HisWordIsSufficient Posted November 7, 2005 Group: Advanced Member Followers: 0 Topic Count: 13 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 342 Content Per Day: 0.08 Reputation: 1 Days Won: 0 Joined: 05/18/2012 Status: Offline Share Posted November 7, 2005 The reason some are prosperous and some are not? I think its a case of Faith alot of the time. Equating health and properity to faith is a doctrine of the pharisees. Equating lack of health and prosperity to lack of faith is equally a doctrine of the pharisees. I agree with that. It seems we have developed, in the west, the mindset that because we have faith, we should automatically receive. We need to be careful when it comes to how we relate one's faith to one's well-being. There are many who are faithful in their devotion to God who live in poverty, though they did not seek it--yet they are still faithful despite it. There are many who are faith who are wealthy, though they did not seek it--yet they too are still faithful (though it seems most who become wealthy become less faithful ). Likewise, there are those who are faithless, or who are literally evil and corrupt, who live in wealth and health despite their life styles, and it seems unfair that they have such things. Yet there are others who are exactly the same way, yet who are in poverty. The rain falls both on the wicked and the righteous, just as disaster can come to both. If anything stands as good Biblical advice right now, I think it would be this: Read Matthew 6:25-34... do not worry... seek God first, and everything that you need (not want, but need) will be provided to you. Youll notice i said ALOT of the time... not all of the time. I know this from personal experience. I just couldnt grasp God's healing power. I couldnt believe that it was for today. People prayed for my healing, and id be sort of hoping, maybe... no. Then God showed me truth and i believed and was healed. My faith healed me. Just like Jesus said to the woman with the blood issue, it was her faith in his ability to heal that healed her. So i say again. ALOT of the time, its a faith issue, that is not a "pharisee statement". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pipit Posted November 7, 2005 Group: Advanced Member Followers: 0 Topic Count: 27 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 247 Content Per Day: 0.03 Reputation: 0 Days Won: 0 Joined: 02/17/2004 Status: Offline Birthday: 07/10/1981 Share Posted November 7, 2005 The reason some are prosperous and some are not? I think its a case of Faith alot of the time. Equating health and properity to faith is a doctrine of the pharisees. Equating lack of health and prosperity to lack of faith is equally a doctrine of the pharisees. I agree with that. It seems we have developed, in the west, the mindset that because we have faith, we should automatically receive. We need to be careful when it comes to how we relate one's faith to one's well-being. There are many who are faithful in their devotion to God who live in poverty, though they did not seek it--yet they are still faithful despite it. There are many who are faith who are wealthy, though they did not seek it--yet they too are still faithful (though it seems most who become wealthy become less faithful ). Likewise, there are those who are faithless, or who are literally evil and corrupt, who live in wealth and health despite their life styles, and it seems unfair that they have such things. Yet there are others who are exactly the same way, yet who are in poverty. The rain falls both on the wicked and the righteous, just as disaster can come to both. If anything stands as good Biblical advice right now, I think it would be this: Read Matthew 6:25-34... do not worry... seek God first, and everything that you need (not want, but need) will be provided to you. Youll notice i said ALOT of the time... not all of the time. I know this from personal experience. I just couldnt grasp God's healing power. I couldnt believe that it was for today. People prayed for my healing, and id be sort of hoping, maybe... no. Then God showed me truth and i believed and was healed. My faith healed me. Just like Jesus said to the woman with the blood issue, it was her faith in his ability to heal that healed her. So i say again. ALOT of the time, its a faith issue, that is not a "pharisee statement". I guess i should have expanded a wee bit on where I was going... I am not saying that we should not have faith when it comes to matters of health and wealth (Matthrew 6:25-34 requires faith in God's provision), I am saying we should be careful in how we relate faith to it. Such things as the prosperity gospel have made it seem that if you don't have lots of things or are healthy, you don't have real faith. Health and wealth and so forth should not be used as a means to guage one's faith, and one's faith should not be dependent on the state of one's health or on someone's bank account. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kabowd Posted November 7, 2005 Group: Royal Member Followers: 0 Topic Count: 112 Topics Per Day: 0.02 Content Count: 3,489 Content Per Day: 0.48 Reputation: 13 Days Won: 0 Joined: 07/28/2004 Status: Offline Share Posted November 7, 2005 The reason some are prosperous and some are not? I think its a case of Faith alot of the time. Equating health and properity to faith is a doctrine of the pharisees. Equating lack of health and prosperity to lack of faith is equally a doctrine of the pharisees. I agree with that. It seems we have developed, in the west, the mindset that because we have faith, we should automatically receive. We need to be careful when it comes to how we relate one's faith to one's well-being. There are many who are faithful in their devotion to God who live in poverty, though they did not seek it--yet they are still faithful despite it. There