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Prosperity Gospel
You know what? I am really getting tired of preachers who hypocritically blast the “prosperity gospel”.Prosperity gospel? That’s what they like to call it.
It’s true, there are definitely people who live for the buck. They treat the word of God like it’s their good luck charm. But that’s nothing new. Paul even had to confront that kind of thinking in his day.
“If anyone teaches a different doctrine and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching that accords with godliness, he is puffed up with conceit and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy craving for controversy and for quarrels about words, which produce envy, dissension, slander, evil suspicions, and constant friction among people who are depraved in mind and deprived of the truth, imagining that godliness is a means of gain. Now there is great gain in godliness with contentment, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.” (1 Timothy 6:3-10 ESV)
I said, “hypocritically” didn’t I? These preachers preach against the prosperity gospel (largely due, I suspect, to green eyed envy), and yet bawl and squall because their congregation isn’t giving like they should!
What should they expect? They should be excited because God’s Word is working right before their very eyes.
“Give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.” (Luke 6:38 ESV)
“Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap.” (Galatians 6:7 ESV)
“And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work.” (2 Corinthians 9:8 ESV)
Here’s the truth about the prosperity gospel: God IS for you, NOT against you. He’s not against you having money and resources; He’s only against them having YOU. God tells us to give to whoever asks. That can’t be done unless we’ve discovered the law of giving and receiving (or seedtime and harvest). And it WON’T be done unless we trust Him with all our heart AND our stuff.
Did you read what Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 9:8? Here it is again: “And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work.” (2 Corinthians 9:8 ESV)
All sufficiency, in all things. Does that sound like He wants us to just barely eke out an existence? Hardly.
He’s rich to all who call upon Him. In other words, He has more than enough to go around. He’s generous by nature; and we should be, as well.
Let’s drop the dollar signs when we think of prosperity. The gospel is the power of God unto salvation; for our spirit, soul, and body. When we receive God’s word and begin to act on it, our whole being prospers.
“And may the God of peace Himself sanctify you through and through [separate you from profane things, make you pure and wholly consecrated to God]; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved sound and complete [and found] blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah).” (1 Thessalonians 5:23 AMP)
“Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in every way and [that your body] may keep well, even as [I know] your soul keeps well and prospers.” (3 John 1:2 AMP)
God has never promised to make you or myself a millionaire. But He has given us everything that pertains to LIFE and GODLINESS. Every book of the Bible is a testimony of God’s faithfulness. And it’s a testimony for us.
There isn’t enough room in this post to share everything about God’s truths in regards to finances, etc. I have written a couple of eBooks on the subject, though. See them here:
I will soon have a paperback book published combining both “Breaking the Spirit of Poverty” and “Generosity” into one. It is titled “Breaking the Spirit of Poverty with the Spirit of Generosity”.
Please. If you need to address error, then do it biblically. Don’t act as though prosperity is of the devil. You know you really don’t believe it.
Coveting and selfishness IS from the deceiver. Prosperity is NOT.
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Familiarity
Familiarity:
-the state of being familiar with something
-the state of having knowledge about something
-a friendly and informal way of acting or talkingThere’s an old, well-known expression regarding familiarity. You may never have said it, but I’m certain you’ve heard it.
“Familiarity breeds contempt.”
In other words, the more we get to know someone, the more apt we are to notice their faults, flaws, and freaky mannerisms. Their shining armor becomes tarnished. It’s not like we try and find something to pick at; it just happens. Their jokes are no longer funny, their apologies sound like hollow, empty words, and their table manners are abhorrently disgusting.
The honeymoon is over.
What happened? We were never bothered or irritated before when they told their jokes. Why now? Is it just because we’ve been together too long? Is that why it seems as though we’ve grown apart?
I’d say no. Probably not.
But that doesn’t mean there aren’t things that should be changed.
For instance…
Familiarity breeds, not necessarily contempt, but slothfulness; i.e.- laziness.
I’ve noticed this in my own life: in the different places I’ve worked, and in the various relationships I’ve had through the years.
Who’s the person who normally gets the brunt of our grumpiness? People to whom we’re supposedly the closest to.
Professional drivers can, at times, let their focus on safety become slack. After all, they’ve driven the same road over a thousand times, and without incident. So what if they are driving a little fast, or the road’s a little wet. They know what they’re doing.
Until the crash that claims their life, or the life of someone else
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A letter carrier, walking the same route everyday, house to house, can become so used to their surroundings they never notice when something changes. I know a guy who, after walking the same route, months on end, walked into the raised tailgate of a minivan. Cracked his head wide open.
Never saw it. He allowed familiarity to blind him.
Another guy tripped over a rock. Someone had changed the landscaping but the carrier didn’t see the change. He was blinded by familiarity. He quit looking. And broke his ankle.
Have you ever owned something brand new? You were its first owner. Remember how cautious you were with it? Careful! You don’t want it scratched, or messed up in any way.
At least for the first few months.
But, after a while…
A lot of the problems husbands and wives face stem from this thing called familiarity; not because the honeymoon is over.
No, generally familiarity leads to…
Laziness. Slothfulness in the way we look at people, treat loved ones, or even take care of ourselves.
Laziness in communication. No longer thrilled to spend a quiet evening with family; it’s just too boring.
And one day our world crashes in. Or we walk into a raised minivan tailgate.
Or our spouse walks out of our life for good. Or…
Familiarity can breed contempt. It can mark the beginning of an end. It can spell danger.
Yet familiarity isn’t a bad thing, because real intimacy grows from such closeness.
Familiarity is the outgrowth of shared experiences, even tragic experiences.
It’s easy to share nice, feel good experiences with someone you love. It doesn’t take much effort to enjoy the company of someone you’re physically and emotionally attracted to.
Familiarity is fun in those cases. Wouldn’t you agree?
But sooner or later, at some point in our lives, we’ll find ourselves in the familiar company of someone who irritates the daylight out of us. It may even be our spouse!
And yes, we may need a little space in order to return to some semblance of sanity. But let’s keep our eyes, and our heart, on the prize; the prize of intimacy with people we truly care about.
People we love.
Let’s endeavor to maintain intimacy with God, our spouse, our family and loved ones, in the bond of peace; regardless of the work involved.
“I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with long-suffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” (Ephesians 4:1-3 NKJV)
Familiarity breeds contempt?
It doesn’t have to.
And it won’t, if we will do our part.
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The Plug Is Pulled
There’s a picture in my mind of what the year 2015 will look like.
I envision a humongous bathtub, full of water. As long as the water isn’t disturbed by an outside source, it remains calm. Even when the water is disturbed, it eventually levels out and becomes serene.
It’s how our lives are much of the time. Everything’s calm, cool, and collected as long as we’re not bothered. And when disturbances do take place, life eventually settles down and levels out.
But things are changing. The world as we know it is coming to an end.
I’m not prophesying a doomsday catastrophe for 2015 as much as I’m declaring that changes are coming faster than we may have noticed; quicker than we’ve prepared for.
The water is becoming disturbed, but not from any specific world event that has, or will, happen. No, something else has caused the water’s movement.
The plug has been pulled. The water is draining. Time is running out.
And the closer the water is to the drain, the faster it swirls, causing greater tension, less control, and extreme difficulty for anyone attempting to change courses.
“When the Son of Man returns, it will be like it was in Noah’s day. In those days before the flood, the people were enjoying banquets and parties and weddings right up to the time Noah entered his boat. People didn’t realize what was going to happen until the flood came and swept them all away. That is the way it will be when the Son of Man comes.” (Matthew 24:37-39 NLT)
“But the day of the Lord will come as unexpectedly as a thief. Then the heavens will pass away with a terrible noise, and the very elements themselves will disappear in fire, and the earth and everything on it will be found to deserve judgment.” (2 Peter 3:10 NLT)
Back in Noah’s day, people were partying, promoting “self” as the god to be worshipped; totally ignoring the work and word of Noah. The 8-10 billion earthly inhabitants completely wiped God off the face of the earth; or so they thought. They had reached the point where every thought, every action, was evil.
So God said, “No more. I can’t reach them through any conventional means. They won’t listen, so they cannot change. It’s time to pull the plug.”
It took 120 years for the tub to drain, but it finally did. And even though Noah was the laughingstock to his generation, only those safely within the Ark survived.
The rains came – just like God said.
The earth shook, and the deep opened up; again, just as the preacher of righteousness had proclaimed.
All laughter ceased the moment all Hell broke loose.
2015. The world is much like it was in Noah’s day. Man and his so-called wisdom is being touted as grand and glorious, the high and exalted one. Many believe man and his godless, self-improvement plan has reached such a high and noble mark he is just on the edge of Godlikeness. His intellect, inventions, and ideologies have lifted him far beyond the point of mere arrogance.
He will do what he pleases, when he “damn well” wants to; and no so-called higher power or out-dated deity can tell him otherwise.
So the plug has been pulled.
Notice what Paul wrote to Timothy regarding the “last days”.
“You should know this, Timothy, that in the last days there will be very difficult times. For people will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred. They will be unloving and unforgiving; they will slander others and have no self-control. They will be cruel and hate what is good. They will betray their friends, be reckless, be puffed up with pride, and love pleasure rather than God. They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. Stay away from people like that.” (2 Timothy 3:1-5 NLT)
Was Paul writing about our day and age? It certainly appears so.
I don’t know when the tub will be completely drained. It may be some time. But the change in water level, and the increased pressure and flow around the drain, will be felt this coming year.
“So what should I do”, you ask?
Take a good look at your heart. What do you really believe? Who do you care about the most? Who has the final say about how you live your life?
Is Jesus simply a pastime for you? A hobby? Or is He truly the LORD of your life?
Are you ready to enter life on the other side of the drain? You see, water doesn’t cease to be once it drains from the tub. Neither does life cease once this present existence is through.
When’s the last time you had a heart to heart talk with God? Now just might be a good time; while there’s still water in the tub.
Yes, the water is moving; it’s level is lowering. 2015 will be a notable year.
The plug is pulled.
The future is here!
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Don’t Light The Match
Don’t light the match, and you won’t start a fire.
You cannot “taper down” your addiction to porn, any more than you can taper down burning down your house. To win, don’t light the match.
Every image of porn you look at ignites a fuse inside of you that demands more, more, and MORE.
Each time you SET YOUR EYES on images designed to stir up the inner desire of sexual satisfaction, you build a wall in your spirit that actually keeps you from having true intimacy with your spouse; and spiritual fellowship with God.
“I’m doing better”, you say; but you don’t realize there’s a monster of lust growing inside of you. Sooner or later that monster will not only devour you, but also those who really love and care about you.
Do you really want to be free from the monster of lust?
1. Don’t feed it, STARVE IT. Get rid of it. Not just the hardcore stuff, but even the “soft” stuff that gets your motor racing. Things like television shows, movies, books, and even certain restaurants.
2. Make your eyes obey you. YOU decide what things you’ll focus on. And don’t listen to the advice of those who think “eye candy” won’t hurt you.
3. If you’re married, talk to your spouse about your problem. Ask her/him to pray for you and support your decision to live pure.
4. Find a friend who loves you enough to speak truthfully, prayerfully, and confidentially with you. And I HIGHLY advise choosing a friend who’s of the same sex as you are.
Again, if you don’t keep matches in your pocket, you can’t readily start a fire.
Let your spouse keep the matches. Let them be your ONLY desire for sexual intimacy.
I repeat – don’t light the match and you won’t get burned.
“When you run out of wood, the fire goes out…” (Proverbs 26:20 MSG)
“…There are three things that are never satisfied –
no, four that never say, “Enough!”: the grave, the barren womb, the thirsty desert, the blazing fire.” (Proverbs 30:15-16 NLT)“Run from anything that stimulates youthful lusts…” (2 Timothy 2:22 NLT)
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Satan Hates Women
Satan hates women!
He hates women with an eternal hatred.
You may wonder how I arrived at such a conclusion.
Well, first of all, think of the many times throughout history that women have been victimized, traumatized, ignored and belittled, enslaved and treated as sex objects, looked upon as stupid and less intelligent than their male counterparts.
Throughout the world, in many societies, women are still treated as a piece of property; something to be owned, used, misused, battered, and traded. Nothing more than a slave.
You may be thinking, “It’s not that way in America, or other civilized countries.”
Oh?
What about all of the television commercials which use a woman’s sex appeal to promote beer sales? Why not give the job to an 82 year old great grandmother? One reason. Her looks.
Automobiles, smart phones, you name it… all use pretty women to sell their products.
And how about the “adult entertainment” industry? Sure, everyone appears to be having a wonderful time. But a closer observation will reveal the main focus of the industry is the male. Women are used to please the male; one way or another.
Fantasizing with online images, film or magazine images, is an affront against all women.
It lowers their value to nothing more than an object to be used, then discarded after one reaches their climax.
Pornography degrades human dignity, especially the dignity of women.
Sex trafficking, the buying, selling, trading, raping/using of young girls, men and women, is a world-wide atrocity. And while men, and even young boys, have become the sex slaves of some violent and perverted traders, the victims are predominantly female.
Just another example of Satan’s hatred toward women.
Yes, Satan hates women and is doing his best to keep them far beneath their God-given destiny. He wants them to forever view themselves as insignificant, valueless, subhuman beings. Sex objects, baby bearers, servant to every male.
Why?
Satan is the type to hold a grudge.
Remember? Many, many years ago, in a garden called Eden, a man, a woman, and a serpent had a little conversation.
The serpent was the shrewdest of all the wild animals the Lord God had made. One day he asked the woman, “Did God really say you must not eat the fruit from any of the trees in the garden?”
“Of course we may eat fruit from the trees in the garden,” the woman replied. “It’s only the fruit from the tree in the middle of the garden that we are not allowed to eat. God said, ‘You must not eat it or even touch it; if you do, you will die.’” “You won’t die!” the serpent replied to the woman. “God knows that your eyes will be opened as soon as you eat it, and you will be like God, knowing both good and evil.”
“The woman was convinced. She saw that the tree was beautiful and its fruit looked delicious, and she wanted the wisdom it would give her. So she took some of the fruit and ate it. Then she gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it, too. At that moment their eyes were opened, and they suddenly felt shame at their nakedness.
“So they sewed fig leaves together to cover themselves.”(Genesis 3:1-7 NLT)
Along came the Lord God and began to question the man and woman.
“What? Why are you two hiding from me?”
“The woman, whom you gave to me, handed me the fruit so I ate it”, said the man.
“Oh? And young lady, what do you have to say?”
“It was the serpent’s smooth and deceptive speech that caused me to forget your words and pursue the forbidden fruit.”
Or, in other words, “The serpent deceived me. That’s why I ate it.”
Did you catch that? The man shielded the true deceiver while the woman exposed him.
Yes, it was the woman who responded in truth when interrogated by God.
And it was the testimony of the woman that caused the Lord to turn to the serpent, the devil, and say, “Because you have done this, you are cursed more than all animals, domestic and wild. You will crawl on your belly, groveling in the dust as long as you live. And I will cause hostility between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring. He will strike your head, and you will strike his heel.” (Genesis 3:13-15 NLT)
Ever since that time, Satan has hated women.
