God's Blessing is more than Just Money and Possessions.

What is the blessing of God? Common Christian sense tells me that it is the salvation that God provides for the entire human race through the life and death of Jesus the Lord. Christianity today tells about the abundant life, and telling of this life they stress that if you are poor as a Christian that God's blessing is not on you! There is a kind of mockery these days between rich Christians and poor persecuted Christians, which is causing a monetary and societal division between the body of Christ of those who are rich and those who are poor. Rich Christians are not sharing their wealth with the poorer brothers and sisters in the Lord while they talk about their new testament Churches there is great wealth that is being horded. I am not upset at my brothers and sisters who are not sharing their wealth, because the bible tells me that if I am poor I am blessed by God, "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 5:3 NIV) There is a story in the bible that talks about a rich man and a beggar, (Luke 16:19-31) after the rich man dies he finds himself in hell, and after the poor man dies he finds himself in Heaven. It wasn't their social standing that determined their eternal destiny, although this parable hints that it could of been part of the reason why the rich man ended up in hell.

You see the rich man failed to honour God with his wealth, and he failed to share his abundance with those less fortunate than he was. Clearly a refection of believers and unbelievers who hoard their wealth, and only live for their own security. Throughout history the rich have always persecuted the poor, but it is a more serious matter when those in the church are hoarding their wealth. In the third chapter of the book of Revelation, Jesus warns a wealthy church, it is the church of Laodicea, that their wealth has become corrupted. (Revelation 3:14-22 NIV)  

To the angel of the church in Laodicea write:

These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation. 15I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! 16So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. 17You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. 18I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see.

19Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent. 20Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.

21To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat down with my Father on his throne. 22Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”

God warns this church because it is in danger of loosing it's purity and influence in the world. Jesus says he is going to spit them out of His mouth v16. This shows the Son of God's disgust with his church and their profane or unholy conversation. They used their wealth to not spread the gospel but to make themselves rich, and because of this they lost their zeal or devotion to God. Poverty of spirit might have been seen as a curse to this wealthy church but poverty has a way of keeping the saint humble. Jesus loves the poor and needy (Psalm 41) and he promises that He will bless those who bless the needy.

Contrary to popular Christian belief, God calls the church to live in equality. If we have money and we see a brother or sister in need we should help them. (James 2:1-13 NIV)

My brothers and sisters, believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ must not show favoritism. 2Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in filthy old clothes also comes in. 3If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, “Here’s a good seat for you,” but say to the poor man, “You stand there” or “Sit on the floor by my feet,” 4have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?

5Listen, my dear brothers and sisters: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him? 6But you have dishonored the poor. Is it not the rich who are exploiting you? Are they not the ones who are dragging you into court? 7Are they not the ones who are blaspheming the noble name of him to whom you belong?

8If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, “Love your neighbor as yourself,”^a you are doing right. 9But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers. 10For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it. 11For he who said, “You shall not commit adultery,”^b also said, “You shall not murder.”^c If you do not commit adultery but do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker.

12Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, 13because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment.

 and also, (James 2:14-26 NIV)

What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? 15Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. 16If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? 17In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.

18But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.”

Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds. 19You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.

20You foolish person, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless^d ? 21Was not our father Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? 22You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. 23And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,”^e and he was called God’s friend. 24You see that a person is considered righteous by what they do and not by faith alone.

25In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction? 26As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.

As Christians we should be generous with our wealth, or lack of it. God tells us so, and so does the bible. This is Mike.