Prosperity

Thursday March 8, 2018

 

True story, one day as thousands of people gathered to hear Jesus speak, they became so desperate to get close to him that they began to trample over each other. As Jesus started speaking, someone in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” Back in the first century, the custom was that the first-born male was the one who inherited the main portion of the father’s wealth if not all of it. Apparently, this person did not believe that it was fair for his brother to prosper more than him, so he decided to elicit Jesus’ help. The interesting thing is that somehow, he was able to get Jesus’ attention and of all the things he could have asked of Jesus, the most important thing on his mind was earthly wealth.

 

Week after week people gather in churches and for many of them their greatest worry is earthly wealth. Every day people, go before God in prayer and for the most part, the most pressing thing on their minds is earthly wealth. The concern for prosperity has grown so much that entire religious organizations are geared towards teaching people how to become wealthy. Oftentimes however, in the many teachings we lose sight of the fact that from God’s point of view, there is a big difference between being wealthy and prospering.

 

Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.  For I rejoiced greatly when brethren came and testified of the truth that is in you, just as you walk in the truth.  I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth. – 3 John 1:2-4 NKJ

 

Sadly, in this present generation, people are more worried about how much they have and are earning, and not in who they are or who they are becoming. They are more preoccupied with having the right things than becoming the right person. God on the other hand is far more interested in who you are and who you are becoming. God does not want his people to be wealthy, no, he desires something far better; he wants his people to prosper. Wealth is an external matter but prosperity is something that grows from the inside out.

 

Before I finish, let me show you how Jesus responded to the man who did not think it was fair that his brother did not share his inheritance with him. Jesus replied, “Man, who appointed me judge or an arbiter between you?” Then he said to them, “Watch out! Be on guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.” Did you get it? Jesus did not imply that the man who got the inheritance was greedy but rather the one who was asking Jesus to help him. Again, he had Jesus, the Son of God’s attention and instead of asking him to help him with the greed he felt inside, the man dared to ask Jesus to feed the greed. True prosperity is the result of what God is doing inside you and now what is happening around you.

 

QUESTIONS

1. Do you feel that others get wealthier and you don’t? How does it make you feel?
2. What is the thing you pray most about? Is it external or internal in nature?
3. Are you more concerned with what you have or with what you are becoming?
4. What do you think is the difference between becoming wealthy and prospering?
5. Why do you think Jesus implied that the man who believed he was being treated unfairly was greedy? Do you see greed in others? Do you see greed in you?

 

Prayer

Heavenly Father, I know the instance I call upon your name I have your attention, thank you. Today  I don’t want to pray that you would answer my greedy desires, instead I pray that your Spirit would work in me so that I can become the person you want me to be. Today I pray that you would prosper me in ways that would cause me to grow on the inside and that people would see Jesus in me. Thank you for your goodness and provision, thank you for your word, and thank you for Jesus and for the love he gave when he took my place on the cross. Amen