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15. Bless


Pastor Ralph

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  • 1 month later...
On 7/19/2020 at 11:37 AM, Pastor Ralph said:

Day 15 Meditation (Psalm 134). What does it mean to you to bless or to praise the Lord? Do you take time in your daily devotions to bless him, to praise him? What does it mean to you to receive a blessing from the One who made heaven and earth?

When I praise the Lord, I am full of awe at His power and filled with gratitude for all the blessings He has given me. I come from a place of humility & joy, thanking Him for the unconditional love He has given me. 

Throughout the day, I whisper simple praises to the Lord. But I don't take a special time during my morning prayers to do so. I will now! Also, it's a new concept for me to "bless" the Lord. Who am I to offer Him my blessing?  But thank-you Pastor Ralph for helping me understand that blessing is the same as praising and is a reflection back "to" Him all I have received "from" Him.

To receive a blessing from almighty God is pure joy for me! It reinforces my faith, strengthens my bond and is a reminder that He is in charge and all is well. It's also an opportunity for me to glorify His name.

Thank-you Pastor Ralph for this Bible study. I appreciate all your hard work to put all this together. God bless you!

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On 7/19/2020 at 12:37 PM, Pastor Ralph said:

Day 15 Meditation (Psalm 134). What does it mean to you to bless or to praise the Lord? Do you take time in your daily devotions to bless him, to praise him? For me, blessing and praising the LORD is to remind Him of my gratitude for His presence, protection, and love in my life. Indeed, I make a daily prayer time at least 3 to 4 times a day, but sometimes more, to praise and thank the LORD Almighty for everything He is doing to strengthen me, to encourage me, to favor me into His calling. I would say that worshipping my God Most High is the most rewarding part of Christianity. 

What does it mean to you to receive a blessing from the One who made heaven and earth? It's an absolute honor, joy and privilege to be blessed by God of Israel Yahweh.  I plan to fulfill every promise that He has put in my heart. I hope to live up to all that He has destined for me. I realized this morning that all the dreams and promises that He put in me, were also the dreams of my neighbors who have also been seeking freedom, restoration, justice and prosperity. I believe that the blessing I receive from God Almighty is to fulfill the dreams of all that have been hurt, suffering, and needing rescue. I will be blessed and in turn I will bless those that seek it. 

 

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Thank you Pastor Frank for a very moving and inspiring 15 days of SONGS OF ASCENT.  I have enjoyed  every Psalm and the explanation with each one.  It's been wonderful going on this journey with the pilgrims to Zion.  Thank you.  Also thank the participants who wrote in.  I have learnt so much.

I do not thank and praise as much as I should. I must put aside time every morning to do this and to bless the Lord too.  Praising and thanking should be on the tip of my tongue every moment of the day.  Good wants to shower us with his love and blessings filled with grace and forgiveness.  All we have to do is ask.

We need HIM in our lives now more than ever. He is the Almighty  and our Saviour.  Lord I need much healing both physically and spiritually and I know with persistent prayer you will answer my prayers.  

I have to learn to pray fervently, with faith and belief. Everything is possible with HIM.  I am going to make time every morning to thank and praise HIM in short prayers and petition. I will end my daily devotion with a blessing, and praising my LORD and my GOD.

 

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What does it mean to you to bless or to praise the Lord?

To be so very thankful for His mercies and kindness. Look at David, when Nathan revealed what David had done. David fell on his face, truly sorry for what he had done and open to God's great mercies and kindness. In the laws of the land then and even parts of our land now, David would have been put to death for his deeds, yet God in His mercies gave David a reprieve. We all have hope! Hellelujah! Surely David to bless the Lord, for He is a merciful, kind, loving God, though we do not deserve His mercies. Surely, you and I, formed from dust and our bodies returning to dust, can BLESS THE LORD!

Do you take time in your daily devotions to bless him, to praise him?

Not enough. I miss worship in church! This world has changed so. I admire my wife, she can sing a song to the Lord, for she has come through great storms to be here where she is now. Like Job, yet as a young girl, the shame from other young girls at school yet so innocent a victim, so horrendous the story I cannot share; and to come home and say to who she thought was her mother, mum is it true, you are not my mother and who i thought was my sister was my mother? And the abuse that followed ... oh is there a God. Yes that little girl held to her faith, 9 years old, and now 62 her faith is being blessed! PRAISE GOD!!!

What does it mean to you to receive a blessing from the One who made heaven and earth?

