Showing posts with label The Power to Create Wealth. Show all posts
Showing posts with label The Power to Create Wealth. Show all posts

Friday, April 16, 2010

Will You Scatter or Hold Back?

There is one who scatters, yet increases more;
And there is one who withholds more than is right,
But it leads to poverty.
(Proverbs 11:24)

It might seem counter-intuitive, but the one who “scatters,” who disperses and gives freely out of his resources, is the one who sees increase in his resources and has all he needs. But the one who holds on to what he’s got and is tightfisted with his resources, giving only sparingly, will end up in lack. The Message says it this way: “The world of the generous gets larger and larger; the world of the stingy gets smaller and smaller.”

Surely the apostle Paul had this in mind when he said, “He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully” (2 Corinthians 9:6). He was taking up a collection for the beleaguered believers in Jerusalem and seeking generous support for them. But the principle is universal: How you sow is how you will reap.

The psalm writer speaks of the righteous man and the blessing that comes upon him because, “He has dispersed abroad, he has given to the poor” (Psalm 112:9). The Hebrew word for “disperse” is the same one for “scatter” in Proverbs 11. This is a man who does not withhold his resources but gives freely and generously. Part of the blessing on him is that “wealth and riches will be in his house” (v. 3). Why? Because God can trust him to use it properly and give with an open hand, just as God does. As Paul said, “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” (2 Corinthians 9:8). Generosity begets generosity, abundance begets abundance, and prosperity begets prosperity. But those who hoard and refrain from helping others — that is a poverty mindset, and it begets poverty. Wisdom goes on to say,

The generous soul will be made rich,
And he who waters will also be watered himself.

The people will curse him who withholds grain,
But blessing will be on the head of him who sells it.
(Proverbs 11:25-26)
The “generous” soul is, literally, the one who blesses (berakah). That is, he freely blesses others by his generosity. The result is that he will himself be abundantly blessed and will prosper. Because he has helped meet the needs of others, satisfying their thirst, his own needs will also be met. It is easy to become so focused on meeting our own needs that we forget about the needs of others. But if we will give attention to helping others, we will find that it comes back to us in unexpected ways and there will always be more than enough.

Even in our business dealings, it is the generous man who will prosper. The example here is of a vital commodity in a time of need. The man who withholds it from the market, in order to drive up the price, will be cursed by the people who need it most — he is trading on their misery. But the one who sells his produce at a reasonable profit will have the blessing (berakah) of the people. He benefits them and they benefit him. The Message renders verse 26 this way: “Curses on those who drive a hard bargain! Blessings on all who play fair and square!”

The first man is trying to squeeze all he can out of the situation, to bleed the market dry. He is playing a zero-sum strategy and thinks that he can prosper only at the expense of others. The second man is not afraid to about leave some money on the table. He understands that when he helps his customers prosper, he will prosper as well.

It is really all a matter of sowing and reaping. What you sow is what you will reap, and always in proportion to how you sow. Jesus taught this principle: “Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you” (Luke 6:38).

That is a powerful promise for those who have learned to sow bountifully.

Saturday, March 15, 2008

Joseph’s Storehouses

Now the seven plentiful years the ground brought forth abundantly. So [Joseph] gathered up all the food of the seven years which were in the land of Egypt, and laid up the food in the cities; he laid up in every city the food of the fields which surrounded them. (Genesis 41:47-48)
You might recall that Pharaoh had a dream for which God gave Joseph the interpretation: seven fat years followed by seven lean years. Joseph then advised Pharaoh on a wise course of action:
Now therefore, let Pharaoh select a discerning and wise man, and set him over the land of Egypt. Let Pharaoh do this, and let him appoint officers over the land, to collect one-fifth of the produce of the land of Egypt in the seven plentiful years. And let them gather all the food of those good years that are coming, and store up grain under the authority of Pharaoh, and let them keep food in the cities. Then that food shall be as a reserve for the land for the seven years of famine which shall be I the land of Egypt, that the land may not perish during the famine. (Genesis 41:33-36)
Pharaoh was so impressed with Joseph, he said to him,
Inasmuch as God has shown you all this, there is no one as discerning and wise as you. You shall be over my house, and all my people shall be ruled according to your word; only in regard to the throne will I be greater than you.... See, I have set you over all the land of Egypt.… I am Pharaoh, and without your consent no man may lift his hand or foot in all the land of Egypt. (Genesis 41:39-41, 46)
So Joseph put his plan into action. He gathered up the abundance of the seven good years and established storehouses throughout the land as a reserve.

Now, here is an interesting thing about Joseph and his storehouse that many Christians often miss. It was a blessing to Egypt and the surrounding region, but Joseph did not give the food away to whoever needed it, he sold it to them (see Genesis 41:53-57). It was not a charity operation but a business set on doing good. In this way, Joseph managed to gather up all the money that was in the land, bringing it all into Pharaoh's house and administered under Joseph’s hand.

When the people had no money, Joseph bartered with them, trading food in exchange for their livestock. So all the livestock in the land came under the power of his hand. When the people had no more livestock, Joseph still did not give away the food, but traded it to them for their land. So all the properties of Egypt came under his control. When he controlled all their land, he gave them seed, let them work the ground, and received twenty per cent of their produce for Pharaoh. In this way, Joseph both blessed the land of Egypt, but also controlled all the wealth of Egypt and the surrounding countries (Genesis 47:13-26).

I have been thinking about this in relation to Proverbs 13:22, “A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children, but the wealth of the sinner is stored up for the righteous.” Now, we can certainly apply that to spiritual inheritance. I am building a spiritual inheritance for my children and their children (and the rest of my line until Jesus comes). However the context within this verse refers more to material inheritance, for the two halves of the verse go together. It does not stop at “A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children.” It goes on to say, “But the wealth of the wicked is laid up for the righteous.”

The “wealth of the wicked” is not a spiritual inheritance. Why would the righteous ever want the spiritual inheritance of the wicked? The wicked do not come to a good spiritual end unless they repent and join the righteous. Rather, “wealth of the wicked” refers to the material wealth that the wicked have accumulated for themselves. But it slips through their fingers because their fingers because they lack prosperity of soul (see 3 John 2). This wealth will not remain with the wicked, nor with their children’s children, but will eventually end up in the hands of the righteous, who first possess prosperity of soul. In the meantime, this wealth is stored up.

I see this illustrated well by the story of Joseph and his storehouse. He was a righteous man who prospered in his soul. By wise and righteous business dealings, he accumulated all the wealth of the Egyptians and the surrounding nations, blessing them with the food they needed, and prospering Pharaoh and himself in the process. The wealth of the wicked came into the hand of the righteous.

Good business, done well, brings prosperity and blessing to others as well as to us. When we learn to develop our storehouse, as Joseph did, we will see the wealth of the wicked come out from under their control and into the hand of the righteous, who know how to use it for good.

