Prosperity, SHALOM, TOWB... whatever and however you read it our GOD means to prosper us in ALL areas of our lives!!!!!!
As usual our church is under fire again. =)
And as usual there are the usual bitter lot with poison pens and poison tongues.
At the end of the day, people gave from their hearts. There was no guilt or condemnation ladled out to people who were unwilling or not led to give.
People on the outside looking in are skeptical at the show of generosity, those from the inside looking out smile and shrug. We give out of grace and we understand that grace is not exactly in abundance on the outside.
In fact, this is one church that never ever pressurises people to give.
Our old church in Redhill handed out pledge cards and declared that we must all put a pledge amount and return it the next week or two. They had 2 months or 3 months of sermons that tried to finetune people into giving to the church's cause.
In comparison, pastor Prince reminds us
1) The Miracle Seed Sunday is not for everyone - if you are not led to in the Spirit, or dun feel like you want to give, don't. He doesn't want people to give for the wrong reasons and He makes it clear that giving we sow out of revelation, if not dun sow coz nothing to reap.
2) That if people not from our church attends our services besides their church's service, to urge them to tithe to their own church, not ours. Unless they want to make New Creation their church, they should tithe to the church they are members of.
3) Ditto for people overseas who watch our Pastor on the Christian TV channels - they are urged to tithe to their church, and not to our church's Ministry.
Honestly, if Pastor Prince was interested in milking money, He'd lay on the guilt and condemnation... He'd convince everyone to give to our church instead of their church.
BUT he does not.
And he does not preach money, the love of money or greed.
In fact, he reminds us always to put Jesus first so that all the other pieces fall into place because Jesus is our perfect provision. Yes, he preaches prosperity because it is biblical. Prosperity is not just financial, it is also connected to one's spiritual well-being, one's career, one's health, one's relationship.
It is those people who are conscious of their love for money, their desire to roll in dough that feels prickly that prosperity is preached.
(Anyway, with regards to why we need the building, a brother-in-Christ has blogged very excellently on it - http://thelogicalchristian.blogspot.com/2009/03/new-creation-churchs-building-project.html)
The bible tells us we prosper as our soul prospers. As we grow in our understanding of the Word, we grow in our understanding of our loving Abba father. As we grow in that walk with Him, we learn how to let go and let God - and He provides perfectly beyond what we imagine we can obtain our own self-efforts and self-achieving.
That is the prosperity we subscribe to - not as the world knows it. We subscribe to the prosperity and FULLNESS of life- life and life more abundantly- that Jesus has won for us on the cross.
We are fools to think that the church should remain poor and Christians are holier if poorer. Where do you think financial support for church building (not just construction, but the building up of people) comes from? It comes from God through His blessing the others in the church. Some are blessed to more than others in the financial side because He knows they don't loev the money and are good stewards who know they are blessed to be a blessing. Missionaries can't go out to tell people about Jesus with no money to fund their travels, their food, their accomodation, their transport, the translation of their bibles, etc etc etc.
Do we pray "God make me poor so I can live a holier life." or do we pray "God bless me so that I can bless others and they can bless others and they can bless others!"
And yes even though some are blessed with more than others, you will notice that His provision is perfect regardless individual to individual. He won't give us more than we can spiritually handle or else it becomes a curse. The Bible states clearly, His blessings bring with them NO SORROW. =D
And with regards to timing, God's timing is perfectly perfect. Ian and I are happy to testify that His provision has always come just at the right time. And it is always more than enough!!
For those not convinced that Christians are meant to prosper, here are some things to chew on...
The LORD will grant you abundant prosperity—in the fruit of your womb, the young of your livestock and the crops of your ground—in the land he swore to your forefathers to give you.
-> it is clear that this passage from Deut 28 is talking about health, family and ALSO material prosperity - crops, livestock, land. Earlier on in the same chapter of the bible, it says "The LORD will send a blessing on your barns and on everything you put your hand to. The LORD your God will bless you in the land he is giving you." The barn is where grains and harvests are stored. Again, material prospering takes place aside from spiritual prosperity.
Or what about this, also from Deut 28:
The LORD will open the heavens, the storehouse of his bounty, to send rain on your land in season and to bless all the work of your hands. You will lend to many nations but will borrow from none.
What do nations lend and borrow to each other? MONEY. You must be kidding if you tell me the nations of the secular world lend and borrow spirituality to each other right?
=====
12 Who, then, is the man that fears the LORD ?
He will instruct him in the way chosen for him.
