by JH 7 Replies latest watchtower bible
My sister phoned my mother yesterday and she was all happy that her son found a good job. And since she belongs to another religion, she said "God blessed us". So, in my JW mind, I said to myself, "Nah, it can't be".
I wonder what JW's would say, if we asked them, "Does God bless non JW's or even listen favorably to their prayers"?
I think this is simply and instance of, "God helps those that help themselves."
He would not have 'found' that good job if he had not been 'looking for' that job.
If JWs read their Bible, they should know that God blesses non-JWs............
(Matthew 5:44-45) 44 However, I say to YOU: Continue to love YOUR enemies and to pray for those persecuting YOU; 45 that YOU may prove yourselves sons of YOUR Father who is in the heavens, since he makes his sun rise upon wicked people and good and makes it rain upon righteous people and unrighteous.
(Acts 14:14-17) 14 However, when the apostles Bar´na·bas and Paul heard of it, they ripped their outer garments and leaped out into the crowd, crying out 15 and saying: "Men, why are YOU doing these things? We also are humans having the same infirmities as YOU do, and are declaring the good news to YOU, for YOU to turn from these vain things to the living God, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all the things in them. 16 In the past generations he permitted all the nations to go on in their ways, 17 although, indeed, he did not leave himself without witness in that he did good, giving YOU rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, filling YOUR hearts to the full with food and good cheer."
(Luke 6:35) 35 To the contrary, continue to love YOUR enemies and to do good and to lend [without interest], not hoping for anything back; and YOUR reward will be great, and YOU will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind toward the unthankful and wicked.
Talley - yes, the job could have found him. God does want us to use our brains and not just sit around anticipating things will happen to us. But, sometimes, HE determines what should happen and sets things in motion for us. Jesus being born to Mary, calling Samuel and Moses, telling Noah to build an ark. Things can be found even when we're not looking. Just look at the ads in your local paper or check the notices posted at a public location and see how many cats and dogs have been found. There may or may not be someone looking for them.
Since I escaped from the jw's my life has turned completely around.
No more alcoholic binges to numb the guilt.
No more false doctrines that change every few months or years to screw my head up.
No more wondering if Jehovah is going to destroy me at Armageddon because I'm not doing enough.
No more worrying about finances. I make the same as before. Same job. Same money. It just seems to go 10 times as far as when I was a jw.
That's so laughable because when I was in the Lie. all I ever heard was how 'worldly' people had to make big bucks because they spent a lot of $ on presents and partying.
THANK GOD I AM FREE
Hi JH
I know of some JWs who would tell you, without a blink of an eye, that Satan must have been dishing out these so-called "blessings" to make faithful JWs doubt Jehovah's loyalty to his organization and to give the unbelievers a false hope. Only blessings with a WTS stamp of approval can come from God. Didn't you know that God is the copyright of the WTS Inc?
INQ
I believe God is ultimately the giver of every good thing in our lives. It is never improper to thank him for your blessings and what you have. Never wrong.
As for actively blessing mankind I do not know. He has in place alot of loving things we all enjoy from time to time.
To say he blesses or protects, one would have to explain the undeserved sorrow in the world, which I cannot.
"Undeserved sorrow" is the default position of life without God. It is the possibility realized of a world where evil is possible. If evil were not possible, then we would not be free and therefore we would not be created in God's image.
So, just as many people experience suffering that they do not deserve from the hands of others ( like decisions of those in authority and influence) many people experience joy that they do not deserve through the transfer of good karma from God's Son.
The pondering of the question of Good and Evil will never be found fruitful in philosophical discussions nor from books. The answer is a person and a personality. The Living Word. That "book" you simply cannot read with your physical eyes. You must live His Life to understand. And since it cannot be lived by mere efforts, that too is a gift.
In the end, I think God additionally blesses those that allow Him a place in their life. Whether they go to a Kingom Hall or not is irrevelant to God's purposes of building and adding to his family.
