Let them be ashamed and brought to mutual confusion
Who rejoice at my hurt;
Let them be clothed with shame and dishonor
Who exalt themselves against me.
Let them shout for joy and be glad,
Who favor my righteous cause;
Ad let them say continually,
“Let the LORD be magnified,
Who has pleasure in the prosperity of His servant.”
(Psalm 35:26-27)
There are those who are for you and those who are not. There are those who are rooting against you, waiting for you to fall, and will rejoice when you do. Some are very open about it; others keep it secretly in their hearts. Obviously, these are not the people you want to gather around you. They do not build you up; they only undermine you and tear you down. Share your dreams with them, and they will only taunt and deride you.
But there are others, praise God, who are for you. They’re in your corner rooting for your success. Not only that, but they are people of faith who understand that God is in favor of your success, as well. They believe that God takes pleasure in your prosperity, and that your success is an occasion to give Him great praise. These are the people you want to surround yourself with. They build you up, and encourage you when your down, reminding you of the promises and plans God has for you. Share your dreams with them, and they stand in faith with you, believing God to bring you into it, even if it seems impossible
It has been said that you attract what you are. If you are dour and sour and cranky, you will draw to yourself people who are dour and sour and cranky, and you will soon be slogging through a toxic brew of negativity, complaining about how unfair life is, and wondering why you can never seem to get a break.
On the other hand, if you are a positive-minded person who knows how to activate and exercise faith, you will begin to attract others of like mind and faith to you, and you will soon be encouraging each other, spotting opportunities, stretching yourselves, launching out into new things and experiencing fresh successes.
So it comes down to the kind of person you are. Fortunately, you can always change the kind of person you are. God’s purpose is not for you to be negative and cranky, full of fear and doubt. His desire is for you step over into faith and being enjoying success with Him. He knows quite a lot about success and prosperity, and He is more than willing to share it with you. In fact, He has recorded it in His Word, and if you ask Him, He will show you.
God delights in the prosperity of His people. Are you are ready to believe that? The first step of true success and prosperity is in knowing Jesus Christ, who came to restore us to proper relationship with the Creator of all things.
1 Sam 2:7 (NIV) The Lord sends poverty and wealth; he humbles and he exalts.
ReplyDeleteProv 30:8-9 (NIV) ...Give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, "Who is the Lord?" Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God.
2 Cor 2:17 (NIV) Unlike so many, we do not peddle the word of God for profit.
1 Tim 6:5-9 (NIV) ...men, who have been robbed of the truth and who think that godliness is a means to financial gain. But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction.
1 Cor 4:8-21 (NIV) Already you have all you want! Already you have become rich! You have become kings--and that without us! How I wish you really had become kings so that we might be kings with you!.. We are fools for Christ, but you are so wise in Christ! We are weak, but you are strong! You are honored, we are dishonored! To this very hour we go hungry and thirsty, we are in rags, we are brutally treated, we are homeless... Up to this moment we have become the scum of the earth, the refuse of the world. I am not writing this to shame you, but to warn you, as my dear children... I will come to you very soon, if the Lord is willing, and then I will find out not only how these arrogant people are talking, but what power they have. For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power. What do you prefer? Shall I come to you with punishment, or in love and with a gentle spirit?
As sheep fit for slaughter.
Thanks. Those Scriptures are very true. But the fact remains that God delights in the prosperity of His people (Psalm 35:27). He wants us to be successful and to prosper in all that we do, when we are living according to His commandments (Psalm 1:1-3).
ReplyDeleteGod's desire is for us to prosper in all things, and be in health, even as our souls prosper (3 John 2). Notice that what is going on in our souls is key. That is, godly prosperity is, first of all, a matter of the heart.
Now, prosperity is much more than a matter of money. It is about doing well in all things (soul included). It is not limited to money, but it is not restricted from money either.
God desires financial prosperity for us as much as any other kind of prosperity (for it is part of prospering, or doing well, in all things).
God is the one who gives us the ability to get and create wealth (Deuteronomy 8:18). But He does not do that so that we may consume it upon ourselves and our own purposes. He does it so that we may use it for His purposes.
We are not to love, trust, or become a servant to money. We are to love, trust and serve God alone, otherwise we will be in idolatry. That is why Paul says that it is the love of money, and not money itself, that is the root of all evil. It is loving, trusting and serving money that is what God condemns.
If you would like to discuss this some more, you can come over to Faith & Fellowship Forum, where I post under the name "PrayingWithFire."
I understand that God works on the human heart and there is a real prosperity such as Godly wisdom.....it is like pure gold.
ReplyDeleteReal prosperity would be giving in love towards the service of others and storing up treasure in heaven.
What I take issue with is the way you make it sound like God wants everybody to be wealthy "money wise".
Actually, the Lord sends both poverty AND wealth;
The Lord sends poverty and wealth; he humbles and he exalts. 1 Sam 2:7
He delights in all sorts of things. Even suffering is a grant that God may give to His people.
There is nothing wrong in prosper. But it is not what God sends to everybody.
Even the Muslim Sheiks of Arabia prosper....and what faith do they have in Christ Jesus?
The following point was showing that an actual disciple did not prosper in material wealth;
"To this very hour we go hungry and thirsty, we are in rags, we are brutally treated, we are homeless... Up to this moment we have become the scum of the earth, the refuse of the world."
He was hungry, thirsty, poorly clothed, and brutally treated.
Jesus made it clear that His people would be treated in such a way as the world hated His people on account of Him.
Thats why there are Christians in prisons now being beaten, starved, tortured, and have been stripped of all material things.
Jesus also made it clear that there would always be poor.
"For you always have the poor with you, and whenever you wish you can do good to them; but you do not always have Me."
John 3:2 is a prayer for good health. There is nothing wrong with praying for good health....it is also not evil to have faith in God and be content even with bad health.."for not even a sparrow falls to the ground apart from the will of our Father in heaven".
You said "It is loving, trusting and serving money that is what God condemns".
Well the world already stood condemned for sin.
Most of the time I try to post on here I get an error.
I know you invited me to faith and fellowship, but would you be interested in a discussion at http://www.crosswalk.com/ in the Christian doctrine area?
Let me know if you are interested.
I know you would have to devote some of your time to me there and I understand if you may be too busy.
Thanks,
Jeff