The Dialog

(00:00:00) Cold open and show intro (00:00:50) God and money, part 3 (00:02:06) The problem with God wanting you rich (00:03:57) Bad examples and godly people who don't prosper (00:05:21) Mark 7: unwashed hands and tradition (00:06:48) Isaiah 29:13: rules learned by rote (00:08:02) "You cancel the word of God" (Mark 7:13) (00:09:44) Money beliefs that don't come from Scripture (00:10:47) What God says vs. what you believe He says (00:12:40) Is anything more powerful than the Bible? (00:14:57) Poverty mentality: the traditions we inherit (00:16:57) Does your thinking about money match God's? (00:18:05) Experience vs. interpretation (Ryan Holiday) (00:20:40) When interpretation becomes "truth" (00:22:37) Adversity and a good God (Seneca, Hebrews 12) (00:26:20) Epictetus, Kierkegaard and the high school breakup (00:29:21) When their ideas became God's ideas (00:31:27) Modern-day Pharisees (00:33:19) Confirmation bias and green cars (00:34:05) Praying "God's will" in the hospital (00:36:04) Is it more spiritual to be poor? (00:37:34) Isn't God unlimited? (Isaiah 55) (00:38:49) Romans 12:2: changing the way you think (00:40:26) Mark 6: why Jesus couldn't do miracles (00:42:25) Matthew 8: the faith that amazed Jesus (00:44:51) So does God want you to be rich? (00:46:30) Next: wasn't Jesus poor? The Pharisees caught Jesus' disciples eating with unwashed hands. That wasn't a sin. It was a tradition. Jesus answered, "You cancel the word of God in order to hand down your own tradition." (Mark 7:13)Most of what we believe about money works the same way. We didn't get it from Scripture. We got it from our parents, our church, our culture, and every bad example we've watched. Then we see more evidence for what we believe than for what God actually said.This episode is about the gap between what God says and what we believe about what God says. I talk about Epictetus and the high school breakup that felt like the end of the world. I talk about why praying "God's will" in a hospital room is often unbelief dressed up as something spiritual. And we look at Mark 6, when Jesus couldn't do miracles in his own hometown.Jesus was amazed twice in the Gospels. Once at unbelief in Nazareth. Once at the faith of a Roman centurion. You get to decide which one He sees in you.So does God want you to be rich? Yes. The only question left is whether you believe it.This is part 3 of God and money, Season 2 of The Dialog: a search for what the Bible actually says about wealth.SCRIPTURESMark 7:1-13 · Isaiah 29:13 · Mark 6:1-6 · Matthew 8:5-13 · Romans 12:2 · Isaiah 55:8-9 · Hebrews 12:11THINKERS AND BOOKS REFERENCEDEpictetus: it's not events that disturb us, it's our opinions about them (Enchiridion 5)Ryan Holiday, The Obstacle Is the Way: objective events, subjective judgmentsSeneca: regard all adversity as training (On Providence)Søren Kierkegaard: life is understood backwards but lived forwardsGOD AND MONEY (SEASON 2)2.1 Are God and money incompatible? https://www.spreaker.com/episode/2-1-god-and-money--756298622.2 Does God want me to be rich? https://www.spreaker.com/episode/2-2-does-god-want-me-to-be-rich--75629970Next episode: wasn't Jesus poor? Coming soon.New episodes most weeks. Follow the show, and send this to a friend who grew up hearing money is evil.Follow Joshua Craft on Instagram by clicking hereGet more information at jkc.is

