The Danger of Prosperity – by Desmond Ford
Feb 7, 2016 3853
The trouble with most of us is we are too prosperous. We have it too easy. That is what distinguishes us from the Pilgrims of the first Thanksgiving.
Many years ago beehives were carried to Barbados in the West Indies. The bees worked diligently gathering pollen for the coming winter. But when they discovered they were in a land of perpetual summer, they stopped. Instead, they spent most of their time stinging the inhabitants!
That is a parable for our western world. We have spiritual degeneracy. God has surrounded us with so many blessings that instead of working for his glory and for the good of our fellows – like those seven men among the Pilgrims who were healthy enough to tend the sick – we spend most of our time living for ourselves. We thrust the sting when we could more wisely gather the sweetness.
The nine lepers in the parable of Jesus went on their way with their bodies healed but with a more loathsome disease upon them – the leprosy of ingratitude.
If we do not give thanks to God, we are no more than cows and pigs and dogs. We are worse. We have spiritual leprosy.
Let us thank God not only for prosperity, but even for the threat to our prosperity. Such threats can cast us upon God and lead us to faith. Praise God for the trials and temptations that keep us from sinking into an attitude of self-content which can destroy the soul.
– Des Ford. Rom 8:27–32. Adapted from “A Tithe of Thanks.”
INUSA KANWAI
Apr 16, 2019
This is so wonderfully counseled! A sacrifice of "A Tithe of Thanks," is worthy in christian virtues. "If God is for us, who can be against us?" I must confess that we never lack in all things as we live in true Christendom. Where prosperity would end from the Lord's Kingdom in Heaven than for earth? We ought to give as Christ did, taking every advantage of sacrifice as God gave us His Son through Mercy, Love and taking away what we desire for Good and receiving the Holy Spirit for our abundance. A wisdom, truly! Thank you so much, Desmond Ford. God bless us. Amen.
Isaac A.Ibrahim
Jul 12, 2019
God promise to give me the bank of heaven for his cause and church of Christ so pray so that come to pass