Psalm 35:27 *Let them shout for joy, and be glad, that favour my righteous cause: yea, let them say continually, Let the LORD be magnified, which hath pleasure in the prosperity of his servant*
*THE EXTREMES*? (C)
It needs restating that God prospers His own. It is His will that we have what we need for life and for the expansion of His kingdom here on earth. God does not have problem with prosperity and you shouldn't either.
Where caution is needed is when we stretch God's prosperity plan and intention beyond scriptures for selfish gain. This is what most purveyors of prosperity gospel have done and are still doing.
*3#. Using prosperity as a measure of spirituality*.
This is another damage done by prosperity gospel preachers. These extremes are not made up, they are things we have heard or read from purveyors of this damaging gospel.
One prosperity preacher said, *"Poverty is a sign of ungodliness. To be poor means there is sin in your life*”.
It is totally out of place to use material wealth to measure the spirituality/godliness of people. Awfully wrong. Don't you think this submission will propel people to make money by any means to prove a point?
If wealth is the measure of spirituality/godliness, then we can say that all drug barons and thiefing politicians who have stolen our common wealth are deeply spiritual. We can also add yahoo boys and ritualist to the mix.
The moment we doubt the salvation/godliness of the poor because they don't have earthly/material wealth, we attack the saving power of Christ and his blood which can save all regardless of financial status.
*Neither wealth nor poverty is a measure of godliness or spirituality*.
Today's prosperity preachers will safely call Jesus Christ a poor man. In fact, one of them said, *"Jesus died because of poverty*".
Let me ask and appeal to your conscience, do you think it is morally and ethically right for a bible preacher to make a statement like this about our saviour and master? Think.
That he had no material wealth he could boast about does not mean he could not have amassed wealth with his miraculous power. He could manipulate those he healed to sow seed of healing and they would have done that gladly because they were vulnerable at that moment. People can give anything to get miracles in times of desperation. Jesus didn't take advantage of them.
If many had the same measure of power Jesus had, they'll likely be the richest in today's world because they will commercialize the anointing. He was anointed without measure and had creative powers. He is God not just a mere man.
Do you think money or material wealth could have been his problem? Jesus voluntarily lived a simple life, focusing on his assignment and the glory ahead. He was not competing with those on forbes list neither does he want to be the richest preacher on earth.
The lesson to learn from the simple life of Christ is that we should esteem earthly things lightly and not make it a priority because neither wealth nor poverty commend us to God.
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