- Will God make me prosperous and wealthy?
- Why do people have money problems, even when they are serving God?
- Why hasn't God answered my prayers to get out of debt?
- Where does it say God will prosper me?
The Bible Does not Promise Wealth
There is no promise in the Bible that being a Christian will lead to a good job,wealth, freedom from debt, etc. One verse is sometimes cited:
For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. 1 (TNIV, Jeremiah 29:11)In context, this verse was directed specifically to the Israelite exiles in Babylon. The original Hebrew word translated as "prosperity" can mean peace, completeness, safety, health, satisfaction or blessings1. It does not imply financial prosperity. This translation probably comes closer to the intended meaning:
For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. (NLT, Jeremiah 29:11)God's faithful people may be rich or poor (2 Chronicles 17:3-5, Job 1:1-3, Matthew 27:57, Mark 12:41-44, Luke 16:19-22, 19:2-9, Proverbs 22:2, Luke 6:20).
Wealth Is not a Sign of God's Favor
In Jesus' time it was a common belief that great wealth was a sign of God's favor and poverty was God's punishment for sin. Some Old Testament verses do reflect the idea that poverty is a natural consequence of foolish actions (Proverbs 6:9-11, 20:13, 23:21).However, Jesus denied that wealth is a sign of God's favor or that poverty is God's punishment for sin. This is shown most clearly in His Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19-31). At least part of the reason the rich man ended up in hell was because of his hard-heartedness toward the beggar Lazarus. His great wealth was obviously not a sign of God's favor. The beggar Lazarus ended up in heaven although he was about as impoverished as a man could be. His poverty was obviously not a sign of sinfulness or foolishness.
Despite the Bible's many warnings against it, the idea that wealth is a sign of God's favor and that the poor have done something to deserve their condition persists as an undercurrent today that is sometimes used to justify a callous attitude toward those who are poor.
Related verses: Proverbs 15:16-17, Ecclesiastes 5:10-12, Luke 1:52-53, 6:20, 6:24-25.
Wealth Is a Gift from God to Be Used in His Service
Jesus saw wealth as a gift from God to be used in His service (Matthew 25:14-30). Those who have been blessed with wealth must share generously with the poor (Matthew 25:31-46), and avoid the sins of arrogance (1 Timothy 6:17-19), dishonesty (Exodus 20:15, Mark 10:19, Luke 3:12-14) and greed (Luke 12:13-21). Those of us who are blessed with wealth beyond our need have a responsibility to share generously with the less fortunate. We should view our wealth as a gift from God, entrusted to us, to carry out His work on earth.If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? (NIV, 1 John 3:17)
Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life. (NIV, 1 Timothy 6:17-19)
Wealth Is Dangerous
Then Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, "How hard it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!" And the disciples were perplexed at these words. But Jesus said to them again, "Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God." They were greatly astounded and said to one another, "Then who can be saved?" Jesus looked at them and said, "For mortals it is impossible, but not for God; for God all things are possible." (NRSV, Mark 10:23-27)It is not that wealth is intrinsically evil, or that poverty is blessed. Rather, a devotion to gathering wealth is incompatible with devotion to God. God must always be the most important thing in our lives:
"No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money." (NLT, Luke 16:13)
Do not wear yourself out to get rich; have the wisdom to show restraint. Cast but a glance at riches, and they are gone, for they will surely sprout wings and fly off to the sky like an eagle. (NIV, Proverbs 23:4-5)
What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul? (NIV, Matthew 16:26)
Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. (TNIV, 1 Timothy 6:9-11, emphasis added)
"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. (NIV, Matthew 6:19-21)Related verses: Matthew 13:22, Luke 12:15, 1 Timothy 6:17-19, James 5:1-5.
