(June 2, 2015 at 11:30 am)Nope Wrote: Is wealth a sign that an individual is blessed by the Christian god?Who said anything about wealth? As you guys have demonstrated with my wife's recovery, or any single one instance can be rationalized and explained away. The only reason I meantioned any of the other responsibilities/blessings I received is to one parallel the parable of the talents (Where a Land ower gave one servant one 'bag of gold/talent' another 3 talents, and another 5, each to his abilities. The master went away, and upon His return He demanded an accounting of what the servants were given. The servants who received 3 and 5 talents doubled what they were given, and more was given to them. But, the one who only received 1 talent buried it in the sand. This man was condemned.)
I, no matter what I was given was faithful to it, and as a result was given more. Does this equal wealth, yes sometimes. More over it equals more responsibility, and the more we are given to be responsiable to the More help we will need from God to keep all of the things we have been given in order. The more help we get the harder it is to say these 'things/help' are just happenstance. Again just incase you missed it, The Holy Spirit's involvement in our lives is not about any single one thing but the sum total of our live's work/involvement. For me He has work through, health, family, Dreams, angelic encounters, business, as well as all the bad things.. In essence the Holy Spirit becomes very visable in one's life when ever that person is at the end of what they can physically or mentally do/handle and they still see an issue through or even come out on top, over and over again for a life time.
Quote:Howard Schultz, the CEO of Starbucks grew up in a housing project. He is Jewish.Just because a person has one element of the Spirit in their lives means nothing. Just as you 'good people' are so quick to point out about my wife's recovery.
Oprah Winfrey believes in god but wouldn't be considered a CHristian by many people. She was born into poverty in Mississippi and is now a very rich woman
Shahid Khan used to work as a dishwasher. He now owns the Jackson Jaguars and is a billionaire. He is Muslim.
These are just three non-Christian, wealthy individuals that I found online. They all started out poor.
Let's just say for a moment you or anyone else really did live the life I have been writing about for the last 2 or 3 years here. Where you have seen the things I've seen, and experienced the things I have experienced. Over and Over again. even experimented with things, by hold back when one is prompted to give or to give when it was not needed, and got a reaction consistant with what the bible teaches, over and over again for decades. Could you then dismiss God so easily? Espically when you know you have been carried through situations well above and beyond your ablity to manipulate an outcome?
Quote:What exactly did the following Christians do wrong. Your god didn't save their lives but he supposedly gave you wealth?What makes you think wealth=good things, and Death = bad?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kosheh_Massacres
Quote:The Second Kosheh Massacre took place about one year later, on Friday 31 December 1999. The incidence stemmed from a quarrel between a Christian merchant and a Muslim customer. The misunderstanding strained Muslim-Christian relations in the community. Relatives of the Muslim customer targeted Christian-owned shops and homes, which were looted, destroyed, and burned. Initially, the police was able to contain the situation. However, two days later on Sunday 2 January 2000, riots spread violence into neighbouring villages and lead to the murders of 20 Christians. One Muslim was also accidentally shot dead by a fellow Muslim.[2][3] More than 40 people were injured in the two-day incident. 260 shops, houses and kiosks were also deliberately burnt or damaged.[2][3] Most of the killings took place in the outskirts of el-Kosheh, especially in the agriculture fields. This event was one of 's bloodiest massacres.
Your whole argument presupposes that death is a 'bad' thing. If death is our birth into eternity, then the secular understanding of death, then looses all meaning.
Like wise wealth or rather the love of it is a corruptor like no other. That is why Jesus said it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than a rich man enter Heaven.
Wealth is a task or responsibility. The temptation of wealth is to live well and to live above everyone. (All the things that makes you think it is a good thing rather than a potential bad thing)
When one view things like a early death verses a long wealthy life through the lens of eternity, an early death especially under the blanket of atonement Christ offers is not a bad thing.