I cannot fathom. I shake my head and say 'God, why have You blessed me, I didn't expect this?' BLESS THE LORD

 

 

 

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On 7/19/2020 at 9:37 AM, Pastor Ralph said:

Day 15 Meditation (Psalm 134). What does it mean to you to bless or to praise the Lord? Do you take time in your daily devotions to bless him, to praise him? What does it mean to you to receive a blessing from the One who made heaven and earth?

1. One definition for Bless, is to make happy. Another is to consecrate or hallow. To praise is to glorify, extol, or magnify, to honor.

With  all of that in mind and with the understanding from Scripture and from experience, that He is always near, He is in me, I am in Him and am His beloved daughter, blessing Him is simply "being," "resting" in His love and care, delighting in His presence and His Word, enjoying spending time in prayer, sharing my joys, sorrows, needs and bringing others needs to Him. Me eagerness and desire  to tell others how awesome He is and how He longs for them to know Him and the salvation He longs to give them, blesses Him.

Thanking Him and intentionally telling Him often, how much I love Him, thanking Him for choosing and calling me before the foundation of the world was formed blesses Him.  (Eph 1:3-8) (When I read those verses, it takes my breath away in AWE and wonder and praise)

In early days I thought worship was simply singing, and it is singing, but that's just a part of worship. Sitting in silence before Him is worship (Psalm 46:10) Be still and KNOW that I AM GOD! I will be exalted among the nations. I will be exalted in the earth".

Delighting in wonder and awe in His creation is worship.  Taking Communion is worship...and blesses Him as we remember all that He has done for us through His death and resurrection on the cross. He encourages us in Isaiah 53:4,5  and I Peter 2:24, and other places to take His body and blood for the healing of our bodies. (I take Communion every morning, remembering that His broken body was given to heal my "broken body" and am being healed from an illness from which I'm told there is no cure! Nothing is incurable for Jesus! 

Recognizing His sense of humor is worship! I've heard Him chuckle! He gets tickled over things just like we do! I'm as certain as I can be when I look at some of the creatures He made that He was thinking of our delight in them. The monkey at the zoo with the huge air pouch he blows up then whoops so loud he can be heard all over the zoo, along with his audience who is howling with laughter. Can you, with me see our God laughing with us, enjoying the fun and our "seeing" His handiwork through His little creature?

A dear friend was telling me of sobbing for joy over the wonderful miracles which have been given to him, and I remembered that tears are prayers as well. Some tears are for worship and some are for grief and pain, but those  too are blessing to Him in that they are being brought to His tender heart rather than hidden behind a pillow. There were lots of tears the first time I surrendered my will to His Lordship, through gritted teeth!

Thanking Him that I have breath is worship. Acts 17:25. He gives life and breath to all....His Word is God Breathed (2 Tim 3:16)..so every page in the Bible contains His Breath, and Breathes life into us as we read His Word. He holds our breath in His hand. Remembering that each breath is a gift, is worship. The King in Daniel 5:23 was told "the God in whose hand your breath is" quickened to me that It's His grace which keeps us breathing in and out! The first indrawn breath of a newborn baby (or any creature) is from God's "nostrils".

What a magnificent God and Savior we love and serve, and Who loves and cherishes each of us! I was telling Him the other day  that I am in AWE that the creator God of the Universe waits in my little nook each morning for me to come and sit with Him, and that He enjoys spending time with me as much I enjoy Him. It's hard to get my mind around that kind of love and intimacy. ALL PRAISE TO HIM FROM WHOM ALL BLESSINGS FLOW, PRAISE HIM ALL CREATURES HERE BELOW, PRAISE HIM ALL YE HEAVENLY HOST, PRAISE FATHER, SON AND HOLY GHOST! AMEN.

Pastor Ralph, thank you so much for Songs of Ascent....another amazing meditation/study. You know just how to draw our deepest  thoughts and longings to the surface which will honor and glorify Him and cause us to draw near to Him. I can't wait for the next one! Blessings to you and Jean!

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I usually start my quiet time thanking God and praising for the many blessings He gives me each and every day. I love to praise God because I want Him to know how grateful I am that I was chosen by Him before time began. Also that by His grace I am a child of God. 
I don’t lift my hands in praise as much as I should , in our church people are very conservative and don’t lift their arms/hands in praise but quite often I find there is no other response but to lift my hands in praise! With eyes closed and heart and mind focused on God nothing else matters!

It is awesome to think of all the ways I Sam blessed by God and my praise and thankfulness seems so weak and halfhearted. To be praising God brings Him pleasure and who can think of a better place to be.

 Thank you so much Dr Ralph for this great study. So much information and learning. May God bless your work for Him. 

