A Sparrow's Selah

“I’ve got some good news and some bad news. Which one do you want to hear first?”

Depending on your personality, you might want to hear the good news first or last.

But what if the good news they’re giving you is false, yet you believe it simply because it’s being preached from behind a pulpit?

The words spoken from behind those pearly whites that gleam like the burning sun might bring great comfort, but what if those words aren’t true?

We like the idea of wealth and health. It even rhymes, making it easier to say and more enjoyable to hear.

Don’t get me wrong, there is nothing wrong about wanting health and financial security. The problem arises when those desires become the very foundation of what we expect God to promise us when we start following Him.

Galatians 1:8-10 says, “⁸But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, a curse be on him! ⁹As we have said before, I now say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received, a curse be on him!

¹⁰For am I now trying to persuade people, or God? Or am I striving to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.“

Paul was rebuking those who were distorting the gospel by convincing believers to follow the Mosaic law for justification before God. Though Paul wasn’t specifically talking about the prosperity gospel, the principle still rings true. We do not have the authority to replace the gospel with a different one.

In verse 10, Paul asks whether he is trying to please God or man. The prosperity gospel seeks to please man and, I would argue, the preacher’s pockets.

^“3If anyone teaches false doctrine and does not agree with the sound teaching of our Lord Jesus Christ and with the teaching that promotes godliness, ⁴he is conceited and understands nothing, but has an unhealthy interest in disputes and arguments over words. From these come envy, quarreling, slander, evil suspicions, ⁵and constant disagreement among people whose minds are depraved and deprived of the truth, who imagine that godliness is a way to material gain.” – 1 Timothy 6:3-5 (CSB)

I’ll try to give some pastors who preach this false gospel the benefit of the doubt. Some might genuinely believe that once you start following God, He will, in return, give you wealth and health.

But then there are the other pastors…the ones who are simply selling you something.

Both are in the wrong. The first should dig a little deeper into God’s word before preaching something that leads people astray. No pastor will understand Scripture perfectly, but those who teach it carry a serious responsibility.

“Not many should become teachers, my brothers, because you know that we will receive a stricter judgment.” – James 3:1 CSB

James reminds those who teach God’s Word that they will be held accountable for what they teach.

I take this responsibility seriously with my own entries. I am no teacher, but I have asked several trusted friends, mentors, and my parents to tell me if something I’ve written doesn’t line up with Scripture. I’d much rather edit something that I’ve posted than leave an error untouched.

Now, let’s turn our attention to the pastors who are selling you the concoction of wealth and health, as they preach that if you give a certain amount to their church, you will receive God’s blessings. Some may know exactly what they’re doing, taking advantage of people who do not know God’s Word or understand its sufficiency.

It is almost stunning to see the number of people sitting in these megachurches. Some are sporting arenas filled with people hanging on every word spoken from the pulpit. Many may be coming from difficult circumstances, desperately praying that their dollar will transform into riches or restored health.

The sad irony? Some may find themselves broke, even bankrupt, because they are trying to buy God’s blessings, while the pastors promising them health and wealth sit comfortably in their mansions or fly in private jets.

This is why it is so important for us to know God’s Word. We must become theologians in our own right. We must do as the Bereans did.

“As soon as it was night, the brothers and sisters sent Paul and Silas away to Berea. Upon arrival, they went into the synagogue of the Jews. ¹¹The people here were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, since they received the word with eagerness and examined the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so. ¹²Consequently, many of them believed, including a number of the prominent Greek women as well as men.” – Acts 17:10-12

Even if we attend a church that teaches sound doctrine, we should still examine Scripture for ourselves, praying for discernment and asking God to help us recognize false teaching.

If those attending a Megachurch of the Prosperity Gospel do as the Bereans did, in time, they can discover that although God delights in giving good gifts to His children, salvation doesn’t guarantee wealth or health. Nor does it mean that His blessing can be bought.

One quick study of Scripture will reveal the difficult truth that following Christ can come with trials and tribulations. In fact, we were told to expect them.

“I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace. You will have suffering in this world. Be courageous! I have conquered the world.”
– John 16:33

“²Consider it a great joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you experience various trials, ³because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance. ⁴And let endurance have its full effect, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing.” – James 1:2-4

This reminds us that trials can produce endurance. Not every struggle is a specific test sent by God, but He can still use those struggles to help us grow in Him.

Remember Paul, a hero of our faith, who endured tremendous persecution and what he described as a thorn in the flesh.

“⁷…Therefore, so that I would not exalt myself, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to torment me so that I would not exalt myself. ⁸Concerning this, I pleaded with the Lord three times that it would leave me. ⁹But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is perfected in weakness.”

Therefore, I will most gladly boast all the more about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may reside in me. ¹⁰So I take pleasure in weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and in difficulties, for the sake of Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” – 2 Corinthians 12:7-10

Paul pleaded with God three times to remove the thorn. Yet his continued suffering was not evidence of insufficient faith. Instead, God demonstrated that His grace was sufficient.

I remember an encounter I had with a customer in the Christian bookstore where I used to work. It was the first job I had after recovering from my last surgery.

One day, I was putting away a huge stack of books that I clung tightly to my chest. The pile was stacked from my waist to my chin. Do I know why I decided to carry them that way? Absolutely not. I had a small bookshelf on wheels for this purpose.

Either way, I had just picked up this large stack of books, and was about to start putting them away when a customer stopped me outside of the anointing oil section.

