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Prosperity and Christmas

In this season of holiday shopping madness the world begins to wonder how it is going to pay its bills. Shoppers go wild spending money they don’t have, buying stuff they and their friends don’t always need (while 2/3 of the world goes without the basics of life) and maxing their credit cards with an “I’ll worry about it later” attitude. Most of the time they focus on shopping, giving gifts, having parties and decorating Christmas trees.

I have never figured out what 90% of “Christmas” has to do with “Christmas” i.e. the birth of Jesus Christ – which is in fact what it is!

Too often people spend money they don’t have without regard to the consequences that follow in the coming year. That “coming year” is just a flip of the calendar’s page away. The Happy New Year, often time, begins with bigger debt than the previous year, and so the vicious cycle begins again and we wonder and worry about how to get out of debt. Yet we hope for an increase in pay or perhaps a job promotion; surely that will solve the financial mess we created by over spending during the holidays. Right? Not likely.

The more money they have, the more they spend. Many times people with large incomes have a higher debt ratio than people with lower incomes.

Let me just run down a small list of the debt-oriented things to which we expose our children to each day. They live in houses with thirty-year mortgages. They wear clothes purchased with credit cards. Those same clothes are washed in washing machines purchased on monthly payment plans. They study from mortgaged computers. They watch mortgaged televisions and use mortgaged computers and smart phones. They sleep on mortgaged beds. They are born into a family up to its eyeballs in debt. They live eighteen to twenty-five years in this debt-ridden environment. When they are old enough to drive, we usually co-sign a bank loan for them to purchase their first automobile. By so doing, we launch them into their own ocean of debt, never to be debt free again.

Is this what God intends?

God desires for His children to prosper in every aspect of their life; spiritually, physically, mentally, emotionally, relationally, socially, and financially. I believe God gave Joshua the secret formula to prosperity:

  • Be strong and courageous; never cowering or compromising the Word.
  • Observe the Law – the law of God’s unconditional love for one another.
  • “Love does no wrong to one’s neighbor [it never hurts anybody]. Therefore love meets all the requirements and is the fulfilling of the Law.” Romans 13:10.
  • Meditate on the Word and don’t allow it to depart from your mouth. In other words bridle your tongue and speak life not death. In every situation you encounter speak spiritual truths from the Word.

“Only be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go. This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:7-9

Joshua’s true prosperity was the Promised Land and government. True prosperity is not exclusively financial wealth; it is health, joy, peace and all nine fruits of the spirit. Peace is a victory that overcomes the world (Galatians 5:22-23).

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Biblical Abundance

One thing we do know is that prosperity doesn’t happen simply because of luck or chance, but because of obedience to God’s Word.

Roman 13:8 tells us, “Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.” Liberty from debt is the will of God.

God desires for us to be free. That is absolutely God’s will for you, and it is possible: “The Lord shall open unto thee his good treasure, the heaven to give the rain unto thy land in his season, and to bless all the work of thine hand: and thou shalt lend unto many nations, and thou shalt not borrow” (Deuteronomy 28:12).

It is God’s will to prosper you beyond your wildest imaginations!

Obstacles to Prosperity

What is holding you back?

There are three major fears in both the world and in the Body of Christ: the fear of death, the fear of sickness, and the fear of poverty. All three are massive hindrances, but the destructive fear of poverty is perhaps the most crippling and enslaving. Sadly, there are those who teach that poverty is a blessing. Poverty is not a blessing! Poverty brings slavery and bondage. The Word of God tells us, “The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender” (Proverbs 22:7). Poverty is pure bondage from which we must be delivered. As a believer, you do not have to lack. You are God’s covenant child, and “it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day” (Deuteronomy 8:18).

Breaking Free from the Fear of Poverty

How do we destroy the chains of debt and bondage that enslave us? How do we break free from the fear of poverty? Here are three keys:

  1. We must call upon the Lord to deliver us from this crippling fear: “But whoso hearkeneth unto Me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil” (Proverbs 1:33). Freedom from the fear and bondage of poverty begins by listening to and obeying the Lord! To be financially safe and secure with no fear of lack, you and I must be obedient to the voice of the Lord.
  2. We cannot trust in money. We must trust in the Lord, for He is our Source. Proverbs 11:28 states, “He that trusteth in his riches shall fall; but the righteous shall flourish as a branch.” God promises to prosper the person who obeys Him, loves Him, and trusts Him.
  3. We must live righteously: “Praise ye the Lord. Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord, that delighteth greatly in his commandments. His seed shall be mighty upon earth: the generation of the upright shall be blessed. Wealth and riches shall be in his house: and his righteousness endureth for ever.” Blessings, as a result of righteousness, bring prosperity with no sorrow (Proverbs 10:22).

