CHAPTER 1

I Expect a Miracle Today!

For with God, nothing is impossible!
It's not possible to be impossible.
And with God, every promise shall come true,
For we know surely all things He can do.

There's healing in the name of Jesus,
Healing in the touch of Jesus.
One touch of His hand will lift you,
Body, mind and soul.

Believe Him, for His power can free you.
Praise Him, for His mercies toward you.
Thank Him, for His love: He longs to make you fully whole.

Just one touch of the Master's hand,
Just one word--- He has full command.
Have faith in what He wants to do is all He asks of you.

Believe Him, For His power can free you.
Praise Him, for His mercies toward you.
Thank Him, for His love: He longs to make you fully whole.

I expect a miracle today!
Nothing is impossible for those who believe and say:
I believe God's Word is still the same.
I expect a miracle today.


The words of this wonderful song so express the expectation I feel in my heart and the reality the blessed Holy Spirit lets me experience every day --- I expect a miracle today! And the reason is simple: God's Word is still the same! God hasn't changed, and He hasn't stopped working. In fact, through the work of the Holy Spirit, we have the opportunity to see greater works than ever before. It is just as the scripture declares, "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father" (John 14:12).
My friend, there has never been a greater time to be alive than right now! The same things recorded in the book of Acts are taking place before our very eyes because the same Holy Spirit is at work today as was manifest in the book of Acts. Glorious things happened in the days of Paul the apostle and the disciples who walked with the Master. Many times I have heard men and women of the church reflect fondly upon the times gone by, wishing they could have been a part of them. But I believe we are standing at the threshold of the greatest days in the history of the church. And we are about to step into such an outpouring of supernatural power that, if given the opportunity, Paul would say, "I wish I could be a part of what's happening in the nineties in your cities and churches!"

The only road in the Bible to God's blessings is Obedience of God's commandments, since most every blessinv listed in both the old and new Covenants come with commandments attached as well as curses to it for disobedience, it is imperative that all who claim to be of God do all that is necessary ti obey the commandments of God at all times.

The Holy Spirit's Work

The early church of the book of Acts experienced abundant life in its fullness. And just as in the book of Acts, three things are about to happen when the Holy Spirit begins to work in all of His wonderful power.

1. People Will Be Saved (Acts 2)

When the Holy Spirit fell at Pentecost, Peter was transformed into a fearless preacher of truth. Preaching to the assembled crowd on that day with a boldness birthed of the Spirit, Peter was uncompromising in his message:

"Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ." Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, ”Men and brethren, what shall we do?" Then Peter said to them, "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call."... Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them. (Acts 2:36-39, 41)

Today people are responding to the message of the gospel in record numbers. They are experiencing forgiveness and a fresh start through a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ, and God is calling people of faith to bold, ambitious exploits for Him more than ever before. Recently, while in Puerto Rico, Dr. Billy Graham preached to nearly a billion people at one time through satellite. We are seeing evangelism on a worldwide scale. The Lord is speaking to men of God like Dr. Bill Bright and Pat Robertson to reach souls before the year 2000. An incredible move of evangelism has begun.
In many of our own international crusades, the Holy Spirit is drawing more than 500,000 people for a single service. In Japan, where just .05 percent of the population is Christian, we are seeing more people gather for Christian meetings there than ever before in the history of that country. With the collapse of communism, the Holy Spirit has poured into the formerly Marxist counties like a rushing, mighty wind.
Recently it has been my privilege to pray with a number of world leaders --- some of whom where previously well known for their resistance to the gospel. As I reflect on this, I can't help but be overwhelmed with gratitude to God that He let me live to witness the day when leaders who were once closed to the gospel are now receptive to the Lord's claims by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Please don't misunderstand. I don't share these things to brag about our ministry. I mention them merely to put an exclamation point on this irrefutable fact: there is an amazing move of the Holy Spirit for evangelism taking place today. It is crossing all boundaries and is reaching from the "guttermost to the uttermost!"

2. People Will Be Healed (Acts 3)

When the Holy Spirit is truly at work, evangelism and healing will always be found, each pointing to and setting the stage for the other. In Acts 2, three thousand people came to the Savior in a single day. Just think of it! The effect on Jerusalem was electric. All eyes were on the leaders of the mighty movement:

Now Peter and John went up together to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour. And a certain man lame from his mother's womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms from those who entered the temple; who seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, asked for alms. And fixing his eyes on him, with John, Peter said, "Look at us." So he gave them his attention, expecting to receive something from them. Then Peter said, "Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk." And he took him by the right hand and lifted him up, and immediately his feet and ankle bone received strength. So he, leaping up, stood and walked and entered the temple with them --- walking, leaping, and praising God. And all the people saw him walking and praising God. Then they knew that it was he who sat begging alms at the Beautiful Gate of the temple; and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him. (Acts 3:1-10)

So healing followed evangelism. But notice very carefully: Peter used the healing that captured the public's attention to preach to them:

Now has the lame man who was healed held on to Peter and John, all the people ran together to them in the porch which is called Solomon's, greatly amazed. So when Peter saw it, he responded to the people: "Men of Israel, why did you marvel at this? Or why look so intently at us, as though by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk? The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified His Servant Jesus, whom you delivered up and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let Him go. But you denied the Holy One and the Just, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, and killed the Prince of life, whom God raised from the dead, of which we are witnesses. And His name, through faith in His name, has made this man strong, whom you see and know. Yes, the faith which comes through Him has given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all. Yet now, brethren, I know that you did it in ignorance, as did also your rulers. But those things which God foretold by the mouth of all His prophets, that the Christ would suffer, He has thus fulfilled. Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that time of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that He may send Jesus Christ, who was preached to you before, whom heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things, which God has spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began." (Acts 3:11-21)
Yes, healing and evangelism always go together, working hand in hand --- and today we are seeing more evidence of the Master's healing touch than ever before. Yes, God's Word is still the same. Scripture records that God healed all the people when they came out of Egypt, for Psalm 105:37 declares:

He also brought them out with silver and gold, and there was none feeble among His tribes.

The blessed Master often healed all who were around Him, for Luke noted in Acts 10:38: "God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him."
Miracles of this magnitude are not only still possible, but they are happening today. Kathryn Kuhlman prophesied that the day would come to pass because it's God's Word. God is not a respecter of persons; if He healed all once, He can do it again. It is the promise of His Holy Word.
This incredible move of healing will come. Isaiah wrote most plainly of that quickly coming day, predicting:

Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened,
And the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped.
Then the lame shall leap like a deer,
And the tongue of the dumb sing.
For waters shall burst forth in the wilderness,
And streams in the desert...
No lion shall be there,
Nor shall any ravenous beast go up on it;
It shall not be found there.
But the redeemed shall walk there,
And the ransomed of the LORD shall return,
And come to Zion with singing,
With everlasting joy on their heads.
They shall obtain joy and gladness,
And sorrow and sighing shall flee away.
(Isa. 35:5-6, 9-10)

3. People Will Experience "No Lack" (Acts 4)

First there was salvation (Acts 2), then there was healing (Acts 3), and then there was a most wonderful blessing of the Father that Acts 4 refers to as "no lack." As the gospel continued to be preached with resolute authority, the three thousand who surrendered to Jesus the Messiah quickly grew to more than eight thousand (Acts 4:4), and later multitudes were saved as the Scripture clearly states. The power of the proclamation of the gospel was again accompanied by a mighty manifestation of miracle-working power after they had prayed, saying:

"Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word, by stretching out Your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of Your holy Servant Jesus." And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness. (Acts 4:29-31)

How exciting it must have been to live in those days--- almost as exciting as it is to be living in these days! But pay careful attention here. Immediately following this is an extremely significant insight, one that is often overlooked or misunderstood, for the Word of God declares:

Now the multitude of those who believed were of one heart and one soul; neither did anyone say that any of the things he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common. And with great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And great grace was upon them all. Nor was there anyone among them who lacked; for all who were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the proceeds of the things that were sold, and laid them at the apostles' feet; and they distributed to each as anyone had need. (Acts 4:32-35, emphasis added)

In the midst of the mighty manifestation of the saving and healing power of the Lord Jesus, our heavenly Father provided for those saints such that they never lacked. As they surrendered to the God who had saved them and healed them, that same God prospered them and they experienced no lack. And God's Word is the same today. The same God who wants to save you wants to heal you. And the same God who wants to heal you want to bless you.
For more than twenty years, our wonderful Lord Jesus has given me the privilege of taking His saving and healing message literally around the world through crusades, on television, in the pulpit of a local church, through the internet, and through books. What joy I have known has I have taught about the person and work of the Holy Spirit, His anointing, and the blood of our dear Savior!
But just has the Father has deposited within me a passion to preach the good news to the lost and pray that the sick might be healed, so now at this crucial hour He has placed within me an urgency to share with the body of Christ how each and every one of us can experience no lack, that is, true biblical prosperity

BIBLICAL BLESSING: THE NEED OF THE PEOPLE

Let me explain why I sense that this is the critical hour to teach on the biblical road to blessing. The first reason is my concern that so many brothers and sisters in the Lord are missing out on the life of blessing that our loving heavenly Father longs to bestow on all of His children.
In our ministry we are resolutely committed to prayer, and each week fully two-thirds of the calls and letters we receive request prayer for financial breakthrough. Think of it--- thousands upon thousands of people each and every week request prayer for financial needs alone. And this number is representative of thousands more who have the same needs but who don't contact us.
Not that all this should come as any surprise, I suppose. A poll in U.S. News & World Report focused on the relative happiness of Americans with various aspects of their lives. On a scale of 1 through 10, which 1 being lowest and 10 being highest, Americans gave their happiness with their financial situation a score of 5.98. Any score lower than 7 was deemed to denote "relative unhappiness."
As I write this book in mid-1996, it seems that everyday I hear reports on radio and television and read them in the newspapers about how Americans are more extended on credit than ever before---almost certainly overextended, and barely able to make even the minimum payments. They are experiencing what the Bible state emphatically about debt:

The rich rules over the poor, And the borrower is servant to the leader. (Prov. 22:7)

Furthermore, so much of the increasing stress in our culture goes right back to financial issue. We try to support a style of living apart from surrender to God only to find that we're ground up trying to make it work. A story in Marriage Partnership magazine encapsulated the problem this way:

When researchers ask marriage couples what they argue about, money always rank near the top of the list. If you're like most couples, money problems disrupt your marriage as much as disagreement over [anything else]. It's not uncommon for spouse to feel that financial pressures are pushing them beyond limit.

