There are two fundamental principles of prosperity that God put in His Word.  The first is the principle of giving.

Luke 6:38 Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.

If you will notice in this verse, God says that as you give, it will be given back to you again.  God is not a taker; He is a giver. Not only will what you give, be given back to you so that you have no loss, but it will also come back abundantly more than that which you gave.

The second principle of prosperity that God put in His Word is the principle of saving part of what you earn, part of what He gives back to you.  This is shown in many verses.

Deuteronomy 28:8 The LORD shall command the blessing upon thee in thy storehouses, and in all that thou settest thine hand unto; and he shall bless thee in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee

A storehouse is where the surplus is kept.  Many Christians are taught that to save is sin. They say we are to live from paycheck to paycheck and then believe God will cover everything else.  In other words, trust God will give them what they need in the event of emergencies.  Most of the time emergencies end up on credit cards, and we go deeper into debt.

God teaches us to both give AND SAVE.  Saving always reminds me of this Aesop Fable:

The Ants & the Grasshopper

One bright day in late autumn a family of Ants were bustling about in the warm sunshine, drying out the grain they had stored up during the summer, when a starving Grasshopper, his fiddle under his arm, came up and humbly begged for a bite to eat.

“What!” cried the Ants in surprise, “haven’t you stored anything away for the winter? What in the world were you doing all last summer?”

“I didn’t have time to store up any food,” whined the Grasshopper; “I was so busy making music that before I knew it the summer was gone.”

The Ants shrugged their shoulders in disgust.

“Making music, were you?” they cried. “Very well; now dance!” And they turned their backs on the Grasshopper and went on with their work.

There’s a time for work and a time for play.

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God uses the example of the diligence of the ant in Proverbs.

Proverbs 6:6-8  Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise: which having no guide, overseer, or ruler, Provideth her meat in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest.

God teaches us to store up money by way of the wisdom of the ant.  The ant does not live paycheck to paycheck like the grasshopper.  The ant stores up food (money) against the winter ahead.  Winter for us as people can be when the washer breaks down and we have no funds, or the kids get sick, or the freezer quits, or the transmission goes out in the car, or worse that we lose our job (our income).

After giving, the second fundamental principle of prosperity is saving.

First is saving for emergencies.  Many financial experts recommend at least three to six months of wages saved.  This is money kept in reserve in case of emergencies. Saving starts with a dollar.  Just get started.

In the beginning of our saving journey, we used that emergency fund several times.  BUT it no longer had to go on a credit card!  We did not go deeper into debt.  Our emergency fund was empty, but we kept up the saving, and it grew again.  Then another emergency! But it was nice being able to cover the emergency with cash instead of credit, which was less stressful for our marriage.

Storing up for emergencies is a biblical principle.  What did Joseph do for the first seven years?  He saved the grain. We cannot prevent surprises or calamities, but we can prepare for them.  Because it is not a question of if they come but when.  Not being prepared is part of what keeps us in debt.  Being in debt is not what God wants for us.

Once we understand what God’s will is for finances, rather that reinventing the wheel in saving we can learn from others that have been there before us.  Here are some quotes I found in the book, Uncommon Cents, by Lynn G Robbins.

“The art of getting riches consists very much in thrift. All men are not equally qualified for getting money, but it is in the power of everyone alike to practice this virtue.” — BENJAMIN FRANKLIN

“What are three words that profile the affluent? FRUGAL FRUGAL FRUGAL.” — THOMAS J. STANLEY AND WILLIAM D. DANKO

“Most people have it all wrong about wealth in America. Wealth is not the same as income. If you make a good income each year and spend it all, you are not getting wealthier, you are just living high. Wealth is what you accumulate, not what you spend.” — THOMAS J. STANLEY AND WILLIAM D. DANKO

“Part of all you earn is yours to keep.” — George Clason’s The Richest Man in Babylon

“Even if you are heavily in debt, hold back some in your Master Account—or you can never be free.” – A Financial Planner

“Remember that Money is of a prolific generating Nature. Money can beget Money, and its Offspring can beget more, and so on. He that kills a breeding Sow, destroys all her offspring to the thousandth Generation. He that murders a Crown [coin], destroys all it might have produc’d—even Scores of Pounds.”  Ben Franklin

Money is a large part of our lives.  Most of us work eight hours a day, and sometimes both spouses work to have enough to live on.  If you are spending 40 to 80 hours per week to earn money, you should spend some time each week learning how to manage it.  Learn the fundamental principles God has laid out then learn how others incorporated those principles into their lives/finances.

Even if you are heavily in debt, start now to save some money in an emergency fund to help prevent further debt. The biggest mistake you can make with money is neglect.

The road to The Prosperous Life is paved with Give and Save.  So, add these two four-letter words into your vocabulary and start both today! God will bless your efforts to walk believingly upon His Word.

Proverbs 21:20 There is treasure to be desired and oil in the dwelling of the wise; but a foolish man spendeth it up.

Proverbs 8:21 That I may cause those that love me to inherit substance; and I will fill their treasures.

Recently, I listened to a few videos that some claimed were prosperity ministries. It was interesting that most of them promised great miracles and prosperity and success if you would plant “seed money” in their ministry. Right or wrong I don’t know, as I am not their judge. I would rather stick with pondering on what God has said in His Word.

I have been involved in construction for almost 40 years or more. I used to think it would be great fun to be a builder. But as time went on, I began to realize the position the builder stood in. First, he borrowed money from the bank that needed to be repaid. He owes the bank the day after he borrows the money. It may be months before the house is completed and sold. (I have seen houses that were finished and took so long to sell that the builder went broke paying the interest on the debt.)

Once he borrows the money, all kinds of people and entities line up with their hands out wanting a part of his borrowed money. First is the developer of the land. The builder must buy land to build on. Then he must buy a permit (the first of many) from the city or county to be able to build. Here is a partial list of the permits that may be required:

Grading Permit

Building Permit

Electrical Permit

Mechanical Permit

Plumbing Permit

Septic Permit

Plans Inspection

Sediment Control Inspection and many more

I picture this in my mind like a circle of people standing around that builder (he is the one with the money) and sticking their hands out for a portion of his borrowed money.

Now, he must pay the grading company, the foundation and stem wall people, then the first part of the plumbing, electrical, and then the concrete people for pouring the slab, driveway, and the sidewalks. Then come the framers, the plumbers again, and electrical, HVAC, the sheet rockers, and on and on until the house is finished. It is a lengthy list of people – trades that have their hands in the builder’s pockets. AND he must produce a finished house that will sell in a short order of time. All the pressure is on him. He must pay the bank back for the money he borrowed. He is like a target for those that want his borrowed money.

Proverbs 22:7 The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender.

The builder must work hard to pay back the banker. We are to serve God and not man.

Proverbs 22:26-27  Be not thou one of them that strike hands, or of them that are sureties for debts. If thou hast nothing to pay, why should he take away thy bed from under thee?

The wisdom of God says to not be a guarantor for the debts of others because if the other does not pay and you cannot pay, they will take your home (bed). It would not be wise to borrow money yourself. I have known many seemingly wise people that mortgaged their homes to drill oil wells or develop land and when the economy turned, they lost everything. It takes longer to wait until you have the cash to invest but, if you wait, they will never take your bed if you invest your own money and the house for instance does not sell right away.

If you do have a mortgage work day and night to get it paid off. Then do not borrow against it for any reason. This is finely stated in Proverbs also:

Proverbs 6:1-5  My son, if thou be surety (guarantee the loan) for thy friend, if thou hast stricken thy hand with a stranger, (the banker) Thou art snared with the words of thy mouth, thou art taken with the words of thy mouth.  Do this now, my son, and deliver thyself, when thou art come into the hand of thy friend; go, humble thyself, and make sure thy friend. (get him to pay the loan back) Give not sleep to thine eyes, nor slumber to thine eyelids. Deliver thyself as a roe from the hand of the hunter, and as a bird from the hand of the fowler.

Nehemiah 5:4-5  There were also that said, We have borrowed money for the king’s tribute, and that upon our lands and vineyards. (mortgaged) Yet now our flesh is as the flesh of our brethren, our children as their children: and, lo, we bring into bondage our sons and our daughters to be servants, and some of our daughters are brought unto bondage already: neither is it in our power to redeem them; for other men have our lands and vineyards.

What a sad position to be in. Mortgaged their land and vineyards and were not able to buy back their sons and daughters from slavery. SAVE SOME MONEY!! These examples are here to teach us to save against unexpected expenses.

It is interesting that in the world a great proponent of buying real estate to become wealthy teaches that the way to wealth is through borrowed money. Borrowing money can be a great trap. At the least when we do, we serve the lender. At the worst, if the economy changes as it is sure to do because it has done it many times in the past, you could lose everything. We cannot see what the future holds. So, God warns us not to go into debt. If you are in debt, get out quickly.

I realize others have gone into debt and sometimes have made a lot of money, but there is no guarantee for that. God’s wisdom is DO NOT BORROW!

I had someone argue with me about borrowed money by saying in the world of finance structured debt is a good thing. Bankers and finance people have many high-sounding phrases and words. Many of the wise of this world will be brought down. God does not consider structured debt in His Word to be His wisdom. If everything stays the same, you may be successful. You are trusting the wisdom of the world and believing the economy will stay the same. But the economy can turn on a dime and then you lose.

Our Father warns us about the many pitfalls of borrowing money in His Word. I came to realize that we as believers (and as consumers) are in some ways in the same position as a builder. We are the ones with the money. We actually produce something.

We too are like targets because of our earned income. Many entities stand around us with their hands out wanting a piece of our money – a piece of what we have produced. First in line is the tax man. Next are services that we need in our culture. We also need food, electrical, water, sewer, gas for our cars and to heat our homes.

Many of them want to palm themselves off as our friends. They want us to consolidate our bills and credit cards and put them on a second mortgage. I see a billboard occasionally with a picture of a local banker with his hand stretched out toward the passerby as if to say let’s be friends. But he is a salesman. He wants to sell you some of his money to buy a home, to expand your business or buy more land for your farm. You in return will pay the banker part of your income for years. One man I read about lately lost the family farm that his family had owned for five generations. He borrowed against the farm, and something turned sour. Now the banker, “his friend,” owns it. This is true for credit cards, car loans, mortgages, school loans, and other consumer goods we finance. Credit cards can run 20% which is twice what we tithe. Mortgage rates are climbing again. That is in part, where our prosperity goes.

God is telling us by way of these verses that we are servants to those that lend us the money. No matter how friendly they are, they are not your friends. It reminds one of the expression, “I owe, I owe, so off to work I go.” We need to change our thinking and remember that we are His sons and daughters, and we are to serve Him. He promises to meet all our needs.

So, if you have a need, pray first and then be patient. See what God will do. If you do not have the cash, do not buy it. This is where saving money in an emergency fund comes in so handy for unexpected expenses. What would it have been like for those thousands of businesses that went broke during the Covid crisis if they had been saving part of their income over the past years?  It is likely they could have survived.

Here is something to ponder. If we take the example of the tithe being 10% of our income, would it be appropriate to expect God to give back to us at least the same amount as what we gave? But what we do with the minimum of 10% back is we pay it to the credit card companies, the banker, and the local car dealer. Then we wonder, “Where is the prosperity you promised, God?”  He says, “You gave it to the banker!”

Dave Ramsey says to buy a car you can pay cash for, then put that $500 – $650 a month (the national average payment) in a good growth mutual fund. Think. If you buy a nice car and make payments for six years, what is that car worth after six years? What would that same amount of money you would put into car payments be worth in six years if it were invested in a good growth mutual fund? The difference is drastic. Prosperity at times is not an increase in funds but a reorganizing of how we deal with the money God trusts us with.