The secret to breaking free from the fear of poverty and moving into supernatural prosperity is to live righteously, to obey God. Righteousness and a righteous life put you in line, legally, to prosper.

We are taught this principle again and again throughout His Word:

  • The house of the wicked shall be overthrown: but the tabernacle of the upright shall flourish. (Proverbs 14:11)
  • In the house of the righteous is much treasure: but in the revenues of the wicked is trouble. (Proverbs 15:6)
  • By humility and the fear of the Lord are riches, and honour, and life. (Proverbs 22:4)
  • Do not labour to be rich. Labour instead to become righteous, as we are told, “Labour not to be rich: cease from thine own wisdom” (Proverbs 23:4).
  • As you obey and honour God, “The Lord shall command the blessing upon thee in thy storehouses, and in all that thou settest thine hand unto; and he shall bless thee in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee” (Deuteronomy 28:8).

Remember, it’s not luck. It’s pure obedience.

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Another Look at Prosperity

Seven Reasons why you may not be Prospering

  1. Are you being faithful with tithes?
  2. Are you taking care of the house of the Lord?
  3. Have you been faithful to fulfill your vows?
  4. Are you being a good manager what you already have?
  5. Are you neglecting the Word of God in your life?
  6. Are you failing to pursue the dream, goal, strategy, or the vision, that God has given you?
  7. Negligence is the devil working through you.

Seven Ways to Prosper

  1. The Lord must be with you. (ie. born again)
  2. Know God’s ways and how He operates.
  3. You must renew your mind and thoughts.
  4. Begin to release words out of your mouth to establish prosperity.
  5. Meditate on the Word.
  6. Begin the process of seed time and harvest.
  7. Stay consistent and committed to that which you have started.
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Believe These Four Lies and you Will Never Prosper

1. You can’t afford to tithe.

You can’t afford not to! The tithe is not yours and certainly not yours to negotiate. Not only is it God’s but it is Holy. Under the old law Levitical system the Jews (and Christians) paid their tithes as a tax to the temples. However, since Jesus paid our sin/debt on the cross, we tithe as an offering of gratitude. It amazes me that people will give 15% to a waitress but not 10% to God.

2. Properity is the same as money and having money is wrong.

It is the LOVE of money that is wrong. Money has no character (it is simply ink on paper) but takes on the character of the person using it. It can be used for sin or blessing. Financial blessing is only one part of God’s plan for abundance. Loving families, fulfilling relationships, good health, and a life filled with purpose is all part of the package from John 10:10.

3. God wants you poor.

What could you do if you had more money? Give it away and help more people. If the Pastor from your church wanted you to write a cheque for $10,000. to buy bibles for a third world country, could you do it? If not, why not? Simply, because you don’t have enough money. What if you had more? We are to be so rich that we can constantly bless others and build the Kingdom which is what money is for. (Deut 8:18)

4. All the church wants is your money.

No, God is not in the business of taking money from you, He is the business is getting it to you! How? Through His economic system, not the worlds. The world system is based upon work and seeing how much one can get. God’s system is based upon giving to be a blessing so that He can return it to you so that you can repeat the cycle. He is looking for people that He can trust and who are givers. Can you keep some of it? Yes! God wants you blest! However, what he is really looking for is to see if you have covetousness attitude towards money and possessions or if your heart is filled with the joy of giving to others?

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Prosperity – Part 2 of 2

Another concept that is difficult for the simple human mind to comprehend is supernatural debt cancellation. However, just like supernatural blessing, God can perform supernatural debt cancellation as well by doing one of three things:

1. He provides the finances

Examples: Elisha told the woman to sell the olive oil in her clay jugs after they had been supernaturally filled; Simon was not getting a lot of fish until Jesus told him where to drop his nets; taxes owed were paid for by a coin in a fish’s mouth

2. He removes the debt

Examples: Nehemiah cancelled the debts of the poor jews; the King forgave his servant of the 10,000 talents

3. He moves upon others

Examples: The good Samaritan paid for the needs of another; Paul promised to pay in full the wrongs of another person (Philemon 18-19.) We must remember when we refer to others helping us out that it is God that moves upon a person to help someone else. We are not to move another person for our benefit. Faith puts no pressure on others, faith puts pressure on the Word because faith says that “God is my source.”

