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Truly I tell you, among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist; - Matthew 11:11a
As I grew closer to God, He had me going to different places and doing different things. For example, I remember one instance when He told me that He wanted me to help feed the homeless in Hawaii. At the time, I had the instruction from God, but I definitely didn’t have the funds to feed anyone. I barely had enough for myself. Regardless of my circumstances, I obeyed. I set a date to feed the homeless and gathered volunteers. Two days before the event, restaurants donated fish and bread, and the owner of a gym paid for everything else.
A few years before that, I was sitting in a Subway (restaurant) in my hometown. The employees warned me of a homeless man coming who normally annoys the customers. I told them, “It’s fine. I would love to talk to him.” He came in and we started a conversation. As we were talking, God told me to give him my $300 polo jacket and brand new pair of Nikes that were still being sold in the stores.
More recently, my team and I had a house in Wisconsin for which we had paid up rent for several months. God told me, “When you move, I want you to hand the house over to a family that will not have a place to stay soon, so they will be able to stay rent free for five months.” At the time, I remember asking, "God, are you sure? This is close to $17,000.”
About three months ago, after I baptized someone in Hawaii, God asked me to give him the shoes off my feet. I ended up walking around town, surrounded by people, barefoot.
I’m definitely not telling these stories just to make myself sound good. If I’m being honest, whenever He asks me to do these things, my first response is usually, “Nope. That can't be God."
I have had so much confusion in my walk with God over the years because to my understanding, walking with God was supposed to bring comfort and wealth. I fell in love with American Christianity because it offered me everything and costed me nothing. Seeing my favorite pastors in mansions and hearing them talk about how God wants everyone to be rich was honestly what drew my interest in God in the first place.
Whenever I finally stopped being lukewarm and actually gave everything to God, I expected material possessions to overflow in abundance, but this never happened. Instead, a majority of the nice things that I had, I was asked to give up to someone else who had nothing.
Isn’t it interesting how preachers today have mega-mansions, but the best preacher of all time (Jesus) didn’t own a house? Do you think He didn't fully understand the meaning of "prosperity" Gospel? Or maybe He just wasn't "mature" or responsible enough to handle a large amount of money?
And Jesus said unto him, “The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man hath nowhere to lay His head.” - Matthew 8:20 KJV
Isn’t it amazing that preachers today have fancy designer clothes, but the man who prepared the way for Jesus (John the Baptist) barely had any clothes at all?
"This is he who was mentioned by the prophet Isaiah when he said, The voice of one crying in the wilderness (shouting in the desert), Prepare the road for the Lord, make His highways straight (level, direct). This same John’s garments were made of camel’s hair, and he wore a leather girdle about his waist;" - Matthew 3:3-4a AMPC
Or that we enjoy all of our favorite foods each Sunday, but one of the most important people to walk this planet survived off honeycomb and locusts?
"and his food was locusts and wild honey." - Matthew 3:4b AMPC
A friend once told me her preacher said that his goal was to have a nice farmhouse with all of his family, including kids and grandkids, and to go into early retirement. However, we see in the Bible that the people who were followers of Christ actually had to sacrifice their relationships to form a relationship with Jesus.
25-27"Woe to (alas for) you who are full now (completely filled, luxuriously gorged and satiated), for you shall hunger and suffer want! Woe to (alas for) you who laugh now, for you shall mourn and weep and wail! Woe to (alas for) you when everyone speaks fairly and handsomely of you and praises you, for even so their forefathers did to the false prophets. But I say to you who are listening now to Me: [in order to heed, make it a practice to] love your enemies, treat well (do good to, act nobly toward) those who detest you and pursue you with hatred," 30Give away to everyone who begs of you [who is in want of necessities], and of him who takes away from you your goods, do not demand or require them back again. 34And if you lend money at interest to those from whom you hope to receive, what quality of credit and thanks is that to you? Even notorious sinners lend money at interest to sinners, so as to recover as much again." - Luke 6:25-27,30,34 AMPC
I have a different opinion on the prosperity gospel. I think it does exist, but if you don’t live a life of discomfort, pain, and sacrifice, you’ll never experience true prosperity.
“Sell your possessions (show compassion) and give [donations] to the poor. Provide money belts for yourselves that do not wear out, an unfailing and inexhaustible treasure in the heavens, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys." - Luke 12:33 AMP
Question of the day: What would be the reward for a life filled with comfort? (choose one)
Discomfort
More comfort
"And solemnly lifting up His eyes on His disciples, He said: Blessed (happy—with life-joy and satisfaction in God’s favor and salvation, apart from your outward condition—and to be envied) are you poor and lowly and afflicted (destitute of wealth, influence, position, and honor), for the kingdom of God is yours!" - Luke 6:20 AMPC