Imperial Valley Christian Center

Of the 70 or so prosperity scriptures I regularly meditate on, one of my favorites is Mark 10:28-30. I think of it as a scripture that applies especially to those in ministry, but I guess it can apply to anyone.

28 Then Peter spoke up, “We have left everything to follow you!”

29 “Truly I tell you,” Jesus replied, “no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel 30 will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age: homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields—along with persecutions—and in the age to come eternal life. (Mark 10:28-30 NIV)

I like the version of this passage from the Life of Yeshua (LOY), reconstruction being put together by the scholars at the Jerusalem School for Synoptic Research. They call it: LOY 47: Rich Man Declines the Kingdom of Heaven (You may need to be a member to see all of the material at that link.)

Rich Man Declines the Kingdom of Heaven

“Teacher,” he asked, “what ‘good’ can I do to obtain eternal life?”
Yeshua replied: “Why do you refer to a deed as ‘good’? Call only one thing ‘good’—the Torah. You know how to obtain eternal life: keep the commandments—‘Do not commit adultery,’ ‘Do not murder,’ ‘Do not steal,’ ‘Do not give false testimony….’”

“All these I have kept since I was a child,” the man interrupted.

At that, Yeshua said: “There is something more you should do: Give away all your wealth to charity—you will have heavenly wealth—and become my disciple.”

The man’s face fell—he was very wealthy.

When Yeshua saw that, he said: “How difficult it is for someone who is rich to join my band of disciples; it is easier for a camel to pass through a needle’s eye.”

“Look at us, we have left everything to become your disciples!” Petros exclaimed.

“You have done the right thing,” Yeshua replied. “I promise you that all who have left family, livelihood and possessions to join my band of disciples will in this life get much, much more than what they have given up, and in the life after death, eternal life.”

It's that last bit that is the prosperity part, "I promise you that all who have left family, livelihood and possessions to join my band of disciples will in this life get much, much more than what they have given up, and in the life after death, eternal life." 

Material necessity can't hold us back from putting God's kingdom first. Jesus has promised to give us much, much more that the livelihoods or possessions we've given up to be his disciples. Whooooo hooooooo! Of course, we're going to have to learn to receive it by faith.