Just like the world has banks, God has a heavenly bank. His however, has no debt and does not give loans (which would be debt.) God’s bank operates strictly as place of deposit and withdrawal. We “deposit” by tithing, investing in th gospel, giving to the poor, and giving praise to God. Here is a 7-point Bank of Heaven Withdrawal:

  1. Decide on what you need (James 1:5-8) Be exact, single minded about it, and write it down.
  2. Get into agreement with people of like faith (Mathew 18: 19-20)
  3. Claim what you need by faith (Mark 11:23-24)
  4. Bind the devil and his forces (Matt. 18:18)
  5. Loose the angels to get it (Heb. 1:4)
  6. Continually praise Go for it (Ps. 34:1)
  7. Avoid strife and unforgiveness (James 3:16, Mark 11:25 – 26)

One of the reasons people don’t get a big enough harvest, is that they don’t call it in. God provides the seed, man does the planting, God makes the increase, but man has to do the harvesting! In the case of a farmer and his crop, that means operating a combine. In the case of money, it means activating faith and using words to call it in. That is simply because our mouths harvest what we say. Additionally, we are to command the angels to go and get the harvest as stated in Hebrews 1:14; “Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?”

Christianity is known as the “great confession.” In fact the whole basis of our faith is confession. It started right in Genesis chapter one where God “said” and as a result of that, His words created the world. God said He would look after the heavens, and then Jesus said that He had given us all power and authority on the Earth. That power comes through faith and is activated by words. If we don’t call in our harvest, we don’t get one…..

Five vital Truths about Words

  1. There is nothing in this earth so great or so powerful, including the physical body, that cannot be turned around by our words. We can turn around any situation with our words.
  2. The entire course of nature and the circumstances surrounding every human being are controlled by that person’s words.
  3. We don’t have a choice whether or not we live by words. We do, however, have a choice of what words we live by.
  4. If your mouth will feed your heart the word of faith when you don’t need it – your heart will feed your mouth the word of faith when you do need it.
  5. We appropriate what is ours in Christ by making God’s Word a daily part of our vocabulary. We are to confess what we can do in Christ, who we are in Christ, and what we have in Christ.

Proverbs 22:17 – 18 (AMP) says, “Listen (consent and submit) to the words of the wise, and apply your mind to My knowledge; for it will be pleasant if you keep them in your mind (believing them); your lips will be accustomed to (confessing) them.

Isaiah 58:13 says, “Don’t speak your own words.”

  1. Words are God’s method of operation by which He accomplishes His will, purpose and desires.
  2. Words set spiritual laws in motion; The Law of Sin and Death and The Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus.
  3. Words are the most important things in the universe. Faith filled words will put you over; fear filled words will defeat you.
  4. Words are spiritual containers that carry power. They will either carry love and faith or hate and fear.
  5. Words are seeds sown with your mouth that produce after the own kind.
  6. Words are the process starters of life.
  7. Words are the building blocks with which you construct your life and future.
  8. Words have creative ability. They create the realities you see. God’s Word, the incorruptible seed, has within it the ability and DNA to cause itself to come to pass.
  9. Words program the human spirit for success or failure.
  10. Words of God, conceived in the heart, spoken out the mouth become a spiritual force that release faith which is the creative ability of God.
  11. Words establish strongholds, break habits, change things, redirect thought patterns.
  12. Words point you in whatever direction they are aimed at and released.
  13. Words set the course of your life.
  14. Words determine your future, your health, your wealth and your place in eternity – you are the prophet of your own life.
  15. Words arrive at your future before you do.
  16. Words create desires and transmit images that you will eventually live out.
  17. Words give permission and license to spiritual forces to work for you or against you.
  18. Words are our method of operation, by which God accomplished His will, purpose and desire for our lives.

What it will take to prosper in the famine times – total immersion

The attack on the mind in today’s world is immense. How can we be in this world but not part of it? The bible tells us to not be conformed to this world. In other words, don’t be so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. We must be transformed by the renewing of our minds. How do we do that? Isaiah 26:3 says, “thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on thee, because he trusts in thee.” Psalm 1:1-3 is the principle of total immersion. “Blessed is the man that walks not in the counsel the thee ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in His law does he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, and bring forth fruit in his season: his leaf also shall not whither: and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.”

