Prosperity gospel
What is it? Also known as the “health and wealth gospel”, the “word of faith movement” or “name and proclaim”. This doctrine originated in the sixties out of the Charismatic movement. It was then largely propagated through television by highly motivated and very talented orators. Television had its boom back then and with it the prosperity gospel. Today more than 50 percent of Christian believers hold to some form of belief in the prosperity gospel even if they know it or not. It has so infiltrated mainstream Christianity that three out of the four biggest churches in America for instance are prosperity churches.
Why is it so popular? Since I believe that one merely needs to read through the bible, not even study it, to realize that it is absolutely false. How is it possible for a false doctrine like the prosperity gospel to take hold and lead so many astray? Well to answer that we are going to have to look at it in its entirety. We are going to dissect it and its core scriptures to get to the root of the problem. Then we are going to look even closer at scripture to see what the word actually says about prosperity and if it is a blessing of God or temptation from the enemy.
The first verse we are going to look at is the favorite of the prosperity pundits
Malachi 3:1
Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, That there may be food in My house, And try Me now in this,” Says the LORD of hosts, ” If I will not open for you the windows of heaven And pour out for you such blessing That there will not be room enough to receive it.
Now let us learn something new today about the bible as we have it. When the bible was translated into English from the original language there were certain words added. These words were added so that it would make sense to those who translated it and also to the prospective reader. Unfortunately you cannot translate directly from the original language because it is not spoken in the same manner. Thus words were added. The only problem is it was added to make sense to whoever it was that translated it, with their understanding and bias.
A good example is the verse above. Fortunately if you have a good bible it will indicate the added words in italics. Knowing this changes everything, and a clearer understanding of what the Lord is saying emerges. Let’s look at that verse again and make sure it is saying what these prosperity teachers say it does. Clearly we can see that the words “ such, there will, be room, to receive it” were added. Those words are nowhere to be found in the original text and yet they make such a huge difference in what is actually said. What sounds like blessings upon blessings and riches upon riches that you would not have enough room is in fact a much more simple and basic promise of having enough provision as to have no need. God says we can test Him to see if whether or not He will not pour out enough blessing to answer our need. This is echoed by Paul later in the new Testament when he says:
2 Corinthians 8
15 “ As it is written, “He who gathered much had nothing left over, and he who gathered little had no lack.”
These prosperity preachers so often quote this verse and emphasize that you will not have enough room for all your blessings that they forget what Jesus said about not having enough room for all your goods and riches in the parable of the rich fool.
Luke 12
15 And He said to them, “Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses.”
16 Then He spoke a parable to them, saying: “The ground of a certain rich man yielded plentifully.
17 And he thought within himself, saying, ‘What shall I do, since I have no room to store my crops?’
18 So he said, ‘I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build greater, and there I will store all my crops and my goods.
19 And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry.” ‘
20 But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?’
21 “So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.”
Jesus calls this man a fool! This man that had not enough room and started to lay away treasures for his soul. Let us remember what a soul is. It is the character the will and the intellect, threefold. This fool wanted blessings and riches so that his soul would prosper. God says His first commandment is to love him with all our soul. Our soul must be rich toward Him in character, will and intellect. Our souls are not to have riches and take comfort in itself. But we are to delight our souls in God, He is our riches and inheritance! He is the true riches and money is not.
Luke 16
11 Therefore if you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?
This is how Jesus says we can be faithful to God and not money. Please read it carefully, these are not my words, these are Jesus’s words!
Luke 12
33 Sell what you have and give alms; provide yourselves money bags which do not grow old, a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches nor moth destroys.
34 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
He clearly says that we are to sell what we have. He most definitely does not say store up riches and if you are blessed in abundance build bigger rooms. Listen again to how it is put in the gospel of Matthew. Here we find more detail about how we are to not seek money at all but the kingdom. It says that if we seek money our eyes are dark and we have darkness in us. If we do not seek money we have light in us.
Matthew 6
19 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal;
20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.
21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
22 “The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light.
23 But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness!
24 “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.
25 “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your soul, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not soul more than food and the body more than clothing?
26 Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?
27 Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?
28 “So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin;
29 and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
30 Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?
31 “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’
32 For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.
33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.
It says that the eyes are the lamp for the body. Let’s just remember the context of this passage, we are talking about money! That is why the very next verse Jesus says we cannot serve two masters. We cannot serve God and money. So if your eyes are looking for money you are serving money, more specific you are serving your own covetous soul. God will not have it, He says do not worry about the soul. Whatever we put before God or with God or instead of God, even if our motive is pure, is an idol! If we chase money with the intention of doing good with it, it is still an idol. God does not want good intentions, He wants obedience. Sell what you have, seek first the kingdom. Do not seek money and say that you will build the Kingdom with the money. That is NOT what God is instructing you to do. However noble and sincere you may be, whatever fantastic plan you might have, rather obey God. He will not lead you astray. You must trust Him to build the Kingdom. I promise you God does not need your money to build His Kingdom. He needs your obedience!!
