Read an Excerpt
God Promises Me Abundant Life
HOW DID I MISS MY BLESSING?
By Claudia Jackson
AuthorHouse
Copyright © 2012 Claudia Jackson
All right reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-4634-0703-2
Chapter One
God Promises Me—Genesis 1:10
v. 10: "And God called the dry land earth: and the gathering together of the waters called the Seas: and God saw that it was good." (The first water blessing is life—it was good).
v. 11: "And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so."
v. 12: "And the earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding seed after his kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his kind: and God saw that it was good. God gave mankind all that he needed on the face of the earth, sea, lake, ocean—all kinds of sea food" (John 21:5-6). These are blessings.
v. 5: "Then Jesus saith unto them, Children, have ye any meat? They answered him, No."
v. 6: "And he said unto them, Cast the net on the right side of the ship, and ye shall find. They cast therefore, and now they were not able to draw it for the multitude of fishes."
The key word is to obey God at all times. His promise is to supply all of your needs. To have God's full blessing, we must do some spiritual housecleaning.
Chapter Two
Forgiveness breaks the chains of the past and opens the door to new relational realities. Forgiveness heals people—not just relationships. Don't only forgive and receive forgiveness and get rid of the guilt. You can tell yourself that you have been forgiven by God, but believing it in the depths of your heart is something else. God promises you blessings, but have you cleaned out your temple to receive the blessing? And when you do get the blessing, is it enough for you, or do you expect more for less? (What do you mean?) Some people never pay tithes or offerings and still get a blessing or are blessed. Some people will not do one thing for another person unless a dollar is invoiced and wonder why God has not blessed them. You keep using up your blessings. How? What do you mean I keep using up my blessing? Look at it this way. Every week that you get paid, you spend all of your paycheck. At the end of the month, your bank account is empty. Well, if every time you do something for someone, you never do anything from your heart, money may no tithes, how do you expect for God to look into your spiritual bank account and write out a check for you when it says close John Doe?
Communication—Genesis 11:1-8
And the whole earth was of one language and of one speech. And they said one to another, Go to let us make brick and burn them thoroughly. And they had brick for stone and slime had they for mortar. And they said go to let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven, and let us make us a name (nature communication).
And the Lord came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of men built.
And they said, Behold, the people are on one (communication) and they have all one language and this they begin to do, and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do.
Let us go down there and confound their language that they may not understand one another's speech (act of communication).
So the Lord scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of the earth and they left off. Build the city.
What have I done to miss my blessing? Dishonesty—is this your lifestyle?
"Put not thine hand with the wicket to be on unrighteous witness" (Exodus 23:1).
"He that worketh deceit shall not dwell within my house. He that telleth lies shall not tarry in my sight" (Psalm 101:7).
As an old man sits on his back porch and begins to cry, saying, "I am no use to nobody." As the sun was brought down on his head as he cried, the tears fell on the flower and he kept on crying, the tear fell on the grass. The flower looked up and smiled and said, "Thank you for the rain of tears. I would have died." The grass rose up and said, "Thank you for the tears of rain. I would have turned brown and died." And the little worm said, "Thank you for rain of tears on the grass. It cools me off." And the old man looked up to heaven and said, "Thank you God. I am still useful." Where it counts the most, we overlook the little things. To the children and grandchildren, let your old loved ones do the little things. To God, it is a blessing.
The problem is we look for blessings in the wrong place or in the wrong people. Blessings come from God, not men or women. What you do from your heart relieves the blessing. We do favors for people and expect them to bless you or repay you a favor; when they don't, you get mad at them. Oh, you miss your blessings. Matt. 5:1-12. The Beatitudes—the first is: Blessed are the poor in spirit; for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven. What else could you ask for? What else do you need? You have the Kingdom of God.
Luke 6:30-33. "Give to everyone who asks of you. And from him who takes away your goods do not ask them back."
v. 31: "And just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise."
v. 32: "But if you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them."
v. 33: "And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same."
v. 36: "Therefore be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful." Don't miss your blessing.
Matt. 25:31-34.
v. 31: "When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory."
v. 32: "All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats."
v. 33: "And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left."
v. 34: "Then the King will say to those on His right hand, 'Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world."
Don't miss your blessing. Read Matthew 26:31-46 for more blessings.
I remember a few years back when the children were young. I would save up some money and take them to the Playland at Coney Island. I didn't like the wonder wheel. I would like to see the young men and women shoot the rifle since my dad taught every one of us children how to shoot a gun in the South. I was pretty good at it; they put the cards up and you had to shoot the stars out. When the young men and old men were finished, they would say, "Let me see you shoot the star out."