Total transformation in your thinking comes from total immersion in God’s Word. By constantly immersing yourself in God’s Word, you will flush out all fear of failure and become rooted in the truth of your prosperity. Joshua 1:8 says, “meditate on the Word day and night and then you will be will be prosperous.”

Living Debt Free

There are several steps to living debt free:

  1. Seek first the Kingdom of God.
  2. Owe no man any thing except to love him in Christ.
  3. Make a decision to live debt free. (do the natural things like destroying credit cards, consolidating debts, reducing monthly payments and interest rates etc.)
  4. Keep tithing and planting seeds

The Grace of Giving

We must remember to give; give generously and not sparingly or with a grudge. “Remember this; he who sows sparingly and grudgingly will also reap sparingly and grudgingly, and he who sows generously will also reap generously and with blessings.” 2Cor. 9:6 We must also give from the heart and not from our head! We must also give cheerfully.

AMP “God is able to make all grace (every favour and earthly blessings) come to you in abundance, so that you may always and under all circumstances and whatever the need be self-sufficient (possessing enough to require no aid or support and furnish in abundance) for every good work and charitable donation.”

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Prosperity – Part 1 of 2

God wants you to prosper. It is not an idea that is new or open for debate although it often is by both Christians and non-Christians. The bible is soooo clear on this, I fail to understand what the issue is!

“Beloved I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prosperity.” 3 John 2. Without any further scripture, this one alone seems “cut and dried to me,” however, the book of Psalms continues with “Let the Lord be magnified, which has pleasure in the prosperity of His servant.” God not only desires for us to be prosperous, but actually takes pleasure in it! If we walk under the blessing of the Lord, which we do automatically the day we are born again, then that blessing will make us rich without sorrow. (Prov. 10 :22) God has a covenant determination to prosper us and to bless us in every way; health, happiness, financial, social and relational blessings as well. Our responsibility is to believe that and to receive it.

Prosperity is the ability to use God’s power and all that He has provided for us to meet the needs of mankind in every realm and area of life – spirit, soul and body, financially, emotionally, and relationally. As Christians we are not subject to, and do not live under the domination, rule, control, or influence of whichever way the economy and the world man-made system is going at any given moment. On the contrary, the world and the world system is under the authority of the Word of God, the blood and the Name of Jesus, when spoken and acted upon by the believer. Perhaps the greatest tragedy of the Christian life, is that many, too many, Christians do not know of the very power that is available to them for the simple acts of accepting, believing and acting upon the Word of God.

As we read in John 17: 13-22, we are separated from the world’s failing system which was established after the Tower of Babel when the world’s population was scattered around the globe. (hence the economic “system” in the worlds today is called the babylonian system.) In Galatians 1:4, God says He will deliver us from this present world, so I guess that means that we are not to be part of something that He wants us to be delivered from! Since we are not part of this system, but rather separated unto God, we are therefore put into the secret place of the most high God to flourish and prosper.

An example of flourishing in difficult times is best illustrated by Issac in the book of Genesis where it tells of a terrible famine that was plaguing the world and the economic system. It was (and still is) a dark time for those who did not know God and the covenant that He has made with all of us. Famine brings fear, uncertainly, hopelessness, and hunger. However, God said, that He would save us from death in time of famine. How did Isaac do it? By sowing, believing, trusting, and accepting. The sowing of his seed was the action part (ie. faith without works is dead.) Believing is simply that; believing that in spite of the world around us, we know that God has a covenant with us once we have accepted Him as Lord of our lives. The trusting part is to stand on the Word no matter what the circumstances are. (ie faith) The accepting part is know that what God says and does is true and therfore “it is done.” In short, prosperity even in difficult economic times is simply ones obedience to the Word and power of the living God.

The Garden of Eden was a perfect demonstration of God’s plan for this planet. Not only a “demonstration” but the actual foundation for what was supposed to be – a prototype. Adam’s job was to exercise his God given authority and expand the Garden until it encompassed the entire earth. That was what the blessing was for. It provided Adam with the power to carry on the work God began at creation. It equipped him with the divine resources he needed to follow God’s example. He was to transform the uncultivated parts of this planet into a viable and prosperous Garden of Eden by speaking faith filled words, just as God did when He made the planet. The blessing of the Lord empowered Adam to be the blessing wherever he went. The blessing was literally inside of Adam, just as it is inside of each one of us!

