I believe that God is good to us in the measure that we are good to Him.
Yes God is kind to the unthankful and evil and He is merciful, there is a limit to how bad things will happen to someone
But it is true that if you are good God will rewarded you in this life. This has not been abolished because we are in the new testament. I know Abouna Anthony yes a blessed man and full of wisdom says we should not connect the blessings of God to how we behave because God is good always. I will also remind you that Pope Shenouda says God does not punish for every sin but in the midst of a 100 sins He punishes for one of them.
I really find bad things happen to me when I do a sin, sometimes it is cause and effect and sometimes it is directly by God.
Someone already said that if you go to church and seek first the kingdom then God will bless the rest of your week.
The Psalmist says "Do good O LORD to them which are good"
and Blessed is the man which walketh not in the way of the ungodly . he prospers in all things like Joseph and the palm tree
I am not saving you from evil by this post. I can not do this. But just fixing some peoples understanding.
It is perhaps true though that there is great good coming from evil also. The evil comes first but the good overwhelms the evil.
Indeed though it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven and it is better than to have no hand than have your whole body cast into hell fire. God smites them which He loves (ofcourse not talking about the rich person) and chastens a son whom He receives. A poor person is rich in faith and wisdom and therefore has the advantage of entering the kingdom. Also because less is required of him. However the kingdom of heaven can also be attained easily by a rich man but he must take time to uproot the weeds and make a bit more effort. The judgements of the LORD are above man but He judges fairly and is good to all
Them which are rich must bring joy to them which have need like Job brought joy to many
So why is it that some people do not get chastened? it is because they have not asked the LORD to be their LORD and have put the day of judgement far from their eyes. He does not chasten those He destroys them
What shalll it profit a man if he gains the whole world and is himself destroyed or lost?
The greatest sin is pride though and is the cause of the greatest calamities like when david numbered the children of israel and those which rise up to bless their rich friends in a moral way will be accursed. It is right to honor all people
God is a rich father in heaven and he wants to share His riches with us if we are so willing to make Him LORD
I often stop myself from posting but I don't know if it is right to stop talking. I may have said some wrong things and rambled but what do you think? Does not the bible say that you all should edify one another?
Whoever has evil thoughts towards the poor and judges the reason for their calamities is sinning and is in the wrong way such as when the disciples asked about the blind man
That which I told you in the dark speak in the light