God DOES want us to prosper!!

[andy]

Yes, it is true! God does want us to prosper, however, HIS definition of prosperity is usually different than ours. ;):

Count your blessings. Any blessing you or I have received is a gift from God. He has made us citizens of heaven (we just have not moved in yet ): He has made us His children and has washed away our sins by the blood of His Son, Jesus.

What are your blessings? I have received the greatest gift (except for salvation of course) that any man could ever rececive. I have the absolute best wife in the world! She is a rare gem, a true treasure beyond compare.
I am so blessed. I have two healthy sons and seven wonderful grandchildren.

In as far as money, I don't have any :pound . I would not trade my true blessings for any amount of cash. I am sure you wouldn't either.

I ask you again; What are your blessings?

:wave

[Born2]

I am blessed also---see below. Not much money but a wonderful wife and six awesome children. What more could a man want but to wake up and see these little eyes. God is sooooooo good.

God Bless
Scott






http://www.bereanfaith.com/images/rrmb/picture004.jpg

[newname]

Someone once said that the blessing of the Old Covenant was prosperity and the blessing of the New Covenant is suffering.

That sounds pretty in line with what the Bible teaches

[SeaDreamer]

That's so interesting, Newname. I've never heard that before. I was going to list one of my blessings as the years I spent sick and afraid because it brought me to a closer, more mature walk with the Lord. I suppose I may have earned some heavenly rewards in there somewhere too but I'm not counting on it. :lol

And of course the best husband a woman could ever want.

Another little blessing the Lord has given me lately is the discovery of dispensationalism. The bible is blossoming before my very eyes and I find that absolutely thrilling.

[kingdomgospel]

SeaDreamer,

Please tell me more about your discovery of dispensationalism.

KingdomGospel

[ManhattanGuy]

Someone once said that the blessing of the Old Covenant was prosperity and the blessing of the New Covenant is suffering.

Uh...if that's the case I'll take door #1 please.

[SeaDreamer]

SeaDreamer,

Please tell me more about your discovery of dispensationalism.

KingdomGospel

I'm not sure I'm understanding the request but will have a go at answering anyway. :): I used to read the bible and be incredibly frustrated at what I thought of as contradictions. Peter said to repent and be baptized. But Paul said all you have to do is believe. Paul says works aren't required but other passages talk about he who overcomes will be saved. I was very :confused :confused :confused. Then I ran across a wonderful article in Bible Study forum posted by Blitzkreig called Basics To Understanding the Bible which is all about rightly dividing the Word. I never knew what that was until then. For the very first time ever the bible is making sense to me. It's as if I've been given a little gift box and each time I open it another shiny piece of gold pops out. :clap Apart from salvation itself this has got to be the absolute best thing that's ever happened to me in my walk.

[newname]

Hey SeaDreamer!

how's everything?

just something to think about. You said ' But Paul said all you have to do is believe.'

take a look at Romans 10:9

for if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is LORD and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead you will be saved.

Paul tagged on 'confession with your mouth' in addition to belief. Entering the water for baptism is no more a work than moving your tongue to confess Jesus as LORD.

Just something to think about. These passages are not 'contradictory' rather they are complimentary.

Here is a list of some of the things in the Bible that are equated to salvation;

confess with your mouth = salvation
believe = salvation
repentance = salvation
believe and be baptized = salvation
baptism = salvation
call on the name of the LORD = salvation

these don't contradict eachother, but rather compliment eachother. Like one gospel shows both thiefs cursing Jesus, and another shows how later one of the thieves repented. not contradictory, they are both apart of the story

I don't believe this is a dispensational issue (although somethings are ).

remember what Jesus said before he left - go into all nations and make disciples baptizing them. go preach the gospel to every creature - repentance and remission of sins in my name and whoever believes and is baptized will be saved (they were to start this preaching in Jerusalem) and as you stated in your post how Peter started this great commission 'Repent and be baptized in Jesus name for the remissio of sins and you will receive the Holy Spirit.