Adam is called “the first Adam” who unfortunately did not follow the plan, and was definitely not “with the program.” Jesus came as the “second Adam.” His purpose was to “redeem” or buy back that which was lost. (ie. the blessing) First though, God re-established His foundation of blessing through Abraham, but required him to follow all kinds of blood rituals of atonement to live under the blessing. Jesus became the atonement and the redemption fo the garden was complete in Him through His blood.

In the Book of Dueteronomy God outlines the two choices fo mankind; either be blest or don’t be! (gee, this is not rocket science!) The list of cursings that will take place if we do not obey God is over twice as long as the list of blessings that will take place if we do obey God. The blessings include:

  • All these blessings will over take you
  • God will order a blessing on your barns and workplaces
  • The Lord shall make you have a surplus of prosperity
  • The Lord will make you fertile in every good thing
  • The Lord will send rain at the proper time from His rich treasury in the heavens and will bless the work you do
  • The Lord will open the storehouse of the windows of heaven.

In short, if we are walking in the fullness of the blessing, we are over flowing with an abundant life. The role of money in our lives is very important; perhaps one of the most important factors in our lives. Money issues can be a source of stress and pressure. It (if we allow it to) controls lives, attitudes, and emotions. Some people are selfish with it, driven to make as much as they can, spend it on themselves, or worse yet, horde it! A simple way to settle these issues is to take the stand that we serve God and money serves us. The seed we plant into God’s Kingdom was designed by God to serve us. In Mark 10:17-22 we see an example of a man serving money and in Mk. 12:41 – 44, we see an example of money serving a women.

How we conduct ourselves with money is also very impotant. The love of it is the root of all evil, not the money itself. We don’t love money, we love God and like what money can do. We don’t trust money, we trust God. We are not takers of money, we are givers and use money as a tool to help others. The purpose of money is to build the Kingdom (Deut. 8:18)

The bible has numerous examples of supernatural provision, the multiplying of the boy’s bread and fish dinners being the best example. This kind of provision is foreign to man’s way of thinking and therefore difficult for many to even comprehend. However, God has supernatural ways to fully supply every need in the face of fear, shortage and a bad economy. How do we put ourselves in alignment to experience and receive supernatural provision? First we must enlarge our capacity of our own thinking.

Believe that it can happen! We must continually feed on His Word, renew our minds, and exercise our faith by calling things that be not as though they were just as Abraham did as outlined in the book of Hebrews. The Amplified bible in Ephesians 3:20 says it the best:

“Now to Him Who, by the action of His power that is at work in us, is able to carry out His purpose and do superabundantly, far over and above all that we dare ask or think infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, hopes or dreams – to Him be glory in the church….”

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Notes on Wisdom – Taken from Andy Stanleys Book, “The Principle of the Path”

“The prudent see danger and take refuge” (Prov. 27:12a)

In light of my past experience, and my future hopes and dreams, what is the wise thing to do?

“…but the simple keep going and suffer for it.” (Prov. 27:12b)

“Simple” is used interchangeably with the term naive. Most people believe that there is a connection between the choices that they make today and their future, they just don’t live as if it is. Every time you talk yourself out of doing something that you should or should not do (exercising, lie to your spouse, spending money you haven’t got) you act as if today is in no way connected to tomorrow.

What are we going to suffer? For being oblivious to the obvious.

When it dawns on us that the undesirable but ever-so-predictable outcome of own choices is bearing down on us, we move into victim mode. Christians start talking about forgiveness as if somehow forgiveness serves as an escape hatch from the outcome of bad decisions. This is when people threaten to sue or countersue. Suddenly we want a second chance. We began talking about turning over a new leaf. This is when the formerly religious start showing up in church. We are quick to remind the world that nobody is perfect. If all else fails we play the fairness card: “it’s not fair that this is happening to me!”

Ignore the signs, and pay the price. When it dawns on you that you are addicted, that’s not the time to start thinking about more accountability and increased discipline. It is too late for that. When your credit cards are full and you are afraid to check the answering machine, that’s not the time to consider developing a budget and altering your spending habits. When your spouse serves you with papers, that’s not the time to begin working on your marriage. That opportunity is in the rearview mirror.

Our greatest regrets are all our fault.

