God Wants to Take Care of You Financially

TheGloryisHere · #11 10th November 2006, 01:57 PM

Originally Posted by smilzngrinz

I don't question at all that God delights in our prosperity. But He is a good father, He's not going to give us something that will destroy us. "For the turning away of the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them. Proverbs 1:32 We have to learn how to handle money first.

I guess the problem that I have with the teaching of prosperity is that usually the only thing you hear being taught is money. I asked God once what "prosperity" meant to Him and He told me that it meant being victorious over all the works of the enemy. I went home and looked it up in my Strong's and, sure enough, that's what it means. It doesn't just mean money.

I don't believe that if we send X number of $ to a certain ministry that we're automatically going to receive a 100 fold return. First we must learn to be good stewards with our money. I don't believe it's God's will to bless us with huge amounts of money to live in 8 million dollar homes and to drive around in a Rolls Royce (as some WoF teachers do). The money is to help other Christians and to spread the gospel. There are brothers and sisters in China hungry for the Word and we have been blessed. Shouldn't we help our brothers? For only $5 we can provide a bible to someone longing for the Word in Iran. Look at James 2:15-16. We aren't to only pray for our brothers and sisters in Christ, we are to help them.

Does anyone else have this heavy burden in their spirit to help our brothers and sisters? Lately it's just burning within me that people are dying every day without hearing the gospel because we would rather make sure we drive the right kind of car and live in the right zip code rather than keep these people out of hell.

You're right; it's not just money. Prosperity covers every area of your life. Paul said you would prosper financially ONLY as much as your soul prospered. If your soul isn't prospering, you won't prosper in your money, and you won't prosper in your health. Health is as much prosperity as having enough money. Prosperity is another word for The Blessing; it means nothing missing, nothing broken. That's in every area, and it does include your money; it doesn't mean everything BUT money. Try paying your bills without money and see how far you get.

TheGloryisHere · #12 10th November 2006, 02:00 PM

Originally Posted by Mark2010

I do not question the idea that God wants to bless us financially. What I do question is the idea of using materialism as a barometer of one's spirituality. As in, Joe is richer than Tom, therefore Joe must be more godly because he is being blessed more. If you take that to its extreme, what do you get? Many of the wealthiest people have no desire for God at all. yet some of the poorest people seek God with all of their heart. It's just not an accurate measuring stick, IMHO.

In regard to what Cindy said above, I have found it rare that someone can be wealthy without being obsessed about it. Perhaps that is why Jesus stated it is easier for a camel to go through a needle's eye than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of Heaven.

well, we know how much money someone has doesn't determine where he is spiritually, because, look at all the rich heathen. So, you're right; that doesn't prove where a person is with God. If the person is rich in money but he's a real meanie, and he's sick all the time, then even if he has a billion dollars he's really poor. Prosperity means we wont' be messed up in any area.

CindyisHis · #13 10th November 2006, 02:25 PM

Originally Posted by Mark2010

In regard to what Cindy said above, I have found it rare that someone can be wealthy without being obsessed about it. Perhaps that is why Jesus stated it is easier for a camel to go through a needle's eye than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of Heaven.

And Paul said this.

1 Tim. 6:9 > But those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful desires which plunge men into ruin and destruction. 10 > For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.

The key word is love, the love of money. It is not in having money that we get into trouble, it is the having love of money. One can be in great debt and have a love of money. Having a love of money can cause one to base their decisions on money. For instance, say you get an offer for a great job in Anytown, USA. It has great benefits, everything, it's a dream. Most people would pack their bags without seeking the Lord to see if this is His will. Could it be the Lord would have you stay faithful making beans at your present job, only to find He has propmotion waiting for you there which far exceeds what you can see? People who love money let money rule them. That's the danger, letting it rule you.

Now here we find instructions to the rich. Would there be instructions if there weren't any who were rich, or if it weren't God's will?
17 > Instruct those who are rich in this present world not to be conceited or to fix their hope on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy.
Hmmm, all things to enjoy. But notice, where do we fix our hope?

18 > Instruct them to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share,
What is the purpose in having it? To share!
19 > storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is life indeed.

The world's way is to find all you can get, and can all you get because you might need it for a rainy day. But from the beginning, God's way was for us to always be giving. The way of life for us is to give, to give, to give. We give money, we give time, we give prayer, we give help, we give encouragment, we give!

smilzngrinz · #14 10th November 2006, 02:51 PM

I never meant that God wants us to live in poverty, because I don't believe that. But I do believe that there's more to being blessed financially by God than just sowing into certain ministries. We should tithe to our home church and then give offerings to other ministries or to the poor. As we learn to manage money and prove ourselves to be good stewards, God will increase us.

I've seen this is a miraculous way with my brother. A little over ten years ago he couldn't find a job when he got out of the military. He took a job working for a company for no pay to learn a skill. After a few months he was able to use those skills to land a job. Within just a couple of years he had increased in a way that would have been impossible without God. Today he owns several homes that he rents out. He just started his own company (while keeping his regular job) and told me that he should make 20K the first month with this new company. Is he blessed and prosperous? Yes!! Does he drive a Lexus? No. His wife buys the children's clothes at thrift stores. He has a incredible income, but the money flows out as quickly as it flows in. He recently donated 25K to purchase equipment for a clinic that uses 3D ultrasounds to try to discourage abortions. He doesn't know that I know about that. He doesn't tell people about what he does, but sometimes things are told by the recipients. I believe that he is so blessed because he doesn't use the money for himself. He uses the money to bless others. God knows that he can be trusted with the money. That's how we all should be.

Last night I was reading James 5:1-6. It speaks of hoarding wealth in the last days and living on earth in luxury and self-indulgence. I've heard it taught that these verses are addressing unbelievers, but for the first time last night it struck me that these apply to believers as well. Notice it said hoarding wealth in the last days. The last days...there is much work to be done for the Lord in these last days and money is required. I give to ministries that go overseas as well and I think God wants us to do that.

It's just trying to use God as a get rich quick scheme that gets me. I remember a couple of years ago watching someone on TV who was teaching prosperity (as in money only) and he said to send your money in and then to act like you were pulling the handle on a slot machine and to say over and over again, "Money come to me now." What?!? That sounds like trying to make God into a Holy Ghost slot machine! I don't think that's how He works. It's teachings like that that I don't think are right. Not long before I wrote the other post I had been watching someone (I'm not going to say who, but it wouldn't be hard to figure it out) and he was saying that you, as a Christian, should be driving around in what you want to drive, wearing what you want to wear, and saying you have those things because of God. All I could picture was someone driving around in their expensive car and driving right by someone standing in line at a mission for a free meal. Now do you think it would bless God more for us to be driving around in that fine car or to sell that car and to feed those hungry people who were begging for food?

Maybe this is just a burden that God has placed on my heart and it doesn't apply to everyone. I feel that time is short and people are dying without Him. I want to do all I can to reach those people. If that means doing without some things here so that they can be reached, that's okay. My time here is just a vapor and eternity awaits.

TheGloryisHere · #15 10th November 2006, 07:35 PM

Originally Posted by smilzngrinz

It's just trying to use God as a get rich quick scheme that gets me.

I wish I could use God as a get rich quick sceme! But, God is sooooo sloowwwwww. So, it wouldn't work. So, this totally doesn't even apply.

CindyisHis · #16 10th November 2006, 08:43 PM

You know what Proverbs says about an inheritance gotten hastily...