#70 Learning to be Well Content
Identity Truths in Finances
Most "Christians" today have the covert belief that external hardship is a sign of discipline or lack of approval from God. While this can be true, the Emergent post-modern world today touts that true success is evidenced by prosperity and popularity. Did you know that if the biblical Paul lived today, he would most likely be despised by today's Christian church? It's true! Paul was preaching a gospel that invited pain and suffering. In fact, he was preaching a message stating that we should question our faith, if we're not suffering external hardships.
Paul went from being one, if not the most, prosperous and popular religious persons in the world, to being one of the most despised. Every time Paul turned around, he was faced with either being persecuted or having something fall down around him.
"Are they servants of Christ?--I speak as if insane--I more so; in far more labors, in far more imprisonments, beaten times without number, often in danger of death. Five times I received from the Jews thirty-nine lashes. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, a night and a day I have spent in the deep. I have been on frequent journeys, in dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers from my countrymen, dangers from the Gentiles, dangers in the city, dangers in the wilderness, dangers on the sea, dangers among false brethren; I have been in labor and hardship, through many sleepless nights, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure" (2 Cor. 11:23-27).
Let's face it, if you and I were to look upon a Christian leader today with this list: endless labors, imprisonments, beatings with rods, brushes with death, whippings, stonings, shipwrecks, floating in the sea for a day, dangers of rivers, robberies, dangers from his own people and townspeople, attacks in the wilderness, betrayal of false brethren, hardships, sleepless nights, hunger, thirst, and cold - we probably would tell him God was punishing him. Where do we get such "stinky thinking?" We get it from the enemy, of course. God wants us to learn to be well content with all things - the good and the not so good. We usually associate this with financial success, but God is actually referencing all forms of suffering and circumstances.
Identity in Finances: Learning to be Well Content. Copyright © 2015 IOM America. Permission to reproduce for educational purposes. Please keep author's name intact.
Unless otherwise noted, Scriptures are taken from the New American Standard Bible, © Copyright 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.
Dr. Stephen R. Phinney PDF version: click hereFounder/Ministry Host
   
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