We are only a few days from celebrating the Birth of Christ. So in the midst of the last days of press and spending I want to share with you a message entitled: When it seems there is just not enough ...
God is a faithful and loving Heavenly Father. He guides our lives in higher ways than the natural.
Often we think that we should have it all, and had it yesterday.
But God is more concerned for our souls than the temporal things of this life.
I think that was pretty evident from a donkey ride ... to a virgin birth, to a stable in Bethlehem.
Yet, Mary was rich.
One might say then, "Why the donkey ride; Why the swaddling clothes; hy the inn?
And my answer is: Because she was Rich!
Mary had something that other women in that day didn't,
She had a flourishing soul.
As a young virgin she was espoused to marry a godly man named Joesph ...
but she was about to be faced with a blessing that came up the winds of a huge trail of faith.
Would she turn away from God for a man? For her reputation?
Would she believe the peoples opinions of God, those who pranced in religious cloaks (you know those who are all up in themselves, never entering in, and keeping those out who want to enter) or would she believe a loving God of relationship who wanted all to enter in?
Mary chose relationship. She listened to the voice of God.
And then she willingly accepted His Word concerning His only begotten Son.
Yes, Mary had a flourishing soul.
And with that flourishing soul came favor.
Not just any favor ... "High favor" ... and ... blessing.
From that flourishing state of being ... God placed himself within her.
The all in one... The all in all was going to reside within her.
She was to birth life's everything ... God's only!
God knew he could trust Mary ... He had weighed her.
He knew her.
Therefore, he entrusted her with not only the kingdom life,
but with the "King" of the Kingdom.
The great "I AM" placed within Mary, on our behalf.
Just as The Holy Spirit is gifted to us today; entrusted to us, on behalf of others.
In Mary's soul prosperity she received God's word, unto her own hurt ...
hurt that didn't move her.
It was simply the temporary pain of persecutions, trails and test.
It was simply the temporary pain of persecutions, trails and test.
But all seemed light for the coming joy that she would behold. and embrace.
In the persecutions of her virgin pregnancy, she was faced with the possibility of losing her love, Joseph ... But God!
God was pouring out dreams within Joseph who was pretty soul prosperous himself.
Joesph was known for living right ... and in his distress He called on God about what to do. God told him His role in this wonderful event called Christmas.
He was to take Mary and protect both her and the baby. He was to be a natural Father to Our Lord.
He was to take Mary and protect both her and the baby. He was to be a natural Father to Our Lord.
So, Joseph took Mary to be his wife in spite of all the earthly pressures of the event.
And together they moved forward, allowing the Spirit of God to lead them.
Near birthing time. Mary saddled a donkey ... and headed down a rough and tiring road. No complaints ... it was well with her soul.
When our soul is prosperous we are not moved by temporal pains and disappoints that life offers. We just release the past, embrace the present and expect better days for the future (no matter how good or bad today might have been).
Coming into the City ... it certainly looked like Christmas!
... the streets were filled with people; the houses were full of and lighted and there was no place for Mary and Joesph.
It mattered little to the people of the day who she was or that she was pregnant.
They didn't even see this 'soul' carrying a child.
They just complained about the crowds and the taxes...the cost of living, as the paraded around in their religious attitudes.
*Wow ... sounds like today.
Joseph continues to seek out a place for he and Mary. He knew if he would seek he would surly find. He knocked and kept knocking, for he believed that if he knocked and kept knocking a door would be open to him. He ask and kept asking, He knew if he ask it would be given him. And finally someone offered the two of them a barn stable. He had found, the door had opened and the place to lay day was given.
Sometimes, the God place, doesn't look as natural man would expect or comprehend.
Sometimes, the God place, doesn't look as natural man would expect or comprehend.
Mary and Joseph were thankful ... soul prosperous people are thankful for the lest of things while carrying within them the greatest of things. They understand that God's ways are not always their ways.
When they settle in for the night ... there was no ice buckets ... no valet parking. But they were thankful for shelter, a place to lay down together.
Then came the pangs of birth.
Jesus born and laid ... not in a clean warm incubator ... but rather a cold, dirty manger. He was not wrapped in fresh hot blankets, but instead in swaddling clothing. Probably Joseph's sash or Mary's head dress she had removed for the night.
But they were rich!
They were not complaining about the taxes, the traffic or their lodging.
And what does God do when it seems like there is just not enough for the soul prosperous people ... ???
He sends other soul prosperous people with blessings ... the shepherds came with a message that comforted their hearts that had been so persecuted, and the wise men
came. They brought gifts of Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh.
These gifts of the first Christmas were much more meaningful than gifts given today.