But underneath these issues may be an even larger problem, one to which the prophet Haggai admonished us to pay close attention:

Now this is what the Lord Almighty says: "Give careful thought to your ways. You have planted much, but have harvested little. You eat, but never have enough. You drink, but never have your fill. You put on clothes, but are not warm. You earn wages, only to out them in purse with holes in it." This is what the Lord Almighty says: "Give careful thought to your ways. Go up into the mountains and bring down timber and build the house [i.e., the temple of the LORD], so that I may take pleasure in it and be honored," says the LORD. "You expected much, but see, it turned out to be little. What you brought home, I blew away. Why?" declares the Lord Almighty. Because of my house, which remains a ruin, while each of you is busy with his own house. Therefore, because of you the heavens have withheld their dew and the earth its crops. I called for a drought on the field and the mountains, on the grain, the new wine, the oil and whatever the ground produces, on men and cattle, and on the labor of your hands." Then Zerubbabel of Shealtiel, Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and the whole remnant of the people obeyed the voice of prophet Haggai, because the Lord their God and the message of the prophet Haggai, because the Lord their God had sent him. And the people feared the LORD. (1:5-12 NIV)

Haggai's words stand in sharp contrast to the promises noted in Malachi 3:

"Bring all the tithes into the storehouse,
That there may be food in My house,
And try Me now in this,"
Says the LORD of hosts,
"If I will not open for you the window of heaven
And pour out for you such blessing
That they will not be room enough for you to receive it.
And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes,
So that he will not disturb the fruit of your ground,
Nor shall the vine fail to bear fruit for you in the field,"
Says the LORD of hosts;
"And all nations will call you blessed,
For you will be a delightful land,"
Says the LORD of hosts. (vv. 10-12)

My dear friend, I know that like my desire the earnest desire of your heart is to have the experience described by Malachi, not the futility described by Haggai, and this is why I have been led of God to write this book, The Biblical Road to Blessing. You can experience freedom from financial bondage, and I want to show you how.


BIBLICAL BLESSING: THE NEED OF THE CHURCH

We are witnessing the greatest move of evangelism in the history of humankind, the most spectacular works of healing. The blessed Holy Spirit is working as never before. We have more open doors, more opportunities, more ways to spread the Word, and more people willing to commit their lives to spreading the gospel than ever before. The chance to impact the entire world for the Master is greater than it has ever been.
Yet an obstacle remains---an obstacle that is more formidable than government persecution, more fundamental than satanic opposition. It is the lack of surrender in the area of giving in the lives of God's people. The Master calls for each of His children to give back at least 10 percent of income for the work of the gospel. Yet statistics reveals that far, far too many of God's people are missing the biblical blessing that comes from giving.

• One Southern Baptist official reports, "I have found them in a majority of churches, more like 12 percent give 80 percent of the money, and 50 percent of the members give nothing."

• A study by the Independent Sector on giving and volunteering in the United States reported that overall contributions to charitable causes declined 10 percent (in constant 1993 dollars) between 1987 and 1993.

• Households with incomes below $10,000 give away an average of 2.8 percent of their income, while households with incomes between $50,000 and $100,000 give away only 1.5 percent. Nearly half of the total contributions to charity in the U.S. comes from households with income below $30,000, a study found.

Think of it---we are living in the greatest potential time of harvest in the history of the world, and 50 percent or more of God's people are giving nothing at all! We are living in a time of unparalleled spiritual openness and unprincipled satanic deception, yet God's people are not giving even 3 percent of their income to carry the light. If anything, O.S. Hawkins is understating the case when he says:

The principal hindrance to the advancement of the kingdom of God is greed. It is the chief obstacle to heaven-sent revival. It seems that when the back of greed is broken, the human spirit soars into region of unselfishness. I believe it is safe to say there can be no continuous revival without "hilarious" giving. And I fear no contradiction: wherever there is "hilarious" giving there will soon be revival!

I believe that the vast majority of God's people want to tithe. They know that it's right. They don't need to be convinced of its truth so much as they need to be encouraged that they can actually do it: that 90 percent with God's blessing will go much farther than 100 percent without it.
But too many people are buried by debt, overwhelmed by responsibilities, gripped by fears. As a result, they sincerely don't know how to break the cycle and experience the blessing that comes from biblical giving. Can I let you in on a secret? As a young Christian, neither did I. Like so many, I was overloaded with debt and harried by fear; I simply didn't know what the Word of God said about how to start on the way of blessing He intends for each believer. In this book, I'm going to share the same transforming principles God revealed to me. And I'm confident that as a result, there will be more resources to take the saving and healing message of the Savior around the world.