Rather than trusting in “seed money” to produce a miracle, try reorganizing your finances. Get out of debt, be a giver and a saver and utilize some of the other things we have talked about in these blogs. Watch the wisdom of God produce in your life — The Prosperous Life.

Matthew 25:21 His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.

In the book, Poverty vs Wealth, and in past blogs, I have talked about many of the principles of prosperity that God put in His Word. The more of these principles we incorporate into our lives, the more prosperous and successful we will be. We will be wiser in the conduct of our lives.

Joshua Chapter One has a great key to prosperity. Here, God tells Joshua that Joshua will make his own life prosperous by observing God’s words. In other words, Joshua has some control over his own prosperity and success. It is interesting that some literal translations translate success: “to be wise” or “to do wisely.”

To be successful and prosperous takes a great deal of wisdom.

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

It takes wisdom to be both successful and prosperous. Where do we find such wisdom?

Proverbs 9:10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.

Having great respect for God by way of His Word is the place true wisdom starts. This truth is repeated over and over in God’s Word. Let’s read the context of what God promised Joshua.

Joshua 1:5–9 There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee. Be strong and of a good courage: for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land, which I sware unto their fathers to give them. Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest. This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success. Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.

God told Joshua not to let God’s Word depart from his mouth. That simply means that Joshua was to continue speaking God’s Word to God’s people all of Joshua’s life. If Joshua quit speaking the Word, God’s Word would have departed from his mouth. Joshua was to be very courageous, and he was to DO all that God had said. When it comes to prosperity, God has instructed us to do many things. Stay out of debt, tithe, give, save our money, honor the Lord, etc. God told Joshua that as he observed to do all of what God had said that Joshua would make his way prosperous, and he would have good success – he would do wisely.

So Joshua would make his way prosperous and he would do wisely. As we read in Proverbs, having great respect for what God has said in His Word is the beginning of wisdom. Some things are very simple to do – walk in love, forgive one another, and the principle of prosperity to name a few. Joshua obviously did what God asked him to do. He divided the promised land into parcels for the 12 tribes of Israel. If you have ever dealt with people, you can imagine how dealing with the millions of Israelites would have been a great challenge. Yet he was successful in his work. He also had to instruct the armies of God how to fight and conquer the squatters of the land God had given to the descendants of Abraham.

God told him from the beginning of his ministry what to do to be prosperous and successful – to do wisely.

Thus Joshua, with his wisdom (obtained from God) helped to build the house of Israel.

Proverbs 24:3 Through wisdom is an house builded; and by understanding it is established:

We might think about another very wise man in the Old Testament, David. After David was anointed by Samuel to be the next king of Israel, Saul was still king. I Samuel 18 has some interesting verses.

1 Samuel18:5  And David went out whithersoever Saul sent him, and behaved himself wisely: and Saul set him over the men of war, and he was accepted in the sight of all the people, and also in the sight of Saul’s servants.

1 Samuel18:14  And David behaved himself wisely in all his ways; and the LORD was with him.

1 Samuel18:15  Wherefore when Saul saw that he behaved himself very wisely, he was afraid of him.

1 Samuel18:30  Then the princes of the Philistines went forth: and it came to pass, after they went forth, that David behaved himself more wisely than all the servants of Saul; so that his name was much set by.

How did David acquire all this wisdom? Well, the first Psalm of David reveals some of David’s heart towards God and His word.

Psalm 1:1-3  Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law (in God’s Word) doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.

God’s Word was David’s counsel not the ways of the world. God’s Word was the foundation for the wisdom of David. David here had the same heart for God that Joshua did. For God’s Word to be continually in Joshua’s mouth, Joshua had to think about what God had said. Here, David by revelation says the same thing. He meditated in God’s Word day and night.