Avoid Dishonesty
The rationalization required to obtain and keep dishonest gain can make a person cold, cynical and separated from God. It may be taking unfair advantage or misrepresenting the facts to employers, employees, customers, clients or associates. It may be stealing, fraud, inflating insurance claims, cheating on taxes, "pirating" music and movies, willful nonpayment of debts, or any form of dishonesty for personal gain. In whatever form, dishonest gain brings only fear of discovery - never peace of mind.'You shall not oppress your neighbor, nor rob him. The wages of a hired man are not to remain with you all night until morning. (NAS, Leviticus 19:13)
The LORD abhors dishonest scales, but accurate weights are his delight. (NIV, Proverbs 11:1)
He who walks righteously and speaks what is right, who rejects gain from extortion and keeps his hand from accepting bribes, who stops his ears against plots of murder and shuts his eyes against contemplating evil-- this is the man who will dwell on the heights, whose refuge will be the mountain fortress. His bread will be supplied, and water will not fail him. (NIV, Isaiah 33:15-16)
Let every person be subject to the governing authorities; for there is no authority except from God, and those authorities that exist have been instituted by God... For the same reason you also pay taxes, for the authorities are God's servants, busy with this very thing. Pay to all what is due them - taxes to whom taxes are due, revenue to whom revenue is due, respect to whom respect is due, honor to whom honor is due. (NRSV, Romans 13:1, 6-7)
Riches, Spiritual
Romans 11:33-36
Oh, the depth of the riches
both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His
judgments and unfathomable His ways!
Ephesians 2:4
But God, being rich in
mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us,
Verse Concepts
Ephesians 3:8
To me, the very least of all
saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the
unfathomable riches of Christ,
Verse Concepts
Romans 2:4
Or do you think lightly of
the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience, not knowing that
the kindness of God leads you to repentance?
Verse Concepts
Ephesians 2:7
so that in the ages to come
He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us
in Christ Jesus.
Verse Concepts
Colossians 2:2-3
that their hearts may be
encouraged, having been knit together in love, and attaining to all the
wealth that comes from the full assurance of understanding, resulting in
a true knowledge of God's mystery, that is, Christ Himself,
Philippians 4:19
And my God will supply all
your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.
Verse Concepts
Colossians 1:27
to whom God willed to make
known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the
Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
Verse Concepts
Job 23:12
"I have not departed from
the command of His lips; I have treasured the words of His mouth more
than my necessary food.
Verse Concepts
Psalm 19:9-10
The fear of the LORD is
clean, enduring forever; The judgments of the LORD are true; they are
righteous altogether.
Psalm 119:72
The law of Your mouth is
better to me Than thousands of gold and silver pieces.
Verse Concepts
Isaiah 33:5-6
The LORD is exalted, for He
dwells on high; He has filled Zion with justice and righteousness.
Proverbs 2:1-5
My son, if you will receive
my words And treasure my commandments within you,
Proverbs 15:6
Great wealth is in the house
of the righteous, But trouble is in the income of the wicked.
Verse Concepts
2 Corinthians 9:10-11
Now He who supplies seed to
the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for
sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness;
Ephesians 1:7-8
In Him we have redemption
through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the
riches of His grace
James 2:5
Listen, my beloved brethren:
did not God choose the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs
of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him?
Verse Concepts
2 Corinthians 4:7
But we have this treasure in
earthen vessels, so that the surpassing greatness of the power will be
of God and not from ourselves;
Verse Concepts
Matthew 13:44-46
"The kingdom of heaven is
like a treasure hidden in the field, which a man found and hid again;
and from joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that
field.
Ruth 2:12
"May the LORD reward your
work, and your wages be full from the LORD, the God of Israel, under
whose wings you have come to seek refuge."
Verse Concepts
1 Samuel 26:23
"The LORD will repay each
man for his righteousness and his faithfulness; for the LORD delivered
you into my hand today, but I refused to stretch out my hand against the
LORD'S anointed.
Verse Concepts
Psalm 18:20
The LORD has rewarded me
according to my righteousness; According to the cleanness of my hands He
has recompensed me.
