Tag Archive for: wealth

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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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The Laws of Reaping and Sowing – Part 3

1) Give Cheerfully

“So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.” (2 Corinthians 9:7)

Do you know how you get cheerful in giving? You expect results. You expect a harvest. The farmer that is out there laboring in the field planting his seed has a joy on the inside of him because he knows he is going to have a harvest one day. When you sow your finances do you expect a harvest? Well, you should because God has promised it. God says that He will multiply seed that is sown. When I give for the Gospel’s sake, I’m planting seeds in the Kingdom of God.

Do not “give until it hurts” – give until it’s not joyful anymore!

This principle is working in every facet of life. Words, thoughts, actions and money are all seeds. Ideas are seeds. One idea inspired by God can change your whole life. Thoughts are seeds. Thoughts from the devil are seeds trying to overcome the Word of God. We stand in the strategic position of being the only one that can determine the outcome of our lives by the seeds that we allow to enter into our hearts. What seeds are growing in your heart? I trust they are God’s Words. If they are, then you are in store for a wonderful harvest.

2) Consider Your Ways

“Now therefore, thus says the LORD of hosts: “Consider your ways! You have sown much, and bring in little;You eat, but do not have enough; You drink, but you are not filled with drink; You clothe yourselves, but no one is warm; And he who earns wages, Earns wages to put into a bag with holes. Thus says the LORD of hosts: Consider your ways!” (Haggai 1:5-7)

Everything on the earth revolves around the law of Seed time and Harvest – our words, our thoughts, our finances. Principles of Seed time and Harvest are discussed repeatedly throughout the Old and New Testaments. In Galatians 6:7 the Bible tells us, “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.”

If you are sowing productive seeds according to God’s Word and have not been reaping the abundant harvest that God promises, then God says, “. . .then, consider your ways.” Take an inventory of your life and find out what has been hindering your harvest.

3) Expect A Harvest

A farmer has joy on the inside of him when he plants his seed. Even though it is hard, laboring work, and even though he knows there is much tilling, weeding, and fertilizing ahead of him, he expects a harvest and plans for it. He knows the law of Seed time and harvest, so there is a joy in planting the seed.

The prosperity message (a term I do not like) is not a ‘get-rich-quick’ scheme or an overnight success formula that you can work up and then just live anyway that you want. It is really about “blessing” which is a lifestyle that is the result of seed time and harvest you have to be committed.

The laws of God work together. One is designed to affect the other, and you can’t pick out one little thing and ignore the rest and expect it all to work. For instance, in flying, there is the law of lift, the law of drag, and the law of thrust. If you don’t apply those laws properly, even though they are laws, you won’t get off the ground. Once you get off the ground, if you do something to interfere with those laws, such as turn the engines off, then you negate those laws and another law comes into manifestation immediately – the law of gravity.

This blog post has been adapted from my Biblical Economics 101 course. Learn what the Word of God can teach you about money and wealth with Biblical Economics 101.

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The Laws of Reaping and Sowing – Part 2

“Even as I have seen, Those who plow iniquity, And sow trouble reap the same.” (Job 4:8)

Our hearts are a spiritual production center, and the seeds we sow will grow. There is work going on inside of us. The Bible says “as a man thinketh in his heart so is he . . .” (Prov. 23:7). Every word that we hear and allow to get into our hearts will produce. As we think on those things and mediate on them, they become reality. We become what we think; what we dwell on, and the very seeds that we sow in my heart are eventually going to reap a harvest.

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

“Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy – meditate on these things. The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.” Phil 4:6-9

We’ve been taught how to fail: how to go broke, how to live in misery, how to fail in marriage, how to fail in business, how to be sick, and, for the most part, we’ve been very good students. Now time for us to have our minds renewed to God’s ways. God says that we can succeed through the Word, so let’s plant those seeds and begin to harvest success.

“And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” (Romans 12:2)

If you plow iniquity and wickedness, you are going to reap iniquity and wickedness. If you sow seeds of hatred, you are going to reap hatred. On the other hand, if you sow seeds of love, you are going to reap love. If you plant seeds of strife, there is going to be strife around you all the time.

“Sow for yourselves righteousness; Reap in mercy.” (Hosea 10:12)

If you want good things in your life, then you must sow good seed. How? Right words!

