"Bless this food, Amen." What's that about?

I have often wondered about the tradition of asking a blessing over your meal.  It always seemed to me that it was something that I thought I should try to understand better.  Not just what tradition says, but what the Word of God says.

God blesses through His Word, and His Word is Jesus.  When God blesses something, He voices His faith and releases His goodness or favor into something.  He blessed, Abraham and that blessing has not ceased; it continues today through the Jews and through those who believe in the name of Jesus (Galatians 3:14)

What is a blessing in the context of ‘offering a blessing’.  It comes from the Greek word “eulogeó” which means to speak benefit (or good) over.  It is releasing the power of faith though our words and giving life to those words.  For example, I may bless you by speaking through faith, just as David blessed Nabal at Carmel, ‘May you live long!  May you, your home, and all you have prosper!”  Life and death are in the power of the tongue.  The words that we speak and believe have an impact on lives.  Whether or not you believe the Bible is literal or not, even non-believers believe that speaking good about people can boost their self-esteem and cause tangible changes in a person’s being.

I have often felt strange asking God to do something that he has given us the authority to do.  He says that we have the power and authority to bless and curse.  Knowing that I have the ability to speak blessings over something, should I speak blessings over my food?  You can, I guess.  I can look at my broccoli and speak, “life and not death” or “health and not sickness”.  What does it hurt?  Nothing I guess.  But if you are Christian, we believe that Jesus declared all foods clean in Mark 7:15-19 Jesus said, “...there is nothing outside the man which can defile him if it goes into him; but the things which proceed out of the man are what defile the man. ... Do you not understand that whatever goes into the man from outside cannot defile him, because it does not go into his heart, but into his stomach, and is eliminated?” (Thus He declared all foods clean.)

So if the food we eat cannot defile us, and Jesus has declared it clean, why should we need to speak health into it (or ask God to speak health into what he has already said is clean).  This is very puzzling to me.

But then, recorded in the Gospels, when Jesus led his last Seder with his disciples (our last supper), it says that he took the bread, blessed it, and then broke it giving it to his disciples.  This is most likely where the tradition of blessing our food came from.  We should do like Jesus did right?  

Did you know that Jesus didn’t bless the bread, he blessed the Father for the bread.  Jesus as a Jew would give the following blessing before breaking the Matzah: “Barukh atah Adonai, Eloheinu, melekh ha-olam hamotzi lechem min ha'aretz. (Amein).” Or “Blessed are You, Lord, our God, King of the Universe who brings forth bread from the earth. (Amen)”.  Jesus was blessing God for the food, not blessing the food. (See Seder: Passover Service)

I am probably stepping on a few religious toes here. But, if you want to be more like Jesus when you sit down at your meal and pray “bless this food to our body” because ‘that’s the way we have always done it’, instead, praise God, lift up His name, elevate Him, for the provision and generosity.  Make your prayers perfume to His nostrils, instead of a meaningless religious ritual. Thank him for all the results of the blessings he has already released, such as your health, friends, family, etc.  This doesn’t need to be at the table alone, (or at all), but lift Him up often; He is worthy of our praise!

 Now if you want to speak life and health into your own body ... that's another blog. :o)

Where is your treasure?

Have you ever made it to the top and realized that you were just as happy at the bottom?

Have you ever forsaken all to achieve a goal and found no joy anywhere?

Have you ever snuck over to the greener pastures, and realized, when you got there, that contentment abided for the blink of an eye?

Have you ever worked and toiled for what you dreamed would make a difference, looked back and all you can remember is work and toil?

What happened to the happiness?  What happened to the joy?  What happened to the anticipated contentment?

Are you really any happier, more joyful, or content than when you had little?

When you talk about your achievements (the things in life that you’re the most proud of), do they all start with:

I undertook… I built… I made… I bought… I owned… I amassed… I became…?

Many of us fall into that category.  Our culture calls for us to achieve, and to acquire, and to grow, and to have.