Verse Concepts
Proverbs 25:21-22
If your enemy is hungry,
give him food to eat; And if he is thirsty, give him water to drink;
Colossians 3:24
knowing that from the Lord
you will receive the reward of the inheritance It is the Lord Christ
whom you serve.
Verse Concepts
Hebrews 10:35
Therefore, do not throw away
your confidence, which has a great reward.
Verse Concepts
Acts 20:32
"And now I commend you to
God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and to
give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified.
Verse Concepts
Ephesians 1:13-14
In Him, you also, after
listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation--having
also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise,
Colossians 1:12
giving thanks to the Father,
who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in
Light.
Verse Concepts
1 Peter 1:4
to obtain an inheritance
which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in
heaven for you,
Verse Concepts
Ephesians 1:18
I pray that the eyes of your
heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His
calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the
saints,
Verse Concepts
Revelation 2:9
'I know your tribulation and
your poverty (but you are rich), and the blasphemy by those who say
they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.
Verse Concepts
Luke 12:33
"Sell your possessions and
give to charity; make yourselves money belts which do not wear out, an
unfailing treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near nor moth
destroys.
Verse Concepts
Matthew 6:20
"But store up for yourselves
treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where
thieves do not break in or steal;
Verse Concepts
Luke 12:20-21
"But God said to him, 'You
fool! This very night your soul is required of you; and now who will own
what you have prepared?'
1 Timothy 6:19
storing up for themselves
the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that they may take
hold of that which is life indeed.
Verse Concepts
Hebrews 11:26
considering the reproach of
Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt; for he was looking to
the reward.
Verse Concepts
Revelation 3:18
I advise you to buy from Me
gold refined by fire so that you may become rich, and white garments so
that you may clothe yourself, and that the shame of your nakedness will
not be revealed; and eye salve to anoint your eyes so that you may see.
"How should a Christian view wealth?"
Answer: The Christian view of wealth should be derived from the Scriptures. There are many times in the Old Testament that God gave riches to His people. Solomon was promised riches and became the richest of all the kings of the earth (1 Kings 3:11-13; 2 Chronicles 9:22); David said in 1 Chronicles 29:12: “Wealth and honor come from you; you are the ruler of all things.” Abraham (Genesis 17-20), Jacob (Genesis 30-31), Joseph (Genesis 41), King Jehoshaphat (2 Chronicles 17:5), and many others were blessed by God with wealth. However, they were a chosen people with earthly promises and rewards. They were given a land and all the riches it held.
In the New Testament, there is a different standard. The church was never given a land or the promise of riches. Ephesians 1:3 tells us, “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.” Christ spoke in Matthew 13:22 concerning the seed of God's Word falling among thorns and “the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful” (NKJV). This is the first reference to earthly riches in the New Testament. Clearly, this is not a positive image.
In Mark 10:23, " Jesus looked around and said to His disciples, ‘How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!’” It was not impossible—for all things are possible with God—but it would be “hard.” In Luke 16:13, Jesus spoke about “mammon” (the Aramaic word for “riches”): “No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.” Again, the imagery here is of wealth as a negative influence on spirituality and one that can keep us from God.
God speaks of the true riches He brings to us today in Romans 2:4: “Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, tolerance and patience, not realizing that God's kindness leads you toward repentance?” These are the riches which bring eternal life. Again, this is brought out in Romans 9:23: “And that He might make known the riches of His glory on the vessels of mercy, which He had prepared beforehand for glory, even us whom He called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?” (NKJV). Also, Ephesians 1:7: “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace." Referring to God giving mercy, Paul praises God in Romans 11:33: “Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out!” The emphasis of the New Testament is God's riches in us: “That you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints” (Ephesians1:18b). God actually wants to show off His riches in us in heaven: “And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 2:6-7).
