TRUE PROSPERITY AND SUCCESS

I was surfing through the channels last week and I came across this guy by the name of Mike Murdock. Now I will be honest it has been a long time since I have heard someone spin and misrepresent the truth of the word of God when it comes to prosperity and success. He was shameful. Now I am not going to tell you not to listen to this clown that is up to you. If you feel to give this man your hard earned money that is up to you, but be not deceived do yourself a favor and ask the Holy Spirit if this is what He wants or are you being deceived by a slick talking charlatan. You will thank me for it later. I was really struck by his sales pitch, "you have just 10 minutes to call in and get a piece of this special onetime offering." I guess people were calling I heard phones ring and saw people talking, but not sure the context. Again I am not going to tell you to give or not to give that is up to you. But one thing for sure we are to have a spiritual wherewithal to prevent us from being taken advantage of by people like Mike Murdock and the rest of the prosperity teachers and preachers like: Kenneth Copeland, Jesse Duplantis, Benny Hinn, Andrew Womack, Creflo Dollar, Morris Cerullo, Paula White, and so many more. When it all comes down it is more about greed, manipulation , and self-promotion by the charlatans than about hearing from God and given. Prosperity in the Scriptures has little to do with money or wealth, but it seems those who pimp the Gospel for money and wealth (see names above) think it does. Now do not get me wrong God wants to met our NEED He does want the needs of the Gospel to be meet, but when you tie your obedience to man's requirements (what they tell you God told them to tell you) you are off the mark of the truth. We give not because man tells us God told us to, but because we feel in our heart this is what Jesus would have us do and in obedience to God in the giving we are rewarded not by the amount given, but by the act of obedience of giving. It mattered not what we give or do for God, but how we do and give things. God knows what we need does he not? The charlatans (see names above) say you are poor because you have not given your money back God as they feel you need to. Well what are the poor people in Africa and Asia going to do who have no money to give God? Have they sinned? I would say no way, I would say these folks are a lot more Godly than the charlatans. If this be so I guess Joseph while at Potiphar's house must have been in sin. God said of Joseph, "And Joseph was brought down to Egypt; and Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him of the hands of the Ishmeelites, which had brought him down thither. 2 And the LORD was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian." (Genesis 39:1-2) What? God said of Joseph he, "was a prosperous man?"  What did Joseph have? Money? Power? Wealth? No Joseph had nothing he was slave, maybe a loincloth to cover his manhood, yet God said of Joseph "he was a prosperous man." To God prosperity has nothing to do with money, but everything to do with pushing forward into God. Here in Genesis 39:2, the word "prosperous" means to push forward in various senses. Strange how some have twisted this word for their welfare, well maybe not so strange for the greedy and selfish. All throughout the Scriptures the word "prosperity" really has nothing to do with money or wealth, but means to be in good condition or to bring to a successful conclusion and has to do with our heart condition not riches. Maybe that is why the charlatans do not understand the Scriptures and work for their well being so hard. Mike Murdock's profile on Wikipedia says, "On March 3, 2003, the Associated Press reported Murdock asked followers for money to help the poor but spent more than 60% of donations on overhead, including his salary, and only a tiny amount (reported to be "legal minimums of 1% to 3%") on helping the needy, or any other 'public interest." This is not the heart condition of a broken servant of God. Again I not telling you to give him money nor not to give him money, but asking you to be spiritually aware. We need to be a creditable witness to the life changing power of God not a witness to how much money God will give us if we do something for Him. God is more concerned about our character and integrity than about our ability to do things for Him and that includes raising money for Him. I wonder why we always attach money to God's ability and love for us? If we have no money, a nice car, or place to stay does this means God does not love or want to use us? Many equate God's anointing with nice car, airplanes, big ministries, jewelry, and fame well that is not so. God does not care about these things. Again God's number one focus in our lives is our character. This is just utter foolishness because those who believe these things lack the ability to spiritually push forward in God they are more concerned about the earthly, carnal world of materialism, power, control, manipulation, and things than in God. In Joshua we see this word prosperous, "This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success. 9 Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest." (Joshua 1:8-9) The word "prosperous" here is the same word in Genesis 39:2, to push forward in God. Here the way of prosperity for Joshua comes by the way of, "thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein:' When we "truly" know what God's word says we will not get over into side shows or trickery to try to take advantage of people. We will be rooted and grounded in the divine spiritual word of God that touch lives and help make a change in the lives if people who are lost and in need of a Savior. This is what the world needs not another millionaire Bible teacher or preacher. I do not see a single verse in the Bible that tells us we are to be super rich with many houses living better than the people who give to our ministry. Also from Mike Murdock's profile on Wikipedia, "On March 22, 2012, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported that Murdock's home, assessed at $1.5 million, was for sale. The 9,943 sq ft 25-room home with built-in wine cooler located on 6.89 acres at 2010 Whitebridge Rd., Argyle, TX 76226 was first listed for sale on Realtor.com on November 29, 2011 for $3.2 million and then subsequently on September 4, 2013 (MLS 12020088) for $2.7 million. According to public records, Murdock also was the owner of 2013 Whitebridge Rd." There is something wrong with this picture, but again you make the call. Success is like prosperity the meaning has to do with having a correct understanding of relational wisdom in areas of the things of God. It has nothing to do with hitting the lottery or our ship coming in. Oh no "success" from God's perspective has to do with understanding correctly in the areas of the things of God. In the weightier things of God. Once we push forward in God (be prosperous) we then will have the right perceptive in relationship with the things of God. We will understand how things in God operate. We will be able to see (understand) the big picture how things work together for our good. How what we call bad things that happen to us turn out to be a blessing. I am reminded of our neighbor's tree that was taken down by the hurricane that just hit our area. If you would see the tree laying down on the house you would think this is a very bad thing for the house and the neighbor, but a few days ago our other neighbor's house burnt down and if the tree that fell in the hurricane would have been standing it would have been a bridge to my other neighbor's house. Now did God know this in advance (your judge) I do not know, but I do know my neighbor would have lost his house if the tree was standing. "Good success" for us in God is when we have the understanding of how things in God happen and how we fit into His big picture. How can we operate in His will if we do not have the big picture? We cannot! We only fool ourselves, deceive others, and have to resort to being a charlatan. Written by David Stahl