1. In this series, Job was used as an example of what?
Living with a curse
Prosperity
Favor
Suffering
All of the above
Answer: C Favor
Before all the trouble started for Job …
Job 1:8-9
8Then the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil.”
9“Does Job fear God for nothing?” Satan replied.10“Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has? You have blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land.
6. The bible says: “better is the little of the ______ than the abundance of many wicked”.
Favored
Righteous
Poor
Wise
Answer: B. Righteous
Psalms 37:16-17
16 Better is the little of the righteous Than the abundance of many wicked. 17 For the arms of the wicked will be broken, But the LORD sustains the righteous.
10. Why did Potiphar put Joseph in charge of his household
Because he was handsome
Because God gave Joseph favor in Potiphar's eyes
Because Potiphar saw that the Lord was with Joseph
Joseph was not in charge of the entire household
Answer: C - Because Potiphar saw that the Lord was with Joseph
Genesis 39:1-6 1Now Joseph had been taken down to Egypt. Potiphar, an Egyptian who was one of Pharaoh’s officials, the captain of the guard, bought him from the Ishmaelites who had taken him there. 2The Lord was with Joseph so that he prospered, and he lived in the house of his Egyptian master.
3When his master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord gave him success in everything he did, 4Joseph found favor in his eyes and became his attendant. Potiphar put him in charge of his household, and he entrusted to his care everything he owned.
How blessed are those who keep justice, Who practice righteousness at all times! 4 Remember me, O LORD, in Your favor toward Your people; Visit me with Your salvation, 5 That I may see the prosperity of Your chosen ones, That I may rejoice in the gladness of Your nation, That I may glory with Your inheritance.
This verse speaks of the righteous being blessed
It speaks of God’s Favor towards His people
It speaks of the prosperity of God’s chosen ones
What we learned in the series on Favor.
God’s favor brings blessings into your life
God favors some people more than others
There are things you can do to increase your favor
God’s favor is available to everyone
Favor doesn’t necessarily mean that God is honoring the person’s lifestyle.
When a person is chosen by God for the position that other men don't see him as qualified for.
David was chosen over his older brothers
2. Protection
3. God is with you
Psalms 23:4
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I fear no evil, for You are with me;
4. God fights your battles
When God is with you, nothing is impossible
5. A Personal Relationship With God
God spoke clearly to Moses and not in riddles
Answered prayer
6. Influencing God
Moses convinced God not to kill the Israelites after they worshipped the golden calf
7. Others Notice Your Favor
Potiphar, the jailer and Pharaoh noticed the Presence of God on Joseph
8. Favor from Others
Some may treat you well because they see the favor on you
They may do it in hopes of being favored themselves
9. Jealousy / Envy
Favor and prosperity can increase the insecurities of those around you
It can make others focus on what they don’t have
10. Prosperity
What is Prosperity?
Joseph’s Prosperity
Genesis 39:23
23 The chief jailer did not supervise anything under Joseph's charge because the LORD was with him; and whatever he did, the LORD made to prosper.
Notice that God made whatever “Joseph did” prosper
God didn't tell him what to do
God prospered whatever Joseph did
Being prosperous doesn't always mean obtaining wealth.
Being prosperous means that whatever you try to do will result in success.
It means you will bear fruit
A prosperous missionary will have many converts
But they won’t necessarily become wealthy doing it
It means whatever you set your hands to will prosper.
Wikipedia Definition
Prosperity is the state of flourishing, thriving, good fortune or successful social status. Prosperity often encompasses wealth but also includes other factors which can be independent of wealth to varying degrees, such as happiness and health.
Prosperity Disclaimer
Prosperity is a very touchy subject because the concept has been abused in Christian teaching
Many preachers tickle the congregations ear with what they want to hear
They interpret the bible in a way that implies that God wants to fulfil your carnal desires
They teach that God wants everyone to be wealthy
They teach that any carnal desire you have in your heart is from God
Or even that God has already made you wealthy
You just have to claim it or activate it
The gospel doesn't promise you your carnal desires
It wants to regenerate you to desire spiritual things
There are indeed biblical principles and promises that will lead to material blessings
But those are not supposed to be our focus
In the body, we don’t need to teach people to focus on things of the world
They already do that
We shouldn’t focus on the gifts instead of the giver
Our relationship with God should be based on what you can get out of it
We do though want to understand the nature, character and promises of God
We do want to discuss the whole counsel of God’s word
We can’t avoid a topic because it has been misused
We should study it to get a proper understanding of it
Prosperity isn't proof that you're in alignment with God
But neither is poverty
The Wilderness
We saw that the wilderness is one method of preparation that God uses.
