Prosperity, wealth and the Gospel

[LouisBooth]

I really think its funny how you can disagree with scripture (as I showed ya) but if you wanna go that way holbert, okay... Funny how this appears in all three synoptics..

"Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal"


Its also funny how God chooses people who are poor AND rich in faith? Hmm..but according to you these two are not possible..

"Jam 2:5 Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him? "

 

[TruelightUK]

Originally posted by Droobie
God wants us to prosper exceedingly, abundantly, and above all that we can imagine.

I hope you're not trying to pass that off as a quote from the Bible!?! The 'exceedingly, abundantly' bit is about answered prayer with no direct link to prospertiy (financial or otherwise).

We just have to understand how we can be blessed in our lives. Not just with finances, but with our compassion, our health, or relationships, our employment, our ministries... the list goes on.

With that I agree - tho' I suspect our definitions of what it means to be 'blessed' may differ, particualrly in the financial area.

In the case of finances, we need to realise that blessing is not a one way street. .. We don't pray for material wealth to be blessed, we pray for material wealth to be a BLESSING !

I'm not sure everyone who prays for wealth sees it quite that way (in my experience). Tho' I would also say, if you're busy being a blessing, do you actually need to pray to be blessed - isn't it a matter of sowing and reaping, seeking the Kingdom and finding your needs met without having to take thought for them???

As you give, God will give to you.

Like I said... so long as that isn't your sole motive for giving (like the well known faith preacher I heard teach about how when she needed $2,000 she just put $20 in the offeering and confessed in her hundredfold return!)

Also we are to be good stewards with what we have.

Now there's a whole subject in itself!

Invest wisely.

Hmmm, another big subject - but then again isn't that 'taking thought for the morrow'?!?

Anthony

 

[TruelightUK]

There's quite a lot of assumptions going on in this thread which I'd like to cahllenge, but don't have the time right now. Like the idea of our 'being blessed with every spiritual blessing' meaning that there is no room for 'progress' in our spiritual experience. And the idea that there is no room for suffering in our experience of being conformed to the likeness of Christ. Hopefully I'll get to these another day!

Anthony

 

[Droobie]

We are meant to be good trees which bear good fruit. Note that it is not for ourselves to eat the fruit. Whatever we are blessed with, be it time, knowledge, finances etc... it should flow through us.

 

[LouisBooth]

yup, that's right droobie..that and the way God blesses us most of the time is SPIRITUALLY, not materially. Its kinda funny how Paul aways counts those things as lost...hmm..hint?