Outrageous blessing....

[lovespeace]

This seems to be my day for asking questions. We, my husband, children and I are outrageously blessed. That is the only way to describe it. Can't say we lack for anything, and what we have is given us in abundance. We have a happy marriage, lovely children, and more money than we can ever spend. My husband has an incredible career and our business is unbelivable. I cannot subscibe this prosperity to anything but God, for various reasons. For example, It did not happen, until I surrended what God told me I had to, (things I had to do and be obedient to).

My question is, Why did God bless us? I have a few options, I would love opinions.

1. My husband, even though not a Christian, gives away about twenty percent of his income, to those who are low. We always help all the people we can, right now for example we are putting three people through college, as well as many other things. Does God bless things like this?

2. Propsperity has nothing to do with God, aka, Eccleciaties, prosperity goes both to the good and bad in this life.

3. I told my husband a long time ago that if we had the money, I never wanted to work for money. I wanted to volenteer and work with the poor, he agreed, and said he would do the say. He is tired of working to make money, wants to make a diffence in the world.

4. Just random chance.

My second question. I feel bad when I see people suffering. We are prob in the top 0.5% for income in the US. But I see so many good Christian people struggling just for enough money to survive, and I feel bad that we have enough and they do not. I can see no reason why God would bless us and not everybody. We are no better than anybody else.

I am not equating money with God's blessing, just makes me question why we have so much when others are struggling. Money is not the most important thing in the world, but not having enough is very hard too.

Thanks.

 

[Blessed-one]

Why did God bless us?

we cannot 'work' for salvation, and it goes the same for blessings i believe. It is by His plan and His grace of whom He gives to and what He gives. I think it's enough that you are appreciating His blessings, counting them, treasuring them, and are willing to use them to in turn to help others.

My second question. I feel bad when I see people suffering. We are prob in the top 0.5% for income in the US. But I see so many good Christian people struggling just for enough money to survive, and I feel bad that we have enough and they do not. I can see no reason why God would bless us and not everybody. We are no better than anybody else.

same answer as above. But let's check Matthew 25:14-30. God gives and He expects us to use his blessings wisely. Although this passage applies more to spiritual gifts and missing opportunities (according to my bible commentary), i suppose the same principle can be applied.

 

[allieisme]

This seems to be my day for asking questions. We, my husband, children and I are outrageously blessed. That is the only way to describe it. Can't say we lack for anything, and what we have is given us in abundance. We have a happy marriage, lovely children, and more money than we can ever spend. My husband has an incredible career and our business is unbelivable. I cannot subscibe this prosperity to anything but God, for various reasons. For example, It did not happen, until I surrended what God told me I had to, (things I had to do and be obedient to).

My question is, Why did God bless us? I have a few options, I would love opinions.

1. My husband, even though not a Christian, gives away about twenty percent of his income, to those who are low. We always help all the people we can, right now for example we are putting three people through college, as well as many other things. Does God bless things like this?

2. Propsperity has nothing to do with God, aka, Eccleciaties, prosperity goes both to the good and bad in this life.

3. I told my husband a long time ago that if we had the money, I never wanted to work for money. I wanted to volenteer and work with the poor, he agreed, and said he would do the say. He is tired of working to make money, wants to make a diffence in the world.

4. Just random chance.

My second question. I feel bad when I see people suffering. We are prob in the top 0.5% for income in the US. But I see so many good Christian people struggling just for enough money to survive, and I feel bad that we have enough and they do not. I can see no reason why God would bless us and not everybody. We are no better than anybody else.

I am not equating money with God's blessing, just makes me question why we have so much when others are struggling. Money is not the most important thing in the world, but not having enough is very hard too.

Thanks.

I guess my first question is why do you not think God would bless YOU and your family?
*AND* In my opinion, God does bless those who believe.. its not all about the monetary issues.

 

[Rafael]

God does apply special blessings to those that give to the poor. If you pray, I'm sure God will open your husbands heart to the gospel too. We aren't saved by our works, but by the work Jesus did on the cross. Once we have been born again and given a new spirit, we are to follow after Jesus in good works that He asks about when He returns. You've heard them - "Did you feed me when I was hungry and did you clothe me when I was naked?" "Did you visit me when I was sick and did you give me shelter when I was a stranger?" The poor is our business and responsibility and it is good that you and your husband realize this. It would be great if more people did and then the world would not be in such distress.

Lu 6:38 If you give, you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full measure, pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, and running over. Whatever measure you use in giving—large or small—it will be used to measure what is given back to you."

Mt 5:42 Give to those who ask, and don’t turn away from those who want to borrow.

Jeremiah 22:16 He defended the cause of the POOR & NEEDY, and so all went well. Is that not what it means to KNOW me! declares the Lord.