“A man’s stomach shall be satisfied from the fruit of his mouth; From the produce of his lips he shall be filled. Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it will eat its fruit.” (Proverbs 18:20-21) (KJ)

The Bible tells us to put away from ourselves a forward mouth, and we are to put perverse lips far from us. A forward mouth is one that is not under the conviction of God’s Word. It is an uncontrolled mouth. Learn to speak the words of God in every situation and the harvest that begins to come up in your life will be one of joy, peace, health, happiness, and prosperity.

The Bible even expresses that the giving of our finances is like sowing. Our money is seed.

“But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.” (2 Corinthians 9:6)

What if you don’t have any seed?

“For God is the one who provides seed for the farmer and then bread to eat. In the same way, he will provide and increase your resources and then produce a great harvest of generosity in you. (2 Cor. 9:10) L.B.

How you sow will dictate how much you reap. This is a spiritual law and it will work for you if you will put into work.

This blog post has been adapted from my Biblical Economics 101 course. Learn what the Word of God can teach you about money and wealth with Biblical Economics 101.

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The Laws of Reaping and Sowing – Part 1

“While the earth remains, Seed time and harvest, Cold and heat, Winter and summer, And day and night, Shall not cease.” (Gen 8:22)

God is telling us that some things will never change.

As long as the earth remains, there is going to be Seed time and harvest, and day and night, and summer and winter. You can not change it.

A law is defined as a general principle to which all applicable things must conform. When there is something that never changes, then it is commonly referred to as a law. God is telling us here in Gen 8:22 that Seed time and Harvest is a spiritual law put into motion by Him.

“Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap…” (Gal 6:7)

“But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.” (2 Corinthians 9:6)

Our whole lives consist of seed planting. We are planting seeds all of the time with our thoughts, our words, and our actions. We are therefore all sowers, and God says to us in Mark 4:14, “The sower sows the word,” so God compares words with seed. Every word that we speak is a seed. Our heart is the ground in which these seeds are planted, and if the ground is good, the seeds are going to take root and grow and produce fruit. You can either plant good seeds from the Word of God in that ground, or you can plant bad seeds (of doubt and unbelief). If you plant bad seeds in your ground (your heart) you will get a crop of misery, sickness, poverty, lack and want.

“Brood of vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things. But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.” (Matt 12:34-37)

Our eyes and ears are gateways to our hearts. What we hear will get into our hearts and if our eyes are not focused on God’s Word then our whole being is going to be full of darkness. If our eyes are focused on God’s Word, then our whole being is going to be full of light. Whatever we are listening to and adhering to is going to produce fruit in our lives (ie. Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap).

If we are not satisfied with our lives, if we are not happy with what is happening around us, we cannot blame anyone but ourselves. We are the ones who planted the seeds. If we don’t want tomato seeds in our garden, don’t plant tomato seeds. If we don’t want defeat in our lives, quit planting those seeds of defeat.

Book Recommendation: “The Principle of the Path” by Andy Stanley

This blog post has been adapted from my Biblical Economics 101 course. Learn what the Word of God can teach you about money and wealth with Biblical Economics 101.

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Killing the Religious Sacred Cows (or, was Jesus poor?)

Religion has developed an idea that says, “Spiritual maturity is the result of a decrease in the desires of money or blessings.” Jesus was poor and therefore we need to be “poor and humble” like him.

The early church worshiped God and conducted church correctly; by that I mean according to how Paul spoke of it in his many letters. Prosperity is the will of God and poverty being the opposite must therefore not be the will of God. The spirit of poverty entered the church under the rule of Constantine in the 300 A.D. era who took the Greek mind set and added it to the Jewish or Christian mind set. Eventually this Greek thinking over took the church. The Greeks believed that the whole world was divided into two equal parts; the material world and the spiritual world. They were in balance and if you had more of one then you had less of the other. To “be more spiritual” a person had to give up the material. Therefore, wealth was considered an enemy of the spiritual (i.e. God) world. This false theology was further perpetuated by the monks in the fourteenth century. This has continued into the church right up to today which is why so many Christians think that wealth is a sin.

Today, we still see the remandments of this in our churches. There are still Christians that feel that poverty is next to godliness and that money and wealth is sin. As you will discover, through scriptures and through the renewing of your own mind, nothing could be further from the truth.

