Unfathomable Grace

Do you want to be blessed, delighted, fruitful, significant, and prosperous? I do. Do you know how to enjoy such benefits? I do.

No my friends, I do not subscribe in any way to “name it and claim it” theology. To me, there is something ridiculous about coveting selfishly, demanding that God perform, sowing a financial seed to some glitzy televangelist, refusing to take “no” for an answer, and concluding that our deity is obligated to perform. To me, this sounds like a relationship one might have with a genie in the bottle. It does not sound like a humble worshiper’s relationship under the hand of a Sovereign God who does whatever he wills. Whatever happened to, “Not my will but thine be done?” Whatever happened to “Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done?” No my friends, the Bible proves Prosperity Theology to be a sham. Sure, it works well for the televangelist and his big-haired wife who lives by sight and rakes in the cash, but it does not work so well for the average worshiper who sows monetary seeds, runs up charges on his or her credit card, and concludes he just doesn’t have sufficient faith. “Name it and claim it” theology is not the path to blessing. It is a farce from the dark side.

However, I do believe there a way to secure blessing. There is a way to guarantee blessed prosperity. And this way is God’s way. Are you interested? Listen to what the Sovereign God says:

Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers. The wicked are not so, but are like chaff that the wind drives away. Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous; for the Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.  (Psalm 1)

This first Psalm was written by David. His was a shepherd, who became a warrior, who became a king. And how did Israel’s “Shepherding Warrior King” exhort his friends? He pleaded with them to make less of the world and much of the Word. They were not to “walk in the counsel of the wicked … stand in the way of sinners … or sit in the seat of scoffers.” Though the airwaves of Israel were filled with incredible noise and fake news, wise worshipers were not to fill their hearts and minds with such drivel. Their thinking and action were to be guided by a better source. They were to make much of the Word. They were to major on God’s revelation. Day and night they were to hear, read, study, meditate, memorize, pray, and seek to obey God’s Word. And what would be the guaranteed result of making less of the world and making more of the Word? They would be:

• Blessed and not cursed
• Delighted and not sorrowful
• Planted and not wobbly
• Fruitful and not barren
• Enduring and not dying
• Prospering and not failing
• Significant and not insignificant
• Saved and not condemned
• Included and not excluded
• Declared righteous and not found unrighteous

However, such blessings would not come to those instructed by wicked and sinful scoffers. These misguided fools would miss out on God’s benefits. God’s blessings would not be their lot in life or in death.

So my friends, what will it be for you? Don’t you want to enjoy and glorify God more fully? Are not the above list of blessings enticing to you? Well then, are you centering your life about Christ and his Word? Are you daily delighting in his infallible truth? Would you declare David to be wrong? Would you declare God to be over-selling? Do you think yourself to be the exception and that blessing can come apart from the Word? Oh my friends, humble yourself and heed David’s counsel. Make your private time in God’s Word a daily and weekly priority. Be found every day in his Word, and be found every week in his house hearing his Word preached to your soul. Blessed you will be as you treat yourself to nourishment from God’s blessed Word. Prosperity is promised.

And what about your family? Will you allow them to be informed and guided by the ridiculous noise of our current culture? Fathers and mothers, can’t you lead better than this? Husbands, can’t you encourage your wife to “not be conformed to this world, but transformed by the renewing of her mind?” Come on Christians! Do what you need to do to help your family make less of the world and more of the Word. It is a matter of blessing or cursing. Prosperity is promised.

Then a final word for “Shepherd Warrior Elders” serving in the church. Are you men of prayer and the Word? Are you properly feeding your flock the milk and meat of Scripture? Christ’s sheep need to hear his Law and Gospel. They need to be reminded of His passion for them and his manner of thinking. Ministers and elders, God’s Word is powerful and profitable. Your church games and church songs and church clubs and church shows and church recreational activities are fantastic, but the world has these as well. But what it does not have is the Word, and that is your glorious inheritance. Therefore, lavishly feed your people. In abundance give them God’s Word. Christ is their Great Shepherd, and it is his desire that his flock be fed and fed and fed. As a matter of fact he said, “If you love me, feed my sheep.” Teaching Elders, preach the Word in season and out of season. And Ruling Elders and Deacons, you do your job well so your pastor might have fresh manna for God’s sheep. Bless your people by giving them less of the world and much more of the Word. If you do, blessing is assured. Prosperity is promised.