Good morning friends and family. We are blessed that you have been able to join us this morning and hope that this message is a blessing to you. We're going to continue this series on changing our speech so that instead of speaking curses on things, and especially people, that we start speaking blessings. Through this week, I have been involved in many discussions online and face to face about how we should be speaking blessings. It's natural for us to speak ill words when someone has hurt us or our family, or done something that goes against what we believe. Amen? Do we all agree? A few weeks ago, we looked at the Hebrew word and the Greek word for bless. Does anyone remember what they were? Hebrew for bless: to kneel; by implication to bless God (as an act of adoration). Greek word for bless: to speak well of, that is, (religiously) to bless (thank or invoke a benediction upon, prosper): - bless, praise. When we think about these words and their meanings, wouldn't you like to have them spoken over you? This is what we should be speaking out to others and ourselves. Here is something that many of us probably have never been taught or even thought of. We look at our president, nation's leaders, or state leaders. It may even be your teachers, or maybe even your family members who have said or done things that are totally against what you believe. What is the first thing our minds tell us to do? Curse them. Are we speaking God's full intention over them? Absolutely not. Last week we looked at 1st Corinthians 3:16 and 17 about our bodies being the temple of God in whom the Holy Spirit dwells. Do we remember? What about verse 7? In fact, please turn there. I don't want you to think these are my words. 1 Corinthians 3:16-17 KJV (16) Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? (17) If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are. Prayer. Please turn to one of my favorite verses. Galatians 3:13. Friends, we need to bless those people and things that God created. Amen? Jesus came to take all the curses onto Himself. Galatians 3:13-14 KJV Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree: (14) That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles (Friends, that is you and me) through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. Jesus was hanged on a tree on Golgotha, and thus it was publicly proclaimed to all that He was accursed. As I have mentioned many times, those pictures that some of you may have hanging on your wall, or might have seen in a church, I don't believe is what Jesus looked like while hanging on that old rugged cross. I don't want you to think I'm telling you to take it down, but I want you to get a revelation of that gruesome scene. If we look at Isaiah 52:13 and 14. Isaiah 52:13-14 KJV Behold, my servant shall deal prudently, he shall be exalted and extolled, and be very high. (14) As many were astonied at thee; his visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men: Other translations say: Isaiah 52:14 YLT As astonished at thee have been many, (So marred by man his appearance, And his form by sons of men.) Isaiah 52:14 GNB Many people were shocked when they saw him; he was so disfigured that he hardly looked human. Isaiah 52:14 GW Many will be shocked by him. His appearance will be so disfigured that he won't look like any other man. His looks will be so disfigured that he will hardly look like a human. Isaiah 52:14 Bishops Lyke as the multitude shall wonder vpon hym, because his face shalbe so defourmed and not as mans face, his beautie like no man: Isaiah 50:6 KJV I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: I hid not my face from shame and spitting. Mark 14:65 GW Some of them began to spit on him. They covered his face and hit him with their fists. They said to him, "Prophesy!" Even the guards took him and slapped him. Why do you bring up the cross like this, brother Jim? Because I want each of us during our prayer time to fully understand what He sacrificed for us. Also that silly little loin cloth you see? Not so. Not there. That is not how the Romans crucified people. Jesus, in Himself He was the blessed God, and the source of blessing to all creation. He became a curse in order to become our Redeemer. Praise Jesus! Jesus, taking our nature, He became our kinsman. Jesus being our kinsman according to the law, He had the right to redeem His kindred; having a right to redeem, He made use of it, and paid the price of our everlasting freedom. Blessed be His great, gracious, and glorious name forever. Shout church, halleluiah! Please turn to James 3:9. We looked at this last week, but I think we should turn here over and over so we get it. And then turn to it again. James 3:9-10 KJV Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God. (10) Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be. Friends, we need to bless those things that God made. Amen? We don't have to go there, but what did God say when He created earth? What about the waters and the stars? Beasts, fowl and everything that creepeth? It was good. Gen 1:22 And God blessed them, saying, Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let fowl multiply in the earth. Then God created Man and He did not say it was good. Read for yourself. Chuckles. Genesis 1:28 KJV And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth. Genesis 2:3 KJV And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made. Church, are we beginning to see God's heart? We look at now. God looks at the whole picture. Jesus came to defend what was cursed. Let me share it this way, and maybe you will see what I'm trying to say. Let's say you are working in your yard and your neighbor comes over to where you're working and blasts you about your child. "Your seven year old boy or girl stole a rose from my rose bush. Your child should be locked up in jail and get nothing but bread and water for the rest of his or her life." What are you as a parent going to do? Of course you are going to stand up for little Tommy or Heather. You're going to protect them, right? That's what we do as a parent. We, my friends, need to do the same as God wants us to do. Please turn to 1 Corinthians 4:5. 