This is something meaningful I learned from bible study lessons:
The Man On A Cruise
There was once a man who has used up all his money to buy a ticket to board a ship to sail to another country.
During the long journey, he would walk past the dining hall and look at the other passengers feasting and enjoying their food. He wished he could join them, but he had no more money to buy food.
He would then go back to his own cabin to eat the biscuits he had brought along, carefully eating it little by little everyday, hoping that it would last for the journey.
Then one day, the captain of the ship came up to him and asked him why he did not join the other passengers at the dining hall but instead ate biscuits at a corner.
"I have used up all the money I have to purchase the ticket, and now I have no more money for food." the man said.
The captain then said, "Don't you know that the ticket price included food as well?"
The Lesson of the Story:
Christians believe that once they have accepted Jesus as their personal Savior, they are assured of a place in heaven. However, many thought that that was the only thing they can have.
Some Christians even have a wrong belief that we can have all the good things after we reach heaven, but while we are still in this earth we are meant to suffer.
There are many Christians who live life like the man in the story. Many due to ignorance did not know that there are many other benefits besides heaven that we Christians can enjoy while we are in this earth, so we accept sickness and poverty as part of God's will and hope that one day it will all become better once we reach heaven.
However, the Bible says that we are meant to reign as kings and priests while on earth. We are meant to be overcomers!
We don't have to wait until we die and go to heaven to enjoy all of God's blessings. We can all enjoy heaven NOW!
The Bible is full of promises of God's blessings for us Christians, if only we would take time to find out. Our God is so wealthy and so kind, and He loves us so much. He has already given us the best He has - His Only Son, so would He not also give us all good things?
When we think of it, it makes sense... all God's promises are for us today, not for us only when we reach heaven. When we are in heaven, we won't need prosperity because we will be literally walking on gold! We won't need health and healing, and we won't need divine protection because there won't be any bad people or accidents in heaven anyway!
Psalm 103:3-5
Praise the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits- who:
- forgives all your sins
- heals all your diseases
- redeems your life from the pit
- crowns you with love and compassion
- satisfies your desires with good things, so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's