----------------------------------------------------

about the prosperity suffering thing. Many times in the New Testament we see where the disciples gloried that they were counted worthy to suffer for his name. also it says if we suffer with him we will be glorified with him. many such passages. In the OT saints often received riches, in this age Jesus said to sell your possessions and give to the poor. Usually when you see 'health and wealth ' preachers on TV they use OT passages to prove their point about how christians should be rich ......they quote the OT because the New Testament doesn't teach this.

God bless you guys!!!

[MrJim]

Baptism does not equal salvation.

[littleone]

Hello,
Does anyone really read the Scriptures?

Water baptism is the outward appearance of the inside work of the Holy
Spirit already accomplished in our hearts, or being. FAITH. Heb. 11.
The seal of our salvation is the The Holy Spirit until the day of redemption. Ephesians 4:30 And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, in whom ye were sealed unto the day of redemption.

There are fillings of the Holy Spirit, but based mostly on obedience, and fruits of the Spirit which God enables every person according to His will. We are to have the fruits of the Spirit but not every person has all of them at any given time. We are to pray and desire those. Fruits do not equal charismatic gifts by the way. Totally different if you look it all up.

[Average Joey]

Uh...if that's the case I'll take door #1 please.

Mar 8:36 For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?
Mat 16:24 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any [man] will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

To be a Christian you must suffer for the sake of Christ,and why not?He suffered greatly for us.If someone says Jesus is my Lord and has no suffering for His sake is not really His at all!

Luk 9:23 And he said to [them] all, If any [man] will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.

[LDinthewoods]

:focus

Yes, it is true! God does want us to prosper, however, HIS definition of prosperity is usually different than ours. ;):

Count your blessings. Any blessing you or I have received is a gift from God. He has made us citizens of heaven (we just have not moved in yet ): He has made us His children and has washed away our sins by the blood of His Son, Jesus.

What are your blessings? I have received the greatest gift (except for salvation of course) that any man could ever rececive. I have the absolute best wife in the world! She is a rare gem, a true treasure beyond compare.
I am so blessed. I have two healthy sons and seven wonderful grandchildren.

In as far as money, I don't have any :pound . I would not trade my true blessings for any amount of cash. I am sure you wouldn't either.

I ask you again; What are your blessings?

:wave

I have been blessed with very good jobs that seem to have fallen in my lap at just the right time every time.

I have been blessed by being able to live on a boat for the last 9 years. Quite an adventure.

[CountryBumpkin]

I'm not sure I'm understanding the request but will have a go at answering anyway. :): I used to read the bible and be incredibly frustrated at what I thought of as contradictions. Peter said to repent and be baptized. But Paul said all you have to do is believe. Paul says works aren't required but other passages talk about he who overcomes will be saved. I was very :confused :confused :confused. Then I ran across a wonderful article in Bible Study forum posted by Blitzkreig called Basics To Understanding the Bible which is all about rightly dividing the Word. I never knew what that was until then. For the very first time ever the bible is making sense to me. It's as if I've been given a little gift box and each time I open it another shiny piece of gold pops out. :clap Apart from salvation itself this has got to be the absolute best thing that's ever happened to me in my walk.

I know that this is not quite on topic but I just wanted to say SeaDreamer, the same has happened to me. I have being studying all the links that were posted and now when I read the Bible it is clear and I find myself saying Yes! Yes! It is awesome. Our God is awesome. God's timing is perfect as a year ago I would have brushed dispensationalism off. Now it feels like I finally understand and I have want to shout it from the hilltop "I've got it! Praise the Lord!"
OK I'll stop now. :laugh

[SeaDreamer]

OK I'll stop now. :laugh

:lol I have to do the same thing otherwise I'd just blather on and on and on like a crazy person. I'd annoy myself if myself wasn't just so excited about it. :lol

[newname]

Baptism does not equal salvation.