King Solomon fell into the same boat.

He writes, “I undertook great projects: I built houses for myself and planted vineyards. I made gardens and parks and planted all kinds of fruit trees in them. I made reservoirs to water groves of flourishing trees. I bought male and female slaves and had other slaves who were born in my house. I also owned more herds and flocks than anyone in Jerusalem before me. I amassed silver and gold for myself, and the treasure of kings and provinces. I acquired men and women singers, and a harem as well—the delights of the heart of man. I became greater by far than anyone in Jerusalem before me. In all this my wisdom stayed with me.

I denied myself nothing my eyes desired; I refused my heart no pleasure.  My heart took delight in all my work, and this was the reward for all my labor.  Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done and what I had toiled to achieve, everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun. “

I heard a person talking the other day about his missionary experience in some of the poor countries.  He talked about how some of these families have nothing; they have little to eat, almost no possessions, and meager shelter.  But, they are extremely happy because they have Jesus in their lives, and because their children are saved.  Their family finds joy, happiness, and contentment in serving and giving to the Lord.

Sometimes we get so caught up in the things that we do to make a better life for ourselves and our families, that we miss what is really important.  Years, and years, and years can slip by as we toil, and then we look back and see that it is was all like ‘chasing after the wind, that nothing was gained’ and all that should be cherished has faded dim.

We need to reevaluate what is important.  We need to put our attention to that which is of eternal value; treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal (Mat 6:20)  We need to stop obsessing with what we can do to better the lives of ourselves and families.  We need to start waking up in the morning and praying that God will open our eyes, and hearts, to the opportunities to make a real difference in someone’s life.

We need to stop working so hard to bless ourselves and start asking for God to bless us so that we can be a blessing to someone else.  Instead of working overtime to save money to buy that car, or new refrigerator, or smart phone, why not use those resources to bless someone else.  God knows what your needs are, and he will provide for them, as you put Him first. (Luke 12:22-31, Phi 4:19)   He will also provide you with provision so that you can bless others. (2 Cor 9:10) 

For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and forfeit his life? (Mat 16:26)  

Don’t be as Solomon did.

When asked about your achievements (the things in life that you’re the most proud of), let them all start with:

I beheld…  I helped… I was witness to… I blessed… I led… I taught… I prayed… I lived in the supernatural provision of the Father.

Holy, Holy, Holy with Smoke and Fire

Isaiah had an experience with God which must have been terrifying.

He discerned God sitting on a throne in the temple.  The presence of God was impressive, as the hem of His robe filled the temple.

Above the throne, were two seraphim.  These are not cute and cuddly angels with harps.  These are described as fiery serpents.  When these angles show up on the scene, they were sent by God as His instruments to inflict the righteous penalty of sin.  This must have been terrifying.  These seraphim flew and cried out, Sacred (Holy), Sacred (Holy), Sacred (Holy) is Yhvh Ysaba (Lord of Warfare [or Lord Almighty]); the world is full of God’s glory and honor.  And as these fiery serpents flew and cried out to each other, the walls of the temple trembled and the temple filled with smoke. 

I am sure Isaiah thought he was going to be destroyed on the spot, because he reflected on his own unworthiness and sin and when God and the seraphim looked into his eyes, they saw it too.  He udders, woe as me (I am grieving) because I am going to be destroyed, because I am a man of unclean lips (or speech) and I hang around people with unclean lips.

Then it appeared his fear was coming true as one of seraphim flew to him, but instead of destroying him, it picked a flaming ember from the alter and got right up in his face.  As he touched the ember to Isaiah’s lips it said, your guilt and punishment has been put aside and this sinful thing has been blotted away.

Isaiah had a very unique experience with God which was terrifying at the least.  Through this, he was spared the penalty of his sin.  God had a plan for Isaiah, and he has a plan for us. 