Jesus equates not obeying with being of little faith. That means should you continue to build your life to suit your soul you are disobedient and of little faith. Let me ask you a question? Do you think Jesus was saying I need you to work hard at your job and your career because we really need the money? Or do you think Jesus said forsake what you are doing and sell what you have and trust me? Or perhaps Jesus said sell some of what you have, maybe that extra car that you drive on the weekends, maybe sell your holiday home and tithe on the proceeds. No dear friend, Jesus wants it all, your whole soul, everything you have. And if you cannot see that you are deluding yourself and you have fallen for the lies of the enemy through bad and unsound doctrines of demons. Here is an example of how believers responded to what Jesus commanded them. Now I would ask you to compare your faith and deeds, because faith without deeds is dead, to what these obedient believers did.
Acts 2
44 Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common,
45 and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need.
46 So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart,
47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.
Acts 4
32 Now the multitude of those who believed were of one heart and one soul; neither did anyone say that any of the things he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common.
33 And with great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And great grace was upon them all.
34 Nor was there anyone among them who lacked; for all who were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the proceeds of the things that were sold,
35 and laid them at the apostles’ feet; and they distributed to each as anyone had need.
Now please let us once again realize something. These were the believers, the actual believers. They were not some hippy cult or far-out radical sect of zealots. No these were the believers and they gave us a beautiful and simple example of what we as believers are to do. Why are we not doing that? Could it be that we don’t trust God enough to provide our daily needs? Or perhaps we would be ashamed of being called a Christian if the world would see us as poor? Today we are not giving God a hundred percent. No we are hardly giving God ten percent. Remember we are not talking just about money here. These believers gave everything not just their belongings but their very souls. That being their character their will and their intelligence. All of their time and who and what they were, they sacrificed freely and joyfully.
There were a man and his wife who, much like modern believers, became believers and even sold their land. But they did not give it all. They kept some of it back because they did not trust fully.
Acts 5
1 But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession.
2 And he kept back part of the proceeds, his wife also being aware of it, and brought a certain part and laid it at the apostles’ feet.
3 But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back part of the price of the land for yourself?
4 While it remained, was it not your own? And after it was sold, was it not in your own control? Why have you conceived this thing in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God.”
5 Then Ananias, hearing these words, fell down and breathed his last. So great fear came upon all those who heard these things.
6 And the young men arose and wrapped him up, carried him out, and buried him.
7 Now it was about three hours later when his wife came in, not knowing what had happened.
8 And Peter answered her, “Tell me whether you sold the land for so much?” She said, “Yes, for so much.”
9 Then Peter said to her, “How is it that you have agreed together to test the Spirit of the Lord? Look, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out.”
10 Then immediately she fell down at his feet and breathed her last. And the young men came in and found her dead, and carrying her out, buried her by her husband.
11 So great fear came upon all the church and upon all who heard these things.
Wow, you mean God actually killed believers? And here I thought above all God wants to prosper us! What happened? Well it is clear that these two believers put their hand to the plow but looked back. They were found not worthy of the Kingdom. Dear friend today most Christians do the exact same thing. They confess to being Christian but they still follow their own soul. Their will be done, their plans be done, their prosperity be done. They don’t give God everything, they give scraps of their time as long as it does not intrude on their career. They give money out of their riches and sometimes even great amounts. But it is nowhere close to hundred percent.
Ananias and Sapphira dropped dead on the spot for keeping some of their riches back, but today we proudly proclaim that we live in riches and blessings, oh wretched men that we are. What a difference in the church of today and the church then. How can we not see it, are we blind?
Revelation 3
17 Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’ — and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked —
18 I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see.
Let us examine another favorite verse of the Health and wealth movement.
3 John 1
2 Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.
The above verse is from the NKJV but for some reason the prosperity teachers like to quote the KJV for obvious reasons.
“Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.
You see the way the KJV translates the verse suits the prosperity believers very well. It makes it sound like God wants to first and above everything else prosper people. But is this what this verse really says? Let’s look a little closer at the word “prosper”. It is the Greek word euodoō
This word is used 5 times in the New Testament but not always as prosper. Another description for the word could be “journey” because of the composition of the word. The word euodoō is a compound of “eu” which means, “well or good” and “hodos” which means “road or way”.
So in fact what John is saying is not that he wishes money upon these people but he is merely wishing them well or good on the WAY! It is part of his greeting just like we greet people today and say “safe journey”. Or something like “be well” or “all the best”. We can certainly NOT built a whole doctrine concerning this greeting from John.
“May you have good or well in the way”. Let us remember what or better yet who that Way is.
John 14
“I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.
It is Jesus, and he had very different words to say about the way.
Matthew 7
13 “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it.
14 Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.
15 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.
16 You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles?
17 Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.
18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit.
19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
20 Therefore by their fruits you will know them.
21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.
22 Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’
23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’
Jesus says that the way is narrow and hard and few find it. He never said that you will have riches above all in the way. What utter nonsense! And if you would just investigate for yourself and forget about your own soul for just a while you will very clearly see the truth. Also how very interesting that after Jesus talks about the narrow and wide road He warns us of false prophets that are ravenous wolves. In other words greedy wolves that extort and just can’t get enough. These covetous wolfves look like sheep but they are not of the flock of God. They clearly bare the fruit of the enemy. Fleshly fruit of greed and arrogance. Vain and chasing things of this world as if it is godly to do so. They do not bare the fruit that God wants, that being spiritual fruit. Love, joy, peace longsuffering, gentleness goodness and faith. This is what John says in one of his other epistles and please notice the massive contrast of what these false teachers say of his greeting and their view on prosperity.
