Day 37
I Corinthians 9:8 Amplified Version
"And God is able to make all grace (every favor and earthly blessing) come to you in abundance, so that you may always and under all circumstances and whatever the need, be self-sufficient - possessing enough to require no aid or support and furnished in abundance for every good work and charitable donation."
Our God is not subject to change. As He was the God of prosperity in the Old Testament, we see that He is the God of prosperity in the New Testament. Poverty was a curse - therefore not from God- then, or now. God is against poverty and lack. He is not against poor people or those in lack. He loves them but is not happy with their circumstances. II Corinthians 9:8 shows us what God wants to do for us. He not only wants to meet our needs, but He also wants to enable us to meet the needs of others as His Body in the earth. II Corinthians 8:9 points out that Jesus became poor so we could become rich. Although Jesus was not lacking in anything, He left Heaven where there were far more riches than there are on earth, and became poor in relation to what He left behind. He denied Himself so we could be blessed.
The greeting of John to Gains in ill John 2 expresses what God wishes for all of us - total prosperity in the body, soul and spirit, as well as materially. Jesus came that we might have an abundant life (John 10:10). Abundance indicates more than enough.
The earth is the Lord's (Psalm 24:1), and the silver and gold are His (Haggai 2:8). This is Our Father's world. God wants us, who are conformed to the image of Christ, to take dominion in the earth - to subdue it. We are to be the light of the world, the salt of the earth. To do the best we can, we need to prosper - to have access to funds and materials that will help us accomplish our task. The wealth of this world, or a good portion of it, is in the wrong hands. However, the scripture says, "...the wealth of the sinner is laid up for the just" (Proverbs 13:22) and "...but to the sinner He giveth travail, to gather and to heap up, that he may give to him that is good before God,"(Ecclesiastes 2:26). We should be aggressive about prosperity for the right reasons.
I accept the fact that the wealth of the work is not designated for the sinner. It belongs to God's people. I am God's and I receive my portion of the wealth in this world for God's purposes. God's purpose for prosperity for me is that I should have more than enough for my own needs and be able to contribute to supplying the needs of others.