It would be terrible for us to endure something like this to be reconciled with God.  There is good news.  We don’t have to.  God has provided a better way.  He sacrificed His son, Jesus Christ for our sins, instead of declaring destruction on us.  Jesus lived a life without sin and was worthy to stand before God Almighty without fear of destruction.  Yet, God allowed Jesus to take our punishment, to die, and rise again for us, so that through His blood sacrifice, our guilt and punishment would be thrown out, and our sins would be blotted away as if they never happened.  Not just once, but FOREVER.

God wants to have a relationship with us so bad, that He sacrificed His best so that we could walk boldly to the throne room and know that we are worthy through His Son.  We will not fear the fiery serpents but will open our arms and cry ‘Father, I love you’. 

God made this very simple for us.  He says, if we believe in our heart and confess with our mouth, that Jesus Christ is Lord, and that He died for our sins, and rose from the dead, that we will be saved. Rom 10:9

A Thorn In The Flesh

I was reading in 2 Corinthians 11 and 12 today and I read some controversial verses that have been used for generations to drive wedges between the denominations.  As I read these, I thought of all the different interpretations and the vigor and strife and contention around them.

They surround 2 Corinthians 12:7 To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me.

This verse has been used passionately by some mainstream denominational churches to show that God will curse you with a disability or disease of some type to keep you humble and to build character.  They say that some problems are outside God’s ability or desire to cure because they are His perfect will.  Some also say that you cannot expect to walk in supernatural health because, not even the Great Paul the Apostle was able to walk in health and that the thorn was a sickness that plagued him.

The one side of the isle says that this thorn was figurative and was probably either cataracts or a speech impediment.  The opposite side of the topic says that the thorn was exactly as described in scripture; A demonic angle that’s purpose was to strike Paul over and over.

First, let me explain what I believe. 

I believe that our God is ALL POWERFUL.   The only thing out of the realm of the Father is that which is contrary to the Word of God.  The following are some examples of how God has limited himself: God never changes.  God doesn’t lie.  God’s word does not return void but will accomplish that which it was sent.

I believe that God is Jehovah-Rapha (the Lord my Healer)

I believe, not only, that Jesus paid the price for our salvation, but he also paid the price for our health and that by His stripes we were healed.  Just as we can receive the salvation he has already provided through faith in Jesus’ sacrifice, we can also receive healing by faith through the healing he as already provided.

I believe that demons are real and are a force in this earth.  But I believe that they are not a force that has any power over you other than what you allow them to have.  The weapon of demons are described as fiery darts that get shot into our mind (as wicked thoughts) and take a stronghold if we do not rebuke them.  Demons are broken and powerless to the believer whom knows who he is in Jesus Christ.  I don’t believe they can physically strike me in the face (buffet me), in the physical, but they can influence others to strike me, or steal from me or lie about me.

If you read 2 Corinthians 12 along with the preceding chapter, you will see that chapter 12 is a continuation of chapter 11.  Paul is talking about boasting and that he will not boast in his achievements but boasts in his weakness.  The end of chapter 11, he talks about how he has been in prison, flogged and exposed to death.  Received 39 lashes five times, caned three times, stoned, shipwrecked, left floating in the open sea, hiding from bandits, gentiles and Jews, and has been hungry and cold and naked … You get the picture.  

I believe that the thorn, in the side of Paul, was persecution that he was enduring for the furthering of the Gospel.  If a demon was buffeting Paul, it would come in the form of a fist from one of his persecutors.   

You see, whenever you press into the higher calling of God, you get the attention and resistance of the enemy.  This will not be, as in a horror movie where a demon jumps out from under the bed with knife-like fingernails, but it will be through circumstances that impact you.  Paul counted his sufferings as gain.  He did not cry out to God to please stop the stones from hurting me. Or save me from my certain death in a Roman prison.  But he did pray three times, as Jesus did once, if it is within your will, may this cup be taken from me.  (i.e. This burden weighs so heavy on my spirit at times, if there is another way to accomplish Your will, while avoiding these sufferings,  please show me the way.)