In studying the bible, I have come to the conclusion that many practices in the church today and many things that are taught do not line-up with the Word of God! About 90% of what I have learned about biblical economics I did not learn in church. Why? The church does not teach it, or if they do, they teach many things that are incorrect. I learned it from reading books, taking courses and seminars, and mostly through read the bible.

What has the church taught you about money?

This blog post has been adapted from Lesson I of my Biblical Economics 101 course. Learn what the Word of God can teach you about money and wealth with Biblical Economics 101.

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Does God Want You To Be Rich?

The Bible leaves no question about it. God’s people are supposed to be rich. Not just rich in spirit; not just rich with righteousness, love, joy, peace, patience and the fellowship of God, but also with money and assets. Not rich only in relationships and spiritual rewards, but God’s people are to be rich – financially wealthy and prosperous in every way possible with plenty of money.

Scripture after scripture confirms it:

  • “The blessing of the Lord, it maketh rich, and He addeth no sorrow with it.” (Proverbs 10:22)
  • “Riches and honour are with the wisdom of God; yea durable riches and righteousness.” (Proverbs 8:18)
  • “Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord, that delighted greatly in his commandments. Wealth and riches shall be in his house: and his righteousness endureth forever.” (Psalm 112:1,3)
  • “For we know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though He was rich yet for our sake He became poor, that we through His property might become rich.” (2 Corinthians 8:9)
  • “But money answers everything.” Ecc. 10:19b (solves all problems)

“Rich” or “Riches” is in the bible 186 times. “Money” is in the bible 114 times.

So why does He want us rich?

What is the purpose of money? “To build the Kingdom of God.” (Deut. 8:18) “To fulfill the great commission of making disciples of all men.” (Matt. 28:19) What does money have to do with that? The gospel is free, it just takes money to preach it…

How many more bibles could you send into the mission field if you had more money? How many more missionaries could you finance? How much more money could you give to the food bank, the church, the poor, the International Justice League. Get the point?

What is the first sentence of the first chapter of Rick Warrens’ book, The Purpose Driven Life?, “It is not about you.”

Getting more money is not about you…

Jesus spoke more about money and/or stewardship than any other subject. Do you think we should pay attention to that?

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Jesus and Wealth

The value of the wealth that Jesus received in the form of gold, frankincense and myrrh that was given to Him after His birth in today’s currency was worth $400 million.

The extraordinary power of Jesus was beyond imagination, as He stopped the wind, calmed the seas, walked on water, raised the dead, healed the sick and restored severed body parts. It has been easy and convenient to overlook the fact that Jesus was above and beyond wealth because He could turn water into wine and multiply the loaves and fishes and actually produce money from the fishes mouth.

The definition of wealth is, “one who is able to obtain what is immediately required.” This would have to be the ultimate in luxury and put one well beyond wealth as we know it.

Could there possibly exist a level of wealth beyond our traditional definitions? Could this wealth if it existed be demonstrated by a man of Hebrew descent who was a common carpenter?

Jesus is the only person in history who qualified for the status of “wealthy”.

Jesus was beyond wealth: 15 points

1. Beyond wealth, because without the liability and obligations of managing a vineyard, or the need to own a winery, Jesus turned water into wine and it wasn’t even his water! Not just wine, but “the best wine” without even paying for it! (John 2:10) He was able to obtain what was immediately required. He was beyond wealth.

2. Beyond wealth, because as an inside trader in the fishing industry, He had prior knowledge in respect to the location and volume of catch that would make any futures trader on the Toronto Stock Exchange a millionaire in 30 days. (John 21:6)

3. Beyond wealth, because of the twelve businessmen He dined with on one occasion, Jesus could predict which ones could not be trusted right down to the time that the betrayal took place, (Matt 26:21) and which of the twelve would deny Him even after publicly confirming a vote of confidence in favour of Jesus’ leadership. (Matt 26:34) Any executive demonstrating such insight into people’s character as Jesus possessed, could easily demand of any multinational conglomerate corporation a “mega salary” to chair their board meetings and they would willingly pay. Jesus was beyond wealth. How often have you said, “if only I knew that was going to happen I could’ve made a fortune!” That “knowing the future” was a normal experience for Jesus. He knew the headlines for tomorrow morning’s newspaper; for next year’s stock prices for that matter. He was beyond wealth.

