Rich Christian Poor Christian
A Short Story about Christians Having Money (or not)
The Blessing of the Lord, Maketh Rich and He addeth No sorrow To It.
A great man of God, an itinerant prophetic evangelist, was once traveling from country to country, city to city, home gathering to home gathering, and church to church fully preaching the Good News with mighty signs and wonders by the power of the Spirit of God. He went to Israel and was introduced to a famous and very wealthy Jewish businessman who had become a Christian. The businessman invited the evangelist to his home for a visit.
When the prophet arrived at the mans house, he was very surprised to see that the man lived so modestly. Nowhere throughout his house was it evident that the man possessed great wealth. He brought bread home from the church pantry and no longer gave to all of the church people who lacked the finances to pay their bills. At home he kept his lights very low to save electricity and his family lived in relative darkness most of the time.
The prophet stayed with the man for several days and on the third day he woke up and began loudly exhorting, Who do you think you are? What have you done with your talents? Where is all of your wealth? Why do you live like this? Why do you stay in the cold and the dark?
To this the confused man replied, Well, Ive been taught that prosperity, which includes health and wealth in the Old Covenant, is a problem in the New Covenant. Its been evident in the church that THE BLESSING of wealth that Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph, and the Israelites, and the Jews have had is not true for Christians.
And anyway, I have enough for myself and my wife and my two children, you know-We four and no more. We dont need much, and besides, Im learning to be humble and to abase and abound. I dont want people to think that Im prideful.
And would you just look at the economy! God must be really angry with the church because we obviously havent lived up to His expectations with enough fasting and prayer and this economy is just part of His plan for us to suffer along with all the sinners. I mean, God is sovereign and His sovereign will is ALWAYS done, right? So now I just say, Lord, if you want me and my children to suffer, we will!