Hi Mr Jim,


I didn't mean that taking a bath = salvation. I was quoting Peter from his first letter where he spoke of the flood and how Noah was saved through water. CORRESPONDING TO THAT BAPTISM NOW SAVES YOU, not washing dirt from your body but an appeal to God for a good conscience through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

That is the way in which I meant baptism saves. I'm sure there are many people who have 'been baptized' but are not saved. Without a repentant heart, baptism is a bubblebath without the bubbles. It saves in that you are appealing to God for a good conscience. And like he said, its not the water washing dirt off your body. We're talking about the baptism in the Holy Spirit.

There was an early church Father who put it like this. I entered the blessed waters and the water of the Holy Spirit wash the grime of my past away (I'm quoting that from watching something, so in case someone knows something else about this early church father, I'm not necessarily endorsing everything they may have said).

oops catastrophe in the kitchen gotta run

[The Sower]

Question? What if you were saved in the desert where there was no water. Can a person NOT be saved then because he was not symbolically saved by water baptism? How about the thief on the cross? He was not baptised...

[The Sower]

I would think its a spiritual baptism..with a confession of the mouth "That Jesus is the only way to the Father."

[Elizabeth_S]

Yes, it is true! God does want us to prosper, however, HIS definition of prosperity is usually different than ours. ;):

Count your blessings. Any blessing you or I have received is a gift from God. He has made us citizens of heaven (we just have not moved in yet ): He has made us His children and has washed away our sins by the blood of His Son, Jesus.

What are your blessings? I have received the greatest gift (except for salvation of course) that any man could ever rececive. I have the absolute best wife in the world! She is a rare gem, a true treasure beyond compare.
I am so blessed. I have two healthy sons and seven wonderful grandchildren.

In as far as money, I don't have any :pound . I would not trade my true blessings for any amount of cash. I am sure you wouldn't either.

I ask you again; What are your blessings?

:wave
God does want us to prosper, however, HIS definition of prosperity is usually different than ours. ;):
This much is true.

My cup overflows.

Family
a loving church family
I get around very well, inspite of my eye problems.
I have a wonderful home
Plenty of food.
A good job
friends
soft bed
a Kitty and a Pup God lets me take care of
safe car
education
and I woke up today. :thumb

My blessings are more than I can count.

[andy]

This much is true.

My cup overflows.

Family
a loving church family
I get around very well, inspite of my eye problems.
I have a wonderful home
Plenty of food.
A good job
friends
soft bed
a Kitty and a Pup God lets me take care of
safe car
education
and I woke up today. :thumb

My blessings are more than I can count.

Thank you Elizabeth S

My purpose of this thread was to point out the blessings that our God has given us and to express our thanks and to encourage each other. Thank you for your reply. :wave

[andy]

I am blessed also---see below. Not much money but a wonderful wife and six awesome children. What more could a man want but to wake up and see these little eyes. God is sooooooo good.

God Bless
Scott






http://www.bereanfaith.com/images/rrmb/picture004.jpg


Thanks Scott

It is indeed a true blessing to have a loving family. May God bless you and your family. :wave

[andy]

:focus



I have been blessed with very good jobs that seem to have fallen in my lap at just the right time every time.

I have been blessed by being able to live on a boat for the last 9 years. Quite an adventure.

Praise God for your steady employment. Man, it must be cool to live on a boat. Is it a cabin crusier or house boat? I praise God for your many blessings. :wave

[LDinthewoods]

http://www.bereanfaith.com/images/rrmb/picture004.jpg

What a beautiful baby!! From this picture I can't tell if this is a boy or a girl..or about how old??



Andy - It is a house boat. I wanted a cabin crusier but for the purpose of space, I think I'm happier that I got this house boat.

[Benja32one]

Same here......I would not trade my wife and kids for any supposed 'prosperity' teaching. Even when times are tough, 'two are better than one, for if one falls the other can help them up'.
Blessings.... :clap

[Born2]

Thank-you so much---this is Elijah and he is a blessing beyond all blessings in my life. Here is a pic I posted on RR a year ago.

http://www.bereanfaith.com/images/elijah.jpg

It didn't work---thanks for your kind responses.