Wednesday, March 5, 2008

The Process of Prosperity

Now it shall come to pass, if you diligently obey the voice of the LORD your God, to observe carefully all His commandments which I command you today, that the Lord your God will set you high above all nations of the earth. And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, because you obey the voice of the Lord your God. (Deuteronomy 28:1-2)
Prosperity requires process. It is not instant, nor it is automatic. Notice how this divine promise begins: “It shall come to pass.” “Come to pass” indicates process. It means that there is period of time between when the promise is implemented and it fully manifests, and that requires patience.

What is the process or prosperity? First and most importantly, it is diligently hearing and obeying the voice of the Lord. The Hebrew employs an idiom here to emphasize the point. The verb literally means to “hear with hearing.” We are to listen to the voice of the Lord, not idly or casually, but with great focus and intent, and a heart to obey. He also tells us to “observe carefully all His commandments.” The Hebrew verb means to attend to, to guard and protect, to have high regard for the commands of the Lord. This speaks of priority. Jesus put it simply, “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you” (Matthew 6:33). This is foundational to every form of prosperity, in the natural realm as well as the spiritual.
  • “Blessed shall you be in the city, and blessed shall you be in the country” (v. 3). This requires establishing a home base of operations, participating in the community and the marketplace, and managing our properties and business affairs.
  • “Blessed shall be the fruit of your body, the produce of your ground and the increase of your herds, the increase of your cattle and the offspring of your flocks” (v. 4). Here is the process of faithfully bringing up our children, and diligently overseeing our commodities.
  • “Blessed shall be your basket and your kneading bowl” (v. 5). Do you have a “basket” ready for gathering in your harvest? Your “kneading bowl” may be blessed, but it still must be worked.
  • “Blessed shall you be when you come in, and blessed shall you be when you go out” (v. 6). Going out and coming in speaks of purposefulness, not of idly wandering about.
  • “The LORD will cause your enemies who rise against you to be defeated before your face; they shall come out against you one way and flee before you seven ways” (v. 7). Are you prepared to stand and resist the enemy, the thief who comes to kill, steal and destroy? The Bible says that when we submit to God and resist the enemy (the devil), he will flee (James 4:7).
  • “The LORD will command the blessing on you in your storehouses and in all to which you set your hand, and He will bless you in the land which the LORD your God is giving you” (v. 8). The process here is to establish your storehouses and start setting your hand to various enterprises.
The LORD will establish you as a holy people to Himself, just as He has sworn to you, if you keep the commandments of the LORD your God and walk in His ways. Then all peoples of the earth shall see that you are called by the name of the LORD, and they shall be afraid of you. And the LORD will grant you plenty of goods, in the fruit of your body, in the increase of your livestock, and in the produce of your ground, in the land of which the Lord swore to your fathers to give you. The LORD will open to you His good treasure, the heavens, to give the rain to your land in its season, and to bless all the work of your hand. You shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow. And the LORD will make you the head and not the tail; you shall be above only, and not be beneath, if you heed the commandments of the LORD your God, which I command you today, and are careful to observe them. So you shall not turn aside from any of the words which I command you this day, to the right or the left, to go after other gods to serve them. (Deuteronomy 28:9-14)
All throughout, the process requires faithfully listening to the voice of the Lord and quickly obeying, making Him the priority in everything. Then you will not only be blessed, but you will become a blessing to all around you.

Prosperity is a process that lays hold of God's blessing.

Here is an audio reading (MP3) of this passage, with relaxing background music. It is called “Choosing Life” and is a bonus track on our Healing Scriptures and Prayers CD Volume 2.

Monday, March 3, 2008

Learning to Tithe


Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine; he was the priest of God Most High. And he blessed him and said: “Blessed be Abram of God Most High, possessor of heaven and earth; and blessed be God Most High, who has delivered your enemies into your hand.” And he gave him a tithe of all. (Genesis 14:18-20)

And this stone which I have set as a pillar shall be God's house, and of all that You give me I will surely give a tenth to You. (Genesis 28:22)

Tithing is a somewhat controversial subject for many Christians today. Some legalistically promote it, insisting that if we do not pay the tithe, we are robbing God. Others are virulently opposed to it because in Jesus Christ we are no longer under the Law of Moses. My own understanding is that we are no longer under the obligation of law to tithe; but I find there are Old Testament examples of tithing that predate the law, tithes given freely out of devotion to God. Abraham tithed and was blessed by God (Genesis 14:18-20 and 15:1); so did Jacob (Genesis 28:22). In both instances, the tithe flowed from blessing to blessing. That is, they were blessed both before and after they tithed. Although we are not obligated to tithe, I believe God still honors it today.

Tithing is giving, but a precise giving, offering to God the first tenth. It is a priority of giving, the first portion; and it is a proportion of giving, the tenth.

Nobody is cursed for not tithing. Nobody goes without blessing for not tithing, for we have already been given every spiritual blessing in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 1:3), and that is the basis for every manifestation of blessing in the natural realm.

Relationship is key. Neither God, nor prayer, nor tithing is like a vending machine — put your coin in here, pull the lever, and receive your selection there. Rather, it is all about knowing the Lord, hearing His voice, learning His heart, walking with Him, being led by Him. This is soul prosperity, which John talks about in 3 John 2 ("even as your soul prospers"). Gaius, to whom John wrote, understood the heart of God and walked in truth and love. His soul prospered out of his relationship with God. John’s prayer was that the prosperity of his soul would translate into prosperity in all the areas of his life. If right relationship with God is not at the center, neither tithing nor anything else matters. But, as Jesus taught us, when we seek first the kingdom of God (His rule and reign) and His rightness, everything else will be taken care of (Matthew 6:33).

About a dozen or so years ago, when I first began to seriously consider tithing, I asked, “Lord, how can we tithe and still pay our bills?” Money was very tight and there were always extra expenses that would take us by surprise — and we would go into panic mode. We had already learned something about giving, but it was more about us and how much we could afford to give, and not so much about the faithfulness of God. So we gave out of what was left over. It was considerably less than ten per cent. But here I was, considering doing something that I thought was really going to bite into our finances and our ability to pay our bills.

Now, I knew that the Mosaic law called for the tithe, and I had already heard of Malachi 3, where God reiterated that call to Israel, with the promise that He would open the windows of heaven and pour out such blessing that they would not be able to contain it all, and that He would also rebuke the devourer for them. I remembered that Abraham had tithed, and was blessed by God. I learned that Jacob also tithed, and was likewise blessed by God. So here was a biblical pattern, confirmed by more than three witnesses, that we could give at least ten per cent and not only expect to survive, but also to prosper. As Paul notes, though we are not under the covenant of law, the Old Testament does give us many things as examples for us to learn from. So the example of tithing in the Old Testament emboldened my faith to set that as a goal.

My wife and I talked it over and finally made the commitment that we were going to become tithers. “Lord, You are going to have to get us there.” It did not happen over night. But we established our target. We started at the level where we were already giving and began to increase it, slowly at first, but then we accelerated as we began to see that we could meet our obligations. My wife, who kept the budget and checkbook, began to see bills and debts getting paid off, and she was not quite sure how we were now able to do it. She kept calling it "fishes and loaves," like when Jesus multiplied a meager amount and caused it to meet a need that was considerably bigger. That encouraged us greatly.

