PROSPERITY

God Wants Prosperity For His People

Then you shall see and become radiant,  And your heart shall swell with joy;  Because the abundance of the sea shall be turned to you, The wealth of the Gentiles shall come to you. Isaiah 60:5-6

'For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away.  Matthew 25:29

Religious ones have often debated among themselves about whether it is God’s will for  His  people to have an abundance like Job did or to suffer and lose everything like Job did. But in the end after Job’s trials and testing was over God did restore double to Job everything he lost? He made his end to be better than his beginning?

 So those who say it is God’s will to prosper in material wealth continually and to suffer losses continually are both wrong. For it is God’s  primarily will that men first obey His commandments which are quite simple:

Jesus answered him, "The first of all the commandments is: 'Hear, O Israel, the LORD our God, the LORD is one.  'And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.' This is the first commandment.

"And the second, like it, is this: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these."

So the scribe said to Him, "Well said, Teacher. You have spoken the truth, for there is one God, and there is no other but He. "And to love Him with all the heart, with all the understanding, with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love one's neighbor as oneself, is more than all the whole burnt offerings and sacrifices."

 Now when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, He said to him, "You are not far from the kingdom of God." But after that no one dared question Him.  Mark 12:29-31

Material wealth should not be the primary importance of God’s people as God has promised to provide for all their needs.  The Kingdom of God which is righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, as well as loving God and their neighbor as themselves, should be their first priority.

For God who is the God of all power can make anybody poor or rich depending on His choosing. As His word is true:

 Yours, O LORD, is the greatness,  The power and the glory, The victory and the majesty;  For all that is in heaven and in earth is Yours;  Yours is the kingdom, O LORD,  And You are exalted as head over all.   Both riches and honor come from You,  And You reign over all.  In Your hand is power and might;  In Your hand it is to make great   And to give strength to all.

"Now therefore, our God,  We thank You  And praise Your glorious name. 1  Chronicles 29:11-13

But true riches have nothing to do with material wealth or silver or gold as God’s word is true:

There is one who makes himself rich, yet has nothing; And one who makes himself poor, yet has great riches. Proverbs 13:7

A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, Loving favor rather than silver and gold. Proverbs 22;1

And He said to them, "Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses." Luke 12:15

In the western culture too much emphasis is placed on material possessions even though Jesus clearly warned that:

"And I say to you, make friends for yourselves by unrighteous mammon, that when you fail, they may receive you into an everlasting home. "He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much; and he who is unjust in what is least is unjust also in much.

 "Therefore if you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?  "And if you have not been faithful in what is another man's, who will give you what is your own?

"No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon."

 Now the Pharisees, who were lovers of money, also heard all these things, and they derided Him.  And He said to them, "You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God.  Luke 16:9-15

Jesus clearly stated that “And if you have not been faithful in what is another man's, who will give you what is your own?” and “what is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God.”

The bottom line is that you cannot serve both God and money and the love of money will get even God’s people into serious trouble. As God’s word is true:

Now godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.  And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content.  But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition.  For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

 But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness.  Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. 1 Timothy 6:6-12

But the other side of the coin is that with out money life cannot be lived and many things accomplished. Something about which God is more than aware. But His word remains true for those who walk and live in truth which is Jesus Christ:

THE ELDER, To the beloved Gaius, whom I love in truth: Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.  For I rejoiced greatly when brethren came and testified of the truth that is in you, just as you walk in the truth. I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.

 Beloved, you do faithfully whatever you do for the brethren and for strangers, who have borne witness of your love before the church. If you send them forward on their journey in a manner worthy of God, you will do well,  because they went forth for His name's sake, taking nothing from the Gentiles. 3 John 1:1-7

God wants His people to prosper in all things and be in health, just as their soul prospers and to walk in truth. To faithfully and freely do good works for the brethren and for strangers. His word has not changed to those who do good works for the poor especially ministering to the saints:

Now concerning the ministering to the saints, it is superfluous for me to write to you;  for I know your willingness, about which I boast of you to the Macedonians, that Achaia was ready a year ago; and your zeal has stirred up the majority. Yet I have sent the brethren, lest our boasting of you should be in vain in this respect, that, as I said, you may be ready; lest if some Macedonians come with me and find you unprepared, we (not to mention you!) should be ashamed of this confident boasting.

