How to Live a Blessed Life by Brian Houston
This 54-page book has a great cover. Even better, the subtitle promises to give us “Principles from the life of the righteous man in Psalm 112”.
In keeping with Brian's reasonably well-publicized views on prosperity, we find Psalm 112:3 quoted on page 14: “Wealth and riches will be in his house”. Brian is very clear on what this means: it is about physical prosperity. This guarantee must not be spiritualized away. Prosperity is the promise God gives us. Says Brian, “I cannot find any scripture that states it is God's will for us to be poor and destitute”.
This statement is qualified, however, with the careful note that we are not just talking about money: “Money cannot buy family, great relationships, a good reputation, or physical well-being. Don't under-estimate or exclude these from your definition of prosperity.” (p. 15)
Although the book is based on Psalm 112, there are many quotes from other parts of the Bible. It's not only about Psalm 112, but about the blessings promised in the whole of Scripture. Given this—and it's especially surprising for a book that's all about blessing—it's disappointing to see how little mention we find of the source of all blessing, the Lord Jesus. You will be blessed if you “give your life” to him (p. 13); he is “gracious and full of compassion” (p. 21); he is God's representative, the “light of the world” (p. 19); but he is elsewhere mentioned only in passing.
There are some other fairly major omissions. In Brian's view, Psalm 112 doesn't seem to be about Jesus (and see Luke 24:44 for why this is a problem). One key blessing—repentance leading to forgiveness of sins—isn't mentioned anywhere. Despite the sustained contrast the Psalm makes between the righteous man (who endures) and the wicked man (who “gnashes his teeth and melts away”), Brian makes no mention of the fearful judgement of God that underpins this contrast.
This book misses the meaning and purpose of the Psalm and replaces it with an application about material wealth completely ripped out of its Old Testament context. However, inside the back cover, there is the very useful information that Brian Houston's book, You Need More Money, is currently out of print.
Here, by way of contrast, is Luke 6:20-26, presented as a bonus to CHN readers who have read up to this point:
Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.
Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you shall be satisfied.
Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh.
Blessed are you when people hate you and when they exclude you and revile you and spurn your name as evil, on account of the Son of Man! Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven; for so their fathers did to the prophets.
But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation.
Woe to you who are full now, for you shall be hungry.
Woe to you who laugh now, for you shall mourn and weep.
Woe to you, when all people speak well of you, for so their fathers did to the false prophets.