1 John 2
15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
16 For all that is in the world — the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride (boasting) of life (livelihood, state of existence) — is not of the Father but is of the world.
17 And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.
Oh dear fellow believers. The narrow way is a way of laying down your own life. Your whole
soul. It is a way of hardship and difficulty and long-suffering. It is most certainly not filled with prosperity and riches. Because of these false teachers who proclaim that you are to prosper in the way, in terms of riches, the way will be spoken evil of and blasphemed. This is what Peter had to say of these false teachers. (Emphasis mine)
2 Peter 2
1 But false prophets arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. These false teachers will infiltrate your midst with destructive heresies, even to the point of denying the Master who bought them. As a result, they will bring swift destruction on themselves.
2 And many will follow their debauched lifestyles. Because of these false teachers, the way of truth will be slandered.
3 And in their GREED they will exploit you with deceptive words. Their condemnation pronounced long ago is not sitting idly by; their destruction is not asleep.
4 For if God did not spare the angels who sinned, but threw them into hell and locked them up in chains in utter darkness, to be kept until the judgment,
5 and if he did not spare the ancient world, but did protect Noah, a herald of righteousness, along with seven others, when God brought a flood on an ungodly world,
6 and if he turned to ashes the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah when he condemned them to destruction, having appointed them to serve as an example to future generations of the ungodly,
7 and if he rescued Lot, a righteous man in anguish over the debauched lifestyle of lawless men,
8 (for while he lived among them day after day, that righteous man was tormented in his righteous soul by the lawless deeds he saw and heard)
9 — if so, then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from their trials, and to reserve the unrighteous for punishment at the day of judgment,
10 especially those who indulge their fleshly desires and who despise authority. Brazen and insolent, they are not afraid to insult the glorious ones,
11 yet even angels, who are much more powerful, do not bring a slanderous judgment against them before the Lord.
12 But these men, like irrational animals — creatures of instinct(fleshly), born to be caught and destroyed — do not understand whom they are insulting, and consequently in their destruction they will be destroyed,
13 suffering harm as the wages for their harmful ways. By considering it a pleasure to carouse(follow mind and body) in broad daylight, they are stains and blemishes, indulging in their deceitful pleasures when they feast together with you.
14 Their eyes, full of adultery, never stop sinning; they entice unstable people. They have trained their hearts for greed, these cursed children!
15 By forsaking the right path they have gone astray, because they followed the way of Balaam son of Bosor, who loved the wages (money) of unrighteousness,
16 yet was rebuked for his own transgression (a dumb donkey, speaking with a human voice, restrained the prophet’s madness).
17 These men are waterless springs(no Spirit) and mists driven by a storm, for whom the utter depths of darkness have been reserved.
18 For by speaking high-sounding but empty words they are able to entice, with fleshly desires and with debauchery (corruption, vice, lust and impurity) people who have just escaped from those who reside in error.
19 Although these false teachers promise such people freedom, they themselves are enslaved to immorality. For whatever a person succumbs to, to that he is enslaved.
20 For if after they have escaped the filthy things of the world through the rich knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they again get entangled in them and succumb to them, their last state has become worse for them than their first.
21 For it would have been better for them never to have known the way of righteousness than, having known it, to turn back from the holy commandment that had been delivered to them.
22 They are illustrations of this true proverb: “A dog returns to its own vomit,” and “A sow, after washing herself, wallows in the mire.”
Peter warns us and says that false teachers will infiltrate and teach destructive heresies. He then goes on to give us an explanation of the character of these false preachers and what they will do and how they will do it and why they are able to do it. Let’s look at that for the moment and see if it looks familiar to us. These people will be:
Living a lifestyle of debauchery.
-That means a lifestyle of corruption, vice, lust, and impurity.
In greed will exploit with deceptive words
-Indulge their fleshly desires and deceitful pleasures. They call it “living in their reward now” and “blessed”
Brazen and insolent.
-That means presumptuous and self-willed.
Like irrational animals and creatures of instinct.
-That means fleshly and physical, not spiritual.
Consider it pleasure to carouse.
-To say following mind and body.
They entice unstable people.
– Babes in the faith, tossed by every wind of doctrine.
They have trained their hearts for greed
They have erred in the doctrine of Balaam.
-Which is the love of money.
They are waterless wells.
-That means as wells they are supposed to bring Spirit by their teachings but they don’t.
They speak high sounding words that sound like wisdom but they are empty words.
They are able to entice with fleshly desires and debauchery
-Newcomers or babes.
They promise freedom but they are slaves themselves.
-Romans 6:16 Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness?
They are dogs returning to their own vomit.
-Jesus came to set them free from the world but they used their freedom to enslave themselves once again to the world.
