Prosperity is not always about money

[Elder-Elect Justin Sudler]

Remember that in 3rd John 2, John has prayed that we all prosper and be in good health, as our soul prospers. Some would ask, "Is prosperity always about having lots of money in your pocket and bank account?" The answer is no, prosperity is not always about having money in your pocket and bank account. Yes, God wants us to prosper financially and not live in poverty. He wants us to have money to pay for college (especially grants and scholarships), pay our bills, take care of families, and be a blessing to others (Remember Deuteronomy 8:18). But God doesn't want us to prosper in just the financial part. But He wants us to prosper in all of our areas of life, including academics, family, health, marriage and relationships, spiritual life, work life, and prayer life. Prosper comes from the Greek word euodoo, meaning to succeed or be successful. Remember that what's important is that you as children of God are rich in Christ Jesus.

Prosperity has been a misunderstood and a controversial topic. Yes, prosperity is of God, but the Devil perverts it because the main focus is money and material possessions. There's nothing wrong with a preacher preaching on prosperity, but you got to understand that preachers may go about prosperity the wrong way. They'll preach too much prosperity and leave out holiness. Also, they'll make it all about money and go overboard with the "Money Cometh to Me" stuff, which gets on my nerves. Understand that it's important to seek God first and live right before you let prosperity seek you. So sad that prosperity has be preached more and holiness has been preached less. Think about it. There are preachers preaching prosperity, blessings, and getting your breathrough when there are those who are bound in sin. Understand why. Because preachers like to pump people up and get amens and handclaps. No, it's nothing wrong with preaching on prosperity, but it's important to teach people how to walk in holiness and seek God first. Besides we need balance because you can't name it and claim it while you're not walking in holiness.

Remember that having lots of money, fame, and material doesn't constitute the fact that you have God's favor. Yes, you may have fame and fortune, but they mean nothing when you don't have Christ in your life. Think about Mr. Burns from "The Simpsons", the late Anna Nicole Smith, Britney Spears, Lindsay Lohan, and the rest of some of the celebrities. Yes, they may have all the money, but they are empty on the inside because they lack a relationship with Jesus Christ. In order to get God's favor, you must walk upright for His word says that if you walk upright, He will not withold any good thing for you.

The point of this note is to explain how prosperity has been misunderstood and taken too the extremes. Yes, it's a good thing to preach on prosperity. But, if a preacher leaves out holiness and preach prosperity all the time, there's something wrong because you can't get prosperity without living in holiness. Remember that it's important to have balance for the Lord our God is balance. Don't treat Jesus like he's your sugardaddy or Santa Claus so that you can fulfill your selfish desires. Treat Jesus as your Savior and Daddy who knows what's best for you. Don't get caught up in material possessions and money because they come and go. But get caught up in Jesus because He lasts forever.

I pray that this message blesses you well and if you appreciate this message, say amen!!!!

[Dr. Maxcina Gadsden]

To understanding PROSPERITY, we must understand the 7 LEVELS OF ECONOMIC REVENUE which gives balance to what money is and how it affects our daily lives. By doing this, we become aware of TRUE PROSPERITY which is “The Fruit of the Spirit”.

Outlined in Galatians 5:22-23 "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law".

The 7 levels of Economic Revenue
1. Wisdom
2. Vision
3. Information
4. Good Name
5. Relationship
6. Property
7. Cash Money

We must remember that SUCCESS is not PROSPERITY. It is God’s WILL for our life. God will fund our success; if we connect to the desires of His heart.

Let’s do math the way God sees it:

1+1=1(Spiritual) Man + God, Jesus & Holy Spirit

Which has more value? Hint: The Spirit always overrule the Natural

1+1=2(Natural) Man + Flesh

In getting understanding of our assignment/calling will cause us to stop chasing prosperity without success and not knowing our purpose.

True prosperity is going through the process.

We must stop preaching to the flesh but to the spirit man. True prosperity is seeking the Kingdom first and makes a commitment along with a covenant to God.

Righteous is doing God Business.

Scriptural References:
Deuteronomy 11:14 NASB “that He will give the rain for your land in its season, the early and late rain, that you may gather in your grain and your new wine and your oil.”

Deuteronomy 28:13 NASB “And the LORD shall make thee the head, and not the tail; and thou shalt be above only, and thou shalt not be beneath; if that thou hearken unto the commandments of the LORD thy God, which I command thee this day, to observe and to do them.”

Deuteronomy 30:9 NASB “Then the LORD your God will prosper you abundantly in all the work of your hand, in the offspring of your body and in the offspring of your cattle and in the produce of your ground, for the LORD will again rejoice over you for good, just as He rejoiced over your fathers;

2 Samuel 7:8, 9 NASB V8 "Now therefore, thus you shall say to My servant David, 'Thus says the LORD of hosts, "I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep, to be ruler over My people Israel. V9 "I have been with you wherever you have gone and have cut off all your enemies from before you; and I will make you a great name, like the names of the great men who are on the earth.

[Dr. Maxcina Gadsden]

Matthew 19:23-24 NASB
V23 And Jesus said to His disciples, "Truly I say to you, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven.
V24 "Again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."

Dr. Maxcina Response:
Though Christ spoke so strongly, few that have riches do not trust in them. How few that are poor are not tempted to envy! But men's earnestness in this matter is like their toiling to build a high wall to shut themselves and their children out of heaven. It should be satisfaction to those who are in a low condition, that they are not exposed to the temptations of a high and prosperous condition. If they live more hardly in this world than the rich, yet, if they get more easily to a better world, they have no reason to complain. Christ's words show that it is hard for a rich man to be a good Christian, and to be saved. The way to heaven is a narrow way to all, and the gate that leads into it, a strait gate; particularly so to rich people. More duties are expected from them than from others, and more sins easily beset them. It is hard not to be charmed with a smiling world. Rich people have a great account to make up for their opportunities above others. It is utterly impossible for a man that sets his heart upon his riches, to get to heaven. Christ used an expression, denoting a difficulty altogether unconquerable by the power of man. Nothing less than the almighty grace of God will enable a rich man to get over this difficulty. Who then can be saved? If riches hinder rich people, are not pride and sinful lusts found in those not rich, and as dangerous to them? Who can be saved? Say the disciples.

None, said Christ, by any created power. The beginning, progress, and perfecting the work of salvation, depend wholly on the almighty power of God, to which all things are possible. Not that rich people can be saved in their worldliness, but that they should be saved from it.

[John]

Truly God has Blesse You Sister Gadsden!

[Dr. Maxcina Gadsden]

I continually give God praises for His knowledg and wisdom which He inparted to me.