"Remember the Lord your God because it is he who gives you the ability to make wealth and so confirms the covenant he made with your forefathers." (Deut 8:18)
God wants to bless his people. He doesn't promise us riches, but his desire for us is abundance. He wants us to have more than enough so we can bless others. This is the promise of the covenant God made with his people: "I will bless you . . . and you will be a blessing" (Gen. 12:1-3). For some people, this blessing may come in the form of material wealth. If you are living in a Western country like the United States, you are part of one of the wealthiest generations in history. To a large extent, this blessing is the fruit of the gospel. But the question is, have we remembered the Lord? If we compare ourselves to a century ago, it would seem that the wealthier we have become the more we have pushed God out. This is the paradox of wealth. God wants to bless us, but if we forget the purpose behind it, the blessing becomes a curse. We began to worship the gift, and the giver becomes just a conduit. In a word, we become idolaters. It's entirely what's wrong with the prosperity gospel. It's what we leave out that is the problem. In fact almost all wrong teaching has some element of truth in it, which is what makes it so dangerous. The truth is that God wants us to prosper, but it's not about enriching ourselves. God blesses us so we can have something to invest in his kingdom. He wants us to be involved with him! The blessing is designed to draw us closer to God, not further away. So whether you are homeless or a billionaire, God wants us to be sacrificial givers--and to keep trusting him for more. He is the source of all wealth, and he can't be tapped out. Go ahead and try!
Heavenly Father, thank you for the abundance you have given us in Christ Jesus, may we use it fully for your glory alone.
#walkinabundance
God wants to bless his people. He doesn't promise us riches, but his desire for us is abundance. He wants us to have more than enough so we can bless others. This is the promise of the covenant God made with his people: "I will bless you . . . and you will be a blessing" (Gen. 12:1-3). For some people, this blessing may come in the form of material wealth. If you are living in a Western country like the United States, you are part of one of the wealthiest generations in history. To a large extent, this blessing is the fruit of the gospel. But the question is, have we remembered the Lord? If we compare ourselves to a century ago, it would seem that the wealthier we have become the more we have pushed God out. This is the paradox of wealth. God wants to bless us, but if we forget the purpose behind it, the blessing becomes a curse. We began to worship the gift, and the giver becomes just a conduit. In a word, we become idolaters. It's entirely what's wrong with the prosperity gospel. It's what we leave out that is the problem. In fact almost all wrong teaching has some element of truth in it, which is what makes it so dangerous. The truth is that God wants us to prosper, but it's not about enriching ourselves. God blesses us so we can have something to invest in his kingdom. He wants us to be involved with him! The blessing is designed to draw us closer to God, not further away. So whether you are homeless or a billionaire, God wants us to be sacrificial givers--and to keep trusting him for more. He is the source of all wealth, and he can't be tapped out. Go ahead and try!
Heavenly Father, thank you for the abundance you have given us in Christ Jesus, may we use it fully for your glory alone.
#walkinabundance