They were not cheap trinkets that break and collect dust;
and they were not given out of selfish desire, or handed out without much thought.
and they were not given out of selfish desire, or handed out without much thought.
No each was valuable ... each selfless and with purpose.
Gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
All three gifts were gifts for a King!
Myrrh being commonly used as an anointing oil for healing (the medicinal strength of a king), Frankincense as a perfume for burial ( the honor of life), and Gold as a monetary valuable for a wealthy King.
The two "soul prosperous" carriers of Jesus had just became naturally rich when Jesus entered their lives ... From soul prosperous, to natural increase.
Soul prosperous people receive the richest of blessings while setting in the lowermost places.
We must recall Mephibosheth.
Laying poverty stricken in Low-debar ... the Kingdom called for him; The King sent for him, and seated him in a rich inheritance.
When it seems there is just not enough ... we must allow the light of the Word and the aide of the Holy Spirit to search our souls. We must allow God to show us our rich inheritance.
Searching the later life of Jesus ...
We find Him in the house, where He had gone to to preach.
The people of this day were of two sorts.
One religious / or two... Hungry, therefore, the house was filled.
But there was a sick man who couldn't get in.
He had palsy, but he also had friends who were determine to get him help.
So they climbed onto the roof; tore it open, and let the man down in front of Jesus.
Jesus seeing "their faith" ... He says to the sick man "your sins are forgiven".
Why did he not immediately say rise and walk ? After all He was sick and had came to be healed.
If we read the entire text we find our answer through the dialogue that was on going among the religious men of the day.
Mark 2:1-12
1 ¶ And again he entered into Capernaum after some days; and it was noised that he was in the house.
2 And straightway many were gathered together, insomuch that there was no room to receive them, no, not so much as about the door: and he preached the word unto them.
3 And they come unto him, bringing one sick of the palsy, which was borne of four.
4 And when they could not come nigh unto him for the press, they uncovered the roof where he was: and when they had broken it up, they let down the bed wherein the sick of the palsy lay.
5 When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins be forgiven thee.
6 But there were certain of the scribes sitting there, and reasoning in their hearts,
7 Why doth this man thus speak blasphemies? who can forgive sins but God only?
8 And immediately when Jesus perceived in his spirit that they so reasoned within themselves, he said unto them, Why reason ye these things in your hearts?
9 Whether is it easier to say to the sick of the palsy, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and take up thy bed, and walk?
10 But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (he saith to the sick of the palsy,)
11 I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy bed, and go thy way into thine house.
12 And immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went forth before them all; insomuch that they were all amazed, and glorified God, saying, We never saw it on this fashion.
Jesus was more concerned about the soul of man than anything else.
Once sins are forgiven ... it is simple to say rise up and walk.
Health follows the healed soul.
Jesus, was not only forgiving sin and healing the people ... He was snuffing out false doctrines! Wrong ideas about His Heavenly Father.
This is not to say that God does not want us to be healed physically or to prosper monetarily.
He takes great pleasure in the prosperity of his servants.
He bore stripes on his back for our healing.
And He doesn't withhold good from us ...
the problem is, sometimes we just don't know what the greater goods concerning our lives.
If our soul is unkempt ... then our health and prosperity will dilapidated as well. Thus, soul prosperity is the greater good.
The more our soul prospers, the stronger and more prosperous our lives.
God doesn't measure us with unjust measures, but He always measures us by the weight of our souls. The height, the depth and the breadth of love.
Love for God ... Love for others.
Babies are measured and weighed from birth until school age by physicians to make sure they are developing properly.
Parents measure their children as they grow ... they want to see how much they have increased in height each year.
School systems measure children each with test that evaluate how much they have increased in knowledge.
And God measures us too.
Job said in his state of being ... "Let me be weighed in an even balance, that God might know mine integrity." ~ Job 31:6
He goes on to speak of all the good things he had done.
Job was trying to establish his means of prosperity. The good and/or evil done toward him from the things he had done in life himself. Not a just measure. We can never do good enough outside of God.
He should have checked the scale according to love ... Then all fear would have been cast out and priorities would have been in place within his home.
He should have checked the scale according to love ... Then all fear would have been cast out and priorities would have been in place within his home.
Then we have Isa 55:2 which says:
Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness.
It seems in this text Isaiah is talking to a people who thought their satisfaction in life would come from money and monetary gain.
Yet, he calls out to them to eat that which is "good".
This is not to excuse us from living in the realm of natural successes.
Ye God wants us to live in the higher realm ... total prosperity. And total prosperity begins and ends with the soul of man.
Once we attain true soul prosperity ... then we supernaturally obtain physical vitality, soundness of mind and monetary gain follows.
