People just don't get it

People just don't get it. God does not bless sin and disobedience. Everyone wants to have things their own way, and expect God to bless them gloriously at the same time. I can assure you of one thing my friend; God desires to bless every soul alive far more than anyone can even want to be blessed. I mean he wants every good thing for you, and he wants to enjoy it with you in a pureness of fellowship. He really, really does. The fact that the sun rises and sets on this terribly wicked world every day is all the evidence that any of us need to confirm that truth. God could have ended it all any time he pleased, even as he did with the flood, and yet he allows man the time and opportunity to get it right and gain the untold joy of being fully committed to the care of him who has given and does give all things to all, at all times (Mat. 5:45; Acts 14:17; Acts 17:28). I know that I'm not worthy of God's goodness and grace, but nevertheless the blessedness of the experience, and the relationship, and the fellowship that I have enjoyed with the Lord for the past 31 years is so far beyond anything that I could have ever imagined, that there simply are no words to express it rightly. But I learned very early in my experience with God that it is all about holiness, meaning keeping the heart free and pure from anything that does not agree with the love and peace that Jesus baptized me with those many years ago (Prov. 4:23; Mat. 5:8; Heb. 12:14; I Jn. 3:3). It takes some serious honesty and humility to stay on the narrow path of the love of God, and some perseverance too. And if you're not willing to put that at the top of your priorities in life, you may as well find something else to do; because you will not accomplish the task unless pleasing God with holiness is numero uno for you (Mat. 6:33). Well, let's go ahead and quote the scripture that I just referenced there, just for good measure: "But seek ye FIRST the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." And while we're at it let's quote the two scriptures that precede that one, to give us a better ideal of what we're talking about here: "Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things" (Mat. 6:31,32).

So what Jesus was saying there is the same thing that I have said up to this point, and that is this: If you put this present life and world in priority above seeking the righteousness of God in your heart, you will NOT be pure in heart, and you will NOT be blessed with "an abundance of peace" (Psm. 37:11). And if God is determined to get you into a position where he CAN bless you, things just will never work out to your satisfaction. And there is where the whole problem with the entire world lies, including the body of Christ which has NOT been taught true holiness, nor the utter necessity of it! The holy Ghost revealed to me years ago that the entire body of Christ, and the entire world is under a spirit of self pity. And the reason is that folks just don't understand that there is no such thing as true blessing and satisfaction of soul as long as sin remains in the heart. So nobody is satisfied and everybody feels like they aren't getting a fair shake from God, and the result is a world that is angry with God. Think not? Take a look around. It looks a mighty lot like an angry world to me. And it looks a mighty lot like a totally divided and crippled body of Christ to me too. If you don't see these things then you desperately need to check your honesty meter, because it is running low on you. Myself, all I can see is a God who is so longsuffering that it is beyond my capacity to grasp, and a God who so very longingly wants to bless the souls that he has created and given life to, so far beyond their expectations that there simply is no way to describe it. I think a whole lot of folks should take serious heed to the admonition of the proverb that says, "Good understanding giveth favour: but the way of transgressors is hard" (Prov. 13:15). And one more proverb will finish it off for us, showing us what "good understanding" is about: "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy IS understanding" (Prov. 9:10). Well, actually just one more scripture should drive the final nail into the coffin of sin: "And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding" (Job 28:28). So then, if we want to find favor with God, as Proverbs 13:13 says, we must depart from evil and be true "partakers of his holiness" (Heb. 12:10). And if we incur the chastening of the Lord, it is simply to get us to the place of blessing (Heb. 12:6-14). Well, I wasn't quite finished when I thought I was, but I believe that should cover it. Amen.