Has Your life been better since becoming a Christian?

[Floatingaxe]

Our faith, when exercised in obedience to God brings us much favour with God. He blesses those He trusts to do His will. So, in that sense, the faithful have much blessing, even in practical, tangible things. I have seen it, I have had it. God favours His own obedient children.

[Matthitjah]

God Bless you EG,

And, it seems you missed *this* portion:

QUOTE

He is all we ever wanted, needed, or desired.

What does that even mean to you if it doesn't have relevance to practical matters?

Dave, perhaps I should add tangible to practical. What you said:

QUOTE

Mt 16:26

For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?

That is a very real practical matter.

Is not knowable, so it still doesn't weigh that heavily compared with the life I have to live on earth. How do you "love God" or feel that he is all you want or need if it doesn't bear out in tangible ways in your life?

EG,

I'm sorry for not getting back to you. I am being blessed currently, practically, and tangibly. So my time has been short and my attention span even shorter. I apologize. I also know that this question bears a weight for you personally. You are so thoughtful and your questions have a weight to them often. God see's that weight.

Jesus Christ is all I ever wanted, needed, hoped for, or ever desired. The tangible and the practical are tied together and let me explain as best I can in my limited earthen vessel kind of way.

My life prior to knowing Jesus Christ or being born again had no weight of Glory. It only bore the life of a dead man trying to realize a Hope. Yet that was it and the Hope was never going to be realized.

The practical is Faith and so is the tangible.

You said the Scripture I posted was not knowable. I disagree. I know today that by Faith the Promise of God is Good. Despite what my circumstance might have to say about it.

In My sig line I have this written;

Faith is a tangible thing. It's The Substance (The Reality) of things hoped for.

Have you seen Hope?

He's alltogether Lovely and Worthy to be Praised!

Again that may just be another set of words to you. Yet to me despite circumstance. In experience I have learned that it is True.

It all boils down to Faith.

Today my circumstance might be mean. Therefore I might draw the conclussion that God is mean because practically speaking I see no benefit from knowing God. However by Faith I know this;

That God so Loved the world that He gave His only Begotten Son, That whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

I know God is Good. Despite my Circumstance.

In other words my circumstance and experience in the flesh might be another story alltogether. Yet the reality is that God is Good. Now I have a choice to make.

Do I believe my very physical reality today on the ground running my circumstance as it is currently. Or do I believe God?

Then to take it a step further I have a practical choice to make so that my Faith will become tangible.

It works like this for me. Sometimes I find myself in a difficult circumstance. How can we avoid it in this fallen world? It will happen. a difficult person, a death of a loved one, a mean spouse for whatever reason, a faithful brother or sister letting us down even. Who knows? We get hurt. Immediately the flesh wants to say , "How can God possibly Love me? I mean look at the results of my Faith". Ah' but we have just placed the results of fallen man and the fallen world in the lap of God. His charecter hasn't changed at all. He has still sent His only begotten Son no matter the circumstance. Matter of fact despite the circumstance God has indeed Loved us.

As I was saying it works for me like this;

I arise feeling not so maybe Loved. Maybe the day is a long one and I have had a few encounters with people who are not so lovely? Maybe I'm just a little depressed today? I'm not sure which example holds true.

I know this by Faith though;

The gift makes way for the giver.

I know am Loved by God.

I know that we enter His Courts with thanksgiving and His Gates with praise.

I know;

Ps

[Guest lovinghim4ever]

Of course my life is better since I became a Christian.

Before becoming a Christian - No Jesus.

After becoming a Christian - Know Jesus.

Without Jesus I had no hope.

With Jesus I know hope.

[yomotalking]

Of course my life is better since I became a Christian.

Before becoming a Christian - No Jesus.

After becoming a Christian - Know Jesus.

Without Jesus I had no hope.

With Jesus I know hope.

[shazza]

Of course my life is better since I became a Christian.

Before becoming a Christian - No Jesus.

After becoming a Christian - Know Jesus.

Without Jesus I had no hope.

With Jesus I know hope.

Awesome post

[Openly Curious]

I'm guessing your next question will be, "What about other people who's religions make their lives better as well?" If so, just realize that Christianity does not measure its value by how our lives are "better," thus it's an irrelevant observation.

No, that's not my next question. But that would be a good point, and probably one I would eventually ask.

However it never was about our human condition. It also was never about us. Although it necessarily is.

It was about Jesus, about Gods Glory, and He is alltogether Lovely and Worthy to be praised.

He is all we ever wanted, needed, or desired. He is our Promise, our Hope, and The Glory..

My next question would go like this:

If you answered "Yes" - in the practical sense, your life is better, does your faith then have a dependency on that being true? If you would answer *that* as "No", or if you answered "No" in the first place - your life is not better in practical terms, then why would you say "God is faithful"?

I have never been able to relate to "though he slay me, still I will follow him" or things along that line. Despite all the idealized concepts of "unconditional love", we do tend to love those whom we trust. Why do we trust someone? Because our experience tells us that the person usually doesn't harm us and/or actively tries to make things better for us. If a person harms you, or doesn't protect you from harm they would be able to prevent, it is normal to withdrawl trust from that person. So, for me, this applies to God, too. If my experience told me that God protects me from harm and brings good things my way, of course it would be simple to say I praise Him. But if my experience tells me no such thing, how could I love God or be devoted to Him? Why...HOW can a person say that God is faithful in the rubbish of life?

Like, Dave...you said:

He is all we ever wanted, needed, or desired.

What does that even mean to you if it doesn't have relevance to practical matters?

If you understood what having a "Hope" really means perhaps you would but you don't because you continue to reject the Love of God because you percieve Him to be mean vicious and cruel as the lies of the devil are shed abroad in your heart instead of the love of God that you even said that you have even experienced and felt His love before in your past. So you know it's real but reject it still. Without Christ there is no "HOPE" and that is why you do not understand.

OC

[Guest lovinghim4ever]

Of course my life is better since I became a Christian.

Before becoming a Christian - No Jesus.

After becoming a Christian - Know Jesus.

Without Jesus I had no hope.

With Jesus I know hope.

Awesome post

Thanks!

I lived too many years without Jesus.

I cannot imagine and don't want to imagine my life without Him ever again.

[MeCajunboy]

In all honesty EG, I'd have to say yeeeeeeeees! If God would not have pulled me out of bondage in my youth, I can only assume that I'd be dead about now. Not to mention, Instead HE allowed me to do the impossible. Successful business, married, two wonderful children, a devoted wife, and more happiness than I ever dreamed I would have. A marriage that , so far has lasted 35 years. You might want to know if it was all bliss and happiness throughout those years. Heck no, God never promised me nor you total happiness just because we give our lives to him... But, as I grow older, I have come to realize one thing. What if all the non-believers are wrong in their decisions and judgements. What if , as we know to be truth, there IS a God who promises us an eternity with HIM beyond this life? Maybe you're willing to gamble with your life, but, for the little I've had to forfeit and abandoned in this life, believe me, There was never a question in my mind! NOT ONE!

Prayers and Blessings on the Birth of Christ

Cajunboy

[sweetycakes]

Can't say that it's been easy. It's been hard at times. Maybe through my own fault in a lot of cases.

Anyway....bottom line.....I couldn't live without Jesus. Life would simply be not worth living.

Enough said

[Guest lovinghim4ever]

Can't say that it's been easy. It's been hard at times. Maybe through my own fault in a lot of cases.

Anyway....bottom line.....I couldn't live without Jesus. Life would simply be not worth living.

Enough said

Enough said, but well said.