As I understand it...
Proclaiming a Blessing
by Gary Baltrusch on 02/22/12
The blessing of Aaron is probably the most well known of all blessings. It's found in Numbers 6:24-26, and it says this: "The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make His face to shine upon you and be gracious unto you. The Lord lift up His countenance upon you and give you peace." ESV
To bless someone means to invoke God's favor upon them. We read in the Bible that we should bless God. The meaning in that case is to 'praise, or extol'. So when you're going to bless another person, in essence, you pray God's favor to them. When you bless God, you give Him worship and praise, and you extol His wonderful attributes.
Back to the blessing of Aaron. This blessing is a spoken blessing. And it's important to pass a blessing on to others. A blessing is not only a hope for virtuous aspects to be received by whom we're blessing from God, it is also a declared prayer of faith, that our Heavenly Father will fulfill what is proclaimed in the blessing.
If the blessing isn't communicated, then it isn't passed to anyone to receive. It can be written out to be read (I've done that for some of our grandchildren), or it can be spoken to the person it's meant for. I think it's good to have it recorded in some way when it's for a young person, and meant to be a guiding form for that person as they journey through life.
Think of ways to proclaim a blessing to someone. They'll be touched by it, and you'll be blessed by the Lord for giving it.
If you need examples, there are many in Scripture. Check out Genesis 27:27-29, Genesis 49, paying special attention to that for Judah and Joseph, Deuteronomy 28:8-14, Deuteronomy 33, Exodus 23:25-33, and 1st Chronicles 4:10.
A brighter countenance
by Gary Baltrusch on 02/16/12
There is actually a natural remedy for harshness and hardness of your face (can even cancel out and stop wrinkles from forming?!). Ecclesiastes 8:1 tells us that "wisdom brightens a man's face and changes its hard appearance" (works for women, too).
'Where does this wisdom come from?' you ask. It comes from the Lord. The book of James says that He will give wisdom to any who ask, when they ask and don't doubt that He'll provide it. When you seek godly wisdom, you gain an eternal perspective that gives you a peace in every situation and circumstance, and without the stress frowns, so you're simply avoiding those wrinkles that come, and brightening your countenance.
So seek the Lord's wisdom. Study His Word, and apply the principles of Scripture to your life. You'll brighten!
Incense of Prayer
by Gary Baltrusch on 02/14/12
I talked about the importance of kneeling at the altar in my last message, and I want to revisit the importance of prayer.
First of all, in Revelation, we see that the prayers of the saints are gathered as incense in a golden bowl in Heaven, and are at the throne of God, going up before the Lord. That's a poignant picture of how are prayers are always right in front of our Heavenly Father, and we know they're precious to Him. Are you sending many to Him?
In Psalms 126, we're told that "those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy. He who goes our weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with him." Paul wrote in II Corinthians that he wrote to them "out of great distress and anguish of heart and with many tears, not to grieve" them, but to let them know the depth of his love for them. Do we have enough concern for anyone that we're anguished about the lost condition of their soul, or the corruption of one who's been born again, yet has slid back into sin?
We know God hates pride, yet honors those who are humble. Are we willing to humble ourselves before the Lord, and intercede for those who are lost, or aren't walking with the Heavenly Father in a worthy manner?
I encourage you today to think of even two or three who need to know Jesus, and begin praying regularly and fervently for them, that the convicting power of the Holy Spirit would fall on them, and they'd repent and turn to Jesus for His saving grace. Send plenty of incense to our Heavenly Father for them!
At the altar
by Gary Baltrusch on 01/30/12
While I didn't grow up attending an evangelical church, I well remember the difference that caught my attention between their churches and ours. As I recall, those evangelical churches were the ones where people were always going to the altar, and getting on their faces before the Lord, seeking His help, guidance, and direction, weeping as they sought God. I remember several of those churches in our community when I was a kid.
Now my question is, where have they all gone? We attend an evangelical church, and yet rarely does anyone approach the altar. We see the general
apathy in so many churches and I can't help but wonder; is it because we just don't care enough to humble ourselves, confess our own sin, get right before God, and intercede for others who desperately need a touch from the Lord? Do we think ourselves okay in our relationship with Christ, so why worry about anyone, or anything, else?
I believe it's time those of us who are real believers in Jesus Christ to hit our knees at the altar whenever it's open, set aside our pride regarding what others may think of us, and concern ourselves with what God thinks, and what He desires of us. Only when we get on our faces before the Lord and seek His divine touch in every area of our lives will we see the Spirit move, and I want to see the Holy Spirit do miraculous things in our lives, our churches, our communities, and our country as God changes peoples hearts and fills each of them with the joy and peace that comes from knowing Jesus.
Are you blameless?
by Gary Baltrusch on 01/23/12
That's a question that none of us can feel comfortable answering yes to, since we all know we fail frequently and sometimes disastrously. And yet, when you're honestly striving to live in a manner worthy of the Lord, you probably are blameless. After all, in Christ, our sins are thrown into the 'sea of forgetfulness, and remembered against us no more.' Proverbs 28:6 says, 'Better a poor man whose walk is blameless than a rich man whose ways are perverse.'
Most of us don't live in ways that are perverse. We don't cheat people when we have the opportunity, we don't mistreat others or behave rudely, and we don't try to get ahead by pushing others down, or kicking them out of our way. No matter how wealthy you are, if you got that way through perverse behavior, in the eyes of the Lord, the poor man is better off than you are.
There's no financial level required in serving Jesus. Wealthy or poor, much money or none, you're the richest person possible when you know Jesus personally, and He knows you. Strive to walk blamelessly before Him, and you'll be far better off than if you had all the money in the world instead.

