Facing The Giants of Prosperity

We watched the movie again, Facing the Giants.


If you have never watched this movie before, it is a story set at a Christian high school in Georgia, in which a young football coach learns that walking in faith with God will lead him to where he needs to go. 

He arrives at the bottom of his career, when he realizes that he has coached his team poorly, and is on the verge of losing his job. In desperation, he prays over a plan, in order to lead his team to the state playoffs.  As a result, he commits his job and his attitude to Christ and then delivers an inspirational sermon to his players.

Motivated by their coach’s faith, the team works hard, and stops a losing streak, winning their way all the way to the playoffs. Although the Lord did not seem to deliver everything the team wanted at first, the team and coaches found that as they all submitted their hearts and minds before Him, they found success. They won their way to the final game in the state playoffs. It is a reminder that we all have a part and can only fulfill it if we seek Him first. 

What about this prosperity stuff?

The story leads us to believe that submitting to God Almighty no matter what happens, brings us a bit of heaven, or as some call it, prosperity. In our family, we have watched this movie repeatedly, because on many levels it is a motivational Christian story. It reminds us all of placing Christ at the head of our problem-solving.

I think that sometimes we forget that prosperity is relative. You know, according to the book of Revelations, the Lord will save 12,000 from each of the 12 tribes of Israel. That means we are all different, and many have some remarkable testimonies in which they have overcome difficult circumstances to reach the Lord Jesus Christ.

Therefore, if you have moved from homeless to a trailer park, you may have prosperity. When you move from a trailer park to a small modern home, you may have prosperity. When you have a decent car that runs, you may have prosperity. Or, when you have an older, modest car that you financially paid for, you may have prosperity. We may desire more in our hearts, but the point of the movie is that as a Christian, you may not get it when you ask, because your heart needs to be right before the Lord first.

It is not always that easy, though…

Although God wants to give us what we need, He does not necessarily give us what we want. He is after our hearts and not our accumulating more goods, status, and success at our jobs for the wrong reasons. The Lord God has a mission for building the spiritual Jerusalem, and it does not necessarily have anything to do with man’s idea of prosperity. We become content when we give it all to God! Then we find out what we really want.

However, the hard stuff hits.

You pray, and yet…

Your child receives yet another diagnosis.

You pray for a cure, and instead, your child gets sick.

Your child dies.

Your child regresses in a skill he or she already knows.

You have to add yet another specialist to the long list.

Your child requires hospitalization.

Your child’s behavior and emotional problems worsen.

Your family falls apart.

It seems like just when things are going along right, the devil strikes. You know, that unexpected attack that you did not see coming? As special needs parents, we are not immune to such events above, but that does not make it easier. We find ourselves praying our way through difficult circumstances, researching ideas, and contacting doctors. It may take a while to get things back on track and leave us feeling isolated…again.

I mean, really, Jesus, can you come yesterday?

The car keeps acting up. The kitchen sink requires fixing. The dogs need to go to the vet. Then there are the dentist and doctor’s appointments. We need to go to the hospital to get some tests done. There are general cleaning duties and responsibilities. In addition, our relationships need to be nurtured. We even have other, typical children that need our time and attention.

We are tired, and we dream of the easy life of “normal” parents. We want a break, and maybe even a vacation to a remote island with no distractions. Events occur, and we give up hope, forgetting that all of our troubles are temporary. The Lord does not call us to the frivolity of staying on the easy side of life.

Yet, seek and praise Him.

Rejoice! ~

We will have abundance and prosperity because we seek the Lord continually for our families and ourselves. He will bring us victory when we seek Him continually in His Word. We will resolve our problems, stand over our enemies, and have peace over our households. Yes, there may be temporary chaos, but it is only that---temporary.

The enemy will not rise against us a second time once we defeat him, unless He dares to go against the Lord God Almighty. If he does, he will come face to face with Yahweh; we will just stand firm in the Lord until we have victory.

Let us come before Him as the sentinels call us before the Lord God Almighty…

Therefore, my beloved, be steadfast, immovable, always excelling in the work of the Lord, because you know that in the Lord, your labor is not in vain. 1 Corinthians 15:58

God is in The Earthquake: A Message of Hope for 9/11/2011

This year's 9/11 turned out to be quite the statement by God.

Washington D.C. turned out to be quite the center of it all with an earthquake.

What made me think this was the damage done to 2 major structures in Washington D.C. in August---both the Washington National Monument and the National Cathedral. From the outside, they seem like two well-known tourist places in our nation’s capital, and yet, when we look closer, we see something else. 

An unusual shift occurred, and it was no accident. The Earth’s creation aside, there is a scriptural connection between the spiritual condition of our world and the “groaning” of the Earth. However, it is the effects of that shift that I see.

The history of the church and state

Historically, the National Cathedral was an idea dreamed up by George Washington but took 83 years to complete.  Its intention was to be a "great church for national purposes."   It now serves as the “church” where inaugurations and burials of presidents occur. It is also the center representation of political ceremony. 

During the earthquake, several ornate pieces of the church were knocked off, large cracks were made, and from one eyewitness account, the floors of the crypt were literally rolling. The building is still closed, and the message is clear. The Lord, He is God.

The Washington National Monument is a distinctive structure, built to remind us of the courage and tenacity of President George Washington, our nation’s first president. He was a founding father of our country and our Constitution, and the structure which has stood strong for many years received a crack in its efface. 

Although still strong, it remains a true testament to the original intent of our country’s bylaws, unused, except for appearance. Yet, it has overshadowed the many political events and rallies on the mall, one of which was Dr. Martin Luther King’s famous "I Have a Dream" speech.

I really think God is sending us a message

I don't think it is in the fire and brimstone way, but in the sense that changes are coming that will shake up things in Washington D.C. but that will not overthrow the government.

The events were too specific and too timely to not read into some sort of message which God wants us all to hear. 

Plus, the 9/11 attacks on our nation rocked this country and most of us want change in the hallways of the nation's capital. 

I also believe that we need to go back to the foundations of America's government, which was "One nation, under God."

Because honestly, it has not been that. Arguments over whether or not we can say the name of God or the baseless disagreements from atheists who simply think that they will remove His name from anything, and it will stay that way. 

I think the Lord is saying, “Don’t be like those who have aligned themselves with the godless for the sake of politics; they have cracks in their foundations. Stand firm on the rock of God the Father, and His Son, Jesus Christ. It will not fall. Don’t compromise the Christian principles found in the Bible; it will only weaken your foundation. You will not be shaken. Stand firm. Stand firm. Stand firm.”

So, as we enter into the season where we remember our heroes and think about the shift in our government with the first black American president. 

While things may change, God's foundation will not fail, even if an earthquake comes and rocks the foundation. 

God is in the earthquake and He is the foundation. 

Our nation will not fall, but we will be better on the other side.

Stand therefore, and fasten the belt of truth around your waist, and put on the breastplate of righteousness. As for shoes for your feet put on whatever will make you ready to proclaim the gospel of peace. With all of these, take the shield of faith, with which you will be able to quench all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Ephesians 6:14-17 (NRSV)

Originally published on 9/11/2011