[LDinthewoods]

Thank-you so much---this is Elijah and he is a blessing beyond all blessings in my life. Well he sure is precious....I don't suppose you'd want to trade him for a nice house boat?? :lol

[Gary]

Hello,
Does anyone really read the Scriptures?



Wow, I tire of statements like this.

[andy]

Same here......I would not trade my wife and kids for any supposed 'prosperity' teaching. Even when times are tough, 'two are better than one, for if one falls the other can help them up'.
Blessings.... :clap


Hi Benja32one :wave

You are so right! A great family is truly a blessing from our God. :clap

[andy]

I have thought of some more blessings:

1. I was raised in a christian home.
2. I was born in, what I believe, are the end times.
3. I have a roof over my head and food to eat.

And there are many, many more! Please continue to list your blessings. It is wonderful to read how our God has blessed my brothers and sisters in the Lord! I enjoy reading them. :wave

[LDinthewoods]

I am blessed for having high-speed internet & my computer. I am blessed with plenty of food to eat....for me, and my two cats & dog.

[toddlemom]

FWIW ... Roman soldiers carried their "stack of stuff" (about 60 pounds of armor and supplies and all) on a cross-shaped thing. I read this in one of DD's history books. They were expected to do a 15-minute mile walking with all this stuff. Every day. As long as they were ordered to do so. :Faint

I suspect the bit about "take up your cross daily" actually meant a criminal's cross. But when I read that, it reminded me of the daily ordinary obedience we are expected to give.

Back to "prosperity" -- we have three healthy kids. They're ornery and sassy and squabble but they are wonderfully blessedly normal. This is bitter sweet because two of my cousins have autistic children.

YSIC
Ann

[andy]

Hi Ann

Praise God for your children They are indeed a blessing from our Lord. I understand that your feelings are bittersweet concerning your cousins children. I am not that familiar with autism but I know our Lord has a special love for all children. I pray that our God will touch your cousins family and that His presence always be with those precious kids. :wave

[LizMusica]

Question? What if you were saved in the desert where there was no water. Can a person NOT be saved then because he was not symbolically saved by water baptism? How about the thief on the cross? He was not baptised...

does anybody have an idea to this question? I sure would like to understand... :doh I was one who was baptised but i wasnt immersed it was just sprinkled.

[4fish]

does anybody have an idea to this question? I sure would like to understand... :doh I was one who was baptised but i wasnt immersed it was just sprinkled.

Baptism by water is not necessary for salvation.

The scripture speaks of us needing only one baptism - baptism of the HS.

That's the only one to be concerned about.

:):

:focus

[4fish]

Back to "prosperity" -- we have three healthy kids. They're ornery and sassy and squabble but they are wonderfully blessedly normal. This is bitter sweet because two of my cousins have autistic children.


"Normal"???? Sorry, that hit a nerve with me. :twitch

I have two children. My daughter is "normal". My son is also "normal", but handicapped.

I can honestly say that I am truly blessed by both my children, but my son is more of a blessing than I deserve. :B:

Praise God. I can't imagine my life without him. :):

[toddlemom]

I should have known better than to say too much about my family.

YSIC
Ann

[LDinthewoods]

I should have known better than to say too much about my family.

YSIC
Ann :hug Nothing wrong with praising the LORD for your kids and the blessing that they are healthy & normal in every aspect. Its what every parent wants & prays for; including parents of special needs kids.

ALL children are blessings & very special to us. It would be silly not to acknowledge the goodness of the LORD IN ALL THINGS.

[Maverick]

:hug Nothing wrong with praising the LORD for your kids and the blessing that they are healthy & normal in every aspect. Its what every parent wants & prays for; including parents of special needs kids.

ALL children are blessings & very special to us. It would be silly not to acknowledge the goodness of the LORD IN ALL THINGS.

That was nicely said LDinthewoods :thumb


toddlemom, most of us knew what you meant by "normal" do not feel bad. :hug