The Proper Pursuit of Prosperity

Book excerpt: Our God is a generous God. However, His kindness, generosity, and blessing do not exclude us from hard times, struggles, or injustices in this life. For many, faith is the coin you put into a 'vending machine God,' obligating Him to dispense your selection. The hard truth is that the tendency toward suffering in this life is more normal for the Christian than the promise of perfect health and extraordinary wealth. There is aProper Pursuit of Prosperity,but it bears little resemblance to the so-called 'good news' being hawked by many of today's 'purveyors of prosperity.' In William Cripe Sr.'s inspirational and informative book, you will discover what the prosperity gospel is, what is wrong with it, and what is right with it. You will also find the answer to the question: Is there a legitimate expectation of prosperity this side of heaven? There is a day of perfect prosperity promised to all who believe, but that day is not in this lifetime. We exist not for the pursuit of our own gratification but to do God's bidding—not the other way around. Dive intoThe Proper Pursuit of Prosperityand discover Cripe's message of how God does not exist for us—we exist for Him. 'Cripe's work is a needed corrective to much of the prosperity preaching and teaching of our day. He combines an emphasis on biblical theology with global realities and personal experience that makes for an extremely effective argument. The goal of seeking and applying balanced truth is instructive for us all.' Dr. Martin Crain, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, Director, Professional Doctoral Programs, Associate Professor of Pastoral Theology