The apostle Paul told Timothy “consider what I say, and the Lord give thee understanding in all things.”

As we ponder on the words of God, God will cause us to understand how to apply His Word in our lives, in our situations, and in what we are looking at here with our prosperity.

We have both the written Word of God to act as our guiding light and we have God’s spirit within us to show us what to do in our specific situations. We may not need to know how to fight the enemies of Israel like David or how to divide the land for their inheritance, but we may need some help in understanding money. We start with the Word of God and then as we act on what we have read, God can speak to the spirit within us to guide us in making wise decisions. He wants us to prosper and to be in health.

As God told Joshua “you will make your way prosperous and you will have good success, do wisely.” We do the same by meditating in and speaking God’s Word.

If you need wisdom with finances, ASK! James says God gives to all liberally the wisdom they ask for. We all need His wisdom. He is far smarter and wiser than we are.

I often think of the man God commissioned to be the head over making the tabernacle under Moses.

Here is a man, a couple of men, that were already perhaps great at their crafts but who were willing to learn, to listen, and that were teachable by God.

Exodus 31:1-6 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,  See, I have called by name Bezaleel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah: And I have filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, and in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship, To devise cunning works, to work in gold, and in silver, and in brass, And in cutting of stones, to set them, and in carving of timber, to work in all manner of workmanship. And I, behold, I have given with him Aholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan: and in the hearts of all that are wise hearted I have put wisdom, that they may make all that I have commanded thee;

God showed them; He taught them HOW to do the work He asked. Not all at once. A thought here and another thought there as they needed to know what to do. Not all those thoughts are your thoughts. Some are God speaking to your spirit. Think, ask and listen. Find some good Christian books on finances like Dave Ramsey’s books and classes. Listen to some podcasts and read some blogs on how to save money and get out of debt. Expect God to show you what will work in your situation and in your life.

God has a promise in Proverbs that is just profound.

Proverbs 1:23 Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you.

If you are willing to handle your finances according to what God has laid out in His Word, turn at His reproof, He will cause you to understand the subject of prosperity if you are willing to listen and to learn. Learning to expect God to teach you is a very exciting part of The Prosperous Life.

The more that you dig for the buried treasures in God’s Word, the more you discover treasures God left for us in His Word. Case in point is Proverbs 3:9 and 10

Proverbs 3:9,10  Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase: So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine.

Where did Israel take the firstfruits? To the temple.

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.

God’s house in the Old Testament was the temple, and here it was called a storehouse. What was the temple to do with the stuff brought into it?

Numbers 18:21 And, behold, I have given the children of Levi all the tenth in Israel for an inheritance, for their service which they serve, even the service of the tabernacle of the congregation.

The priests and the Levites lived off the tithes brought into the temple or storehouse.

Proverbs 3:9 says we are to honor the Lord with our increase, our tithes, and offerings. God does not need our money in heaven. He created everything. There is nothing He needs to buy. God set up the principle of tithing/giving first to be able to bless the givers and then to take care of those that serve in the temple and now in the church.

We are to honor the Lord by giving of our substance — tithing. The tithe meant a tenth. Offerings were above and beyond the tithe.

As a noun, “honor” in the Bible means “esteem, value, or great respect.” To “honor” someone is to value him highly or bestow value upon him. It can also be used as “glorify,” and it indicates great weightiness in wealth and respect. Job and Abraham come to mind.

The word “honor” has a lot of weight to it. It is not like: “We gave Bob a gold watch at his retirement party.”

Genesis 13:2 And Abram was very rich (honor, very weighty) in cattle, in silver, and in gold.

Very wealthy, heavy in wealth, it speaks of the magnitude of his wealth.

A person of high social position and accompanying wealth was automatically an honored or weighty person in society.

Having honor for God is something that should come from our heart. It is easy to say or do things that sound or look like you are honoring God but not really honoring Him in your heart. Honor is a heart issue.

Mark 7:6 He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.

