How, what, someone help… Proverbs 10:22 & II Timothy 3:12…
Proverbs 10:22 The blessing of the Lord makes rich, and he adds no sorrow with it. (ESV)
II Timothy 3:12 Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, (ESV)
Parts of the Old Testament and New Testament are very different. For instance, in the old testament Israel was promised that everything they did would be blessed and multiplied. That they would never have to borrow from anyone if they kept God’s laws (Deut. 28:1-14).
But in the new testament we don’t find those promises repeated. Instead, we are promised a life of sacrifice and persecution? And the grace to be content with food and clothing alone I Timothy 6:8 But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. (ESV)
God is under no obligation to make us prosperous or powerful regardless of what you might have heard from some pastor or read in a book. He has promised to bless us; but under the New Covenant, blessings are more spiritual then physical.
In fact, one of the greatest blessings we are promised is that our grace is to be given away to others, just as we ourselves have been given grace II Corinthians 8:9-14 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich. And in this matter I give my judgment: this benefits you, who a year ago started not only to do this work but also to desire to do it. So now finish doing it as well, so that your readiness in desiring it may be matched by your completing it out of what you have. For if the readiness is there, it is acceptable according to what a person has, not according to what he does not have. For I do not mean that others should be eased and you burdened, but that as a matter of fairness your abundance at the present time should supply their need, so that their abundance may supply your need, that there may be fairness (ESV). Yet in addition to the grace to give, God gives the grace to enjoy every good and perfect gift He gives. When God gives us good gifts, as His children, we are to rejoice and celebrate the pleasures of His blessing.
However you have been blessed, take time to thank God for the blessing of salvation in His Son.
