In Your Bible Read This
Out Loud: Psalm 75:6
Memorise This Verse:
Colossians 3:23 'Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as
working for the Lord, not for men'
Afterwards Talk About
This: Should Christians be the most successful people in the
world of employment?
Something To Do Before
Next Time: The next time you go to work imagine that Jesus is
your boss
Written Diploma
Work: According to Psalm 1 it says that whatever we do will
prosper, write one side on what we must do to qualify for this
promise.
Meditate Word By Word On
This Verse: Ecclesiastes 2:26
In the sections located in
this chapter concerning releasing the blessings of God, consideration
will be given the channels that God would seek to prosper us through,
and the things that have the potential to block those channels. So
having started a life style of giving can we expect money to
mysteriously appear in our pockets or come in the post? or do we have a
part to play in availing ourselves of the grace of God?.
Whilst the bible never
promises any get rich quick schemes, and whilst with God all things are
possible, it would appear that we very much have our part to play in
releasing faith and seeing the intervention of God.
Deuteronomy 8:18 says, 'But
remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to
produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your
forefathers, as it is today'.
The Psalmist in Psalm 37
highlights the inheritance that the righteous can expect to enjoy, not
when they get to heaven but actually here and now
verse
9 'For evil men will be cut off, but those who hope in the Lord will
inherit the land'
verse 11 'The meek will inherit the land and enjoy great peace'
verse 22 'Those the Lord blesses will inherit the land'
verse 29 'The righteous will inherit the land
verse 34 'He will exalt you to inherit the land'
In fact, Jesus himself
declares the same truth in the beatitudes when he says in Matthew 5:5 'Blessed
are the meek, for they will inherit the earth'. Consequently,
should not the people of God believe God for better jobs, pay rises and
promotions - not for selfish reasons but to have more to give into the
work of God? Are there not many companies that are run by ungodly people
and run in a way that gives money and greed first place in all that is
done and not a thought is given about God? Why should the ungodly have
the well paid jobs and the positions of power - should not God's people
rise up in faith and believe him to exalt them to inherit the good
things of the land. The psalmist later says in Psalm 75:6 'No
one from the east or the west or from the desert can exalt a man. But it
is God who judges: He brings down one, he exalts another'
Moreover, Paul writes in
Colossians 3:23 'Whatever you do, work at it with
all your heart, as working for men, since you know that you will receive
an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are
serving.' It should be the case that whilst the unbelievers in
the work place seek to get away with as much as possible, the Christians
should be the most dedicated and the most reliable workers and so should
be getting the promotion in the office. Just like the Psalmist, Paul
uses the word inheritance let the church release faith for this
inheritance and the positions of power and the wealth of this world will
come flooding into the Kingdom.
Solomon in the book of
Ecclesiastes brings further insight firstly, he very much agrees with
Colossians 3:23 which says in 9:10 'Whatever
your hand finds to do, do it with all your might'. Secondly in
2:26 he says, 'To the man who pleases him, God
gives wisdom, knowledge and happiness, but to the sinner he gives the
task of gathering and storing up wealth to hand it over to the sinner'. Let
us believe God for wisdom, knowledge and happiness in our job hunting
and our career decision making so that we attain to the better jobs and
let the wicked have the less well paid jobs (and even then they are only
storing up wealth for the body of Christ).
Why should the pagans beat
the people of God to the best jobs and to the setting up of the best
firms - let us rumble the pagans and plunder their wealth for the sake
of Jesus and the taking of his Kingdom to the poor and destitute. A
further channel of prosperity is in the area of starting up a new
business. Should not the people of God seek to take away the market
share of the many companies that are run for greed and profit and not
for the Kingdom of God? Speaking of those who meditate on the promises
of God, the psalmist says in the first Psalm 'He is like a tree planted
by streams of living water, which yields it's fruit in season and whose
leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers'. James reveals the same
blessing of those who meditate on the promises of God when he says in
James 1:25, 'He will be blessed in what he does'
Surely it is time for
Christian businesses to come forth the world over in the knowledge that
whatever they do will prosper and be blessed of God. Money will move
away from ungodly and dishonest companies and into companies that are
run with a view to establish the Kingdom of God on earth. All God needs
is someone who will believe these great and precious promises. Did you
notice in the parable of the minas in Luke 19:13 that the servants of
the master were told to 'Put this money to work'? The
Holy Spirit has been sent to guide believers into all truth and teach
them things to come (John 16:13). Any believer who makes the Holy Spirit
his senior partner in his company will be a success waiting to manifest.
A further area of the
channels of prosperity that God could use is the making of decisions
under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. For example, the next time you
seek to make a major decision about buying something like a house, a
car, a bike, or even a washing machine - why not pray about it and ask
God to lead you by the power of his Spirit to the best bargain going.
Let us believe God that we will buy the right house that will increase
in value quicker that any of the others that were available, and for the
car and washing machine that will last longer than the others, and that
he will put us in the right place at the right time to get the best
value for money on what we spend.
Remember that children of
Israel wandered for a long time in the desert but their clothes and
shoes did not wear out, can we not believe God that the things we buy
will last longer and better than if we hadn't sought his guidance in the
decision making process?
For example, one brother
planted some seeds and they rotted, he went to the word of God about the
promises about whatever he did prospering and replanted his seed and
commanded it to bring forth fruit and it later sprouted a harvest.
Perhaps some of us need to pray over our cars, pray over our business,
pray over our livestock, pray over our land and our crops and command
them to be blessed and prosperous in the name of Jesus. Speak words of
spirit and life to them and they will have no choice but the yield the
good things of God.
A further channel of
prosperity which many people in the Western church do not want to hear
is the area of letting God change our desires so that we can live a more
basic and cost efficient lifestyle. How many people go to church and
sing songs about Jesus being all that they need and yet secretly they
are not content with just Jesus but want a luxurious lifestyle as well!
Allowing God to change your desires and letting him highlight areas of
greed in your life can release a lot of money, which instead of being
spent on the things of this world can be spent of the work of God.
One final area that if
everyone in the Kingdom of God practised would have unbelievable
benefits is the area of keeping money amongst fellow believers. For
example, there are approximately 1.75 billion Christians in the world
who hold a lot of money - should we therefore not seek to do as much
business and trade with each other as possible and let as little as
possible go to the ungodly? If you need a new car is there a Christian
car dealer you could go to? If you need a computer is there a Christian
computer company you could go to? Why not always seek to make your
purchases with a Christian company as often as possible and keep as much
money in the Kingdom as possible. These two sections have hopefully
inspired you to look for God to move in several areas. There are
doubtless many more, so keep on looking and expecting for God to work in
terrific ways to bless and prosper you.
A House of
Prayer for the Poorer Nations
Pray for
Ethiopia
62,564,875 people, 65%
Christian
Strong church growth but Muslims are pushing for an Islamic state.
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