Our problem stems from the fact that we are not on a truth quest. That is, we don’t wake up every morning with a burning desire to know what’s true, what’s right, what’s honourable. We are on a happy quest. We want to be – as in “feel” – happy. Our quest for happiness often trumps our appreciation for the pursuit of what’s true.

Why do we knowingly choose paths that take us where we already decided we don’t want to go? The answer is, when we stand at a crossroads between prudent and happy, we lie to ourselves. We turn into dishonest salespeople. We begin selling ourselves on what we want to do rather than what we ought to do. We listen to ourselves and, we believe our own lies, and then we opt for happiness.

“The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure.” (Jer. 17:9)

How many times have you looked back on something you’ve done and thought, “I don’t understand why I did that. What was I thinking?” Think of the times you’ve watched smart people do dumb things and thought, “I don’t understand why they do that.” The reason you don’t understand some of your decisions is the same reason I don’t understand many of mine. According to Jeremiah, no one can understand the heart.

The truth is, your heart can’t always be trusted. The truth is, there are better decision-making strategies than simply following your heart. The truth is, if you let it, your heart will direct you down a path that leads to the very spot you most want to avoid. Now that you know the truth about your heart, you don’t have to be deceived!

Three questions to help keep your heart and check:

  1. Why am I doing this, really?
  2. If someone in my circumstances came to me for advice, what course of action would I recommend?
  3. In light of my past experience, my future hopes, and my dreams, what is the wisest thing to do?

Choosing the right path begins with submission, not information. Not even direction. Submission. Specifically, submission to the One who knows were each path leads, as well as where it doesn’t lead.

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lead not on to your own understanding.” (Prov. 3:5)

Choosing the best path then begins with submission. Use this prayer:

“Lord, I’m leaning on you, not my experience, my insight, or my education. When conventional wisdom conflicts with what you have revealed through Your scriptures, I’ll lean hard into your revelation rather than my understanding. When my emotions are in conflict with your law, I’ll lean on your law and harness my emotions.”

“In all your ways and knowledge Him, and he will make the your paths straight.” (Prov. 3:6)

One never accomplishes the will of God by breaking the law of God, violating the principles of God, or ignoring the wisdom of God. Therefore, apply these three questions to every option that comes your way:

  1. Does this option violate God’s law?
  2. Does this option violate a principle of God’s?
  3. In light of the story I want to tell, what is the wisest thing to do?

Consumption does not lead to contentment.

The great thing about having friends who share your season of light is that you have so much in common. The downside to that is they are much further down the road of life than you are. Friends are great for friendship. They aren’t always that great for advice giving. Often it is not their advice that gets us into trouble – it is the assumptions we make based on what we observe about our friends. These assumptions become a map we inadvertently follow. I call this the “herd assumption.” The herd assumption happens when you assume that since everybody you know is doing something the same way, it must be right. If everybody you know is mortgaged to the hilt, driving two leased vehicles, and applying for a home equity line of credit, then it can’t be all that bad. If everybody you know a sleeping with whoever they happen to be dating at the time, and it’s just the way the world works. If everybody you know works 60 hours a week and sees their family primarily on weekends, then it must work out. Somehow. The problem, of course, is that everybody is headed for a similar destination at which no one knows and like you will discouver their mistakes, the hard way…

Spiritual development operates like the principle of the harvest. You sow early and reap late.

If you and God care about your future, why would you resist Him? When we resist God’s will for our lives, we are in essence resisting God. Pay attention to the things that are competing for your attention. Pause before devoting your attention to anything. Devote special attention to those things that deserve your attention. Beware of things that take your attention off of God.

Have a richly blest day!

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Taxes

A tax assessor came one day to a poor Christian to determine the amount of taxes he would have to pay. The following conversation took place:

“What property do you possess?”, asked the assessor. “I am a very wealthy man”, replied the Christian. “List your possessions, please”, the assessor instructed.

The Christian said:

  • “First, I have everlasting life” (John 3:16).
  • “Second, I have a mansion in heaven” (John 14:2).
  • “Third, I have peace that passes all understanding” (Philippians 4:7).
  • “Fourth, I have joy unspeakable” (1 Peter 1:8).
  • “Fifth, I have divine love which never fails”( 1 Corinthians 13:8).
  • “Sixth, I have a faithful wife” (Proverbs 31:10).
  • “Seventh, I have healthy, happy obedient children” (Exodus 20:12).
  • “Eighth, I have true, loyal friends” (Proverbs 18:24).
  • “Ninth, I have songs in the night” (Psalms 42:8).
  • “Tenth, I have a crown of life” (James 1:12).