1 Corinthians 4:5 KJV Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God. I really wish each of you would read this whole book and meditate on it. God’s steward awaits no Judgment of man, but stands or falls by his Master’s judgment... his standard having fidelity for God, not popularity with men. Joshua 5:13-14 KJV And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted up his eyes and looked, and, behold, there stood a man over against him with his sword drawn in his hand: and Joshua went unto him, and said unto him, Art thou for us, or for our adversaries? (14) And he said, Nay; but as captain of the host of the LORD am I now come. And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and did worship, and said unto him, What saith my lord unto his servant? Are we for God or against God? Are we going to speak as God would have us speak, or how our old man, or woman spoke? We need to learn to speak God's intention . This statement may surprise some of you. For those hearing, or reading this here in the U.S., we have, or are supposed to have freedom of free speech. There won't be freedom of speech in the Kingdom of God. That may surprise many of you. We will speak praises and blessings. Amen? Praises and blessings to the Lord of lords and King of kings. Halaluia!! Turn please to Romans 4:16-18 KJV Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all, (17) (As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were. (18) Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be. Friends, that's what we need to see when that person pulls out in front of us and almost causes a wreck. Don't curse, but speak blessings over them. Amen? When your spouse irritates you, don't say, "You so and so blahh, blah, bla." No, no, no. Speak God's full intension over their lives. It takes time and non of us are going to get this down pat over night. It takes time and it takes work. It most importantly takes faith. Praise God. Come on church, I know God is speaking to many today. Husbands and wives, work together on this. Be a team. There are times Leanna has to bring me down a peg or two with a reminder of what I might be ready to say over a situation. There are times I have to remind her. We are help-mates. Praise God. I know, that I know that God blessed me with her. I know that through my Savior bringing Leanna into my life was a big part of bringing me out of a self-destructive mode. That was what my life at that time was. A walking time bomb. But praise Jesus, those days are long gone. Turn if you will to Zachariah 4. Church, we need to work on this blessing thing. I know that I know, we will all see results and I can't wait to hear testimony from each of you hearing me and those that read this through cyber land. If we read Genesis chapter 49, we see how Jacob called his sons and blessed them. We see how those prophetic blessings came to pass in each and still coming to pass. Praise God. What is happening in this part of the Bible is Zechariah has a message from God spoken to him by an angel that is to be told to Zerubbabel. The angle shows him the rubble of God's temple that is to be rebuilt. Zerubbabel was designated to finish the temple. Zechariah 4:1-14 KJV And the angel that talked with me came again, and waked me, as a man that is wakened out of his sleep, (2) And said unto me, What seest thou? And I said, I have looked, and behold a candlestick all of gold, with a bowl upon the top of it, and his seven lamps thereon, and seven pipes to the seven lamps, which are upon the top thereof: (3) And two olive trees by it, one upon the right side of the bowl, and the other upon the left side thereof. (4) So I answered and spake to the angel that talked with me, saying, What are these, my lord? (5) Then the angel that talked with me answered and said unto me, Knowest thou not what these be? And I said, No, my lord. (6) Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts. (7) Who art thou, O great mountain? before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain: and he shall bring forth the headstone thereof with shoutings, crying, Grace, grace unto it. To fully understand all that is being spoken here, you need to meditate on this chapter and chapters before. A concordance and a study guide showing and explaining the history would also be a great help. Notice grace is mentioned here. Let's look at this word. GRACE, n. [L. gratia, which is formed on the Celtic; Eng. agree, congruous, and ready. The primary sense of gratus, is free, ready, quick, willing, prompt, from advancing.] chên khane From H2603; graciousness, that is, subjectively (kindness, favor) or objectively (beauty): - favour, grace (-ious), pleasant, precious, [well-] favoured. Church, we can hear all through this message today and following messages on