999 Good Things!

We know that every 'good and perfect gift comes from the LORD'.
James 1:17

And we've been told, since we were kids, to count our blessings.

Well here is the question, the LORD gave me this morning.
(Because many times, HE teaches you starting with a question.)

Why do you receive 999 good things from ME (JESUS)
and you focus on the one thing that you don't have!

Or, you look at, think about, worry about, focus on
your one thing (1 out of 1000) that you feel the prayer hasn't
been answered (yet).

Thinking that there is still lack in your life in that one area.

This focus on the one thing does something to all of us.
It makes us fearful, worried, anxious and then we usually start
to murmur and complain.

The problem with the complaining is that GOD has to be
trusted without seeing.

Complaining creeps in.

Then you doubt GOD!

To our Jewish friends, they've been brought up to
'Thank GOD' (or as many of them would write it
'Thank G_D' feeling that HIS name alone is so
amazing, so mighty that you couldn't even spell it out!)

They would Thank the LORD, for everything in life
and develop an attitude of gratitude!

They would thank GOD for things we might not,
such as:
lungs to breath with,
a bathroom to go to,
water to drink,
a cup to drink it with,

Its an attitude of seeing GOD in all things.
Knowing HE is with you and is helping you.

1 Thessalonians 5:18
give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's
will for you in Christ Jesus.

Now we all go through seasons of our life that
is, what the Bible calls, the wilderness.
Its a place where only faith survives and
everything dies.

Faith lives there, the sin nature (the all me) part of me dies.
Love lives there, doubt and complaining die there.
Provision lives there, your own effort dies there.
Truth lives there, all the lies you believed, die there.

Or the opposite happens, you live there and everything of
GOD begins to die there and then you die there -never getting
to the promises HE wants you to have.

There are 2 great contrasts of the wilderness life
in the children of Israel going to the promised land
leaving Egypt behind and JESUS being baptised and being
led by the SPIRIT into the wilderness to be tempted by
Satan.

Note, GOD doesn't tempt but leads you there.
The wilderness isn't bad, of itself but its what you
make of it and know in the wilderness that could
make you or break you.

Exodus 14 we see the Jewish people led by Moses through
the Sea (type of baptism) and on through the wilderness into
the promised land.

Who was leading them into the promised land? - The LORD!
The way to get there? - Through the Wilderness.

Jesus in Matthew 3 and 4 was just baptised in the Jordan river
and the SPIRIT descended and the LORD spoke, "This is my
beloved SON, in whom I am well pleased". Matthew 3:16

The next verse is this:

Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to
be tempted by the devil. Matthew 4:1

Note: This will help you to discern the LORD's voice
in your thoughts, is this:
'The LORD leads you, and the devil drives you.'

You must go through the wilderness to get to the promise.

Abraham went through the wilderness,
so did Isaac and Jacob (living for years with Laban).

What about Joseph? (sold into slavery -sent to Egypt)

And Joshua, what about the prophets, or David?
Wasn't David running around from cave to cave knowing he
was to be the next king, but Saul (the current king) didn't
like the idea so hunted him down to kill David.

Later David again, left his throne and castle when his
evil son Absalom wanted to take his dads (Davids) throne away.

Of course the apostles all did, Paul was set aside for about 10
years before he could really be the man (GOD and himself) wanted him to be.

But our 2 examples are the children of Israel and JESUS.
The Bible tells us that the children of Israel and how they
handled the wilderness time of their life are examples to us all!

1 Corinthians 10: 1-6

For I do not want you to be ignorant of the fact, brothers, that our forefathers were all under the cloud and that they all passed through the sea. They were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea. They all ate the same spiritual food and drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ.

Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them; their bodies were scattered over the desert. Now these things occurred as examples to keep us from setting our hearts on evil things as they did


The children of Israel made the testing time last for 40 years.
JESUS got through it in 40 days. You will make it if you do it JESUS way.

Notice though that we feel we are being tested, but when we complain
and murmur we are testing GOD in the wilderness!

do not harden your hearts
as you did in the rebellion,
during the time of testing in the desert,
where your fathers tested and tried me (GOD)
and for forty years saw what I did. Hebrew 3:8-9

Both temptations were really to put doubt on the fact that
they were not GOD's own.

To the Jews 'you are really not GOD's child, because all HE wants
to do is kill us'

To JESUS, 'if you are the SON of GOD'.

The Jews said things like, 'I guess there were not enough
graves in Egypt'.

GOD's boast was always, that HE can prepare a table
in the presence of our enemies. Psalm 23:5

And that GOD can prepare a table in the wilderness.
The children of Israel tested the LORD saying HE couldn't
See all of Psalm 78 especially 18 and 19

Not trusting and complaining about their part in life.
Not understanding that it is through this time if they
would just throw out everything else and believe HIM
that HE would make a way, and they would progress to
HIS promised land.

JESUS called it the KINGDOM.

We get there, by Thanking HIM for the good things.
And seeing JESUS and trusting HIM (who loves us) to
provide for us and Thanking HIM in advance for doing it.

Knowing that your salvation (deliverance) is close at hand.

Don't be like the Jews in the wilderness that became
what we call unbelieving believers.

But GOD called 'wicked hearts of unbelief'. Hebrew 3:12

Jesus said to them, "Only in his hometown, among his relatives
and in his own house is a prophet without honor." He could not do any
miracles there, except lay his hands on a few sick people and heal them.
And he was amazed at their lack of faith.
Mark 6:4-6

Complaining is the first step to apostasy.

Thank the LORD for forgiving you for complaining
and thank HIM for giving you a believing heart
that wants to trust HIM (even in a dark time).

By FAITH, you will receive a heart that trusts the LORD!