Although this is quite funny, it represents a belief that many people seriously hold to, which for me gives it a tinge of great sadness. It seems like many believers think of God as a kind of ‘Santa Claus’ figure, who ‘benevolently’ hands out health and wealth, according to whether you have been ‘naughty or nice’.

The reality is QUITE different, however.

The Lord makes it clear throughout scripture that although He blesses certain people whom He trusts with wealth (such as Abraham or Job), that financial ‘success’ is not actually a marker for His blessing or favour on one’s life, but in fact most of the time is actually a huge burden that only very mature believers are able to handle well. 
Jesus told us that it is easier for a camel to fit through the eye of a needle (I always think of chainsaws and food blenders at this point) than it is for a rich man to go to heaven. Many times throughout the bible, money is spoken of as a trap, as an idol… and even the love of the stuff has at its root all kinds of evil coming from it.

In the book of James, the Spirit speaks of how God has chosen the poor to glorify Him by their faith, and how He has selected those who are better off financially to humble themselves and be generous with their blessing of finances. How often the rich fall into temptation and hoard and control their money though, rather than be obediently charitable! Yes it’s true, we must all be wise stewards of it; but, the testimony of the poor is that they are rich in FAITH, and that the rich are oftentimes depicted in the bible as poor, blind and naked! And if we are honest with ourselves, so often we see the poor and those who can’t really afford it are the ones being charitable, whilst we often see the rich continue to build their empires and drown in their many toys, all the while neglecting Lazarus as he’s having his sores licked by the dogs.

So my advice is to check ourselves, about what we are praying to the Lord for!

When the flesh is attacked by Spirit, admittedly it feels rubbish to us… but that’s the point. Tickling the flesh with sin or over indulgence is an affront to God. That’s why He asks us to deny ourselves; it’s refining to do so. 
But, appeasing the flesh by praying ‘tainted’ prayers for financial ‘success’ etc, is a mark that you are yet just a babe in Christ, that you are on milk; and sadly, pretty much useless to the kingdom. 
How often in contrast the wise and mature in Christ will live day to day, moment to moment, just waiting on the Lord, rather than sitting on some nest egg of financial security, hoping to build a future at the expense of others. In my experience of life, this faithful waiting upon God is not something you see often in the western world.

Don’t worry though, I’m preaching to myself as well as anyone else                                     😉