If you are sick in your body, there is good news.  God does not want you sick.  In fact, he wants you well and provided the provision for your healing.  Through His divine power, He has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceeding great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.  That is GOOD NEWS.

If you want to learn more of these precious gifts, including divine health, which has been provided for you, there are many sources.  The first and most important being a good faith based church. 

If your pastor is more concerned about growing his numbers and milks down the Word to ensure it doesn’t offend anyone, you need to find another church. 

If you pastor believes that you shouldn’t believe God for a healing because if you don’t receive the healing. in your own time, you could loose your faith, you need to find another church. 

If your pastor only preaches a feel good sermon, and you never feel challenged and uncomfortable, he is not preaching the full Word and you need to find another church. 

If your pastor is terrified about being publicly stereotyped a ‘faith preacher’ or ‘prosperity preacher’, you need to find a new church. 

If your pastor tip-toes around ungodliness and allows it to thrive because he doesn’t want to be seen as insensitive, you need to find a new church. 

If it’s been years since you have had a revelation moment, such as when you discerned the truth about salvation, you need to find a new church.   

The Word of God is living and alive and should be exploding with revelation.

If that is you and you are looking for a strong Man of God to get planted under to learn the Truth of what God has for you, I welcome you to join me at Faith Builders Church International on 9^th Street and Bell Road.  Pastor Jerry Pruitt will lead you to the truth which will be individually and personally confirmed by the Holy Spirit should you listen and receive. 

If you are not ready for a change but need to get the fire of God burning again, such as when you were born again, another good source for free is Andrew Wommack.  He places for free all his teachings online so you can listen to them and grow your faith and knowledge.  His teaching on God Wants You Well is fantastic and will open your eyes.

http://www.awmi.net/extra/audio/1036

And most importantly, spend time in the Word.  God communicates to you through His Word.  If you are not planting the Word into your spirit, you are inevitably planting something else there.  Either the Word will take root or a weed will take root.

There Is Hope

Have you ever looked around to those who seem to have it all and look away feeling insignificant?  There’s hope.

Have you ever felt that if you were born smarter you could compete? There’s hope.

Have you thought if you were only prettier you wouldn’t be overlooked?  There’s hope.

1 Corinthians 1:26-31

God has singled out the mentally inert from this world to confuse the wise. 

He has chosen the weak and insufficient to frustrate and dishonor the mighty.

And, the worthless and those cast out and counted as nothing but contempt, He has personally chosen.

And those who are without, to make useless the ones who are.

He does this so that we know that our achievements are not by our own abilities, but by the hand of God, and should we boast, it is in the mercies of the Father, only.

If you receive Jesus Christ and your savior, you will receive wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption.

Seize Hold of God Faith

Faith is not something you generate out of your own ability.

Faith is a gift from God which has been given and is available to us.

Mark 11:22-24

Have faith in God.

In Greek this translates:

echo - "seize, hold, possess"

pistis - "faith, confidence"

theos - "God - properly, the creator and owner of all things"

It is our responsibility to have, to seize, and to possess the faith that has been allocated to us by the creator of the universe.

This verse should read "seize hold of God faith".

Jesus goes on to say "what things soever ye desire when ye pray, believe that ye receive them and ye shall have them.

This can be confusing, because we can't pray and believe to win the lottery can we?

This is what this verse means:

panta - all, every

osa - what great things

proseuchesthe - literally, to interact with the Lord by switching human wishes (ideas) for His wishes as He imparts faith

kai - and, also

aiteisthe - make a legal demand

piseuete - believe and trust in

kia - and, also

lambano - actively lay hold of, to take

estai umin - it shall come to pass for you.

If that doesn’t bless your socks off this morning; stop, take a moment to consider the great things He has done because he loves you.

What's in the hand?

A friend asked me today about the ministry of laying on of hands for healing.

This goes into the deeper subject of healing and the question (does God still heal today and does he want you well).  By the way, the answer to those two questions are both YES.  But specifically, I want to spend a little time talking about what I know about laying on of hands for healing.

