notes as promised...

PRAYER: A REMIX part one
WHO IS BLESSING WHO?

*The way we have grown accustom to praying is this: bless me, be with me, watch over and protect me, forgive me of my many sins. It all ends with ME! A new way that we should pray is this: Lord I want to bless You, live through me and use me.
*Converse with God instead of regurgitating cliche phrases that you've heard.
*Pray "New Testament" prayers... pray in light of God's grace.

OLD TESTAMENT
*Genesis 12:2-3 (God's promise to Abraham) God's idea of blessing: "leave your country, leave your family, and leave your father... go where I'm leading you and I will bless you."
*Numbers 6:22-27 (blessing of Aaron)

And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: "Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying, '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."

Why not pray this prayer? Because this prayer was fulfilled in Jesus Christ on the cross! ALL the blessing came through Him.

NEW TESTAMENT
*Galatians 3:14 "That the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith."
We got the blessing through Jesus. We HAVE the Abrahamic blessing! (Even us Gentiles!) Our prayer should be "Thank You for the blessing you have given me!"
*Ephesians 1:3 "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ."
Christ HAS blessed us! It doesn't just mean in heaven; in means in the spiritual dimension of life that is just as real as the physical.
*John 1:16 "And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace."
We HAVE received the fullness of his grace. "Grace for grace" means one blessing, after another, after another!
*The key is recognizing that we possess the blessing of God.

*Asking God for a blessing is like wanting a present when He's already given us every gift we could ever ask for. He's saying "Tap into the resources that are available to you... open your eyes!"
*Romans 8:17 -> we're sitting at the right hand of God!!! yet we are still saying, "God, will you give me a blessing?"
*All of the prayers in the Bible after Calvary are blessing God rather than asking for His blessing.
*The proper view of being blessed by God is asking Him to use you and what you have so that you can bless Him more.

*(side note... free of charge!) The author of "The Prayer of Jabez" has the proper view of blessing... after making a ton of money from his book, he moved to Johannesburg, South Africa to serve God.