Wow I don’t know about you but when I look at it like this I can certainly see many many churches of today. How sad, and they even proudly proclaim it! All of these things that Peter said is falseness and heresies, these are all their calling cards and selling points to pull in the masses. But what exactly does that say of the masses? Perhaps the masses are also just as fleshly and vain wanting their own soul and not wanting to follow the Spirit of God. It rings true what Paul said:
2 Timothy 4
3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers;
4 and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.
5 But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.
We read earlier in Matthew 7 that Jesus said not everyone who says to Him “Lord, Lord” will enter the Kingdom of heaven. These were people who believed and did Christian things like pray for people and drove out demons in the name of Christ. Yet Jesus says I never knew you. Isn’t it interesting that Jesus would add this scripture to a money passage? No one can serve two masters, we cannot serve God and money! We cannot seek money to satisfy our souls and give it peace of mind and not trust God. Then we are serving money.
The next verse we can look at is
John 10
10 The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.
The word there for life is the Greek word zōē. Not to be confused with the other word often translated as life in the New Testament called psuchē which actually means soul. Zoe is in fact the correct way to say life. When the word psuche is used it means a lot more than just life. It means that persons whole soul, being their will, character and intellect. Never the less, Jesus says He came to bring them life in abundance. Notice that he didn’t say life with abundance, simply life in abundance. What does that mean? It means an abundance of life, a never-ending life. A life that is yet to come. This abundant life that He promises is a life where you will not die. The life we are currently living here on earth in the flesh will end. This life is not life without end and most definitely not abundant life. Jesus doesn’t promise us a never-ending life here in the flesh filled with riches. No in fact He often promises us that in the time to come we will have life everlasting.
Matthew 19
29 And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My name’s sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal life.
Jesus says that those people will inherit eternal life. That means it is yet to come. Also notice that it is the ones who sacrificed out of their lives here on earth in the flesh that receives a reward. They left everything, houses, belongings, and family. They certainly did not enrich themselves here on earth. They forsook their very souls to gain life forevermore. It is absolutely the opposite of what these very fleshly false prophets are teaching.
Luke 18
29 So He said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or parents or brothers or wife or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God,
30 who shall not receive many times more in this present time, and in the age to come eternal life.”
Luke states it even clearer that this “zoe” life that Jesus promised is not for now but for the age to come. What we are having here and now in the flesh here on earth is not the life eternal. No, what we are living here and now is the life of persecution:
2 Timothy 3
12 Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.
13 But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived.
John 15
20 Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also.
It is a life of suffering:
1 Peter 4
19 Therefore let those who suffer according to the will of God commit their souls to Him in doing good, as to a faithful Creator.
Philippians 1
29 For to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake,
It is a life of self-denial:
Mark 8
34 When He had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them, “Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.
35 For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it.
36 For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?
Oh, dear friend if you want to live life in abundance here on earth you are going to have to suffer in abundance. Be persecuted in abundance and deny yourself or your soul in abundance. Can you see that it is the opposite of what these liars and agents of the enemy are advertising? They actually use Luke 18:29-30 as so-called proof of their doctrine saying something like see we will receive hundredfold of houses and lands and goods here at this time. When in fact what Jesus was saying is that we will become part of the body of Christ and gain many more members and family. We will not need houses for our brothers and sisters will care for each other like they did in the early church as recorded in the book of Acts.
Well brother if you want to be a fool and believe what Jesus said is that we will become rich and receive a hundredfold of that which we sow. Why don’t you then sow your wife and receive a hundred wives? Let’s see you twist that doctrine to your wife! These hundred houses that you want to own, are you to fill them each with a wife? And which one of them will get the biggest house? No brother there are some seriously big holes in your doctrine. Realize now once and for all you cannot serve two masters! You cannot serve God and money. If you think your wife is jealous, I promise you God is infinitely more jealous. You who want to seek riches, have you forgotten what Paul said?
1 Timothy 6
6 Now godliness with contentment is great gain.
7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.
8 And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content.
9 But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition.
We should be content with having food and clothes. Not houses and lands and storerooms and goods. But how can that be? How is it possible that we should be content with food and clothes? Perhaps Paul misunderstood God or maybe he forgot that God wants to make us rich? Ok then if we don’t want to trust Paul’s words we should look at the utmost authority, the King of kings and the Prince of princes. Jesus says that we should not lay away riches on earth! We should not even worry about food and clothing but to first seek the Kingdom and then God will give us food and clothing as well. It says in verse 9 above that those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare. Notice it does NOT say they might fall into temptation and snare, no they definitely WILL fall into temptation and a snare and the end of that person is drowning in destruction and perdition! Friend it doesn’t matter who you are and how strong your faith is. You cannot tangle with riches and think you are going to somehow not fall for the deceitfulness of riches.
Oh dear fellow believer it cannot be clearer, we are not to seek riches and prosperity.
1 Timothy 6
3 If anyone teaches otherwise and does not consent to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which accords with godliness,
4 he is proud, knowing nothing, but is obsessed with disputes and arguments over words, from which come envy, strife, reviling, evil suspicions,
5 useless wranglings of men of corrupt minds and destitute of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain. From such withdraw yourself.
