Please find below Sam Karl's notes from the Elder's Prayer this past Sunday regarding the false doctrine of an easy and abundant life is the sign of God's blessing, rather we are marked by suffering, sacrifice, self-denial and adversity as we are made more like the one who modeled this life for us, our Lord and Savior Christ Jesus.
One of the biggest lies many prosperity preachers spread and their followers fall for is that God’s abundant provisions, peaceful family relationships, and good health must mean that they have the unshakable favor of God as if God can be lobbied to show us special favors.
The God of the Scriptures cannot be swayed like a tree by what we do or don’t do.
When well-meaning athletes look up to heaven or kneel down to pray or do some gesture of giving thanks to God after a great sports feat, the unbelievers, weaker Christians and children might assume that “success means that one has the favor from God”
Scriptures explicitly states Joseph (Genesis 39:4), Daniel (Daniel 1:9), and David (Acts 7:46) all have all found favor in the eyes of the Lord. The Lord God accomplished His purpose in their lives through blessings and unspeakable hardship.
Even in the life of Jesus, His apostles and in the life of genuine Christians who have gone before us, the concept of favor of God hasn’t always shown itself in the life of ease, comfort, and abundance of material things.
Our Lord Jesus taught His disciples 3 big truths as the event on the cross was imminent.
- In Luke 9:22-24 Jesus taught us about the need for self-denial: 22 saying, “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.” 23 And He said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. 24 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.
- In John 16:32-33 He talked about the adversity He was going to go through as the Son of God and how we are guaranteed to experience some of it. 32 Behold, the hour is coming, indeed it has come, when you will be scattered, each to his own home, and will leave me alone. Yet I am not alone, for the Father is with me. 33 I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world, you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”
- In John 15:12-14, pointing to His love, He called us to love sacrificially: 12 “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command you.
As Christians, we have graciously obtained the biggest favor of all: redemption through the shed blood of Christ (Ephesians 1:7; Colossians 1:14).
As ones washed by the blood of the Lamb, we obey His commandments such as self-denial, standing firm in the face of adversity, and loving sacrificially. Through our obedience, we are being sanctified and God is glorified in us. We have His favor. It does not ebb and flow. Our God is unchanging.
Whether we end up being successful in the eyes of the world or not, one thing is certain. All things - our successes - failures, blessings - sufferings, physical and financial losses – financial windfall, good health or illnesses will be used by God according to His purpose for our good in the end which is becoming more like His Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.
Romans 8:28 in NASB reads, "And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose."
Please do not be swayed by the false doctrine of the special favors from God.
- If you are a child of God, His faithful covenantal love remains in you.
- Our circumstances or our perception on the favor of God or lack thereof does not change that.
- Believe and meditate upon the truth of Romans 8:28, the Spirit of the Lord will instill in us an eternal mindset.
Let’s pray.
Our Father, thank you for causing us to believe in your Son and thus in you. Thank you for the right to become your children. Thank you for the promise of eternal life. Thank you for the hope that we enjoy as your children that your purposes will prevail in our lives irrespective of their external manifestations. Please protect us from false teachers and their ungodly doctrines. Please help us to live and love sacrificially like Christ our Savior. Please help us not to be conformed to this world instead please help us to be transformed by the renewing of our mind so that we may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect in your sight. We pray this the name of our Servant King, our Lord Jesus Christ, Amen.