Just as the man let down through the roof found out. When his sin was forgiven (a clean slate offered), health followed, and false doctrines were confronted and halted.
We could add here the women caught in an act of adultery ...
there she was thrown down in the dirt.
Guilty as charged, a rotting sensual soul of lust looking for fulfillment ... believing it would come with the next man, the next fling.
Jesus, the one who weighs us, who measures us.
He knew her stature, and her weight of integrity. Lose and lusting. Empty and lost, was her measure. But he was about to change that.
But first he deals with her accusers. After all ... He knew them too!
After all she was at least looking for love ... they were just using her for their flesh needs to be met. (Just as God had first death with Jobs poor religious comforters, he now deals with her accusers).
Jesus looks over at the men and says ... ?If you don't have any sin ... You can cast the first stone".
All stones went down!
Then he looks to the women.
"Where now are your accusers?"
"Who is it that condemns you or holds sin against you?"
Her reply, "None Lord".
Then neither do I, your sin is forgiven, go and sin no more!
A clean slate! How free and alive she must have felt as she walked away that day!
Jesus was interested in the soul of the accused, and of the soul of the accusers.
For the women ... she had to understand that there was no condemnation pouring out on her in judgement.
For the accusers they had to learn to release judgement concerning others.
These soul matters led to a better life for all.
The bible is full of times when people and nations were cast down and broken. Times when it seemed there was just not enough.
- Not enough power to heal.Not enough food to deal out.No water ... No wine ... No rain ... No place!
Let me just share a few of these quickly for Good Measure.
When the World was only Chaos and void ... it was not enough, but God spoke and created. Placing a prosperous soul within it to guard and keep it.
When there was no food in the wilderness ... God sent Manna.
When they were parched with thirst and there was no water in river beds ... God opened up the rocks with water from a prosperous soul of obedience.
When Elisha the prophet had no place to stay, God moved upon a family with a prosperous soul to build him a room and furnish it.
When Eljah fled the hands of Jezebel ... the rivers refreshed and a scavenger bird carried bread.
When the widow and her son was about to starve ... a prospered soul met her where she was and God provided.
When the women with 2 mites gave all she had in an offering and Jesus saw it ... she became an eternal icon for prosperity.
When there was not enough wine ... a prosperous soul put a demand on Jesus and other prosperous souls obeyed ... thus a miracle.
When masses needed to be fed ... the prosperous soul of one little boy rose up to the miraculous occasion.
When Daniel was in the lions den ... Peter in Prison ... the prosperity of the soul of pray-ers released Angles to their sides.
The prosperous souls of Paul and Silas praying and singing praises caused the earth to open up and help them in their time of great need.
When a women with an issue of blood seemed she just did not have enough ... not enough doctors ... not enough money ... she rose up in her soul to faith living and pressed through to her healing.
When there was no doctors, psychiatrist or disciples that could help the child vexed with a spirit. The child often throwing himself into waters and fires ... the prosperous soul of a loving Father took him to Jesus and obtained liberty for him from a tormenting spirit.
Ten lepers with no cures ... cast out from society ... they offered soul prosperous worship which ended in their healing, and the deeper soul of thankfulness regained limbs.
The soul of a blind man strong enough in faith to cry out when everyone said to be quiet ... brought him sight.
When there was no silver and gold for the man who simply sit around the church begging all day, the prosperity of the souls of the disciples set him on his feet that he might go into the house of God and offer praises and then be self sufficient outside the house, able to take care of himself.
What does it mean to be soul prosperous?
The soul is constructed of the mind, will and emotions of man.
When we are set on understanding and obeying the Word of God: when we become teachable; then we are headed toward soul prosperity.
For those unsaved the Word soon turns to their salvation and soul prosperity.
For those who are saved. The Word daily renews the mind and prospers the soul, when we allow the Wonderful Holy Spirit to teach us.
For those unsaved the Word soon turns to their salvation and soul prosperity.
For those who are saved. The Word daily renews the mind and prospers the soul, when we allow the Wonderful Holy Spirit to teach us.
III John 2
Beloved I wish above all things that you prosper and be in health even as your soul prospers.
In context:
- health means: to have sound health, a well body; to be uncorrupted in doctrine (rightly dividing truth): to be sound in mind and whole in every way.
-
prosper means: to do well and succeed in the affairs of life; to do will in business affairs.
With this in mind.
We know that God wants each of us to prosper and do well ... yet the soul is His highest priority, and like Mary from within the prosperous soul comes Jesus bearing all things.
Let us remember to keep Christ in Christmas this year. And when desiring gifts, let's desire the best ... A prosperous soul!
Merry Christmas
