From: christlife+noreply@googlegroups.com
Date: Sat, 31 Jul 2010 20:00:46 +0000
Subject: [ChristLife] Digest for christlife@googlegroups.com - 1
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Today's Topic Summary
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Group: christlife@googlegroups.com
Url: http://groups.google.com/group/christlife/topics
- Every blessing a test [1 Update]
http://groups.google.com/group/christlife/t/a0f092573eb9a9b
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Topic: Every blessing a test
Url: http://groups.google.com/group/christlife/t/a0f092573eb9a9b
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From: Jacob <jninan@gmail.com>
Date: Jul 30 07:04PM -0700
Url: http://groups.google.com/group/christlife/msg/16411f9abfedbc93
It's great to be blessed of the Lord, and a greater blessing to bless
the others in turn (Ac.20:35;Ge.12:2). It's good to long for more
blessings, and much better to desire to become a blessing to the
others. We know that it is the blessing of the Lord that makes us
truly 'rich' (Pr.10:22) and fulfil our life. Unless He blesses us,
anything we do or have will be hollow and worthless (Ps.127:1).
We are living here on the earth, and material blessings are necessary
for us, and it is 'super-spiritual' to imagine that thinking of and
asking for earthly needs is unspiritual. At the same time, spiritual
blessings are more important for us because they are useful for the
life to come as well as this life (1Ti.4:8). We will find ourselves
poor in eternity if we seek to accumulate material blessings and
neglect spiritual growth. It is also wise to choose spiritual
blessings in place of material blessings when it comes to a direct
choice between the two on any occasion.
But whatever blessing we receive also exposes us to a test about how
we will use that blessing. Health and strength are great blessings,
but we can use them for ourselves or also to serve God. Natural
abilities we are born with are also in the same category. Spiritual
gifts, ministry and authority are also things that we are accountable
to God for. We see from the Bible and from history how different
people who were faithful with their blessings continued to be blessed,
and those who took blessings for granted and failed in the tests lost
out (Mt.13:12). King Saul was faithful to God and His people when He
asked God for wisdom to lead the people. But he apparently did not
realise that God's subsequent blessings of wealth and fame were also
to be used for His people. Instead he spent them on himself, giving in
to his desires in various directions. Finally he lost out in every
way. But the apostle Paul realised the significance of God's trust in
him and worked more than all the others for God's kingdom (1Co.15:10).
He recognised that it was the grace of God that had given him the
blessings and he also knew that the blessings demanded greater
accountability from him.
One mistake we make is to assume that the blessings are for us to
enjoy, and fail to see that they are added responsibilities too. The
more we receive from God, the more we are accountable, because He has
enabled us to become more useful to His kingdom. He blessed us because
we found favour in His eyes and He felt we could be trusted with
greater spheres of responsibility and larger scope for blessing others
(1Ti.1:12).
Let us not forget ever that whether we live or die, we do that for the
Lord and not for ourselves (Ro.14:8). We are to present our bodies as
living sacrifices to Him to do His perfect will at all times (Ro.
12:1,2). Let us remember to place every blessing that we receive also
on the altar to be used for Him according to His will and for His
glory. A blessing placed at His disposal can become a greater blessing.
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