When I pastored our church, I would announce what new series I was going to speak on in the following weeks. If the topic was on finance or prosperity, the members of our congregation wanted to know what specific topic I would speak on. During the week, they would call or e-mail to tell me they were bringing their friends or work associates during this series. After I finished the financial series, we would usually do a three-hour Saturday morning seminar. Those seminars would be filled with people who were not members of our church. This experience would always remind me of the great need people have for information concerning their finances. The topics people liked the most were always prosperity, success and wealth.
Let’s think of this article as a seminar on these three topics. First, we need to look at prosperity. Have you ever thought about your definition of prosperity? Some might define it as being free to spend as much as you want on whatever you want. If that is your definition, you will either never achieve it or you will run out of money before you can experience your goal. To obtain financial prosperity requires obedience to God’s Word, discipline in decision making and having the correct motives.
Financial success is the dream of almost everyone I know. Similar to the plan I gave you in the previous paragraph, there are steps we must take in order to achieve financial success. First, we must follow God’s plan outlined in His Word. Step number one is to become a giver of your finances to the work of the Lord. The Bible tells us that when we give, we will receive. When the Lord tells us to give, He is not trying to put us into bankruptcy. He wants us to give so He will be obligated to give to us. The Word of God tells us in Malachi to test Him and see if He will bless us. The second step is to acknowledge that God is our source in everything we need. The Bible informs us that every good and perfect gift comes from our Father. To be successful in our finances, we must never forget where our success comes from. Another step we need to take is to trust our God in everything we do. In Proverbs 3:5, we are told to trust the Lord with all our heart; then it tells us not to lean on our own understanding. If we do these things, we will be on our way to financial success.
Lastly, most of us would like to experience financial wealth. I did not use the word rich because being wealthy is far better than being rich. Wealth requires a greater level of spiritual wisdom. Those who are financially rich will usually lose it quicker than those who are wealthy. The rich may think they have arrived in their quest for success in their finances. But the wealthy know where their finances come from, and it takes them longer to obtain that wealth. In America, we have the rich and the wealthy. The wealthy are referred to as “old money.” This means they have kept their wealth longer than anyone else. Our God is the ultimate example of wealth being greater than being rich.
If we follow the guidelines of prosperity, success and wealth, we have a greater opportunity to achieve them all. Lord, help us to always acknowledge that You are our source in everything. Learn more tips on financial guidance on my podcast, Quality Christian Living.
For my books on Finance and Generosity visit my web site: davidcfriendauthor.com. {eoa}.
David C. Friend was the founder and pastor of North Scottsdale Christian Church in Scottsdale, Arizona. He has served as the president of the Paradise Valley Chamber of Commerce and was chairman of the Grand Canyon University Foundation Board. Before answering God’s call and accepting the full-time position as pastor of North Scottsdale Christian, David spent 14 years in banking and owned a real estate development company for 20 years. He taught banking operations at Arizona community colleges. David resides in North Scottsdale with his wife, Sharon, and together they have two married children and six grandchildren. David is an award-winning author, veteran, entrepreneur, pastor, banker and teacher.
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