=====
If they obey and serve him, they will spend the rest of their days in prosperity and their years in contentment. - Job 36
I used to struggle with understanding Job, and I thought none of his friends words were to be valued or taken as true since God rebuked them in the end. THEN I realised Job only rebuked and God only rebuked 3 of the 4 men who spoke. The 4th and the youngest spoke fairly of Job and fairly of God's character.
So who wasn't rebuked? That friend is Elihu.
Eli-who??
Elihu's name means "My God is YHVH" and he took a mediator stance on the issue.
Here's a write up:
Elihu attempts to maintain the sovereignty and righteousness and gracious mercy of God. He strongly condemns the approach taken by the three friends, and argues that Job is misrepresenting God's righteousness and discrediting his loving character. Elihu says he spoke last because he is much younger than the other three friends, but says that age makes no difference when it comes to insights and wisdom. In his speech, Elihu argues for God's power, redemptive salvation, and absolute rightness in all his conduct. God is mighty, yet just, and quick to warn and to forgive. Elihu takes a distinct view of the kind of repentance required by Job. Job's three friends claim that repentance requires Job to identify and renounce the sins that gave rise to his suffering. By contrast, Elihu stresses that repentance inextricably entails renouncing any moral authority or cosmological perspective, which is God's alone. Elihu therefore underscores the inherent arrogance in Job's desire to 'make his case' before God, which presupposes that Job possesses a superior moral standard that can be prevailed upon God. Apparently, Elihu acts in a prophetic role preparatory to the appearance of God. His speech maintains that Job, while righteous, is not perfect. Job does not disagree with this, and, proving that Elihu's speech was wise and correct, God did not rebuke him. After Elihu's speech ends with the last verse of Chapter 37, God appears and in the second verse of Chapter 38. God says, “Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge?“ God also rebukes Job's three friends.
So no one rebuked Elihu for saying those who obey and serve the LORD will live their lives in prosperity and contenment. Doesn't anyone want this promise afforded to us by the LORD???
Surely you don't want to live a life of worry about when the next pay cheque will come, if you will lose the roof over your head, if you will drop dead from ill health tomorrow, etc... If you do, then okkkkkay... umm good for you. I will just abide in my Daddy God and His unending mercies, goodness, provision and love that come with no conditions attached and no sorrows. =)
======
4 Remember me, O LORD, when you show favor to your people,
come to my aid when you save them,
And as usual there are the usual bitter lot with poison pens and poison tongues.
At the end of the day, people gave from their hearts. There was no guilt or condemnation ladled out to people who were unwilling or not led to give.
People on the outside looking in are skeptical at the show of generosity, those from the inside looking out smile and shrug. We give out of grace and we understand that grace is not exactly in abundance on the outside.
In fact, this is one church that never ever pressurises people to give.
Our old church in Redhill handed out pledge cards and declared that we must all put a pledge amount and return it the next week or two. They had 2 months or 3 months of sermons that tried to finetune people into giving to the church's cause.
In comparison, pastor Prince reminds us
1) The Miracle Seed Sunday is not for everyone - if you are not led to in the Spirit, or dun feel like you want to give, don't. He doesn't want people to give for the wrong reasons and He makes it clear that giving we sow out of revelation, if not dun sow coz nothing to reap.
2) That if people not from our church attends our services besides their church's service, to urge them to tithe to their own church, not ours. Unless they want to make New Creation their church, they should tithe to the church they are members of.
3) Ditto for people overseas who watch our Pastor on the Christian TV channels - they are urged to tithe to their church, and not to our church's Ministry.
Honestly, if Pastor Prince was interested in milking money, He'd lay on the guilt and condemnation... He'd convince everyone to give to our church instead of their church.
BUT he does not.
And he does not preach money, the love of money or greed.
In fact, he reminds us always to put Jesus first so that all the other pieces fall into place because Jesus is our perfect provision. Yes, he preaches prosperity because it is biblical. Prosperity is not just financial, it is also connected to one's spiritual well-being, one's career, one's health, one's relationship.
It is those people who are conscious of their love for money, their desire to roll in dough that feels prickly that prosperity is preached.
(Anyway, with regards to why we need the building, a brother-in-Christ has blogged very excellently on it - http://thelogicalchristian.blogspot.com/2009/03/new-creation-churchs-building-project.html)
The bible tells us we prosper as our soul prospers. As we grow in our understanding of the Word, we grow in our understanding of our loving Abba father. As we grow in that walk with Him, we learn how to let go and let God - and He provides perfectly beyond what we imagine we can obtain our own self-efforts and self-achieving.
That is the prosperity we subscribe to - not as the world knows it. We subscribe to the prosperity and FULLNESS of life- life and life more abundantly- that Jesus has won for us on the cross.