Our financial condition kept improving. As it did, we were able to upgrade our cars and various things we needed for our home. One result is that things were not breaking down nearly as much—God was rebuking the devourer for us — and when they did break down, we did not shift into panic mode as we had done before, but had peace, trusting that God had shown Himself faithful to us and would take care of whatever we needed.

After four or five years, we finally reached our goal: We were tithing. It was on the net increase, but we were tithing. We did not stop there but kept on going, and soon we were tithing on the gross increase. Since then we have regularly increased our giving — we don't want to become stagnant and complacent about it — and we have seen that God is faithful to supply us seed to sow and bread to eat, just as He said (2 Corinthians 9:10). And our financial situation continually improves.

I say all this to show the value of the Biblical examples of tithing for building up our faith in God. My wife and I have learned to honor God with our possessions and the firstfruits of all our increase. Not the last and the least, but the first and the best. It is no longer about us and what we can afford to give, but about Him and His faithfulness to provide for us. When we tithe, it speaks and prophesies that we have a mighty God who will always take care of our needs and do it abundantly, just as Paul said: "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" (2 Corinthians 9:8). We do not tithe out of any obligation of law — that would taint the work of the Lord Jesus Christ in establishing the new covenant — but as an opportunity for God to be glorified and His grace revealed.

We have never regretted our decision.

Tithing is not an obligation of law but an opportunity of grace.

Monday, March 5, 2007

Riches Stored in Secret Places

I will give you the treasures of darkness
Riches stored in secret places,
So that you may know that I am the Lord,
The God of Israel, who summons you by name.
(Isaiah 45:3 NIV)
God has hidden depositories and secret storehouses filled with riches, and He wants to give them to His anointed. Who are His anointed? Those He has established to do His will.
  • The Lord Jesus is His anointed, for He is the “Christ,” which means “Anointed One.”
  • Every believer in Jesus Christ is anointed. He is our Shepherd who prepares a table before us and anoints us with oil (Psalm 23:5).
  • Sometimes God even anoints people who do not know Him to do something that benefits His kingdom. Isaiah 45 presents us with such an example: Cyrus was a Persian king, but God anointed him for a purpose that helped His people.
Here is what the Lord will do for His anointed:
I will go before you
And make the crooked places straight;
I will break in pieces the gates of bronze
And cut the bars of iron.
I will give you the treasures of darkness
And hidden riches in secret places.
(Isaiah 45:2-3)
To “make the crooked places straight” means to bring down the mountains, to “level the playing field.” Jesus taught the disciples how to move mountains out of the way: “Have faith in God. For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be removed and be cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says” (Mark 11:22-23).

God will also break in pieces the gates of bronze and cut through the bars of iron, the plates that cover the gates. These are all completely destroyed. In Cyrus' case, this described the gates of Babylon, which he would destroy. For us, Jesus has promised that the gates of hell cannot prevail against His Church (Matthew 16:18). They cannot withstand His purposes. Jesus also taught us to ask, and it shall be given to us, to seek and we shall find, to knock and the door shall be opened unto us (Luke 11:9).

The way to hidden treasure and riches stored in secret places has been opened up to us in Jesus Christ. All that remains is for them to be revealed. Wisdom and revelation is given to us by the Holy Spirit, so that we may know the joyful anticipation of our calling, the riches of the glory of the inheritance God has for us, and the greatness of His power on behalf of those who believe (Ephesians 1:17-19). James said that if we need wisdom, all we have to do is ask God and He will give it to us, without rebuke, if we ask in faith (James 1:5-6).

God has given us the keys for moving mountains, opening doors and revealing riches in secret places. Ask Him for wisdom and revelation of where those treasures are stored, which mountains need to be removed, which gates need to be destroyed and which doors need to be opened.

Friday, March 2, 2007

Positively Positioned and Empowered to Prosper

He shall be like a tree
Planted by the rivers of water,
That brings forth its fruit in its season,
Whose leaf also shall not wither;
And whatever he does shall prosper.
(Psalm 1:3)
If you want to know how to come into the place of prosperity in every area of your life, study this man closely:

  • He is like a tree that has been planted (even transplanted) beside the rivers of water. He did not get there by himself, but was set there by God. He has a good foundation; his roots are well-watered. He is established, supplied and cultivated.
  • He brings forth fruit in season. The life of this tree is nourished by the rivers of water and the nutrients of the soil. It drinks in the sunlight and is faithfully tended by the grove-keeper. It goes patiently through its seasons — the season for resting and recreating, the season for germinating, the season for budding and blooming, the season for fruit-bearing, and the season for harvest. In the season of harvest, this man is not found wanting, but is very fruitful. He has much to give, and he shares generously of his bounty.
  • His leaf shall not wither. This man stays connected to his source, so he does not fall away or faint in the time of drought, or when the heat is on. He tends to the things that need to be tended, when they need to be tended, and does not leave the important details undone, so that even the tiniest of his leaves are full of life.
  • Whatever he does shall prosper. The psalm writer now moves from the metaphor of the well-watered tree and speaks plainly: Everything this man does increases his prosperity. He finds success and increase at every turn. Even when he makes mistakes, or experiences failures or adversities, he learns from them, adapts his strategies and perseveres until he sees his prosperity come forth. Not only is he himself blessed by his prosperity, but many around him also benefit from his success.
So, who is this man, and what is the secret of his prosperity? First, take a look at who he isn't:
Blessed is the man
Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly,
Nor stands in the path of sinners,
Nor sits in the seat of the scornful.
(Psalm 1:1)
This is not a man who takes his cues from the world system, from those who have no regard for God in their lives and do not care whether the things they do are morally right or wrong. He does not share the same pathway with these men, because it will eventually lead to destruction. He does not sit under their influence, because they treat everything — God, good, honor, truth, right, integrity, everything! — as a joke.

Now take a look at who this man is, and what he does do:
But his delight is in the law of the Lord,
And in His law, he meditates day and night.
(Psalm 1:2)
There it is — the secret of his success! He delights in the law of the Lord. He takes great pleasure in the ways of God. He craves them, and looks forward to them as a lip-smacking delicacy. His fills his heart, his mind, even his mouth with the Word of God, letting it forge his will, shape his emotions, correct his thoughts and empower the very words that roll off his own tongue. So he is established in a fertile place beside life-giving streams, and so he prospers, because he has found his source in God.

Friday, February 23, 2007

Diligence: The Parable of the Talents

Jesus told this parable concerning the kingdom of God. It demonstrates the importance of being diligent with whatever God has place in our hands.
A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom and to return. So he called ten of his servants, delivered to them ten minas, and said to them, “Do business till I come.” … And so it was that when he returned, having received the kingdom, he then commanded these servants, to whom he had given the money, to be called to him, that he might know how much every man had gained by trading.

Then came the first, saying, “Master, your mina has earned ten minas.” And he said to him, “Well done, good servant; because you were faithful in a very little, have authority over ten cities.”

And the second came, saying, “Master, your mina has earned five minas.” Likewise he said to him, “You also be over five cities.”

