RECEIVING FROM GOD-THE WHATS OF RECEIVING

RECEIVING

THE WHO WHAT WHERE WHEN WHY AND HOW OF RECEIVING FROM GOD- WHAT ARE THE WHATS

What are some things we can receive from God? What can we expect and should we expect to receive from God?  Is life in Christ nothing more than salvation or just as we exchanged our life for his can we expect to receive of his fullness? Have we truly become children in his kingdom? Is he not our father now and us his children?  I’m going to cover just some of the WHATS that we can expect or that we have already received!

HIS FULLNESS

John 1:12-17

New King James Version (NKJV)

12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: 13 who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.....

16 And[a] of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace.17 For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.

We have already received him and gained the right to be called “the children of God.” Many people say that all of mankind are God’s children but the bible teaches that  receiving sonship comes through receiving his son, Jesus Christ. Only those who have received him, according to this scripture have the right to be his children.  Jesus himself said, “You must be born again,” and here John says we are those who have been born not by flesh and blood but by the will of God.

When you are a son, living in the house, the fullness of what the father has is yours so you can expect to receive from the hand of the father all that you need and all that he has. All of his kingdom is available and accessible to you!  You need to worry about your needs. You need only expect to receive.

Matthew 6:31-34

31 “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

We need not worry about receiving from God. The key to receiving is seeking God. As we seek him and his ways, he will provide for all of our needs. He knows what we need. As we seek him and his ways,  “all these things” will be added. What things?  He’s speaking of needs- the need to eat, drink have clothes and other necessities. God will take care of us and we need to be in a state of expecting to receive of his blessings and in a state of casting all of our cares upon him!  In this passage we are told to be concerned with each day. As we walk in that state of expectancy we’ll see each days needs met.

FINANCIAL PROSPERITY

I posted in an earlier blog concerning sowing and reaping. This is a principle found in the bible. God wants to move through us and provide through us. He wants to establish his Kingdom through our hands.  We are vessels and if he knows he can get it through us, he will get it to us. This isn’t meant to be a thorough teaching on sowing and reaping or on finances but you can go here to read more: 

http://joyreaperlisa.blogspot.com/2013/01/receiving-from-god-and-why-some-dont.html

This is an area of contention in the body of Christ that shouldn’t be. While it is true that the love of money is the root of all evil, money is not.  Almost all churches believe in offerings and understanding God’s teaching about them is something every child of God should understand. The principle of sowing and reaping endures forever. I’ll just list a couple of passages showing the truth that God desires to prosper his people!:

3 John 2  Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.

Psalm 35: 27 Let them shout for joy, and be glad, that favour my righteous cause: yea, let them say continually, Let the Lord be magnified, which hath pleasure in the prosperity of his servant.

WE RECEIVE ANSWERS TO PRAYER

MATTHEW 7:8 For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.

Looking for something? Don’t stop until you find it.  The bible teaches that whatever we seek we will find.  We have to press in to God.  So many ask for an answer to prayer and give up when the answer doesn’t come right away.  We need to believe what the Word of God says and although we don’t have to beg, we also need to continually seek God and let him know in prayer we are believing and continually knocking until we see the answer.  Delay is not denial. Sometimes its just a matter of timing. God hears the moment you ask and you also receive the moment you believe. This is where standing in faith comes in.  Believe that you have received the answer from God and then wait patiently for the arrival, even unto death.  The bible says Abraham stayed in faith believing the things he heard from God’s Word. Some of what God promised him is even today coming to pass!

MATTHEW 21:22 And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.”

LUKE 11:10 For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.

One sure way to receive from God is to not give up until you receive. Don’t ever back down. Don’t ever stop believing!

ETERNAL LIFE

One of the things we receive of his fullness is the promise of eternal life.  All Christians believe they will live in heaven forever.  The same way we receive eternal life, we receive the other blessings that flow from his fullness so why do we find it so hard to receive?

100 FOLD IN THIS LIFE AND ETERNALLY

MATTHEW 19:29 And everyone who has left houses or         brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My name’s sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal life.