We are fools to think that the church should remain poor and Christians are holier if poorer. Where do you think financial support for church building (not just construction, but the building up of people) comes from? It comes from God through His blessing the others in the church. Some are blessed to more than others in the financial side because He knows they don't loev the money and are good stewards who know they are blessed to be a blessing. Missionaries can't go out to tell people about Jesus with no money to fund their travels, their food, their accomodation, their transport, the translation of their bibles, etc etc etc.
Do we pray "God make me poor so I can live a holier life." or do we pray "God bless me so that I can bless others and they can bless others and they can bless others!"
And yes even though some are blessed with more than others, you will notice that His provision is perfect regardless individual to individual. He won't give us more than we can spiritually handle or else it becomes a curse. The Bible states clearly, His blessings bring with them NO SORROW. =D
And with regards to timing, God's timing is perfectly perfect. Ian and I are happy to testify that His provision has always come just at the right time. And it is always more than enough!!
For those not convinced that Christians are meant to prosper, here are some things to chew on...
The LORD will grant you abundant prosperity—in the fruit of your womb, the young of your livestock and the crops of your ground—in the land he swore to your forefathers to give you.
-> it is clear that this passage from Deut 28 is talking about health, family and ALSO material prosperity - crops, livestock, land. Earlier on in the same chapter of the bible, it says "The LORD will send a blessing on your barns and on everything you put your hand to. The LORD your God will bless you in the land he is giving you." The barn is where grains and harvests are stored. Again, material prospering takes place aside from spiritual prosperity.
Or what about this, also from Deut 28:
The LORD will open the heavens, the storehouse of his bounty, to send rain on your land in season and to bless all the work of your hands. You will lend to many nations but will borrow from none.
What do nations lend and borrow to each other? MONEY. You must be kidding if you tell me the nations of the secular world lend and borrow spirituality to each other right?
=====
12 Who, then, is the man that fears the LORD ?
He will instruct him in the way chosen for him.
13 He will spend his days in prosperity,
and his descendants will inherit the land.
14 The LORD confides in those who fear him;
he makes his covenant known to them.
=====
If they obey and serve him, they will spend the rest of their days in prosperity and their years in contentment. - Job 36
I used to struggle with understanding Job, and I thought none of his friends words were to be valued or taken as true since God rebuked them in the end. THEN I realised Job only rebuked and God only rebuked 3 of the 4 men who spoke. The 4th and the youngest spoke fairly of Job and fairly of God's character.
So who wasn't rebuked? That friend is Elihu.
Eli-who??
Elihu's name means "My God is YHVH" and he took a mediator stance on the issue.
Here's a write up:
Elihu attempts to maintain the sovereignty and righteousness and gracious mercy of God. He strongly condemns the approach taken by the three friends, and argues that Job is misrepresenting God's righteousness and discrediting his loving character. Elihu says he spoke last because he is much younger than the other three friends, but says that age makes no difference when it comes to insights and wisdom. In his speech, Elihu argues for God's power, redemptive salvation, and absolute rightness in all his conduct. God is mighty, yet just, and quick to warn and to forgive. Elihu takes a distinct view of the kind of repentance required by Job. Job's three friends claim that repentance requires Job to identify and renounce the sins that gave rise to his suffering. By contrast, Elihu stresses that repentance inextricably entails renouncing any moral authority or cosmological perspective, which is God's alone. Elihu therefore underscores the inherent arrogance in Job's desire to 'make his case' before God, which presupposes that Job possesses a superior moral standard that can be prevailed upon God. Apparently, Elihu acts in a prophetic role preparatory to the appearance of God. His speech maintains that Job, while righteous, is not perfect. Job does not disagree with this, and, proving that Elihu's speech was wise and correct, God did not rebuke him. After Elihu's speech ends with the last verse of Chapter 37, God appears and in the second verse of Chapter 38. God says, “Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge?“ God also rebukes Job's three friends.
So no one rebuked Elihu for saying those who obey and serve the LORD will live their lives in prosperity and contenment. Doesn't anyone want this promise afforded to us by the LORD???
Surely you don't want to live a life of worry about when the next pay cheque will come, if you will lose the roof over your head, if you will drop dead from ill health tomorrow, etc... If you do, then okkkkkay... umm good for you. I will just abide in my Daddy God and His unending mercies, goodness, provision and love that come with no conditions attached and no sorrows. =)
======
4 Remember me, O LORD, when you show favor to your people,
come to my aid when you save them,
5 that I may enjoy the prosperity of your chosen ones,
that I may share in the joy of your nation
and join your inheritance in giving praise. - Psalm 106: 4,5
God's chosen ones (yes, we ARE in Christ) are fruiful (towb) and this leads to contentment, a sense of happiness and rejoicing! We have the abundant life!!