Then another came, saying, “Master, here is your mina, which I have kept put away in a handkerchief. For I feared you, because you are an austere man. You collect what you did not deposit, and reap what you did not sow.”

And he said to him, “Out of your own mouth I will judge you, you wicked servant. You knew that I was an austere man, collecting what I did not deposit and reaping what I did not sow. Why then did you not put my money in the bank, that at my coming I might have collected it with interest?”

And he said to those who stood by, “Take the mina from him, and give it to him who has ten minas … For I say to you, that to everyone who has will be given; and from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.” (Luke 19:12-26)
God has given each of us resources and opportunities, and He expects us to make good use of them, to “do business” for Him until He comes. For Jesus has been given a kingdom, and when He returns, He will be looking for increase. To those who are diligent with what has been placed in their hands, even more will be given. But to those who make excuses, even what little they have will be taken away from them and given to those who will use it faithfully. For all who obey God, He will command the blessing on all they set their hands to. What are you setting your hand to? Are you doing business for Him?

Thursday, February 22, 2007

The Power to Create Wealth: Diligence

The LORD will command the blessing on you in your storehouses and in all to which you set your hand, and He will bless you in the land which the LORD your God is giving you. (Deuteronomy 28:8)
In addition to commanding the blessing on us in our storehouses, God also promises to bless us in all we set our hands to, when we are obedient to Him.

Just as the Lord cannot command the blessing on your storehouse if you don’t have a storehouse, He also cannot command the blessing on all you set you hand to if you never set your hand to anything. This calls for diligence.
He who has a slack hand becomes poor,
But the hand of the diligent makes rich.
(Proverbs 10:4)

The hand of the diligent will rule,
But the lazy man will be put to forced labor.
(Proverbs 12:24)

The lazy man does not roast what he took in hunting,
But diligence is man’s precious possession.
(Proverbs 12:27)

The soul of a lazy man desires, and has nothing;
But the soul of the diligent shall be made rich.
(Proverbs 13:4)

The plans of the diligent lead surely to plenty,
But those of everyone who is hasty, surely to poverty.
(Proverbs 21:5)

Do you see a man who excels in his work?
He will stand before kings;
He will not stand before unknown men.
(Proverbs 22:29)

Be diligent to know the state of your flocks,
And attend to your herds;
For riches are not forever,
Nor does a crown endure to all generations.
(Proverbs 27:23-24)

Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might.
(Ecclesiastes 9:10)

In the morning sow your seed,
And in the evening do not withhold your hand;
For you do not know which will prosper,
Either this or that,
Or whether both alike will be good.
(Ecclesiastes 11:6)
The Hebrew word translated as “diligent” generally means to be incisive or sharp. We might say “on the ball.” It is active, it is timely, it is decisive. It is quick to act, but not without due consideration, to take care of the things that ought to be taken care of. Another word means to be skillful, to excel. Such excellence requires that one be ready and steady in their effort. The word for “diligent” in Proverbs 27:23 is actually the word for “know” used twice, reflecting a Hebrew idiom for emphatic action. The idea in this verse is to do all you can to keep up with what’s going on in your affairs, or your prosperity can easily slip away.

God wants to bless the work of your hand, so set your hand to work.

Wednesday, February 21, 2007

The Power to Create Wealth: Go to the Ant

Go to the ant, you sluggard!
Consider her ways and be wise,
Which, having no captain,
Overseer, or ruler,
Provides her supplies in the summer,
And gathers her food in the harvest.
(Proverbs 6:6-8)
To those who are obedient, God has promised to command the blessing on us in our storehouses and in all we set our hands to. The ant is an example of both the storehouse principle and of diligence. For in the time of harvest, it is busy gathering, storing away food so that it will be available when needed at a later time. The success of the diligent ant is quite different from the results of the lazy:
How long will slumber, O sluggard?
When will you rise from your sleep?
A little sleep, a little slumber,
A little folding of the hands to sleep—
So shall your poverty come on you like a prowler,
And your need like an armed man.
(Proverbs 6:9-11)
The ant will know plenty, and not be in want. But those who are indolent will lose even what little they have managed to acquire.

Obey the wisdom of God and consider the ant, who knows how to be diligent and how to use the storehouse.

Tuesday, February 20, 2007

Storehouses: Where Are Yours?

Put simply, a storehouse is a place where you keep your goods until they are needed. Financially speaking, a storehouse is where you keep your money until it is needed. It may be:
  • Retirement accounts, IRAs, 401Ks, etc.
  • Savings accounts for specific projects
  • Reserve accounts for contingencies
  • Investment accounts
  • Cash for emergencies
  • Money set aside for giving (1 Corinthians 16:2)
How much should you set aside? Some Christians suggest the 10/10/80 rule: 10% for God, 10% for savings, 80% for meeting expenses. That may be difficult for some people. But anything is better than nothing, so begin somewhere. You already have some amount, however small, that you can use to start your storehouse. If you will be faithful to do that, and add to it regularly, God can cause it to multiply. Remember the widow with the cruse of oil in 2 Kings 4.

John Wesley, in his sermon on “The Use of Money,” made these three points:
  • Gain all you can.
  • Save all you can.
  • Give all you can.
God gives His people the ability to create wealth — gain all you can. God commands the blessing on us in our storehouses — save all you can. God’s desire is not only to bless us, but to bless others through us — give all you can.

Monday, February 19, 2007

Storehouses: Being Rich Unto God

One day Jesus was preaching to the crowds, and said, “Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possess” (Luke 12:15). Then He told this parable:
The ground of a certain rich man yielded plentifully. And he though within himself, saying, “What shall I do, since I have no room to store my crops?” So he said, “I will pull down my barns and build greater, and there I will store all my crops and my goods. And I will say to my soul, ‘Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry.’”

But God said to him, “Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?”

So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God. (Luke 12:16-21)
The problem with this man was not that he had storehouses. It was not even that he was laying up treasure for himself. The real problem is that he was not rich toward God.

God has already promised us that He would bless us in our storehouses when we honor Him with out possessions, and with firstfruits of our increase (Proverbs 3:9-10). That is being rich unto God.

The Lord Jesus had this to say about laying up treasure:
Do not lay up for yourselves treasure on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. (Matthew 6:19-21)
Notice that Jesus instructs us to lay up treasure for ourselves — but to lay it up for ourselves in heaven, and that is about the attitude of our heart. We are not to lay up treasure the way the world does. The world ends up loving, trusting and serving money, just as the fool in Jesus’ parable did. But we are to lay up treasure and use it for the purposes of heaven. That is being rich unto God.

The man in this parable thought wealth and riches were about using them to satisfy his lusts, so he said to his soul, “Take it easy. Eat, drink and be merry.” But James comment about unanswered prayer is also applicable here: “You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss that you may spend it on your pleasure” (James 4:3). God does not give us the ability to create wealth so we can be selfish with it, but so we can use it to glorify Him and bless others.

