Foolproof Prosperity [Part 2]

Allen Wright, pastor, Bible teacher and author of his latest book, the power to bless God had value and he's deposited it in you this treasure in an earthen vessel which is made you infinitely valuable. Esther Allen welcome to another message of good news that will help you see your life in a whole new light. Excited for you to hear the teaching today. In the series full proof is presented in an old church in North Carolina. If you're not able to stay with us throughout the entire program. I will make sure you know how to get our special resource. Right now it can be yours for your donation this month to Allen Wright ministries as you listen to today's message go deeper if are happy to send you today's special offer. Just contact us at pastoralan.org that's Pastor Alan.org or call 877-544-4860 that's 877-544-4860 will have more on this special offer later in the program but now let's get started with today's teaching here is Allen right that I had my credit card stolen the other day but I didn't bother to report it because the thief spends less than my wife.

I didn't write it. This reading what someone else wrote one run is that I'm currently boycotting any company that sells items I can't afford. That's a gutsy right there. One guy wrote is that I want $3 million in the lottery this weekend, so I decided to donate 1/4 of it to charity. Now I have $2,909,999.75 quarter and it quarter just one more morning I wrote is that money isn't everything. And it certainly keep you in touch with your children wing freedom is reformed theologian of our day is put it very plainly. Money is fundamentally good because it is a human invention that sets us apart from the animal kingdom and enables us to subdue the earth by producing from the earth goods and services that bring benefits to others without money. This is all this without money.

All we would have is a barter system and I'm glad we got money. Is there a barter system because we have agreed to follow him as a barter system is a thing like I go to the car dealership find the car that I want and and I think it is the one I want. I said now got sermons in books and pastoral care what you prefer and how many sermons with this with this cost me and I just fear the guy would say I I don't like your sermons are too long and I have to say, but I can I can make it shorter. I can make it short.

How many how many shorts are misleading as a non-ISO I got some books I could barter some books for you have written some books and AAs is not I like Tim Keller better and that I got inspirational writing so that we could trade some of the not like Mexican and will have some pastoral care.

I could use a pastoral care now. Actually, my marriage is good and healthy family growing up. Life is good and I don't really need right now.

That's a great thing thing done work this to Julie Landau thing would poor Pastor Chris do if we want a barter system is you just can't you can't you can't get goods and services in exchange for snarky comments that how many witty sarcastic saying it does it cost me to get a car I see you just can't get money all that it is a symbol of the whole money is is a more sophisticated means of exchanging goods and services in this world consolidated and so as such, it's a good thing. But how ridiculous it would be to think that money which is nothing more than that is something to be revered and worshiped in an idolatrous way and be missing the whole point there John. John says, beloved, I pray that all may go well with you, or prospers the word.

Some translations use as you may be in good health as it goes well with your soul that you may prosper. Your body may prosper. Your soul may prosper you love somebody that's what you want. Webster defines to succeed. Went to prospers to succeed in an enterprise or activity especially to achieve economic success but also can just mean to become strong in flourishing. Paul said in second Corinthians. God's able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times.

You may abound in every good work. He says you will be enriched in every way, to be generous in every way which through us will produce Thanksgiving to God.

The whole narrative of the Scripture affirms this goodness of God. He makes Adam and even puts the pinnacle of his creation.

The human beings put some in this lavish garden of paradise. As you can eat of the fruit of any of the trees except for one that will be poison to you, but the rest of your it's just existing garden of paradise of delicious fruit beauty and wonder when the people of God are set free from their slavery in Egypt. Does God say to them. Now I want to give you a land of barrenness where you will scrape by.

I so want to give you a land flowing with milk and honey, and I actually instructed them to plunder the Egyptians on the way out so obviously God is not against all these good things in Proverbs 3 look back at it.

Verse 16 the things that are mentioned long life, riches, honor verse 17 ways of pleasantness means delightful nets and favor. Verse 17 is the word shalom peace.

That means total well-being wholeness. In verse 18. Wisdom is a tree of life. Here's the image of the tree that the tree of life in the original garden from which life itself flows in verse 18 called blast. It's a it's a beautiful word that it it is it is about this comprehensive nature of how a life that is lived by the straight and narrow wisdom that were asked to come to work for straight is a blessed life. So all of this, God is is affirming, but in the same time, beloved the Scriptures equally clear that Christians are immune from suffering. This is where I think we can go wrong is in the guarantee. These are meant to be like oh guarantees you know that you are going to have these specific blessings is the say that in general the life of Christ flowing in you as a produce bad thing, but produces good things, but if your definition of prosperity is that you don't face trouble, then you are denying what Jesus said as he said in this world you will have trouble.

And the apostle Paul and almost all of the early disciples on the faithful people were persecuted for righteousness experienced hardships they experienced things that are common to humanity and not at this meant that they were on blast and fight Jesus said here blast even when you're persecuted for righteousness sake, and there were times where he warned of the allure of the idolatry of money. He warned the rich that they could be idolatrous about their money and have difficulties in all throughout his ministry he cared for the poor. So what you make of these two things were God clearly is affirming these beautiful things, pleasantness, peace, long life, riches and honor, and yet we have the Scripture that is also filled with this. This constant reassurance that even in your troubles, God's going to be with you. What you make of all this, and I'll give you a couple clear principles. The first is that God loves to share his wisdom and that wisdom is ultimately perfectly seen in Christ, and that wisdom is the most valuable thing you could ever pursue in your life that's Alan Wright will have more teaching moment from today's important series.

