Does Holiness and Righteousness Bring God's Activity and Blessing?

Thank you, Thank you very much...
I'll be here all week...

Oh.. you were talking about tater!

My bad.:tonofbricks:

 

This is where I said you left me flat footed. You said you were still blessed in the larger sense which I can agree with. As for the other, that is someting I can't agree or deny. I know there are times through our own guilt and shame we leave the presense of God but he is there all the time. Did we miss out on a blessing?? Hard to say. I can't support that with scripture.

 

Now you have put words to the feelings in my heart. Even when we are deprived we are being blessed for the depriving makes us stronger and better in the end.

 

Would you say I am as brilliant as Tater?

Or as bright as a burnt out lightbulb...

You are sooo right..

 

Of COURSE it was me he was talking about, lol. DUH!! :BangHead:


So when you guys were living in a wayin which you had seperated yourselves from Christ, am I understanding you to say that He was still working and blessing you just as much as other closer times? I am not trying to fuss, I am trying to understand. If thats the case, then why did you stop "backsliding" or whatever you want to call it and get back into a right relationship with Him - if theres no difference?

 

What I am saying is that discipline to get us back on the right track can be considered a blessing.. we may not see it that way until AFTER the fact.. but looking back, I can see where someone set me straight, and I can thank them now.. although it really hurt then....

In the same way.. discipline hurts... it sure doesn't feel like a blessing.. but it is when we see the results.

And amazingly, there were times that God did give me good things even when I was disobedient... I don't know why, but I knew who they came from.

I remember back when we were first married.. something happened in my life that I swore all preachers were fake... and I turned to alcohol... not just beer ( i couldn't stand the taste) I went straight to Vodka...

And even when I was drunk... not only was God disciplining me in someways.. he was still protecting me in others.. for he knew that in a few yrs.. I would get back on track. A couple times I drove 8 miles drunk! I don't even remember it... God had to protect me then.. although He had every right to allow me to die. He didn't.. I believe He looked ahead and saw that I was still usable.

I praise God that He is not in the throw away business...
And this is the type of ministry I am in....
God uses the unusable...

 

Do frogs like love bugs?

This is why I asked to have bless defined. Two words in the definition were work and act. Chastisement is acting and definately giving us what we need.

Like the mis-behaiving child you see so much potential in, God stays closer to one prone to stray so He can make constant correction. This is part of his Love attribute. I might be wrong but I believe when I'm weak he makes me strong. He is there and giving me what I need and not what I want.

Heb 12:6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.

 

I can certainly agree with that (although I cant see you drunk, lol) I am so glad He doesnt give us what we deserve.

(Thanks for the friendly discourse. Tater's bedtime. Night!) :wavey:

 

Brilliant, is that smarter than the average bear?

Burnt our bulbs save energy but are tough to read by... Now there is wisdom!

 

Didn't read the entire thread. So apologies up front if this verse has been posted above:

Eph. 6:1-3. Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. Honour thy father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise) That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth.

 

I had another thought.

Jesus said that if we put His righteousness first, all that we need (food, clothing, shelter) will be giving to us.

Does that mean we don't have to work? What if we just sat at home and did nothing expecting God to send money in the mail?

I think God expects us to do the right things and will give accordingly.

 

Quick question, do faithful, devout Christians have storms in their lives? How do we distinguish a storm from a period of God "not blessing"? Is it just a matter of what we call it? IOW, I was being good so this must be a storm vs. He was being bad so God is not blessing?

 

Excellent point. In one of my posts I sort of addressed that thought. We are not promised wealth, comfort and a carefree life as a believer. In fact, Jesus said those that believed in Him would suffer.
Just look at the NT church under Nero. Were they not blessed by God?

Our "true" blessings (I believe) are the spiritual rewards from God. The closeness in our relationship with Him.

 

One thing that often gets confused. When Jesus commanded us to pick up our cross and follow Him, He did not include such things as physical illness, financial setbacks or other problems that face Christians and non-Christians alike. The cross refers to persecution, rejection, and worldly loss we suffer as a direct result of spreading the gospel. So Christians will lose money in the stock market, get cancer, suffer from depression, etc.

The story of the rich young ruler always seems to be a good example.

Mar 10:21 Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me.

He of course counted the cost (literally) and decided he wasn't will to give up his great wealth to follow Christ.

Zacchaeus was quite another story.

Luk 19:8 And Zacchaeus stood, and said unto the Lord; Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore [him] fourfold.
Luk 19:9 And Jesus said unto him, This day is salvation come to this house, forsomuch as he also is a son of Abraham.
Luk 19:10 For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.

Did Zacchaeus "buy" his way into Heaven and the rich young ruler was unwilling to pay the price? Of course not. What was all important was that Zacchaeus made Christ the Lord of his life and the rich young ruler kept money as the lord of his life. Zacchaeus counted the cost and decided to follow Jesus. The rich young ruler did the same and refufed to accept the sacrifice.