257 Kendall Street
Burlington, WI 53105
(262) 763-3021
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We have purchased land on Highways A & W and are planning to build soon! Drive by and take a look at our future home!
“Government`s view of the economy could be summed up in a few short phrases: If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidize it.” Ronald Reagan
March 14th, 2010
Currently, we are living in the midst of some of the bleakest economic times in over seventy-five years. Its times like these that we need to remember that God prospers His people even in times of adversity. For the first time, most Americans believe that life will be harder for their children than it was for them, and yet as believers we must not succumb to the doom and gloom we hear in the media.
It is imperative that as believers we have a Biblical worldview of prosperity, especially when we're told by some that it's always God's will for the Christian to be healthy and wealthy. It's not. The health-n-wealth gospel is unbiblical.
Prosperity for the nation of Israel was linked to the physical but there is a big difference between the people of God in the Old Testament (Israel) and the people of God in the New Testament (the Church). The Mosaic Covenant generally promised financial prosperity and physical health to the obedient. These blessings were never intended to be universal guarantees. Godly Old Testament saints got sick and were often poor. On this side of the Cross the Bible never equates spiritual well-being with material prosperity or physical wellness. To take Old Testament texts that speak of prosperity and read them in light of Western materialism is a terrible distortion of God's Word.
We must remember that God owes us nothing and while physical wealth and health are blessings, they are not promises. So if you're in good health today; be thankful for God's grace, and yet, illness at times is part of God's will too. In 2 Cor. 12:7-9, Paul said, "…there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But He said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness'." When godly Job was stricken, though we know Satan's hand was in it, he ultimately attributed his suffering to God, "Shall we accept good from God and not trouble?"
Let me recommend an excellent article on Pastor John Piper's website, Don't Waste Your Cancer. John Piper and biblical counselor, David Powilson, share 10 ways one can waste cancer (both of these men are recovering from cancer). Their insights are revolutionary - #1, you will waste your cancer if you do not believe it is designed for you by God. Sure Satan is the agent that brings pain into our lives, but God remains sovereign. You will find the article on their web site at www.desiringgod.org.
No where does the Bible guarantee believers financial wealth. In fact we're told to guard against covetousness, 1 Tim 6:10, "For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil." Instead, we're told to seek contentment in what we possess and are given serious warnings concerning wealth, 1 Tim 6:17, "Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment."
Prosperity for believers is always linked to the spiritual, not the physical. So how do we prosper today? By our relationship with Jesus Christ, Eph 1:3, "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ."
Our culture gets pretty excited about the temporal, touchable and tangible. I don't know what's ahead in 2010. Some of us are concerned about our nation, not that we have to remain silent but we must respond graciously and Biblically. So what will be the economic climate a year from now? What physical ailments might you be diagnosed with this year? We don't know but we do know this, whatever occurs we as believers are rich in Christ, "For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Whether in suffering or in pleasure; financially secure or economically hurting, God will be at work behind the scenes ensuring all result in our eternal good and His ultimate glory, Rom 8:28. Our real prosperity is as easy to remember as the ABCs:
A - adopted in Christ
B - blessed
C - chosen
D - delivered
E - enriched
F - forgiven
A few weeks ago, my dear friend and Jane's brother in-law, Fred Froman, attended the funeral of his childhood pastor and mentor, Pastor Wes Potter. Pastor Potter always said he was a millionaire but not because of any money in his bank account. He knew that he was wealthy because of God's rich blessings in his life. That dear friend is real success and true prosperity. So how rich are you? Are you prosperous in the realm where it really matters?