Text: Ecclesiastes 7:14
The writer intends to instruct us regarding understanding prosperity and adversity in the light of spirituality. Prosperity is no indication of spiritual accomplishments, neither is adversity a sure sign of spiritual failure in life.
Beware of teachings of prosperity and adversity
First
Understand Prosperity
A. Prosperity is what we gain out of the experiences which matures us for living
B.Prosperity is being richer toward God in our relationship
C.Prosperoty is what we have that others do not
(sanity, joy, etc)
Second
We are encouraged to examine both
A.Prosperity may not be as prosperious as it seem
(depending on which eye we view with-see or faith)
B.Adversity can be prosperious
(we can learn prosperity through it)
C.What we deem a loss can be gain
(oft God breaks us in order to make us)
Weigh both
Third
We are challenged to finalize life's total
(man should find nothing after him)
A. Summing up life includes both(adversity and prosperity)
B. Fleeting of life demands attention to final things
C. Must use all to balance life
Nothing prosper for man outside God, all is vanity and vextation of spirit
To have materially and empty spiritually is adversity but to have Christ is prosperity
Jesus had his day of adversity- lied on, spit on, hit on
Tried in 5 different courts with no justice in either
Died on Friday, but his day of prosperity came early on Sunday morning