One could be honored because of heroic feats of courage or fidelity. The mighty men of David made a name for themselves. God is also to be honored. God’s name is glorious in righteousness, faithfulness, judgment, and in salvation. He is to be honored not only because of His position as sovereign head of the universe and being the author of salvation but because of His unsurpassed character in all realms.

 Proverbs 22:4 By humility and the fear of the LORD are riches, and honour, and life.

The trappings of glory or honor without an accompanying weightiness of character is an offense to life.

Matthew 23:23 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.

The Pharisees and scribes giving of the tithe did not come from a heart of love for God. Jesus said if they really loved God and gave out of love, they would also have just judgment, mercy, and faith. We not only need to give, but we need to do it from the heart. Honoring God is a heart issue, not just a strict obedience issue.

When it comes to honoring God as it tells us to do in Proverbs 3:9, this next verse is interesting.

1 Samuel 2:30 …. them that honour me I will honor, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed.

We could conclude that when God tells us to honor Him with the firstfruits of all our increase, filling our barns/storehouses is part of how God honors us back.

Giving should be a matter of the heart. Giving honor should be a heart matter as well. Romans teaches us that believing comes from the heart and that there is joy and peace in believing. Therefore, we can be cheerful givers. To believe and do from the heart what God has said can result in joy or in being a cheerful giver. God loves that.

Interestingly, Chapter 3 of Proverbs verse one addresses the heart issue also:

Proverbs 3:1 My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments.

If we do all the right things but not out of love, Romans teaches us that this is sin. We just need to up our game. We need to add believing and love because of all our Father has done for us.

So how does honoring the Lord with the firstfruits of all our increase work in the Grace Administration that we live in? Well, God set up a similar scenario to the Old Testament in our administration.

1 Corinthians 9:13  Do ye not know that they which minister about holy things live of the things of the temple? and they which wait at the altar are partakers with the altar?

In other words, the priest’s and Levite’s income was what the people brought to God as tithes and offerings in the temple.

1 Corinthians 9:14  Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel.

Just as the priests and Levites lived on the tithes and offering of the children of Israel, God set it in order that those that have the oversight in the churches and fellowships, should live of the gospel.

God still does not need our dollars in heaven, so He asks us to give our firstfruits to those that preach the gospel. This is part of how we honor God in our day and time. He tells us to honor those He put in positions in the church.

Romans 13:7 Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour.

1Timothy 5:17 Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine.

This word “honor” used here is the same word as used in the gospels where it says they honor me with their lips. This word for honor can be traced back to the Old Testament. God used it consistently throughout His Word. It is an interesting study.

As a side note, the honoring of overseers in the church should be for the office more than the person as indicated by the following scriptures:

Acts 23:1-5 And Paul, earnestly beholding the council, said, Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day. And the high priest Ananias commanded them that stood by him to smite him on the mouth. Then said Paul unto him, God shall smite thee, thou whited wall: for sittest thou to judge me after the law, and commandest me to be smitten contrary to the law? And they that stood by said, Revilest thou God’s high priest? Then said Paul, I wist not, brethren, that he was the high priest: for it is written, Thou shalt not speak evil of the ruler of thy people.

Here, we see Paul had respect for the office but not necessarily the man. He sets the example for us that our respect and honor is for the office.

Most do not teach this subject of honor in their church or fellowship probably because it would seem that they are expecting this for themselves. They would seem to be self-promoting. I can do this here because most of you that read or listen to this are not in my fellowship. But the truths are still in the Bible, and the more we as God’s children know and understand these things, the better we will prosper as individuals and as a church or fellowship.

Some people think that all they must do to honor God is to give, and God will give back to them. You cannot ignore many of the principles of prosperity and expect that giving is all that is needed. Giving is not a magic pill to receiving all on its own. We need to honor all of God’s Word not just part of it. The more we learn of God’s Word the better our walks should become.