And he is doing his best to get the world to do the same.
Husbands, loving your wife because she…
Is beautiful
Pleases you in bed
Is a good mother
Has a lot of money
Let’s you have your man cave
Is faithful
Is popular
Isn’t like your mom……isn’t necessarily love. What happens when she can’t “perform” in any of the above categories?
Don’t act like the devil. Don’t hate your wife. Love her in the same way Christ loves the church.
He gave Himself so the church could really live.
Don’t hate women.
Don’t use them for your selfish pleasure.
The Lord came to seek and save, among other things, the value and dignity of the one who told the truth.
The woman.
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Ready To Run
If you want to live a pure life, keep your running shoes on; laced, tied, and ready for action.
Ready to run.
Just like Joseph of old. For when Potiphar’s wife tried to sink her tempting talons into his innocent soul, he was ready for action and ran for his life.
Be ready to run. From temptation, from lustful thoughts, and from anything that draws you away from godly pursuits.
Be ready to run – to your Savior and Lord.
“So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.” (2 Timothy 2:22 ESV)
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God Invaded The Earth
God invaded the earth in the form of a baby boy.
A most unlikely, and highly unbelievable event took place some 2000 years ago.A virgin gave birth to God incarnate.
People have a hard time believing it today. Oh, sure, lots of folks believe in Christmas. They believe in the Eastern Star, the Manger Scene (complete with animals, Magi, shepherds, Mary and Joseph, and Jesus), gifts, carols, and a paid holiday. Yes, many believe in Christmas.
But imagine what it was like that first Christmas.
There were no ribbons and bows, no special television programming, and no ham dinners. (Definitely not!)
And how did they make it through the season without watching the movie, “It’s A Wonderful Life”?
That first Christmas came and went without a lot of fanfare. Yes, the Angels rejoiced (with all of Heaven joining in), the shepherds were amazed, and Mary didn’t know what to say.
But the people who knew of the prophecies knew nothing of God’s timing; nor did they recognize His ways. They assumed their way was His way. But their expectations didn’t match God’s manifestation.
So they missed the visitation of God.
Yes, a few had an inkling of what God was up to. Anna, the Prophetess. Simeon, the righteous and devout man who was “eagerly waiting for the Messiah to come and rescue Israel” (Luke 2:25).
God performed the greatest miracle of all time, and it slipped by without much appreciation, with hardly any notice.
God came to earth, invaded the earth, and was basically ignored.
Or misunderstood.
Or both.
“He came to his own people, and even they rejected him.” (John 1:11 NLT)
This Christmas, what are you looking for? Who is your focus? It doesn’t matter how well you know the story, the scriptures, or feel the spirit of giving.
Where is your heart? Where is your faith?
Love, in the form of a baby, was given to mankind all those years ago. Celebrating the birth of God incarnate, Emmanuel, God with us, is a wonderful thing to do. But if that’s all you do, you’ve missed the whole story of Christmas. Jesus didn’t come because we needed something or someone to celebrate. He didn’t come so we could all sing Christmas carols, drink hot chocolate, and spend time kissing our loved one under the mistletoe.
He came because mankind was (and is) hopelessly, eternally, separated from God Almighty.
Everyone. No exception. Including you and I.
But He came to man, He lived with man, He died in place of man, and He was resurrected as God’s guarantee of new life for all who believe.
Believe.
And receive.
“But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. They are reborn – not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God.” (John 1:12-13 NLT)
Christmas is about new life. We may not understand how it happens; for how does one comprehend a miracle?
Earlier, I used the word “invaded”. Though I believe, in one sense, that’s what happened, I also know God doesn’t force Himself into anyone’s life. Even Mary had a choice; and she chose to receive from God the seed of new life.
And like Mary, we too can say to the Lord, “Let it be to me according to Your word.” (Luke 1:38)
Let Christmas 2014 be your season of new life. Acknowledge your need for Him, believe He came for you, to become the substitute for your selfish, sinful ways, and receive Him as your Lord and Savior.
You’ll discover the Angels of Heaven, again, singing and rejoicing over someone’s new life.
Yours.
“…there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” (Luke 15:10 ESV)
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Process of Change
God never changes.
He does, however, have a process He uses in order to bring about change in us.
And sometimes we go through changes in order to learn God’s direction for our life.
So it is with my wife and I.
We’ve walked with the Lord for a number of years; thirty-nine to be more precise. We’ve lived in Texas, Germany, Washington, and Iowa. We’ve worked in churches in such ways as ushering, helping in Sunday School, and teaching people of all ages.
There have been cleansing periods: when we cleaned the church building, and when God has cleansed our hearts and minds.
We recently have come to realize another season of change is upon us. A new focus, a new calling, a new area of responsibility. A change God has been preparing us for. A change to new paths with Him, new enemies to battle, and new people for us to present the gospel of freedom to.
The Lord is calling my wife and I to minister a message of warning and hope to couples, ministers, and people in general. Sharing His perfect, unchanging Word, along with our not-so-perfect, ever-changing life testimony, we passionately desire to introduce people to the greatest power God can give: Hope.
Finishing Well. A message that describes the dirty and subtle schemes of the enemy, the power of Jesus’ testing and subsequent testimony, and how to restore people who’ve been beaten and bruised by the devil to the place of victory and effectiveness in Christ.
Will you please pray for us?
Pray for:
1. Sensitivity to the Holy Spirit’s voice
2. Grace to minister effectively, in spite of opposition
3. Open doors; whether churches, bible study groups, men’s conferences
4. Complete freedom to speak as we should
5. Receptive hearts and changed livesGod is continually changing us, as He ever strives to bring us into the image of His Son. This new assignment is only part of the process of change.
God doesn’t change; but I’m glad He has a process of change – for us.
“I am the Lord , and I do not change…” (Malachi 3:6 NLT)
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Most Important Person
Who is the most important person in the world?
Allow me to answer that by asking a number of other questions first.
Who is able to give the quickest care to people in your world?
Who has the resources to encourage your next door neighbors?
Who can show the reality of a living, loving Savior to folks at your place of employment?
Who is able to intercede effectively for people whom you know and love?
Who can speak up for what’s right, and show the world a better way to live?
I ask you once again: who’s the most important person in the world?
It’s not Gandhi, Obama, or Joel Osteen.
Billy Graham, TD Jakes, Billy Joel, Jimmy Buffett, or even Warren Buffett. Nope, they are not.
Mother Theresa isn’t either.
God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit; yes, they each have their place.
But they aren’t the most important.
You see, the most important person in the world is YOU!
No one can sing your songs, touch your world, or live your life like you.
There isn’t a person alive who can replace you.
You are unique to your world, the world into which God placed you to live.
Yes, it’s true; you can’t do much without the help of God and others.
But without YOU, there’s no one for them to help! Without YOU, there’s no reason for the Gospel. After all, Jesus came to seek and save YOU.
YOU are the most important person in the world. YOU are full of purpose, potential, and promise.
YOU rock!
No, the world may never see your picture on the cover of Time magazine, or the Rolling Stone, for that matter. The number of Facebook friends you have may be minimal.
But YOU can never be replaced!
So, understand your importance, realize your power source, and get busy doing what only YOU can do.
YOU. The most important person in the world.
“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” (Jeremiah 29:11 ESV)
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Words and Pictures
Words and pictures.
A picture is worth a thousand words, and a thousand words create a picture.
What kind of picture do your words create? A picture of a peaceful, trusting, caring relationship with your spouse?
Or are you creating a war zone with your mean-spirited, degrading, and hateful words?
Time to evaluate. Take a snapshot by asking your spouse to comment on your picture.
And listen to their words.
Jan Grace
adding God's Word into my world…
