The Prosperity Paradox
One of the greatest mistakes a Christian can make is to define prosperity by the standards of a world that neither knows nor acknowledges Christ. It is a dangerous miscalculation to use the life of an unbeliever as the benchmark for evaluating God's faithfulness. The moment a believer begins to compare his life with those outside the covenant of Christ, he has unconsciously exchanged the values of the Kingdom for the values of the world. The believer and the unbeliever may walk on the same streets, work in the same industries, build successful businesses, and even accumulate similar material possessions, but they are not pursuing the same destination. They are not governed by the same principles, nor are they living for the same purpose. Therefore, it is fundamentally flawed to place both lives on the same scale and expect the same definition of prosperity. Prosperity in the Kingdom of God begins with reconciliation with God through Jesus Christ. Before God blesses our hands, He tr...