Therefore I thought it necessary to exhort the brethren to go to you ahead of time, and prepare your generous gift beforehand, which you had previously promised, that it may be ready as a matter of generosity and not as a grudging obligation.

But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work. As it is written:  "He has dispersed abroad,  He has given to the poor;  His righteousness endures forever."

 Now may He who supplies seed to the sower, and bread for food, supply and multiply the seed you have sown and increase the fruits of your righteousness,  while you are enriched in everything for all liberality, which causes thanksgiving through us to God.

For the administration of this service not only supplies the needs of the saints, but also is abounding through many thanksgivings to God,  while, through the proof of this ministry, they glorify God for the obedience of your confession to the gospel of Christ, and for your liberal sharing with them and all men, and by their prayer for you, who long for you because of the exceeding grace of God in you.  Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift! 2 Corinthians 9:1-15

God, who not only gives seed to the sower and loves a cheerful giver, is able to make all grace abound toward  those who have given to the more so that, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work.

For those who give to the poor and minister to the physical needs of the saints shall never lack as God’s word is true:

He who has pity on the poor lends to the LORD, And He will pay back what he has given. Proverbs 19:17

Whoever shuts his ears to the cry of the poor Will also cry himself and not be heard. Proverbs 21:13

He who gives to the poor will not lack, But he who hides his eyes will have many curses. Proverbs 28:27

God word is clear on the matter men are blessed or curse on how they react to and give to the poor. As a matter of fact I have never met a person who gave money to a church or a ministry who became rich as a result. While those who give to the poor are promised by God to become rich. For God is no man debtor and His word is true:

Arise, shine;  For your light has come!  And the glory of the LORD is risen upon you.  For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth,  And deep darkness the people;  But the LORD will arise over you,  And His glory will be seen upon you.

 The Gentiles shall come to your light,  And kings to the brightness of your rising.  "Lift up your eyes all around, and see:  They all gather together, they come to you;  Your sons shall come from afar,  And your daughters shall be nursed at your side.

 Then you shall see and become radiant,  And your heart shall swell with joy;  Because the abundance of the sea shall be turned to you,  The wealth of the Gentiles shall come to you.  The multitude of camels shall cover your land,  The dromedaries of Midian and Ephah;  All those from Sheba shall come;  They shall bring gold and incense,  And they shall proclaim the praises of the LORD.

All the flocks of Kedar shall be gathered together to you,  The rams of Nebaioth shall minister to you;  They shall ascend with acceptance on My altar,  And I will glorify the house of My glory. Isaiah 60:1-7

God has promised to bless His people those who do the right kind of fast Those who To loose the bonds of wickedness,  undo the heavy burdens,  let the oppressed go free,   break every yoke? share  their  bread with the hungry,  bring to their house the poor who are cast out and cover the naked shall be greatly blessed of God. For His word is true:

Then your light shall break forth like the morning,  Your healing shall spring forth speedily, And your righteousness shall go before you;  The glory of the LORD shall be your rear guard.  Then you shall call, and the LORD will answer;  You shall cry, and He will say, 'Here I am.'

"If you take away the yoke from your midst,  The pointing of the finger, and speaking wickedness, If you extend your soul to the hungry  And satisfy the afflicted soul,  Then your light shall dawn in the darkness,  And your darkness shall be as the noonday.

The LORD will guide you continually,  And satisfy your soul in drought,  And strengthen your bones;  You shall be like a watered garden,  And like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail.  Those from among you  Shall build the old waste places;  You shall raise up the foundations of many generations;  And you shall be called the Repairer of the Breach,  The Restorer of Streets to Dwell In. Isaiah 58:8-12

To such as these who consider the needs of others rather than their own, their light shall break forth like the morning,  their healing shall spring forth speedily, And their righteousness shall go before them  The glory of the LORD shall be their  rear guard and they  shall call, and the LORD will answer. They shall cry, and He will say, 'Here I am.’ He will cause them to ride on the high hills of the earth, and feed them with the heritage of Jacob their  father. As the mouth of the LORD has spoken it and so shall it be.