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The Lord God of Heaven and earth, the great I AM the Alpha and Omega is always worthy of our praise and blessings. Lifting up our hands in praise and thanksgiving for His mercy and forgiveness which we are not deserving of. But God demonstrates His love for us by the fact that Jesus Christ died for us while we were still sinners. But God demonstrates His own love for us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. But God commends His own love towards us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5: 8). So in all circumstances we must give thanks for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus. So it is our duty to bless the Lord. I will bless the Lord at all times: His praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul shall make her boast in the Lord: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad. O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt His Name together. Amen.

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Day 15 Meditation (Psalm 134). 
What does it mean to you to bless or to praise the Lord? 
Do you take time in your daily devotions to bless Him, to praise Him? 
What does it mean to you to receive a blessing from the One who made heaven and earth? 

I praise the LORD for what He has done for me in Christ Jesus. 1 Pet 1:3-4 says it all for me. Jesus Christ has paid the penalty for my sins and my eternal future is secure. What a Saviour! “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In His great mercy He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade - kept in heaven for you”. What a privilege it is to praise our Lord. We must remember He is the source of all good things and we need to praise Him for His mercy and grace. It is a joy to receive a blessing from the One who owns everything. We don’t deserve anything and must be grateful for all the gifts He does send our way, acknowledging His greatness, power, glory, majesty, and splendour. “Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendour, for everything in heaven and earth is yours. Yours, O LORD, is the kingdom; you are exalted as head over all” (1 Chron 29:11). 
 

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On 7/19/2020 at 12:37 PM, Pastor Ralph said:

Day 15 Meditation (Psalm 134). What does it mean to you to bless or to praise the Lord? Do you take time in your daily devotions to bless him, to praise him? What does it mean to you to receive a blessing from the One who made heaven and earth?

To bless and praise the Lord is to do it with all your heart, mind, soul and strength. To thank and praise Him for all He is and all He has done. In the church that God led me to, praise and worship was natural, lifting up hands, clapping and shouting praises to the Lord.  My prayer is that I want to be more aware of His presence daily, acknowledging and being mindful of Him with thanks and praise.

I have been getting into the habit of spending time with the Lord before my day begins, putting Him first.   When I do that, its like he orders my day and gives me specials blessings during the day.  I bless and praise and thank Him for who He is, what He has done - provided, protected, answered prayer and blessings He has given me during the day.  We take so much for granted and now in my senior years thank Him for getting up, seeing, hearing, speaking, swallowing, walking, talking, an appetite and on and on.  

It is so great to receive His blessings, knowing He loves me, provides, protects, heals, encourages, strengthens, given me His promises, salvation, healing, deliverance and that He knew me before I was born and has a plan for me.  What a great God and Savior and to know that the God who made heaven and earth wants to fellowship with me.  

Thank you so much Pastor Ralph for putting all these lessons together and I know that when you are doing them that they are a blessing to you, but want to tell you how much I appreciate your hard work. This lesson has been inspiring and heart rendering.  God Bless You!

 

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On 7/19/2020 at 12:37 PM, Pastor Ralph said:

Day 15 Meditation (Psalm 134). What does it mean to you to bless or to praise the Lord? Do you take time in your daily devotions to bless him, to praise him? What does it mean to you to receive a blessing from the One who made heaven and earth?

To me, to bless or to praise the Lord mean to exalt Him, to let Him know how awesome I have found Him to be, to bow in wholehearted worship, with everything that is in me.

Actually, it is most of what I do.  At one time I was faced with a troubling situation which lasted for a long time.  While praying one night, I heard the Lord said, "Just praise me."  Almost immediately things began to turn around and eventually God fixed what needed fixing.  Since then praise is a part of me.

It means a great deal to me to receive a blessing from the One who made heaven and earth.  When He blesses me, to me it is a sign that He approves of me, even if it is just a little, and that blows my mind.  It means He is thinking of me, and watching me. And His blessings comes with no sorrows.  What a blessing!!!

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It means taking time to remember all that He has done for me. Taking time to remember who He is and that He wants to have fellowship with me. It means giving back what He has given me by praising and blessing Him and realizing that He is the giver of all good things.

I try to do it in my prayers by acknowledging who He is and what He has done and using the various names of God in the bible, I sometimes sing hymns or songs in my worship time.

It means that He loves me enough to want the best for me. He accepts me and wants me to flourish and grow. 

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What does it mean to you to bless or to praise the Lord?

To bless or praise the Lord mean that I am so thankful for his goodness and mercy.  I give him all honor and glory!

