There are some fascinating passages in the Bible that are about BLESSING. A biblical blessing is not about praying before a meal. Christian comedian John Crist, did provide a video on the pre-meal prayer protocol – Do you pray over appetizers or full meal – are left-over’s left out of prayer procedures???

To BLESS:
-It’s ways in which we BLESS God through praise, worship, obedience
-It’s ways in which we seek to bestow goodness, hope, encouragement, and favor upon someone – to give something of significance to them.
To commend them and wish them well. We see ‘blessings’ - spoken over and into people all throughout Scriptures…

BLESSING someone – is a powerful thing. You can just feel the weight of encouragement and building up of someone. TO BE FOR SOMEONE! And that lifts the soul.
The opposite of TO BLESS - IS TO CURSE.
To wish ill, speak discouragement and speak poorly of someone, to tear down. We live in a culture that leans toward cursing and critiquing.
Criticism and cynicism feel much more prevalent within our land, than blessing.
To BLESS: is to be FOR someone and not against them.

We are invited to let our lives ‘shine, like a city on a hill’ as Jesus said in Matthew. We’re invited to live a life in such a way that we follow the call given to Abraham – through the Church.
We’re blessed to BE A BLESSING.
Tonight we want to look at the acronym of B.L.E.S.S. and how it can be a filter we're to use as we seek to be a blessing.

(B)
Begin with prayer.
Begin each day – praying for God to fill you afresh with His love/grace. Ask Him to guide your steps and alert you to how you can pray for people as you go throughout your day.

(L)
LISTEN.
Listen well to people. This takes intentionality. You have to PAY attention and that will cost you – cost you comfort at times – it will cost you TIME. But we live in a world that is spilling over with voices, but those with ears to hear are at a premium. Listening grows relationships and gains you insight and influence.

(E)
EAT.
There is just something about having a meal with someone or sharing coffee & time with someone that develops and grows relationships like not many other things do. That time invested will have a return in deepening the relational roots between you and building the platform to be able to speak into one another’s lives.

*Luke 15 – one of the most powerful passages of Scripture that speaks to the heart God has for people. Listen to how it begins… (3 powerful parables).
Luke 15:1-2 = "Now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear Jesus. But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”

Religious leaders used that phrase as a mark of dishonor
Jesus wore it like a badge of honor.
I hope that can be said about me and our lives as well…and every life of a follower of Jesus.

(S)
SERVE.
As you’re praying, listening, eating with folks – you’ll hear them and see them show you ways you can SERVE them, come alongside them in life and help. Ways you can invest care, concern, love and encouragement into their lives. We live in a culture that promotes and pushes us to adopt the attitude of wanting to be served by others. Jesus demonstrated – that one of the greatest ways to show people that they are loved is to SERVE THEM.

Q) How can you stay open and stay alert to the ways you can serve someone this week?
LISTEN for ways people are showing you a window into their lives and into the season of life they’re in – step up and SERVE them in a way that expresses God’s love to them through YOU.

(S)
SHARE.
Share your Story / Share Jesus’ story.

Share YOUR STORY of how Jesus is changing you…how He is making a difference in your life.
“I used to be __________ I met Jesus and now I’m ___________”

Share God’s story = (John 3:16)
God Loved. So God gave. If you believe. You can receive.


Jesus’s plan to let everyone know about his love and grace was to entrust His story to his friends – who would share his story with other people. (No Plan B). You all sit here today: because someone shared with you, invited you to hear God’s story!

We want to challenge EACH ONE of us to adopt this filter for living life as one following after Jesus. We want to be people who always seek to BLESS others!

Quote:
“The truest disciples of Jesus, not in spite of their Christian beliefs, but because of them, take initiative to love, listen to and serve those who don’t share their beliefs.” -Scott Sauls

Let’s commit for the rest of this year, this year to come – to seek to BLESS others. To be FOR people like Jesus is FOR THEM. (BLESS FILTER)

Pray for people. Pray for God to guide your steps. Ask him to keep you alert to opportunities - AND OPEN to ways you can:
Listen to people.
Eat with people.
Serve people.
Share with people as God provides oppt.

NEED PRAYER? ....we've got some of our prayer team and pastors available following service to pray with you. Or you can text the word "prayer" to our phone number: #520-300-9001 to submit your prayer request or submit one via our app. We look forward to partnering with you in prayer.

Join us next week as we have our next as we finish up our OWN IT series looking at our vision/mission as a church and how each of us can champion it.