Strange then, how come non christians are blessed too? How come christians in the present day are not blessed with some superhuman feat/abilities? What sets christians apart from non christians in terms of blessings? There is no difference other than christians shovel time and money toward the church, where someone else benefits at your expense. Your reward on this earth is entertainment provided by the church.
yeah well...it is Elite Trader not Bible Verses R Us - for fks sakes. There's really no good reason you should expect to make post after post of sickeningly pious horseshit unchallenged without people calling you out. You are being very naive to believe otherwise if you don't mind me saying. ps. no kittenz in any of my posts have ever been harmed, woken up or even mildly inconvenienced .
"Strange then, how come non christians are blessed too?" Because God gives to them too! God created things for us to use and created us with the ability to reshape His creation into marvelous inventions, such as ice cream and music and roller coasters! For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. Col 1:16 "How come christians in the present day are not blessed with some superhuman feat/abilities?" I think you mean why did some in the Bible times, such as the prophets and apostles due miracles and Christians don't? Well, actually, most of the Christians I talk to have experienced some very unusual miracles from God, but it is different than the tremendous outpouring of miracles and signs that the early church experienced. Why? God seems to work differently in different ages and that must be how He wants it. "What sets christians apart from non christians in terms of blessings?" I am going to answer from my experience and understanding, which may not be a thorough answer, just how I see it. NOTHING sets Christians apart from non-Christians as far a material blessings go. Christians can be poor. Christians can go without food or basic necessities or illness just as non-Christians do. From my own experience, however, the times I did experience hardships I was blessed by miraculous circumstances that didn't take away the problems, but helped strengthen my faith that God was indeed very near to me, watching over me, listening to my prayers and cared about me. So, to put it simply, the only difference is that God Himself draws near with the believer through "the shadow of death." HOWEVER, spiritual and even emotional blessings are very abundant for a believer. There are many promises in the Bible and instructions for helping to know God when suffering and even though they are not physical, they help tremendously because God makes His love known to us in a very real way: hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us. Rom 5:5 "There is no difference other than christians shovel time and money toward the church, where someone else benefits at your expense." The same could be said for your local sports competitions or any organization/club. They have an agenda and draw in like-minded people and money exchanges hands. The difference with a church is that not only is all giving voluntary, never is it instructed in the Bible to be forced, only encouraged, but God Himself takes delight in seeing a believer share out of a grateful heart. God gave us the promise of eternal life with Himself and we can show that we appreciate His gift by our small tokens and it actually means something to God. "Your reward on this earth is entertainment provided by the church." Umm. Some churches are not entertaining. And some churches are entertaining for the wrong reasons. I happen to like the "entertainment" recorded at this church. Please don't take this wrong, I am not posting this because I think churches should dress like this, because I don't think they should. I also am not making fun. I respect their differences and I like it that they are quietly enjoying music and worshiping together and I think it looks like they are having fun with it. Besides, I thought you'd enjoy commenting on this church's entertainment.
Humans have to fill their lives with something. Could be dog breeding, cat breeding, budgies, pidgeons, racing cars, flying, model trains...etc. You like church! Good for you! Not for me. Days gone by my interests were church (but forced to go by parents then coerced by 1st wife), hunting and snorkeling, these days its trading. I enjoy a little bit of gardening.
Trading taught me one thing, the more I trade, the more I know, the longer on ET, the more I realise I know basically nothing.
"I will allure her, and bring her into the wilderness, and speak comfortably unto her." Hosea 2:14 Charles Spurgeon (1800's): The goodness of God sees us allured by sin, and it resolves to try upon us the more powerful allurements of love. Do we not remember when the Lover of our souls first cast a spell upon us and charmed us away from the fascinations of the world! He will do this again and again whenever He sees us likely to be ensnared by evil. He promises to draw us apart, for there He can best deal with us, and this separated place is not to be a paradise, but a wilderness, since in such a place there will be nothing to take off our attention from our God. In the deserts of affliction the presence of the Lord becomes everything to us, and we prize His company beyond any value which we set upon it when we sat under our own vine and fig tree in the society of our fellows. Solitude and affliction bring more to themselves and to their heavenly Father than any other means. When thus allured and secluded the Lord has choice things to say to us for our comfort. He "speaks to our heart," as the original has it. Oh, that at this we may have this promise explained in our experience! Allured by love, separated by trial, and comforted by the Spirit of truth, may we know the Lord and sing for joy!
Religion is generally good - Taken in Moderation. It's when you overdo things too seriously, then it becomes weird, and wrong. And always, still, have an open, dynamic, flexible, mind. Usually, religious people completely stick to one viewpoint perspective, and everything else is so wrong.