I had a conversation with John and David about blessing and prosperity the other night. We discussed there is no real promise of a life without suffering, even for the believer.
For a moment, I thought there must be a explanation for the favor I enjoy under the care of our Heavenly Father as a believer. The conversation ended and I didn’t think of it again, until the next morning.
The next morning my daily flip calendar I keep in the bathroom quoted this verse.
Proverbs 21:21(NIV)
He who pursues righteousness and love finds life, prosperity and honor.
This verse reminds me of
Matthew 6:33(NIV)
But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
Now according to Amazing Collection study (go WOG!) Proverbs is full of Godly wisdom, but these couplets are not necessarily promises of God, like a “This says the LORD…”, but Matthew 6:33 is words of Christ.
Is it too controversial in the 21st century to talk about the prosperity that comes from a Godly life given there are those that turn the Gospel into a matter of wealth? Perhaps a good definition of prosperity is in order…
Just before Matt 6:33 Christ defines “these things” as food, water and clothes. I don’t know of too many people in America where people’s worries about the essentials don’t also include the ideas of, “and maintain my standard of living.” Which by the way, that standard of living is considered luxurious by global standards.
You also mentioned using the idea of “things just going better for the believer” as a witnessing tool (that was my perception of what you were saying). I submit that there are a few believers at Grace and many, many more around the world that would disagree with you on that.
It also presumes a lot on what one thinks God’s plan for them should be like. What was that Danism about “what you win people with is what you win them to”?
Note: Trying to make some statements instead of just asking questions all the time. 🙂
YES! I love this topic! Why? Because it focuses on on blessing/prosperity that comes from a God-centered life. Anyone who is found “in Christ” is rich and prosperous. Not because of us, but because of Jesus Christ. The rub comes when people begin to take the spiritual blessings and make them primarily physical blessings (cash, cars, and creature comforts). Jesus did what he did for prosperity! In Hebrews 12:2 it says,
Jesus did what He did for the prosperity of Joy. He did what He did because there is a payoff and that’s OK. It’s not the only reason, but it is a strong motivation that drove Jesus on.
It is true we have let people hijack the term, but I say let’s buy it back through Biblical thinking wrapped up in conversation/writing!
Personal conviction time! Just stumbled across this in 1 Timothy 6:6-8.
*Not found in earlier manuscripts. ;^)
To clarify, I was wondering out loud if life circumstances could be used as a tool in evangelism. In a broad sense, I would say yes, because our lives and difficulty in them illustrate a fallen world to the lost.
Perhaps Dan remembers our conversations from years past where we talked of praying for difficulty in peoples lives as a means to their salvation.
C.S. Lewis said “God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pains: it is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world.”
OK, I am going to ramble here with a bunch of small, somewhat related thoughts.
As Christians we still have difficulties in our lives. We just have hope in our Savior. This is not necessarily hope that everything will work out the way we want it to or the way the world would want it to (their definition of prosperity). This is hope that God knows what is best for us in this life (Rom 8:28) and in the life to come.
I think Christians today do not focus enough on the eternal hope of the resurrection and instead focus on earthly treasures. We need to be more like Moses:
Our faith in Christ on the cross is not just looking back to a past event where our sins were forgiven. We should daily look through the cross to the future hope where we will be sinless and in the presence of the Father. Sanctification seems to be looked at as becoming less sinful. I think sanctification should be looked at as becoming closer to the perfection we will have in the resurrection (NOTE: These are the same things just looked at from a different perspective). By growing in Christ we can have more and more of “heaven on earth”.
As for praying for difficulty in peoples lives, I think we do not do enough of this. After the New Orleans flooding, I heard many prayers offered to comfort the people of New Orleans. I think those types of prayers should be for the Christians alone. For those who do not know Christ, we should pray that they not find any comfort other than the comfort of having a saving relationship with Christ.
As for using our circumstances for evangelism, then I think we should pray for more hardship and persecution. Kinda like Satan’s accusations against Job, it is easy to have joy in God when everything is going your way. I think the world will see our faith better when we still show our hope in Christ when facing disaster.
And Kevin, congratulations! Your daughter is a cutie.
Agreed, but I also remember starting down the path of comparing the circumstances of one person’s life to another person’s and implying that the difference was that one was a believer and the other was not. I don’t recommend that road, that’s all.
Here’s an interesting musical observation. I can’t remember who I heard this from but the more affluent the culture, the more the religious songs focus on the blessings of God (This Is My Father’s World, etc.) while the less affluent a culture is the more the religious songs focus on the hope we have in the next life (When We All Get To Heaven, etc.).
Our hope is in our coming King. No argument. A comparison of circumstances can be valid, though. Here’s how:
The difference between the lives of a believer and the unbeliever should show where their hope lies, whether circumstances are good or bad. I was not insinuating believers should be materially blessed by American standards. I do think knowledge and wisdom and decision making improve for the believer who fears God. Better thinking begets better choices in life.
Maybe that’s where the apparent prosperity kicks in.
I would be rude not to recognize Dan’s comment. Insightful perspective sir.
I really like what Dan wrote as that is the key IMO. That our “joy may be full”, and to have that abundant life in Christ. Joy for who He is what He is doing in our lives. That is real prosperity.
Truly God has blessed me and my family with some nice “material possessions”, cash in the bank (usually) and allowed me to make some smart decisions over the years despite myself! Just like Gods gift of salvation, I don’t deserve anything I have. Not to forget a great wife and kids that put up with me every day!
With that said, I am full aware that all these nice “things” can be taken away at a moments notice, and is not where my true joy, happiness, and prosperity comes from. (Though our new DVR-TIVO is pretty cool) 😉 Kidding!!!!
I truly have joy giving money to organizations that really need help, and love giving to GF too. (also through Amazon.com soon) I never give to get anything in return from God, but I do have the constant attitude of how can I expect God to bless me (materially or joyfully) if I am not being faithful in the “small things”. In this case that “small thing” is my giving to the local church or charities that do work in the name of Christ.
Anyone want to chime in on the concept of “giving to get”? TV Hucksters such as Robert Tilton? This seems to be a good segway and fits the topic well.
Yeah, what Dan said.
Wouldn’t that be a comparison of one’s reaction to the circumstances – not the circumstances themselves?
It’s true that a believer has less chance of being on the Jerry Springer Show, but “better” is a pretty subjective word. Paul was poor and in jail a good bit of the time while other believers held steady jobs and supported Paul in his ministry.
Do you agree that we have to completely separate the idea of prosperity from the idea of material things/physical comfort and only apply it to our souls and the Kingdom?
Honestly, I think they can be separate but both still be true.
We are blessed in Christ
Ephesians 1:3.
God blesses our obedience in our work
Ephesians 6:7-8
Correct, they can be related but are not connected. To assume they are connected is like saying, “Bob will have a high paying job because he is a college graduate.” As we all know, NOT TRUE. :^) Should Bob get a high paying job, the college degree is more than likely related, but should Bob be a janitor he is no less a college graduate.