GOD IS NOT A GENIE

“Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.”

John 15:16 (KJV)

And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God. 23 For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith. 24 Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them Mark 11:22-24

      Some people read these verses and think that Jesus is a Genie. All of their wishes will come true. However, if you look at the Apostles' ministry you will see that the things they asked Him for was for the good of others not themselves, healing, health, deliverance, etc.

Philippians 2:3 Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.

      Paul spent most of his life in prison in deep poverty. When he was not incarcerated, he was a working man making tents. He wasn't living like a king in luxury. Was this because God wouldn't grant him riches? I don't believe so. I believe that Paul knew what Jesus meant when He spoke these things. I believe in context that the Apostles wanted to fulfill the will of God more than the will of their flesh. I believe that they understood how important it was to God that everyone be saved from Hell. Important enough to God to become flesh so He could die for them to keep them from Hell. I believe that the Apostles understood that they had changed their citizenship from this evil world of selfishness and greed to the new city in Heaven where Christ is King and where selfishness, greed, poverty and evil does not exist. What pitiful people the Apostles would have been to use Jesus' name for their own personal worldly gain while others starved and died of sickness and disease and lived a life of poverty and ultimately end up in the devil's hell.

      God has prepared a place of more luxury and wealth than we can imagine for us but it is where He is not here on earth. When you know Jesus your desire becomes His desire and His desire is to deliver people from the enemy, not spoil our flesh. When He walked this planet, did He do everything for Himself and seek His own prosperity? I don't think so. Mark those that preach prosperity my friends. Those who encourage you to think about yourself first. Mark them. For those are the false apostles promising you freedom when they themselves are slaves of corruption.

2 Peter 2:19 While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption : for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage. 

Material things are temporary and only satisfy fleshly greed. We should consider others before we consider ourselves.

James 3:17 But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?

      Am I saying that God wants us to be poor and sickly? Not on your life. I am saying that He wants equality. Why would God want you to be rich and full of the finest of foods and the best things this world has to offer while your neighbor is just days from death after a life of poverty and pain? Why would God want one man to live in a $10.5 million dollar mansion while others around him live on the street with nothing to their name but a cardboard box to sleep in?

Acts 4:34 Neither was there any among them that lacked : for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold, 35 And laid them down at the apostles' feet : and distribution was made unto every man according as he had need.

     This is the will of God...That there be EQUALITY so that none should lack of the things they have need of. God will provide for your need not your greed.

Galatians 2:10 Only they would that we should remember the poor; the same which I also was forward to do.

     The number one thing the Apostles were concerned about was remembering the poor saints. They put all of the money and items given to them together for the sole purpose of caring for the poor saints among them. Are we our brother's keeper? Yes we are my friends. We must be an example to the world of the equality that is found in Jesus Christ. As Jesus said in the parable about the good Samaritan;

Luke 10:36 Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves? 37 And he said, He that shewed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise.