The Secret of Prosperity - Part 2 of 4

I believe that through the gospel of Jesus Christ, we are meant to have prosperity and an abundant life. By prosperity I mean "a successful, flourishing or thriving condition." Let's look briefly at some of the true universal benefits of the gospel/abundant life (given liberally to all who believe). Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self control (the fruit of the Spirit - Gal 5:22-23). "The kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit" (Rom 14:17). This list is really only the beginning, but is all of this not enough for some?! The true blessings of the gospel are all and everything that we need, for now and for eternity!

The secret of prosperity, as I've come to know it, is being content with what we have, whether we have an abundance of earthly possessions or not. Whether we have a lot of money or not. Whether we have a new car or an old beater. Whether we live in a mansion or an old shack. This is not "small thinking." To me, this is getting to the root of true prosperity! Am I the only one who feels this way? I know I'm not! The Apostle Paul's epistles are chock full of the truth of the gospel, and not once did he say that a benefit of the gospel is worldly prosperity! In fact, this great gospel expositor made a great case for being content (feeling happy, satisfied, filled, fulfilled, prospered) no matter what we have or don't have!

After showing how he was thankful to the Lord for providing for him through the Philippians, he said, "Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" (Phil 4:11-13). This doesn't sound like a man who looked at earthly riches as a benefit of Christ's gospel and of being a beloved child of God.

I truly think that the secret to true prosperity in Christ is found in all of this. It's something that Paul had learned. As an apostle, and as God's messenger to so many places and so many people with the message of the gospel of grace and peace, Paul had been through a lot of stuff! He knew what he was talking about. The man knew the gospel! He didn't go around saying, "Through the gospel and through all my experiences, I have learned that because I'm God's child He wills to bless me abundantly with all kinds of wonderful things." What he had actually learned was that no matter what his circumstances, he was perfectly blessed and he could do all things through Christ who gave him strength.

Jesus Himself revealed the 'secret' of true prosperity. The very same Jesus who said, "I have come that they might have life, and have it more abundantly" (John 10:10) also said, "a man's life does not consist in the abundance of possessions" (Luke 12:15) and "do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves to not break in and steal." I don't take any of this to mean that a person can't have earthly possessions, or even an abundance of possessions. But when putting all of this together, it seems to me that true prosperity and abundant life does not consist of how much we have or don't have here on earth.

The secret is found in knowing all that we do have in Christ - and it's A LOT - and in being content (feeling happy, satisfied, filled, fulfilled, prospered) no matter what our earthly circumstances.

The Secret of Prosperity Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3 - Part 4

The Secret of Prosperity - Part 1 of 4

Prosperity - "a successful, flourishing, or thriving condition." Jesus said the thief comes to steal, kill and destroy, but that He came that people may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. This isn't just for some future time when we die and go to heaven. It's now. So who doesn't want this prosperous, abundant life! Everybody does!

I believe I've found the secret to prosperity, and while I've not yet fully "arrived," I've been growing in it for several years. To get to this place of growing in prosperity and the abundant life, I've gone through a gradual mindset change over a long period of time. I've learned who I am in Christ through God's grace and His gift of righteousness. I've studied the lives of others, including biblical characters and people I know, who seem to have this prosperity that I'm after.

I just heard the song "Woman" by John Lennon on the radio yesterday. In the song, John sings that he is thankful to his woman - Yoko Ono - for many things, including "for showing me the meaning of success." Lennon had great wealth and fame as a member of the Beatles. Do you think that's what Yoko had pointed out to him in order to show him the meaning of success in his life? Of course not. Perhaps through his relationship with her something shifted in his mind to show him that that's not what true prosperity ("a successful, flourishing, or thriving condition") was all about.

So what is it all about? (Especially in regards to our life in Christ). What is the abundant life and prosperity all about? Is it about earthly wealth? In other words, when Christ said He came to give us life to the full - even in this life on earth - was He talking about us getting a better car, a better paying job, a better house, and other material possessions such as those?