(00:00:00) Cold open and show intro (00:00:51) Does God want us to be rich? (G.K. Chesterton) (00:04:32) “Are you a pastor or something?” (00:08:12) “You’re one of those prosperity gospel churches” (00:10:16) Everybody uses words they can’t define (Socrates) (00:13:20) Bad teaching doesn’t make the truth untrue (00:15:39) Be a Berean (Acts 17:11) (00:17:09) How many Christians have a biblical worldview? (00:20:59) The odds are I’m wrong too (Romans 12:2) (00:22:57) Less than enough, just enough or more than enough? (00:24:05) How often does the Bible talk about money? (00:27:34) Hebrew words for prosperity: tov, chayil, berakah, tsalach (00:32:51) Greek words for prosperity: makarios, ploutos, eulogia (00:36:19) Bigger than wealth, not less than provision (00:39:33) Proverbs 10:22: the blessing of the Lord makes rich (00:40:31) Proverbs 13:22, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and David (00:42:34) Deuteronomy 8:18: the power to get wealth (00:43:51) Sufficiency, not comparison (00:45:54) My two grandfathers and the money that ran out (00:48:49) Winning in life God’s way (Plutarch) (00:50:34) What my dad passed down (00:53:25) The problem with generational wealth (00:55:02) 2 Corinthians 8 and 9: all sufficiency (01:00:26) God wants to make us rich in two ways (01:01:24) What counts as a need? (01:03:26) The median American income vs. the world (01:06:25) Where does your lack of sufficiency come from? (01:08:22) Two definitions of biblical prosperity If your household makes the median American income, you're richer than the vast majority of people on earth. Do you feel rich? If not, where does your lack of sufficiency come from?A stranger walked up to me at the gym and asked if I was a pastor or something. I told him I was more of an “or something.” Then he found out where our church was.“Oh, you’re one of those prosperity gospel churches.”So I asked him what the prosperity gospel was. He couldn’t tell me. So I asked him a few questions instead. Do you believe in God? Do you want to make more money? Do you want to win in life? Do you think God wants that for you?“It sounds like you believe in the prosperity gospel.”Everybody uses words they can’t define. Before we can answer whether God wants you to be rich, we have to agree on what rich means. Not the culture’s definition. God’s.This is Season 2 of The Dialog: God and money, what the Bible actually says about wealth, generosity and winning in life God’s way. In this episode, I go through the Hebrew and Greek words the Bible actually uses for prosperity, with the receipts so you can look them up for yourself. We look at Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and David. I also talk about my two grandfathers, and why the real inheritance was never the money.We land on two simple definitions.Old Testament: The blessing of God to have and grow my assigned dominion for generations.New Testament: I have everything I need, and I have enough to meet other people’s needs.SCRIPTURESProverbs 10:22 · Proverbs 13:22 · Deuteronomy 8:18 · 2 Corinthians 8:2 · 2 Corinthians 9:8-11 · Acts 17:11 · Romans 12:2 · Genesis 26:13 · Job 42:10 · Hosea 4:6 (quotes above: ESV)THINKERS AND SOURCESSocrates (define your terms first) · G.K. Chesterton · Plutarch, To an Uneducated Ruler · a line often attributed to Mark TwainWord studies: Brown-Driver-Briggs, HALOT, TWOT, Strong’s, BDAG, Mounce, TDNTNumbers: U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 median household incomePrevious episode, 2.1 Are God and money incompatible?: https://www.spreaker.com/episode/2-1-god-and-money--75629862Next episode, 2.3 If God wants you rich, why aren't you?: https://www.spreaker.com/episode/2-3-the-problem-with-god-wanting-me-to-be-rich--75690933New episodes most weeks. If this challenged you, follow the show and send it to one friend who needs it.Follow Joshua Craft on Instagram by clicking hereGet more information at jkc.is

WIP / Thoughts, conversations or works in progressThese are episodes from bible studies, calls, teachings or other kinds of unfinished ideas that don't quite have their place in a normal season. In Matthew 5:21–26, Jesus puts anger in the same sentence as murder. Then he tells people to walk away from the altar, the most sacred act of worship they knew, and fix relationships first. Not when they have something against someone else. When someone has something against them.People judge your actions. God judges your intentions. Most of us flip that. We excuse ourselves by what we meant and condemn everyone else by what they did. Jesus calls us to apologize first, settle quickly, and love people the way he loved us, with no exceptions.The hardest sacrifice you will ever make isn’t your money or your time. It’s your right to be right.“You can decide to be my enemy, but I’m never going to be your enemy.”Follow Joshua Craft on Instagram by clicking hereGet more information at jkc.is

