THE TWOFOLD BLESSING.

I had another encounter recently with Mr Joel Osteen (remember my post about our first encounter?), let me tell you what happened. I was attending this conference and was quickly reminded that those things are seldom fun. Right about the time i was getting bored with my sorroundings and looking for a distraction from my distraction of choice, Mr Osteen showed like a good fairy godmother (er erhm , i beg your pardon Mister Osteen!). He was sitting on the rugged shelves of a book stand! Of course, he was smiling like he usually does, and wearing a black suit. It’s true! We (Mr J. Osteen and me that is) quickly got to talking, and he started telling me all this good stuff about “Becoming a better you”! This was just the sort of thing i needed to hear so after the conference i took me, my tired body and Mr Osteen back home ( erhm ... i didn’t think Mrs Osteen would mind very much) LOL

Anyways, “Becoming a better you” is a great book by J. Osteen which i am reading at the moment!

THE GOOD STUFF

I want to share something i learnt this year from my bible study. I call it the twofold blessing or the law of compensation. Read with me...

“Instead of your former shame, you shall have a twofold recompense; instead of dishonour and reproach your people shall rejoice in their portion. Therefore in their land they shall possess double what they had forfeited and everlasting joy shall be theirs” Isaiah 61: 7, AMP.

I first found out about the compensating blessing of God when i read that scripture but i didnt know what the two – fold recompense meant. I only knew from checking the dictionary that recompense means “ to give compensation to somebody for an injury or loss “ . On the authority of that word, i knew i could lay claim to a twofold compensation if i had an area of injury ( shame, dishonour, reproach e.t.c) or loss ( forfeited rights, with held dues, deprived entitlements). I understood that God would make things up to me where i had received undeserved treatment or suffered innocently- that much was clear. I would later find out more.

A few months afterward, i was in church with alot to thank God for when a thought dropped in my spirit;

God restores, then He compensates!

As i thought about it, i remembered Job. I became restless, waiting for the last “amen” so i could race home to check out Jobs experience for myself. I was eager to see if i would find a definate place where it said that God specifically restored then compensated and when i checked i saw the twofold, two-part blessing there!

1. The blessing of Restoration: The blessing that turns the captivity. The blessing that brings a turn about (a turn about is the act of turning completely around in the opposite direction or a shift from one situation to another that is the complete opposite). The blessing of restoration reinstates, reestablishes or restitutes.

2. The blessing of a Double portion: The blessing that doubles, the blessing that gives twice as much as what was before, the double for your trouble blessing, the blessing that attracts honour, brings sympathy and gives comfort and compensation.

Let me show you;

In the book of Job, from the first chapter, Job’s faith was tested (not unlike the trials you and i have in our lives) and in a single day he lost his assets & wealth (7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 yoke of oxen and 500 females donkeys), and all of his seven sons and three daughters. When God turned about Job’s situation, the book records that God blessed the latter days of Job more than his beginning. I believe the blessing Job received was the twofold recompense mentioned in Isaiah.

See Job 42: 10
“And the lord (1)turned the captivity of job and restored his fortunes; also the lord(2) gave Job twice as much as he had before.” AMP.

God restored all of Jobs children and every asset he had lost, then he doubled it giving Job 14,000 sheep, 6,000 camels, 1,000 yoke of oxen and 1,000 female donkeys. Talk about double for your trouble! The blessing even overflowed to the next generation because Job’s daughters were the fairest girls in the land and although they were women, they received an equal inheritance as their brothers!

“Because you got a double dose of trouble and more than your share of contempt, your inheritance in the land will be doubled and your joy go on forever.”Isaiah 61: 7. MSG

It also happened for Joseph. When God turned Joseph’s slavery around, he restored his freedom and then he gave him double for his trouble- he took him from the prison to the palace! Wow! When God restores, he compensates; when he reverses captivity, he makes up for lost ground; when he allows you go through the shame and the blame; he allows you to be comforted! He sends a blessing of compensation- the twofold recompense!

He is a God who gives beauty for ashes, strenght for fear, gladness for mourning, peace for despair! He is a God who turns mourning into dancing! Who binds the broken hearted and heals their wounds! God will make us forget the pain of yesterday! He is a good God! Say with me:

Lord i thank you because i will rejoice in my portion.
Thank you because you will restore whatever i have been deprived of.
Thank you because you will compensate me for everything i have lost.
Thank you because i have double for my trouble. Amen