4. Beyond wealth, because when it came to paying taxes He was able to extinguish His liability simply by having a fish pay the tax for him! (Matt 17:27) Jesus even picked up the tab on His associates tax obligation courtesy of the same fish! In short, He was able to obtain what was immediately required. He was beyond wealth.

5. Beyond wealth, as there is no evidence that Jesus ever paid civil taxes! The approach to collect tax from Jesus (Mark 12:14) by the civil government agents came to an end, as Jesus was able to negotiate a “nil tax liability” status within the state. How much wealthier would your family be today if you had no tax encumbrance on your family assets or income? Jesus was beyond wealth.

6. Beyond wealth, because He could heal the incurable diseases of His day with just a touch. (Luke 5:13) No need for years of laboratory research at the cost of millions…. just one touch. He was beyond wealth.

7. Beyond wealth, because when He wanted to travel into town, without so much as a phone call, He had a donkey waiting that He had never bred, never fed, never stabled, never trained, and He never had to worry about parking when He arrived at his destination! He received a voluntary “red carpet” reception. (Matt 21:7) Jesus was beyond wealth.

8. If “knowledge is wealth,” Jesus tops the list again as surely as His intellect was beyond any known measure of knowledge in the then known world. The intellectuals of His day in open debate marveled at His knowledge. (Luke 20:26, John 7: 14, 15) His reservoir of knowledge clearly silenced His would-be critics and put Himself far beyond any wealth of knowledge they could muster!

9. Beyond wealth, because His Father owns the largest cow ranch on the planet (“He owns the cattle on 1000 hills” Psalm 50:10), in the mineral reserves beyond the biggest publicly traded mining company on Wall Street. (The earth is the LORD’s, and everything in it… Psalm 24:1)

10. Beyond wealth, because although many of the world’s richest people live in a mansion, Jesus’ house contains many mansions, and the main street in His neighborhood is not constructed of asphalt or even stylish cobblestones, but with gold. (Rev. 21:21)

11. Beyond wealth, because just a cursory glance at his miracles confirms that He was able to multiply assets exponentially! In the case of the feeding of the 5,000, if we conclude that one person would have eaten half a loaf of bread and one fish, then Jesus’ “food fund” showed a capital growth rate of 50,000% per day (bread) and over 250,000% per day (fish)! No capital growth fund in history can come close to that. At that rate of return, you could give Jesus one dollar on Friday night and over the weekend He would turn you into a multimillionaire! He was clearly beyond wealth. To top it off, Jesus gave it all away, and it didn’t diminish His asset base one bit!

12. Beyond wealth, because Jesus was a unique dresser, as one discovers He wore the clothes of one who shopped the finest stores. So much so that after his assassination, rather than cut up His coat and divide it four ways as a souvenir, the soldiers decided to draw straws for this trophy and keep this quality seamless garment as one piece, as such a masterpiece of tailoring demanded. (John 19: 23,24)

13. Beyond wealth, as His burial was that reserved for the very, very, rich. In this case, the mega rich merchant, Joseph from the town of Arimathea, donated the tomb that Jesus was buried in. Jesus didn’t even have to pay a dime for the tomb! (Matt 27:60) He had the ability to obtain that which was immediately required, even after He breathed His last breath! Jesus was clearly beyond wealth.

14. Beyond wealth, because “what shall it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses his soul?” Jesus conquered death.

15. Beyond wealth, because you clearly can’t give what you haven’t got and you can’t lead from behind, so when Jesus’ Father promises to give wealth, He could only do so if He first possessed wealth, (Eccl. 5:19 “Furthermore, as for every man to whom God has given riches and wealth, He has also empowered him to eat from them and to receive His reward and rejoice in his labour; this is the gift of God.”) which He clearly does. You would therefore not be surprised to discover that this same Jesus is able to teach his wealth techniques and multiply wealth to the “apprentices” that follow Him. (Deut 8:18 “And you shall remember the LORD your God, for it is He who gives you power to get wealth, that He may establish His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day.”)

Jesus was clearly, beyond wealth! (and he is willing to teach it to us)

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