WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT GOD'S BLESSINGS. 025

Have you ever failed or done really poorly on a test in school? Did you review the test? What if you knew you would get an opportunity to rewrite the same or a similar test? Would you then ask to review the one you failed or did poorly on? What if the test was worth 40% of your mark and you needed to do as best as you could to pass the class, how thoroughly would you review that test?

I think many times we fail spiritual tests but really don’t take the opportunity to thoroughly review why we failed. For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction and all of the effects we see are rooted in some cause either known or unknown.

And yet I knew that you would be brought over the ground again and tested on the very points where you had failed before. Thus the Lord did for the children of Israel; thus He has done with His people in all ages. He will prove them where they have formerly failed; He will try them, and if they fail under the trial the second time, He will bring them around to the same test again. {5T 623.1}

Here is a secret.

Every spiritual test we fail, we must write again until we overcome.

Until we overcome, the blessing of advancing to the new grade, the new school lockers, the new privileges that come with being in an upper grade and all such things are not open to us.

God gives blessings in three contexts.

1. God blesses everyone, regardless of actions, whether or good or bad, God still bless.

2. God purposely blesses those who do not deserve blessings to show that His blessings come from His grace and not from our works.

3. There are special blessings reserved for those who show themselves faithful in progressively overcoming sin. These are the blessings that God cannot bestow upon the unfaithful.

Here is the Biblical backing

1. God blesses everyone, regardless of action, whether or good or bad, God still bless.

Matthew 5:45 In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust alike.

God causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust. What could rain be a symbol of?

Isaiah 44:3 For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground: I will pour my spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring:

God’s blessing is likened unto water to the thirsty and floods to dry ground, this water in a practical sense could be speaking about rain. If you still need more scripture backing consider this verse

Ezekiel 34:26 I will bless my people and their homes around my holy hill. And in the proper season I will send the showers they need. There will be showers of blessing.

Showers being sent down is in my opinion, an irrefutable reference to rain.

2. God purposely blesses those who do not deserve blessings to show that His blessings come from His grace and not from our works.

Romans 4:1-5 Abraham was, humanly speaking, the founder of our Jewish nation. What did he discover about being made right with God? 2 If his good deeds had made him acceptable to God, he would have had something to boast about. But that was not God’s way. 3 For the Scriptures tell us, “Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith.” 4 When people work, their wages are not a gift, but something they have earned. 5 But people are counted as righteous, not because of their work, but because of their faith in God who forgives sinners.

Notice how God does because of His grace not because of our works. Now in that same chapter in verse 9 notice what Romans 4 says,

Romans 4:9 Now, is this blessing only for the Jews, or is it also for uncircumcised Gentiles?

Noticed how the fact that God works based on His grace not on our works was called a blessing!

3. There are special blessings reserved for those who show themselves faithful in progressively overcoming sin. These are the blessings that God cannot bestow upon the unfaithful.

Deuteronomy 38:1,2 If you fully obey the Lord your God and carefully keep all his commands that I am giving you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations of the world. 2 You will experience all these blessings if you obey the Lord your God

Luke 11:28 But he said, Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it.

Revelation 3:21 To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.

Here is the thing, God knows we are liable to sin, and it’s not that He will not bless us if we make mistakes, but also remember that we are also soooooooo prone to expecting God to bless us in disobedience, thinking that we can just ask for forgiveness while we play with God.

1 Samuel 15:22 But Samuel replied, “What is more pleasing to the Lord, your burnt offerings and sacrifices or your obedience to his voice? Listen! Obedience is better than sacrifice, and submission is better than offering the fat of rams.

Do not be deceived, God will not be trifled with.

If you are struggling, then come to God humbly and sincerely and acknowledge your struggle, pour out your soul to God and wrestle for strength.

He will supply it, He is not a liar.

God is faithful to do what He says.

Trust Him.

IJN,

amen.

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