Blessings Vs. "Blessings" (aka Counterfeit)

It's really important to know what comes from God and what doesn't. I may sound harsh in this post, but this is my take from experience with living with a certain family member and around a few other Christians. Just read on, and it will make sense as you go ;)

Let's start simple:

1. God gives you what you need when you need. 
The Bible has a lot to say over blessings, money, gifts, needs, and advice. I've heard lots of stories about how people find a break when they need it and how close they've been to accidents, but always end up safe. It's a great thing to know that we are promised blessings. God will never give us something to face that we cannot handle, but instead God gives us power to stand over it. Sounds good, right? Lets turn up the heat.


2. God doesn't bless you with something so you can sin in return.
Here is something very dangerous that people pass up. If you find yourself to be blessed to have extra money, what are you going to spend it on? Sometimes God will give us something, but what we do with it doesn't glorify him but instead does the opposite. It's a definite need to understand how your using what is given to you and making sure that your using it for good and not bad. Every thought, word said, purchase, action is a 50/50. Is it good or bad? This is an extreme thought, yes, but a definite good one.

Lets take it from a different approach, shall we? Money is an important factor, but there are many examples that don't involve it. Let's say you're driving stupidly or in an illegal manner, and you find that by a miracle you didn't get permanently injured in a crash that took place due to your driving. Are you going to keep driving the same? What more would it take for you to finally stop? Lets beef up the heat even more as I move on to a slightly different subject.


3. Some, 'Blessings' aren't from God.
This got your attention, didn't it? Here's my take. Whereas God will provide for you as you need, don't fool yourself into thinking some things are directly from God. Here is an example I have taken from a near family member.

Say you have no money in the bank, or just enough to get you gas for work this last day before your paycheck. However, you REALLY want some pizza. Now, because you have no money and want pizza, what are you going to do? Lets say you write a hot check, which will charge you an extra $35+ from your bank and give you bad credit. (not to forget it's illegal) After delivery charges and getting the pizza to your door, you spend a total of  $55 that night for food. This becomes a normal thing, and eventually starts to really take a toll on your Credit score and leaves you broke to figure out how your going to get to work. Is this a blessing that God provides you with pizza, or is this a foolish habit that the devil would use to ruin you? It's extremely important that you don't close your mind and become ignorant to this.

Though some of this may be common sense, you would be so surprised that people could live like that. Here is another example: You're low on cash, but can still get by. This time, you are an alcoholic, and love to get drunk to pass time and make your life better. In a time when you can't afford enough beer, a friend spots you by buying you a 12-pack, so you can get drunk and enjoy the night, forgetting about your problems. Is this a blessing, that God has touched your friend to have a giving heart? Of course not.


4. Regarding faith:
Though faith is extremely important, do not completely neglect something important in faith that it is taken care of. This will leave you open and unprepared should something worse or unexpected happen. Some people will have huge debts owed, and just ignore it in faith that it will be taken care of on it's own. If you ignore this hoping it to solve itself, it could easily leave you open to some serious trouble. If you have a problem, don't ignore it, but have faith and pray that you can take it head on and get it taken care of. Then you know for sure the problem doesn't exist, and you make it through.

Don't be paranoid and hopeless about problems, but definitely don't be careless.

5. Recognizing a counterfeit vs. blessing.
As with all decisions, first things to check:
    A) Is what your thinking of biblical?
    B) Does it or will it leave you in a better or worse condition than you are now?
    C) Is it out of the ordinary, or something completely expected?
    D) WWJD?
    E) Is this something you can use to sharpen someones faith?


Random Fact: I like to use WWJD in a lot of situations. It will make you rethink what your doing, and possibly higher your standards. I don't see how you could go wrong using this, so try it if you don't!