Here are the facts and truths from God:

The Apostle Paul declared through the revelation of God and Jesus Christ in Ephesians 1:3, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly blessings in Christ.”

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

God said to Jeremiah, in essence, “For I know the plans I have for you….plans for good and not evil, to give you a future and a hope.”

The general consensus all of our churches is that God is in the blessing business.

Based on the verses above and so many others, I have lived my life with the Lord expecting to be blessed by Him. And I can attest that He has blessed me tremendously through the good and the bad. And the majority of my blessings have come through my actions of expectations.

Actions of expectations centered around walking by faith and not by sight. But I have learned that faith without action is dead or as some would say scripturally, “Faith without works is dead.” I had to learn the hard way that just believing God will bless you is not enough for God to bless you with want He wants to give you or with what you want him to give you.

The best way to expect your blessing is to prepare for the blessings.

For example, after spending some years as a pastor and preacher in a denomination, God gave me the desire to start a church. By faith, I started a church on the same night I confessed to others believers at a Bible study sessions that I had been charged with a crime that could possibly send me to prison. It took 18 months for my case to go to trial but in the meantime I spent most of my time in prayer, meditation and studying God’s word in preparation of being Pastor of a new church. I located and secured a place of worship and started conducting Bible study lessons. I pleaded out my case and did not receive any jail time, just probation. Some 12 years later that church is still going strong with some of the best members any pastor would love to have.

For 12 years we have been operating out of a conference room at a hotel. But I expected God to one day give us a building that will catapult our church into a great ministry. In fact I had the building picked out but it seemed impossible that we would ever be able to acquire it. But I continued to do things as if the building was ours. God works in mysterious ways and today we will soon be moving our church into that building with our first worship service scheduled for September.

Many of the people who know me will tell you that I have often said God is going to bless me with $100 million. I have worked for months and years on various plans as to how to bless others when it happens to the point that my detailed plans calls for most of the millions to be given away for the glory of God.

I never get upset when God does not meet my expectations of blessings because He has many times. I don’t get upset or disappointed because I know the only reason God doesn’t meet my blessing expectations is because He knows I am not ready for it or that I couldn’t handle the blessing.

Many believers are missing their blessings because they have no real expectations.

And God sees that when He sees believers not putting their expectations into action. I have also learned that many of our blessings are not rewarded because of a lack of action in obedience to Him.

Believers often say, “I am blessed and highly favored,” but they don’t look like it or act like it. Words are often cheap without action or works of faith. Expect your blessings with action and obedience and your expectations will surely be met.

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By Gilbert Owens

Contributing columnist

Gilbert Owens is a native of Roseboro and a columnist for The Sampson Independent.