When we gave up our life in exchange for his, we did receive the promise to inherit eternal life. What a great exchange! A promise that this life on earth is not all there is but we live a life that goes on forever. 

I’m thankful that not all Christians have to turn their backs on family members. Here, in America we don’t realize the persecution many in other nations go through just to be able to believe in Christ. Some are disowned by their families or threatened with death just to become believers in Christ. This scripture promises any person that gives up anything to become Christ’s can expect to receive from God in this life and eternally!  This is not only an American gospel. This gospel is for the world and while we are persecuted in America, some of us could not imagine what it’s like in other nations when you become a follower of Christ!

WE RECEIVE THE WORD SOWN INTO OUR HEART

 Mark 4 The Parable of the Sower Explained

13 And He said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? How then will you understand all the parables? 14 The sower sows the word.15 And these are the ones by the wayside where the word is sown. When they hear, Satan comes immediately and takes away the word that was sown in their hearts. 16 These likewise are the ones sown on stony ground who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with gladness; 17 and they have no root in themselves, and so endure only for a time. Afterward, when tribulation or persecution arises for the word’s sake, immediately they stumble. 18 Now these are the ones sown among thorns; they are the ones who hear the word, 19 and the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things entering in choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.20 But these are the ones sown on good ground, those who hear the word, accept it, and bear fruit: some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred.”

Some receive the Word by the wayside- they hear, but Satan takes it away immediately.

Some receive the Word on stony ground- they receive gladly but have no root or endurance through tribulation.

Some receive the Word on thorny ground- they are consumed with cares & the DECEITFULNESS of riches and desire for OTHER THINGS.  They pay more attention to the world than the Word and are unable to receive.

Some receive the Word on GOOD GROUND- they hear, accept, bear fruit- 30, 60, 100 fold.

HOW TO RECEIVE INTO GOOD GROUND? Be constant. Receive gladly AND endure. Don’t be distracted. Grow roots into the kingdom.

This may be the most important thing we receive from God. When we receive the Word into good, attentive, soft and yielding soil in our heart, we can expect to receive the fruit that Word brings.  When we tend to our heart as a good farmer does his soil and we place God above all else, and yield to the teachings of his Word, there will be lasting fruit in our lives.  You may say, “What fruit?”  The fruit produced by believing all things found in the Word of God. The Word of God is a life changer. The Word of God is alive and able to bring needed change to the person who is willing to listen and learn.

HEBREWS 4:12,13 For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.13 And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.

Let’s commit to allowing the Word to do a living and powerful work in our heart, changing us into vessels for his glory!

In Christ, there is healing, finances, answers to prayer, and many blessings too numerous to mention.  Let’s follow the most important teaching and that is to allow his Word to work. Seek it today, find out what it says and allow it to be planted deeply into the soil of your heart.  The blessings the Word will bring are too numerous to mention!  Amen!

RECEIVING FROM GOD AND WHY SOME DON'T

The Spiritual Law of Seed-time and Harvest and Why Some Don’t Receive

WE HAVE RECEIVED OF HIS FULLNESS

John 1:12-17¹² But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: ¹³ who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.....¹⁶ And^[a] of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace.¹⁷ For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.

Many have no problem believing Jesus died, was buried, and was resurrected but their pursuit of the knowledge of God and the riches found in his word stops there. All Christians receive Christ’s sacrifice and RECEIVE him into their hearts, receiving the sacrifice he offered and the promise of eternal life as reward.  Does the Kingdom of God stop at salvation?  No! There is love, joy, peace, blessing, finances, healing, success, answered prayer and so many promises.  There is the promise of a future, a plan, gifting, spiritual growth and more! There is wisdom beyond measure for the one who is willing to seek.