6 Now godliness with contentment is great gain
The next verse we can look at is
Matthew 21
22 And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.”
Now this verse is always on the lips of those who love to name and proclaim. One very famous prosperity preacher once said that if you claim what you want and believe, God has no choice but to give it to you. They use it so often just to try and get what they want, even if it is covetous. Forgetting that we are not to be covetous. Also along with this verse they quote
James 4
…Yet you do not have because you do not ask.
This is yet another example of how they twist scripture and change context to suit their pretext.
Let us examine the context of what James is saying here and how we are to understand and apply it.
1 Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members?
2 You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. Yet you do not have because you do not ask.
3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures.
4 Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.
5 Or do you think that the Scripture says in vain, “The Spirit who dwells in us yearns jealously”?
James says that wars come from desires for pleasure and lust to have (possess) because of covetousness. He says people even murder because of covetousness. He then goes on to say we have not because we ask not. Then we receive not because we want to spend it on ourselves and our pleasures. Let that just sink in for a while. You mean we cannot ask for our own pleasures? Wow so asking God for a new fancy motorcar is not allowed? He then actually warns us of friendship with the world and all its niceties. All those things the prosperity perversion so dearly love to cling to is enmity with God. God will not share you with the world, remember He is a jealous God. Consider what James says in the very next chapter and ask yourself if it is indeed God’s will for us to be rich?
James 5
1 Come now, you rich, weep and howl for your miseries that are coming upon you!
2 Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are moth-eaten.
3 Your gold and silver are corroded, and their corrosion will be a witness against you and will eat your flesh like fire. You have heaped up treasure in the last days.
5 You have lived on the earth in pleasure and luxury; you have fattened your hearts as in a day of slaughter.
Let us not forget that this was James, the brother of Jesus and a leader of the early church. He grew up with Jesus and knew Him very well. Let us not be ignorant and twist scripture to benefit our souls. Let us not be like Satan and distort truth and the bible, merely for fleeting comfort and pleasure. Jesus often said that whatever we ask in His name will be done for us. But it is for the Kingdom and for ministry purposes, not for our pleasure. Not our will be done but “let Thy will be done Lord”. Jesus promises us that if we ask we shall receive. But what is it He is referring to?
Luke 11
9 “So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.
10 For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.
11 If a son asks for bread from any father among you, will he give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent instead of a fish?
12 Or if he asks for an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?
13 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!”
Please notice Jesus is speaking about the Holy Spirit and not a new mansion in an affluent area. Further He says if we knock it will be opened for us. That means seeking God and His will, not the key to the treasury. Or are we like Judas wanting access to the money bag and helping ourselves to ministry money? Remember pastors and leaders, every penny that comes in is for ministry, it is not yours. Sure you are allowed food and clothing but with that you should be content. Not buying Jets and sports cars and all manner of goods that enslave your very souls! Please notice that Jesus contrasts the good gifts with bad gifts. The good being the Holy Spirit. God knows full well that everybody who desires to become rich will be ensnared and tempted. (1 Timothy 6:9 But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition). And we know that God does not tempt us because he cannot be tempted. So then why would we ever believe that it is God that gives us riches? If we then say God gives us riches are we not saying it is God who tempts us?
James 1
13 Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone.
14 But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed.
15 Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.
16 Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren.
17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.
God gives good gifts, not riches that ensnare and bring temptation which leads to death. No dear friend your riches come from a different place, and shame on you for suggesting that God will give you rotten gifts like earthly riches!! Even worse than that, you lead others on the very same broad way that leads to destruction.
The next verse we are looking at deals with the blessing of Abraham. Wow they just love bringing up the promise to Abraham. Every prosperity believer you challenge with truth always comes to this. They say the following: but Abraham was rich! Well let’s look at it.
Galatians 3
14 that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
So the prosperity believers use this verse to say that because of Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come on us. And they are right! The only problem is their reading of the scripture is wrong because they are looking with dark eyes at that. The only thing they see is dollar signs. $$ Cha Ching!!$$. But hold on just a minute, is the blessing of Abraham really fleshly riches, or is it spiritual riches? True riches like the verse above states “the promise of the SPIRIT through faith”
Genesis 12
1 Now the LORD had said to Abram: ” Get out of your country, From your family And from your father’s house, To a land that I will show you.
2 I will make you a great nation; I will bless you And make your name great; And you shall be a blessing.
3 I will bless those who bless you, And I will curse him who curses you; And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”
Genesis 15
9 So He said to him, “Bring Me a three-year-old heifer, a three-year-old female goat, a three-year-old ram, a turtledove, and a young pigeon.”
10 Then he brought all these to Him and cut them in two, down the middle, and placed each piece opposite the other; but he did not cut the birds in two.
11 And when the vultures came down on the carcasses, Abram drove them away.
12 Now when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and behold, horror and great darkness fell upon him.
13 Then He said to Abram: “Know certainly that your descendants will be strangers in a land that is not theirs, and will serve them, and they will afflict them four hundred years.
