05/27/2012
“Blessed Is …”
Please open your Bible with me to the Book of Genesis; Genesis chapter one; the very first page of your Bible.
Psalm 1:1 says “Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.”
Psalm 32:1 says this. “Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.”
Psalm 32:2 says this. “Blessed is the man unto whom the LORD imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile.”
Psalm 33:12 says this. “Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD; and the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance.”
Psalm 34:8 “O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.”
Psalm 40:4 “Blessed is that man that maketh the LORD his trust …”
Psalm 41:1 says “Blessed is he that considereth the poor: the LORD will deliver him in time of trouble.”
Psalm 65:4 says this. “Blessed is the man whom thou choosest, and causest to approach unto thee, that he may dwell in thy courts: we shall be satisfied with the goodness of thy house, even of thy holy temple.”
Psalm 84:5 “Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee; in whose heart are the ways of them.”
Psalm 84:12 says “O LORD of hosts, blessed is the man that trusteth in thee.”
496 times you will read what God says about being blessed. If it isn’t obvious to you yet, I’ll let you know that what the LORD has laid on my heart for today is this “Blessed is …”
Shall we pray?
I’m sure, if you’ve been reading God’s word or have heard sermons over the years, you’ve heard it many, many times. And you’ve likely used this word “Blessed.” My desire today is to bring you into the blessedness of knowing and walking with the LORD.
Likely your day consists of breakfast, driving to work, working all day long, eating supper, resting in the evening and then going to sleep. Some days it will include ministry. And we don’t want to forget shopping and going on vacation.
But really, how often would you say you dwell on the topic of what it means to be “blessed”? Probably, if you are like me, not too often. Today, by the LORD’s grace, I would like to encourage you to join me in dwelling upon this topic of “blessedness.”
Now, it’s true that the term does have a lot of meanings. And we certainly use this term “blessed” in a variety of contexts. But when you go back to the Bible, you often find that a term means a whole lot more than we have thus far understood it to mean.
And for us who are English speaking people, we do use “bless” in a variety of ways. But, wouldn’t you rather go back to the Bible? Wouldn’t you rather find out how the Bible uses a term? And wouldn’t it be better if we filled our words with the Bible’s meanings? That’s what’s on my heart today.
The very first use of the word in the Bible is found in the Book of Genesis. It’s used first in Scripture by God Himself.
It’s found in the first chapter of the Bible. Genesis 1:22. It was the sixth day and God had just created the first human family. Here’s what we read.
Genesis 1:22 “And God blessed them, saying, Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let fowl multiply in the earth.
And (28) And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.”
And on the day He rested from all creating the universe, He said this about Saturday, the Sabbath. Genesis 2:3 “And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made.”
And He reminds us again of what He did on the sixth day of creation in chapter five. Genesis 5:2 “Male and female created he them; and blessed them, and called their name Adam, in the day when they were created.”
Psalm 1:1 says “Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.”
Psalm 32:1 says this. “Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.”
Psalm 32:2 says this. “Blessed is the man unto whom the LORD imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile.”
Psalm 33:12 says this. “Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD; and the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance.”
Psalm 34:8 “O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.”
Psalm 40:4 “Blessed is that man that maketh the LORD his trust …”
Psalm 41:1 says “Blessed is he that considereth the poor: the LORD will deliver him in time of trouble.”
Psalm 65:4 says this. “Blessed is the man whom thou choosest, and causest to approach unto thee, that he may dwell in thy courts: we shall be satisfied with the goodness of thy house, even of thy holy temple.”
Psalm 84:5 “Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee; in whose heart are the ways of them.”
Psalm 84:12 says “O LORD of hosts, blessed is the man that trusteth in thee.”
496 times you will read what God says about being blessed. If it isn’t obvious to you yet, I’ll let you know that what the LORD has laid on my heart for today is this “Blessed is …”
Shall we pray?
I’m sure, if you’ve been reading God’s word or have heard sermons over the years, you’ve heard it many, many times. And you’ve likely used this word “Blessed.” My desire today is to bring you into the blessedness of knowing and walking with the LORD.
Likely your day consists of breakfast, driving to work, working all day long, eating supper, resting in the evening and then going to sleep. Some days it will include ministry. And we don’t want to forget shopping and going on vacation.
But really, how often would you say you dwell on the topic of what it means to be “blessed”? Probably, if you are like me, not too often. Today, by the LORD’s grace, I would like to encourage you to join me in dwelling upon this topic of “blessedness.”
Now, it’s true that the term does have a lot of meanings. And we certainly use this term “blessed” in a variety of contexts. But when you go back to the Bible, you often find that a term means a whole lot more than we have thus far understood it to mean.
And for us who are English speaking people, we do use “bless” in a variety of ways. But, wouldn’t you rather go back to the Bible? Wouldn’t you rather find out how the Bible uses a term? And wouldn’t it be better if we filled our words with the Bible’s meanings? That’s what’s on my heart today.
The very first use of the word in the Bible is found in the Book of Genesis. It’s used first in Scripture by God Himself.
It’s found in the first chapter of the Bible. Genesis 1:22. It was the sixth day and God had just created the first human family. Here’s what we read.
Genesis 1:22 “And God blessed them, saying, Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let fowl multiply in the earth.
And (28) And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.”
And on the day He rested from all creating the universe, He said this about Saturday, the Sabbath. Genesis 2:3 “And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made.”
And He reminds us again of what He did on the sixth day of creation in chapter five. Genesis 5:2 “Male and female created he them; and blessed them, and called their name Adam, in the day when they were created.”