Prosperity isn’t a problem. Joel Osteen teaches that God’s plan for you is to be prosperous and that is what we are on earth for. If we do the right things, God will prosper us. His gospel isn’t about serving God but rather doing it so that WE gain. His teaching leads you to believe that the point of following God is to comfortable and happy all of the time. Your purpose is to prosper. Your goal is to prosper. That simply isn’t what God’s word says.
Nothing wrong with money. One of the most often misquoted verses is “Money is Evil”. WRONG. The verse says “The LOVE of Money leads to all kinds of evil.”
God had a number of rich men who would give it all up to serve him. Abraham and Job were very wealthy in their day. Job was a test of his faith. But at the end God blessed him with MORE than what he had before.
When the rich young ruler came to Jesus (the socialists and leftist ‘Christians’ love this one) - and asked what must he do to inherit the kingdom, Jesus instructed HIM and him alone to sell all he had and come follow Jesus. Jesus knew the man’s heart - as it said he walked away saddened because he had such great wealth. Jesus knew that he wouldn’t give it up. That’s why the disciples asked him “Then who then can be saved?” Meaning - wealth is relative. Jesus was looking for this simple attitude of heart:
ALL things are given by God, and we are to use ALL things as good stewards according to HIS Will. He WILL bless those according to their relationship with Him and what He knows they can handle. The priority is our Walk with the Lord. Period.
The problem with the Prosperity Gospel itchers is that they most of the time a. make God to be Santa and b. guilt those with weak hearts to give ‘seed’ money, distorting Micah 3:5 and other spiritually sound promises of God, thinking that they can guilt or con God to make good on His promises for THEIR selfish gains. Doesn’t work that way.
For me, God is the Master Accountant. When we give time and money and of ourselves, He promises to bless - that’s His Goodness. But HIS blessing can come in many forms. He could keep you Cancer-free until you’re 90. He knows how to settle the books so to speak.
One added thing. Remember Peter and John after Jesus’ resurrection? Jesus was asking Peter to feed His sheep. Peter did the first what-about-ism, lol - “What about him?” asking about John. Jesus said “If I want him to live until I return, what is that to you?” - and some then believed Jesus was saying John would live forever. That was NOT Jesus’ point - our walk with the Lord is OURS ALONE. What God has for Kanye or Donald J Trump is NOT what He has for me or you. I have also seen NON-prosperity preachers guilt Christians into giving or doing and they gave time or money when they shouldn’t have. Bottom line: Walk close with the Lord and do what HE wants you to do. But that takes honesty and humility.