What In This World?
I spoke about the often-debated prosperity gospel in yesterday’s article, found here. I have had true believers challenge me on this topic, pulling up their sleeves and preparing for a fight.
Ok, maybe not an all-out cat fight, but definitely a solid kitten fight! This just seems to be one of those things where people sink their teeth into the subject and refuse to let go, no matter how rotten the focus or foul tasting the theme.
The perspective is a tough one to give up, as the prosperity gospel provides a path to retain worldly goals and materialistic greed. I’m not saying goal setting is wrong or wealth is a sin; however, obsessing on these factors feeds our selfish nature and becomes a burden in our relationship with God.
Let’s take a moment to look at a very wealthy man with a strong obsession from Scripture: Paul. We know he was a wealthy man due to his position in the church and his education, and talk about an obsession! He was taking the lead in persecuting the early Christians to stamp out this whole “Jesus movement” thing that was going on.
On his way to Damascus, his “obsession” was interrupted. We pick up this interference in Acts 9:3-9.
As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” “Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked. “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” he replied. “Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.” The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the sound but did not see anyone. Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing. So they led him by the hand into Damascus. For three days he was blind, and did not eat or drink anything.
God has a way of knocking us off our high horse; I speak from experience. We may climb as high as we want on our soapboxes or sit on our flimsy thrones, but God will eventually knock us off our obsessions. This literally happened to Paul on his way to Damascus. Paul was knocked to the ground and heard a voice saying, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” (Paul’s name was Saul prior to this experience).
What is interesting to me is Paul wasn’t just flat freaking out when he was knocked to the ground. Instead he responds, “Who are you, Lord?” This reveals a little about Paul regarding his knowledge and his relationship with God.
One, he knew about God, after all he was well educated on the Jewish Scriptures (mostly what we know to be the Old Testament). His knowledge is what keeps him from freaking out.
The second thing this exchange reveals about Paul is he had no relationship with God, because he did not know Him, he did not know His voice.
Once God knocked Paul down from his obsession, He had Paul where He needed him: on his knees. Then the Lord told Paul something that must have turned his world upside down: “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.”
Wow! Talk about squashing an obsession right on the spot. Here Paul was out to stop the Jesus movement because he didn’t believe Jesus was the resurrected Lord, and then Jesus speaks to him personally and says, “Dude! I’m the one you’re speaking against!” (Ok, I’m paraphrasing).
Jesus was speaking to Paul by the power of the Holy Spirit. He was speaking to Paul specifically about something missing in Paul’s life, which was a firsthand knowledge of God. Paul was just knocked off his obsession, but had yet to surrender his goals and worldly motivation. The Holy Spirit was preparing Paul for a true change… a change in his heart.
Throughout the New Testament teachings, we find Jesus is primarily focused on our hearts, or an inward change. This is why I believe the whole prosperity gospel is so obscene; when Jesus is so interested in the inner heart of man, these teachers are distracting believers with the external.
Again, I am not saying wealth or goals are wrong or sinful. I am saying an obsession with these matters can and will interfere in our relationship with God. I believe God is willing and able to bless us with many things in life, but with nothing that will come between us and Him.
Are you struggling in your relationship with God? Do you want to be closer to Him? What is it in your life that you value more than Him? You may not qualify it as an obsession, but God may.
What in this world is getting in your way of knowing God? Share your comments below.
Glenn Sasscer
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