After I finally sent my first book to an editor, I decided to celebrate by treating myself to a North Georgia Mountain getaway. After three long years of working on my first book and studying under the tutelage of seasoned writers and editors, my hard work had paid off.
Acquisition of knowledge should always result in the application of knowledge. I had a lot to think about on my getaway. It’s not just about what you know, but Who you know. I spent four days by myself hiking, biking and talking to GOD ALMIGHTY.
I remember the last morning hiking down Black Rck Mountain. As I meandered through the woods, I was mesmerized by the exploding fall colors. As I sat on a bench overlooking the Chattahoochee National Forest, I began thanking God for all He had blessed me with: good health, food, etc.
In that quiet moment, I heard Him say I AM blessed. And that is what this special Christmas blog will be about, the good news. Because, I realized that I had missed it.
EMMANUEL?
About a thousand years before Matthew wrote of the birth of Jesus, the prophet Isaiah prophesied about the birth of Emmanuel (God with us). For centuries this was the good news—God is coming back down to earth to be with His people, to save them.
When God sent His angel to Mary that OH HOLY NIGHT, she was told to name her baby, Jesus (savior) (Luke 1:26–31). The Angels were God’s original MESSENGERS; they were the first evangelists in a way. Perhaps this is why we sing ANGELS WE HAVE HEARD ON HIGH this time of year.
The psalmist declared that God created man a little lower than the angels (Psalm 8:5). Yet, God’s people were given the same task as the Angels—to bring the good news of Jesus.
Unfortunately, the Jewish people missed this and the Savior they had been waiting for as well. Instead, they sought earthly power, riches and success. The temporary pleasures of this world blinded them from the true good news of the gospel. They thought the gift of God was earthly prosperity.
Jerry B. Jenkins writes in his book I Saul, “Father pointed out various carvings and statues to the city’s(Antioch) deity, the goddess Tyche. ‘It means luck in Greek,’ he said, ‘Fortuna in Latin. It seems all anyone here cares about is prosperity. The God of our fathers has no place here.” John warned us not to love the things of this world (1 John 2:15–17).
GIFTS?
While I was on my getaway I attended a church that had a visiting evangelist for their speaker. After sharing an emotional story about the death of a close friend years earlier, he smiled.
“But I know I haven’t seen my brother for the last time. One day we’ll meet again. And that gives me all the hope I need. It’s not the hope of temporary material blessings or great fame.” I couldn’t help but say “amen.”
The evangelist continued, “The church has become lazy. They want everything easy and feel good. They’ve lost their hunger for the Word and the things of God. Instead they want a feel-good feeling from Dr. Phil or Oprah.”
There is a clear difference between a motivational speaker and an evangelist, a motivational speaker brings a word, but an evangelist brings “the” word. Motivational speakers tell people what they want to hear. Evangelists tell people what God wants them to know, so they can be good.
Today, there are many false teachers twisting the gospel to make people happy. They teach the good news is more about having HOUSES AND CARS and the FINER THINGS in life or a big paycheck. If you believe God for it, He will make a way for you to get whatever you want. This mentality broke Paul’s heart (Philippians 3:18-21).
This prosperity gospel isn’t the gospel of the Christian faith. The apostle Paul warned the church of Corinth about where this other “gospel” comes from (2 Corinthians 11:3–4). These teachers have studied the Scripture only to twist it to justify their worldly lifestyle. Jerry B. Jenkins continues in his book I Saul, “Our job is to learn and to know the truth of the law and to practice it daily.”
Two thousand fourteen has been called the year of the Bible in the film industry with dozens of Christian themed films released. Most have taken sacred Scripture and rearranged it to be more entertaining or feel-good. There have also been closet Christian actors coming out of the woodwork professing a Christian faith.
Some believe because God has blessed them with material wealth or phenomenal fame they are God’s V.I.Ps. Quite a few have joined the flocks of prosperity teachers who teach worldly success equates to the favor of God.
It’s EASY TO LOVE a God who always gives you what you want. But these false teachers aren’t the only ones who believe God will PAY FOR IT when we want SOMETHING NEW. Many well-meaning Christians suffer from INSOMNIA in pursuit of a new and better life—they SELL OUT to the gods of this life.
WE?
In closing this blog I want to be clear it isn’t just the prosperity teachers who have twisted the gospel. Traditional, conservative, and modern churches have let false teachings BLUR the gospel message, some have straight lost it. They sound like the church the John describes in his vision (Revelation 3:17).
I don't believe God will pour out money like ash from an erupting volcano. Brothers and sisters, we must remember gifts from God include the good, the bad, and ugly moments (Romans 8:28).
We have shifted from a sound theology to a selfish “we” ology. Yes we are blessed and highly favored sons and daughters, kings and queens and DESTINED for greatness—but that isn’t the good news. The good news is that Jesus saves us from ourselves and eternity in hell. The best gift of all is Emmanuel. So even if we are disabled and have NUTHIN’ we are still blessed (Matthew 5:2–8)!
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