Toward the end of chapter 4, James makes a comment that is very reminiscent of Jesus’ parable:
Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit”; whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.” But now you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil. (James 4:13-16)
Just like the fool in the parable, these whom James addresses have no regard for the purposes of God. Their plans and their profits are about their own arrogance, so their boasting, just like the boasting of the fool in the parable, is evil.

God gives us the power to create wealth so that we may be rich toward Him. When we have our hearts properly oriented toward Him, then God will be able to bless us richly in our storehouses, because He knows that we will be using it for the purposes of heaven. This is a vitally important issue because, where our treasure is, there will our hearts be also.

Sunday, February 18, 2007

Storehouses: The Jar of Oil

“Your maidservant has nothing in the house but a jar of oil.”
(2 Kings 4:2)
One of Elisha’s disciples had died, and his widow came to him. She came to him and said, “Your servant my husband is dead, and you know that your servant feared the LORD. And the creditor is coming to take my two sons to be his slaves.”
So Elisha said to her, “What shall I do for you? Tell me, what do you have in the house?

And she said, “Your maidservant has nothing in the house but a jar of oil.”

Then he said, “God, borrow vessels from everywhere, from all your neighbors — empty vessels; do not gather just a few. And you when you have come in , you shall shut the door behind you and your sons; then pour it into all those vessels, and set aside the full ones. (2 Kings 4:2-4)
This woman had a big need, but little resource. She needed help, so she turned to the man of God, who had at one time been her husband’s teacher. What she didn’t realize is that she was about to receive a miracle of multiplication.

Elisha’s mentor, Elijah, also helped a widow receive the miracle of multiplication. In both cases, the blessing of storehouses was involved. When God multiplies your means, you need someplace to put it.

All this woman had was a little jar of oil. But that was enough for the blessing of God. All she needed now were storehouses to contain it all. So Elisha directed her to go to her neighbors and gather up empty vessels, as many as she could get.

Gathering the empty vessels took an act of faith on her part. She didn’t wait for the miracle to occur and the blessing to flow before she enlarged her storehouse system. No, she established her storehouse, just as the prophet directed, in faith that the blessing would come.
So she went from him and shut the door behind her and her sons, who brought the vessels to her; and she poured it out. Now it came to pass, when the vessels were full, that she said to her son, “Bring me another vessel.”

And he said to her, “There is not another vessel.” So the oil ceased. Then she came and told the man of God. And he said, “Go, sell the oil and pay your debt; and you and your sons live on the rest. (vv. 5-7)
Note that the oil ceased because the last vessel had been filled. If she could have gathered more vessels, more would have been filled. But what she was able to collect was sufficient for her needs. She had enough to pay off her debt and live on the rest, along with her sons.

If does not matter what financial circumstances you are in, there is already something in your hand that God can use to deliver you, for He gives seed to the sower (Isaiah 55:10; 2 Corinthians 9:10). There is always something you can set aside in your storehouse. It may be only a small amount, but if you will be faithful to save it and not consume it, God will bless and multiply it.

Saturday, February 17, 2007

Storehouses: A Widow in Zarephath

For thus says the LORD God of Israel: “The bin of flour shall not be used up, nor shall the jar of oil run dry.” (1 Kings 17:14)
Because of the wickedness of King Ahab, the prophet Elijah proclaimed a drought in the land: “As the LORD God or Israel lives, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, except at my word” ((1 Kings 17:1). Then the Lord directed him to dwell by the Brook Cherith, where he would drink from the brook, and the ravens would bring him bread and meat in the morning and evening — God is a God of miraculous provision! So Elijah lived by the brook until it dried up because of the lack of rain. Then the LORD sent him to Zarephath, “See, I have commanded a widow there to provide for you” (v. 9). When Elijah entered the gates of the city, he found a widow there who was gathering sticks.
And he called to her and said, “Please bring me a little water in a cup, that I may drink.” And as she was going to get it, he called to her and said, “Please bring me a morsel of bread in your hand.”

So she said, “As the LORD your God lives, I do not have bread, only a handful of flour in a bin, and a little oil for myself and my son, that we may eat it, and die.”

And Elijah said to her, “Do not fear; go and do as you have said, but make me a small cake from it first, and bring it to me; and afterward make some for yourself and your son. For thus says the LORD god of Israel: ‘The bin of flour shall not be used up, nor shall the jar of oil run dry, until the day the LORD sends rain on the earth.’

So she went away and did according to the word of Elijah; and she and he and her household ate for many days. The bin of flour was not used up, nor did the jar of oil run dry, according to the word of the LORD which he spoke by Elijah. (1 Kings 17:10-16)
Sometimes storehouses were buildings and barns; sometimes they were dry cisterns used to keep and protect one’s goods; and sometimes they may have been nothing more than bins and jars.

Here was a woman of Zarephath, which was somewhere between Tyre and Sidon. She was not of Israel, but was a Canaanite woman, a widow who was nearly destitute, having no one but her son. Their provision was almost gone, but the Lord wanted to bless her. He also wanted to feed His servant Elijah.

Now, this widow woman had storehouses — a bin and a jar — but they were severely depleted, and just about empty. She had just enough flour and oil for one last, little meal for her and her son, then that would be all. But here came the prophet of God asking her for water and a handful of bread. Had the media been around in those days, the headlines might have read, “Traveling Evangelist Takes Last Meal From Destitute Family!”

“Go and do as you have planned,” Elijah told her, “But first, make a small cake for me.” That would have been a very hard request, but then he gave her this promise directly from the Lord: “The bin of flour shall not be used up, nor shall the jar of oil run dry, until the day the LORD sends rain on the earth.” And suddenly there was hope — if the woman had the faith to act on it.

Proverbs 3:9-10 says that if we honor the Lord with our possessions and with the firstfruits of all our increase, then our storehouses would be heaped up with plenty, and our vats would overflow with new wine.

That is what Elijah was asking this poor widow to do, to honor the Lord first with what she had. And this is what God promised to do for her, to heap up her storehouses — her bin and her jar — with provision enough to carry her through the rest of the drought.

And that is exactly what happened. The woman did what Elijah said, and she ended up with enough to feed him, herself and her household for many days. “The bin of flour was not used up, nor did the jar of oil run dry, according to the word of the LORD which he spoke by Elijah.”

The storehouse principle begins by honoring the Lord with our possessions, and with the first and the best of all our increase. Then keep your bins and your jars handy, and watch as the Lord heaps up your provision. Faith in the promise of God sets it in motion — even in a time of drought.

Friday, February 16, 2007

The Power to Create Wealth: Storehouses

The LORD will command the blessing on you in your storehouses and in all to which you set your hand, and He will bless you in the land which the LORD your God is giving you. (Deuteronomy 28:8)
The Hebrew word used for “storehouse” here also appears in Proverbs, where it is translated by the NKJV as “barns”:

Honor the LORD with your possessions,
And with the firstfruits of all your increase;
So your barns will be filled with plenty,
And your vats will overflow with new wine.
(Proverbs 3:9-10)
When we walk with the Lord in the obedience of faith, He commands the blessing on us in our storehouses. A storehouse is a place where provision is set aside until it is needed. In Bible times, after the harvest was gathered, threshed and winnowed, it was brought into the storehouse. The first and best portion was set aside for God. The next best portion was set aside for seed for the following year’s harvest. The rest was used for sustaining one’s family, and also as fodder for the cattle. If there was extra, it could be sold to those who needed it. So a storehouse was not only a place where wealth was stored until needed, but was also a place where additional wealth was created.

