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. Deuteronomy 8:18
A good man leaves an inheritance to his children's children, But the wealth of the sinner is stored up for the righteous Proverbs 13:22
Money is not the root of all evil! As a matter fact it’s a great necessity in this life. We cannot do much even in the kingdom of God without money. 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 (Timothy 6:10). The bible teaches that the LORD our God gives you power to get wealth, that He may establish His covenant with us. It also teaches that if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him (James 1:5). It is the Lord who gives the early and latter rain so that there could be seed time an harvest on earth. God’s word is unchanging:
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. 2 Corinthians 9:8-11
Thus says the LORD, your Redeemer, The Holy One of Israel: "I am the LORD your God, Who teaches you to profit, Who leads you by the way you should go. Isaiah 48:17
Although we might not think about it but an idea from God is a seed that God gives us for Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning (James 1:17). Many inventions that produced great wealth for the inventors were ideas such as steel rails, electricity and telephone.[xiv]
Before the Civil War, the nation’s railroads ran on iron rails that wore out quickly. Railroad owners knew that rails made of steel—a mixture of iron, carbon, and sometimes other metals—were stronger and would last longer. Steel, however, was difficult and costly to make.
In 1872, a Scottish immigrant named Andrew Carnegie went to England to study a less expensive method of making steel. Carnegie owned a company that made iron bridges for railroads. But he knew that his bridges would be better if they were made out of steel. Carnegie was so impressed by the Bessemer process that he brought it back to the United States. “The day of iron has passed,” he announced. “Steel is king!”
Carnegie was right. Within a decade, steel was replacing iron in rails, locomotives, and bridges. Other industries also took advantage of less expensive steel. Steel nails, needles, and knives became common household items.
Many steel companies competed fiercely to supply steel for such products. To remain the leader, Carnegie hired scientists to improve the quality of his company’s steel. He employed good managers to make his steel mills run efficiently. His recipe for success was, “Adopt every improvement, have the best machinery, and know the most.” To keep costs low, Carnegie set out to control every step in the steel making process. He purchased iron mines to supply his ore, coal fields to fire his furnaces, and railroads to ship his finished steel to customers.
To reduce his competition, Carnegie also bought up several rival steel companies. He then combined them all to form the giant Carnegie Steel Company. By 1900, Carnegie Steel produced a quarter of the nation’s steel.
Thomas Edison helped to transform electricity from a scientific curiosity into a practical source of light and power. In 1876, Edison opened an “invention factory” in New Jersey. With a team of workers, he set out to create a “minor” invention every few days and a “big thing every six months or so.”
Edison succeeded brilliantly. His workshop turned out the first practical electric light bulb, the phonograph, the motion picture projector, and many other inventions.
In 1882, Edison built the first electrical power station and distribution center in New York City. His team invented everything the system required, including generators, regulators, meters, switches, light sockets, fuse boxes, and underground cables. When he finally turned the generator on, electricity began to flow to homes, stores, and factories. The age of electricity had begun.
By 1900, some 25 million light bulbs were glowing across the country. New electric devices, such as washing machines and vacuum cleaners, were making housework easier.
A Scottish immigrant named Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone. In 1876, as he was getting ready to test his “talking machine,” Bell spilled acid on himself. “Watson. Come here. I want you,” he called to his assistant. Watson, who was in another room, heard every word over the telephone.
Over time, Bell’s invention replaced the telegraph that crisscrossed the country alongside the new rail lines that were built during this era.
As Christians we are not to rely on our education or current financial status to determine our success in business. Instead, we are to ask God to teach us how to profit His way, which is the best way (Isaiah 48:17). The key is to obey Him and allow wisdom to lead us to our place of wealth and prosperity (Psalm 66:12; Proverbs 4:7; 8:18; Ecclesiastes 7:11-12; James 1:5) just like He led the children of Israel into their Promised Land. In addition, we are not to be afraid to market our ideas. Doing so may be our ticket to success. It may not seem feasible at this point, but God knows the impact our invention or service will have on society.
People become like their role model. If their role model is Jesus and He was financially poor than they develop a “poor” mentality? If Jesus was financially rich then they develop a rich mentality. It’s very important what a man thinks because he becomes what he thinks. And the bible never states that money is wrong but rather it states:
The rich man's wealth is his strong city; The destruction of the poor is their poverty. Proverbs 10:15
Wealth makes many friends, But the poor is separated from his friend. Proverbs 19:4
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. 1Timothy 6:10
Since man is not to live independent of God or the wisdom and strength that He provides and whatever is not of faith is sin, the Word of God purposely hides some treasures that only the seeker will find. God’s word is true:
"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls, "who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it. Luke 13:44-46
The real problem is not whether Jesus was rich but whether God can trust us with riches or whether we can serve God and Mammon? His word is unchanging:
"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 16:10-15
But the bible has much to say about whether Jesus was rich or poor! Matthew 2:1 Wise men (not just three but, perhaps, many wise men) from the east bearing gifts of Gold. How much gold? A hundred pounds? More? A caravan of camels can carry a tremendous weight of gold. They knew they were searching for a King. The queen of Sheba (I Kings 10:2) brought “ a very great train, with camels, that bear spices and very much gold..” Solomon. A little gold went a long ways in those days.