The first Psalm says that the psalmist meditated in God’s Word day and night, and Jesus said to seek first the kingdom of God. These are attitudes of the heart. This is part of honoring God and a great part of prosperity.

We also honor God by honoring our pastor and those who have the oversight over us.

October is recognized as pastor or clergy appreciation month in the United States, and October the 9^th is the specific day. Some believe that idea came from the Apostle Paul’s admonition to the churches.

Act 20:28 Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.

Hebrews 13:17 Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.

1Thessalonians 5:12,13  And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you; And to esteem them very highly in love for their work’s sake. And be at peace among yourselves.

If you as an individual honor those that have the oversight, that is to honor God who put them there. God has said that He will honor those that honor Him. The same would be true of a church or fellowship. The better care you take of those in authority in the church the more your church/fellowship will prosper in finances and growth.

To honor God as it says in Proverbs then includes obeying His Word from the heart — staying out of debt, saving money, tithing, giving, and honoring those in authority in the church.

Galatians 6:6,7  Let him who is being instructed in the Word [of God] share with him who instructs him in all good things. Do not be misled. God is not to be sneered at. In fact, whatever a person sows, that will he also harvest, (WTJ)

This translation uses the word “share” in place of “communicate.”  Interesting. This would not only be a financial sharing but also a full sharing in many areas. For example, in one place, God told Paul to write “pray for me.”  In another place, Paul by revelation talked about those who were his helpers. Sometimes, just saying “thank you” is a blessing. All these things and more are part of honoring God and those that are overseers.

God put these instructions in His Word to help us understand how life works best.

1Timothy 4:8 …but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.

Developing our relationship with God, including the proper use of finances is profitable now and in the life that is to come. Keep on digging for the treasures of God’s Word; that is the way of The Prosperous Life.

I understand the philosophy of this statement “When the going gets tough – give.” But I don’t know if I could find a verse in the Bible that states that.  It is usually implied to give financially or to donate time.  It would seem to be something that sounded good because of the lack of Biblical understanding. I understand you cannot outgive God, but if you are broke or close to it, is the best use of your remaining funds to give it away instead of feeding your family? It could be IF that is what God told you to do!

Giving should come from a thankful heart — a heart desiring to honor God for all He has done for you as His child.  God says he loves a cheerful giver rather than a desperate soul giving to get money to pay for rent or other bills. That is not to say that God will not help, but we do not have to buy his help.

First, it might be good to study God’s Word to see what  He has “REALLY said about money and finances. Then ask Him for wisdom as to what to do in your situation.  As you are looking/waiting for that wisdom, you might read some articles or books or listen to some podcasts by other good, knowledgeable Christian authors on finances.  Then see what rings a bell in your heart as to what to do.

Secondly, if we start at the beginning of the problem, the following are some sound thoughts.

One author I read said this, “Generally, being short on cash means that you either are not planning well, or you are not sticking to your budget each month. This is especially true if you are consistently running out of money each month.”

So, if you don’t have a budget, you might think of starting one.  Some people find a system of cash envelopes works well, in the beginning, to learn not to spend more than what is allocated.  There are a good many books and websites that can give you great examples of how to do a budget.

It takes some desire to get out of the messes we create in our lives because of our lack of understanding about money — especially biblical understanding. Many ideas and principles found in our culture or Christianity, are the opposite of what God says in His Word. 

After we went bankrupt, the first thing we did was start an emergency fund.  We used that fund many times.  It was disheartening to have to spend it after we had saved that money. BUT, because of the emergency fund, we did not have to put anything on a credit card.  We were able to pay cash. That was different!

Every time we saved up about $1,500.00, we would have an emergency. The refrigerator went out and then the transmission needed to be rebuilt.  It seemed like an endless cycle, but God says resist the devil, and he will flee.  So, we just kept putting the money in the fund and did not quit.  One day we noticed we no longer had emergencies come up. It took a while. Then the emergency began to grow was past the $1,500.00.