Towb means -
1) good, pleasant, agreeable
a) pleasant, agreeable (to the senses)
b) pleasant (to the higher nature)
c) good, excellent (of its kind)
d) good, rich, valuable in estimation
e) good, appropriate, becoming
f) better (comparative)
g) glad, happy, prosperous (of man's sensuous nature)
h) good understanding (of man's intellectual nature)
i) good, kind, benign
j) good, right (ethical)
n m
2) a good thing, benefit, welfare
a) welfare, prosperity, happiness
b) good things (collective)
c) good, benefit
d) moral good
n f
3) welfare, benefit, good things
a) welfare, prosperity, happiness
b) good things (collective)
c) bounty
- source: Blue Letter Bible who got their definition from STRONGS
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I could go on and I think I will. Quite excited as I read about God's promises of life and life more abundantly mushrooming all over His Word!
If you want to pour water on your parade, do pour it on your own. Thanks. =)
As for me and my house we serve the LORD and we boast of His goodness to us! AMEN!
Can't wait to post more over the March Hols. =D Gotta stop here for now to go run some errands for my dear, blessed hubby. =)
SHALOM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
- Geri
Ecclesiastes 9:16 says "nevertheless the poor man's wisdom is despised, and his words are not heard."
ReplyDeletehahaha I guess he couldn't get outta the driveway! no car, no transportation. He has wisdom it's just that no one listens to him. Couldn't get on the radio, probably had holes in his clothes. People don't listen to him cause he has no money, it's sad but it's just how people are. So would we be so wrong to say the opposite is true? If you have money, people will listen to you?
-Ron Vong (San Antonio, TX)
Hmm my point is not that one only listens or has an audience if one is rich. =) Though it is sad that the secular world seems to operate as such. So what if you have money but are anorexic in the Spirit? =)
ReplyDeleteJust to reiterate, my point is this - that we are narrow minded if we think that prosperity is frowned upon by God. Prosperity in all forms is what God intends for us. And for those who do not believe that the bible spoke about God prospering His chosen ones materially, there are lots of passages to show that He did. I was not trying to say the gospel is about money. I am saying that God's victory through Christ on the cross is ALL ENCOMPASSING.
Prosperity is not just about money. I stated that clearly in my blog entry... so although I touched on how prosperity is also about prospering in finances, I've made it clearly that it is also about other aspects.
Prosperity is defined as this- a successful, flourishing, or thriving condition.
This means we are thriving in our souls, we are thriving in our health, we are thriving in our relationships with people, we are thriving in our trials, we are thriving in our career, we are thriving in our ministry, we are thriving even financially.
Prosperity is about living a victorious life.
As said before, anyone is free to live a life of defeat and despair, my family and I are happy and grateful to Jesus that we can live a victorious life as more than conquerors in Christ. =)
Shalom!
Geri
To summarise (man am I longwinded lol) - God wants us to be SOUND in every way by trusting Him.
ReplyDeleteWe are not using God to become rich. No, we serve God with the riches He has blest us with. When we sow, we sow into His Kingdom, not into the church's pockets. The church thus has the responsibility to ensure that they are good stewards of God's blessings too.
Our onus is to sow into God's kingdom for His glory, the church's onus is to make sure that they are accountable.
Lastly -
One of my fav scripture passages on God's wonderful provision-
"God is able to make all grace (every favor and earthly blessing) come to you in abundance, so that you may always and under all circumstances and whatever the need, be self sufficient, possessing enough to require no aid or support and furnished in abundance for every good work and charitable donation." - 2 Cor 9:8 AMP =D
Interestingly, to end this little commentary, 16 out of 38 of Jesus's parables addressed the issue of stewardship of and accountabilit for money and finance. That is 42% of His parables btw.
Our heart and pockets serve His kingdom and not mammon - that is the most crucial at the end of the day.
Jesus is wooing our hearts, not our wallet.
And umm for those who also wonder what tithe is - 10% of our salary, or the tithe, or the first fruits, represents the whole of the salary/earnings. The number 10 is representative of the whole in bible symbolism. So when we are able to give God our 10%, it is symbolical that we are offering everything we have to Him.
(I also found this interesting nugget of info -
The New Testament contains 215 verses pertaining to faith, 218 verses pertaining to salvation, and 2,084 verses dealing with the stewardship of and accountability for money and finance. Interesting!)