Robbers of JOY

Beware of the Snares of Prosperity

The world consumes us with the idea that we need more possessions to be happy. While most believers would never admit to needing “stuff” to define their joy, we see an equal number of professing Christians chasing the American dream of acquisition as we do nonbelievers. We must consider the dangerous, ensnaring temptations that accompany a

pleasant and prosperous condition. Affluencia is a proper term for our present state. Few, very few of those that live in the pleasures of this world, escape everlasting perdition. “It is easier” (says Christ) “for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of heaven.” “Not many mighty, not many noble are called.”

We should tremble, when the Scripture tells us that few shall be saved; especially when the character of the “few” so closely resembles current culture. How good it is for some if they had never known prosperity! It was so with Israel; when they were in a humble condition in the wilderness, then Israel was “holiness to the Lord:” but when they came into Canaan and were richly fed, their language was, “We are lords, we will come no more unto thee”.

For this reason I say, “Praise God for my afflictions”, as they keep me dependent on God, in need for His mercy. But this too is a fallacy of sorts, in that, I am always in need of His mercies. Yet, in my sufferings, it is then that I am aware of such needs, and this acute understanding is what drives me to a richer relationship. It is as if, in my prosperous state, I am blinded by my self-sufficiency and alienated from His joy. Lord keep me dependent of You!