I
have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support
the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It
is more blessed to give than to receive (Acts 20:35).
Many in the modern Church would say that they agree that it is more blessed to give than to receive because the Bible says so. But yet, so many think that a person is more blessed when he or she has more earthly things such as more money, yearly holidays, higher income, a satisfying job, stable and steady career, good marriage, good children, prestigious education, and the like.
Some of these things are good gifts from God, but that is NOT the question or the issue.
The issue is whether a person having more earthly things, including good gifts from God is more blessed than those who do not. Many in the modern Church think so, that one is more blessed when one has received more, rather than whether one has given more. Such is a false doctrine of demons which will take many to Hell by their idolatrous thinking.
They think that a person who lives to ninety years of age with good health, a big family and a respectable profession but fails to live a life truly worthy of Christ, is more blessed than he who dies young with no family, house or money, when serving as a missionary, all for the cause of Christ. While it is not sinful to be healthy, have a big family or a respectable profession, people think that having such things is a sign of being favoured by God, or to be 'blessed'. Such thinking is absolutely wrong, and needs to completely eliminated from the body of Christ.
What is the point of having good health, a big family, abundant money, a house, and a respectful profession when one fails to live a life worthy of Christ? All such things are vanity to him or her when such things are not properly stewarded for service to Christ. As Jesus Christ said, "For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?" (Mark 8:36). These words
Many of you will then say that a person who lives a long life with good health, a big family and respectable profession who lived a life truly worthy of Christ is more blessed than he who dies young with no family, house or money when serving as a missionary, all for the cause of Christ. No, that is wrong again. For whether a person is blessed is determined by that person's holiness and righteousness before God, and not how many earthly physical possession he or she has.
A person who has no spouse, house, or money is just as blessed as a person with these three things where they are both equally righteous and holy in their sanctification before God. Such a statement will make many of you feel uncomfortable or offended. Good! Whether a person has a spouse, house, or money or any other earthly possession is totally and absolutely immaterial to God in relation to his or her righteousness and holiness.
To be blessed means to be favoured by God. Having more material or earthly things in one's possession does in no way mean that one is more favoured by God. Do not be deceived and lead into spiritual bondage by those who seek to convince you otherwise.
Those who seek to convince you that you are less blessed by God because you have less earthly possessions are dangerous, deluded and sick individuals who are typically trying to make people miserable because of their own misery. For misery loves company.
They are full of envy, jealousy and bitterness towards those who they can see are full of joy, peace and contentment. People who have less earthly possessions than them but are full of joy, peace and contentment make them feel extremely uncomfortable, not because there is anything wrong with people full of joy, peace, and contentment, but because of their own envy, jealousy and bitterness. Avoid such people.
Much of the time, God gives people good things that are material for the purpose of leading them to repentance, not because of their righteousness: Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance? (Romans 2:4).
He or she who gives his or her life for the cause of Christ, and focuses on Christ and on serving Him but has less material possessions, is far far far more blessed than he or she who seeks only to receive all these so-called earthly "blessings", or "serves" Jesus to receive such things. Serving Jesus to receive anything at all is not serving Jesus at all. It is to simply use Jesus as a means to one's own selfish ends.
God never gives a follower of Christ any earthly possession, unless it is His will for him or her to use to serving Christ and others.
It is a sad reality that many if not most professing followers of Christ are only serving Jesus for what they can receive from Him, and not because they truly love Him. Only those who truly love Jesus will be able to absolutely and truly forsake all for His sake.
He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.
And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.
He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.
He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me.
(Matthew 10:37-40).
Many in the modern Church would say that they agree that it is more blessed to give than to receive because the Bible says so. But yet, so many think that a person is more blessed when he or she has more earthly things such as more money, yearly holidays, higher income, a satisfying job, stable and steady career, good marriage, good children, prestigious education, and the like.
Some of these things are good gifts from God, but that is NOT the question or the issue.
The issue is whether a person having more earthly things, including good gifts from God is more blessed than those who do not. Many in the modern Church think so, that one is more blessed when one has received more, rather than whether one has given more. Such is a false doctrine of demons which will take many to Hell by their idolatrous thinking.
They think that a person who lives to ninety years of age with good health, a big family and a respectable profession but fails to live a life truly worthy of Christ, is more blessed than he who dies young with no family, house or money, when serving as a missionary, all for the cause of Christ. While it is not sinful to be healthy, have a big family or a respectable profession, people think that having such things is a sign of being favoured by God, or to be 'blessed'. Such thinking is absolutely wrong, and needs to completely eliminated from the body of Christ.
What is the point of having good health, a big family, abundant money, a house, and a respectful profession when one fails to live a life worthy of Christ? All such things are vanity to him or her when such things are not properly stewarded for service to Christ. As Jesus Christ said, "For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?" (Mark 8:36). These words
Many of you will then say that a person who lives a long life with good health, a big family and respectable profession who lived a life truly worthy of Christ is more blessed than he who dies young with no family, house or money when serving as a missionary, all for the cause of Christ. No, that is wrong again. For whether a person is blessed is determined by that person's holiness and righteousness before God, and not how many earthly physical possession he or she has.
A person who has no spouse, house, or money is just as blessed as a person with these three things where they are both equally righteous and holy in their sanctification before God. Such a statement will make many of you feel uncomfortable or offended. Good! Whether a person has a spouse, house, or money or any other earthly possession is totally and absolutely immaterial to God in relation to his or her righteousness and holiness.
To be blessed means to be favoured by God. Having more material or earthly things in one's possession does in no way mean that one is more favoured by God. Do not be deceived and lead into spiritual bondage by those who seek to convince you otherwise.
Those who seek to convince you that you are less blessed by God because you have less earthly possessions are dangerous, deluded and sick individuals who are typically trying to make people miserable because of their own misery. For misery loves company.
They are full of envy, jealousy and bitterness towards those who they can see are full of joy, peace and contentment. People who have less earthly possessions than them but are full of joy, peace and contentment make them feel extremely uncomfortable, not because there is anything wrong with people full of joy, peace, and contentment, but because of their own envy, jealousy and bitterness. Avoid such people.
Much of the time, God gives people good things that are material for the purpose of leading them to repentance, not because of their righteousness: Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance? (Romans 2:4).
He or she who gives his or her life for the cause of Christ, and focuses on Christ and on serving Him but has less material possessions, is far far far more blessed than he or she who seeks only to receive all these so-called earthly "blessings", or "serves" Jesus to receive such things. Serving Jesus to receive anything at all is not serving Jesus at all. It is to simply use Jesus as a means to one's own selfish ends.
God never gives a follower of Christ any earthly possession, unless it is His will for him or her to use to serving Christ and others.
It is a sad reality that many if not most professing followers of Christ are only serving Jesus for what they can receive from Him, and not because they truly love Him. Only those who truly love Jesus will be able to absolutely and truly forsake all for His sake.
He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.
And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.
He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.
He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me.
(Matthew 10:37-40).
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