REASONS FOR NOT RECEIVING

• Many don’t know how to receive.  The good news is the bible teaches there is a way
• Lack of knowledge- The bible says people perish for lack of knowledge. (Hosea 4:6)
• Lack of faith- they don’t believe!  Faith comes by hearing and hearing comes by  the Word of God. (Romans 10:17) We must read it, know what it says, believe what it says and receive the truth into our heart.  The truth we have in our heart is what we act on. The bible says even the mouth speaks out of the abundance of the heart. 
• Wrong perceptions of God- what we’ve been taught from wrong sources or even false teachings can hinder us from receiving.
• Mindset: We must change our mind. We must believe God doesn’t want us poor, sick, disgusted, depressed or in despair.  
• Many don’t receive increase because they believe money is evil.  It is the love of money; not money that is the root of evil (1 Timothy 6:10.)  God wants you to have the resources you need to get by and enjoy life. 
• The Word- interprets itself. We need to seek it out as the apostles did and people of early church did. They searched the scriptures to see if what the apostles said was true. (Acts 17:11)
• Religious establishment teachings-  The religious establishment was challenged by Martin Luther’s 99 point thesis- They had received wrong teaching!  From that point the bible began to be distributed among common folks, not just priests.
• Traditions that are contrary to the Word of God.  If tradition stands in the way of truth, it is tradition that must be thrown out, not the truth of the Word of God.

GOD TOLD MY PASTOR  OF 13 YEARS TO “GET MY PEOPLE FREE IN AREA OF FINANCES” 

Oppression is seen mainly in three or four of lives most important areas- finances, relationships and health! God is often blamed for the oppression but it is God that frees from depression and evil and it is the evils of the world and their source that both induce it and exacerbate it.

Learning what the bible says about finances, depression and all the things that cause depression sets one free.  If you seek out the Word of God, you will find truth!

John 8:31,32 Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. 32 And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”

As teachers of the Word of God, we must teach truth! It is the truth that brings freedom and it is for the purpose of bringing freedom to people’s lives, we are called to teach!

Luke 4: 18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me
To preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives And recovery of sight to the blind, To set at liberty those who are oppressed.

ONE WAY TO RECEIVE:  SEEDTIME & HARVEST

Seed-time and harvest is a spiritual law.  The bible says as long as the earth remains, that law will stay in force.  This is good news since we are constantly threatened with climate change but this law will be in force as long as the earth remains and as long as God leaves the law in force.  Since the earth remains forever, so will seedtime and harvest.  Throughout the bible, this law applies to not just seed for vegetation such as flowers, vegetables and trees but it applies to whatever is sown or whatever is planted.  The heart of man is a planting ground.  Whatever is sown into the hearts of men will be reaped.  There will be a harvest of some sort.  I will just insert that is why certain laws such as gun control won’t stop evil from happening. Evil happens because evil is sown into hearts.  It’s not the lack of weapons that will stop evil but the lack of evil.  When God’s goodness is sown into the hearts of people, there will be lasting fruit.  It’s up to you to choose what you allow to make entrance into the soil of your heart.  In addition whatever you as a farmer of life’s seeds sow, you will reap! Remember! This is a law as long as earth remains!

Galatians 6: 6 Let him who is taught the word share in all good things with him who teaches.7 Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. 8 For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. 9 And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.

• Many lack the knowledge of the truth in knowing how to receive from God.
• Many know how to give but don’t realize it’s ok to expect to receive from God.
• The knowledge of the truth sets people free.
• Where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty.
• The bible teaches us clearly HOW to receive from God and the bible teaches us that it’s perfectly ok and right to expect to receive from God!
• We are truly a blessed people with answers right under our noses!
  
  

So remember, one way to receive from God is to sow.  Sow good seed and you will reap a good harvest.  If you need to increase in the area of finances, if you’re already sowing seed on a regular basis, keep sowing.  If you haven’t been sowing seed, start sowing today!  In addition to obeying God in the area of sowing and reaping for finances, start sowing other good things as well. Sow God’s goodness into your life, the life of your children (if you have them,) and the lives of others.   In due season you will reap!  The bible tells us so and the bible tells us to sow!  Amen!