BIBLICAL BLESSING: MUCH MORE THAN YOU MAY THINK

God's blessing is about so much more than material riches. People who focus on material riches to the exclusion of the rest of God's blessings limit God and fail to notice the veritable myriad of ways that He blesses us moment by moment. Now having said that, I have to agree with something I heard Zig Ziglar say once to a group of people: "I've been poor, and I've been rich. And let me tell you, it's better to be rich!" After the audience stopped laughing, he went on to make a crucial point:

Money will buy a bed but not sleep;
books but not brains;
food but not appetite;
finery but not beauty;
a house but not a home;
medicine but not health;
luxuries but not culture;
amusements but not happiness;
religion but not salvation.

Riches are beside the point, for the Scriptures affirms that "godliness with contentment is great gain" (1 Tim. 6:6). Without contentment, you will never have enough. With contentment, you can experience joy in the most desolate areas on earth. Riches will not bring happiness. Obedience brings happiness, for Solomon himself plainly declares:

A man can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in his work. This too, I see, is from the hand of God, for without Him, who can eat or find enjoyment? To the man who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge and happiness, but to the sinner he gives the task of gathering and storing up wealth to hand it over to the one who pleases God. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind. (Eccl. 2:24-26 NIV, emphasis added)

Yet having said this, I must point out that it is also a mistake to presume that God doesn't care about our financial well-being or that His promises of blessing include the spiritual but not the financial. R.T. Kendall has a penetrating insight here:

These promises (of Mal. 3:10-11) point to a material return as one kind of blessing from the Lord. Obviously some will prosper more than others, owing to gifts, place of responsibility, or opportunity. But at the bottom of it all is a promise for all believers that they will be honored even at a material level in such a way that, whether it be more or less than others, it is more than others, it is more than it would have been had they not been faithful in Christian stewardship. There are countless testimonies that could be brought forward that tell of financial hardships, debt and distress, until tithing was begun. Not that such people became millionaires or drove Rolls-Royces, but they lived without the terror of constant financial adversity.

When we experience the wonderful blessing described in the Scripture as "no lack," each day is an adventure as we find our loving heavenly Father meeting our needs and so much more in ways that we would never have anticipated. But not only do we experience the blessing of responding to the leading of the Holy Spirit to meet the needs of others. In this way we experience the truth so magnificently summarized by Matthew Henry: "The riches we impart are the only wealth we shall always retain."


THE BIBLICAL ROAD TO BLESSING: MUCH DIFFERENT FROM WHAT YOU MAY THINK

I am writing this book because of the human need that I see all around me and the opportunity that exists to take the gospel to the world---but I am also writing because there is so much misunderstanding about the blessings of God. The Bible does not teach the sort of theology that is often called "name it and claim it." Actually, I prefer to call it "blab it and grab it"! I want to state this very plainly so that there is no misunderstanding: if you are reading this book to learn how to get rich, you are not only starting in the wrong place, you are reading the wrong book!
You see, the biblical road to blessing is not an infomercial. There is no 800 number to call, and our sovereign God isn't Aladdin. The Bible is not a witches' spell book full of formulas that allow us to manipulate God to do what we want. The Bible is a catalog that we use to pick out what we want and then await delivery.
No, first and foremost the Word of God is a love story. It tells of the amazing, steadfast, loyal love of the Father. And in the Bible, we learn how we can live daily in a love relationship with Him. We learn how to experience Him for what He is---our Father---and how we can live as obedient, happy children.
So you see, the biblical road to blessing isn't about formulas or even heavy doctrine. No, it's about how to let the Father meet your every need---including financial. It's about a life more fulfilling and satisfying than you ever thought possible. It's the biblical road to blessing, and I invite you to join me.

CHAPTER 2

The Loving, Giving Father

The pale golden glow from the lamp gently warmed the room with its light. Seated in a comfortable chair with my son, Joshua on my lap, I relaxed a few moments, musing over the activities of the day. Down the hallway I could hear the familiar sounds of Jessica and Natasha getting ready for bed. Eleasha, our youngest daughter, was already asleep.
As the house grew quiet, Joshua snuggled closer to me. It was getting late, and even a boy with my son's considerable energy gets tired. The activities in the other part of the house faded into the distance as I continued to rehearse in my mind the events of the day.
When I finally concluded my reflecting, I glanced down at Joshua and noticed that he was fast asleep in my arms. He looked so peaceful lying there---almost angelic. As I sat there in the still of the night watching him sleep, he moved his head slightly, attempting to get more comfortable. When he changed his position, his chessnut brown hair shimmered in the subtle light. I stroked Joshua's hair gently as he slept. How I cherish time like this with my children, I thought as I lovingly touched his hair. What a wonderful gift from the Lord!
I don't know how long I sat there savoring the moment, but my heart was bubbling over with love for Josh and his sisters, who by now were sound asleep down the hall. I looked down at Josh's face and beheld such innocence and total trust as he lay asleep in Daddy's arms. And the love that I felt for him at the moment was beyond description.
My son, my Joshua, I thought as I brushed his cascading hair back from his face. My only boy. . . how I love him. There's nothing in the world that I wouldn't give this boy . . . nothing I would not do for him or any of my children . . . nothing he could never do to make me stop loving him or make me feel differently toward him. Even when I must discipline him, my love never changes. I felt an overwhelming outpouring of unquenchable love for my son.
While I continued to stroke his head gently, basking in the beauty of the priceless moment, the Lord whispered, "What are your feelings toward your son right now?"
Although I recognized His still, small voice, I was startled by the question. Again the gentle voice of the Master said softly, "Can you describe what you are feeling right now?"
I struggled to find the right words and finally replied, "No, Master, I can't begin to put it into words. The depth and dimension of my love for my son are beyond description."
"Benny," the Lord said, "what you are feeling can't even be compared to the love I have for you. It's only a tiny drop in the ocean by comparison. It's a weak and worldly example of what I feel towards you. My love for you is so full of kindness---My kindness so full of love. My love steadfast, unselfish, unchangeable, and endless. My love for you never, ever fails."
In that tender moment, as I held my sleeping child in my arms, the love that I felt as a father was so rich. But as the Lord spoke to my heart, comparing the love I felt toward Joshua with the greatness of His tender love for me, I understood how weak and frail my love for my son was when compared to God the Father's infinite love for us His children.
As a father, there is nothing that I would not do for my Jessica, Natasha, Joshua, or Eleasha. Nothing could make me stop loving them or forsake my commitment to them as their father. But my love for them, along with my ability and willingness to lovingly provide and care for my children, cannot begin to compare with the wonderful, loyal love that our heavenly Father has for you and me---a love that has never been more in evidence than it was on Calvary.


