Latest / Reborn w/ Antonio Boutros / Can We Thrive Without Health or Wealth? Biblical Insights on True Prosperity

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Can We Thrive Without Health or Wealth? Biblical Insights on True Prosperity · Reborn w/ Antonio Boutros

• 0:02
  SPEAKER_00: Hey everyone, welcome back to the Reborn Podcast.
• 0:05
  SPEAKER_00: I am your host, Tony Boutros.
• 0:07
  SPEAKER_00: And if this is your first time tuning in, thank you so much for being here.
• 0:12
  SPEAKER_00: Uh here we dive in deep into personal development, spiritual growth, and entrepreneurship all through the lens of faith.
• 0:20
  SPEAKER_00: I'm a 21-year-old entrepreneur, author in progress, and a humble servant of Christ.
• 0:26
  SPEAKER_00: My journey has not been the easiest.
• 0:28
  SPEAKER_00: I grew up struggling physically, emotionally, and mentally.
• 0:32
  SPEAKER_00: But ever since I came to Christ in October 2023, my life has felt like a complete transformation.
• 0:39
  SPEAKER_00: Today we're going to tackle a really important question that I believe a lot of us wrestle with.
• 0:44
  SPEAKER_00: Can we thrive without being healthy or wealthy?
• 0:50
  SPEAKER_00: In a world obsessed with success, how do we define true prosperity, especially when we're called to rely on God for everything?
• 0:59
  SPEAKER_00: But before we dive in, I want to remind you to check out our community where we can grow together in faith and purpose.
• 1:07
  SPEAKER_00: The link is in the description.
• 1:09
  SPEAKER_00: All right, let's get into it.
• 1:12
  SPEAKER_00: So, this question comes from a member of the community, someone who reached out to me with a powerful thought.
• 1:18
  SPEAKER_00: Is it possible to thrive when we aren't healthy or wealthy?
• 1:22
  SPEAKER_00: The question really hit home for me because it's something I've had to wrestle with myself, especially in my early years, trying to balance the desires for worldly success while staying grounded in my faith.
• 1:37
  SPEAKER_00: I've always talked about the importance of building a business and chasing big dreams.
• 1:41
  SPEAKER_00: And some of you know I've even said I want to be a trillionaire one day.
• 1:45
  SPEAKER_00: But recently I've learned that while wealth and health are blessings, they aren't the foundation of my identity or my purpose.
• 1:55
  SPEAKER_00: Christ is.
• 1:56
  SPEAKER_00: For me, this journey started when I felt a calling that was bigger than business or personal gain.
• 2:02
  SPEAKER_00: I had to shut down my business earlier this year and go all in on what God has placed in my heart.
• 2:08
  SPEAKER_00: Now I'm working my first personal development book, speaking more, and I'm focusing on building a faith-centered community.
• 2:17
  SPEAKER_00: But along the way, I've realized that we can find true success even if we don't have a lot of money or perfect health.
• 2:25
  SPEAKER_00: I think it's crucial to address the prosperity gospel here.
• 2:30
  SPEAKER_00: Some people may think that if you're truly following God, he will bless you with health and wealth, but the reality is God's blessings don't always look like what we imagine.
• 2:40
  SPEAKER_00: Let's think about Haiti for a second.
• 2:43
  SPEAKER_00: Many of the people live there live in poverty.
• 2:46
  SPEAKER_00: Does that mean they aren't blessed?
• 2:49
  SPEAKER_00: Absolutely not.
• 2:51
  SPEAKER_00: In fact, they experience God's provision in ways we often don't understand.
• 2:56
  SPEAKER_00: As I said in response to this community member, which fire lights the others?
• 3:02
  SPEAKER_00: In the end, we have to remember that God provides everything we need, and everything outside of him is just a bonus.
• 3:10
  SPEAKER_00: He is our ultimate provider.
• 3:14
  SPEAKER_00: Matthew eleven and six says, Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of me.
• 3:21
  SPEAKER_00: The key here is that we're not offended by God's will, even when his will doesn't align with our desire for worldly success.
• 3:31
  SPEAKER_00: I used to think I had to be wealthy or physically fit to thrive.
• 3:36
  SPEAKER_00: I used to place my identity in things like being a gym bro, but now I see that thriving comes from reliance on Christ and being aligned with his will for our lives.
• 3:47
  SPEAKER_00: Simple obedience is the foundation.
• 3:50
  SPEAKER_00: It's not always easy, but it's always the most fulfilling thing we can do.
• 3:58
  SPEAKER_00: This ties perfectly into Matthew 19 and 24, where Jesus says, Again, I tell you, it is easier for a camo to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.
• 4:12
  SPEAKER_00: Wealth itself is not the issue.
• 4:14
  SPEAKER_00: It's when we allow wealth or the pursuit of it to define us.
• 4:18
  SPEAKER_00: It's the distraction, the noise, and the false sense of control that pulls us away from our reliance on God.