A storehouse is oriented toward future need and future provision. Many people spend all they make as soon as they make it. They do not set anything aside for the future, often because they think they cannot afford to. But the truth is, we cannot afford not to. God is ready to command the blessing on our storehouses, when we obey Him. His desire is to give us a future and a hope (Jeremiah 29:11). But if we never establish a storehouse — setting aside a good portion of our increase for the future — then how can we ever be blessed in our storehouse? Indeed, creating a storehouse requires the faith to believe that God does have a future and a hope for us.

The account of Joseph in Egypt shows us how useful the storehouse can be in the creation of wealth. When Pharaoh sought the meaning of a pair of dreams he was given, God gave Joseph the interpretation: There would be seven years of plenty followed by seven years of famine (Genesis 41:1-32).

Then Joseph relayed to Pharaoh this divine wisdom: During the years of plenty, set aside one-fifth (twenty per cent) of the increase, then it shall be a reserve for the seven years of famine. Pharaoh was so impressed with Joseph’s ability to walk in the wisdom of God that he made him ruler over all of Egypt, second only to Pharaoh (Genesis 41:33-44).

Now watch how Joseph conducted the storehouse. During the seven years of plenty, he did just as he advised Pharaoh, storing up food:
So he gathered up all the food of the seven years which were in the land of Egypt, and laid up the food in the cities; he laid up in every city the food of the fields which surrounded them. Joseph gathered very much grain, as the sand of the sea, until he stopped counting, for it was immeasurable. (Genesis 41:48-49)
When the seven years of plenty ended, the seven years of famine began, just as Joseph had said. And now the success of Joseph’s storehouse plan began to materialize:
The famine was in all lands, but in all the land of Egypt there was bread. So when all the land of Egypt was famished, the people cried to Pharaoh for bread, then Pharaoh said to all the Egyptians, “Go to Joseph; whatever he says to you, do.” The famine was over all the face of the earth, and Joseph opened all the storehouses and sold to the Egyptians. And the famine became severe in the land of Egypt. So all countries came to Joseph in Egypt to buy grain, because the famine was severe in all lands. (Genesis 41:54-57)
Because of divine foresight and wisdom, and prudent use of the storehouse, when Egypt and all the surrounding countries needed food, Joseph had enough to sell it to them and supply their need.

Now observe what happened as the years of famine progressed. The money ran out in Egypt because the people had used it all to buy grain from the storehouses which Joseph managed for Pharaoh. Then Joseph said, “Give your livestock, and I will give you bread for your livestock, if the money is gone” (Genesis 47:16). So Joseph fed them with bread, and ended up with all their livestock that year (v. 17).

The next year, the people came and said, “Buy us and our land for bread, and we and our land will be servants of Pharaoh; give us seed, that we may live and not die, that the land may not be desolate” (Genesis 47:19). So Joseph bought all the land of Egypt for Pharaoh. He moved the people into cities and gave them seed to sow, for the years of famine would soon be over:
“Look, here is seed for you, and you shall sow the land. And it shall come to pass in the harvest that you shall give one-fifth to Pharaoh. Four-fifths shall be your own, as seed for the field and for your food, for those of your households and as food for your little ones.”

So they said, “You have saved our lives; let us find favor in the sight of my lord, and we will be Pharaoh’s servants.” (Genesis 47:23-25)
Because he knew how to use the storehouse, Joseph was not only able to save the people of Egypt and the surrounding countries in the time of famine, but he also amassed all the wealth — money, livestock, and land — of Egypt and the surrounding countries. He operated according to the wisdom of God, and the LORD commanded the blessing on him in his storehouses.

When you obey the LORD, and honor Him with your possessions, He will command the blessing on your in your storehouses. So, in addition to setting aside the first and best of your increase for God, create a storehouse where you can set aside funds for future provision and investment. As your storehouse begins to fill up, ask God for wisdom and opportunity for the appropriate investment of your funds. This will create wealth, and meet the needs of others, as well as for you and your family.

Tuesday, February 13, 2007

The Power to Create Wealth: The Blessing

Now it shall come to pass, if you diligently obey the voice of the LORD your god, to observe carefully all His commandments which I command you today, that the LORD your God will set you high above all nations of the earth. And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, because you obey the voice of the LORD your God. (Deuteronomy 28:1-2)
The blessing of God is His power and all the resources of heaven brought to bear on behalf of the one who is blessed. It belongs to all those who diligently obey His voice and walk in His righteousness — His way of doing and being right.

Notice how Moses details the blessing in this passage. They speak of the abundant prosperity and protection God has for His people:

(You can hear this passage in streaming MP3, with a background of relaxing music. This track is called Choosing Life, from our Healing Scriptures and Prayers CD Vol. 2.)
  • Blessed shall you be in the city, and blessed shall you be in the country. (v.3)
  • Blessed shall be the fruit of your body, the produce of your ground and the increase of your herds, the increase of your cattle, and the offspring of your flocks. (v. 4)
  • Blessed shall be your basket and your kneading bowl. (v. 5)
  • Blessed shall you be when you come in, and blessed shall you be when you go out. (v. 6)
  • The LORD will cause your enemies who rise against you to be defeated before your face; they shall come out against you one way and flee before you seven ways. (v. 7)
  • The LORD will command the blessing on you in your storehouses and in all to which you set your hand, and He will bless you in the land which the LORD your God is giving you. (v. 8)
  • The LORD will establish you as a holy people to Himself, just as He has sworn to you, if you keep the commandments of the LORD your God and walk in His ways. (v.9)
  • Then all peoples of the earth shall see that you are called by the name of the LORD, and they shall be afraid of you. (v. 10)
  • And the LORD will grant you plenty of goods, in the fruit of your body, in the increase of your livestock, and in the produce of your ground, in the land of which the LORD swore to your fathers to give you. (v. 11)
  • The LORD will open to you His good treasure, the heavens, to give the rain to your land in its season, and to bless all the work of your hand. You shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow. (v. 12)
  • And the LORD will make you the head and not the tail; you shall be above only and not be beneath, if you heed the commandments of the LORD your God, which I command you today, and are careful to observe them. (v. 13)
Then Moses adds this important warning from the Lord: “So you shall not turn aside from any of the words which I command you this day, to the right or the left, to go after other gods to serve them” (v. 14). We follow after other gods whenever we make anything other than the LORD God our primary concern. If we are not careful, we can idolize even the very abundance and prosperity God desires to give to us. Jesus give us the correct order for living a life of blessing: “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you” (Matthew 6:33).

God blesses us with the means and opportunity for abundance and prosperity, even for the creation of wealth, that His name may be glorified and others may be blessed through us.