The Ultimate Gift Of Love

The very nature and character of God are revealed through His ultimate act of giving when He offered His Son, Jesus Christ, as the supreme sacrifice for humankind. As a father, I cannot even begin to fathom the pain that our wonderful heavenly Father endured by allowing His Son to die the terrible death of Calvary.
I do everything in my power to prevent anything bad from happening to my children. I'm concerned when they have a bad day at school or when they scrape a knee while playing. Oh, how the Father's heart must have ached as He watched His precious, perfect son rejected by the people He came to save, spat upon, scourged, sliced with a crown of thorns, and crucified among criminals and curs!
Oh, my friend, never doubt for even one moment the precious love of our wonderful heavenly Father for you and me. Truly, there is no greater thing that the Father could do to demonstrate His love for us than send His Son to die in our place and for our sins. As much as he grieved at the suffering inflicted upon Jesus, the thought of men and women spending eternity in hell grieved Him even more. No greater gift has ever been given, nor has such love been equaled in all of history.
Yet if the Father sacrificed so much to make a way for us to partake of eternal life with Him, does it make sense that a God of such love would stop there in wanting to bless is children? The apostle Paul's clarion answer is as compelling today as it was in the first century:

If God is for us, who can be against us? He who didn't spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? Who shall bring a charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or unclothedness, or perils, or sword? As it is written:

"For Your sake we are killed all day long;
We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter."


Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Rom. 8:31b-39, emphasis added)

I have heard Dr. Oral Roberts often say, "God is a good God!" What could be more true? For I know that like me, you have experienced God's goodness in many ways and at many times. In fact, every good things in our lives is a direct gift from our loving heavenly Father, as James 1:17 boldly states, "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning" (emphasis added).
My dear friend, I desire so earnestly for you to begin to understand the love of our heavenly Father, to be persuaded by Him as the apostle Paul was. More than caring for you, our Father wants to bless you in every area of your life. The Words of God has much to say about His desire to bless you. And although salvation and eternal life represent the greatest blessings He could ever give, He is also concerned about every area of your life.

Blessings From The Father

David proclaimed:
Blessed be the Lord,
Who daily loads us with benefits,
The God of our salvation!
(Ps. 68:19, emphasis added)

God wants to bless His children. As a father, I love to give gifts to my children and provide for them. And nothing brings me greater joy than to see the twinkle in their eyes as they unwrap a gift or to hear them giggle with delight as I give them something they have desired.
If a mere human being like me can find such joy through giving gifts to my children, just imagine how much joy our heavenly Father receives when He bestows good gifts upon us. Truly, our loving heavenly Father longs to bless His children---if for no other reason than for the pure joy of knowing the pleasure we receive when He provides for us.
How easy it can be to miss this very simple principle: God loves you and wants the very best for you. He really does. The Lord Jesus drives home this point so forcefully as to remove any doubt whatsoever about the Father's love toward us:

Ask, and it will be given unto you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be open to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him! (Matt. 7:7-11)

In this wonderful passage the Savior declares that our heavenly Father always gives His children good gifts. And I'm so grateful because often without realizing it, we can ask for gifts that seem to be good but, in fact, are anything but.


Ice Cream, Please!