I JOHN 3:16-19 This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with ACTIONS and TRUTH. This then is how we KNOW that we belong to the truth and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence whenever our hearts condemn us.

 

[lovespeace]

I am not questioning why God would bless us, I know all the verses in both the the OT and NT. My life is kind of like a begger who wanted a dollar for something to eat, and somebody turned around and gave him a million dollars. I have been blessed in every way, physically and spiritually. I want everybody to have it, and wonder why some Christians have to suffer so much.

 

[sawdust]

This seems to be my day for asking questions. We, my husband, children and I are outrageously blessed. That is the only way to describe it. Can't say we lack for anything, and what we have is given us in abundance. We have a happy marriage, lovely children, and more money than we can ever spend. My husband has an incredible career and our business is unbelivable. I cannot subscibe this prosperity to anything but God, for various reasons. For example, It did not happen, until I surrended what God told me I had to, (things I had to do and be obedient to).

My question is, Why did God bless us? I have a few options, I would love opinions.

1. My husband, even though not a Christian, gives away about twenty percent of his income, to those who are low. We always help all the people we can, right now for example we are putting three people through college, as well as many other things. Does God bless things like this?

2. Propsperity has nothing to do with God, aka, Eccleciaties, prosperity goes both to the good and bad in this life.

3. I told my husband a long time ago that if we had the money, I never wanted to work for money. I wanted to volenteer and work with the poor, he agreed, and said he would do the say. He is tired of working to make money, wants to make a diffence in the world.

4. Just random chance.

My second question. I feel bad when I see people suffering. We are prob in the top 0.5% for income in the US. But I see so many good Christian people struggling just for enough money to survive, and I feel bad that we have enough and they do not. I can see no reason why God would bless us and not everybody. We are no better than anybody else.

I am not equating money with God's blessing, just makes me question why we have so much when others are struggling. Money is not the most important thing in the world, but not having enough is very hard too.

Thanks.

God has given you money (prosperity) for the same reason He has given others poverty, to see how you will handle it. What we have or have not, do or do not, are not the important things to God. The only question of importance that God asks is "How much like My Son are you and to what degree are you willing to be trained to be more like Him?"
Money is a responsibility, a lot of money is a bigger responsibility. Can you handle the responsibility in grace, love and humility?
In some ways prosperity can be a harder trial to overcome than poverty. The "faithful poor" know they have no other means at their disposal other than the Grace of God, but the rich have the temptation of means apart from God with them all the time.
In answer to your questions:
In truth, none of us have options, that is if we desire Life.
Jn14:6 "I am the way, the truth and the life." None will know true happiness apart from Jesus Christ. I think you already recognise this wisdom when you say that you are not "equating money with God's blessing". There are many who have money yet do not have inner happiness and peace. For it is the truth inside us (ie indwelling Holy Spirit) that causes us to have true happiness and peace not our outward circumstances. God does not bless anything we do (service), He blesses us according to the degree of capacity we have for inner joy, peace, love etc (fruits of the Spirit). Your marriage, children and money are not God's blessing but rather the means by which God can bless you. If you "walk in the light as He is in the light" then you will make a difference in this world wherever and whatever you do. For the world sits in darkness and yet the Light of this world has come.

The Lord makes His sun to shine and His rain to fall on the good and bad alike. Just because others do not have what you have does not mean God is not blessing them. He is training them in a differnet way to you for we are all different and God deals with us according to our needs. "Man cannot live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God."
Whatever we do, we must do it in faith, for this alone is what pleases God. So if we see our brother in need and we give, then if our giving it is not by faith, it is as worthless as our not giving.

In all things we must keep in mind that if God were to give to us according to what we "deserve" then it would be a day of death for all. But He does not give according to our merits but according to His riches in Christ and these are more than abundant for all who trust Him. Of this we can all be thankful, including the unbeliever, for whether they recognise the Grace of God or not, it is what keeps them for the day of opportunity until all things are made complete.

 

[desi]

If God blesses you why question it, for who can know the mind of God? Just be thankful.

 

[lovespeace]

I am by nature a frugal person, and we flat out give away about twenty percent of all that we have. Try to help all that we can, everybody who needs it. Don't care about money that much, but most do, and I don't see why we are blessed with more than we need. So many people have to stuggle for food, housing ect, and I do not even have to think about those things.

 

[kbean]

If yuo look at it, everything is a blessing dear friend....even struggles, adversity...and prosperity. In each thing I believe the true value lies in the lesson it teaches.
I am one of those 'struggling' folks you mentioned, but I think I feel as blessed as you do. It's all about perspective. Just enjoy every blessing and thank God for it, no matter what form it comes in!
Bless you!!