Bible Questions Answered:
“It seems the wealthy man with all
his money has the good life while the christian people I see are a
lot of them poor or living very modestly....what about all the
blessings...?”
Corrie/ Queens town, New Zealand
Bible Answer:
Bible Text:
Psalm 73:1-28 NLT (A psalm of
Asaph.)
1 Truly God is good to Israel, to those
whose hearts are pure.
2 But as for me, I almost lost my
footing. My feet were slipping, and I was almost gone.
3 For I envied the proud when I saw
them prosper despite their wickedness.
4 They seem to live such painless
lives; their bodies are so healthy and strong.
5 They don’t have troubles like other
people; they’re not plagued with problems like everyone else.
6 They wear pride like a jeweled
necklace and clothe themselves with cruelty.
7 These fat cats have everything their
hearts could ever wish for!
8 They scoff and speak only evil; in
their pride they seek to crush others.
9 They boast against the very heavens,
and their words strut throughout the earth.
10 And so the people are dismayed and
confused, drinking in all their words.
11 “What does God know?” they ask.
“Does The Most High even know what’s happening?”
12 Look at these wicked people—
enjoying a life of ease while their riches multiply.
13 Did I keep my heart pure for
nothing? Did I keep myself innocent for no reason?
14 I get nothing but trouble all day
long; every morning brings me pain.
15 If I had really spoken this way to
others, I would have been a traitor to your people.
16 So I tried to understand why the
wicked prosper. But what a difficult task it is!
17 Then I went into your sanctuary, O
God, and I finally understood the destiny of the wicked.
18 Truly, you put them on a slippery
path and send them sliding over the cliff to destruction.
19 In an instant they are destroyed,
completely swept away by terrors.
20 When you arise, O Lord, you will
laugh at their silly ideas as a person laughs at dreams in the
morning.
21 Then I realized that my heart was
bitter and I was all torn up inside.
22 I was so foolish and ignorant— I
must have seemed like a senseless animal to you.
23 Yet I still belong to you; you hold
my right hand.
24 You guide me with your counsel,
leading me to a glorious destiny.
25 Whom have I in heaven but you? I
desire you more than anything on earth.
26 My health may fail, and my spirit
may grow weak, but God remains the strength of my heart; He is mine
forever.
27 Those who desert Him will perish,
for you destroy those who abandon you.
28 But as for me, how good it is to be
near God! I have made The Sovereign Lord my shelter, and I will tell
everyone about the wonderful things you do.
Asaph says he almost lost his way, over
envy and confusion, concerning the wealthy and their carefree ways.
He reflected have I lived a pure and innocent life for nothing?
Asaph, learned the answer when he went
to the sanctuary of God, and that is where we will receive our
answers too.
17 Then I went into your sanctuary, O
God, and I finally understood the destiny of the wicked.
18 Truly, you put them on a slippery
path and send them sliding over the cliff to destruction.
19 In an instant they are destroyed,
completely swept away by terrors.
20 When you arise, O Lord, you will
laugh at their silly ideas as a person laughs at dreams in the
morning.
Matthew 16:24-26 KJV
24 Then said Jesus unto His
disciples, If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and
take up his cross, and follow me.
25 For whosoever will save his life
shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for My sake shall
find it.
26 For what is a man profited, if he
shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a
man give in exchange for his soul?
II Corinthians 4:15-18 KJV (The
Apostle Paul.)
15 For all things are for your
sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many
redound to the glory of God.
16 For which cause we faint not; but
though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by
day.
17 For our light affliction,
which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and
eternal weight of glory;
18 While we look not at the things
which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things
which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are
eternal.
As God's people,
take heart, whatever we may go through, we go through it with God at
our side:
Genesis 28:15
KJV
And, behold, I
am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest..."
Exodus 33:14 KJV
And He said, My
presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest.
Psalm 34:19 KJV
Many are the
afflictions of the righteous: but The Lord delivereth him out of them
all.
Psalm 41:3 NLT
The Lord nurses
them when they are sick and restores them to health.
Psalm 91:15,16
KJV
15 He shall
call upon Me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I
will deliver him, and honor him.
16 With long
life will I satisfy him, and shew him My salvation.
Isaiah 43:2 KJV
When thou
passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the
rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the
fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon
thee.
Isaiah 58:9 NLT
Then when you
call, The Lord will answer.‘Yes, I am here,’ He will quickly
reply..."
Matthew 18:20
KJV
For where two
or three are gathered together in My name, there am I in the midst of
them.
Matthew 28:20
KJV
Teaching them
to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am
with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
John 14:18 KJV
I will not
leave you comfortless: I will come to you.
Romans 8:18 KJV
For I reckon
that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be
compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
II Timothy
2:10-12 KJV
10 Therefore I
endure all things for the elect's sakes, that they may also obtain
the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.
11 It is a
faithful saying: For if we be dead with Him, we shall also live with
Him:
12 If we
suffer, we shall also reign with Him: if we deny Him, He also will
deny us:
Hebrews 13:5 KJV
Let your
conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things
as ye have: for He hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake
thee.
I Peter 4:12,13
KJV
12 Beloved,
think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you,
as though some strange thing happened unto you:
13 But rejoice,
inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when His
glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.
Revelation 21:4
KJV
And God shall
wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more
death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more
pain: for the former things are passed away.