He began asking me a slew of questions, which I politely answered while my arms strained under the weight of the books.

He then proceeded to ask me to smell the frankincense and myrrh anointing oil. His situational awareness… questionable.

I told him that I wasn’t going to smell it because the last time I had a whiff of it, I didn’t feel good. I explained that I thought I might be allergic to something in it.

He extended the anointing oil closer to me, the lid now removed.

“Still smell it.”

I stepped back, still clutching at these books.

“No thank you.”

“Well, have you prayed about it?”

“About what?”

“Being allergic to it.”

“Sure?”

He extended the vial yet again.

“If you smell it, you will be healed. Where is your faith?”

I then realized why I might have carried these heavy books like I did. Because if I wasn’t carrying them, I would have taken him to church, feeling a sudden frustration, almost anger, rising.

If my hands were empty, I would have tastefully lifted up my shirt to reveal the beginning of two scars. They are both a foot long, one for each hip.

I would have said, “You wanna know how I got these scars?”

I would have told him how I’ve had seven hip surgeries. At the beginning of all of this, I was so angry at God that if Job’s wife had told me to “Curse God and die,” I would have.

If my hands weren’t full, I would have reminded him of Paul and how I even asked God to heal me for three years, yet He didn’t.

Did I pray about it? Of course, I did.

Did He heal me? Not physically, but He healed my heart.

Where is my faith? It is stronger than it ever has been, and it continues to grow. When I asked God to heal me for those three years, I remembered His words to Paul: “My grace is sufficient.” And I know for certain that I will receive healing in Heaven.

Instead, I said, “Sir, these books are really heavy, and I need to get back to work. I hope you have a blessed day.”

I said this through the best smile I could muster, then turned to walk away. I recognized that it was not the time nor the place.

Here’s the thing: I understand that we would prefer to not go through trials or tribulations, but our own suffering also gives us the opportunity to understand, in some small way, the suffering Jesus endured for us.

Christ experienced pain far greater than we could imagine. He bore the punishment for our sins so that we could be reconciled to God.

Why? Because He loves us far more than we could ever imagine.

I am not saying suffering in and of itself is a good thing. You don’t need to start searching for it. Yet, when you do suffer, in whatever capacity, you can know that you are in good company. Christ Himself experienced pain, exhaustion, betrayal, loneliness, hardship, and temptation.

Hebrews 4:14-16 says: “Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens—Jesus the Son of God—let us hold fast to our confession. ¹⁵ For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has been tempted in every way as we are, yet without sin. ¹⁶ Therefore, let us approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in time of need.“

I am thankful to know that there is no suffering we can bring before Christ that He is incapable of understanding or meeting us in.

The prosperity gospel is no gospel for those in the underground church, who must worship in secret because their faith could cost them their lives.

“Write to the angel of the church in Smyrna: Thus says the First and the Last, the one who was dead and came to life: ⁹I know your affliction and poverty, but you are rich. I know the slander of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. ¹⁰Don’t be afraid of what you are about to suffer. Look, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison to test you, and you will experience affliction for ten days. Be faithful to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life.

¹¹“Let anyone who has ears to hear listen to what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who conquers will never be harmed by the second death.”
– Revelation 2:8-11

Who is “the one who conquers?”

“…because everyone who has been born of God conquers the world. This is the victory that has conquered the world: our faith.

⁵ Who is the one who conquers the world but the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?” – 1 John 5:4-5

We might like to think that churches were persecuted only in biblical times or back in the day, but we still have brothers and sisters in Christ who face persecution and death because of their faith.

The prosperity gospel, preached through whispers for fear of being caught, is no great comfort.

Notice that Christ knew of the church’s affliction and poverty, yet He called them rich. Their riches weren’t earthly. Their hope rested in Christ, who conquered death and promised that those who belong to Him would not be harmed by the second death, the final judgment.

After all of this, one might ask about Jeremiah 29:11. Yet, have we considered the verses surrounding it?

“For this is what the Lord says: “When seventy years for Babylon are complete, I will attend to you and will confirm my promise concerning you to restore you to this place. ¹¹For I know the plans I have for you”—this is the Lord’s declaration—“plans for your well-being, not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. ¹²You will call to me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. ¹³You will seek me and find me when you search for me with all your heart. ¹⁴I will be found by you”—this is the Lord’s declaration—“and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and places where I banished you”—this is the Lord’s declaration. “I will restore you to the place from which I deported you.” – Jeremiah 29:10-14

This promise was specifically directed to God’s people in exile. Their restoration would come after Babylon’s seventy years were complete. It is possible that some of those who received this promise were likely advanced in their years and would not live to see its fulfillment. But they had hope that it would happen for their people.

Notice that God promised to restore their fortunes, meaning they were already experiencing hardship and loss. He wasn’t promising a life without suffering, but a future and a hope for His people.

For those who belong to Christ, our ultimate hope is the promise of eternal life.

God hasn’t chosen to heal me. Have I prayed, asking for that healing? Of course! I have the ability to talk to our Great Physician! It would be silly of me not to ask Him.

Has He healed me yet? No.

Would I like to be healed? Of course!

But what a wonderful hope to know that one day, I will have a new body, untouched by the brokenness and pain of this world.

Because of that promise, I know I am prosperous.

Selah: Do you line up what you hear at the pulpit with Scripture? Do you take responsibility for not only hearing God’s Word but also learning it? Have you ever been through a time of suffering and wondered if God’s blessing had left you? When those doubts arise, do you remind yourself of the good news of your future hope?