The riches that God wants for us: “I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being” (Ephesians 3:16). The greatest verse for New Testament believers concerning riches is Philippians 4:19: “And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.” This statement was written by Paul because the Philippians had sent sacrificial gifts to take care of Paul's needs.
First Timothy 6:17 gives a warning to the rich: “Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.” James 5:1-3 gives us another warning about riches that were wrongly gained: “Now listen, you rich people, weep and wail because of the misery that is coming upon you. Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes. Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have hoarded wealth in the last days.” The last time that riches are mentioned in the Bible is in Revelation 18:17, speaking of the great destruction of Babylon: “In one hour such great wealth has been brought to ruin!”
To summarize, Israel was given earthly promises and rewards as God's chosen people on earth. He gave many illustrations and types and truths through them. Many people desire to take their blessings, but not their curses. However, in the progression of revelation, God has revealed through Jesus Christ a more excellent ministry: “But the ministry Jesus has received is as superior to theirs as the covenant of which he is mediator is superior to the old one, and it is founded on better promises” (Hebrews 8:6).
God does not condemn anyone for having riches. Riches come to people from many sources, but He gives grave warnings to those who seek after them more than they seek after God and trust in them more than in God. His greatest desire is for us to set our hearts on things above and not on things on this earth. This may sound very high and unobtainable, but Paul wrote, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13 NKJV). The secret is knowing Christ as Savior and allowing the Holy Spirit to conform our minds and heart to His (Romans 12:1-2).
The biblical frame of reference for wealth is that God is the source
of all gain. Each year various publications list the one hundred
wealthiest persons in America. They are categorized by total income,
usually in the range of billions and millions. Such is the predominant
viewpoint of our age regarding the meaning of wealth.
But is that the way God defines wealth? I think not. Many of the individuals who are included in one year's ranking are excluded from the next, their wealth having been dissipated through a variety of causes. Some are even forced into bankruptcy. "Do not overwork to be rich; . . . will you set your eyes on that which is not?" (Proverbs 23:4, 5).
Still others lead rather checkered lives marked by greed, divorce, or immorality. "Better is a little with righteousness, than vast revenues without justice" (Proverbs 16:8).
However, God is not opposed to personal monetary wealth. Many prominent Bible characters were quite well-to-do, including Abraham, Job, Joseph, and Solomon. But God is concerned that we view riches from His perspective.
The biblical frame of reference for wealth is that God is the source of all gain. "Both riches and honor come from You, and You reign over all. In Your hand is power and might; in Your hand it is to make great and to give strength to all" (1 Chronicles 29:12).
As God prepared to take the Israelites into fertile and fruitful Canaan, His fundamental concern was that they should not forget the source of their new-found affluence: "Then you say in your heart, 'My power and the might of my hand have gained me this wealth.' And you shall remember the LORD your God, for it is He who gives you power to get wealth" (Deuteronomy 8:17, 18).
The biblically wealthy individual may be rich or poor according to the world's standards. Regardless, he or she knows that wealth is not measured by dollars. God is the source of all riches, and we are called to the noble task of managing God's gracious gifts.
For further insights, read the following passages:
Psalm 37:16-17
Ecclesiastes 5:19
Jeremiah 9:23-24
Romans 11:36
But don't we all secretly envy the rich and famous? Don't we believe that if only we were rich, it would solve all our problems? Don't we long to be recognized and loved by millions of people?
Why is that? Jesus, who knew the human heart better than anyone ever has or ever will, understood that it's a matter of priorities. Too often, rich people make wealth their number one priority instead of God. They spend most of their time making wealth, spending it, and increasing it.
While it's true that wealth can purchase all kinds of thrills and creature comforts, in the long run, those things amount to high-priced glitter and trash. Anything that ends up in a junkyard or landfill cannot satisfy the yearning in the human heart.
Our culture constantly hypes the new--new cars, new music players, new computers, new furniture, new clothes. Wearing something that's out of style pegs you as a misfit, somebody who doesn't quite "get it." And we all want to "get it" because we long for the approval of our peers.
