Mechanized God or Mysterious Grace?

When people get a sense of assurance that God accepts them and that assurance rises from their sincerity, their past experience of conversion, their recent religious performance/success, or even from "things going my way" – when life is sweet or especially good… Then when that DOESN'T happen… I feel like, "Wait! God is apparently NOT blessing me right now – what did I do to deserve this and how can I shape up so the blessings will return?"

That's the dynamic I want to address today.

1. The Dynamic Described
2. The Dynamic Illustrated
3. The Dynamic and the Final Word