the prosperity gospel vs. The Gospel

“Do not take advantage of a widow or an orphan. If you do and they cry out to me, I will certainly hear their cry. My anger will be aroused, and I will kill you with the sword; your wives will become widows and your children fatherless”. Exodus 22:22

At the end of Psalm 6, after David has exhausted himself with crying, groaning and weeping, he writes: “Away from me, all you who do evil, for the LORD has heard my weeping. The LORD has heard my cry for mercy; the LORD accepts my prayer. All my enemies will be ashamed and dismayed; they will turn back in sudden disgrace.” Psalm 6:8-10

I am concerned that the prosperity gospel in this country has gone far too far. In our desires to better ourselves, have we taken advantage of the widow or orphan? Have we indirectly taken advantage of the poor, the minority, the fatherless? It is a dangerous game we play in these days.

Even as I think about going into the healthcare field, how can I be sure that I am not contributing to the problem? Where does my money come from, does it come from people being sick, or being well? If I am paid by insurance, how do the insurance companies affect the poor? Will my income come from the under-insured, unhealthy?

There is something dangerous about being in a field of work that depends on people being sick for income. They say that healthcare is the fastest growing industry in the United States – What an injustice!! We are abusing our bodies, and our bodies are coming back to haunt us.

I cringe to think that perhaps, after a poor David in the world prays and cries to the lord, as described in Exodus, that the LORD’s anger may be aroused against me. When David cries “Away from me, all you who do evil”, perhaps it is me that is the evildoer. I shudder to think that when the LORD hears the cries for mercy, that I will be the one ashamed and dismayed and disgraced.

How am I abusing the widow and fatherless and poor and alien and minority? Oh LORD my God show me so I do not become the Pharisee you spoke so strongly to.

How do my actions this morning affect the poor next year? My ignorance cannot be reason for inaction.

changes to peacestartswithme.org

I have been thinking more and more about the website...I think I am missing my objective. I wanted it broad and open-ended, but it ended up so open-ended that I believe the viewers feel no obligation to do anything at all. And the whole point is to motivate people to make an action.

But I suppose people will not be moved to take action when they have no reason to. So, I suppose I need more persuasive content on the website.

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I'm reading Mark right now. The page in front of me has "Lord of the Sabbath" as the subject line. It makes me wonder - do we even acknowledge the sabbath? I don't believe many Americans do. I finish my weekend feeling drained and not refreshed. I do not take the time to relax to hear God.

Maybe I need to pledge to honor the Sabbath. It is very difficult to be peacemakers when we are constantly exhausted. I look forward to a whole day of sitting and reading the bible, drinking coffee and relaxing...but I never do it.

I hate my TV. I think it is evil. It wastes so much of my time! I could be bettering society by reading, writing, composing, painting, printing, even just thinking. Instead I am addicted to cartoons and news shows and medical dramas. How much of my time could be a sabbath, when I turn it into TV time? How much more time could I spend with my family, my neighbors, my strangers? Time is short when it is being sliced by the television.

My God, forgive us for using this invention in a way that takes away from our relationship with you and others. My God, break my invisible bonds to this TV; release me from a desire to be constantly entertained. Help me to seek grace instead of fulfillment.

God, continue to protect Chris and his soldiers in Iraq.

Matthew Chapter 5

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

I think we need to take our bibles more literally. What if when Jesus says "Blessed are the peacemakers", he actually means it? Can I be for war? Am I a peacemaker?

Are we really even Christians? There are so many creationists in this world; why not gospelists? It is so easy to say that Genesis should be taken literally...but then why not the gospels, the very texts that define our faith? Why do we pick the verses in the bible that make it easier for us to believe and to live, and not the verses that make it harder?

What if all Christians actually practiced these 8 statements? I don't think many would be left. When did Christianity become about fulfilling yourself? On what grounds is the prosperity gospel rooted? The gold-plated churches, massive brick cathedrals and parking lots filled with lexuses - where are they in this paragraph? I feel like I need to mourn their existence, because where there is love of money there is no love of God ("you cannot serve both God and Money"). I am devasted to see the trap that these beautiful people fall into: that they will feel god's love when they obtain worldly wealth.

Do I do this?

God, help me to be poor in spirit,
Help me to mourn
Help me to be meek
Help me to hunger and thirst for righteousness,
Help me to be merciful,
Help me to be pure in heart
Help me to be a peacemaker
Help me to prepare for persecution.
At all costs, Lord, help me to gain these qualities that you expect in your followers.