Does a Christian Really Get Blessed?

It rains on the just and the unjust!

 

We all get blessed, it depends by whom.

 

>>I hear people say "God blessed me with a job" Non-believers get jobs>>

The "blessing" part all depends on the attitude of the recipient.

HankD

 

>>The "blessing" part all depends on the attitude of the recipient.>>

The attitude of the recipient: The thankful prayerful person considers the new job (for instance)an answer to prayer and a blessing from God, while an unbeliever or carnal Christian gives him/herself the credit for getting the job because of interviewing skills, education, past successes, etc.

 

First I want to say that just because you get it doesn't mean it's from God. Somtimes we get it when it is out of God's will . . . we get it because we want it.

God blesses the unjust so that they can see His loving hand in their lives . . . though it may be some times after the blessing before the recognize it as such. He blesses all so that He may be glorified.

Believers have blessings that are not available to unbelievers . . . peace, joy, eternal life, the tender ear of a loving Father, hope . . . the list could go on and on. But I would consider those the special blessings of believers only.

Wouldn't you agree?

[ August 27, 2001: Message edited by: KeeperOfMyHome ]

 

Jesus said there would be suffering. My wife suffers with a number of different ailments,
always in pain, but she gives God the glory
anyway. I'm the one that battles with it because it makes me suffer to see her suffer.
But we know, though we may not understand why
that its to Gods' Glory.
Eternal Life, I have that NOW, not when I die. Our Lord said he came that we may have life and have it more abunduntly. Thats present tense, not future.
Tender Ear? You'd better believe it!!, We have a Father that loved us enough that he gave his only begotten son. He hears our every cry, & answers every single time.
It may not be the answer we want, or even think we need, but he knows exactly what we DO need.
Hope... I don,t want to sound mean, but if your only hope is for the next life, you're missing the point. We LIVE now, in this day,
this moment. We may think its a sorry existence, but we serve a Risen Savior!
I'm going through a lot of rough times right
now but I'm not gonna' let satan get the upper hand. Draw nigh to God and he will draw nigh to you!

 

Dear Raulf,

Since you are asking me personally, this is how I consider "blessings".

That God blesses the just and the unjust doesn't matter to me.
I consider the good things in my life blessings from God. I always have and I always will.
When things don't go via the way of blessing then I think on the scripture: The Lord giveth, the Lord taketh away or, all things work together for good... etc.

Frankly Raulf, it sounds like you need a "blessing" from our Father in Heaven. Are things not going well for you brother?

your Bro
HankD

 

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Raulf7:
I hear people say "God blessed me with a job"

Non-believers get jobs

"God blessed me with money"

Non-believers have money

"God blessed me with good health"

Non-believers have good health


"God blessed me with a family"

Non-believers have families

"God blessed me with ______"

Non-believers have _______ (name it)

Please name a blessing that Christians get, apart from salvation, that a Non-believer doesnt get<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Interesting discussion. This is an area of current growth for me (almost a time of transition in my thinking here) so I apologize if my thoughts appear a bit disjointed.

The gift (or blessing) that we, as believers, receive is the gift of a relationship with God (salvation by grace through faith in Christ).

The problem that you seem to be referring to is the tendency we have to seek after the gifts of God rather than after God Himself. In other words, sometimes believers get caught in the trap of being satisfied by the things that God does for us rather than by being satisfied in Him.

In The Godward Life, Pastor John Piper writes:

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>The glory of bread is that it satisfies. The glory of living water is that it quenches thirst. We do not honor the refreshing, self-replenishing, pure water of a mountain spring by lugging buckets of water up the path to make our contributions from the ponds below. We honor the spring by feeling thirsty, getting down on our knees, and drinking with joy. Then we say "Ahhh!" (that's worship!), and we go on our journey in the strength of the fountain (that's service). The mountain spring is glorified most when we are most satisfied with its water.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

We, in upper North America, have been conditioned to see God's love in these "blessings". We need to be very careful not to see these things as an indicator of how much God loves us. God does not love us any more than He loves the Christians being killed or sold into slavery in the Sudan or those who are having their hands cut off in Egypt for merely translating the Scriptures into native tongues.

The danger in seeing God's love as exclusively expressed by earthly gifts is that we may tend to turn away from God when these gifts cease in coming.

[ August 28, 2001: Message edited by: Jonathan ]

 

God blessed me with "pain" so that I might know His comfort.

 

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Raulf7:
I wonder how much pain you could really take?<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

God knows us, and knows how much we can bear. He has promised never to lay upon us more than we could possibly bear.

But I'm sure you don't believe this either Raulf.

 

but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. (Isa 40:31 NIV)

Read Psalm 119

Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us. You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. (Rom 5:3-6 NIV)

God bless!