There are quite a few New Testament examples of healing with the laying on of hands:

• Jesus did it quite a bit.
• Paul did it.
• Hebrews calls the laying on of hands as an elementary teaching and that we are supposed to go on to the more mature things of God.

I don’t know what happens with the laying on of hands, as we can’t see the workings; it takes place in the spiritual and not physical.  The bible teaches that the Holy Spirit can be received by the laying on of hands, and it also talks about how an anointing can be passed by the laying on of hands, and it talks about healing through the laying on of hands. So we know something special can happen with the laying on of hands.

Jesus told us that we are to heal the sick.  He did this by many ways; laying on of hands being one of them, but in all the ways, they all exhibited faith.  We are supposed to emulate Christ and carry on his ministry.  We are His hands and feet.

Jesus was a man (flesh) with the spirit of God living inside him.  He was then, in ways, very similar to us today as Christians.  We are men with the spirit of God living inside us.  The same spirit that raised Jesus from the dead dwells in us.

I believe that when we lay hands on someone and pray for healing that we are extending our faith.  We are stepping out of our comfort zone (our flesh).  We are like Elijah in front of the prophets of Baal; we are publicly calling for the supernatural manifestation of God’s power and believing that God will not let us down.  We are coming into one accord with the person believing for healing and agreeing and believing for God’s promises. 

One of the very last instructions Jesus gave to us is in Mark 16.  He says “These signs shall follow them that believe … they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover”. So after the Lord spoke these things, he was received up into heaven and sat on the right hand of God.

We don’t know how it all works, but Jesus grew his church (followers) by teaching and healing, with supernatural manifestations of God’s power (signs) following.  These signs and wonders grew people’s faith.  Jesus told us to do the same things he was doing and that we would even do greater things. 

Isaiah 53:2 says that there was nothing beautiful or majestic with Jesus to attract us to him.  He was just a Plain Joe with a ho-hum personality.  When the people saw and heard of the signs and wonders He demonstrated, they watched in awe and thought ‘how could this be’.  “And from Jerusalem, and from Idumaea, and from beyond Jordan; and they about Tyre and Sidon, a great multitude, when they had heard what great things he did, came to him.”  It was the signs and wonders He used to draw people near.  And when he spoke the Word, people felt their spirit stirring and believed.

I believe it was Jesus’ intention for us to take the Gospel to the world manifesting similar signs as HHhim and even beyond.  He wanted us to walk the streets and have our shadow heal the sick.  He wanted us to raise the dead.  He wanted us to cast out demons.  He wanted us to be supernatural exhibiting beings, magnifying God’s glory everywhere we went.  But somewhere along the line, we became a weak church that doesn’t believe anymore as intended.

Thousands of years now separate us from the teachings of Christ and his direct ministry.  We don’t know anymore exactly how things were done in the first church.  All we can do is submit to God and ask God to use us for His Glory.  The cornerstone or basis for being used is faith. 

It is rejecting the world when it says it is delusional and believing to receive salvation.

It is rejecting the world when it says it is a stupid finance decision, and giving tithes and offerings. 

It is rejecting the world when it says it is a scientific fallacy, and worshiping the Creator of the universe. 

It is rejecting the world when it says we are deceitful, and speaking in gibberish to allow the Holy Spirit to pray through you with unknown tongues. 

It is rejecting the world when it says it must be a scam, and laying hands on the sick and believing they will recover.

It is rejecting the world about anything that seems natural, and believing that nothing is impossible to those who believe and that He is the author and finisher of our faith.

Romans 10:17 - Jeff's Version:

Out of the depths of discernment (spiritually hearing) of a 'rema' revelation from Christ, 'pistis' faith is birthed.

KJV: So then faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God.
First 'by' (Greek:ex) out of the depths of the source, extending impact to the object.
Second 'by' (Greek:dia) completely and thoroughly.
(Greek:rematos Christou)revelation from Christ.