Pastor Bob’s Blog

Years before Jesus was born, the Lord spoke through Isaiah the prophet about Jesus.  Here’s one of the things He said:

For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder.  And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.  (Isaiah 9:6 NKJV).

Jesus is our Prince of Peace.  “Peace” is more than just the absence of conflict or torment.  The Hebrew word translated “peace” is “shalom.”  That word is packed full of meaning.  Here’s what Strong’s and Thayer’s concordances say about “shalom”:

Completeness, soundness, welfare, peace

a.  completeness (in number)

b.  safety, soundness (in body)

c.  welfare, health, prosperity

d.  peace, quiet, tranquility, contentment

e.  peace, friendship (of human relationships and with God, especially in covenant relationship)

f.  peace (from war)

g.  peace (as an adjective)

Jesus is everything!  In a time when the world’s economic system is plunging and whipsawing, in the kingdom of God (where we should be living), Jesus is our Prince of Prosperity.  As the world participates in the “flu season,”  and fears “drug-resistant bacteria,” Jesus is our Prince of Health.  In the midst of danger, He is our Prince of Safety.  While millions are tormented in their minds, Jesus is our Prince of Quiet, Tranquility and Contentment.

In this Christmas season, let’s remind ourselves who our Jesus is.  Let’s lay hold on all He is for us.  And let’s share Him with a scared, tormented, and struggling world, person by person.

Let’s share Jesus, our Prince of Peace!!

“Pay Attention to Me…My system is stronger than ever.”
Don’t pay attention to or make any plans based on what the media says
or what the politicians say. Stand on My Word in John 16. Pay attention to Me.
I [the Holy Spirit] will obey verses 13-15. I will show you things to come. I will
lead you through troubled times. I already have THE plan for you, and it’s very
good. Follow it. It will not only get you through, it will place you in a very high
place—a rich place—a strong place of victory.
You will have to discipline yourself and be diligent to listen to Me. All the
other voices will have a plan, a word, an idea for your future and security.
Don’t listen to Babylon’s system. It has fallen apart. My system is stronger than
ever. My kingdom is flourishing, and THE BLESSING is the place to be.
Keep your eyes on My Word. Listen to it. It will guide you and I will
perform it. Love Me. Love My people as I have loved you. Walk in it. Love never
fails, and neither does My plan.
Be very cautious to stay completely clean from covetousness. First
Timothy 6:10 must live in the forefront of your thinking. If you will do these
things and continue therein, you will come into your wealthy place. A place
lifted up. A place in Me already planned and prepared for you now. Here. Not
heaven—not yet. But it will seem like heaven right in the midst of all the
trouble, and you’ll be able to reach out to untold numbers of suffering people
with the Good News of the gospel.
I’m coming very soon. Sooner than you think. Keep your eyes on Me and
you’ll get the job done.
—Prophecy delivered by Kenneth Copeland
Oct. 19, 2008

Television news, magazines, and newspapers are all screaming that the economy is tanking.  Reports of plant closings, layoffs, and escalating gas prices are everywhere.  Fear abounds – even in the church.

But we who believe in the Lord Jesus can abound during times like this, and be a blessing to hurting people.  How?

Sow in famine.  Look at Isaac:

There was a famine in the land, besides the first famine that was in the days of Abraham. And Isaac went to Abimelech king of the Philistines, in Gerar. Then the LORD appeared to him and said: “Do not go down to Egypt; live in the land of which I shall tell you. Dwell in this land, and I will be with you and bless you. . .  (Genesis 26:1-3 NKJV).

Egypt is a type of the world system.  Isaac was tempted to go to the world system for provision during a period of widespread lack.  The Lord told him not to do it.  “Stay in the Kingdom of God system and I’ll bless you,” He essentially said.

So what did Isaac do?  He sowed when everyone around him was hording seed!!

Then Isaac sowed in that land, and reaped in the same year a hundredfold; and the LORD blessed him. The man began to prosper, and continued prospering until he became very prosperous; for he had possessions of flocks and possessions of herds and a great number of servants. So the Philistines envied him.  (Genesis 26:12-14 NKJV).

A Christian who participates in the world system will stop tithing and sowing in times of lack.  That’s a big mistake.  In times of widespread lack, we who seek first the Kingdom of God need to keep tithing.  We need to keep sowing our financial seed.  We must pray and find what ministries the Lord wants us to support, and sow our seed.  We need to be led about what people He wants us to give to, and sow our seed (maybe by buying someone a tank of gas).  Then we need to water our seed with thanksgiving and praise.  Even in the midst of famine, we’ll reap a hundredfold and become very prosperous!!