The tax assessor closed his book, and said, “Truly you are a very rich man, but your property is not subject to taxation.”

I pray that all of us will have this kind of tax free “wealth.”

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It’s Time To Get Out Of Debt! Part 2

Realize that you are a covenant person, which sets you apart from others who aren’t.

Today, as always, there is a major difference between God’s covenant people and unbelievers. You must begin to believe it with all your might! The way you see yourself and talk about yourself is the way the devil sees you. You’ve got to begin seeing yourself as God sees you!

Follow These Six Principles for Prosperity

1. It is God’s will for you to have increase. The Bible is filled with principles for godly prosperity.

God gives abundance for a purpose, not merely for laying up treasure for yourself. Jesus tells the parable of the rich man who said, “I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry” (Luke 12:19). God said to the foolish rich man, “This night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God” (Luke 12:20-21).

God requires that you pay fair wages: “Behold, the hire of the labourers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth: and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of sabaoth” (James 5:4).

God says to give to those in need, rather than merely giving to buy prestige: “He that oppresseth the poor to increase his riches, and he that giveth to the rich, shall surely come to want” (Proverbs 22:16).

God gives abundance so you can build a heavenly treasury: “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal” (Matthew 6:19-20).

Giving to God’s work causes sufficiency to abound and bountifulness to be enriched: “This I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.… And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work” (2 Corinthians 9:6,8). Giving also causes bountifulness to be enriched: “Now he that ministereth seed to the sower both minister bread for your food, and multiply your seed sown, and increase the fruits of your righteousness; Being enriched in every thing to all bountifulness, which causeth through us thanksgiving to God” (2 Corinthians 9:10-11).

Giving to God’s work brings increase: “There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth; and there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty” (Proverbs 11:24).

Giving to the needy brings no lack: “He that giveth unto the poor shall not lack: but he that hideth his eyes shall have many a curse” (Proverbs 28:27).

These seven principles help point out the major difference between the world’s prosperity message and the Gospel’s prosperity message. The message of the world is greed: get all you can get! But the message of the Gospel is knowing the will of God and using His abundant overflow to take the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the world.

Greed versus giving—that’s the difference!

2. Live in God’s Economy

There are 2,250 scriptures dealing with money, and the Bible focuses much time on being a good steward over our money. How we handle our finances determines how we handle our life: “Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also” (Matthew 6:21).

Biblical prosperity is the result of truth in your life: “Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth” (3 John 2).

The Word of God promises abundance, life, peace, joy, and health—nothing lacking. All it requires is faithfulness. If your faith is abundant, the return will always be abundant.

God’s Word is filled with these promises, and they are ours!

What He requires is obedience. Faith without faithfulness and obedience is worthless: “Faith without works is dead” (James 2:20).

Every spiritual act demands a physical act. When you receive Jesus Christ into your heart, God requires a public confession of faith. When you want to be healed, you must reach out and receive. You must make a point of contact. You must act in faith, whether you desire a spiritual, emotional, physical, or financial miracle!

Likewise, supernatural financial healing requires a natural act. It requires a step of faith. And that step is giving! Be a faithful giver, and you will be amazed at the results.

3. Target your seed as you give.

Then give with expectancy. See yourself coming out of debt. Give toward your future. Let this month’s seed-gift be the beginning of giving that will target your coming out of debt.

4. Hammer Away at Debt

“But I’ve got a wall of debt in front of me,” you may say.

Let your giving be your hammer to begin breaking down that wall. Maybe each hammer strike will only chip away a portion of the wall, but as you keep hammering away, you will soon be surprised at how that wall begins to fall apart.

Keep hammering until that wall of debt shatters completely!

Biblical blessing cannot be left to chance. It comes as the result of obeying God, believing His Word, and stepping out in faith with our giving: “Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again” (Luke 6:38).

Jesus often talked about the power of seed that is planted in faith: “If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you” (Matthew 17:20).

The apostle Paul often referred to the law of sowing and reaping: “Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap” (Galatians 6:7).

Throughout the Scriptures, the Lord tells us what to do if we want mountains moved – and that certainly includes a wall of debt. Plant your seed as an act of faith!

5. It is time for your supernatural harvest! Prepare to receive!

This is the time to prepare by sowing seed. Release your seed-gift as an act of faith, and the Lord will surely send you a supernatural harvest.

