Tis' so sweet to trust in Jesus,
Just to take Him at His word.

Just to know "thus saith the Lord."

Did you know that you don't merit God's favor by all that you do in obedience to Him?
Whew.
You can love others all you want, donate blood, give to the poor, die to self and sell all you have..........doesn't matter, it will not put you in God's good graces.
He does not bless us because we read His word, He blesses us through our reading His word.
He doesn't bless us because we pray, He blesses us through our prayers.
There are so many implications to the poor theology of works based salvation and seriously........sometimes don't we all fall into expectation that God will smile upon us IF we do this or that?
I'm thinking about the fine line of praying with earnest expectation in the goodness of God toward sinners vs. praying from a heart that expects we should be blessed because "we're so obedient," or "we've read our bible every day this week," or "we fasted - therefore we think God should see how serious we are about this or that request and respond to us."
(Pharisee's mindset - yikes)
God is NOT impressed by our earnestness, nor our tears, however many.......this is not the grounds of His answering our prayers. (though yes, He does readily hear the cry of a desperate and repentant sinner - absolutely)

Jesus said "For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent; or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!"

So the greatest blessing in my life (other than the obvious, being given a new heart)
came into my life in one of the darkest times in my faith. It was like being thirsty, but never satisfied. Sad many days because of the distance I felt between me and my father.
I wasn't consistent in reading the word, and when I was reading the word, I wasn't reaping any joy from it. I prayed for sure, sporadically........and with only a little heart since I was feeling so discouraged. I was involved in ministry, but my heart was dying because I felt so disconnected. I was failing to obey the Lord with my whole heart. Externally - all seemed well.

AND this - the perfect entrance for our Merciful God to show me how He gives good gifts to His children NOT based on our performance, but based upon His lovingkindness toward His children - just because. He doesn't love us and answer our prayers because WE'RE lovely or special or worthy......but because He set His love toward us, and while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. We are united with the perfect one.......who desires us to taste and see the Father.
(see John 17)
And so comes every blessing - from the ground of Calvary.
Every good thing that comes into the life of us sinners is mercy.
We deserve hell, and we get eternal life......we deserve to be whipped and beaten, and we get a warm bed and food and clothing, we deserve that God should turn His back on us, and He RUNS TO US and comforts us when we cry to Him.
Is there any better news than the Gospel of our Lord Jesus ?

Thank God for Jesus..........what a Savior!!

Undeserving worm filled with praises,
Jen2