prosperity "gospel" is no gospel at all: Gal 1:6-10

John Piper & the health, wealth, prosperity 'gospel'

This has gotten me so fired up lately. I haven't had the God-given opportunity to talk to someone who has a wrong perception about God and His favor but if I do, I may just play this video. Piper says it well.

God is most glorified in me when I am most satisfied in Him.

Not when I am most satisfied in my circumstances. Not when all the appliances in my house are working correctly and my car runs well and I'm feeling healthy. He's most glorified when I find my joy from who He is. He is strength when I'm losing in a struggle. He is beauty when I feel unattractive. He is safety through my obedience. He is constant when life keeps changing. He is provider when I think I'm on my last penny. He is comforter when I doubt that I'm loved. He is my hands when I give the homeless some food. He is my feet when I follow my husband's lead. He is my protector when I get in situations that can harm me. He is counselor when I feel like quitting.

There isn't one good thing about my heart apart from Christ living inside of it. I'm really quick to attribute success to myself. I let a few people cut in front of me on the way home yesterday and for a second I gave myself a big pat on the back like and thought, "good job Danelle." God probably laughed up there. But that was HIM giving me the patience to not get home 5 seconds earlier than I would have. He put a stillness & compassion in my heart for those few people waiting to turn into oncoming traffic and allowed me to be His vessel of kindness. Praise God that He wants to use me! Me- a lowly, self-absorbed woman.

Holy Spirit man. He did it. Lord knows I wanted to get home and see D.R. and champ.

I'm thankful that Christ reminds us in the little situations that He is still important. He can still receive glory from something as small as letting people cut in front of you in traffic.

It's about Him. It's never been about my happiness. It's about His holiness being lived out in me.

PLEASE! Don't believe the 'preachers' (a.k.a. "Life coaches") that tell you that God wants you to be happy. That's simply a 1/2 truth. God wants you to be holy and find fullness of joy in Him! As Christians we should despise this false teaching and feel a strong hatred (not for the person) but for the misrepresentation of the Word of God. Our God is a jealous God. He will have no others gods before him. gods come in the form of possessions; material and emotional. We can praise God for our health because it's true; He is the giver of life but if we value our health more than the health-giver, our health becomes an idol. Material possessions are obvious: cars, phones, homes, clothes, jewelry, even our spouse can be a "trophy" which we parade around to make us look good.

James 1:17 says "Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows."

Give Him all the praise and thanks for what you own but know that He can give and take away and He would still be worthy of praise and thanks.

Out of a thankful heart comes joy. Count your blessings and give God the thanks.