carrdero Posted May 28, 2008 Share Posted May 28, 2008 (edited) I was wondering if we could talk about the blessings of GOD. Does GOD bless people anymore? How would we perceive a blessing from GOD as opposed to something we do for ourselves or others? What is the criteria for someone receiving a blessing from GOD and does GOD bless people equally? Does the misfortune of others indicate that they did something against GOD to receive any blessings. How has GOD personally blessed your life and can you explain the last blessing that you received? and finally…… Is it really necessary for us to say “GOD bless you” after someone sneezes? Edited May 28, 2008 by carrdero Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CatherineM Posted May 28, 2008 Share Posted May 28, 2008 God blesses people equally, but just as parents treat their children equally, that doesn't mean they treat them all the same. I think it is a wonderful way to inject God into everyday conversation by saying "God bless you" after someone sneezes. I'm blessed everyday. I should have been dead years ago, so every morning I wake up is a blessing. Every step I take is a blessing after being in a wheelchair for 8 years. My largest blessing has been my husband. As to people's misfortunes, I believe we are all given crosses, and some are just heavier than others. I think a lot of misfortune is happenstance, and not a blessing or a curse. It can be a challenge to the rest of us to help out though. So maybe their misfortune is God's way of allowing us to do his blessings for him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thessalonian Posted May 28, 2008 Share Posted May 28, 2008 "The sun shines on the good and the bad". The difference between the two is that the good acknowledge him. God blesses all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aloysius Posted May 28, 2008 Share Posted May 28, 2008 People annoy me so much when they say God bless you after a sneeze, especially when it's not that big a sneeze and it just ends up calling more attention to it... and especially if it's like, in the middle of a lecture and they say it loudly/noticeably. I can take it when used sparingly, but the obsessive God bless you-ers get really annoying... there's a time and a place for everything. I guess it's how I was raised cause I don't really automatically respond with one the way some people do and it often sounds really out of place when some people do it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StColette Posted May 28, 2008 Share Posted May 28, 2008 [quote name='carrdero' post='1545961' date='May 28 2008, 03:20 AM']I was wondering if we could talk about the blessings of GOD. Does GOD bless people anymore?[/quote] Yes. Being alive is a blessing from God, being called home to be with Him is a blessing, children are a blessing, food is a blessing from God, Family is a blessing from God, let's just say life in general is a blessing. [quote]How would we perceive a blessing from GOD as opposed to something we do for ourselves or others?[/quote] Blessing from God can come through others. A hug and kiss from a spouse or family member is a blessing from God that is preceived as coming from someone else. Since God is Love any outward pouring of love from one person to another is from God. A blessing can be anything. [quote]What is the criteria for someone receiving a blessing from GOD and does GOD bless people equally?[/quote] God blesses who He wants, I don't think we know the criteria. Again God blesses who He wants. I believe He blesses some with more which gives them the greater responsibility to share their blessings with others. I believe there is a Bible verse that says that some are given more but are expected to give more in return. [quote]Does the misfortune of others indicate that they did something against GOD to receive any blessings.[/quote] No [quote]How has GOD personally blessed your life and can you explain the last blessing that you received?[/quote] Too many ways to type out here. [quote]and finally…… Is it really necessary for us to say “GOD bless you” after someone sneezes?[/quote] Why not Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jesus_lol Posted May 28, 2008 Share Posted May 28, 2008 i tend to say "gesundheit" after people sneeze or just a straight "bless you" , much easier to mutter without calling attention to it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Winchester Posted May 28, 2008 Share Posted May 28, 2008 There's really no reliable way to tell if it's a direct action from God or just ordinary happenings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deb Posted May 28, 2008 Share Posted May 28, 2008 [quote name='Winchester' post='1546159' date='May 28 2008, 11:22 AM']There's really no reliable way to tell if it's a direct action from God or just ordinary happenings.[/quote] [i]I disagree. There are happenings that are certainly not ordinary and if you have ever been in a situation where you know you should not have gotten out alive, you will know that God has blessed you. Every day I wake up and meet the Lord in prayer, I am being blessed. When the Lord fills me with his grace, I am being blessed. When I am able to understand scripture that I could not undestand before, I am being blessed. When the Lord directs my action to help others, I know I am being blessed. When I can feel the Lord holding me, I know I am being blessed. When I see my before and now my after, I know I have been blessed beyond anything I am worthy of. Why me? I think God does take pity on some and I was one of them. Yes, God Blesses. [/i] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Winchester Posted May 28, 2008 Share Posted May 28, 2008 [quote name='Deb' post='1546201' date='May 28 2008, 11:41 AM'][i]I disagree. There are happenings that are certainly not ordinary and if you have ever been in a situation where you know you should not have gotten out alive, you will know that God has blessed you. Every day I wake up and meet the Lord in prayer, I am being blessed. When the Lord fills me with his grace, I am being blessed. When I am able to understand scripture that I could not undestand before, I am being blessed. When the Lord directs my action to help others, I know I am being