So we're caught somewhere in between, not poor but far from rich, and certainly not famous outside of our circle of family and friends.
We possess the richness of a salvation that can never be taken from us. This is the treasure that's immune from moths and rust. We take it with us when we die, unlike money or fancy possessions.
We are famous and precious to our Savior, so much that he sacrificed himself so we can spend eternity with him.
Instead, it's time to turn our eyes to our intimate relationship with Jesus Christ. That's where we'll experience our greatest fulfillment. That's where we'll finally find all the riches we've ever wanted.
Make money and create wealth is all a part of God’s plan
for your prosperity. He DOES want you to be wealthy—that is one of his
promises. The Make Money God’s Way web site is one path that you can use
to take hold of that promise.
The only one that doesn’t want you wealthy is Satan. He UTTERLY FEARS
a wealthy Christian that is not ashamed to proclaim the name of Jesus
Christ.
Because of this Satan is spreading a lot of lies about money, in hopes that you believe them and that you’ll self sabotage your efforts to create wealth. He is very deceitful, and mostly uses half-truths to plant the seed of doubt in your mind.
But you are obviously not swayed by his half-truths, or otherwise you wouldn’t be searching the internet and landing on this web site right now.
You don’t have to be ashamed of making money or having money when you are talking with your friends and family. That is the desire of Satan. He plants the seed of envy in the hearts of poor people so it will grow and put social pressure on others like you that want to make money.
When that happens, you’ll put less effort into doing the things that make money. The result: you will be poorer. And when you’re poorer, your voice (when proclaiming the name of Jesus Christ) becomes diminished. Satan wins when you, as a Christian, are ashamed to make more money. Money matters when it comes to proclaiming the gospel – Satan knows it to be true, do you?
The second purpose of this web site is to point out the practical advice that comes out of the bible on how to make money. The bible is full of exceptional business advice. It is so down to earth, that you would have thought that it comes from the Chamber of Commerce. You won’t be ashamed to implement the ideas you’ll find on this web site. In fact, your family and friends will look at you with increased admiration because of the wisdom you’ve displayed.
There is no fault directed toward them for not knowing how to make money. We rejoice with them when each soul has been saved. But because that is their passion, they don’t have the time to devote to finding the passages in the bible that show how to make money and create wealth.
You were called to be more than a steward though. Think about this… Say you hired a manager to invest your retirement money. At the end of the year, he comes back and gives you all your money back. But there is no “increase.” There isn’t even any interest money. You’d be furious with that steward and would fire him, right?
You know this situation sounds exactly like the parable of the talents from the bible, right? It is. And that is how God views your job here on earth. You are to make money. It is a command, not a suggestion.
The individual Christian is often on their own to find ways to make money. But there is some good news! This website is here to help you by pointing out the formula that God has written down in the bible. The bible is the map; this website is just the magnifying glass to help you read the fine print and to help you orient this map to the real-world around you. Learning how to make money is easier when you have a guide to show you how it is done.
Notice the word “easier,” not “easy.” You’ll not find a get-rich-overnight scheme here. It doesn’t work that way. Getting rich overnight usually involves a lot of pre-work in advance. It is like a farmer that plants his crops and waters them all summer long. On harvest day, he is wealthy; but prior to that, it was a lot of hard work. The farmer’s job is easier if he has an adviser telling him when is the best time to sow the seeds, when to put on the fertilizer, and how much water to add. That is the purpose of this web site. It can give you the advice that will help you make money easier.
Learn how to make money, God’s way. It is part of his plan to prosper you.
Sean Hyman is a foreign exchange trader, television commentator and editor of the Ultimate Wealth Report. He’s also a former pastor who says he has cracked a lucrative biblical code embedded in ancient scripture.
This is due to people misquoting the Bible believing it says that “money is the root of all evil".
■ The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty. Proverbs 21:5 In other words: Take your time or you might end up broke.
