Are God's blessings conditional?

[Openly Curious]

david from new bern

it seems as you already have all the answers and do not need me in this conversation to give you any opinions so take care my brother.

OC

I seem to have offended you somehow. My apologies...but there was no intent to intimidate you. Questions are how we learn and I was trying to possibly learn from you and perhaps you could have learn something by working out your answer. I meant nothing else...

hello david from new bern

No you did not offend me or intimidate me and you had no need to apologize. i am just not emotionally strong enough right now to get into another debate the last one i was in recently had it's toll on me just take my word for it please. if you want to talk fine but am not looking to debate at present and that is what it look liked i was heading for so i didn't engage for that reason nothing towards you personally. plus at present i am traveling on the road and don't have the time to get to involved to heavily.

Openly Curious

[Openly Curious]

'David from New Bern'

So a non-Christian who is successful is not correct in saying that God blessed him. So are blessings given and withheld from Christians based on merit?

[Openly Curious]

David,

I've certainly learned from times of chastisement! It's not a fear of "God will punish me for doing this" but rather knowing that I don't want to face a certain consequence again!

I've been meditating and praying about this line of thought recently...The natural mind looks for rewards or blessing for good behavior, but the Bible most often mentions blessings or rewards for things suffered for righteousness sake.

I actually would say that chastisement is a blessing, albeit a blessing in disguise it may be. If I'm chastised, #1 I'm probably going to refrain from doing wrong/sinful said activity again. #2, if I've been through it I may be able to point someone else away from doing that same thing, thereby helping them out.

One of the hardest things I'm trying to learn is that discipline is a blessing. Hebrews 12 teaches about this but it's a difficult lesson to learn. Whenever I get into trouble, it's hard not to believe it's because I'm disliked or unloved..when the exact opposite is true. A person only disciplines you if they truly love you and care about you.

Tess

I agree with line of thought. Others around us don't always see that G-d is teaching us in our trials of life and in times of chastisement it is when G-d is correcting our wrong thinking and teaching us of his ways which are higher than our ways. I've heard christian all throughout my christian walk say things like oh G-d has been chastizing me lately but they can never tell you what it is that they learned from G-d as a result of his punishment. So i believe alot of people don't understand this love relationship between heavenly father and his child. But G-d is a restorer and wantsI restoration to come in our lives for whom he loveth he chastises else we would be bastard children (spiritual speaking) G-d the father would not be our heavenly father without this chastisment it is proof we are his dearly beloved children.

I've recently been learning a lot of lessons through my current trials I'm facing at present and it seems that i don't look to good within the eyes of others as like job i'm sitting in sackcloth and ashes and i don't look to good right now. i even feel like others have disdain for me and have no understanding towards what i'm going through as job's friends were to him.

But i know the word talks about how G-d prunes the tree so it will bring forth more fruit. When you study that out you find that when a tree is pruned they cut off the branches and the tree is ugly at that time and for that season it does not bear fruit on the tree it has to go a season without any fruit. But if the tree is pruned it will bear twice as much fruit latter on even though it has to go a season without any fruit.

So i might not look pretty right now in my cirscumstances and may have to go a season with nothing to bear and give from my tree but i have the hope if i allow G-d to work within my heart and life then in due season I'll have more fruit in abundance for that is what I'm holding on to right now.

Openly Curious

[David from New Bern]

David,

I've certainly learned from times of chastisement! It's not a fear of "God will punish me for doing this" but rather knowing that I don't want to face a certain consequence again!

I've been meditating and praying about this line of thought recently...The natural mind looks for rewards or blessing for good behavior, but the Bible most often mentions blessings or rewards for things suffered for righteousness sake.

I actually would say that chastisement is a blessing, albeit a blessing in disguise it may be. If I'm chastised, #1 I'm probably going to refrain from doing wrong/sinful said activity again. #2, if I've been through it I may be able to point someone else away from doing that same thing, thereby helping them out.

One of the hardest things I'm trying to learn is that discipline is a blessing. Hebrews 12 teaches about this but it's a difficult lesson to learn. Whenever I get into trouble, it's hard not to believe it's because I'm disliked or unloved..when the exact opposite is true. A person only disciplines you if they truly love you and care about you.

Tess

I agree with line of thought. Others around us don't always see that G-d is teaching us in our trials of life and in times of chastisement it is when G-d is correcting our wrong thinking and teaching us of his ways which are higher than our ways. I've heard christian all throughout my christian walk say things like oh G-d has been chastizing me lately but they can never tell you what it is that they learned from G-d as a result of his punishment. So i believe alot of people don't understand this love relationship between heavenly father and his child. But G-d is a restorer and wantsI restoration to come in our lives for whom he loveth he chastises else we would be bastard children (spiritual speaking) G-d the father would not be our heavenly father without this chastisment it is proof we are his dearly beloved children.

I've recently been learning a lot of lessons through my current trials I'm facing at present and it seems that i don't look to good within the eyes of others as like job i'm sitting in sackcloth and ashes and i don't look to good right now. i even feel like others have disdain for me and have no understanding towards what i'm going through as job's friends were to him.

But i know the word talks about how G-d prunes the tree so it will bring forth more fruit. When you study that out you find that when a tree is pruned they cut off the branches and the tree is ugly at that time and for that season it does not bear fruit on the tree it has to go a season without any fruit. But if the tree is pruned it will bear twice as much fruit latter on even though it has to go a season without any fruit.

So i might not look pretty right now in my cirscumstances and may have to go a season with nothing to bear and give from my tree but i have the hope if i allow G-d to work within my heart and life then in due season I'll have more fruit in abundance for that is what I'm holding on to right now.

Openly Curious

Thank You OC...I enjoyed reading behind you and you have some good thoughts...praying for your strength and preservation through whatever you are going through that brought these comments.

[Openly Curious]

Thank you David from New Bern for your spirit has ministered unto mine in your kindness

Peace be upon your house

Openly Curious