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The Bread of Life: Blessed

9/9/2019

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We know that in Matt. 26, Jesus while eating his last meal with his disciples took the bread, and blessed it, broke it and gave it to his disciples. He said, “This is my body, eat it.” Like the bread, Jesus himself was chosen by the Father, He was blessed, and broken and given on the cross for sins of the world.

Like the bread that Jesus chose, He also blessed it.
Essentially when something is blessed it is affirmed by God.

The thesaurus.com says that blessed also means:
Adored, redeemed, saved,
consecrated, sacred, holy, sanctified
divinely or supremely favored, fortunate, worthy of adoration, reverence, or worship.

Like Jesus, so we too have been blessed. How comforting it is to know that the heavenly Father thought is was important for Jesus to hear these words as he came out of the water when John baptized him. 

“This is my son, My Beloved, in you I am well pleased and delighted!” Luke 3:22 Amp.  How beautiful to know that words of affirmation build us up and make us grow. You don’t outgrow your need to hear these words of blessing over your life. They bring courage and healing. Being blessed means being identified with the one giving the blessing. Belonging.

Rms. 8:15, 16 The Passion Translation
But you did not receive the spirit of religious duty… the fear of never being enough, but you have received the spirit of sonship, of full acceptance enfolding you into the family of God.

A huge part of being blessed for me is the the ability to be aware of the presence and blessing of God over our lives. The Holy Spirit in me allows me to hear and obey the voice of God. He not only included me but he’s also committed to transforming me. Little by little we begin to see how God has blessed us and our lens becomes one of gratitude. We learn to be thankful.

Here’s some good news, the grace of God is also teaching us how to obey him. “God is continuing to revitalize you, implanting with in you the passion to do what pleases him.” Phil. 2:13

You know what? He blessed us with hunger for him in the first place.
We as his much loved daughters and sons begin to understand who we are in his kingdom. We carry his name. We become little Christs.

At the same time, the Holy Spirit is in us helping us to pray, and he passionately pleads before God. At the same time, Jesus is seated at the right hand of God interceding for us… this is God news! Romans 8:26

“And as Christ himself is seen for who he really is, who you really are will also be revealed, for you are now one with him in his glory!”
Colossians 3: 3,4 TPT
We are one with him in glory…This is better than a gift card to Sephora!

The pattern in scripture is that the one who is blessed then blesses the one in need of a blessing. So once we have been blessed by God, we have the power to bless the hurting world.
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The Bread of Life: Broken

9/2/2019

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Brokenness
What does it mean to be "broken" in a good way?
As a woman, the word "broken" conjures up images of abuse and  broken-heartedness. These types of broken people feel violated and are looking to be healed of personal wounded-ness. In contrast, when Jesus was broken, he chose to be  poured out as an offering for others.  Like him, when we pour out our lives on behalf of others, it often involves hardship and suffering. Loving people who are unlovely is no easy task. 
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Not only do we live in a world full of hurting people, we in turn have endured being offended and exploited by people who have hurt us. At the same time, we have our own natural limitations, shortcomings and blindspots.
Sorrow is everywhere so I'm asking Jesus to teach me how embrace brokenness in myself and others. I want him show me what he plans to teach me about himself through it. He reveals himself to me when I need Him. What does his word say about it.
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This is new for me. I am learning not to avoid pain and sorrow. At times, He visits me in my dark places and other times he calls me to walk with someone else in their painful season. He is not asleep. We are not alone.
I’ve walked through craziness and sadness of different varieties in my own life or in lives of my family members.

Addictions
Mental illness
Infertility
Miscarriages
Adoption
Autism
I’ve been there.

You know what? I’ve discovered that he’s faithful in the good stuff like baby showers and school concerts, but he’s also faithful in the bad stuff like infertility and miscarriages.

He’s faithful in the midst of my own personal broken places not only  when I do a good job of being a patient, gentle mother, but Jesus is also faithful when I lose my temper or I act selfishly, like when I hide in the bathroom and eat a candy bar which I have no intention of sharing. Sometimes I blow it… big time.

The truth is God wants us to stay connected to him when we are at our best but also when we are at our worst. He get’s it. Being human.

God is not intimidated by the intensity of your emotions.

He’s not afraid of your tantrums

He’s not offended by you tears.

The same grace of God which was made available to us because Jesus died to cover our sins, is not just for the moment of salvation it is grace for our continual connection to the Holy Spirit in everyday life.
The Holy Spirit has the power to comfort you when you’re hurting.

News Flash: God is not honored when you realize that you’re mad at God  and then stay away from his presence because you’re disappointed and frustrated and then you feel condemned and  guilty.

“I shouldn’t feel this way about God. I’ll bet he’s offended by my childishness. He’s annoyed by my lack of faith.”

Stop waiting to feel more holy. Stop pouting.

Stop waiting until you feel perky to worship God.
Don’t stay away.

God is not:

Exasperated
Upset
Insulted or
Annoyed

He isn’t disillusioned with you. He never had any illusions about you in the first place.
He knows you.

He saw you when you when
You sulked
You raged

He knows about your:
Orphaned Heart
Broken home
The abuse
Shame
Infertility
Health concerns

Miscarriage
Developmentally disabled kids

God is there in the bad moments too
He’s in the valley
With all my falling down and blindspots. God knew.

My feeling orphaned, broken-hearted…he gets it.
Actually, my weaknesses are actually my uniqueness.
The very seasons that you’ve hated could be positioning you to be
uniquely qualified to help others.
God is able to love you completely through all of it.

He has jewels and gems which are facets of  himself to show you. Aspects of his nature which are showcased you in the velvet darkness of your crap-fest. “God who are you going to be for me now that I need you in a way like never before?” Ask him. Then stand back and see him be glorious in your situation and in the lives of those around you.
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    Bonny

    Disciple. Wife. Mom. Writer. Speaker.

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