Do you take time in your daily devotions to bless him, to praise him?

Yes!  I do not take anything for granted.  I am thanking God throughout the day.  When I go out and get back home safely, I am thanking him for his covering.  Sometimes when I am watching the news and I hear about someone being saved from a car crash or a child being saved from child trafficking I praise him.  If I don't do nothing but just say "thank you Jesus" I praise Him. 

What does it mean to you to receive a blessing from the One who made heaven and earth?

It means to be that God loves me!

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Day 15 Meditation (Psalm 134). What does it mean to you to bless or to praise the Lord? Do you take time in your daily devotions to bless him, to praise him? What does it mean to you to receive a blessing from the One who made heaven and earth?

For me it is praising Him for His marvelous works and realizing that He is God alone and I have no other God besides Him. Yes I do. It means that He loves me and cares for me. 

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Day 15 Meditation (Psalm 134).
Q. What does it mean to you to bless or to praise the Lord?

A. Is to acknowledge Him as Lord and God, Maker, redeemer, Savior, Provider, Protector and much more and then worship, adore, glorify, praise, thank Him in love with all our strength etc

Q. Do you take time in your daily devotions to bless him, to praise him?  

A. Some times. Lord help me to always create time to worship You with all my heart, strength and whole being in Jesus Mighty Name.

Q. What does it mean to you to receive a blessing from the One who made heaven and earth?
A. A. privilege, grace, favour

 

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  • 3 weeks later...
On 7/19/2020 at 11:37 AM, Pastor Ralph said:

Day 15 Meditation (Psalm 134). What does it mean to you to bless or to praise the Lord? Do you take time in your daily devotions to bless him, to praise him? What does it mean to you to receive a blessing from the One who made heaven and earth?

To praise and thank God for who He is and for all He has done for me.

I try to. It helps foster an attitude of gratefulness if I remind myself of all God has done for me.

It is a source of great encouragement.  God's blessings are eternal and not dependent on man's strength, wisdom, or other abilities.

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  • 2 weeks later...
On 7/19/2020 at 9:37 AM, Pastor Ralph said:

Day 15 Meditation (Psalm 134). What does it mean to you to bless or to praise the Lord? Do you take time in your daily devotions to bless him, to praise him? What does it mean to you to receive a blessing from the One who made heaven and earth?

Q - What does it mean to bless or to praise the Lord?  ANS - It means to reach outside of myself to the Lord God, and my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and to give him thanks and honor and the glory due His name.  I have made it a daily routine, at least the best I can, to get alone with God, to medicate on Him, to journal, to read the Word, and to pray.  Part of this "Time Alone with God is to give Him praise and thanks.  It is part of the prayer acronym - ACTS -  Adore, Confess, Thanksgiving, and Supplication. 

Q - The meaning to receive God's blessing, who made heaven and earth.  ANS -  Yes, I don't often enough look at it from that perspective, but it is true, my Lord and Savior who I bless, also blesses me, and in great, undeserved, bountiful blessings. And thank you dear Heavenly Father that you are my creator, who made the heaven and earth. 

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  • 2 years later...

It means that I recognize His greatness, beauty, sovereignty, blessings in my life and I care about His feelings and honor Him as He deserves. I try to always praise Him whenever I can. It's an honor to be loved and cared for deeply by the maker of heaven and earth. Who am I that He should care for me and know me? The only thing I can truly stand on is not my greatness, but His alone. 

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  • 6 months later...
On 7/19/2020 at 12:37 PM, Pastor Ralph said:

Day 15 Meditation (Psalm 134). What does it mean to you to bless or to praise the Lord? Do you take time in your daily devotions to bless him, to praise him? What does it mean to you to receive a blessing from the One who made heaven and earth?

To me it means A Heart Full Of Thankfulness, A Heart Full Of Love For My Lord.

No, not always, not as much as I should, when I praise and bless him it leaves me with such peace and joy.

How he could love me so much I can never (while on this earth) understand.

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  • 10 months later...

Day 15 Meditation (Psalm 134).

What does it mean to you to bless or to praise the Lord?

Do you take time in your daily devotions to bless Him, to praise Him?

What does it mean to you to receive a blessing from the One who made heaven and earth? 

To me it means to make His name great. To thank Him for His protection, His love, His being there, etc.  It all falls into that category.

I don't think just in devotions.  All the time we should be ready to bless and praise Him.  

It is awesome and amazing to just quieten down and reflect all the blessings He has bestowed on me.  I, though unworthy,  He blesses too.  

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