Many financial gurus recommend 3-6 months to a year’s worth of living expenses in your emergency fund. You really have no idea what the future holds.

Some may say that we should just believe God to meet our needs day by day and not store away money. But God says only fools spend all they bring in which implies the wise do not spend it all – they save some.

If saving is not Biblical, when you get to heaven, talk to Joseph.  He saved for seven years.  You could ask yourself, why is that record in the Bible if saving is wrong?

Saved money needs to be assigned to certain jobs, not just stored in a lump.  Thus, an emergency fund – to spend only in an emergency!  That is its assignment. You might have many different funds:  a college fund, a car replacement, gifts, medical, retirement, etc. These funds have a designated purpose. This takes a certain amount of discipline but what you have been doing does not work so start over.

On our journey of learning, we also had a slush fund made up of loose change and any cash that came our way.  It was never used to pay for monthly bills.  At one point my wife wanted to use the slush fund to pay the mortgage payment because we were broke.  I said NO!  This is what we had always done.  We would save money and then spend it on a monthly bill when we had a cash shortage.  I told her that this habit cannot possibly be what God intended The Prosperous Life to be like because we were always starting over. For us, this was a turning point in our understanding of The Prosperous Life. We did get the bill paid and did not touch the slush fund.

That money was used to buy things that were not part of the budget which would normally have gone on a credit card. We were able to give money to our son to buy a suit for a job interview, buy a camper shell, get a new mattress and box springs, etc. The more we contributed to the slush fund and used it that way, the faster it got replenished.  It was quite a relief because we no longer used credit cards.  We now have debit cards instead.  I understand they are not as secure and have other drawbacks, but we had to learn to stop spending what we did not have.

One of the things we learned by reading is that if people lose a job, they don’t cut back their lifestyle much and quickly run out of money.  So, if you just lost your job, cut out ALL unnecessary expenses immediately.  The reserves you have will last much longer.  Perhaps cut back until you find another source of income. This is not fear, it is wise.  God tells us to walk circumspectly as wise not as fools.

Understanding some of these ideas can help keep you out of the cash crunch scenario!

Third, if you find yourself in a cash crunch, what can you do immediately?

Get a sign that says, “will work for food” and stand on a street corner! (Just kidding!)

Go through your garage, your house, or storage and sell old stuff on Facebook, eBay, or Craigslist.  It is good to lighten the load anyway, and it is better to have the money than having all that junk just collecting dust.

Have a garage sale, and price the stuff to sell.

You can babysit or dog sit.  This may not be your new career, but it can bring in some quick cash when you are desperately short.

If you have saved an emergency fund, you can dip into it.

Get a temporary job where you get paid in tips.  That will give you some money on the same day.

Sell plasma if you need the money fast.

If you have some additional unnecessary expenses, consider giving them up for a while.

Rent out a room in your house.

Find an additional source of income. Work two part-time jobs if you need to. Give and then go to work.

Many people believe negatively about their income during certain times of the year or around certain events.  For instance:  Work always slows down in the fall, or around the holidays, or just after the holidays or in the summertime.  This is what they believe and confess and what is true for them.  Don’t listen.  Ultimately, God is your source of supply.  He is the one that causes it to rain on the just and the unjust. He is just as able to supply you with jobs or a job at any time of the year.

Fourth, pray.

This should have been first most likely. Pray. Make your requests known to God, He is your Father and is keenly interested in your life. Expect him to deliver you, to supply you with all that you need in every situation at every time of the year.

If you need more work, every morning pray and ask God for more work and then look for it to come to pass.  Take the downtime to clean up your truck, tidy up your books and get prepared because the jobs are coming, and you want to be ready.

If you need a job, every morning pray and ask God where to look, where to apply, and you might ask Him what kind of a side business would be good until the job comes. Look around and expect Him to supply and show you what to do.

All of this is learning to walk with God, learning how to manifest The Prosperous Life He desires for us to have.

When the going gets tough – pray, double down, think and go to work!