Something is holding you back if you can important see that could change everything. Is there someone you refuse and stack them back child.

What's missing blessing on Basingstoke and over I learned you can learn how to embrace who practice a blessing to Pastor Ehrenreich's new book, it's a brass, which quickly became an Amazon number one bestseller after 370s until now the hardcover book has only been available through retail sales this month right ministries once send you the I thank you for your demo send this not only receive best-selling but also receive a free session video place in which Pastor Alan teaches how to blast and covers contact video course includes a detailed study guide perfect for personal growth or small group discussion.

Make your gift today discovered the power to blast 877-544-4860 877-544-4861 come to our website Pastor Rowan.like today's teaching now continues here once again is essentially the principle of God is get across in Proverbs 3 from Psalm is life and from the person of Jesus himself is the saving get wisdom, get wisdom, get wisdom and make it the focus of your life, your primary supplier surprised how many other good things will follow along with it. The second thing is to say that because wisdom is the priority that all these other good things. How long life and and financial prosperity. All of this is seen in Proverbs 3 and throughout the Scripture as byproducts that it is to say that when the wisdom comes then there may be many good things that come from that and don't be surprised by that. But you would really miss it if you were just pursuing the lesser treasures because you be better off with very little and a humble little meal in a happy place with a peaceful home that you would with all the riches of the world where people trying to get along with each other and there is no wisdom that is expressed in relationship is something to get around someone wise and what you notice about them is their wisdom, not the good things that have followed a lot of the great privileges of my life as I was able to enter ministry as a senior pastor as a young man and even came to this church as a young man and, naturally, automatically.

I just wanted to gravitate towards men older than me who are wise because you want to have wisdom when the way you're going to get it get around wise people. I like to pray with him.

Like to hear from them.

I like to learn from them by you know I don't have perfect wisdom but there people who have gained wisdom by walking for a long time with God get around those people going to those people get wisdom. Don't go to go to people who have plenty of money or plenty of popularity because they could give you some money or give you an end for something go and get with them to get their wisdom is far more precious than anything else she could get. And I love being around people like that around somewhere this week about this. A wise man semi in our community that really love dearly. A good friend and on someone is been in this community ministering for a long long time and he has become famous worldwide, is one of the best selling Christian authors of all time, Gary Chapman and we were meeting this week so you know Gary, we are meeting this week because I deeply appreciate me for announcing but there is this man is 80 and you look like a 16 he acts like he's 40 and he is still just minister all over the world and he just wanted when amoebas were strategizing for how our ministry of restorations could link with stuff that they are doing other churches to help marriages in our community and this this man under CV wanted that this man is written one book is sold over 11 million copies of five love languages that is help so many marriages where people have learned that there different ways that you express love and is really help communication and lobbying express so that marriages could flourish and I written so many other books and still travels all all over the place, but you get around a guy like this, and especially around Gary and you realize if you know him. He never sat out in his life to say my goal is to become wealthy or famous or prosperous in these ways, he didn't say my goal is to become a renowned expert on marriage say that what he did was he was counseling people in ministry and he wanted to help him and so drew near to God to say how can I better help them and not give them an idea and he put into a book and as a byproduct. Many of these other things have come to past easy way to get around wise person to when they do have accolades and their lives, flourish, and they're doing many good things they don't discount them and they don't they don't say all that's nothing, and they don't run away from it, but they know they're just lesser treasures anyway and it never deviate your way from the place of wisdom.

Wisdom is the thing that you want it to be so foolish to pursue a byproduct rather than the life-giving source itself is like Aesop's fable of the of the farmer who had the goose that laid golden eggs and that each morning the goose layer golden bag and find that it is greed. The farmer said I want to get all the gold out of the goose and went and killed the goose and opened it up and saw there was no golden side and so he killed the goose it was making the golden egg because he was idolatrous about the gold and he had the goose well this is essentially the deepest truth. You could understand about what to pursue in your life is that Jesus came in the sermon on the mount entity spoke about not worrying about your clothing and not worrying about the food that you eat because look at the sparrows of the air and look at the lilies of the field how God feeds the sparrows and clothes the lilies of such beautiful splendor that not even Solomon in all of his raiment was as glorious as they these beautiful lilies and he said don't worry about these things, and in that context, he said seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all of these things will be added unto you because what this means for us. Therefore, beloved is that God is a father. He is not a vending machine. I think this is where sometime the confusion comes is because if you understand that God loves for his people to prosper you could come over to a place where you think the goal is the prosperity and some people start thinking therefore that the Christian gospel is an invitation to like your treating God like a vending machine you put your coins in your post to get out your blessing. This does not stop sets as there's nothing in the Scripture that is anywhere near that people when they put money into a vending machine and it doesn't get them the candy bar they get mad here. See the videos of people when I don't get that they have hidden videos of the what they do. The vending machines.