■ Divide your portion to seven, or even to eight, for you do not know what misfortune may occur on the earth. Ecclesiates 11:2. In other words: Diversify, diversify, diversify.
But does that blessing necessarily always include material prosperity? Can all Christians expect to become wealthy? Turning to the Bible dispels such an expectation.
First, Paul often showed that his sufferings did not take away from his fullness of life. In his epistles he presents his suffering as part of the evidence that he was blessed and called by God (e.g. 2 Cor. 4:8-18; 6:3-10; 11:13-33; 12:1-10; Gal. 6:17). He once described himself “as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, yet possessing everything” (2 Cor. 6:10). In Ephesians, writing from prison, five times Paul mentions wealth—referring to the gospel and all its treasures. He himself was a poor prisoner deprived of many basic human necessities, but he viewed himself as being wealthy.
In Philippians, also writing from Prison, Paul said about his financial needs:
Some years ago I did a study of all the places in the New Testament where Jesus is presented as a model
for us to follow. Of the 29 texts I looked more closely at four were
general statements asking the readers to follow Christ; two were about
forgiving as Jesus forgave (Eph. 4:32; Col. 3:13), and two were about meekness and gentleness (2 Cor. 10:1; 11:17). The other 21 were about the example of Christ’s servanthood and his sufferings.[1]
So when encouraging generosity, Paul gives the example of Jesus and
says, “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he
was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty
might become rich” (2 Cor. 8:9). Jesus himself said, “One’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions” (Luke 12:15).
In the parable of the rich man and the poor beggar Lazarus covered with
sores, it is the beggar who goes to heaven while the rich man suffers
in hell (Luke 16:19-31).
We can safely conclude that the New Testament does not include material
success in its basic description what it means to be a follower of
Christ.
When we turn to 1 Timothy 6 we find more warnings about the dangers of wealth. Paul says that it is right to want basic necessities like food and clothing: “But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content” (1 Tim. 6:8). Beyond that necessity, wealth is not a big deal. Paul says, “But godliness with contentment is great gain, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world” (6:6-7). It is not essential that we are rich, but it is essential that we are godly and contented. Elsewhere Paul says that he is content even while suffering: “For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Cor. 12:10). The idea of strength in weakness is another neglected biblical doctrine today.
Let’s get back to the warnings. In 1 Timothy 6:9-10 Paul says:
In 1 Timothy 6 Paul also asks the wealthy to be rich in generosity: “They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life” (6:18-19). We invest in the Bank of Heaven by giving to the needy. Earlier we observed that Paul said in 1 Timothy 6 that wealth is less important than godliness and contentment. Now he is saying that lavish generosity is also important. The many teachings in the Bible about giving show that, for a biblical Christian, this is one of the great ambitions in life. Paul says the Macedonian Christians were “begging us earnestly for the favor of taking part in the relief of the saints” (2 Cor. 8:4).
When urging the Corinthian Christians to contribute to the needs of the church in Jerusalem, Paul says, “Our desire is not that others might be relieved while you are hard pressed, but that there might be equality” (2 Cor. 8:13, NIV). In a world of glaring inequality, we give generously so as to bring some measure of fairness and equality. This urgent need for fairness in the world has led many Christians to make a decision to adopt a simple lifestyle—avoiding extravagance and giving as much as possible for the work of God and to the needy. As someone has said, “We live simply so that others may simply live.” In support of this idea of a simple lifestyle we refer to Jesus’ statement, “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth” (Matt. 6:19).
Many of the commended followers of Jesus in the New Testament were poor. The Macedonians were heroes because they gave despite their poverty: “We want you to know, brothers, about the grace of God that has been given among the churches of Macedonia, for in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part” (2 Cor. 8:1-3). The giving of these poor Christians is described using the word wealth. In a passage rebuking the church for considering the rich as superior to the poor, James says, “Listen, my beloved brothers, has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom, which he has promised to those who love him?” (Jas. 2:5). The poor believers were actually rich!
