[I pray] that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might.
(Ephesians 1)
There’s a dangerous idea, growing more popular and widespread every day, that the spiritual riches of God (as Paul describes above in Ephesians 1) aren’t enough to satisfy us. Instead, we should pray for material wealth and success, and expect God to deliver it in response to the obedience and faith we display (usually by giving money to a church or televangelist).
Millions of people, desperately seeking contentment and comfort, believe they’ll find it when God showers financial blessings upon them. But instead, dark clouds build over their souls as they slowly realize that it’s not happening the way they expected. They don’t know it, but they’ve become enslaved to greed and power as they try to manipulate God into giving them what they want.
Over the past few months, I’ve had the privilege of watching God deliver a family from this deception. Nathaniel and Shatoyia Bradley had a ministerial role in a church that taught the prosperity gospel. To them, God existed only to fulfill their ambitions and dreams. But two months ago, they say God “smacked” them and made them realize how far they had strayed from him. Once their eyes were opened to Christ’s sufficiency, they felt like they were meeting Jesus for the first time.
Recently Nate was deployed with the Air Force to Iraq, but Shatoyia was gracious and courageous enough to let us interview her about their experiences. Their prayer is that many more people will be delivered from the subtle deception of the prosperity gospel.
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March 14th, 2008 at 6:18 pm
In the morning, when I rise
In the morning, when I rise
In the morning, when I rise, give me Jesus
Give me Jesus,
Give me Jesus,
You can have all this world,
But give me Jesus
When I am alone
When I am alone
When I am alone, give me Jesus
Give me Jesus,
Give me Jesus,
You can have all this world,
But give me Jesus
When I come to die
When I come to die
When I come to die, give me Jesus
Give me Jesus,
Give me Jesus,
You can have all this world,
You can have all this world,
You can have all this world,
But give me Jesus
March 15th, 2008 at 12:36 am
This woman’s story is very compelling. Her manner is so straightforward and understandable. I pray that God uses it to help others see that they’re suffering the same condition she and her husband found themselves in; and for the same reason. If they can make the same connection this couple did, they can recover themselves from the snare of the devil.
We can tell a tree by its fruit if we stop long enough to examine it. Our own ways are what bring on our miseries. If we take the time and thought, we will see them clearly. It is what God says in Haggai 1:5-7 “consider your ways! “You have sown much, but harvest little; you eat, but there is not enough to be satisfied; you drink, but there is not enough to become drunk; you put on clothing, but no one is warm enough; and he who earns, earns wages to put into a purse with holes. Thus says the LORD of hosts, “Consider your ways!”
May God give each of us grace so we can look at our ways without self-delusion. God has given us a mirror to hold up to ourselves. It’s called the perfect law of liberty - the Word of God. In it, we will see our own true reflection and turn again to God. And, as its name implies, we will find true freedom in its perfect law.
March 17th, 2008 at 10:41 am
Everytime I hear of someone else being delivered and set free I rejoice. Praise God!