The concept of blessing pervades the everyday life of Christians—from testimonies recounting God's provision, to praise songs, to wishing someone well. In fact, the term has been so integrated into Christian language that it is rarely considered thoughtfully. In the pages of Scripture, blessing seems to be either physical or spiritual, but a fuller biblical-theological approach reveals that God's blessing has always been both spiritual and physical. In Divine Blessing and the Fullness of Life in the Presence of God, William Osborne traces the theme of blessing throughout Scripture as he guides readers into a deeper understanding of how God's gracious benevolence impacts the everyday lives of Christians.

God wants to bless you. He has made all of heaven's supply available to you. But the blessings of God are not automatic. You have a part to play. To find it, you'll need to look no further than the Holy Bible. Throughout His Word, God has indicated His desire to prosper His people. In both the Old and New Testaments, God describes His...

Blessed people flourish by a power that transcends human talent or hard work--a mystical grace empowers them to be joyful and fruitful. But does it ever feel like others are blessed while you're stuck? With honesty and warmth, Alan Wright shares his inspiring journey from craving blessing to living the blessed life. The absence of his father's affirmation left him struggling for years with symptoms of the unblessed life: shame, pretense, and drift. But when he grasped the most powerful blessing in the Old Testament--the mysterious, ancient blessing of Ephraim and Manasseh--he learned how to receive blessing and how to bless the lives of his loved ones. And you can too. With biblical insight and practical wisdom, The Power to Bless shows you how to craft a positive, faith-filled blessing. By learning a few simple, biblical skills for imparting life-changing blessings, you'll be more spiritually blessed than you'd ever imagined, and you'll be equipped with the power to bless the people you love.

The Old Testament idea of "salvation" shows an important relationship between God's activity of blessing and the deliverance of his people. This relationship is the stimulus for Claus Westermann's search for a theological clarification of blessing. In a study that analyzes both Old and New Testament concepts, Westermann finds that, more than simply the act of bestowing, blessing encompasses the results that come of it. Blessing is not a magical transferal of power but a manifestation of divine activity.