When I stepped up to the gun rack, the man loaded the rifle. I would take my time, come down, study my eye, breathe, and let go. My hand was steady; my mind was fixed on the card; my eye didn't move to the left or right. I didn't listen to the voices around me; my mind was on the target. I shot the star out of the card and won a big prize. This is what we aim for—the big prize, which is the kingdom of heaven. You cannot win a better prize than eternal life. If you are going to shoot, make every bullet count. Whatever you do for God, do your best.
Chapter Three
Let God create some blessings in our lives and the lives of our husbands, wives, children, and grandchildren.
"Great is the peace of my children for they are taught of the Lord" (Isa. 54:13).
"The Word of God is forever settled in heaven therefore. I established his Word upon this earth" (Psalms 119:89).
"I delight myself in the land and he gives me the desires of my heart" (Ps. 37:4).
"Give, and it will be given unto you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over, men given unto my bosom" (Luke 6:38).
With what measure I meet, it is measured unto me. I sow bountifully; therefore, I reap bountifully. I give cheerfully, and my God has made all grace abound toward me, and I, having all sufficiency of all things, do abound to do all.
God doesn't want half of you. I ask God to stop all my hurt and pain in my heart. God said turn them all to Him.
God's word that is conceived in your heart, then formed by the tongue, and spoken out of your own mouth, becomes a spiritual force releasing the ability of God within you. That's why Paul said, "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me" (Phil. 4:13). His heart and spirit had received God's word. It was not Paul's ability that made him say that, but the ability of God formed in him by the word, and out of the abundance of his (your) heart, his mouth spoke (so can you).
Words are the most powerful thing in the universe. John 1:1 says, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." We must learn to use our words more effectively. The words you speak will use you, bless you, heal you, make you sick, make you poor, and make you rich. Have you ever been around a person who always complains that they don't have this or that? Never have a penny in his or her pocket? Run as fast as you can from that person. You don't want that spirit on you. Prosperity will never come to that person. Since he has nothing to give, he has nothing to receive. Never gives a penny in church; nor tithes. If you don't put any money into your bank account, don't expect to make a withdrawal. Pay your tithes so there will be food in the storehouse. Please stop looking to see what the pastor has done with the money. Your storehouse is in heaven. That's why you hear when the prayer goes up, the blessings come down.
Where Do I Get My Paycheck?
If you are a believer and have a relationship and favor with God, He employs you. Yes, you get up and go to work on someone's job, but do you really think the paycheck comes from your employer? Who gave him the business to employ you? First, God had to give him the business so you could have a job. God is the one who supplies all your needs in the spiritual—and brings it down to earth in the natural.
Matthew 6:9-11
Our Father in heaven,
Hallowed be Your name.
Your kingdom come
Your will be done
On earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
Chapter Four
Mark 11:24. Controlled
The spirit world is controlled by the Word of God.
The natural world is to be controlled by man speaking God's words.
What things so ever ye desire when ye pray? Believe that ye receive them and ye shall have them. Rest in the Lord and wait patiently. Trust faith most of all.
The Spoken Word of God is Creative Power
Our prayers should be chosen carefully and spoken accurately. The words that come forth out of your mouth, they will work for you to put you over in life or you can use idle words that work against you.
What you don't know does hurt you. "My people are destroyed (cut off) for lack of knowledge" (Hosea 4:6).
"Then you will understand the fear of the Lord. And find the knowledge of God, for the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth comes knowledge and understanding" (Proverbs 2:5-6).
Chapter Five
Going Over it Again, Praying
"And in that day you will ask Me nothing. Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you. Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full" (John 16:23-24).
Psalm 100: Sing to the Lord all the World
"Worship the land with joy. Come before him with happy songs. Acknowledge that He is God. He made us and we belong to Him. We are His people. We are His flocks. Enter the temple gates with thanksgiving. Go into its courts with praise. Give thanks to Him. The Lord is good. His love is eternal and His faithfulness lasts forever. When you get up in the morning, remember that you are God's people. The Lord is my shepherd, protector."
Psalm 121:1, 2, 8
"God is your keeper. I will lift my eyes to the hills from whence comes my help. My help comes from the Lord who made heaven and earth. The Lord shall preserve your going out and coming in from this time forth, and even forevermore. Talk to Him every day. He wants to hear from you."