In the letters to the seven churches in Revelation, only two churches do not receive a rebuke. And both of them are described as not having what the world thinks of as material success. The first is the church in Smyrna. The angel talks of their “poverty” then immediately says, “But you are rich” (Rev. 2:9). The second is the church in Philadelphia, which is described as having “but little power” (Rev. 3:8). They were two rare exceptions of churches having God-approved lifestyles at a time of great compromise. And they were poor and powerless! Isn’t it interesting how the poor Christians in these passages are described in terms suggesting that they were wealthy? That sense of being wealthy constitutes an important aspect of the identity of a Christian. If we are happy about our identity, then we will surely be happy people.
The mother church in Jerusalem consisted mainly of poor people. So other churches had to help them. There is nothing to say that they were poor because of something wrong in their beliefs or actions. It was a time of economic hardship in Jerusalem, compounded by the fact that many retirees lost their social relief benefits when they became Christians. Therefore the Christians in Jerusalem had great economic needs that Christians in other parts of the world met through their missionary giving.
It is true that the Old Testament promises prosperity as one of the blessings of faithfulness to God (e.g. Deut. 28:11). But we must remember that these promises were made to a righteous nation under the Old Covenant. The Old Testament often describes the pain of righteous individuals in that nation who struggled with the fact that the wicked were prospering while they were not. Many of the laments in the Psalms mention this struggle. Psalm 73 is a classic. Here Asaph’s struggle over his lack of prosperity compared to the prosperity of the wicked is solved only after he realizes that God will judge the wicked with righteousness. The books of Job and Habakkuk highlight the faith of genuinely godly people who honor God by refusing to give up trusting in him in the midst of terrible suffering. The Old Testament then does not assure the righteous of prosperity. In fact, like the New Testament, it also warns people often of the dangers of prosperity (e.g. Deut. 6:10-25; 8:11-20; 32:15-18).
Finally, history shows that some of the greatest growth of the church took place when the Christians were really poor and struggling. This was so recently in China, Nepal, and Korea (in the early years of church growth), and now in Iran where there is significant growth. Many qualities, such as child-like trust, are easier for the poor to grow in their lives. This is one reason why Christ said it was so hard for the rich to enter the kingdom of God.
Wealthy Christians can honor Christ especially by being humble,
generous, and godly while being wealthy. Poor Christians can honor him
especially by being contented, full of faith, generous, and godly while
being poor. It is clear that in the Bible wealth is far less important
than contentment, joy, peace, holiness, love, and generosity. People
with these characteristics are, according to the Bible, truly prosperous
whether they are economically rich or poor.
For the Christian, money is the ultimate balancing act. To be rich
is not ungodly. To be poor is not spiritual. But there is an ungodly
way to be rich and there is a way to grow spiritually through poverty.
In a recent post I mentioned that I am a rich man when compared to those in the third world. What I did not mention (because I wanted you to struggle a little with that post) is that I don’t believe that it is a bad thing to be rich.
Through my wealth I am able to be a blessing to those around me. I employee two people. I provide critical transportation needs (like driving people to the hospital or providing transportation for church activities) because I own a vehicle. My home is open for Bible studies or meals. I don’t say this to brag, but to say that being wealthy in the presence of the poor is a blessing to both myself and the poor.
Being rich in the presence of the poor puts me in a unique position to help, to minister, and most importantly, witness to God’s goodness. Some may be called to give up everything while others are called to use their wealth to honor God.
Money and material things are not despised in the Bible. There are serious warnings about money, but there are also serious opportunities presented to those who have money. One who has decided to use those resources as a faithful steward can do many great and wonderful things in their life time.
When God gives us gifts I think he intends for those gifts to be a blessing. God wants wealth to bring us joy.
When we see all we have it should remind us of how blessed we are.
