them. At every stronghold will they laugh .... They make their power god . . . ."

TLB- Must I forever see the sin and sadness around me. Wherever I look I see oppression and bribery and me who love to argue and fight.

Seeing how the wicked and arrogant Chaldeans will trample upon Israel, Habakkuk cries out to God with pain:

Hab. 1:13"You are of eyes too pure to behold evil, and can not look upon mischief, wherefore do you look, when they deal treacherously, and hold Your peace, when the wicked swallow up the man that is more righteous than he?"

These were the predominate sins in Habakkuk’s Day:

Sin of idolatry

Sin of immorality ( over the land of Judah they worshipped the Assyrian god, Venus)

Persecution

Destruction- especially the destruction of the Word of God (famine of the word.

(Similar sins in Judah compared to America; child sacrifice, unnatural affection, conspiracy and deceit)

Every entrance the enemy has is a place where there is no word (deficit).

Habakkuk was a temple singer and a writer of songs that were intended for worship. He was part of the temple choir and speaks of his instruments.

The name Habakkuk means embrace or fold. Martin Luther said of him that

Habakkuk signifies the embrace. He embraced his people and takes them into his arms.

The predominate theme in Habakkuk is Rest in the Day of Trouble.

Scriptures about trouble:

(Luke 7:6) Then Jesus went with them. And when he was now not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to him, saying unto him, Lord, trouble not thyself: for I am not worthy that thou shouldest enter under my roof:

(Act 20:10) And Paul went down, and fell on him, and embracing him said, Trouble not yourselves; for his life is in him.

(2Co 1:3-4) Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.

Lessons to be learned from Habakkuk:

1.Rest in the day of trouble- Cease from your labor and enter into His rest. (Hab 3:16) When I heard, my belly trembled; my lips quivered at the voice: rottenness entered into my bones, and I trembled in myself, that I might rest in the day of trouble: when he cometh up unto the people, he will invade them with his troops.

We are called to be not to do. Let us cease from striving.

If we are out of rest then we are out of faith. Ex. Sarah entered into rest and conceived.

(Heb 11:11-12) Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised. Therefore sprang there even of one, and him as good as dead, so many as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as the sand which is by the sea shore innumerable.(Heb 4:9-11) So then there remains a rest to the people of God. For he who has entered into his rest, he also has ceased from his own works, as God did from His. Therefore let us labor to enter into that rest, lest anyone fall after the same example of unbelief.

2. Press-(Php 3:14) I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

How can I rest and press at the same time? Pursuing God is resting in Him.

The mature are going to press toward the mark of the goal of the high calling (the revealing of Christ)

3. Give-(Gal 5:13) For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.

4. Be bold and courageous, tell it like it is, continue the vision.

Habakkuk 2:2-4

2 Then the LORD answered me and said:

“Write the vision

And make it plain on tablets,

That he may run who reads it.

3 For the vision is yet for an appointed time;

But at the end it will speak, and it will not lie.

Though it tarries, wait for it;

Because it will surely come,

It will not tarry.

4 “Behold the proud,

His soul is not upright in him;

But the just shall live by his faith.

1. Appointed time

2. Speak at the end

3. Would not lie

4. Would tarry

5. But would surely come

5. Stay in peace, free from offense- (Heb 12:15) Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;

6. Keep your eyes on Jesus

Here’s what it looks like:

Body in pain, disease taking hold, marriage hurting, finances devastated, children away from God, you think your ministry is over, churches in turmoil, nation collapsing around you, world falling apart.

In the name of Jesus, look again.

You have cried, now you will sing

You’ve been in pain, now you will roar in praise

New day in the Church

New day in America

Look at the bigger picture

Economy, deceit, lack of integrity, immorality, violence

Look again

Lifting up our eyes."

"Whatever is true, whatever is honorable . . . is right, whatever is pure . . . lovely . . . of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, let your mind dwell on these things" (Phil. 4:8). Remember, Paul was writing to people in the ancient Roman world. It was full of evil, full of injustice, full of reasons to grumble and be upset; but instead, God calls His people to a higher realm, where we dwell on the things that are above.

(John 11:41-43) At the tomb of His dear friend Lazarus, Jesus lifted up his eyes and said, "Father, I thank YOU HAVE ALREADY HEARD ME." Imagine this kind of assurance! Jesus didn't need to beg or intercede. A command to the dead was all that was needed, "Lazarus, come forth."

Abraham

(Gen 13:14) And the LORD said unto Abram, after that Lot was separated from him, Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward:

(Gen 18:2) And he lift up his eyes and looked, and, lo, three men stood by him: and when he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself toward the ground,

(Gen 22:4) Then on the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the place afar off.

(Gen 22:13) And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son.

Crucifying the Flesh- What Does That Mean?

CRUCIFYING THE FLESH

Gal. 5:24 Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified their lower corrupt nature with its passions and appetites.