are many who are faith who are wealthy, though they did not seek it--yet they too are still faithful (though it seems most who become wealthy become less faithful ). Likewise, there are those who are faithless, or who are literally evil and corrupt, who live in wealth and health despite their life styles, and it seems unfair that they have such things. Yet there are others who are exactly the same way, yet who are in poverty. The rain falls both on the wicked and the righteous, just as disaster can come to both. If anything stands as good Biblical advice right now, I think it would be this: Read Matthew 6:25-34... do not worry... seek God first, and everything that you need (not want, but need) will be provided to you. Youll notice i said ALOT of the time... not all of the time. I know this from personal experience. I just couldnt grasp God's healing power. I couldnt believe that it was for today. People prayed for my healing, and id be sort of hoping, maybe... no. Then God showed me truth and i believed and was healed. My faith healed me. Just like Jesus said to the woman with the blood issue, it was her faith in his ability to heal that healed her. So i say again. ALOT of the time, its a faith issue, that is not a "pharisee statement". According to Romans 12:3 and Ephesians 2:9, faith is a gift given to us by God, not something we can muster up on our own. So how can we even take credit for our faith or the measure thereof? When Jesus said "your faith has made you well" did He mean "the faith that you produced on your own, has made you well"? Or did He mean, "the faith that God produced has made you well"? My mother believed in God's ability to heal her of her cancer. She was a woman of GREAT faith (which was manifested in her life in how she served God and others). Yet...she never received the physical healing that she prayed for (until she went to heaven of course). Some might say that her faith was too small, but who can judge that but God? If lack of faith is to blame for anything, the responsibility inevitably must fall to God, since He is the one who distributes it alone. In all reality, it takes more faith to suffer through hardship and pain than it does to be relieved of it. It's easy to have faith when you're healthy and problem-free. Show me someone who is still clinging to God when their life literally falls apart, and I'll show you someone of great faith. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest lovingthelordallday Posted November 7, 2005 Share Posted November 7, 2005 Why do some people have it all and others not? And does it mean if someone has little here on Earth, will have more in Heaven? Just don't understand. Am I wrong to want things here on Earth, and what does it really mean, Ask and ye shall receive... and he will give us the desires of our heart. Ask and ye shall receive...God does answer us. However, when we pray and we ask, we are to ask for God's will. Is it God's Will that I have a beautiful home, a nice car, debt free? God gives us the ability to live here on earth, he gives us the ability to work. Some of us are blessed with different gifts. Everything we receive from the Lord is to His Glory. We all will have our needs answered in Heaven, it's God's plan. God provides us with our needs. One day my husband made the statement: "Sometimes I wish I didn't have to do all this running or work so hard." Ahhhhh... I replied: Becareful and don't even think that way. GOD will answer your request. God does answer us, not always the way we want or when we want. Who knows how God might have answered his wish, by taking his job from him? Taking his life and giving him the eternal peace we are promised? By taking his God given abilities to do the things he needs to do and using those abilities to serve God? I feel God gave me a good life, this gives me the ability to testify how God has worked in my life. For some people God has given them the difficult path, in this way, they can build a better relationship with God. If we're praying, we're communicating with God. GOD wants us to communicate with HIM constantly. God blesses each of us differently, we all have God given gifts, Material and Spiritual, it's through our relationship with God how choose to use these gifts as HE intended. I believe what we must ask for is not "things" from God, such as, let me win the lottery Lord to make my life easier. Do not covet material things or our "wants". Take what the Lord has given you thus far and be "blessed", take note in how you pray and ask. God does give and God does take, open your heart and listen to HIM, you'll have RECEIVED then. All this is only my opinion and what I've learned through my walk with GOD. I've been up, I've been down, I truely believe each situation and "given" builds my character, and GOD does build our character preparing us for HIS work. EVERYTHING is done for the GLORY of GOD. Love in His Name Lynn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest lovingthelordallday Posted November 7, 2005 Share Posted November 7, 2005 The reason some are prosperous and some are not? I think its a case of Faith alot of the time. Equating health and properity to faith is a doctrine of the pharisees. Equating lack of health and prosperity to lack of faith is equally a doctrine of the pharisees. I agree with that. It seems we have developed, in the west, the mindset that because we have faith, we should automatically receive. We need to be careful when it comes to how we relate one's faith to one's well-being. There are many who are faithful in their devotion to God who live in poverty, though they did not seek it--yet they are still faithful despite it. There are many who are faith who are wealthy, though they did not seek it--yet they too are still faithful (though it seems most who become wealthy become less faithful ). Likewise, there are