• 4:26
  SPEAKER_00: People in places like Haiti may not have wealth, but their reliance on God is so much deeper because they understand at a core level that God is truly all they have.
• 4:39
  SPEAKER_00: Now, I want to share a little bit more about my personal journey.
• 4:43
  SPEAKER_00: I wasn't born into wealth.
• 4:45
  SPEAKER_00: I've struggled in various ways mentally, physically, emotionally.
• 4:49
  SPEAKER_00: I used to be depressed, isolated, and honestly, lost.
• 4:56
  SPEAKER_00: But God.
• 5:00
  SPEAKER_00: But God.
• 5:05
  SPEAKER_00: Luke 7 and 41 to 43.
• 5:08
  SPEAKER_00: Jesus tells a parable about a creditor forgiving two debts, one large and one small.
• 5:14
  SPEAKER_00: The one who owed much more love the creditor more.
• 5:19
  SPEAKER_00: I can relate to that.
• 5:20
  SPEAKER_00: I'm someone who has been forgiven so much.
• 5:22
  SPEAKER_00: I was talking to a couple of my uh community members, and I was telling them I am much more, I'm much closer to being the person who owed the 500 denarii that was forgiven than the person who owed 50.
• 5:42
  SPEAKER_00: As you guys know, I always love to give you practical tips to implement what we're talking about in the podcast.
• 5:49
  SPEAKER_00: And so I have three practical tips for you today.
• 5:52
  SPEAKER_00: Uh, number one is focus on simple obedience.
• 5:56
  SPEAKER_00: Even when it's hard to understand, trust in his will and let God take the reins.
• 6:01
  SPEAKER_00: One of my constant prayers is Lord, even if I do not understand your will, even if it makes absolutely no sense to me, I know that your will for my life is so much greater than my own.
• 6:15
  SPEAKER_00: Your will for my life is what I need to follow.
• 6:20
  SPEAKER_00: And so open my heart and give me the desire to follow your will and not my own.
• 6:25
  SPEAKER_00: Your will be done, not mine.
• 6:28
  SPEAKER_00: So focus on simple obedience, even when it's hard to understand.
• 6:37
  SPEAKER_00: Number two, define prosperity by God's standards.
• 6:41
  SPEAKER_00: Prosperity is not about wealth or health, it's about living in alignment with His will and purpose.
• 6:51
  SPEAKER_00: And number three, thrive where you are.
• 6:54
  SPEAKER_00: Even in seasons of struggle, find your strength in Christ.
• 6:58
  SPEAKER_00: Don't let worldly definitions of success steer your faith journey.
• 7:05
  SPEAKER_00: Alright, before we close out, I want to dive into a quick FAQ section.
• 7:10
  SPEAKER_00: One of the questions I've recently gotten is how do I keep faith strong when everything is falling apart?
• 7:17
  SPEAKER_00: I love this question because I've been there.
• 7:21
  SPEAKER_00: My advice, anchor yourself in scripture.
• 7:25
  SPEAKER_00: One of my go-to verses is John 3 and 16, for God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son that whoever believes in him shall not perish, but have eternal life.
• 7:37
  SPEAKER_00: God's love is constant, even when our circumstances are.
• 7:41
  SPEAKER_00: Trust in that love, and you'll find peace in the chaos.
• 7:45
  SPEAKER_00: Tangibly, I also really, really believe in surrounding yourself with great community, because community can help us keep our minds on Christ versus world.
• 7:57
  SPEAKER_00: Who you surround yourself with is who you will become.
• 8:00
  SPEAKER_00: Surround yourself with people that are who you want to become.
• 8:05
  SPEAKER_00: Thank you all so much for tuning in today.
• 8:07
  SPEAKER_00: I hope this episode encouraged you to think, to rethink how you define success and prosperity.
• 8:14
  SPEAKER_00: Remember, no matter where you are in life, God's purpose for you is far greater than any material blessing.
• 8:21
  SPEAKER_00: Don't forget to join our free community where we can continue these conversations and make sure to share this episode with someone who needs to hear this message.
• 8:30
  SPEAKER_00: You can find all the links in the show notes below.
• 8:34
  SPEAKER_00: Until next time, stay strong in your faith, stay focused on your purpose, and as always, keep growing.
• 8:44
  SPEAKER_00: Again, just a quick reminder: join our free community and share with someone you'd love to grow behind beside.
• 8:50
  SPEAKER_00: I just finished out the first free course, entire breakdown of how I've grown from being depressed and isolated and without a purpose to where I am today.
• 9:02
  SPEAKER_00: And I would love for you to learn and grow through that.
• 9:07
  SPEAKER_00: So um really looking forward to seeing you on the other side in the community and engaging in conversations with you.
• 9:15
  SPEAKER_00: The link is in the show notes, and don't forget to subscribe to the Reborn Podcast on your favorite platform.
• 9:22
  SPEAKER_00: Thank you so much.