Prosperity and Peace

Prosperity and peace go together. If you don't have enough, there is tension because you are striving to get the basic needs for your life. Peace is hard to come by without having what you need.

Jesus said in John 16:33 "These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.” 

This verse presents a different dynamic to peace and prosperity. God's word will bring peace to us as we live by faith, not by sight. The world has problems, but Jesus has overcome the world. How has He overcome the world for us? "And this is the victory that has overcome the world our faith." 1 Jn 5:4b

In the spiritual, we overcome by faith. The natural will present problems, but faith in the word of God will overcome the problems in the natural.

Ps 122:7 seems to be talking of peace and prosperity in the natural. Yes, the two go together. It is hard to have one without the other. In the spirit there is a different dynamic. Life can be superseded by the word of God.

At times spiritual peace and natural peace look the same. You can tell the difference when trials, tribulations and troubles come our way. Spiritual peace will shine during the trial, but natural peace will crash.

There is no strength with natural peace. It is just enjoyed as it happens. Spiritual peace, on the other hand, is not reliant on circumstances or others. There is a joy and peace given by God to those who walk with Him by faith. They are not looking at what is seen but what is not seen. Their life is hid in God. Life circumstances don't shake them. Why? Because they are living according to the promises of God. Their concerns are given to God and they receive peace according to the promise given in Phil 4:6-9

Yes, God offers prosperity, but we are not to focus on prosperity or seek it as a primary object.  1 Tim 6:9 gives a warning. "But those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful desires which plunge men into ruin and destruction." In fact, we are to flee riches and seek the things of the spirit. 1 Tim 6:11

That is not to say that blessings aren't a by-product following God. Yes, blessing will come, but the example and lessons of Job show that we are not to judge others who have not entered into the life of prosperity.

(What are the quick lessons of Job?
1 Things aren't always as they look.
2 Don't be quick to judge.
3 Job came closer to God through trials.
4 Job was healed when he prayed for his friends.
5 The good generic counsel of Job's friends didn't apply to him.)

We are to use the blessings and prosperity we have received to minister to others for the Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Cor 9:8  "And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed."

What do you do if your basic needs aren't met? Go to God in prayer, receive peace from Him, walk in faith and joy, not in your circumstances but in your relationship with God.

Phil 4:11 Paul learned to be content in whatever circumstance he found himself. "Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am." When he wrote that he was sitting in a jail cell. 

We can be content wherever we are as we have a close relationship with Christ. Only our walk with Christ fulfills, not the abundance of stuff. 

Desire contentment; seek for contentment. It is a rare jewel. With contentment comes peace, allowing us to advance in the kingdome of God.

Psalm 33:17 "A horse is a false hope for victory nor does it deliver anyone by its great strength."

People look at having things and investments for security, yet it is not our ability in the natural that will give us victory. Victory comes through the Lord. We should not reject the natural means as led by God but use it to serve the Lord. Keep in mind the natural is only a tool the Lord uses. 

Serve God, walk in peace and prosperity, minister to others and live in a peace that is not reliant upon circumstances but on Jesus, the Prince of Peace.

Go in peace,

Scott

Complaining

How does one express dissatisfaction? It will bring disrespect. My purpose is not to bring disrespect but to show that I am not fitting in with what is going on.

What brings life? What brings the answer? What brings direction?

What do I do with complaining? There is always problems, otherwise there would be no need for work. For when you see something to complain about you have 2 options:

You can complain.

or

You can roll up your sleeves and go to work.

Complaining comes from lazy people.

What if yo are already working? Then you are not working from a position of faith. Complaining shows a lack of faith.

Rejoice, I am the Great I am.

Bring all to Me Point yourself to the Blood of Christ. Don't worry come to Me.

This is the day you will behold My light. I will carry you to the mountain top, so rejoice in Me says the Lord God almighty.

Contentment

Prov 15:16
16Better is a little with the fear of the LORD
Than great treasure and turmoil with it.

If we have the fear of the Lord, what good is the worlds treasures if there is turmoil with it? Our goal in life is not riches but an honest heart with God. With the fear of the Lord we will have the true rewards.

Luke 3:14
14Some soldiers were questioning him, saying, "And what about us, what shall we do?" And he said to them, "Do not take money from anyone by force, or accuse anyone falsely, and be content with your wages."

Are we content with the money we make? No one really is. In my reading and in my life experience I have found that there is never enough money. This is not only in secular realm but also Christian. People always want more. Contentment takes away that want. Contentment frees us to work according to God's purposes and not mans.


1 Tim 6:6
6But godliness actually is a means of great gain when accompanied by contentment.

People teach riches from the gospel. Yes there are riches promised in the Bible in many places. There also is persecution promised. Are the people that preach riches preaching the persecution? If they aren't are they tickling our ears? We should be honest with God, ourselves and others. To accept one side of the teaching of the Bible while completely ignoring the flip side of the same question is to present an illusion.

With contentment we have great gain. There are many tests in life. Do we fail the tests because we refuse to see Bible truth?

1 Tim 6:8
8If we have food and covering, with these we shall be content.

Do not work for the things which perish but for what will last for eternity!

Heb 13:5
5Make sure that your character is free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, "I WILL NEVER DESERT YOU, NOR WILL I EVER FORSAKE YOU,"

If we are content with Jesus then the world has no hold on us.

2 Cor 9:8
8And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed;

Grace brings abundance. Seek God and His grace. With God's grace we can be about the good deeds God has for us.

Phil 4:11-13
11Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am.
12I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need.
13I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.
One of the most famous Scriptures is Phil 4:13 “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” The context of this verse is contentment. There are listed here

1.In whatever circumstance I found myself in.
2.Humble means
3.Prosperity
4.Being filled
5.Going hungry
6.Having an abundance
7.Suffering need
8.Nothing is impossible through Christ

Paul is content in each of these instances. He has learned how to live this way by going through them. Our contentment should not be based on our circumstances but on Jesus Christ who lives within our hearts. When Jesus is with us then the circumstances don't change our inner contentment.

Then the question is asked, “What causes contentment?” Contentment should come from Jesus not what we have or don't have. When we have Jesus in our heart and can talk to Him there is nothing the world can do to us.

The world can't take away our money because its Jesus money not ours. Satan can't take our health because Jesus healed us at the cross. We can rest in the promise of God that He will heal us. For it says so multiple times in the Book.

If we are separated from our loved ones then God will comfort us in our loneliness.

If we are living in humble means we are content with that because God is our source. Or if we are living in prosperity we can use our abundance to help others

We can live in contentment when we are filled by using the energy of this to work hard for the kingdom of God.

If we are hungry we can use the desire to fill our bodies as a reminder of other Christians and their dire needs around the world and pray for them with earnestness.

2 Cor. 12:9,10 “
9And He has said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness " Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.
10Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ's sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong.

It is through many tribulations we enter the kingdom of God. Acts 14:22

Contentment should not be based on our comfort. Base your life on serving God and you will have a satisfactory life.

Boast of weaknesses, insults, distresses, persecutions, difficulties for when you do the power of Christ will come. Does the power of Christ depend on our attitude? Do we waist our sorrows if we have the wrong attitude? Using each thing life throws at us will make us stronger as we rely on God in all that comes our way. Trials are productive when they are looking to Jesus and not our circumstances.

Hebrews 13:5 “Make sure that your character is free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, “I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you,”