The Prosperity Gospel

There is something else meaningless that occurs on earth:

righteous men who get what the wicked deserve,

and wicked men who get what the righteous deserve.

Ecclesiastes 8:14

 What’s the difference between the prosperity gospel and just believing God’s promises?

The thing that drew me to the Beginning of Wisdom is that it’s to be used as a forum where we can mentor and help one another grow in our Christian faith.   I guess my word of wisdom for today is discernment, and I need your help in discerning rightly.  Please do use the “comment” section to give me some advice.

I watch several televangelists.  Many, in varying degrees, talk about believing God for health & prosperity; and they make it seem like all we have to do is know God’s Word, meditate on it, pray it back to God, and then God is obliged us to give us what we want (whether it’s a healing, a job, money to pay a bill, a prospering business, a new house, etc.) because God cannot go back on his word.  They point to all the scriptures which indicate that God will give us anything that we ask, as long as we ask according to His will.  Of course, they say, that it is God’s will for us to be healthy & prosperous, because if we, being wicked, know how to give good gifts to our children, how much more will the Lord do for us?  One pastor, that I have a great deal of respect for, gave a sermon series based on Psalm 92:12-14.  He was making the case that the promise that we will stay “fresh & green” means that we will be healthy, strong, youthful looking, and prosperous; and that we will proper despite the downturn in the economy.  So does that all Christians should have a job, a job that they like, a job that pays well, a business that has a lot of customers; and what does it say about us as Christians if we don’t?

On the other hand, the saints really suffered.  Even though the accounts are not written about in the Bible, I am told that all the disciples except for John were martyred.  Stephen was martyred.  Paul spent a whole lot of time in jail.  Early Christians were persecuted.  Before he became Paul, Saul was one of their persecutors; and this is all after Christ ascended into heaven.

So please, let me know, what are the real promises of God?  I look forward to hearing from you all.