Monday, February 12, 2007

The Power to Create Wealth: Remember the LORD Your God

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 to this day. (Deuteronomy 8:18)
How do we remember the LORD our God, who has given us the ability to create wealth? Earlier in Deuteronomy 8, we find this: “Beware that you do not forget the LORD your God by not keeping His commandments, His judgments, and His statutes which I command you today” (Deuteronomy 8:11).

The Hebrew word for “beware” means to hedge about, guard, protect, attend to, mark, preserve. It introduces something that calls for great diligence. The word for “forget” means to mislay or become oblivious to for lack of attention. It is not forgotten intentionally, but slips the mind because it has not been remembered intentionally.

What are we to be diligent about and mindful of so that we do not forget? To keep — to mark, observe and do — the commandments, judgments and ordinances of the Lord. We remember Him by doing whatever He instructs us to do.

Psalm 1 speaks about the intense happiness and great prosperity of the man who does not walk in the counsel of the ungodly:
But his delight is in the law of the LORD,
And in His law he meditates day and night.
He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water,
That brings forth its fruit in its season,
Who leaf also shall not wither;
And whatever he does shall prosper.
(Psalm 1:2-3)
Notice that it this not a drudgery but a delight, because it is filled with great promise. We don’t remember the Lord and His commandments because He is a hard, cruel taskmaster, but because He is a good and gracious God. The ability to create wealth does not come grudgingly from His hand, but is given freely to those who will take Him at His word and follow His direction. It is an act of His kindness and favor.

We do not keep the commandments just because it is pragmatic for us to do so, but we honor the LORD for who He is in Himself. We do not delight just in the law of the LORD, but also in the LORD Himself. David said, “Delight yourself also in the LORD, and He shall give you the desires of your heart” (Psalm 37:4). It is about a personal relationship, getting to know the heart of God, and letting His heart change our heart so that His desires, which are always good, become our desires as well. The result is that the prosperity of God will always lead us into prosperity, too.
Honor the LORD with your possessions,
And with the firstfruits of all your increase;
So your barns will be filled with plenty,
And your vats will overflow with new wine.
(Proverbs 3:9-10)
“Honor” is not giving lip-service, but is a very tangible expression. The Hebrew word is kabod, which is the word for “glory.” Literally, it means “heavy” and refers to the weight of good things. We honor the Lord by giving Him the good things out of our possessions and our increase. We literally give Him glory when we bring Him the first and the best (not the last and the least) of all our means. We respond to His prosperity toward us by being prosperous toward Him. Then we find that there is a greater prosperity released toward us as God honors our faithfulness toward Him.

When we remember the LORD our God, He always reminds of His benefits towards us:
Bless the LORD, O my soul;
And all that is within me, bless His holy name!
Bless the LORD, O my soul,
And forget not all His benefits:
Who forgives all your iniquities,
Who heals all your diseases,
Who redeems your life from destruction,
Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies,
Who satisfies your mouth with good things,
So that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
(Psalm 103:1-5)
When we are diligent to remember the Lord, delighting in Him and His Word, obeying His commandments and instructions, and honoring Him with our possessions and the first and best of all our increase, we are positioned for operating in prosperity and the divine ability to create wealth.

Wednesday, February 7, 2007

The Power to Create Wealth: Wisdom, Opportunity, Capital

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 to this day. (Deuteronomy 8:18)
How does God give us the power to create wealth? Three things are needed: wisdom, opportunity and capital.

Wisdom. We need wisdom and insight both to understand how to create wealth and to know what to do with it. God is our source of wisdom for everything.
Trust in the LORD with all your heart,
And lean not on your own understanding;
In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He shall direct your paths.
(Proverbs 3:5-6)

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)
Opportunity. In addition to wisdom for creating wealth, we also need opportunity. Fortunately, opportunity for creating wealth abounds. It is created in the very structure of the world — the law of seedtime and harvest, which shall endure as long as the earth.
While the earth remains,
Seedtime and harvest,
Cold and heat,
Winter and summer,
And day and night
Shall not cease.
(Genesis 8:22)
We find this principle at work throughout Scripture.
  • In Genesis 1, the creation account, every creature and all vegetation created to reproduce after its kind.
  • Jesus said, “Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measure back to you” (Luke 6:38).
  • Paul wrote to the Corinthians, “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)
  • To the Galatians, Paul said, “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life” (Galatians 6:7-8). Here we see that the law of seedtime and harvest can work for us or against us, depending on what kind of seed we sow.
The whole world, in every facet of life, operates on the principle of sowing and reaping, of seedtime and harvest. Therefore, if you want to reap a good harvest, sow good seed. Sow regularly.
In the morning sow your seed,
And in the evening do not withhold your hand;
For you do no know which will prosper, either this or that,
Or whether both alike will be good.
(Ecclesiastes 11:6)
Don’t be deterred by negative circumstances, but always look to the Lord to guide you in how, where, when and how much to sow.
He who observes the wind will not sow,
And he who regards the clouds will not reap.
(Ecclesiastes 11:4)

There was a famine in the land, besides the first famine that was in the days of Abraham. And Isaac went to Abimelech king of the Philistines, in Gerar. Then the LORD appeared to him and said, “Do not go down to Egypt; live in the land of which I shall tell you. Dwell in this land, and I will be with you and bless you …

Then Isaac sowed in that land, and reaped in the same year a hundredfold; and the LORD blessed him. The man began to prosper, and continued prospering until he became very prosperous; for he had possessions of flocks and possessions of herds and a great number of servants. So the Philistines envied him. (Genesis 26:1-3, 12-14)
The Bible teaches that a day is coming in which the process of seedtime and harvest will be accelerated.
“Behold, the days are coming,” says the LORD,
“When the plowman shall overtake the reaper,
And the treader of grapes him who sows seed;
The mountains shall drip with sweet wine,
And all the hills shall flow with it.”
(Amos 9:13)
This describes the end-time harvest, and that day is already dawning, “because the darkness is passing away, and the true light is already shining” (1 John 2:8).

Capital. In addition to wisdom and opportunity, we also need capital. Capital is the initial assets needed to produce greater assets. If you are going to sow, you need to have seed. But God has also provided this as well. He gives seed to the sower.
For as the rain is comes down, and the snow from heaven,
And do not return there,
But water the earth,
And make it bring forth and bud,
That it may give seed to the sower
And bread to the eater,
So shall My Word be that goes forth from my mouth;
It shall not return to Me void,
But it shall accomplish what I please.
And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.
(Isaiah 55:10-11)
Paul makes reference to this passage in his letter to the Corinthians, applying it in a financial context.
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 9:10-11)
God will never leave you without a seed to sow. Consider, for example, the story of the prophet’s widow who was covered up with debt she could not pay. She nothing at all of value — except for a jar of oil. Elisha told her what to do with that oil — how to sow it — and the result was a miracle of harvest and increase that not only got her out of debt but also provided a living for her and her sons (2 Kings 4:1-7).

God has given you the ability to create wealth. Ask Him for the wisdom, identify the seed He has given you, and watch for the opportunity to sow it. Put your trust fully in Him, let Him direct your path, and He will lead you into prosperity and abundance.