blessed. When I can feel the Lord holding me, I know I am being blessed. When I see my before and now my after, I know I have been blessed beyond anything I am worthy of. Why me? I think God does take pity on some and I was one of them. Yes, God Blesses. [/i][/quote] That's human perception. It's not reliable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deb Posted May 28, 2008 Share Posted May 28, 2008 Guess what? God is supernatural. What is human perception? If I experience something of a supernatural nature, knowing in my soul it is of God, it can only be my human perception because I am human. God is Spirit. God will use the means that a human can understand and perceive. Kind of like when he gives the gift of faith. It can't be touched or seen but, it is there and it is a blessing. What do I care if anyone thinks what I perceive as being reliable? It is what I believe that matters to God. Can you say that the apostles and disciples were not blessed? Could anyone have believed their words of the Gospel without the indwelling of the spirit? All human perception but, with divine activity. Am I making any sense cuz this pain pill is kind of woozying me out? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Galloglasses Posted May 28, 2008 Share Posted May 28, 2008 (edited) [quote name='carrdero' post='1545961' date='May 28 2008, 02:20 AM']I was wondering if we could talk about the blessings of GOD. Does GOD bless people anymore?[/quote] Yes, Quite frequently and in great amounts. [quote]How would we perceive a blessing from GOD as opposed to something we do for ourselves or others?[/quote] By taking a moment and stand back and say to yourself, "Woah, how'd I do that?" Even if you already thought You could do it well enough on your own. [quote]What is the criteria for someone receiving a blessing from GOD and does GOD bless people equally?[/quote] Criteria is being Human, and yes He does bless people equally, yet one man may be Pichachio and another man G.K.Chesterton. [quote]Does the misfortune of others indicate that they did something against GOD to receive any blessings.[/quote] Not neccesarily, but yes it does sometimes. Especially if you acknowledge God and His will and you know, (or in some cases don't), that you have done something contrary to His will, He will discipline you. For example you accidentally hit your head off of a low ceiling in your room that for years you've practiced dodging so much so that it becomes second nature to tilt your head a certain way when you pass that point. Yet just that one time you hit it anyway and it makes you stop to wonder for a second, "Wait, What?" [quote]How has GOD personally blessed your life and can you explain the last blessing that you received?[/quote] He gave me quite a gift of understanding, (I think), and articulation, (I think), and a love for and ability to create numerous stories and wonderful characters that practically scream depth and creativity, an ability to slowly learn how to develope an art style while my, often younger, contemporeries, (and this always bothered me to no end, so much so I can't put into words), have far surpased me in ability and skill even though a week before I was better then them. (Trust me, that happens alot) And He gave me the patience to hold my toungue and to surpress the jealousy I occasionally get as a result. He also Blessed me by stripping me of my abilities before I used them for sinful purposes, and, taking away my greatest and most loved storyline before I corrupted it from the originally Act of love and Worship it was meant to be. Not all of God's Blessings means He gives us stuff. [quote]and finally…… Is it really necessary for us to say “GOD bless you” after someone sneezes?[/quote] As an act of goodwill towards thine neighbour? Yes. Originally it was "Juno bless you" back in Roman times when someone sneezed. It was to invoke a blessing to prevent the spread of plague, (what else could they do back then?), Christians always had a problem with this, they WANTED to ask for a blessing to a person who sneezed, but refused to invoke Flase gods and compromise their devotion to God, and saying 'God' Bless you created awkward situations. Two Romans walk into a bar... Pagan: *sneezes* Christian: "God Bless You" Pagan: "Thanks....Which God?" Christian ".....Erm" Back during the Christian persecution, giving any clue that you were a Christian was as good as signing your own death warrent. When Christianity became 'legal' under Emperor Constantine, Christian said the phrase openly and with reckless abandon. So, yeah, pretty mandatory there. =] Edited May 28, 2008 by Galloglasses Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deb Posted May 30, 2008 Share Posted May 30, 2008 Yes, yes, God does bless. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Winchester Posted May 30, 2008 Share Posted May 30, 2008 [quote name='Deb' post='1546223' date='May 28 2008, 11:52 AM']Guess what? God is supernatural. What is human perception? If I experience something of a supernatural nature, knowing in my soul it is of God, it can only be my human perception because I am human. God is Spirit. God will use the means that a human can understand and perceive. Kind of like when he gives the gift of faith. It can't be touched or seen but, it is there and it is a blessing. What do I care if anyone thinks what I perceive as being reliable? It is what I believe that matters to God. Can you say that the apostles and disciples were not blessed? Could anyone have believed their words of the Gospel without the indwelling of the spirit? All human perception but, with divine activity. Am I making any sense cuz this pain pill is kind of woozying me out?[/quote] All I'm saying is there's no way to know for certain. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deb Posted May 30, 2008 Share Posted May 30, 2008 No, there is no way to [u]prove[/u] you know for certain. : Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CatherineM Posted May 30, 2008 Share Posted May 30, 2008 On Seinfeld they said "you're so good looking" after a flap about saying God bless you. Would that make you feel better? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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