Monday's Blessing Lesson

Monday's Typically consist of a farm tour and learning all about the blessings of the farm! 
We enjoy learning fun facts about the animals, care for them and how the pieces of the farm all work together to display God's goodness and glory! 

We talk through the story of creation as well as the Blessings God has given us. 

Here is an outline of what we travel through as we spend time together over lunch. 

• I love asking the questions: "What does the word Blessed mean to you?" 
  
  • This is where we begin to set the stage for how this blessing is traced all through God’s word and how He continues to renew and fight for this blessing.
    The true definition
    
    
    Blessed (Baruch/Barak)
    
  • Made holy; consecrated
    
  • Endowed with divine favor and protection. An Increase
    
    
  • To bless and be blessed is a fundamental part of our relationship with God, as well as relationships with other people. 
    
• In the Beginning: God- DWELLING with His people from a place of Love and Delight. 
  
• We talk about how we were created to walk with Him, to learn from Him, to grow and cultivate alongside Him. 
  
• Scriptures: This year we are walking through how we can see the blessing of God through His word. This is such a fun journey! 
  
  • Genesis 1:28 - “God blessed them and said to them, ‘Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.”
    
    • The first time humans received God’s blessing was Adam and Eve in the Garden.
      
  • Genesis 2:3 - “Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all his work of creation.” 
    
    • Blessings are often tied to REST and the Sabbath, not what we can DO for God. 
      
    • The only day that is blessed is the Sabbath.
      
  • Numbers 6:23-28 - “This is the way you shall bless the children of Israel. Say to them: ‘The Lord bless you and keep you, the Lord make His face shine upon you, and be gracious to you, the Lord lift up His countenance upon you, and give you Peace.’ So they shall put My Name on the children of Israel and I will bless them. 
    
    • The Blessing in Numbers is the highest form of benediction a person can receive BECAUSE it bestows on a person the honor of EXPERIENCING GOD’S PRESENCE, CARE AND FAVOR. 
      
  • Psalm 28:7 - “For you make me blessed forever; you make me glad with the joy of your presence.”
    
    • When we bless God it is actually His Presence, or our awareness of His presence, that increases within us. 
      
    • Blessing God points to the increase of His goodness in our lives.
      

• Romans 8: 28-39 - “And we KNOW that in ALL THINGS God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed into the likeness of Christ. And those he predestined, he also called, those he called, he also justified, those he justified he also glorified. What shall we say then? If God is FOR US, who can be against us? If he did not spare his only son but gave him up for us all, how will he not, along with Him, graciously give us all things? Who can bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who then is the one who condemns? No one…. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble, or hardship, persecution or famine or poverty, danger or sword?.... No in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who LOVED us. FOr I am CONVINCED that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers neither height nor depth not ANYTHING else in all of creation will be able to separate us from the LOVE OF GOD that is in Christ Jesus, our Lord.
  
  • Canyons - reference. 
    
• He blesses our Togetherness. Our Unity to him, to ourselves and others matters, think of the greatest commandment… “Love the Lord your god with all your heart, mind, soul and strength and the second is like it, love your neighbor as yourself.” Following the way of Jesus is the Way of Love.
  
  • Psalm 103: 1 - “Bless the LORD oh my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name.”
    
• Being rooted and established in Love- we will come back to this idea for Wednesday when we dive into walking in step with the Spirit of God.
  
  •  Ephesians 1:3 - “ Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.”