Why Does God Bless Us?

For a while now I have been thinking and praying about a question.  I want to know what does scripture say.  Does God bless us because we obey?  My thoughts right off were...did anyone, besides Christ, obey more than Paul and look at his life.  He went from suffering to suffering.  Did Paul suffer because he sinned?  No!  We are told... He suffered to identify with the sufferings of Christ.  To know Christ and  and the power of His resurrections.  He suffered to the point of death so that he might not depend on himself but depend on God.  He suffered  a thorn in his flesh that he ask God to remove 3 times.  God said my grace is sufficient for you.  God had revealed so much to Paul, he had a tendency toward pride. God used Paul's suffering to humble him, to work in his heart.  God uses suffering to train us.    Paul suffered for the sake of the spreading of the gospel.  He suffered on behalf of the church.  Christ left suffering for the church to do.  Christ suffered but never disobeyed His Father.

The law protects us to a certain degree in this fallen world.  If you do not kill or steal you will not go to prison for being a murderer or a thief.  If a child does not touch the stove he will not get burned.  The law cannot change a heart. To try to keep the law does not mean you know Jesus.  Being good doesn't save you.   As a matter of fact it shows us how much we need Jesus.  Because without the Spirit we cannot love.

We obey not to gain Gods blessings but because we love God.  God says if you love me you will keep my commandments.   Obedience is a sacrifice of worship and praise.  Trusting Christ brings peace and joy to the believer.  But because you obey Christ does not mean your life will be plentiful financially, in ministry, relationships or physically.  As a matter of fact the Christian is promised suffering.  Our hearts are to follow Christ out of deep gratitude and trust.  What is to obey anyway?  To love period. It is faith that pleases God.

 If you say I will just disobey because I am forgiven you don't understand grace.  You are in rebellion towards God.  To willfully sin is as if you crucify Christ again.  God says He disciplines those He loves. He will pull the rug out from under you.  If you are His, He will come get you and drag you home.  Look at Jonah.

Then why does God bless us?  I cannot possibly know all the reasons God blesses us.   Who can know His mind?  All I know is He blesses me all the time and I don't deserve it.  All I know is what scripture says God blesses the just and the unjust.  I believe it gives God great joy to bless.  He even uses our sin to bless us.  He does not bless us nor love us because we are good.  We may suffer consequences of bad choices.  No doubt we will unless God intervenes.  He makes us more like Jesus.  God blesses to bring Himself glory.  For us to know Him and His character.  God is good.  He uses it to win spiritual battles for us. To bring awe to Himself from the heavenly host.  It brings God great pleasure to bless His children.  Can you relate to that?

 Because we are covered with the blood of Jesus we receive the blessings of God.  When He sees us He sees our sin no more.  He doesn't remember it.  We are righteous and obedient and holy because Jesus has given us His righteousness, His holiness, His obedience.  God blesses us because of Jesus.
 Because of the Cross of Christ God will bless you today.  Thank Him.  Follow Him.  Surrender your will to Him.  Worship Him.  He is worthy to be praised.  Trust Him...miracles happen when we have faith.