(00:00:00) Cold open and show intro (00:00:51) Why Season 2 took so long (00:04:12) Why I say no to so much (00:06:52) Get-tos, not have-tos (00:07:59) Ephesians 2:10: you are God's masterpiece (00:09:15) The three priorities that run my life (00:14:05) Season 2: what the Bible says about money (00:14:41) Does God only care about eternity? (00:16:05) Abundant life (John 14:6, John 10:10) (00:16:58) Broke or guilty about wealth? (Deuteronomy 8:18) (00:18:00) The Catholic Church and the vow of poverty (00:21:05) Growing up around the prosperity gospel (00:22:34) 2007: the night ORU sent us to pray (00:23:33) A lawsuit, a resignation and $50 million in debt (00:25:10) The Green family's $62 million check (00:27:23) Oral Roberts' legacy and stewardship (00:29:20) Are God and money incompatible? (00:30:43) The prosperity gospel straw man (00:31:30) Start with Scripture, not what you were taught (00:32:26) Can anyone be unbiased? (00:33:25) My problem with debates (00:35:02) Safety of beliefs vs. adventure of truth (00:36:10) Why change travels slower than truth (00:39:18) Start with this assumption: you're probably wrong (00:40:00) Isaiah 55: God's thoughts are higher than ours (00:40:55) Romans 11:33-36: who can know the Lord's thoughts? (00:44:43) Questions, not conclusions (00:48:16) Next: Does God want me to be rich? In 2007, I was a sophomore at Oral Roberts University. One night they woke us up and sent us to the chapel to pray because "the school was under attack." By Christmas, the president had resigned, ORU was $50 million in debt, and none of us knew if there would be a spring semester. Then the Green family, the founders of Hobby Lobby, wrote a $62 million check that came with conditions.Prosperity nearly destroyed that school. Prosperity also saved it.How can the same thing do so much bad and so much good at the same time?That's the question for Season 2 of The Dialog, a series on God and money. Not what the prosperity gospel says. Not what its critics say. What the Bible actually says about money, wealth, and winning in life God's way.In this episode, I talk about where I've been and why I say no to so much. I also share the three priorities that run my life. And I give you the assumption I want you to start this season with: you're probably wrong. So am I. Let's find out where.Don't take my word for it. Search it for yourself.SCRIPTURESEphesians 2:10 · John 14:6 · Matthew 7:13-14 · John 10:10 · Deuteronomy 8:18 · Isaiah 55:8-9 · Romans 11:33-36PEOPLE AND IDEAS REFERENCEDErwin McManus: "I reserve the right to change my mind"C.S. Lewis, The Four Loves: we think we choose our friends, but God chooses them for usOral Roberts University: the 2007 crisis and the Green family's rescueThe 1964 Surgeon General's report on smokingPrevious: 1.43 39 lessons in 39 years https://www.spreaker.com/episode/1-43-39-lessons-in-39-years-season-1-finale--74928026Next: 2.2 Does God want me to be rich? https://www.spreaker.com/episode/2-2-does-god-want-me-to-be-rich--75629970New episodes most weeks. If this challenged you, follow the show and send it to one friend who needs it.Follow Joshua Craft on Instagram by clicking hereGet more information at jkc.is

Season 1 finale. Socrates said the whole point of a dialog wasn't to talk to someone else. It was to get you into a conversation with yourself. I turned 39 this July, so I took some time to explain the 39 greatest lessons i've learned in 39 years.I also get into the book deal I didn't get this week, and we end our accidental hiatus and look forward to a new season. Follow Joshua Craft on Instagram by clicking hereGet more information at jkc.is