So in a time of lack – sow!!  And give the Lord all the glory when He prospers you!

We know the Word says, “Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for as it is written, ‘Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree’), that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus . . .”  (Galatians 3:13-14 NKJV).

Most Christians will accept that Christ redeemed us from sin.  They know that “He (the Father) made Him (Jesus) who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”  (2 Corinthians 5:21 NKJV).  Jesus took our sin and gave us his righteousness.  Sweet deal.

Many, but not most, Christians will accept that Christ redeemed us from sickness and disease. “Surely he has borne our infirmities and carried our diseases; yet we accounted him stricken, struck down by God, and afflicted.  But he was wounded for our transgressions, crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the punishment that made us whole, and by his bruises we are healed.”  (Isaiah 53:4-5 NRSV).  He took our sickness and gave us His divine health and healing.  Another sweet deal.

But very few Christians will accept that Christ redeemed us from lack.  But how can they deny this passage:  “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich.”  (2 Corinthians 8:9 NKJV).  Jesus took our poverty and gave us His wealth.  Yet another sweet deal.

So why do Christians think we should be poor?  He can give us righteousness but He can’t give us wealth?  He can carry our infirmities but not our lack?

Don’t accept the lie that’s been sold to the church for centuries.  He wants us to prosper, spirit, soul, and body – and financially.  Unless we prosper financially, we can’t help the poor.  Unless we have wealth, we can’t finance the gospel.  Unless we’re well provided for, Jesus doesn’t look that attractive to the world.

So take it the same way you were born again – by faith!  God wants you to prosper!  Find out how to live in the Kingdom of God, and be blessed – to be a blessing!

For the past couple of months, the Lord has directed me to preach the Kingdom of God.  It’s an extraordinary honor to preach it, because that’s what Jesus preached – it’s the purpose for which He was sent.  (Luke 4:43 NKJV).  In fact, even after His resurrection, for forty days Jesus continued to teach His disciples concerning the Kingdom of God.  (Acts 1:1-3 NKJV).

For the past couple of Sundays I’ve taught about the financial system of the Kingdom of God.  It’s a system totally unlike the kingdom of the world’s system. The structure of the Kingdom’s financial system would perplex the Federal Reserve, the stock markets, and the brokerage houses.  It would confound the financial analysts, economists, and business school professors.

Why?  Because the central theme of the Kingdom’s financial structure is a paradox:  Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.  (Luke 6:38 NKJV).

The kingdom of the world says “grab, grab, grab. . . hoard, hoard, hoard.”  But in the Kingdom of God, as you give, give, give, “stuff” comes back to you – for your needs, and to start the cycle of giving and receiving all over again.

And we determine the level of our blessing by the level of our giving!

Now that’s a paradox!  A Kingdom Paradox!

In Romans 4:3 and Galatians 3:6 (quoting Genesis 15:6), scripture tells us that “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.”

What did Abraham believe?  He was an old man.  His wife was an old woman who was unable to have children during her so-called child-bearing years.  But God promised they would have a child, and that through that child they would have descendants more numerous than the stars.

Reason told them it was impossible.  Experience tempted them to doubt that Abraham had even heard from the Lord.  In fact, they got impatient and tried their own scheme when Abraham became intimate with his wife’s assistant, Hagar, and Hagar had a boy named Ishmael.  But in the end, Abraham believed God.  The result?  Issac.

From the news, our reason and experience tell us the economy is struggling and that we’re vulnerable.  Gas prices are high.  Companies are laying off workers.  Food is scarce in some areas.  Weather patterns are threatening.

But we need to be like Abraham.  When circumstances tempted him to doubt God’s promise, he just looked up at the stars, remembered what the Lord had promised him, and saw himself with all those descendants.  Abraham believed the promise.

Instead of meditating on the news, let’s meditate on the promises the Lord gave us in His Word, make sure we’re doing what the Word says is our part, and believe and trust God to keep His promise.

In the context of writing about giving, the Apostle Paul, by the Spirit of God, proclaimed the promise:  “And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”  (Philippians 4:19 NKJV).  That’s for you.  Now.  In the middle of a sour economy.

So turn off the news.  Stop listening to dire predictions from your family, friends, and co-workers.  Instead, find the promise in the Word, sow, believe, declare, stand, and reap what you’re believing for.

Believe God, and it will be accounted to you as righteousness.  Seek first the kingdom of God, and all the things you need will be added to you.  (Matthew 6:33).