I DON'T WANT TO BE A CHRISTIAN I WANT TO BE WEALTHY

A few months ago I was speaking with one of my co-workers. I spend some of my time encouraging him and sending him positive messages from Joel Osteen as well as sharing quotes with him. One day I asked him was he a Christian. He told me No because Christianity in his opinion is the opposite of what he seeks as it is his desire to be wealthy.

I immediately went on-line and googled riches from a biblical standpoint and sent him many scriptures to the contrary. My main reason, I didn't want that to keep him from experiencing the fullness of God.

At brunch with an old friend of mine this weekend she expressed that she stopped going to a particular church because the Pastor always talked about money, the messages always led back to money she said. In the same conversation, she mentioned going back to school for a career change to make the money that she wants to make. These separate conversations made me think why is it that a lot of Christians fear money and have named those who preach about money often, prosperity preachers? So there seem to be two extremes and an unease when it comes to money.

The first verse I thought about was I Timothy 6:10 however it is often misquoted. I hear many people say well money is the root of all evil. NO the scripture says "For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs." Loving money is evil, seeking money and wandering from the faith is wrong. Matthew 6:33 "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." When you seek the Kingdom and put God first ALL THINGS shall be added unto you. Jesus came that we might have life and have it to the full.

Let's look at the blessing of Abraham:

Genesis 12:2 " 2 “I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing."

"Wealth is our heritage, abundance our birthright."

"Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham. And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed. So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham." -- Galatians 3:7-9.

"Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ." -- Galatians 3:16.

"And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise." -- Galatians 3:29.

Galatians 3:16 says thy seed which is Christ. In II Corinthians 8:9 "9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich."

Jesus became poor so that we could become rich. I believe this means rich in all things not just finances but health, state of mind, family, relationships, rich in every area of our lives. It is God's desire and will for us to prosper in all things and that includes being rich. I am not necessarily talking about having millions, billions, or trillions of dollars (although that is possible). I love Russell Simmons definition of being super rich:

"The State of Needing Nothing."

I don't know about you but there is where I desire to be in life, in the state of needing nothing!

Be blessed and be a blessing,
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