Prosperity

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11

This is perhaps the most overused, taken out of context, bible verse there is. Many use this as a personal promise, which in a way we can take it as a personal promise. But our idea of prosper and the Lord's idea of prosper are two completely different ideologies. We think of prospering in a worldly sense: money, possessions, position, power, wealth. That is not what the Lord has in mind at all. His idea of prospering is in the realm of His kingdom.

Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Matthew 6:19-21

The Lord has a treasure room so abundant that the entire wealth of the world would not fill a corner. The riches of the Lord are everlasting, they cannot be purchased, but He gives them freely to those who ask Him and who please Him. A pastor once said in a sermon:

"If we would take gold to heaven with us, the angels would say: 'oh now nice, you brought asphalt to heaven.' For in heaven, the streets are made of gold (Revelation 21:21)" Nathan Chaplin of Stockport Christian Church

The Lord does not consider our earthly wealth worthy of cherishing, He uses it to make the streets to be trodden on. No, His wealth, riches, and prosperity is what the heart of every man desires:

And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” Revelation 21:3-5

That is what I am looking forward to, no more pain, no more death, no more of the ways of this earth; everything will be perfect. That is the Lord's idea of prosperity and hope, the world can keep all of their things, I just want Jesus as my Lord. Even the creatures on the earth groan in the midst of the state of the world (Romans 8:22). Have you ever thought about that with your horse? In our broken state we are causing the horse pain. It is so hard for myself, my #CornerstoneHorsemanship partner, and my #CornerstoneFellowshipMininstry partner to go anywhere and not read the pain some of the horses are enduring because of the lack of knowledge of their riders. What makes it worse is many of these riders don't want to be educated to know better. That is exactly what it is like to share with the world about the kingdom of heaven. Even in His judgement the Lord is good and working for our good. What would it be like if we had to live among the unjust for all eterenity? It wouldn't be heaven and perfection. Many times the question is asked, 'why would a good God send people to hell?' That is not the question that should be asked, rather we should be asking, 'why would you choose hell over a good God?' For the Lord does not delight in the death of anyone, but is patient, and wants everyone to come to repentance (2 Peter 3;9). God doesn't send anyone to hell, they choose hell by rejecting Him. #CornerstoneVerseOfTheDay