Have you ever taken a plane trip and turned down the meal you were served because the cost of the meal was not included in the price of the ticket? Of course not. You accept your meal and all accompaniments because you are entitled to them simply because you purchased a plane ticket. Have you ever been given a car wash at a gas station because you filled up the tank? Did you turn it down because you did not pay for it? No! You accepted it because it was a benefit of buying gas at that particular station. 

     Many of you are longing for the goodness of God, but you are not aware of all that is included in the price Jesus paid for you way back on Calvary.  You know that every good and perfect gift is from above (James 1:17). If you get a raise on your job, you thank God! If you find the mate that you have been searching for, you thank the Lord. All good and perfect things come from God. You do not turn down anything. God has everything you that you will ever need laid up in his heavenly stores. You can receive not only good gifts from God, but you receive gifts that are perfect and complete. In order to receive from God, you must place yourself in an upright position and in an advantageous stance. You must place yourself in a position to receive. You now know that in order to receive from God we must come to Him in prayer and faith and our requests must be specific. This chapter will continue to build on that foundation.

Which Way Are You Walking?

     The Lord protects you from harm. He gives grace, and He gives glory. He will never withhold any good thing from those who walk uprightly (James 1:17).

       It is now harvest time. It is time to reap from those seeds which you have sown. There is not one good thing that God has in His possession that He will withhold from you if you are walking uprightly. Conversely, there are some good things He is withholding from those who are not walking uprightly. What does it mean to walk uprightly? If you have envy in your heart and are coveting the things of those around you, you are not walking uprightly. If you murder, lie, cheat and steal, you are not walking uprightly.  You would be surprised how many people are living unrighteous lives and yet they still wonder why God has not answered their prayers.

     To walk uprightly means to walk perfectly, justly, in integrity, with no spot or blemish. God told Abram to walk before Him and to be perfect (Genesis 17:1). If you are walking before God, then He can see every move that you make. If you are walking uprightly, perfectly, justly and in integrity, and there is something that you desire to have and you still do not have it, then you can conclude that what you desire is not good for you. If the desire of your heart is good, pefect and just, and you do not have it,  there is something wrong with your walk. Be honest with yourself and be honest with God. There is nothing that you can hide from Him. Ask him to help you overcome the sin that is in your life.

     Every good gift is from above. Every good thing that God has is yours. There is not one good thing He will withhold. However, there are a lot of situations in which you may force God to withhold your desires either because you are not walking uprightly or what you are searching for is not good. Search your heart and make sure that your intentions are right. If you are walking uprightly and your intentions are good, you have only to be patient. This is your insurance from heaven. You serve such a loving God that you can be sure that anything He grants you will be good to you and good for you. Trust in Him. God knows what is best for you, and it will be to your advantage; it will make you happy, it will be a great blessing; and it will delight and please your heart.

Delight Yourself

     The things that bring you true happiness in life always have their root in the Holy Spirit. Delight yourself in the Lord, then He will give you the things that you want (Psalm 37:4). After God created Adam He declared that it was not good for man to be alone. He decided to make a helpmate for him (Genesis 2:18). Notice that Adam never asked for a wife. God simply noticed that there was something good He was withholding from Adam. He said, “I’ve created the world and declared everything in it to be good, yet my servant does not have a wife. There’s something good I’m withholding from Him.” Understand that since this was before Adam sinned, Adam was walking uprightly. And since he was walking uprightly, God could not withhold Eve. If you are walking uprightly, He will not withhold any good thing from you either. To those of you who are seeking God for a spouse, remember that whoever finds a good wife (spouse) finds a good thing (Proverbs 18:22). This is scripture. Remember to remind God of His Word when you are seeking a spouse. God cannot withhold your spouse if you are walking uprightly.

           If you are walking justly, in integrity and in truth, God will seek ways to make you even happier. This is why the Gospel is called the Good News.

Foolish or Wise?

     A man who has a great deal of spiritual understanding automatically walks uprightly. He understands that no good thing is withheld from him who walks uprightly. As a result of that understanding, he desires to walk uprightly in order to receive every good and perfect gift to which he is entitled. In Psalm 37:37, the psalmist admonishes you to take a good look at the man who walks uprightly. You already know that God told Abram to walk before Him and be perfect.  Ultimately, you should not only want to obtain the good things that God has in store for you, but you should desire to obtain God himself. Surely God is good, and He will not withhold Himself from you.  God is your reward, and with God as your rewad, of course, you can have it all!

       Before he was known as the Father of Faith, and before his name was changed, Abram asked God what he would give him since he had no children (Genesis 2:15). How many of you have wondered what God will give you if you are without children or a mate? Abram was lacking a good thing --- a child. Abram had everything, for he was rich in cattle, in silver and in gold, and even God Himself declared that He was Abram’s “exceeding, great reward” but he lacked an heir. So, Abram’s heart’s desire was given unto him. Because Abram walked uprightly, God would not withhold that good thing, a child, from Abram.

     Whether you lack adequate finances, a spouse, a child, or if your physical condition requires a healing touch, God wants you to have it all. Nothing would please God more than to know that you are pleased. He wants to mark you as His perfect, upright child. He wants you to order your steps before Him and live a Godly, sinless life knowing that you will be rewarded with every good, perfect and complete gift. He is the Father of lights, and He is your sun. As long as you walk before Him, He will be a light unto your path. And as long as you delight yourself in Him, He will give you the desires of your heart.

Summary -- Having It All

1. Know that you can have it all.

2. Understand that every good and perfect gift is from above.

3. Understand that no good thing will God withhold from them who walk uprightly:
  
       If you are walking uprightly and have not received your “good thing,” then it is not as good as you think, and God will withhold it.
      
       If you definitely know that the thing you seek is good and perfect, and you have not received it, then you are not walking uprightly.