Now is the time to get out of debt, for your greatest days are ahead!

Moses and the children of Israel were told, “All these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God” (Deuteronomy 28:2). They believed it, and the gold became as dust and rocks in the land.

6. Release your faith as you sow a sacrificial seed!

If your need is great, your seed should be great. Sow your seed toward the Gospel and target that seed toward a harvest to see a wonderful breakthrough with your finances!

It’s time to break free from the bondage that has been holding you back!

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It’s Time To Get Out Of Debt! Part 1

Divine prosperity is God’s will for you!

It has been that way dating back to the earliest times. God told Abraham, “I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing” (Genesis 12:2). All we have to do is obey God: “Keep therefore the words of this covenant, and do them, that ye may prosper in all that ye do” (Deuteronomy 29:9). We are told, “If they obey and serve him, they shall spend their days in prosperity” (Job 36:11).

God gets pleasure from pouring out His abundance on the obedient and faithful. We are told, “I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me. Riches and honour are with me; yea, durable riches and righteousness.… That I may cause those that love me to inherit substance; and I will fill their treasures” (Proverbs 8:17-18, 21). That is why the psalmist wrote, “Let them shout for joy, and be glad, that favour my righteous cause: yea, let them say continually, Let the Lord be magnified, which hath pleasure in the prosperity of his servant” (Psalm 35:27).

Break Free from Debt

Poverty brings about slavery and bondage: “The borrower is servant to the lender” (Proverbs 22:7). Bondage to debt is crippling. That is why the Word of God adamantly states that it is His will for us to be free from debt! The Bible is filled with warnings against slavery to debt. And that is where so many believers are living today – in debt, in bondage, and out of God’s will.

Obedience and faithfulness bring freedom and prosperity. When God’s Word invades your heart and you are faithful to Him, prosperity is the result. In fact, the only part of the Gospel that works for you is the part you understand and obey: “If thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to observe and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that the Lord thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth” (Deuteronomy 28:1).

Faithfulness and obedience lead us to a long list of powerful promises – blessings will overtake us, blessings will occur in the city and in the field, blessings will come to our children, crops, and possessions, blessings will fall upon our provisions, and we will be blessed wherever we are (Deuteronomy 28:2-6).

All that will come to pass if we hear and obey His voice!

Expect Supernatural Abundance

Living a life of righteousness and faith puts you in line to prosper supernaturally: “The tabernacle of the upright shall flourish” (Proverbs 14:11). And God promises, “In the house of the righteous is much treasure: but in the revenues of the wicked is trouble” (Proverbs 15:6).

God wants to cover you with His blessings: “God giveth to a man that is good in his sight wisdom, and knowledge, and joy: but to the sinner he giveth travail, to gather and to heap up, that he may give to him that is good before God” (Ecclesiastes 2:26).

It is time to focus on getting out of debt and breaking free from the shackles of bondage.

It is time to decide to get out of debt and not turn back.

We know we can’t look to the world’s systems. The world doesn’t encourage us to get out of debt. Governments around the world are overwhelmed with debt with seemingly no way out. Institutions and individuals all around the globe are still trying to borrow their way to prosperity – the worst thing to do.

God’s Word tells us, “Thou shalt lend unto many nations, and thou shalt not borrow” (Deuteronomy 28:12).

We are given this promise: “Thou shalt remember the Lord thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day” (Deuteronomy 8:18).

As you study the Bible, it is interesting to note how many times that when famine strikes, it changes things in the spirit for God’s people – not for the world, but for God’s people. Natural famine, often happening because of both natural and spiritual sin, brings spiritual change.

When famine came in the days of Abraham, it changed everything for him. The same happened for Isaac, Jacob, Israel, David, Solomon, and so many more people. Just because we are going through famine in the natural, it should not be ignored in the spirit. It is time to open your spiritual eyes to see why it is happening.

When Elijah appeared on the scene, the first thing he prophesied was famine. The land was encased in sin because of King Ahab and Queen Jezebel. The famine came, and God sent Elijah to prepare for the ministry that would impact the entire region.

There are many parallels today, and as you look with spiritually opened eyes, you can see that though we are going through famine and downturn, there is great abundance ahead for God’s people. His children should be getting ready today for what is coming tomorrow!

As you are obedient to God’s direction in your life, you will experience abundance like you have never seen, for the righteous are always the people who prosper in times of famine.

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