"I want ice cream, Daddy!"
"Eat your supper first, Joshua, and then you can have some ice cream." It was the beginning of a conversation with my son, Joshua, one evening as he he and I enjoyed a meal together.
"I want ice cream, Daddy!"
"Eat your supper first, Joshua," I repeated, "and then you can have some ice cream. You can't have the ice cream until you eat your supper."
Joshua sat there, looking first at his dinner plate and then back at me. After some time, and a battle of the wills, he picked up his fork and began to eat the food before him. As he chewed his food slowly, he glanced at me from time to time, seemingly trying to determine how serious I was about his eating dinner.
He was rather quiet as he ate his food, not his normal talkative self. He ate his food unenthusiastically, tiny bite by tiny bite. To encourage him, I reminded him about the delicious ice cream waiting for him in the freezer.
When he finally finished, he triumphantly showed me his empty plate and, with dazzling eyes and a smile that stretched across his entire face, said, "Ice cream, Daddy! I want ice cream!"
It gave me so much joy to hand him a generous bowlful of the ice cream I had promised. I was thrilled that he had obeyed me, and now I could bless him with a dessert.
Several days later as I reflected on it, I realized that my evening experience with Joshua and the ice cream held rich insights regarding our relationship with our heavenly Father and His willingness to bless His children. Isn't it amazing how God designed the relationship between parents and children to give us an idea of His love and care for us? From the first moment Joshua looked at me with his beautiful dark eyes and asked for the ice cream, I absolutely wanted to give it to him be cause I knew how much he wanted it. However, as his father, I had a responsibility for his well being. I knew how important it was for him to have the proper nourishment of a balanced meal, for while the main course is rarely as enticing as the dessert, it is always more beneficial.
But when Joshua finally ate that last morsel, held up his empty plate, and said, "Ice cream, Daddy! I want ice cream!" I was delighted to fulfill my promise and give him a big bowl of his favorite treat.
That's how our Father in heaven operates. He will satisfy our desires when we obey Him. My son had a desire for ice cream, but I knew that he really needed a balanced meal. I wanted to give Joshua his desired dessert, but he needed to obey me first concerning his need. After Joshua obeyed, I was delighted to give him plenty of ice cream.
This is just how our loving heavenly Father relates to us. We read the Scripture:

Delight yourself also in the LORD,
And He shall give you the desires of your heart. (Ps. 37:4)

When we delight in Him, He gives us the desires that are submitted to His lordship. And since our heavenly Father rules over all without limitation, He delights to send wonderful blessings to His children when we obey Him.


A Father's Love

As a father, I love my children with every atom of my being. Each one is special, and I know that God has made them unique individuals.
My Jessica is so dear to me. I'm so proud of her, and she has grown to be such a lovely young lady. Sometimes I tease her about looking just like me. She always says to me with a twinkle in her beautiful, dark eyes, "Remember, I'm English, too, like Mom!
And Natasha---well, she is something else. She is so alive and always tell me exactly what she thinks. If she has an opinion on something, she doesn't hesitate to let me know about it. She prefers to avoid attention publicly, saying as little as possible, but privately, she doesn't hold much back.
Now when it comes to Joshua, I'm never quite sure what to expect. He is always ready to accept microphone and say hello or sing a song. I wonder where he gets that from? And I must say that the hello is much more predictable than the song. During one December crusade, he decided that he wanted to sing a song. He came to the platform and said his hellos to the people. When I asked him what he wanted to sing, he said, "Dashing Through the Snow." I wasn't successful at changing his mind to something spiritual such as "Silent Night," so instead he sang "Dashing Through the Snow."
Eleasha is our youngest daughter, and what a sweetheart she is! She is such a peaceful child and such a joy. My wife, Suzanne, and I can hardly remember a time when she has cried for any reason. No matter what is happening, she is basically happy about it. When it's time for bed, she just lie down, close her eyes, and goes to sleep. No protest, no tears, just "night, night." And how she loves her brother! They are inseparable.
As you can tell, I could go on and on, filling page after page with stories about the special things that endear each of my children to my heart because I love them so. But I realize that as their father no matter how much I love each of them, my love for them is nothing in comparison to the love that God the Father has for you and me.
For example, what father do you know who would count every hair on his child's head? That night as Joshua lay sleeping in my lap, I certainly didn't attempt to count his every strand of hair. Yet our heavenly Father's love toward us is so consuming, so complete, that Scripture reveals that "the very hairs of [our heads] are all numbered" (Matt. 10:30).
I once heard Kathryn Kulhman tell a story about going to her father, asking for things that she deeply desired. Although he didn't have the necessary funds to provide what she desired at the moment, her father loved her so much, he was determined to get them from her. He eventually borrowed the money to get the items she wanted. He was willing to do whatever was necessary just to bring joy to her.
If a natural father will go to such lengths and is so motivated for his child, just think of how much more God the Father is concerned for His children, for He loves us deeply!

Promised Blessings

Throughout Scripture, we find many references to God's willingness and earnest desire to bless His children. There are so many verses regarding God's blessings to you and me that if I included all of them here, this book would become an encyclopedia. But I do want to share a few Scriptures to help you understand just how much God wants to bless His children in every area of life; both in the natural realm and in the spiritual realm. And because you are a believer, many of these blessings are promised to you and your children:

For I will pour water on him who is thirsty,
And floods on the dry ground;
I will pour My Spirit on your descendants,
And My blessing on your offspring. (Isa. 44:3)

It is like dew of Hermon,
Descending upon the mountains of Zion;
For there the LORD commanded the blessing---
Live forevermore. (Ps. 133:3)

The nation of Israel had a special covenant with God. The blessing held out to Israel show not only the Father's desire to bless, but also the many areas in which He desires to bless:

And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake, because you obey the voice of the LORD your God: Blessed shall you be in the city, and blessed shall you be in the country. Blessed shall be the fruit of your body, the produce of your ground and the increase of your herds, the increase of your cattle and the offspring of your flocks. Blessed shall be your basket and your kneading bowl. Blessed shall you be when you come in, and blessed shall you be when you go out. The LORD will cause your enemies who rise against you to be defeated before your face; they shall come out against you one way and flee before you seven ways. The LORD will command the blessing on you in your storehouses and in all to which you set your hand, and He will bless you in the land which the LORD your God is giving you. The LORD will establish you as a holy people to Himself, just as He has sworn to you, if you keep the commandments of the Lord your God and walk in His ways. Then all people of the earth shall see that you are called by the name of the LORD, and they shall be afraid of you. And the LORD will grant you plenty of goods, in the fruit of your body, in the increase of your livestock, and in the produce of your ground, in the land of which the LORD swore to your fathers to give you. The LORD will open to you His good treasure, the heavens, to give the rain to your land in its season, and to bless all the work of your hand. You shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow. And the LORD will make you the head and not the tail; you shall be above only, and not be beneath, if you heed the commandments of the LORD your God, which I command you today, and are careful to observe them. (Deut. 28:2-13)

Nevertheless I am continually with You;
You hold me by my right hand. (Ps. 73:23)

The blessing of the LORD makes one rich,
And He adds no sorrow with it. (Prov. 10:22)

For the LORD God is a sun and shield;
The LORD will give grace and glory;
No good thing will He withhold
From those who walk uprightly. (Ps. 84:11)

His descendants will be mighty on earth;
The generation of the upright will be blessed. (Ps. 112:2)

All these promises and many more belong to every believer. When we walk in the ways of the Lord, when we live according to God's principles and meet the conditions outlined throughout the Word of God, God promises to pour out blessings to such a degree that we cannot contain them.


God's Blessings For The Children Of Israel: No Lack

God's love for His children and His willingness to bless are clearly illustrated in His dealings with the children of Israel. His faithfulness to them year after year extended into every aspect of their lives. And the promises of God to the children of Israel found throughout the old covenant are extended to you and me as His children today.
The children of Israel knew supernatural provision, for they never experienced no lack. Now I have chosen every word in the sentence above very carefully. As the nation of Israel walked in obedience to God. God met their every need, and so they never knew lack. When you and I are walking in obedience with our loving heavenly Father, we will lack for nothing. The Scripture are so bold as to assert:

For the LORD your God has blessed you in all the work of your hand. He knows your trudging through his great wilderness. These forty years the LORD your God has been with you; you have lacked nothing. (Deut. 2:7, emphasis added)

And I have led you forty years in the wilderness. Your clothes have not worn out of you, and your sandals have not worn out of your feet. (Deut. 29:5)

Forty years You sustained them in the wilderness;
They lacked nothing;
Their clothes did not wear out
And their feet did not swell. (Neh. 9:21)

When we experience no lack, God is meeting our need, not our greed. Notice that the Israelite weren't provided new shoes; rather, the heavenly Father superintended over them such that the shoes they had never wore out. Our gracious Father didn't supply them with a closet full of clothes; rather He made sure that the clothes they had lasted far beyond normal. Our loving Father didn't put His people on the Concorde to get them from Egypt to Israel; instead, He stayed by them in the wilderness and made sure that their feet didn't swell as they walked to the promised land.
Our loving heavenly Father promised to make the nation of Israel a testimony of His faithfulness to bless generation after generation:

I will make you a great nation;
I will bless you
And make your name great;
And you shall be a blessing. (Gen. 12:2)

Blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply your descendants as the stars of the heaven and as the sand which is on the seashore; and your descendants shall possess the gate of their enemies. (Gen. 22:17)

For the Lord your God will bless you just as He promised you; you shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow; you shall reign over many nations, but they shall not reign over you. (Deut. 15:6)

The Lord will command the blessing on you in your storehouses and in all to which you set your hand, and He will bless you in the land of which the LORD your God is giving you. (Deut. 28:

And He will love you and bless you and multiply you; He will also bless the fruit of your land, your grain and your new wine and your oil, the increase of your cattle and the offspring of your flock, in the land of which He swore to your fathers to give you. (Deut. 7:13)

So they shall put My name on the children of Israel, and I will bless them. (Num. 6:27)

Divine health was also included in God's promised blessing to the children of Israel: "So you shall serve the LORD your God, and He will bless your bread and your water. And I will take sickness away from the midst of you" (Ex. 23:25)

