Prosperity with a Purpose

…May (God) give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints… Ephesians 1:17-18

An Abundant Life?

What is the hope of His calling? What are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints? It was Paul’s desire that the saints would see deeper into God’s will so that we might know true prosperity and the primary purpose behind it.

Sadly, far too many Christians believe that God’s blessings are entirely evident in their amassed possessions, thus they’ve become about as discerning as a three-year old choosing between an ice cream cone and a savings bond. Regardless of value, they opt for immediate satisfaction every time. They lack the spiritual capacity to see the bigger picture and are unable to appropriately distinguish between temporary and eternal.

For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more. Luke 12:48b

Those who cling to prosperity are not prosperous; they are idol worshipers. The Father would have us know that an abundant life is realized when we understand that our inheritance is found in Christ and not in earthly treasures that He allows us to possess for a season. These things are of God, but they are not designed as rewards for our faith – prosperity is the means by which we can bring honor, glory, and praise to Jesus.

Consider This Lady

Her worth is far above rubies. The heart of her husband safely trusts her; So he will have no lack of gain. She does him good and not evil All the days of her life. She seeks wool and flax, And willingly works with her hands. She is like the merchant ships, She brings her food from afar. She also rises while it is yet night, And provides food for her household, And a portion for her maidservants. She considers a field and buys it; From her profits she plants a vineyard. She girds herself with strength, And strengthens her arms. She perceives that her merchandise is good, And her lamp does not go out by night. She stretches out her hands to the distaff, And her hand holds the spindle. She extends her hand to the poor, Yes, she reaches out her hands to the needy. She is not afraid of snow for her household, For all her household is clothed with scarlet. She makes tapestry for herself; Her clothing is fine linen and purple. Her husband is known in the gates, When he sits among the elders of the land. She makes linen garments and sells them, And supplies sashes for the merchants. Strength and honor are her clothing; She shall rejoice in time to come. She opens her mouth with wisdom, And on her tongue is the law of kindness. She watches over the ways of her household, And does not eat the bread of idleness. Her children rise up and call her blessed; Her husband also, and he praises her:”Many daughters have done well, But you excel them all.” Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing, But a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised. Give her of the fruit of her hands, And let her own works praise her in the gates. Proverbs 31:10b-31

The virtuous wife is a heavenly portrait of prosperity with a purpose and an example for every believer. She has received the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him. Her eyes have been enlightened. She knows the hope of His calling and the riches of the glory of His inheritance. She doesn’t give more than she gets, she gives as she gets and therefore lacks nothing. She’s submitted and obedient to Jesus.

Meditate

Read Proverbs 31 again and note the action(s) that follow the word ‘she.’

1. Who is her provider?
2. Who is her motivation?
3. What are her expectations?

I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. Galatians 2:20

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Your Christ Life Now

Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.” Luke 6:38

Has Joel Osteen has missed the mark?  You can decide for yourself.  Here are some quotes from his highly successful book, ‘Your Best Life Now.’

“Someday, I’ll earn more money, and I won’t have to worry about how to pay the bills.”

“God wants to increase you financially…”  

“Even if you come from an extremely successful family, God still wants you to go further.”

“Get rid of that small-minded thinking and start thinking as God thinks. Think big. Think increase. Think abundance. Think more than enough.”

“Many people settle for too little . . . ‘I’ve gone as far in my career as I can go. I’ve hit the peak. I’ll never make any more money than I’m making right now.’ “

Anyone familiar with the teachings of Jesus Christ perceives immediately that these (teachings) are not biblically sound. An abundant life in Christ has never been about personal gain, but remembering  that  prosperity of any kind is from Him and for Him. It’s not about getting more before you die, but giving more so others might live — to His glory!

Then He said to them all, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it. For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and is himself destroyed or lost? Luke 9:23-25

I once heard a story about a man who, while hiking in the wilderness had become caught in a blizzard. He walked for hours in the blinding snow and was soaked through, frost-bitten, and exhausted. The compulsion to collapse in the snow and sleep unto death was overwhelming and so to his knees he fell.

In a second’s time, he tipped forward from his knees to his elbows, hoping to go fetal, but instead he felt a mass beneath the snow. He had literally stumbled upon another person; a person who he would discover was unconscious, but alive.

He lifted the man across his shoulders and began walking. In less than an hours time he came upon a cabin. This home was occupied, there was a fire burning, and both men were saved.

In this account, a proper definition of an abundant life in Christ emerges.  This man, the very picture of an empty vessel, was restored after he had given up his personal quest and made himself available to a greater purpose, the saving of another man’s life.  The story’s only omission — who got the accolades as they warmed themselves before the fire?

Blessed For a Reason

Isn’t the Lord saying to us, “Look! There are bodies all around. I’ve given you the means to pick one (or more) up and begin walking.”

The choice has always been ours. In our salvation we can hoard our blessings or even curl up and wait to die if we want, but there is a wiser option: living abundantly in gratitude, love, and obedient service in the precious name of the One who redeemed us.

Take a Test:

1. Silently consider your testimony.
2. Are the God-parts recent or ancient history?
3. Overall, who is the benefactor of the God-parts?
4. Is there consistency in your walk of faith?
5. Do you hoard?
6. Is your testimony in need of an update?

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Why Did the Christian Cross the Road

Take, eat; this is My body… Christ in you, the hope of glory… Now you are the body of Christ. (Mark 14:22, Colossians 1:27, 1 Corinthians 12:27)

Because He Gets To

So often we hear Christians ask, “What is Jesus going to do,” in a particular situation and it is a silly question because we know that the work of Christ Jesus is finished. Therefore, a more suitable question for the believer would be, “What am I going to do?”

I purposely lumped together three scripture verses to illustrate that position. For those who believe and have accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and as Savior, the work that He did on the cross essentially qualifies us to continue the effort He left behind. These works of course are not towards our salvation, but rather a grateful response to God’s unmerited favor towards us.

The reality of it all is that the Christian does not have to do anything; we get to. We don’t have to go to church—we get to, we don’t have to read our Bibles—we get to, and we don’t have to serve—we get to.

We Are His Body

Today, if Jesus wants to cross the road (whether it be in or home town or in the Dominican Republic), He is going to use our feet. If He desires to feed a hungry child, He will make use of our hands. And if He desires to speak a comforting or saving word, He will employ our lips.

Consider John 10:10

I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

The single word that jumps off the page and smacks me right between the eyes is the word ‘might’. Jesus did not say an *abundant life is guaranteed; but that it is something we might have this side of Heaven. It means that unyielding Christians; i.e., or bodies who refuse to yield to the Head, will not experience an abundant life. Oh, they will get to Heaven, but because they ignore opportunities to function as His body, they will not experience a fulfilled Christian life.

 

(*By ‘abundant life’ I do not mean wealth and prosperity, but the experience that comes with yielding to God’s will and being obedient to His guidance and word)

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