They kick him. They beat him by. There's one guy who fought a vending machine that fell over and killed him. It is this crazy you don't relate to God like quid pro quo. I'll do this for you and you do this for me this is a guy who has everything and you are his creature who has nothing and God is giving you everything that you have.

They don't have something valuable enough to come and bring an impressive guy. God has the value and he's deposited it in you this treasure in an earthen vessel which is made you infinitely valuable.

If you get wisdom that's the root like the tree of life that comes up and it's likely to have fruit but you pursue the root not the fruit.

Only a fool would spend his life pursuing the less valuable thing. The wise person pursues what is most valuable and wisdom is a thing that is valuable part of the key to Proverbs chapter 3 is verse 16.

Because in this personification of wisdom is his long life is in her right hand and riches and honor our inner left by the right hand of the strong hand. The right hand is the strong over the strong and the blessed and the favored hand. The more important hands.

And so in the right hand of wisdom is long like his life. Life itself eternal life, life abundant in the left-hand lesser things, riches and honor that follow it is used. Want to get all of this in proper order leads you then to this conclusion that the one who is perfectly wise would perfectly pursue wisdom at every point. And so every other good thing would come along as a byproduct of that pursuit and that perfectly wise one is Jesus see Jesus always put wisdom first. He related to his father and he listened.

He had the ultimate listening heart. There never was a time that he said yes to the devil never was a time is a note of the father just at one with the father and so the perfect wisdom of God is flowing through the person of Jesus in it meant that when temptation came. He resisted the temptation over the devil tempted Saddam to give you riches and honor. Here in this world. Jesus resisted that it wasn't with it was because wisdom told him so. He had a different mission and so he stayed on course for his mission. His mission wasn't riches and honor in this world. So we stay on course is simplified his life left him unconcerned with the things that he wasn't getting done because he had wisdom and he received much popularity in this world.

Also persecution, but it didn't stop him when he got persecution. In fact, he was obedient in this wisdom, even unto death on the cross and when he faced the hardest and most difficult thing imaginable and went to the cross there. It was that he had in his life.

The expression of the very wisdom of God because the wisdom of God that no angel even could've understood. Is it without the cross there was no saving of humanity from God is just and holy, and sin must be punished. And yet God is merciful and a justifier. So at the cross, he became both just and justifier.

He became one who was able to to be righteous and merciful at the same time and when God's wrath and mercy met at the cross. What looked like foolishness to the world was the very wisdom of God and through this.

Anyone who trusts in him is saved and the Bible says that though Jesus humbled himself, then the father exalted him mightily and he reigned supreme over all of the cosmos, there is the picture is an invitation to live a life in Christ, which is to live the life and wisdom, God's a good father and he wants good for his children doesn't mean you have a life without troubles means you have a father who is your constant provider and so when it looks like the provision is running short. The temptation is to orient your life towards the byproduct, but the invitation from God is never loose sight of what is essential and that is Christ himself. Love think I'm going to just stay a preacher rather than a model II think I just well because you know you got to you gotta do what you gotta do and so I'll just put that career. All the whole.

Actually, the fact of the matter is, isn't it true that if you can find out what's most important. Then the things that are important to you begin to take their place. And that's the way of the wisdom of God. Walk in the wisdom of God and then watch and see how much he adds unto your life and that the gospel Allen right a lot of wisdom in this series about wisdom. It's called foolproof entities teaching foolproof prosperity. Please stay with the salads back in the studio as he shares his party.

Good news thought for the day in just a moment feel like something is holding you back as if you lack an important scene that could change everything.

Is there someone you love hissing stack – Harold what's missing blessing on faith filled vision spoken over, I learned you can learn how to embrace the biblical practice of blessing to Pastor Alan writes new blood, which quickly became an Amazon number one bestseller after 370s until now the hardcover book has only been available through retail sales this month. Allen right ministries once send you the I thank you for your demo send you this not only receive his best-selling book, also receive a free session video place in which Pastor Alan teaches how to blast and covers content not found in the video course includes a detailed study guide perfect for personal growth or small group discussion. Make your gift today and discovered the power to blast Collison 877-544-4860 877-544-4861 come to our website pastor at Gatwick, but you're with Alan Wright in the studio are parting good news thought for the day how to say this to get us into the I know there's been plenty of books actually written and pulled from the Old Testament on business and leadership.

Lots of wisdom or practical advice so that about will prove prosperity. There's that exactly.

So here's what the take away is from this I think okay God is not a vending machine in and Christianity is not a formula so we don't relate to God in this sort of quid pro quo.

If I do this, then you're obligated to do that must be very straight about that but having said that, when you get the wisdom of God often prosperity false that because what God wants us it is not pursue the prosperity, but pursue the wisdom pursue a relationship with him that the relationship with that you have with God in Jesus Christ is most valuable thing you could ever have and you'll find that he doesn't just have wisdom. He is wisdom so you're invited into a relationship with the one who is wisdom. In other words pursue the root not the fruit. If you pursue the root wisdom are likely to have the fruit press.

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