those who are faithless, or who are literally evil and corrupt, who live in wealth and health despite their life styles, and it seems unfair that they have such things. Yet there are others who are exactly the same way, yet who are in poverty. The rain falls both on the wicked and the righteous, just as disaster can come to both. If anything stands as good Biblical advice right now, I think it would be this: Read Matthew 6:25-34... do not worry... seek God first, and everything that you need (not want, but need) will be provided to you. Youll notice i said ALOT of the time... not all of the time. I know this from personal experience. I just couldnt grasp God's healing power. I couldnt believe that it was for today. People prayed for my healing, and id be sort of hoping, maybe... no. Then God showed me truth and i believed and was healed. My faith healed me. Just like Jesus said to the woman with the blood issue, it was her faith in his ability to heal that healed her. So i say again. ALOT of the time, its a faith issue, that is not a "pharisee statement". According to Romans 12:3 and Ephesians 2:9, faith is a gift given to us by God, not something we can muster up on our own. So how can we even take credit for our faith or the measure thereof? When Jesus said "your faith has made you well" did He mean "the faith that you produced on your own, has made you well"? Or did He mean, "the faith that God produced has made you well"? My mother believed in God's ability to heal her of her cancer. She was a woman of GREAT faith (which was manifested in her life in how she served God and others). Yet...she never received the physical healing that she prayed for (until she went to heaven of course). Some might say that her faith was too small, but who can judge that but God? If lack of faith is to blame for anything, the responsibility inevitably must fall to God, since He is the one who distributes it alone. In all reality, it takes more faith to suffer through hardship and pain than it does to be relieved of it. It's easy to have faith when you're healthy and problem-free. Show me someone who is still clinging to God when their life literally falls apart, and I'll show you someone of great faith. I have a friend that was/is deeply in love with her husband of 20+ years. He, however made her married life a bad experience. She would ask me to pray for him and for her, their marriage. We would pray together. What we prayed for was peace in her life, that he would change. After eight long years, she has received her prayers. We truely believe they were answered, not in the way she would have wanted, but in God's way. They have seperated and finally divorced. This woman has finally received her peace, the burden of unhappiness has been lifted, she went through agony getting there, but she did not give up. I believe in her heart she was hoping God would change her husband's ways, that they would remain married, happily, however, he did answer her prayers. In this she has become closer to God, she has started rebuilding her relationship, she is able to witness to others through her experience and is helping some women deal with such situations as abuse, mental and physical. She has taken what the Lord gave her and she is using this to HIS Glory. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gerioke Posted November 7, 2005 Group: Royal Member Followers: 3 Topic Count: 97 Topics Per Day: 0.01 Content Count: 5,850 Content Per Day: 0.84 Reputation: 128 Days Won: 0 Joined: 03/19/2005 Status: Offline Birthday: 08/11/1911 Share Posted November 7, 2005 It's not having what you want that matters, but wanting what you have. Sheryl Crow Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kabowd Posted November 7, 2005 Group: Royal Member Followers: 0 Topic Count: 112 Topics Per Day: 0.02 Content Count: 3,489 Content Per Day: 0.48 Reputation: 13 Days Won: 0 Joined: 07/28/2004 Status: Offline Share Posted November 7, 2005 "You can't always get what you want But if you try sometimes you might find You get what you need" - Rolling Stones Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Posted November 8, 2005 Group: Royal Member Followers: 1 Topic Count: 733 Topics Per Day: 0.10 Content Count: 3,017 Content Per Day: 0.43 Reputation: 128 Days Won: 1 Joined: 01/01/2005 Status: Offline Birthday: 04/09/1966 Share Posted November 8, 2005 It's not having what you want that matters, but wanting what you have. Sheryl Crow Obviously a celeb would say that. Is this the same person who said/sings, "All I wanna do, is have some fun! I got the feelin' I'm not the only one..." Hmmm... mind if I don't take advice from her? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
apothanein kerdos Posted November 8, 2005 Group: Royal Member Followers: 1 Topic Count: 331 Topics Per Day: 0.05 Content Count: 8,713 Content Per Day: 1.20 Reputation: 21 Days Won: 0 Joined: 07/28/2004 Status: Offline Share Posted November 8, 2005 In everything we do, let us do it for the glory of God. If this leads to material wealth, then give glory in your wealth. If it causes poverty, then give glory in your poverty. It really is as simple as that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gerioke Posted November 8, 2005 Group: Royal Member Followers: 3 Topic Count: 97 Topics Per Day: 0.01 Content Count: 5,850 Content Per Day: 0.84 Reputation: 128 Days Won: 0 Joined: 03/19/2005 Status: Offline Birthday: 08/11/1911 Share Posted November 8, 2005 It's not having what you want that matters, but wanting what you have. Sheryl Crow Obviously a celeb would say that. Is this the same person who said/sings, "All I wanna do, is have some fun! I got the feelin' I'm not the only one..." Hmmm... mind if I don't take advice from her? I don't see how this particular quote conflicts with scripture. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts