Dr. D's Devotional
Title: Finances 1
by Dennis Reschke
Is financial prosperity something God wants for us? Is it a
blessing or a curse? Motive is a key issue in the discussion of godly finances.
I will give two scriptures that give a proper motive (there are others,
but these are key): Eph 4:28 says, "Let him that stole steal no more: but
rather let him labor, working with his hands the thing which is good, that
he may have to give to him that is in need." This verse says one of the
motives to gain wealth is to give to the poor. And Deut 8:18 says, "But
you shall remember the LORD your God: for it is He that gives you power
to get wealth, that He may establish His covenant". This verse says the
power in our hands (and mind) to work at all comes from God, and that another
purpose for accruing wealth is to establish God's covenant on the earth.
This means giving to the church, giving to the work of the Gospel, meaning,
any parachurch ministries that are dedicated to that end and that God leads
you to give to. I will probably mention these scriptures again and again
lest you think prosperity is for selfish gain. It's not. It's to give away
to the poor and to establish God's covenant on the earth.
Some people think to prosperous is a curse. Others think God's blessing
is to make you poor. You have to really work at it to believe this. Really,
I think if these folks are honest about it, they don't believe that, they
just can't accept God's desire to prosper us. Why would God want to prosper
us? So we can give it away and receive more, so we can give more away, so
we can receive more.... One of the fundamental principles of the kingdom
of God is sowing and reaping, or, give away what you have to get. Again,
motive is key. Haven't you ever wanted to give to a ministry that you KNOW
is doing great things but you just don't have the finances? I sure have.
I would love to give a million dollars to the Jesus Film Project or to Rheinhardt
Bonnke, but I don't have that kind of money. I want to know more about prosperity
so that I CAN give that kind of money to those organizations. And don't
think they don't need it. I doubt you will ever find a ministry saying,
"Oh no, we are doing fine financially. Please give your money somewhere
else." Right. They're all clamoring for money.
Deut 30: 19 says, "I call
heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before
you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both
you and your seed may live". God is speaking here. He's calling all of heaven
and all of earth to witness these words. It says GOD has set before us both
blessing and curses. He says we can choose either one, and He'll honor our
choice. This effects generations to come: we are responsible for our children's
prosperity. Deut 30:20 -"That you may love the LORD your God, and that you
may obey His voice, and that you may cleave to Him: for He is your life,
and the length of your days: that you may dwell in the land which the LORD
swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them".
God's covenant promises and multi-generational. How does this effect NT
believers? "And if you be Christ's, then are you Abraham's seed, and heirs
according to the promise" (Gal 3:29). We are partakers of God's promises
to Abraham. The gist of them is financial prosperity and posterity. Abraham
chose rightly. Abraham wasn't the first person God made covenant with, but
he was first to walk in that kind of faith. This covenant is perpetual:
Deut. 7:9 "Know therefore that the LORD your God, He is God, the faithful
God, which keeps covenant and mercy with them that love Him and keep His
commandments to a thousand generations". It's forever.
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