These days I've been wondering what it means to possess the kingdom of
heaven now on this earth in this life. I think so many Christians are
struggling through this life and waiting for eternity to know what it
means to live a prosperous life, but I don't think that is biblical.
Jesus came and healed the sick on earth not to show the world that he
can do miracles but to show them that he is healer. He didn't take
away their life so they may enjoy it in eternity. He healed them from
their disease, afflictions, demon oppression and possession, and even
death in this world.

I think that for true followers of Jesus in this age we are so turned
off by the prosperity gospel that we are misled into believing that we
don't deserve anything in this life: that we don't deserve to be happy
or satisfied and that we should be perfectly content with what we have
and where we are in life. I would go so far as to say those are lies
from the devil. We are children of the God almighty. He who has given
us his one and only son, why should he withhold anything good from us?
And why should that which is good for us always be something we
consider bad?

I think the defining line between the prosperity gospel and the gospel
is: The prosperity gospel sells things but the gospel sells Jesus. The
prosperity gospel uses Jesus to get things but the gospel makes you
fall in love with Jesus so you desire the same things as he.

I say these things because I am waiting to hear back from a job I
interviewed at in my industry. I would consider it the ideal job for
me and I really want the job, but I also want to make sure my heart is
in the right place for wanting the job so I've been doing a lot of
introspection. I came to the realization that there is something
terribly wrong with my thinking pattern. How have I been led to think
that I should be most unhappy? That I am most glorifying to God when I
suffer and am miserable? How could I be led to believe I was being so
selfish and unholy for desiring to do that which I was created to do?
When I am a child of God, how can I possibly think there is something
wrong when good things are happening to me? How honoring is it to God
when he is pouring out blessings on your life to say, "No thanks, I
don't deserve it." ? This is bondage! I came to the realization that:
If I am so in love with Christ, then shouldn't these desires also be
his?

I know where I stand with my relationship with Christ. Always at the
center of my heart is my desire to follow Jesus. At the same time,
desiring a satisfying job where I feel I am in my element is not
putting God second. I think it is more glorifying to God to use the
talents he has given me to be a minister of the Word. Please, pray for
me. Pray that I may know what it means to inherit the Kingdom of
Heaven on this earth. Pray also that the decision to hire me will
ultimately be His decision and that if I am placed there, that many
will be blessed through me. Thanks guys.

-Joyana