If God gives me a new car that I still have to pay for, is that really a blessing? Or, why would God only send a message about material blessings to people sinning day in and day out? I remember sitting in my former church hearing about all of the wonderful things that God was going to do for us. The promises were almost never specific, but EVERYONE would receive material blessings (like money). But I was always one that was honest with myself and with God. There I was thinking of my “secret sins” that I’d fall into every now and then. But apparently God didn’t care…He was going to bless me. I knew then and I know now that that line of thinking is ridiculous. But it may be easy to fall into that kind of trap…God overlooks sin and blesses anyway. It was then that I could no longer stomach ministries that focus on external blessings rather than internal issues. When I say internal issues, I mean overcoming and turning away from sin, living your life the way God would want you to live it, studying, and knowing the truth.
I’m not going to sit here and claim that God never blesses a person with material things. I am saying that it is overkill to focus only on that. The fact is, everyone is not going to be rich, free of disease, married, a parent, etc. Ministers are making a mistake by declaring we will. They do not realize that they are creating false hope and much frustration. Needless to say, I stopped attending that church and don’t want to return. When I encountered a friend who was still a member, she appeared exhausted and frustrated because she was still waiting on God to “do some things.” Now I will say this, I find the “God wants you to suffer” camp to be just as harmful. I’ve learned one valuable lesson told to me in two different ways. One from an atheist and the other from a believer. In this life, bad things will happen. We have to roll with the punches. True indeed. But I should add that we will have wonderful things happen as well as tragedies. No matter which way it goes, we should keep standing.
Filed under: Life, Religion | Tagged: Atheist, Christianity, Church, Life, Prosperity Gospel, Religion, Sin, Wealth
I definitely agree. In the Bible it says that God knows the desires of our hearts, so therefore he will bless us all in different ways that are specific to our needs. The greatest of which, I have found, are anything but material. When I was young I had the idea that God existed to make everything work out, and give me what I want when I ask for it…. Once I got older, I became so disappointed in God that I gave up on my faith… Now, after re-accepting Christ, I have learned this concept of faith from such a different angle.
Good word!
i recommend you watch this… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ukcV-xtU3hc
grace and peace
Daniel
Amen and amen to that!! I’ve just put up a Sermon Audio link revealing the dire statements Joel Osteen makes in his passion to “make people happy”! He is going to be judged so heavily for how he totally ignores scripture and providing all those sad people with true salvation, redemption and happiness not to mention eternal life. But those people will equally be judged for not reading scripture for themselves to see the errors and deceptions. Apostasy is rife within our churches just as was prophesied and people need to get way more serious about listening to what God says Himself in HIS Word - instead of paying so much attention to what any man says. Blessings, TKR