14 And also the nation whom they serve I will judge; afterward they shall come out with great possessions.
15 Now as for you, you shall go to your fathers in peace; you shall be buried at a good old age.
16 But in the fourth generation they shall return here, for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete.”
17 And it came to pass, when the sun went down and it was dark, that behold, there appeared a smoking oven and a burning torch that passed between those pieces.
So to understand the Abrahamic covenant we have to look at some of the strange happenings in the passages above. God makes a promise to Abraham, an unconditional promise. That means Abraham has nothing to do to get the promise. It’s a gift and cannot be earned. The only thing required is faith which Abraham had plenty of because he was the Father of the faith. God says that in Abraham all nations will be blessed. Now we know to be in Abraham we have to be of faith. If we are not of faith we are not his children (Galatians 3: 7 Therefore know that only those who are of faith are sons of Abraham.) So that means before we can receive this blessing or promise that God made we have to believe. God tells Abraham to cut in half some animals and then He passes through them to symbolize this blessing and promise.
That symbolizes the indwelling Spirit that God would pour out on Abraham’s descendants. That is the promise, it is the Spirit of God indwelling us. It is the true riches that Jesus was talking about as well. You might say now that can’t be because the Spirit was only poured out after Jesus was crucified. And that was many years after Abraham. Well the fact of the matter is that WAS the promise and the blessing of Abraham. Paul confirms it for us in Galatians 3: 13, 14 “Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”),that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith”.
So how can this be? How can God promise something to Abraham and not give it to him in his lifetime? Well dear man He is God and He can do whatever and however He wants, will you reply against God? Remember Abraham was the father and his descendants would inherit the blessing. That blessing is the Lord Himself indwelling us. Quickening us once again in Spirit after we died a spiritual death in the Garden of Eden. See without the Spirit of God to indwell us we became dry ground. Land that had to be watered by hand and foot and by the sweat of our brow. But God promises Abraham new land watered by Him through faith and not by hand and foot. Abraham’s descendants would inherit the Spirit and so dwell in the city made by God forevermore. Paul confirms this in the book of Hebrews.
Hebrews 11
8 By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going.
9 By faith he dwelt in the land of promise as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise;
10 for he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God.
11 By faith Sarah herself also received strength to conceive seed, and she bore a child when she was past the age, because she judged Him faithful who had promised.
12 Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born as many as the stars of the sky in multitude — innumerable as the sand which is by the seashore.
13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.
14 For those who say such things declare plainly that they seek a homeland.
15 And truly if they had called to mind that country from which they had come out, they would have had opportunity to return.
16 But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them.
Verse 13 above clearly states that Abraham never received the promise in his lifetime but he continued to have faith in it. He saw it afar of. Jesus was the fulfillment of that promise when He became a curse for us and poured His Spirit out on us. That Great life-giving Spirit called the Word. And don’t think Abraham lost out on his promise. No he definitely received it. Remember that after Jesus perished on the cross the saints of old were seen walking in the streets. When Jesus went to hades or paradise or as Jesus called it Abraham’s bosom He imparted the same gift to them that were there. They were let out of the prison when Jesus took the captivity captive and put Abraham’s bosom in heaven. ( Ephesians 4:7-10)
God promised the indwelling Spirit to the father of faith and his descendants (those of faith) so that when they receive the blessing all they have to do is obey that Spirit through faith for righteousness. Whereas under the law they had to do the law for righteousness. And if they did the law they shall have life by the law. With the blessing of the Spirit, they received life as a free gift that cannot be earned. That is the difference between the Abrahamic covenant and the covenant of Moses. The one is by promise and the other by works of the law. Now we know that no one was able to fulfill the law and thus all were found guilty. What an amazing blessing. Do you see that it is a spiritual blessing and contrary to a fleshly blessing? It does not speak of riches or prosperity in the flesh at all!
In fact God gives Abraham a vision that disturbed him and that was his descendants becoming slaves to Egypt. Now we all know that Egypt symbolizes the flesh and the world. And the law was given so that no flesh can boast before God. All were found guilty so that the blessing can take full effect. In fact the blessing sets us free from Egypt! How then do these prosperity preachers want to put us back in bondage and walk after every fleshly thing? Wrongly ascribing the greatest Gift and Blessing of all time, as a license to be covetous and to put us right back in the clutches of evil.
The next bible verse these extortionist preachers misuse really gets under my skin. Jesus tells us a parable that is to be the key to all parables and unlocks large portions of understanding and they go and make it about rotten mammon. It is the parable of the sower and Jesus said: “Do you not understand this parable? How then will you understand all/any of the parables?
Luke 8
5 “A sower went out to sow his seed. And as he sowed, some fell by the wayside; and it was trampled down, and the birds of the air devoured it.
6 Some fell on rock; and as soon as it sprang up, it withered away because it lacked moisture.
7 And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up with it and choked it.
8 But others fell on good ground, sprang up, and yielded a crop a hundredfold.” When He had said these things He cried, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”
11 “Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God.
12 Those by the wayside are the ones who hear; then the devil comes and takes away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved.
13 But the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, who believe for a while and in time of temptation fall away.
14 Now the ones that fell among thorns are those who, when they have heard, go out and are choked with cares, riches, and pleasures of life, and bring no fruit to maturity.