Deuteronomy 8:16-18
16“In the wilderness He fed you manna which your fathers did not know, that He might humble you and that He might test you, to do good for you in the end.
The goal of the wilderness was to humble the Israelites
It was for their benefit
17“Otherwise, you may say in your heart, ‘My power and the strength of my hand made me this wealth.’
God had to put them in a position where they would understand that they didn’t sustain themselves on their own
So they wouldn't take credit for the wealth
18“But you shall remember the LORD your God, for it is He who is giving you power to make wealth, that He may confirm His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day.
God put them in a position where They had to depend on Him
We get trained in seasons of lack
We learn to trust God in the wilderness
We need to see miracles of God so we will give God the credit
We get trained in the pit/prison/wilderness
You need to learn the lesson God intended to teach us in the pit/prison
We need to learn to give God the credit
We can learn trust by doing without
Surviving on daily manna grooms our heart
He's grooming our heart to build our character
Once you've developed faith and humility you don't need to stay poor
Example: I had to be laid off 3 times to learn that my job wasn’t my source
The last time God told me to stop looking for work
I had to completely trust Him
Golden Calf
God blessed the Israelites with wealth when they left Egypt
He gave them favor in the eyes of the Egyptians
They used the wealth to build a golden calf
The blessings God give you have the ability to change the face of history or become a golden calf
Immaturity will turn a blessing into a golden calf
If it comes from my labor I will take the credit for it
If I believe it came from God I will give Him credit for it
It will strengthen my faith
Path to the Promised Land
All the miracles in the wilderness were to sustain them
The training for the promised land was going without
The wilderness wasn't the destination
It's just the training ground
When we can trust God in the pit and the prison and the wilderness then we’re ready for the palace
The wilderness is not our destination
The miracles in the wilderness were to sustain
The miracles in the promised land were to advance
Once you graduate from the wilderness God can perform miracles that prosper you
Not Every Problem is a Test
I’m not saying that every problem you have is due to God preparing you.
10“Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much.11So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches?12And if you have not been trustworthy with someone else’s property, who will give you property of your own?
13“No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money [mammon].”
mammōnás – a Semitic term for "the treasure a person trusts in"
Properly using worldly wealth is tied to true riches
Does God get the glory for what you have now?
If not why would He give you more?
If I don't know how to handle something that belongs to someone else how can I be trusted with something of my own
My neighbor’s wife is not mine
The tithe is not mine
My life is not my own
Stewarding what belongs to someone else equips you to handle what is yours
Properly stewarding what you have qualifies you to receive more.
Are we using what we have to glorify God or to satisfy yourself?
Coveting
Which of these is an example of greed?
Someone who spends every penny they earn and treasures the material possessions they own.
Someone who doesn't spend any money and treasures the money they have in the bank.
Deuteronomy 5:21
'You shall not covet your neighbor's wife, and you shall not desire your neighbor's house, his field or his male servant or his female servant, his ox or his donkey or anything that belongs to your neighbor.'
We usually regard this as the adultery verse
Thou shalt not covet your neighbor's wife
If we look at it; it’s really the coveting verse
We don’t often think of coveting as a sin
But this is one of the 10 commandments
Right alongside murder and adultery, we see coveting
It’s in the same command as adultery and given the equal weight
You could even argue that the verse isn't about adultery at all
It's only about coveting
Exodus 20:17
Coveting is to have an ungodly desire for something that's not ours.
Coveting is to be fixated on that which you lack
What do you daydream about?
What do you talk about?
What do you wish for when you blow out your birthday candles?