Tuesday, February 6, 2007

The Power to Create Wealth: Ability and Means

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 to this day. (Deuteronomy 8:18)
What is the power to create wealth? Power is simply the ability or means to do things. God has given us the ability and means to get wealth. The Hebrew word for “get” means to do, accomplish, make, acquire, bring about or use.

What is wealth? We often think of it in terms of money, property and substance. The Hebrew word translated as “wealth” refers to the “force” of resources. It is itself the ability to get things done and supply what is needed. In some contexts it may refer to the force of an army (in Exodus, for example, references to Pharaoh’s “army” uses the word that is translated in other places as “wealth”). In this present context it refers to the wealth of material abundance and resources, for God was preparing the children of Israel to cross over into the Promised Land:
For the LORD your God is bringing you into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and springs, that flow out of valleys and hills; a land of wheat and barley, of vines and fig trees and pomegranates, a land of olive oil and honey; a land in which you will eat bread without scarcity, in which you will lack nothing,; a land whose stones are iron and out of whose hills you can dig copper. When you have eaten and are full, then you shall bless the LORD your God for the good land which He has given you. (Deuteronomy 8:7-10)
We often think of wealth as a “zero-sum game.” That is, in order for one to have an increase in wealth, another has to have a decrease. In some cases that may be true. When the children of Israel entered the land of “milk and honey” they had to conquer the evil and perverse Canaanite people. The Bible also promises that “the wealth of the sinner is stored up for the righteous” (Proverbs 13:22). But those are unusual cases. The acquisition of wealth is not usually about taking it from others — that sort of wealth does not usually last — but it is more often a matter of creating wealth.

Once in the land with its wealth of resources, the children of Israel still had to do something with it. The land had to be developed, the fields planted, and the crops cultivated before there could be a rich harvest. The domestic animals needed proper tending if the flocks and herds were going to multiply. There were storehouses and homes to build, settlements to organize and city gates to be established if the people were to have lasting prosperity. All of this required vision and creativity, and people operating with insight, wisdom and skill.

That is the creation of wealth — recognizing the potential of available resources, developing those resources for meeting needs and solving problems, adding value and causing them to abound with blessing for many. This ability is a gift from God, part of the divine likeness in which we were created (Genesis 1:26-28).

Monday, February 5, 2007

The Power to Create Wealth: It’s All About Covenant

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 to this day. (Deuteronomy 8:18)
The power to create wealth is a very positive thing, a gift of God. And it is given for a very godly purpose: “That He may establish His covenant.” The covenant in view here is the covenant God made with Abraham, then confirmed with Isaac and Jacob:
Now the LORD had said to Abram: “Get out of your country, from your family and from your father’s house, to a land that I will show you. I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name great. I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you; and in you all the families of the earth shall be bless.” (Genesis 12:1-3)

When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to Abram and said to him, “I am Almighty God; walk before Me and be blameless. And I will make My covenant between Me and you, and will multiply you exceedingly.” Then Abram fell on his face, and God talked with him, saying: “As for Me, behold, My covenant is with you and your shall be a father of many nations. No longer shall your name be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham; for I have made you a father of may nations. I will make you exceedingly fruitful; and I will make nations of you, and kings shall come from you. And I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you in their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and your descendants after you. Also I give to you and your descendants after you the land in which you are a stranger, all the land of Canaan, as an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.” (Genesis 17:1-8)

Then the LORD appeared to him [Isaac] and said: “Do not go down to Egypt; live in the land of which I shall tell you. Dwell in this land, and I will be with you and bless you; for to you and your descendants I give all these lands, and I will perform the oath which I swore to Abraham your father. And I will make your descendants multiply as the stars of heaven; I will give to your descendants all these lands; and in your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed.” (Genesis 26:2-5)

And the LORD stood above it and said [to Jacob]: “I am the LORD God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac; the land on which you lie I will give to you and our descendants. Also your descendants shall be as the dust of the earth; you shall spread abroad to the west and the east, to the north and the south; and in you and in your seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed. Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, ad will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until have done what I have spoken to you.” (Genesis 28:13-15)
The covenant of blessing was not just about the expansion of Abraham and his descendants, but about all the families of the earth. So the power to create wealth is not given to the people of God just so we ourselves can be blessed, but so God can establish His covenant to bless all the families of the earth. That has always been God’s plan.

This promise is not just for Israel of the Old Testament, but also for all who receive the Lord Jesus Christ. As Paul said, “If you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise” (Galatians 3:29). We do not do away with or replace God’s promise to Israel, rather, we are like branches grafted into the main trunk of God’s covenant people (Romans 11:17-24).

As the people of God, we have a right to all the blessings and provisions of God. In fact, as the author of Hebrews tells us, we have been given a new and better covenant based upon better promises (Hebrews 8:6). It contains all the blessings and benefits of the former covenant—and more!—because it is mediated to us by the Lord Jesus Christ, in whose blood it has been made (Luke 22:20).

As the children of Abraham, and heirs according to promise, God’s plan still is to bless the world through us, even through financial means. In the financial context of 2 Corinthians 8-9, Paul offers this assurance to those who are willing to partner with God through their material resources:
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 … Now may He who supplies seed to the sower, and bread for food, supply and multiply the see you have sown and increase the fruits of your righteousness, while are you are enriched in everything for all liberality, which causes thanksgiving through us to God. (2 Corinthians 9:6-8, 10-11)
God gives us the power to create wealth, not just so we ourselves can be blessed, but so we can also become a blessing to all the earth, and that God may establish His covenant throughout the world.

Saturday, February 3, 2007

The Power to Create Wealth: A Good Thing

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 to this day. (Deuteronomy 8:18)
There are many Christians, who, when the subject is wealth and riches, will sniff and say, “Money is the root of all evil,” or “You cannot serve God and mammon,” or “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.”

But actually, wealth and riches themselves are never the problem. Rather, it is our attitude toward wealth and riches that so often leads to trouble. For example, the Bible does not say that it money itself is the root of all evil, but that it is the love of money that is the root of all kinds of evil (1 Timothy 6:10). Jesus did not teach that it is wrong to have money, but that it is wrong to serve money (Luke 16:13). And the thing that made it impossible for the rich, young ruler to enter into the kingdom of God is not that he had wealth and riches, but that he trusted in them. Jesus said,
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 that for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God. (Mark 10:24-25)
So the teaching in Scripture is clear: We must never love, serve or put our trust in wealth and riches. We are to love, serve and trust in God alone.

But the power to create wealth is a good thing. That is why God gave it to us. It is a blessing, not a curse. In Deuteronomy 28, the chapter where the line between covenant blessing and covenant curse is clearly drawn, wealth and riches are found on the blessing side, where it is described in terms of full baskets and kneading bowls, blessed storehouses, plenty of goods, and increase of all kinds.

How do we develop the right attitude toward wealth and riches? We begin by setting it firmly in our hearts and minds that it is not by our own abilities that we are able to gather wealth, but that it is the Lord Himself who has given us the power to create wealth. It is His doing, not ours, and our trust must always be in Him, to love and serve Him alone.