Notice the emphasis on what a person says. You can literally speak things into existence if you believe in your heart. That is a powerful step toward success, prosperity, and riches. In the same way, you need to be careful not to speak negative things. Let's look at Mark 11:14, 23-24. Jesus was passing out of Bethany while feeling hungry and saw a big tree, but it had no figs. Then Jesus said: "Let no one eat fruit from you ever again." Mark 11:20 says, "Now in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots."
A Blessing or A Curse? Mark 11:14
Let me ask you a question. Are you cursing your tree if your job or business is a "tree?" You get beneficial fruit off of it; you don't want to curse it with your words because Jesus demonstrated that your words can cause it to wither.
Today is your day for blessings. Today, begin speaking words of favor and authority. Begin commanding the storms in your life to quiet down. Speak to the winds and waves to be still. Command a few to go like Jesus did. Remember that God gave you power in His word—your words have power.
Don't Look Back at Your Mountain
Forget about what the circumstances are. Forget about what other people say. Forget about what the devil whispers in your ear in the middle of the night. Don't believe what things say. Believe the things God says. Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof. This means you will eat the fruit of your words. If you don't like the way your life is, you can change your words. You have the authority to change your direction with your words.
"I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore, choose life, that both you and your descendants may live" (Deut. 30:19).
In Jesus Christ, there is life. God allows U-turns. Maybe you've gotten off the road in your life, but I want to tell you something. You can get back on the road—and you will reach your destination. Keep your eye on your goal and keep speaking your faith-filled words. Keep your eyes on your dream. Don't be too free to tell them to others unless they are going in your direction. Freeloaders weigh you down.
Mother: "My Son, My Son." Turn that child over to the Lord. Drugs, alcohol, homosexuality, stealing, etc. God cares for your child, and you. A happy Christian is a joy to God. Believe and trust God.
"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life" (John 3:16).
After God gave his only Son, what did He get back? He received more sons and daughters (you are one of them). In fact, the children of God now number perhaps one to two billion. That's a lot more than a hundredfold return. The blessings are on jobs, marriages, schools, and sickness. God gave His Son to deliver you and to bless you. Why do you have your back against the wall? Remember the Jericho wall came tumbling down. God will move your Jericho wall. Just shout His name!
Why did I miss my blessing? Disobeying God's Word, never have money or cannot keep any money, bills, car breaking down, cutting back on my days at work (why me?) When was the last time you paid your tithes? Did you give 10 percent of your gross income? Did you give an offering? Was it the small piece of money that you could? So why shouldn't you get your days cut back? Or your car breaking down? Or no money in your pocket? You gave the mechanic to fix your car and you want to get a warranty. But with God (Luke 6:38), give, and it shall be given unto you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you. You cannot lose with God.
Worry About the Wrong Things
What is the pastor doing with my tithes and offering? Number one: it's not yours. All the tithes and offerings belong to God. When the church gives out food, you run from church to church with your shopping cart. Did you pay tithes or offerings in all those churches? And the little tithes and offerings—haven't you gotten ten times more? Good measure, pressed down. Watch your words. Your words may close the storehouse for your next month's food supply. Pay your tithes and offerings so the food supply keeps running over. Don't miss your blessing!
Responsibilities Toward God
"I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God" (Romans 12:1-2).
Renewing—Reading the Words of God Daily; Pray Always.
"Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore, glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's" (1 Corinthians 6:19-20).
To Get The Whole Blessings of God, the Whole Man or Woman To Bless.
Confession of sin in itself is not enough. Sometimes it means changing friends, jobs, or relationships with an unsaved boyfriend or girlfriend. Don't worry; God will give you the right friends or make a man who finds a wife, finds a good thing. Just ask God to help you to be that good thing for each other. And let God bless you and trust his choice for you.
Faith-Filled Words Speak Others' Faith
Faith-filled words speak others' faith that is dormant or inactive and causes it to be released. There is creative power released when you proclaim boldly things that are in agreement with the Word of God, and it causes others to release their faith.
Why Do You Think It's Not Okay to Have?
I want you to understand that it's okay to prosper. It's okay to have money. It's okay to pay your bills. It's best to be debt free. It's okay to have a nice home and car. It's okay to have beautiful clothes. It's okay to have money in your pocket. It's okay to have the desires of your heart. That is a fact of being God's child and having an inheritance from God, as long as these don't become your god.
(Continues...)
Excerpted from God Promises Me Abundant Life by Claudia Jackson Copyright © 2012 by Claudia Jackson. Excerpted by permission of AuthorHouse. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
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