Jesus earthly father, Joseph, had a (relatively) good high-paying profession. He had money to provide a house for Mary and Jesus to live in for two years in Bethlehem. (Mathew 2:11, “And when they (the wise men) were come into the house, they saw the young Child” not baby). Part of the wise men’s gold financed the trip to Egypt and 3-5 years living expenses for the family.
Jesus had a ministry team of 12 core staff and numerous fulltime and part-time followers. The ministry had to be prosperous and properly funded to support 3.5 years of evangelism. The ministry headquarters was at Capernaum on the Sea of Galilee. Mark 2:1 says Jesus “was in the house”. Couldn’t Jesus own a house? One big enough to provide rooms for His staff? Lakefront property! When He stayed at other people’s houses the owners were identified by name, Zacchaus (Luke 19); Mary, Martha, and Lazarus (Luke 10:38-42). Matthew owned a house, Luke 5:29, big enough for a “great banquet” with a “large company of tax collectors and others”. Peter owned lakefront property too, Matthew 8:14, and at least one “ship”. Fishing was at least an upper middle class business. Fully equipped fishing boats, today and they, are very expensive. Peter, Matthew, James and John, and the others were “astonished out of measure” at the teaching of the difficulty of the rich man entering the Kingdom of God (Mark 10:17-31). There were two reasons they were astonished. 1. They were, themselves, “rich men”. 2. They did not yet understanding that Jesus was teaching about loving money being evil. We are to love God and to love people. Having money and using it to serve others and to finance the expansion of the Gospel is good.
Jesus’ followers included the very wealthy and very powerful. Joseph of Arimathaea and Nicodemus (John 19:38-42) were secret followers as were the aforementioned Zacchaus (Luke 19); Mary, Martha, and Lazarus. Also, according to Josephus, Pilate’s wife (Matthew 27:19) was a follower.
Jesus ministry had a treasurer, Judas, the keeper of the bag. Jesus ministry was constantly giving money to the poor. At the last supper, John 13:29-30, Judas left unexpectedly and the others assumed that Jesus had sent him to give alms to the poor. Evidently this was a commonplace occurrence because they did not find it unusual at all.
Jesus wore designer clothes! In John 19:23-24 the solders cast lots for His valuable tunic. It is described as “seamless, woven (in one piece) from the top throughout. Roman soldiers would not argue over a worthless item of clothing.
Philippians 2:7 says that Jesus took on the form of a servant. Rich people can serve others too. He came to serve, to teach, and He came so “that we might have life more abundantly”. 2 Corinthians 8:9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich. When the Prince of Heaven became a man he became relatively poor. He had to have significant financial resources to travel and to minister effectively. Yet God’s is unchanging:
Then Jesus looked around and said to His disciples, "How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!" And the disciples were astonished at His words. But Jesus answered again and said to them, "Children, how hard it is for those who trust in riches to enter the kingdom of God!" It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God." And they were greatly astonished, saying among themselves, "Who then can be saved?" But Jesus looked at them and said, "With men it is impossible, but not with God; for with God all things are possible."
Then Peter began to say to Him, "See, we have left all and followed You." So Jesus answered and said, "Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My sake and the gospel's, "who shall not receive a hundredfold now in this time-houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions-and in the age to come, eternal life. Mark 10:23-30
It is true that for those who are unsaved and trust in riches it is hard to enter the kingdom of God. But for those who are rich through accepting Jesus Christ, being born again and filled with His anointing, they are already rich and can enjoy here on earth their inheritance including houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions.
Now many religious sincere bible believing Christians believe that suffering and poverty are God’s will for their lives and that they will be corrupted by money and will not develop Christian character if they are healthy! That is their choice to think and live this way? However if God has our heart money will not corrupt us and He by His Holy Spirit manifests the gifts of the Spirit and the fruit of the Spirit in our lives so He doesn’t need to use suffering to shape, mold and use us? Our sufficiency is God and His word is unchanging:
Do we begin again to commend ourselves? Or do we need, as some others, epistles of commendation to you or letters of commendation from you? You are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read by all men; clearly you are an epistle of Christ, ministered by us, written not with ink but by the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of flesh, that is, of the heart. And we have such trust through Christ toward God. Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God, who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. 1 Corinthians 3:1-6
Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning. James 1:16-17
EXTRACT FROM Be Not Ignorant
http://walthope.tripod.com/ignorant.htm
http://walthope.wordpress.com
https://plus.google.com/u/0/100302133262254344211/posts
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