Like I said, I believe I've found the secret to true prosperity - but it's not really all that much of a secret! For many, I think it's simply a matter of a shifting from thinking one way to thinking another way. Isn't that really what "growing in grace" involves? In Christ, God has already given us everything we need - we are lacking in nothing - and we spend a lifetime of "growing" in understanding and appropriating the truth of what is already ours!

Since we already have all we need, I've found that the secret to prosperity in the Christian life is - are you ready for it?

Being content. Being content is a wonderful state of being. "Content" is a wonderful word. It means "satisfied." ("Satisfied" means happy, filled, gratified, fulfilled). A fuller meaning of "content" would be "satisfied with what one is or has; not wanting more or anything else." God has already given us a lot! If you believe that in Christ you already have everything you need and that you need nothing more, then you are content - and I believe this is the secret of true prosperity.

The Secret of Prosperity Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3 - Part 4

Walking By Faith is Not a Matter of Walking By Rules and Laws

Continuing our look into the people of faith mentioned in Hebrews 11, this week Kap and I talk about how the things that the people did were all different - but the things that they did weren't the point! The things they did were the result of something else. Not a result of following rules and laws, but the result of faith - a trust in a loving God who was for them and not against them, and who was a rewarder and not a condemner.

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You win some, you lose some

She's standing there, and she folds her hands together tightly and presses them against her chest. She then closes her eyes and begins to pray. Her heart is pounding. She's in a dire, desperate place, and she needs the Lord to come through.

"Lord, please help my Super Bowl team win!!!"

Ok, so I couldn't really see exactly what was going on in the minds and souls of the people that I saw in the stands last night on TV, but what else would have been going on inside of them when that's what they were doing? Not just the ladies, of course. I simply used a woman as an example because one in particular stands out to me. But I think I even saw some men crying!

Is God really for your team? Do you think your prayers move Him to give favor to a certain player or team in order to make them win a game? In other words, just because you want it to happen, is He gonna do it??? Or what if more people are praying for one team than are praying for the other team?

I'm being silly, of course. And I admit... while I don't PRAY for my team to win, certain games (mostly baseball, but sometimes football or basketball) get my adrenaline running, and I can feel pretty darn happy and excited when my team wins and pretty darn sad and disheartened when they lose.

But it's just a game. And I have no control over it! I've been a very casual sports fan (I really don't know if I even fit into that mild description) since I was a boy. I'll keep up with my favorite baseball team (St. Louis Cardinals) throughout the baseball season, checking the standings almost daily. I'll sit down and watch 1/3 to 1/2 of a game sometimes. I guess I become more of a fanatic at playoff time, mainly for baseball, but also sometimes for basketball and football. But ask me who won the big titles over the years, and I don't have a clue! Except the St. Louis Cardinals won the World Series in 1982 and 2006! I remember those things!

But I never pray for my team to win, as if I think God favors my team more than the other. These people are ordinary average people, just like you and me. They're doing their jobs just like you and me. They're getting paid - not like you and me, but a whole LOT more! Haha! But really, they are no different than us. What do you think? Does God have special favor for a sports team??? Does He watch the season go by, and then waits till playoff time when people start praying for their guys, and then He decides who's gonna win??? Is it based upon the team that has the most Christians? Or the most high profile Christians?

The Arizona Cardinals shoulda won last night, because Kurt Warner was the most high profile Christian out there on the field!!! And the Cardinals used to be from my original home town, St. Louis!!! And Kurt's from the state where I've lived most of my life, Iowa!!! And he went to college just 4 miles down the road from my house!!! And at one time he sacked groceries at the Hy-Vee store that I sometimes go to!!! It's no fair!!!!!!

Hehehe! Anyway... no deep point here. It's just a game. You win some, you lose some!

Recover Your Good Heart - No online study today

Due to the fact that I know that there are more of you out there who love the Super Bowl more than you love Jesus... LOL... I think it would be best to not have the Recover Your Good Heart online study today. We'll pick it up again next week.