Isaiah 1:19 If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land:

There are two records in the Bible that although they do not relate directly to financial prosperity, they have some important points from which we could learn. Jesus Christ in his ministry referred to these two records in Luke.

Luke 4:25-27 But I tell you of a truth, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elias, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, when great famine was throughout all the land; But unto none of them was Elias sent, save unto Sarepta, a city of Sidon, unto a woman that was a widow. And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Eliseus the prophet; and none of them was cleansed, saving Naaman the Syrian.

The first of these records refers to Elijah the prophet. To feed and hide the prophet during the famine, God sent Elijah to a widow woman of Sidon. This woman was not of Israel, but God knew that when she heard the saying of the man of God, Elijah, she would believe and obey.

1 Kings 17:12-15 And she said, As the LORD thy God liveth, I have not a cake, but an handful of meal in a barrel, and a little oil in a cruse: and, behold, I am gathering two sticks, that I may go in and dress it for me and my son, that we may eat it, and die. And Elijah said unto her, Fear not; go and do as thou hast said: but make me thereof a little cake first, and bring it unto me, and after make for thee and for thy son. For thus saith the LORD God of Israel, The barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail, until the day that the LORD sendeth rain upon the earth. And she went and did according to the saying of Elijah: and she, and he, and her house, did eat many days.

She was willing and obedient, and she ate for many days.

You could have looked from the outside on her life and said, “Well isn’t she lucky!”  Or she could have felt of herself that she was lucky. But was it really luck? The truth was that she obeyed what God had told her by way of the prophet Elijah.

Why did God not do this for all the widows in Israel? If you read the context in the record of Luke, you will understand that Jesus was teaching about believing. There are not many that believe what God has said – at times very few. Those that do believe and obey have great results. She ate for many days.

The other record that Jesus referred to was the healing of Naaman the Syrian. Once again, Naaman was not of Israel. Jesus said there were many lepers in Israel during the time of the prophet Elisha, but none were healed except Naaman. There is no record of any other leper even approaching God and asking for healing.

2 Kings 5:14 Then went he down, and dipped himself seven times in Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God: and his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.

Naaman was willing to ask. He believed and obeyed what God had told him by way of the prophet Elisha. Therefore, he was healed of his leprosy. This miracle was instant.

Looking from the outside, it could appear that Naaman was lucky. He could have felt lucky. But was it luck? The truth is that Naaman obeyed what God had said by way of the prophet Elisha, and he received the results.

Both Naaman and the widow ate of the good of the land. They were both willing and obedient. They were both not of Israel. Interesting. God is not a respecter of persons. He is only a respecter of conditions. Both met the conditions. They were willing and obedient, and so they ate.

After a few years of giving/tithing, saving, and staying out of debt, you could radically change your financial position. All three of these God has told us to do. Are you willing and obedient?

Some have found that as they diligently pursued saving more of their income, that there was even more they could save. It began to stack up quite nicely after a few years. They could feel lucky especially if they grew up poor and have lived paycheck to paycheck for years. Others could observe this change, and it might appear like luck. But is it luck? No! It is being willing and obedient, and God has said that if you are willing and obedient you will eat of the good of the land.

Here are a couple of additional promises that show God’s great desire for His children:

3 John 1:2 Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.

Malachi 3:10 Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.

The prospering of our souls in part is to study God’s Word, believe it and obey it. Make God’s Word the standard of our lives.

Not many are willing to rise up and be obedient to tithe, to save and get out of debt, but to those that do are the blessings of God in their pursuit of The Prosperous Life.