God is infinitely rich and good, and He has always blessed according to His abundant goodness. He asked Abraham to count the stars, and He said He would bless him with descendants as numerous as the sand of the sea because He saw an upright love in Abraham that sacrificed everything. When the children of Israel asked for food in the desert, God let manna rain down on them; He also rained meat on them like the dust and feathered fowl like the sand of the seas. Ps. 78:27. When the Lord was with Israel in their wars, they did not just barely overcome; their victories were resounding. When Aaron was anointed according to the precepts of the Lord, he was anointed abundantly. The precious oil ran down upon his head; it ran down over his beard and right down on the edge of his garments. Ps. 133. When Jesus saw the profuse love and thankfulness of the woman who broke the alabaster flask over His head, He rejoiced and said that wherever this gospel was preached in the whole world, what this woman had done would also be told as a memorial to her. Matt. 26:13. But then we read this significant passage in the following verse: “Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, ‘What are you willing to give me if I will deliver Him to you?’ And they counted out to him thirty pieces of silver.” When Judas witnessed this abundant work of blessing, which went right against his miserly, human reasoning, the devil entered into him, and it was just too much for him when he heard Jesus liberally praising her work. This is how it has been throughout the years. When the cup of good people flows over with goodness, the cup of evil people flows over with evil. We have examples of this right from the time of Cain and Abel, Saul and David, etc. When times of revival sweep over dry churches, it often happens that leading people end up in the last row, or even on the outside, whereas younger people are mightily blessed and used. Now times of blessing have truly come over us, and now it will be revealed what the hearts are filled with. Now it is vital that we open our hearts wide and let God’s light and purifying fire into their most hidden recesses. Then the glory of the Lord will fill the house, and rivers of blessing will flow from the sanctuary of the heart without ceasing. Jesus says that rivers of living water will flow out of the lives of those who believe in Him. We are called to be sons and daughters of God Almighty, with the same mind and the same Spirit. He is mighty to give us of the fullness of His goodness, so that it can reach us on all our ways, in abundant measure. Paul says, “Being reviled, we bless . . . .” Jesus is with us every day; therefore we will not just barely overcome, we will be more than conquerors. We will receive the powers of abundant grace and of the gift of righteousness so that we can live and reign with Him. Our peace will be like a river, our righteousness like the waves of the sea, and many waters will not be able to quench our love. The Ephesians were God-fearing and had partaken of life, but they had not entered into the blessing and glory into which Paul had entered. He prayed that God would give them enlightened eyes of the heart so they could comprehend the hope they were called to and what were the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power. Eph. 1:18-19. We have only a short time left. Now it is high time to receive anointed eyes so that we can understand our calling and can avail ourselves of these heavenly powers that are at our disposal, so that we can enter into this abundant glory that is offered us through fellowship with the saints. The gospel is the good tidings, and he who receives it with all his heart becomes a messenger of joy, for God is mighty to transform sinful and selfish people and fill them to overflowing with goodness, love, joy, and peace, so that they can be a blessing to both the good and the bad. He transforms us so that we become a pure, white, fragrant lily among thorns, a lily that continues to exude an aroma of heavenly glory and goodness at home and away, without ceasing. It is these fragrant lilies that the Lord will pick when He soon comes again. Life is so empty and dry without God’s blessing. How foolish it is to be on the outside when it is possible to be in the midst of all this goodness and glory. Selfishness, avarice and a demanding spirit are enemies of God and are anti-Christian. They are things that oppose the very nature of God. May a revival of blessing pour out over all this wickedness and this calculating Judas-reasoning that is so easily offended and thinks that God’s goodness and blessing are absurd. Afterwards, may there be an abundant sowing of blessing, so that there can also be a rich harvest and an abundant entrance into the heavenly habitations.Aksel J. Smith