God supplied the manna, but His people had to appropriate it (take for one’s own). They could have prayed all day in their tents and still gotten up from their knees with an empty stomach and in need of God’s fullness. And so it is in the spiritual realm. God has already blessed us with all spiritual blessings (Eph. 1:3). We need only to reach out the hand of faith and take them.
Peace, joy, contentment, victory, rest, etc., are all ours…not for the asking, but for the taking by faith. Example: “Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing…” Rom. 15:13
Prayer has to do with what you don’t have; appropriation has to do with what you do have. Our problem is that of the prodigal son’s brother. After seeing how his father had blessed his younger brother, he said, “thou never gavest me…” to which the father replied, “Son…all that I have is thine.” He never enjoyed feeding off a fatted calf, simply because he never went to the stall to get one of the many his father had provided.
Christ has signed the check for all the spiritual blessings we’ll ever need. But we must cash it to experience the richness of the blessings.
A blessing! Thank you for still faithfully serving our great Saviour!
Over the years my 3 children have asked me how I've gotten through life's ups and downs. "Mom, how did you do it and stay happy?". My answer was always a simple "Having faith in GOD". Until this "scribbling", I had nothing to back that up and now, I have the scripture to show them the joy is there for the taking. Thank you so much, Dr. Sandlin.