GOD’S BLESSINGS ARE NOT BY NAME AND CLAIM BUT BY WORK AND ACTION

SCRIPTURE:

The Lord our God said to us at Horeb, “You have stayed long enough at this mountain. 7 Break camp and advance into the hill country of the Amorites; go to all the neighboring peoples in the Arabah, in the mountains, in the western foothills, in the Negev and along the coast, to the land of the Canaanites and to Lebanon, as far as the great river, the Euphrates. 8 See, I have given you this land. Go in and take possession of the land the Lord swore he would give to your fathers—to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—and to their descendants after them.” (Deuteronomy 1: 6—8 NIV)

OBSERVATION:

            One thing that is constant in life is change.  Sometimes, people prayed, and God changed my situation.  However, God has often given instructions for change, but somehow, they want God to do it for them.  God will not change me without me trusting that he has already provided the way for me to choose that change. 

            The children of Israel, in a way, show how often we are just like them with God.  God prepared the promised land for them.  God drove nations out on their behalf so they could inherit the lands.  How often we choose not the hill countries but settle for lowlands and its comfortability.  God has prepared all the blessings for you and me, but we must go after them to explore and walk the length of his blessings to feel the power of all that God has given us. 

            Believers often settles for comfortability.  We camp around the things that we already possess and ignore the rest of God’s blessings.  We cry out for more blessings but refuse to work the length of the land that God has already provided for us. 

            God has to come down and remind the Israelites through Moses: ‘YOU HAVE STAYED LONG ENOUGH AT THIS MOUNTAIN.  See, there are many mountains to be yet inherited.  There are many towns that are yet to be inherited.  There are many neighborhoods to be taken over.  God said I HAVE GIVEN YOU THIS LAND.  God has already GIVEN us all his blessings.  We do not need to name it and claim it.  We need to move, walk, cultivate, and explore the lands yet to be ours.  We can name it and claim it all we want, but without action and working to inherit God’s promises, we remain in poverty of his promises and blessings.

            My takeaway today is:

• God has more blessings than we have yet to experience than what we are hoarding now—God’s blessings are not name it and claim it but working for it.  God’s blessings are not for entitlements. 
• We must BREAK CAMP from our familiarity and comfortability.  We must break camp with old habits and from a lazy mindset.  We must break camp from things that hold us back.  I must break camp from making excuses.  I must be willing to let go of my sorry stories of the past and let God write a new chapter in my life.
• We must ADVANCE into the HILL COUNTRY of the Amorites.   The Hill Country as quite different view and perspective from lowlands, but the Amorites are there.  Obstacles are always mixed in with the blessings for my growth.  I must value my efforts to achieve what God has for me rather than hoping God will slide us in.  There are MOUNTAINS and FOOTHILLS.  There are COAST LANDS and GREAT RIVERS.  The children of Israel were missing out of God’s promises because of obstacles that God have it there for them.
• God has ALREADY GIVEN the Land and all its beauty and resources.  It is a done deal with God.  But the Israelites were too comfortable hugging only ONE MOUNTAIN of God’s blessings.
• We must TAKE ACTION.  We can never experience how amazingly powerful what God has already prepared for us unless we take action.  Faith is action to move forward in spite of all the obstacles that are in the way. 

APPLICATION:

The promises of God are precious to him.  He prepares everything for me, but I must break camp with my mountain to discover all he has for me.  I must be willing to assail other mountains and foothills, coastlands and great rivers to see all that blessings that is ahead of me.  I must move in faith daily to take a hold of what the mountains and the foothills, coastlands and rivers that God has already given me. 

PRAYER:

            Jesus, please open my eyes to the vast unclaimed blessings that you have already prepare for me to inherit.  I pray that you continue to lead me to inherit all that you have prepared for me as I journey with you.  I want to be hunger for your blessings and to know you in my journey while here on earth.  Please help me never to take for granted your precious blessings and goodness to me.  I look forward to all that you have as long as I live.  Amen!