Expositions (Home)
My Metanoia
Learnings on the Path to Christlikeness
This is the third entry in a series on Biblical prosperity. This article looks at what prosperity meant concerning Abraham and to how prosperity was addressed by Jesus in the New Testament. Jesus had quite a bit to say about money. Was one of those things, "Seek ye first financial blessing, that you may bless others in my name?"
This is the second of a four-part series on prosperity. This entry deals with some New Testament Greek, Job, Elijah and the Abrahamic covenant. A review of the Bible tells us that God used people from a variety of socio-economic backgrounds. Prospering to these people meant being used by God, not becoming financially wealthy.
God's view of ambition is different than our own. Consider the request of James and John. It was their desire to sit at Jesus' right hand and left hand in the Kingdom, but Jesus spoke of "his cup" and what we may have to bear in following him. The path to greatness in God's Kingdom is through service.
Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. -Philippians 2:3-4.
The Bible says a lot about humility and what our attitude should be like. We must learn to humble ourselves, or God will humble us, which may be the more painful route.
The Bible says a lot about humility and what our attitude should be like. We must learn to humble ourselves, or God will humble us, which may be the more painful route.
Within the church there are those who are true, and those who are not - the wheat and the tares. Tares, unlike obvious heretics and false teachers, look quite similar to the wheat. Because of this, we may not really know who is who, and in attempting to root out the one, we may cause damage to the other.
Not everything in life goes as we hope or plan. In these times, it is easy to ask, "What am I doing wrong? Am I truly following Christ? Is he even the one?" John the Baptist faced rough circumstances after having spent so much of himself on Christ, and so he asks these questions. How did Jesus answer him?
We are all one in Christ, and we are called to "get along." While we may disagree with others, if those disagreements aren't about core tenants of Christianity, then we still need to recognize that many of those we disagree with are our brothers. None of us are perfect in what we know, so we need to be gracious. We all can learn something, and we should be open to what others have to say.
Of course, if a core doctrine of Christianity is being maligned, then yes, we need to speak out and mark such doctrines and teachers as false.
Of course, if a core doctrine of Christianity is being maligned, then yes, we need to speak out and mark such doctrines and teachers as false.
Several times throughout John, Jesus uses the phrase "I AM" when referencing himself. He's not simply replying, "I am" as if in answering a question. He's proclaiming his deity by using the very name of God that God proclaimed of himself in Exodus 3:14, when God said to Moses "I AM WHO I AM... Say this to the people of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’”
I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned.
What does this passage mean? Come discover the beauty of trusting in the true Vinedresser.
What does this passage mean? Come discover the beauty of trusting in the true Vinedresser.