15 But the ones that fell on the good ground are those who, having heard the word with a noble and good heart, keep it and bear fruit with patience.
They use a principle of sowing and reaping. Which in itself is a godly principle and they can’t be faulted for that. After all the word does say “whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously shall also reap generously” (2 Corinthians 9:6). God loves a cheerful giver but “be not deceived, God is not mocked. For whatsoever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to the flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life!” (Galatians 6:7-9). This is now where they mix things up and say something like “remember to sow generously and sow your seed in good ground”. This good ground referring to themselves and not poor people. They often say that poor people are not good ground. And if you expect a good return you must sow to the richest evangelist you know. That being them. How very sad.
They actually teach people to sow or tithe with an expectation of receiving back thirty sixty and hundredfold. They pervert the parable of the sower to rake in money for themselves. Now let’s remember what the parable is about. It’s about men’s souls. That’s the ground! Jesus also says the ground or earth is men’s hearts. Now you get four types of earth or ground and only one is suitable. Three are not but one is of particular interest to us. It is the third one. Remember the first one was very hard and the word or seed only fell on the surface and Satan and his birds came and took it away. It had no earth to germinate and grow. The second had some loose earth but not deep. So whatever grew could not get to the deep waters of the Spirit and die soon with persecution. The fourth type was good earth. Lose ground, tilled and worked. Seed had more than enough time to germinate and then develop a root that reached deep to where the waters of the Spirit are. The end of seed in that soul is a harvest of great spiritual fruit and everlasting life as per Galatians 6:9. Definitely not earthly riches.
But woe to those souls who are of the third kind. These souls have loose earth so there is faith, and enough for the seed to germinate and even deep enough to get to the Spirit deep down. The problem is they have an added something. They have thorns and thistles which choke the seedlings. And should the seed of the word grow enough to bear fruit it will never become ripe or mature as Luke states. But what could these thorns represent that are so dangerous? Well Jesus makes it very clear and in no uncertain terms. “The deceitfulness of riches and the cares and worries and pleasures of life!”
Fellow believers and people of faith, these are not my words. Jesus said this, and he said this is the key to all parables. Please listen to Him. You cannot serve both God and mammon, as soon as the seeds of mammon are planted it WILL grow. And it WILL strangle out the good seed and you WILL not harvest anything in the Spirit. Only fleshly corruption leading to death. Listen to what Paul says on the matter just in case you need another witness to prove to you once and for all that the prosperity gospel is false.
Hebrews 6
4 For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit,
5 and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come,
6 if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame.
7 For the earth which drinks in the rain that often comes upon it, and bears herbs useful for those by whom it is cultivated, receives blessing from God;
8 but if it bears thorns and briers, it is rejected and near to being cursed, whose end is to be burned.
Brother I am sorry if this offends you and hurts you. But I love God to much to lie to you. Paul says that when a soul that was of good ground received seed and grew. Reached deep to the Spirit and tasted of the wonderful gift, if that soul now starts to bear thorns, it is rejected. It is near to being cursed and burned. What happened to that soul? How is it possible that a soul of good earth, in other words, enough faith, could now all of a sudden start to bear thorns and thistles. It is mind-boggling that these souls could be led astray by something as trivial as money. Through wanting riches and worrying about money. They don’t trust God! And because they don’t trust God the enemy has sowed his seed in their souls. Yes friend if you want riches it is from the enemy, not God. There is darkness in you and you are looking through darkened eyes. Your windows are darkened. God says trust Him daily for your bread. Not build up riches for many years!!
Getting back to expecting a return on your tithes and offerings. They brazenly preach this and they let their congregation hold up in the air their offerings and then proclaim harvest of hundredfold over it. What a detestable act. Rightly did Daniel proclaim to us belong shame of face! Who are we offering to? Is it to God or to mammon because we want something in return? Freely we have received freely we must give!
Jesus warned us of these wolves in sheep clothing. He said that false teachers will come to us in His name saying that He (Jesus) is the Christ and deceive many.
Matthew 24
4 And Jesus answered and said to them: “Take heed that no one deceives you.
5 For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many.
Paul also spoke of those who would pervert the gospel, preaching a different gospel which is not another.
Galatians 1
6 I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel,
7 which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ.
8 But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed.
Friends these people are deceiving and being deceived. One of their own, a very famous televangelist who ended up in prison and lost all his money and riches and everything he ever had realized his folly and repented. In prison he had a lot of time to study the word of God and came to truth, thank God for His mercy. But what is interesting is the insights this man now gives to the mind-set of this prosperity sect. He often talks of hearing something that sounds nice or good from other prosperity teachers and then using the same material without even making sure of the facts. In this manner they deceive and are being deceived. This gentleman recalls many times reading something in the word that is contrary to the doctrine of prosperity and then just lightly skipping over it with a thought of “that can’t be what God is saying here.” Making light of many passages in the word of God that strongly exhorts against money. One of those passages is the young rich man.
