Before I start, I just want to ask you to pray that God reveals to you what He wants as you read this. Ask Him to open your mind and heart, that you will receive my words well.
I was talking to a friend this week about something and then again today. It seems God is teaching me a certain principle about Him and I have been given the opportunity to share it with a couple people already. Sometimes, I don't know everything God has in store. And even though I know He is a loving God, I catch myself asking, "Does He really want this for me? Am I being selfish?" Because I feel like so many Christians think that God doesn't want us to live a rewarding life, or a blessed and fulfilled life. Especially, if money is involved. First off, money isn't good or bad. It depends on the person - good people do good things with money. Bad people do bad things with money. And even though I don't agree that material things should be idols, I do believe that there isn't anything wrong with having nice things. Dustin and I are building a business right now, to make money. More money. But I believe we are blessing others with this business and when the money comes in, we have plans for it. I know that if we were blessed with abundance, we would share the wealth. We have so many people we want to help out monetarily. Just like today, I had lunch with a friend who is struggling financially right now, and has been for the past year and a half. If I already had extra cash, you can bet I would anonymously be slipping some into her purse. Now, I do want a nicer home, and a nicer and safer car (yes I know we have a pretty good one right now and I am thankful - but it won't last forever), but is that really so wrong? As long as I am not idolizing it and making it my priority, I believe the Lord wants to bless us like this at times. As much as I believe that God doesn't want us to be poor, He also doesn't want us to hoard. If I had more, I would share more. I believe God blesses those He can trust. Because the money isn't ours anyway, it is His. We are just stewards over it and He decides how much we can handle. Dustin and I have made poor choices in the past 4 years of marriage, concerning finances, but I believe we are learning to make better choices. We tithe every month, whether money is tight or not. We have made that decision to give God what He asks of us. That in itself has made a huge difference. We have faith that He won't drop us on our tooshes. Because He does want us to have a rich life (not necessarily monetarily). At the same time, if you don't believe that He wants the best for you, then you probably won't have the best. We have to believe it before we will ever receive it - that is faith! I heard this expression one time: "If you think you can't, you're right. If you think you can, you're right." How are we thinking? And do we really believe that God wants to pour His favor on us? Now, I have a friend who had a problem with that word, and I understand what he meant. Let me try and explain what I think God's favor is. (Refer to Ephesians 2:7) Basically, you need to expect God's blessings. Make room in your own thinking* - remove negativity and focus on being positive. What I mean by that is, have nice thoughts about yourself, and when things are going not so good, keep an uplifting and faithful outlook. Don't dwell on the bad things - don't criticize and complain that nothing ever seems to go your way. Stay positive. God's favor is His joy, that He wants us to have. Read Matthew 9:17*. God cannot give us His blessings if we are not open to them. Just like in Matthew it says, "You can't put new wine into old wineskins." If we keep a defeated attitude, a faithless attitude, God can't bless that. He wants us to see all that He wants for us. Even though we are here to be His disciples and to make disciples, He wants us to have a great life on earth. Yes, there are rewards in Heaven that nothing on earth can measure against. But there are rewards here too. Don't think of it as being selfish or better than anyone else. Because we aren't. We are saved. We just need to remember that He is a giving God. Faith is believing that good things are always coming your way. Does that mean you won't ever have a bad day again? No, of course not. But keeping His favor in mind and staying positive and faithful through the sludge is how He wants us to live.
Another thing my friend and I were talking about was the fact that there are faithful Christians out there living in mud huts and serving Him in more desolate areas. True. Does that mean they are not living a rich life or have the favor of God? No! They are doing the best that they can with what God has given them in these situations. They chose to do that and that makes them fulfilled. Not everyone is called to do that. But those that are, are faithful and filled with the Father's joy. Why? Because He has placed it on their hearts, it is their dream to do what they are doing. They have the favor of God.
God has had this on my heart for a while now, and I hope that as you read this that you saw how much God wants for all us. Also, I am not writing this out of selfishness, trying to turn His words and meaning into something materialistic. To wrap it up, just know that God truly loves you and wants the best for you.
*From book Your Best Life Now by Joel Osteen
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5 comments:
God cannot give us His blessings if we are not open to them.
Cassie, that is your quote and I have a question about it. Does that mean we do not receive blessings from God before we are Christians? There are many things in life we, as Christians, attribute to God that you can also attribute to hard work. Such as, I got the promotion because I was willing to go back to school to get a degree and I worked hard for it or Wow, look how God has blessed me. Is it hard work before we are Christians because we are not open to God's blessings and after we are Christians it is His blessing because we are now open to it?
Just wondering what your thoughts are on this part of your post. I loved reading it and thinking through these things with you.
Hey Karen. That is a valid point. And I never seem to write everything I mean to say. But at the same time, we all pick up on different ideas as we read something. I do believe that God blesses hard work. I believe that hard work is great and it is through hard work that great things come. And I am not saying non-believers do not get blessed, but they just don't get everything that God hopes for them. Just like non-Christians can work hard in life and go far, but they will not fulfill the potential that God has for them if they do not know Him. Does that make sense? And no, hard work does not stop just because we are Christians. I believe He wants us to work hard and struggle sometimes because that is how we learn, like with our financial decisions. And like our business, we have to work hard at it, and be a blessing to others. But I also believe God has so much out there He wants to do for us. But I also believe that those blessings may not come when we would think they should come. We have to live our life everyday that is pleasing to Him. Being positive and expecting His blessings just makes life so much easier to deal with, knowing that He is out there and wanting the very best for His children. Also, before we are Christians, God can bless us, but we would not know that. If we were not open to Him, how can we see it as being blessed? I appreciate your comment and hope that I answered your questions.
Regarding the question: "Does that mean we do not receive blessings from God before we are Christians?" Here are my thoughts: In James we learn that every good gift is from God. Certainly God blesses non believers in His pursuit of them. Also, non believers go through trials because God is pursuing them and drawing each one to Himself, if they will cooperate and heed His voice. God has such an individual plan for each of us. Some people will have riches, some will not - believers and non-believers alike. It's not wealth that makes our life abundant. It is grace, beautiful and sweet grace!
We can't assume that all believers will have financial abundance. Paul, for example sat in prison but he had great joy in the midst of terrible trials. That is a rich life if I've ever heard of one!
He doesn't promise wealth (this side of heaven) but He promises we'll have everything we need. If our motives are pure, then there is nothing wrong with pursuing a new business, a promotion or other ways we can be a blessing to Him by blessing others.
Here's a verse that I've been meditating on lately regarding starting my photography business. I hope it blesses you as it has me:
"Farmers who wait for perfect weather never plant. If they watch every cloud, they never harvest. Just as you cannot understand the path of the wind the mystery of a tiny baby growing in it's mother's womb, so you do not understand the activity of God, who does all things. Plant your seed in the morning and keep busy all afternoon, for you don't know if profit will come from one activity or another -or maybe both." Ecclesiastes 11:4-6 NLT
I am reading this article second time today, you have to be more careful with content leakers. If I will fount it again I will send you a link
God don't need your help to help you,promotion comes from GOD and if HE want to promote you,you don't need to go back to school and get more degree b4 GOD promote you,what GOD want from us is our faith to believe that with HIM all things are possible.
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