(Rom 8:13) For if you live after the flesh, you shall die: but if you through the Spirit do mortify(put to death) the deeds of the body, you shall live.

"They that are of Christ Jesus"; they that belong to Christ Jesus; being "led by (His) Spirit"

(Gal. 5:18). have crucified the flesh-They nailed it to the cross once for all when they became Christ's, on believing and being baptized (Ro 6:3, 4): they keep it now in a state of crucifixion (Ro 6:6)(Gal. 2:20) so that the Spirit can produce in them, comparatively uninterrupted by it, "the fruit of the Spirit" (Gal. 5:22).

"Man, by faith, is dead to the former standing point of a sinful life, and rises to a new life (Gal. 5:25) of communion with Christ (Col 3:3). The act by which they have crucified the flesh with its lust, is already accomplished ideally in principle. But the practice, or outward conformation of the life, must harmonize with the tendency given to the inward life" (Gal. 5:25)

We are to be executioners, dealing cruelly with the body of sin, which has caused the acting of all cruelties on Christ's body. with the affections-"with its passions." Thus they are dead to the law's condemning power, which is only for the fleshly, and their lusts (Gal. 5:23).

*Reckon (makeup your minds)yourselves dead to sin and alive to Christ. Rom. 6:11

*Stop responding to what you see: lust of the eye, lust of the flesh, pride of life.

*Make no provision to gratify lust: Romans 13:14 says, "But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts." If we make just a small provision for the lust, it will rule over our body (Romans 6:12). If we don't make the provision, sin is less likely to occur.

*Acknowledge God's ownership of your body: God paid a high price for you. He sent His own Son to die in your place. We are obligated to live according to God's desires and not sin's desires. *Let Christ live and reign in your body. 1 Corinthians 6:13

*It takes time.(1 Peter 4:1-2 ). Crucifixion is a slow, painful death. When we crucify our sinful desires; IT IS A PROCESS.

*Get your mind off yourself. Use your freedom to serve others in love. Serving others in love IS (becoming a living sacrifice)

*The solution to the flesh problem, is not trying not to sin. But rather living in service. Christianity is not about trying not to commit sin, but rather about becoming a living sacrifice. Paul talks about this in Romans 7. Whenever he tried not to covet, that activated the law of his members (the flesh) and caused him to do exactly what he intended not to. Trying not to sin activates the flesh, perhaps because it puts the focus on ourselves. Trying to serve others deactivates the flesh, perhaps because it takes the emphasis away from ourselves.

*Quit seeing yourself as a sinner, but the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus; become more righteousness conscious instead of sin conscious.

Romans 6:6 knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin;

Galatians 2:20 "I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.

Galatians 3:26 For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.

Galatians 5:16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh.

Galatians 6:14 But may it never be that I would boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.

WHAT IS CONFESSION?

Confess is the Hebrew word Yadah

To confess belief is to say, “I openly receive God’s promise and choose to take my stand here, humbly, on God’s promises and in worship of His Person.”

Yadah, the Hebrew word for “confess,” contains and supports this idea. Derived from yad, meaning “an open or extended hand,” the focus is on reaching to take hold of. Just as a closed hand or fist may represent struggle or rebellion, an open hand indicates peace, submitted service or surrender.

The Bible also uses the word “confession” to describe an open, bold, and courageous proclamation of one’s faith. The apostle Paul wrote: “If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes to righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made to salvation” (Rom. 10:9–10).

God confessed- Gen 1:1 ( 10 times)

587 verses God said

Verses about the tongue

(Pro 18:21) Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.

(Pro 15:4) A wholesome tongue is a tree of life: but perverseness therein is a breach in the spirit.

1 Peter 3:10 For “He who would love life And see good days, Let him refrain his tongue from evil, And his lips from speaking deceit.

Other confession Scriptures:

1 Peter 4:11 If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles (mouthpiece)of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

Philippians 2:10-11that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth,11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Psalm 91:1-2 He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High 1 Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.2 I will say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust.”

Psalm 19:14Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart Be acceptable in Your sight, O LORD, my strength and my Redeemer.

Ephesians 4:29 Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.

Ephesians 6:17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God;

(Heb 4:12) For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

James 3:2 For we all stumble in many things. If anyone does not stumble in word, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle the whole body.

1 1 Tim. 6:11But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness. 12Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. 13I urge you in the sight of God who gives life to all things, and before Christ Jesus who witnessed the good confession before Pontius Pilate, 14that you keep this commandment without spot, blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ’s appearing, 15which He will manifest in His own time, He who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords, 16who alone has immortality, dwelling in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see, to whom be honor and everlasting power. Amen.

1 Heb. 3:1Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, Christ Jesus, 2who was faithful to Him who appointed Him, as Moses also was faithful in all His house

(Heb 10:21) And having an high priest over the house of God; Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)