Luke 12:15
And he said to them, “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness [pleoneksía], for one's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.”
pleoneksía – properly, the desire for more (things), i.e. lusting for a greater number of temporal things that go beyond what God determines is eternally best (beyond His preferred-will, cf.2307/thélēma); covetousness (coveting).
You don't have to obtain the object in order to covet it
Someone with a $5 million dollar house doesn't necessarily covet more than someone living in one room of an apartment
The person in the apartment may have a picture of the $5 million house on his refrigerator
Example: lady in million dollar house
House is too big for one person
What she valued was no longer in the house
Is Coveting a Big Sin?
Ephesians 5:5
5 For this you know with certainty, that no immoral or impure person or covetous man, who is an idolater, has an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.
This is usually taught as the sexual immorality verse
Covetousness listed along with sexual immorality
No covetous man has an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God
Thank God we are washed by the blood
Most of the things we covet are good things
It's the coveting that's bad
It’s the coveting that is a sin
It's not what you covet
The danger with coveting is that we lose Christ as our greatest treasure
Jesus should be on your refrigerator
Discontentment
Coveting is when you have something that fulfills your need but you want nicer or bigger or better or newer
I got to get a new iPhone because it's new
It’s being discontent with what you have
Discontentment breeds impatience
We compare ourselves with people who have more than us
Because we always think we deserve more than what we have
We don't compare ourselves with people who have less
We judge people who have the things that we don't have
Dissatisfaction in your heart causes you to judge someone else
Contentment
The question is how much is enough?
Is “enough” the same for everyone?
Hebrews 13:5 5Make sure that your character is free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, “I WILL NEVER DESERT YOU, NOR WILL I EVER FORSAKEYOU,”
What is “the love of money”?
Is it saving or spending?
Example: me saving
Philippians 4:11-13
11 Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. 12 I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. 13 I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.
Paul said he can do all things through Christ
This verse is often taken out of context
Paul was referring to being content
It didn’t mean God will help you achieve your goals
It meant He will help you be satisfied with your current condition
Being content doesn’t mean that you don’t strive to get out of a position of lack
It doesn’t mean stay unemployed
It doesn’t mean that you don’t pursue your basic needs or to live in a safe environment
It doesn’t even mean you can’t set goals or strive for better
It means that you have a concept of enough
Being content means not focusing on what you don’t have
But being thankful for what you do have
How much is enough?
Example: US News and Worlds survey
People making under $25K said $54K would make them content
People making $100K said $192k
Everybody wants twice as much as they have
Example: Billionaire John D Rockefeller when asked how much money does it take to make a person happy?
“Just a little bit more”
Are you buying things you can't afford?
Do you buy things to impress others?
“Buying things you can’t afford to impress people you don’t like!”
Example: my cars
All the same shape
Got used to the compliments or respect of a luxury car
How much is too much?
Whatever replaces your trust in Christ
The amount that will make you lose your thankfulness and turn into entitlement
The amount that makes you prideful
Conclusion
Some think the path to contentment having more
We think we wouldn't covet if we had more
God If you give me that car/house/job/spouse/child/blouse then I’d be content
Some think the path is having less
Some think minimalist living is the key
The monastic movement was to seclude themselves and only:
work, eat, sleep, pray.
Living meagerly doesn’t keep you from wanting more
Example: meatballs
It's not found in discipline.
It's not found in trying harder.
Money won't bring you contentment and poverty can't provide it either
We often find our identity and our self worth from our status or from material things
Jesus is the only one in whom you can find your own identity
Coveting comes from being dissatisfied with Jesus
You will be content if you are satisfied with Jesus
The more of Heaven that's in us the less the world will satisfy us
When we’re separated from God the blessings will make us prideful and push us further from God
When God is in your presence you won't misuse the blessings He gives you
When we're face to face with God His blessings will draw us closer to Him
If you view your blessing as a gift from God it will draw you closer to Him
It will draw those who see Him blessing you to Him as well
Prosperity and riches don’t have to turn you from God
You have to be truly thankful to God for every penny
for every new convert
For every step that child takes
For every piece of property
For every compliment
We have to focus on the fact that we don’t deserve it
Without feeling guilty because God decided to bless us with it
We have to prepare ourselves
Because after all is it better to be rich or to be happy with what you have?
