Christian prosperity versus christian austerity: the truth.

       
            Good day everyone, today's post came as a result of a little conflict in the minds of Christians I observed concerning the issue of a whether a Christian is justified to accrue wealth or abstain from it. I'd be sharing what God revealed to me concerning the issue.  
            First of all, I'm a believer in the fact that whenever two parties are on two extremes in an argument, the solution is to compromise. a balance must be struck. This applies strongly to a large portion of the Church's increasing tendency to carry a particular doctrine and run to the extreme with it and refuse any other view.
            Matt 6:31-33 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?
 32   For after all these things do the Gentiles seek: for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.
 33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
KJV
           The point being that there's a christian way to approach things. The focus is on the kingdom. The blessings, wealth e.t.c are add-ons. Many men in their pursuit of being "the richest man alive" have made money their God. Even overly focusing on material things can make you lose sight of whats first.
          Josh 1:8 This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.
         Seek ye first the kingdom, Success will come, money will come. And when it comes, don't run and say you don't want prosperity. Pastor Adeboye humorously speaks of his early days as a minister when he ran from gifts and God cautioned him by telling him that he's preventing the giver from being blessed by not accepting it.
         Meditate on these things, shalom..

    

FUN(2)

FUN (2)
So let’s pick up from where we stopped on our discussion of the topic of “fun.”
My view of the subject has been revised over time as I experienced certain things. I emphasized the truth that it was our choice to determine what activities that we found “fun”, and we were to discipline our bodies as well so as to control our actions.
             But this time I’m going to be discussing the effect the enemy has on our choices of fun. Eph 4:27 “Neither give place to the devil” I strongly feel that many of us are giving the devil room to roam around our lives. Recall the scripture that discusses about the kind of thoughts expected of a Christian. Php 4:8:  Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. If you read on, vs 9 says “Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.” This implies that the quality of our thoughts has a strong effect on our peace and lives. And just as when you begin to think negative thoughts, you begin to lose your peace, that’s the way when you give opportunity to the devil by indulging in certain vices, you start wondering why you don’t find spirituality “fun.”
              Let us look closely at our lives, I speak most especially  to we who claim we don’t find spiritual activities “fun”, You’d notice that it’d be filled with so much negative thought, negative influences like obscene movies, immorality, and other vices. All these give opportunity to the enemy to affect our lives and steal from us. I’m also strongly convinced that having a daily routine or merely just living a fleshly life, devoid of consistent activities that help sustain a healthy relationship with God, can make us view spiritual activities as not being “fun”. Watch it today, your life choices steer your life, and determine what you see as “fun.”

FUN

 
    So what really is fun?  My take on the matter is that "fun" is relative, subjective, dynamic and controllable.
            The reason being that, first of all, I agree that there is not one universally accepted activity that can be regarded by everyone as being “fun.” Fun is subjective as it’s defined by each individuals life experiences and view of life.
               Fun being Dynamic: “Having fun” as a dynamic concept just simply implies that our subjective views of fun, would I say “evolve” or simply just change over time as we experience things.
                Fun being controllable is where I’m getting to. I put it to you, that it’s up to you to define what you find “fun.” Paul presented a dilemma in Romans 7:15-25, he presents the condition of the carnal flesh as always seeking sin. i.e, fun in fleshly terms is sin. But in 1cor. 9:27, He talks about how he disciplines his body, and makes it act right, implying that just because your flesh wants to act in a certain manner doesn’t mean you allow it. In this passage, Paul speaks volumes on the issue: Gal. 5:16: Walk in the spirit and you shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh. Walk in the spirit and the flesh would no longer be your definition of fun, and you would no longer crave evil. Many new born Christians walk in the flesh consistently and wonder why they don’t find spiritual activities “fun.”
                So my point is, as you live in the spirit, Pray in the spirit, Study the word, meditate on the word, you start finding your Christian life “fun” and vice versa(if you spend time just watching movies, indulging in immorality, playing e.t.c you would find those activities fun) And take heed to this, lest you make the wrong choice of what you define as “fun,” (as I said earlier, its your choice to make) Note this Rom 8:13  For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.