Blessed to be a blessing
Genesis 12:2-3 starts with God’s words to Abram (Abraham):
“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 peoples on earth
will be blessed through you.” (NIV)
God had continued to bless his people through every generation. However as you can see in his words to Abraham, he blesses so that we can become a blessing.
What does that mean?
God has showered us with his gifts – both spiritual and physical. But these are not just for us individually. He wants us to use these to bless others. Our time, money, belongings, our lives all belong to God. Everything we have, and are, belongs to God. Our role is to be wise stewards of all he has provided.
We can bless others with our: money, time, gifts, talents, compassion and love.
We can bless: our family, our neighbours, people in our church, people in our school or job, people you know, people you don’t know, the poor, the needy or people in crisis.
Blessing others
This year at Jubilee we are particularly focussing on four ways in which we can bless others.
Praying for someone
This is sometimes the action we fear most. Will we be rejected if we offer to pray? However, we can just simply say ‘I will pray for you’ and leave it at that.
If you feel you can say ‘May I pray for you?’, ask the Holy Spirit to give you the words to say.
Acts of Kindness
Many of us already show kindness to others, but this year we are encouraging people to be more intentional.
Sharing a Bible Insight
A useful tool in learning how to share a Bible insight is to use the Discover App.
It can equip us to understand for ourselves a particular Bible passage and how we can share it as a relevant point in someone’s life.
Telling your story
Before the written word, storytelling was present in all people groups around the world. It was a way of passing down the oral history of the people.
The Psalmist says: Generation after generation stands in awe of your work; each one tells stories of your mighty acts. Psalm 145:4 (MSG)
In Psalm 105 we are exhorted to boast about God through speaking to others about him.
Go ahead and give God thanks for all the glorious things he has done!
Go ahead and worship him! Tell everyone about his wonders!
Let’s sing his praises! Sing, and put all of his miracles to music!
Shine and make your joyful boast in him, you lovers of God. Psalm 105:1-3 (TPT)
Rob spoke about the importance of Telling Powerful Stories Where God is the Hero.
Whose story can you tell?
We can tell other people’s stories. We can tell God’s stories. We can tell our own stories of what God has done in our lives.
Our personal story with God is so powerful.
Telling your story is important. In the past I have suffered from severe depression and having come through it I can share my story with those still suffering. Not to diminish what they are going through but to show there can be light at the end of the tunnel. Or tell them of a strategy I found helpful. But most of all, I can tell how God helped me and healed me.
What story do you have to tell? Who needs to hear what God has done in your life?
Video: How great is your faithfulness
