How to receive God's blessings

People today are still very much like those in the New Testament times.  They want the blessings of God more than they want God.  We see in John 6:26-40, after Jesus feeds the 5,000, they begin to follow him wanting more food.  Feed us every day just like when Moses fed us as our ancestors wandered in the wilderness. 

We see the same kind of faith or lack of, today in the prosperity gospel churches where people come to receive "blessings".  "Give and you shall receive", the preachers proclaim.  "See how God has blessed me!  You too can have a nice car, a beautiful house and riches untold if only you give to God (me, my church) your money". 

And the prosperity gospel churches are not the only ones that rely upon such tactics. You can see it also used in mainline churches, only a more subtle version.  It's not the doctrinal belief system that the church is built upon like the prosperity churches, but in many churches you'll hear testimony from members to the fact that God has blessed them when they gave to the church, building campaign, pastors discretionary fund, etc.  It is a manipulatory tactic to get people to give more. Ironic that we use manipulation on our people by manipulating them to believe we can manipulate God into giving us material wealth, if we give to the church.  It's not that those giving testimony are not telling the truth. They believe God has blessed them and indeed God probably has. But the fallacy is in reason why God blesses his children. He does it because God loves us, not because we have earned it in some way.   

We see the same problem with those who followed Jesus around. They wanted to know just what they needed to do to gain the blessings of God, to get a free meal every day.  They wanted the blessings much more than they wanted Jesus.  Jesus didn't say you need to give money to the church or to me.  He didn't say you need to pray five times a day.  He didn't say you need to sacrifice a lamb or go to the Temple on the Sabbath.  He said in verse 29, "believe in Me". "God provided the bread from heaven, not Moses.  I am the bread.  I am the manna.  Put your faith and trust in me.  It is a relationship with you that I want.  Not your works or your money, just your time, your worship, your heart".

This may be the hardest concept for us to accept.  It is what separates all religions from true Christianity. We want so much to believe that we must accomplish something in order to receive God's blessings. It is so counter intuitive that this simple doctrine of grace is what keeps many from that relationship with Jesus.  

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Ephesians 2:8-10

What would it look like if we understood that Jesus wants our devotion not works? How would I live my life differently if I could fully comprehend the depth of that relationship and the grace that Jesus offers? 

Body of Christ working to heal wounded warriors

I have just returned from a five day experience that profoundly impacted me. I was recruited to spend five days at the Wind River Ranch, a 110 acre guest ranch a few miles outside of Estes Park to serve wounded warriors and their families. Wind River Ranch gives three weeks of the year to the Wounded Warrior Project hosting wounded warrior families so that they may come and experience rest and healing in God's beautiful country. 

I expected to see soldiers with missing limbs and major physical injuries but was surprised that almost all had psychological injuries instead of physical. There were also families with autistic and emotionally challenged children and wives of soldiers who had to take care of their children as well as a wounded husband.  

One soldier with PTSD could not take loud noises or be confined in areas with a lot of children. Our volunteer team ate our meals with him in a cabin away from the crowd. The first morning he was irritated, very much on edge, and spoke about his frustrations using a lot of expletives. By the third day his language had changed. He was calmer and began to eat in the main dining hall but wore headphones and listened to his music to avoid the crowd noise.  

Friday morning wrangler breakfast

On each Friday morning, the camp holds a breakfast in an open meadow surrounded by trees away from the main buildings. The families ride horseback to the site where the staff serves up a breakfast cooked over an open fire. As I mingled with the families waiting for the breakfast to be served on this Friday morning, I looked up surprised to see our wounded warrior there in the crowd without his headphones!  He seemed to be at peace and amazingly calm. What a transformation in just a few days!  

One of the fathers, a wounded warrior there with his family, stood up and spoke out as we finished our breakfast. He tearfully thanked the staff and talked about how much the week meant to him and his family. He said that he couldn't put into words the healing that had taken place and what his family had experienced.  I looked around and saw many of the wives and some of the wounded warrior dads in tears.

Fun and games with the kids

From the horseback riding, the morning devotions, the wonderful family meals, the hootenanny at night, to the games in the afternoon, all had worked together to bring incredible healing to the soldiers and their families. 

I found that the power of the incredibly beautiful mountains and landscape was surpassed only by the power of God's presence among the staff and volunteers at the camp. 

Hitting the trail

I was informed Sunday that after we left the ranch Friday that our soldier with PTSD spent most of Friday afternoon at the barn and was very relaxed and positive (no headphones on).  That night after dinner, he and another wounded warrior broke down and wept and shared with the staff things they had never told anyone since their return home.  There was lots of pent up anger towards God but both had realized that God was definitely moving during the week through all the beautiful people loving on them.  Our soldier was the last man out Saturday, spending a lot of time with "his horse" and the wranglers, toting a Bible and looking forward to returning next week to visit, serve, ride and play his horn for the next group.  God had certainly started the healing process in his life through the wonderful staff and volunteers and the beautiful setting.  

What is amazing about the ranch is that it was first inhabited and developed by an itinerant preacher in the 1880's named E.J.Lamb.  His prayer was that the land be used by God to bring people to Christ.  Over one hundred years later the property is doing just that, using what God has blessed the new owners with  to bring the healing power of the Gospel to families in need of restoration.  

To read more about Wind River Ranch or donate go to http://www.windriverranch.com/