Luke 18
18 Now a certain ruler asked Him, saying, “Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?”
19 So Jesus said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God.
20 You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery,’ ‘Do not murder,’ ‘Do not steal,’ ‘Do not bear false witness,’ ‘Honor your father and your mother.’ “
21 And he said, “All these things I have kept from my youth.”
22 So when Jesus heard these things, He said to him, “You still lack one thing. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.”
23 But when he heard this, he became very sorrowful, for he was very rich.
24 And when Jesus saw that he became very sorrowful, He said, “How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!
25 For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”
26 And those who heard it said, “Who then can be saved?”
27 But He said, “The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.”
Now over the years there have been so many theories concerning this passage of scripture that it makes your head spin. How they twist and stretch the word of God just to suit their own souls and covetous hearts. One of these stretching’s that made the rounds is that the “eye of the needle” isn’t in fact an actual needle but rather a hole in the wall of the city where camels had to enter. And if your camel was too heavily laden with goods it would not fit in. it’s almost comical as it would most certainly be much better to have a much smaller donkey (poor man’s camel) that could fit through the hole easily. No dear friend, Jesus meant an actual camel and an actual needle. Jesus made it clear that it is near impossible for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of heaven. Why? Because he does not trust God but his money. And we know that God requires trust and faith. It is simple.
This is now where most prosperity lovers say something like, “but with God all things are possible, even allowing rich men who don’t trust God into the kingdom”. Yes Jesus did say that, but what did He say would change? Did he say it is possible for God to now change His mind about rich people and allow them in or did he rather say that it is possible for God to change these rich people’s minds to lay down their riches and so gain entry to the Kingdom of God? God never changes and His mind, He certainly never changes, He remains the same today, tomorrow and forever. No these rich people will have to change and give away all they own and follow the Lord. Jesus simply tells them that God will make it possible for them to do that. He will give them a new heart and they will overcome and become free of the bondage that they are under, namely the deceitfulness of riches and cares and worries of life. God will root out those thorns in their soul that cause their eyes to see with darkness. But God will not compromise!
Yet another theory is that Jesus was somehow referring to that specific young man and that not all people with riches are like him. Perhaps that young ruler was somehow different from other rich people. In fact he was, he was a good man, and he was very pious, keeping the commandments. We read in Mark’s telling of the rich young ruler that Jesus loved the man and that Jesus said he lacks only one thing.
Mark 10
21 Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “One thing you lack: Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Me.”
No dear friend there is no getting around it, Jesus was talking to all who have riches. Riches are deceitful and will strangle you to the point of death. The Word admonishes us time after time through the Prophets, the Apostles and the Lord Himself that we are to keep our lives free from the love of money and be content with what we have.
Hebrews 13
5 Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”
6 So we may boldly say: ” The LORD is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?”
My fellow believer in God and Jesus our Christ. I believe the word is clear on the topic of riches. With such a cloud of witnesses against riches and prosperity don’t be fooled. Jesus often said listen, hearken! Please allow me to echo that today. Jesus directly said woe to you who are rich:
Luke 6
24 ” But woe to you who are rich, For you have received your consolation.
25 Woe to you who are full, For you shall hunger. Woe to you who laugh now, For you shall mourn and weep.
Throughout Jesus’s ministry he always preached sacrificing all of yourself and giving everything you have. Even his parables concerning the Kingdom echoes that sentiment.
Matthew 13
44 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.
45 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls,
46 who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it.
Do you see, they sold all they had, they didn’t give a tenth of their riches and laid hold of the Kingdom? No they sold all, meaning all they own and their very souls as well, their will, their character and their intellect. Even their livelihood meaning their career. They esteem God above all and seek FIRST the Kingdom. Here is another example of this:
Luke 21
1 And He looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the treasury,
2 and He saw also a certain poor widow putting in two mites.
3 So He said, “Truly I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all;
4 for all these out of their abundance have put in offerings for God, but she out of her poverty put in all the livelihood that she had.”
Friends, Paul warned us of the very things happening now.
2 Timothy 3
1 But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come:
2 For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
3 unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good,
4 traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,
5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!
6 For of this sort are those who creep into households and make captives of gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts,
7 always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.
We are indeed in the last days, and it is indeed perilous times. Paul says that we are not to be part of these people. He says we should turn away from such people. Let me ask you brother and you sister, what are you doing in that system? Why are you there? Are you the ones being made captives of, being gullible and loaded down with sins? Do you attend their seminars and five-point series on how to become rich or successful and learning all their falseness and never coming to truth? What are you doing there? Heed the words of the Lord!
Revelation 18
4 And I heard another voice from heaven saying, “Come out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues.
5 For her sins have reached to heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities.
6 Render to her just as she rendered to you, and repay her double according to her works; in the cup which she has mixed, mix double for her.
7 In the measure that she glorified herself and lived luxuriously, in the same measure give her torment and sorrow; for she says in her heart, ‘I sit as queen, and am no widow, and will not see sorrow.’
8 Therefore her plagues will come in one day — death and mourning and famine. And she will be utterly burned with fire, for strong is the Lord God who judges her.
In conclusion I would ask you to consider your life, your soul and then compare it to the standard Paul gave us, and be honest with yourself. Does your life reflect these words?
Philippians 3
7 But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ.
8 Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ
Till next time
God bless
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