The "Blessing in Thanksgiving"

Each time I sit down to write a  post, I pray for God to lead me to the scripture He has for me and you. He led me to James today. Thanksgiving is this weekend; A time for family and friends to gather and "Be Thankful". This is a passage I may not have connected with "thanksgiving", so let's see what is here for us on this timely topic.

Version: RSV
James 3:9-12

9. With it (our mouth) we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who are made in the likeness of God. 10. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brethren, this ought not to be so. 11. Does a spring pour forth from the same opening fresh water and brackish? 12. Can a fig tree, my brethren, yield olives, or a grapevine figs? No more can salt water yield fresh.

In the morning how do you wake up? Are you at peace and ready to start the day...or are you agitated at all that needs to be accomplished? Maybe you're heading for the coffee like I do, to try to get my eyes open and my brain kick started. So again, how do you wake up? Or maybe we should even take this one step further: "how do you sleep"? Do you toss and turn and lay awake at night thinking of all the things that are needing to be done, worrying, making plans, making decisions? It can translate into our waking hours and affect our day. Then after a while it affects our personality.

Let's say that our mouth has a lot to do with our outlook on life; how we think of ourselves, others, and the future.  I can be just as negative as the next guy (or gal). Griping and complaining are an easy trap to fall into. Money, health, family relationships, jobs, the future. Especially if there are matters at hand that we feel pressure over; maybe something that we don't have much control over. It weighs on us and seems to feed itself every time we open our mouths.

OK, people I'm preaching to myself here. Feel free to take what you need from this, I guess God has been needing to speak this to me. Anyone else feel free to grab on. Let's look at the scripture verses and think about these two words, Blessing and Cursing. The word blessing comes from the Greek word, eulogia, which means blessing, praise, thanksgiving, flattery and generosity. This is the word "eulogy" comes from. which we think of as a short speech or written statement at a funeral concerning the life of a person. Only good things here. We don't want to concentrate on the bad. And then the word cursing,  katargeo, which means to speak against, contrary to, in opposition with, negativity, making ineffective, to nullify.

Now when it comes to the scripture, it says we are speaking both things out of our mouths. Positive and negative, good and bad, building up and tearing down. I guess we know the old saying "if you don't have something good to say then don't say anything at all". I've always thought that to be sort of "fakey" and pie in the sky, but I realize it is more of a "lifestyle" than just pertaining to gossip or individual circumstances. I'm not suggesting here that we go coo coo and wander around with some silly grin on our faces, but more like I said; Thinking in terms of the positive and not the negative.

So if the word Blessing also means "thanksgiving" I guess I need to concentrate on the Blessing part; Recognizing them, focusing on them, thanking God for them everyday (not just one day a year). Speaking out of my mouth encouragement, not only to others, but to my own self.

Philippians 4:4-7


4. Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. 5. Let all men know your forbearance. The Lord is at hand. 6. Have no anxiety about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7. And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, will keep your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

It's hard sometimes to be thankful, When things aren't the way you want them to be it's easy to be negative and down. In all things we are to be thankful, whatever situation or circumstance. Not thankful for the circumstance, but thankful that God is our Father and that if we ask Him, He will be in control of it. Working it out for our benefit. Prayer accompanied by a thankful heart can move mountains.

So this week when we stuff our mouths with some delicious food, let's also all be aware of another purpose for our mouths. The generation of speech and praise, thanksgiving and blessing. Turning our lives over to God and believing in Him for the blessing He has for us!

much love in Jesus,
Debra

Redeemed from the Curse

What exactly is a curse? Can a Christian today find themselves in the same place as the early church? Paul has something to confront the Galatians about and now they must be ready for an awakening. 


Galatians 3:10-13
10. For as many as are of the works of the Law are under a curse; for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who does not abide by all things written in the book of the law, to perform them." 11. Now that no one is justified by the Law before God is evident; for, "The righteous man shall live by faith." 12. However, the Law is not of faith; on the contrary, "He who practices them shall live by them." 13. Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us."...

When you have a moment, go back to Galatians Chapter 3 and read the start of this chapter.  Paul asks the Galatian Christians, who has "bewitched" them. Pretty strong accusations for Paul to hand out. What would we say today if someone came to speak at our church and stood at the podium and asked us that particular question? I would imagine we'd be pretty indignant and irritated. Can you imagine the gasps, denials, and finger pointing?  Yet, that's just what Paul did. He stood up and asked a pointed question of the Galatian church.


Lets look at two words here in the Greek that give us an indication of the seriousness of his topic.

The word "bewitched" in the Greek is "baskaino" which means "to charm, to bring evil upon", and the Oxford Dictionary gives the following: "to enchant, delight, cast a spell on, charm, fascinate, beguile" (with words)


The word "cursed" found in verses 10 and 13 "epikataratos" means "doomed, and to bring evil upon". The Oxford Dictionary gives these: "something that causes evil or harm, denunciation, misfortune, affliction, damned."


So we can see from looking at these words that Paul uses, that he was totally serious in his accusations. Life or death, blessings or curses... we hear this topic throughout the Old and New Testament. When we studied Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, back in February, we find that Adam and Eve's sin caused them to be evicted from the Garden of Eden and they were subject to living under "the curse". (read Genesis Chapter 3). Then again in the Old Testament in Deuteronomy 28, we see again how "curses" can come upon us.

Now, I want to explain this thought about curses in a way that I feel the Lord has shown me. Don't think of this as God's maliciousness or ill will toward you or anyone else. Think of us individually walking with Jesus and he is holding an umbrella. It is pouring rain and hailing. Now, because of a personal decision, someone chooses to leave Jesus' side and walk out from under that umbrella of "blessing" and protection. Think "free will".

This is where we leave the "blessing" and walk "under the curse". I'm not saying that anytime anything bad happens that we have sinned or chosen to walk away from Jesus. We live in a world where "things happen", and I'm living proof of that. I didn't choose to have cardiovascular problems or heart attacks. Someone doesn't have cancer because they are "sinning". People don't die young because they have walked away from Jesus. I'm talking about a mindset that lures us away from the Word of God, prayer, and intimacy with our Father. When someone chooses to leave Jesus, and His way of thinking and doing things, He allows us, but we walk out from under that umbrella of blessing, and basically are on our own.

Hope you all understand what I'm saying here. This is what happened to the Galatians. Paul was fearful for them, because the Judiazers had "bewitched" them with their words. They had convinced and confused the new Christians at Galatia, and in their fear, they reverted back to the Old Testament Law, of rules, regulations and never being "good enough" to find salvation.

There are a lot of ideas, concepts, and theories out there that can subtly lure us away from the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It doesn't have to particularly be this idea of "the law".  The "New Age" doctrines can sound surprisingly close to scripture. This is why it's so important to know God's Word and be in it daily. This allows the Holy Spirit to speak to us and warn us when something isn't quite right. Beware being bewitched with false doctrines. If you have questions, don't be afraid to ask God about them. He will lead you into the truth. That's part of his "job description".

So, back to our scripture in Galatians; don't let anyone or anything try to drag you back "under the Law". The Law was given to the Israelites to be a "guideline", but not for salvation. It has always been a matter of "faith". God's grace is the key to salvation, not living by rules and regulations.

Thank you, Jesus!!

Next time we'll talk about Abraham, and why he is considered to be not only the Jew's spiritual father, but as Christians, ours also.


Thank you all so much for your prayers for my family as we celebrated the life of my father in law, and rejoiced at his "home going".

love, in Jesus,
Debra