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The Prosperity Paradox

"We live in an age when unnecessary things are our only necessities"-Oscar Wilde

I don't know when Mr. Wilde said this, but I do know that he lived during the 1800s which is far removed from the year 2019 that we currently reside in.  The time might be well off, but this quote is still applicable, maybe even more so today than in the 1800s.  How does this quote apply to your life?  What unnecessary things are necessities to you?  What are the necessities of life that lead to true joy?

I don't know how to describe it, but you just have to trust me on this from my own experience:  When you are in good relationship and continuously feeding from the vine of Jesus, you will see your life and the lives of others just as God sees.  The things of this world will be just that: things.  The accomplishments of this world will only have meaning if they are in line with the will of God.  This does not mean that you will not have problems, but your perspective of those problems will be completely different from those that are focused solely on the world. 

Right now at Chet's Creek, we are diving into the Sermon on the Mount which takes place in Matthew chapters 5-7.  This as Dr. Youseff from Church of The Apostles, calls it in one of his series, is truly the Master's Manifesto.  Reading through it, we can see that it is almost the exact opposite of what the world today believes.  Do yourself a favor and read Matthew chapters 5-7.  Why is it though that we have this outline provided by Jesus our Savior and yet we look elsewhere in our efforts for prosperity?  The answer is clear:  Sin.  Sin entered the world and the world has accepted the greatest lie in the history of mankind.  Sin tells you that you can get what you want, do whatever you want, live your life....and it even negotiates itself into thinking it's perfectly fine because it's either for the greater good, or because everyone else is doing it.  That lie that seems so logical, that seems so right, and that seems often times way better than the truth is nothing more than an expressway to death.  That lie is a poison cookie. 

This week I really want to encourage you to write down what you think is the best way to prosperity.  Making a list of the top 5 or 10 things that will lead you there.  I then want you to open your Bible to Matthew Chapter 5 and compare your list to the list that Jesus gives us (The Beatitudes).  How much different will your life be on earth if you crossed off the things that didn't match up to Jesus's words?  How much different would your earthly life be if you aligned your worldly strive for prosperity with the words that Jesus gave us?   

One of my favorite hymns is by a man named George Matheson and it is called "Oh Love that Will Not Let Me Go."  He wrote another hymn called "Make Me Captive Lord."  In this hymn he writes lines such as "Force me to render up my sword, and I shall conqueror be," or "Its flag can only be unfurled when Thou shalt breathe from heaven."  Soon I will write about this man's story because it is truly amazing to see what he did in his life with what most would think are unimaginable difficulties.  Our world wants us to hold onto our swords tighter, swing them mightier.  Our world wants us to make our moves in an effort to show our flags colors.  We know though that we will not find true joy through the power of Jesus Christ unless we align ourselves to His word.  Our flag might be able to dance a little with our movements, but it is just for a moment.  Our flag can only fly properly and surely with the wind of Jesus!  Let His wind guide your direction. 

I hope you have a wonderful week!   
   
Make Me Captive Lord: George Matheson

  3. Make me a captive, Lord,
  4. And then I shall be free;
  5. Force me to render up my sword,
  6. And I shall conqu’ror be.
  7. I sink in life’s alarms
  8. When by myself I stand;
  9. Imprison me within Thine arms,
  10. And strong shall be my hand.

  12. My heart is weak and poor
  13. Until it master find;
  14. It has no spring of action sure,
  15. It varies with the wind.
  16. It cannot freely move
  17. Till Thou has wrought its chain;
  18. Enslave it with Thy matchless love,
  19. And deathless it shall reign.

  21. My pow’r is faint and low
  22. Till I have learned to serve;
  23. It lacks the needed fire to glow,
  24. It lacks the breeze to nerve.
  25. It cannot drive the world
  26. Until itself be driv’n;
  27. Its flag can only be unfurled
  28. When Thou shalt breathe from heav’n.

  30. My will is not my own
  31. Till Thou hast made it Thine;
  32. If it would reach a monarch’s throne,
  33. It must its crown resign.
  34. It only stands unbent
  35. Amid the clashing strife,
  36. When on Thy bosom it has leant,
  37. And found in Thee its life.

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