And even when the children of Israel lost sight of God's faithfulness while facing the Red Sea and the approaching Egyptian army, complaining that it would be better to die in bondage rather than in the wilderness, God was patient and long-suffering with them. He opened the Red Sea before them and delivered them from danger. And the same waters that parted before them, allowing them to walk on dry ground, later rushed in to drown their oppressors, the Egyptians.
Time after time God demonstrated Hod goodness toward them in the wilderness by meeting their need, even though they grumbled and complained. Morning after morning as they awakened, they found fresh food---manna---on the ground. All they had to do was gather it. And as they ate the fresh manna, they were reminded that God brought them out of Egypt.
At one point the children of Israel complained about their hardships when they had no water, saying to Moses, "Why did you bring us out of Egypt anyway? Everything wasn't perfect there, but at least we had water to drink!"
When Moses cried out to God for help with the grumbling of the people, God directed him to strike a rock with his stick. When he did, a stream of fresh, clear water burst forth, and there was enough water for every person and every animal. Once again God demonstrated that He was with them. Just as He had always promised, there would be no lack. Our heavenly Father in His wisdom did not give them Perrier, but He met their need for water.
Even after the disgraceful incident of idolatry with the golden calf, our merciful heavenly Father was still longsuffering with the children of Israel. Moses admonished them to beg for God's forgiveness while he went back to the place where he had met God. There he pleaded with God for mercy for the people. And after forty days he returned, visibly radiant with the presence of God.
Throughout the forty-year-long journey through the wilderness, the children of Israel had no lack because God provided for them. He delivered them from their enemies, from sickness, and from peril. He was faithful to every promise He made to them.
God's faithfulness to His promises continues today. There is no expiration date on His timeless promises to bless His children.

Just In Time

So many times we can be perplexed and even discouraged when our heavenly Father doesn't answer our prayers according to our timetable. We pray for God to intervene, but He doesn't seem to. We pray for a loved one to surrender to the Lord Jesus, but the person keeps living in rebellion. We pray for a financial need to be met, but nothing happens.
Years ago I heard Corrie Ten Boom share a powerful illustration about the timeless of God's loving care. The setting for the story was Nazi-occupied Holland where she and her family were experiencing trials while attempting to shelter Jews. In the midst of increasing danger and turmoil she said, "Papa, everything is getting too bad. If the police come for us, how will we know that God is with us?"
"Corrie," he responded, "when we go on a trip by train, when do I give you the ticket?"
"Just before we get on the train, Papa," Corrie answered.
"That's right, Corrie," her father said. "You don't need your ticket until you are about to board the train. But I always give you your ticket just in time. That's how our wonderful heavenly Father is. He always gives us just what we need, and He is never late. His love and mercy will sustain us and strengthen us just when we need them, for He is always faithful."
D.L. Moody was a giant in the history of the church, a man who knew God and experienced His love and blessings continually. A friend told a story that I found fascinating, one that I would like to share with you.
It seems that in 1983, D.L. Moody had a financial need of $3,000. Mr Moody always took his needs to the Lord in prayer, and this day was no different.
He knelt down beside his desk and prayed, "Lord, you know I need $3,000 today. I must have it, and you know that I am too busy with Your work to go out and get it. Please send it to me. I thank You that You will. Amen."
Following his prayer, Mr. Moody rose to his feet and went on about his work at the Bible Institute in Chicago.
Later that day he was scheduled to preach in the auditorium. The audience was in place, and the platform was filled with people. As the meeting was about to begin, a young woman walked up to an usher and said, "I must see Mr. Moody." He responded, "You can't see Mr. Moody now. The meeting is about to begin."
She continued, "But I must see Mr. Moody."
Unmoved by her persistence, the usher turned her away.
As she walked away, she noticed another aisle and approached another usher, making the same request to see Mr. Moody. He, too, said that would be impossible because the meeting was about to begin.
Determined, she went around to the platform entrance and somehow found her way to where Mr. Moody stood. She put an envelope in Mr. Moody's hand when he brushed past her, making his way to the platform. As he walked onto the stage, he hastily put the envelope into his vest pocket and went on with the meeting.
Later that evening as he ate his dinner, he remembered the envelope. He reached into his vest pocket and took out the envelope. When he opened it, he discovered that it contained a check for $3,000---an answer to his prayer.
He eventually learned the story behind the heaven-sent gift. That morning the Lord had touched the heart of a Christian woman as Mr. Moody came to mind: "These are very busy days for Mr. Moody. He must need a great deal of money." And with that she made out a check for $1,000. As soon as she had written the check, the Holy Spirit spoke to her and said, "That will not be sufficient. He will need more money than that."
Obedient to the Spirit's prompting, she tore up the check and made out a new check in the amount of $2,000. Once again she was prompted by the Spirit that the amount was not adequate. She tore up the second check and proceeded to write a check for $3,000. She put the check in an envelope, addressed it, and asked her maid to mail the envelope for her. Just as the maid was about to leave the room, the woman called out to her and said, "Just a moment. He may not get it until tomorrow, and he may need it today. Put your coat on and go over to the auditorium. Give it to Mr. Moody, and do not let anyone else have it."
You see, good fathers know the needs of their children and take care of them, and children who experience the warmth of that love trust the goodness of their fathers implicitly. Just as D.L. Moody trusted his all-sufficient heavenly Father to lovingly provide for him, so we can apply the same principles. God's disposition toward His children has not changed one iota. His promises are timeless and extended to all, and He earnestly desires to bless us and provide for every area of need. The Word of God tells us, "And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God" (Deut. 28:2 KJV).
My friend, I know that like me, you want the great blessing that comes from a love relationship with our heavenly Father to be visited upon your life. The Bible contains very clear guidelines on how we can experience the blessings promised to God's children---and I want so much for you to understand them and make them a reality in your life.
Are you ready to apply these principles and begin your journey on the biblical road to blessing?