Recently I've been thinking and praying about blessings. I fully believe that Michelle and I are going to be seeing abundant blessings from God in the next few years. I believe that with all my heart! It started with a challenge from a friend/mentor to do a 5-year Plan for my life. I prayed about the plan before I started writing a word because I really didn't know where to start. But a few hours later, when it was done, and especially in the days that followed, I remember feeling guilty. I felt I had over asked what I should. I KNEW I had over asked what I deserved! So where in that plan did I over step the line at "enough?"
"Enough" is a word that we use in both a positive and negative connotation. In the positive, we may say, "I have enough," meaning that there is nothing else I need. in the negative, especially if angry, the use more often than not moves to the past tense, "I have had enough!" We may raise our voices when using the word in this context trying to get the point across that we're not going to take anymore of __________ from someone else. Still a third, actually, is at a point of resignation to pressure from others. "Ok. Enough. I'll do it." The list isn't exhaustive, but I think it's "enough" to get my point across.
To say that I've seen an outpouring of God on our lives since writing that plan on July 30, of last year would be a gross understatement! There's no magic in the outline; no hokus-pokus in even a plan. The fuel that drives the whole thing is an understanding of God's will/plan for my life, a surrender to that will/plan, and a sincere belief to the point of constant expectation that God will complete what He has obviously started! And oh, what a ride it has been already! And I'm only eight months into the plan!
So I began asking God if I was selfish. I'd asked this question before with an unmistakable response to the negative, but I just have a hard time believing what God is up to, so I felt the unnecessary need to ask again. It was in this questioning just last week that Michelle and I (along with another friend) started a 6 week journey of a Bible study by Priscilla Shirer on the life of Gideon in the Old Testament. The first night of "homework" and personal study gripped me and I started to see the answer of God unfold before my very eyes. Don't you LOVE it when God answers the cry of your heart in unmistakable ways?!?
In order to show you what I mean, I must first lead you on a very brief journey of where I've been in scripture. Click on the following scripture reference and read Deuteronomy 7:1-2. In this passage, God's people are on the threshold of the Promised Land! They've been led out of Egypt by Moses. Most recently, they've been led here by Joshua. The words, "As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord" are already in Joshua's thoughts and not far from reaching the ears of God's people. God has said He will deliver these armies who are stronger in number and strength into the hands of His people. All they have to do to win the battle, practically, is SHOW UP!!! Then the land could change in name from "Promised Land" to "Delivered Land."
But what happens instead? To find out, let's skip ahead a little ways and read it as it happened. Click on the following links to verses from Judges 1. I think you'll get the idea.
Judges 1:19, 21
Judges 1:27-28
Judges 1:29-32
Judges 1:33
Are you getting the picture? Can you see the similarity in each one? Epic FAIL!!!
Each one of these failures that Judges chapter 1 outlines cost the people of God DEARLY!!! As a matter of fact, those very people that were not conquered, though God was going to deliver them into the hands of His people, are the ancestors of the people who give Israel a fit even to this very day. It is why we have the tension between Israel and Palestine and battles over the Gaza Strip. The thorn in the flesh has never gone away! All because God promised a blessing, gave it to His people, His people saw iron chariots and higher numbered armies and decided that a little Promised Land was better than no Promised Land. So they settled for about half.
Now in today's logic, half might make sense! After all, we want to be kind to our fellow man. Charity is a good thing! Why take all even if instructed to do so by God, when half seems to be comfortable? Half is good. Stir crap, it stinks, right?!? Let sleeping dogs sleep and go about your own business of enjoying some freedom! But God saw what was to come. He knew the hearts of those whom Israel didn't fully wipe out. This is why in Deuteronomy, He said to "show no mercy." He knew that in time, there would be no mercy shown for His people in return! God is not a God that is bound by common sense or reason. His ways and thoughts are higher than that. He sees all of time at a glance. That's not logical or even imaginable to the human mind! Click on this verse and read it, 1 Corinthians 1:27. See? Sometimes He just likes to use the most unusable person to accomplish the most difficult of tasks.
Our enemy, the devil, fooled the people of God into thinking that "some" was better than "all." Even though God had both promised all and commanded all. What about those questions you wrestle with all the time? You know what I'm talking about! It's the things that you know God is telling you to do; leading you to do, and so you do "enough." Christians today are all about "enough!" What is "enough" service as a volunteer in my church? What is "enough" time with my kids? What is "enough" money spent on my spouse for a birthday gift? What is "enough" to give as a tithe to my church? How much is "enough" forgiveness for that person that hurt me? How many good deeds is "enough" to outweigh the bad ones? Our church building is big "enough." I've done "enough." I've had "enough." Just "ENOUGH!!!"
When did "enough" become "enough" to God when it comes to blessing His people? When He talks about blessing us, He speaks in terms of windows being poured out so that we won't have room to receive it! He talks about cups running over! He mentions an eternal heavenly inheritance! He uses words like "whoever," and "whatever." There is a promise to the seeking, asking, and knocking. And not one time do you ever hear turn into a holy personification of the Seinfeld TV show character, The Soup Nazi, and scream at you, "No blessing for you!" There's not a "Full" on God's gauge! It doesn't even have an "ENOUGH" about halfway up!
What God does, Himself, is the only time we can ever say that enough has been done. His creation was enough. His plan was enough. His Son, Jesus, was/is enough. Heaven will be enough. But then, in all of this, He gave all He had. There was nothing more to give.
What is it that you have walked away from too soon because you saw something that scared you? You saw the iron chariots too and they looked quite daunting! You thought there was no way to complete the task because of the opposition. Or there were ALL THOSE PEOPLE who said you couldn't do it, or that you shouldn't do it, and you gave up because of some form of "reality check" that you got duped into believing. DON'T STOP!!! DON'T QUIT!!! The Promised Land is just that . . . PROMISED!!! If God said it's yours, then HOLD HIM TO HIS WORD and TAKE IT!!!
But Kevin, how do I KNOW that the promise is from God?!? Here's how I check it. If it fails any ONE of these, I know that I'm to walk away and that I'm being deceived by the enemy.
1. Does it go against any part of scripture in any way? If no, you're good here.
2. Does it bring glory to God? If yes, you're golden on this one.
3. Does it have the good of others at heart? If yes, keep going.
4. Does it fall into any area of my weaknesses to sin & temptation? If no, good.
5. Is any part of it born from selfish motivation? If no, go on.
6. Would it put God in a position to show off? If yes, yippee!!!
7. When I tell Jesus about it face to face, will it make Him smile? If yes, it's a keeper!!!
I leave you with this. Part of obedience is in realizing there are no parts to obedience! It's all or nothing. But so is the reward. The fullness of our blessing depends on the completeness of our obedience. Be blessed, my friends, as you claim His promise.
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