blessings and grace and favor of God, and when the next person says or does something to offend you, what are you going to say or do? Are we going to curse them by saying, "You good for nothing so and so. I wish that you weren't born?" No, no and no. As soon as we are about to open our mouth to say those things and the Holy Spirit convicts our hearts, we need to heed that warning. Amen? And then we repent. We need to allow God to touch us and allow the Spirit to influence our lives, and especially that little thing that wags underneath our nose. Friends, we need to care more about what God thinks than what the world and everyone else thinks. Is God speaking to anyone today? I pray so. It should be that before any negative comes across or lips there is such a conviction in our hearts, and it ends right there. Thank You God!!! Praise Jesus!! Friends, isn't it your desire to have God find grace in you? Genesis 6:8 KJV But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD. When the angel of the Lord spoke to Zechariah, he questioned him of what he saw. Friends, this is what God is looking for in us. Zechariah saw a pile of rubble and could have said, "Let's go to this place and build the second temple," but he saw through the eyes of the Lord. How do you speak to that mountain that's in your way? That neighbor that gets under your skin. That bad report the doctor just gave you. That demotion from work. That thing your spouse did that upset you. Your child's failing grades? Church, when we can see how God sees it, I believe we can get a brighter picture, a better perspective. We need to say, "May God have His way." We need to say, "May God's intentions for this mountain, this pile of rubble come to its full potential." I know you've all heard this before, but don't tell God how big that mountain is. Tell that mountain how big your God is. Friends, when we look at scripture and speak to those things in our situations, we are speaking God's will over them. We are coming in agreement. Praise the Lord. When we bless our marriage we are blessing what God created. When we bless our children we are saying what God's full intentions are for them. Church, get this. Praise Jesus. We need to start blessing our families, communities, government, country and the world. We need to start speaking blessings over these things instead of cursing them. I know friends, it is hard in some circumstances. I know that growing up, we heard our elders talk negative about many things and we may have gotten used to hearing them and now do it ourselves. I've been there, but my mind is being renewed. It takes time. It takes Jesus helping us and convicting us. Praise God! Please turn to Ephesians 4:11. We use the phrase, "I'm just speaking the truth in love brother, or sister." In most cases that's a cover-up for someone to speak their mind. It's usually someone trying to play God. Playing the part of the Holy Spirit. Ephesians 4:11-13 KJV And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; (12) For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: (13) Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: We can determine what the measure of stature is. Ephesians 4:14-15 KJV That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; (15) But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: Friends, Jesus was and is our perfect example of how to live our lives. Here in Ephesians we read where we should not be tempted by all these new things coming into the church. That we live our lives as Jesus taught. As He lived. Jesus is the head of the body of Christ. Amen? Bless like Jesus blesses. Love like Jesus loves. Speak the truth as Jesus is the truth. Be in the Word and build up your faith so we grow in maturity. Psalms 133:1-3 KJV A Song of degrees of David. Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! (2) It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron's beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments; (3) As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there the LORD commanded the blessing, even life for evermore. A seed, like the mustard seed spoken of in the bible dealing with faith in us, has all it needs to grow. Many get confused because it mentions it's smallness. Size has nothing to do with it, but it's DNA is ready to grow once it has water, soil and sun. We have all we need to grow in faith. In closing, our number one goal should be to get connected with the King of kings and Lord of lords. We need to focus on growing to maturity in Christ. Our desire should be more of God and less of ourselves. Not our will, but the will of our heavenly Father. Amen? Ephesians 3:16-21 KJV That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; (17) That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, (18) May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; (19) And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God. (20) Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, (21) Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen. We have the power to speak blessings over everything and everyone around us. Is your marriage not a happy marriage? Start blessing it. Is your boss not easy to get along with? Bless him. Are there problems in your family? Love on them and speak blessings over them. Again, there was so much I wanted to share in this message, but because of time, I will have to continue another time. Prayer. Communion.
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