Appreciation and thanksgiving for each blessing is a much healthier
response than guilt. For when we are guilty we cannot enjoy the gift
God has given. While wealth can draw us away from God, through
thanksgiving it can also enhance our relationship with God.
WEALTH SECRETS OF BIBLE :
When you follow God’s Word in the Bible, your destiny is to be financially successful. - Mark Kauchak
This is a bold statement to make, but when you learn the awesome promises made to us in the Bible you will know it is true. Yes, you are destined to be a financial success. Believe it or not you have been blessed from the moment of your birth with everything you need for success.
You may have a hard time believing this because:
• of past failures to make any money building a second income or failures you have had in other parts of your life.
• there is a pile of bills sitting on your kitchen table waiting to be paid with little money to pay them with.
• you are overwhelmed trying to figure out how to make any money online
• you are not sure how to manage your finances to ensure a life free from financial worry
Make no mistake though; regardless of where you are now financially, Success can be in your future – when you commit to following a different path!
The Bible is a treasure house of information about how to be financially successful. It is a guide filled with advice as real and applicable today as it was when it was first written two thousand plus years ago.
The Bible provides us the guidance we need to enjoy a life of financial abundance by laying out the rules we must follow in order to obtain the awesome promises waiting for us.
But few people ever spend the time to look for, read and understand the messages in the Bible. And so, the promises God is ready to grant us remain unknown to most of us even though they are there for anyone willing to take the time to investigate the success secrets of the Bible.
The lessons that teach what we need to do to be financially successful are just as powerful and applicable today as they were to the first readers thousands of years ago.
These proven messages about financial success however, have been forgotten and overshadowed today by the newest, quickest and surest ways to make money at the cost of disappointment, discouragement and confusion in so many lives. I can hear it now; my parents were divorced, my dad drank, I was born in a poor neighborhood, I don't have a college degree, I'm too old, I can't... I don't..., I wasn't... I’m not … and the list goes on and on. While some people cling to these and so many more excuses for financial failure and can recite them like a mantra, be assured poverty is not God’s plan for us!
Wealth Secret # 1
Forget any ideas you may have about who can be successful! When we makethe decision to follow God’s rules our financial success does not depend on our education, sex, race, where you were born, the wealth of your parents or how tough your life has been. None of this matters when we commit to follow God’s rules.
That God shows no favoritism is a message that is clear from the Bible.
In Romans 2:11 we read;
“With God there is no favoritism.”
And from Acts 10:34-35;
“Peter proceeded to address them in these words; “I begin to see how true it is that God shows no partiality. Rather, the man of any nation who fears God and acts uprightly is acceptable to Him.””
Yes it is true some of us will have tougher roads to travel. In the end however, the only person responsible for achieving or not achieving financial success is the one person we see in the mirror every day when we wake up in the morning and go to bed at night.
Remember, success many times comes about because people change the way they think about success. So forget those ideas about success you may have picked up along the way because of the wasted time and money you have spent trying to build a second income with nothing to show for your efforts. Forget ideas about success that try to convince you who can and who can’t be successful.
Learn a new way to financial success that is available to anyone willing to take the time to learn at and to take action!
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The Biblical Guide to Internet Riches teaches there are three ingredients needed for success regardless of how you want to make money. Every aspiring entrepreneur needs, in this order, a Success Philosophy (the approach to wealth), a Success System (the game plan) and a Success Program (how you make your money).
But the Success Program, or how you actually make your money, comes third on the list of success steps following the Success Philosophy and Success System. Most of us have not been taught or learned steps one and two. All we see advertised on the Internet, in magazines and in the mail is information about Success Programs – how to make money to buy huge houses, expensive cars or
take dream vacations.
I tried many programs and many ways to make money. So how did I do with all of these programs designed to help reap a huge, financial harvest? Like the majority of people trying to build a second income I failed miserably spending untold dollars and time with nothing to show for it other than a stack of bills and a very unhappy wife because I did not have a Success Philosophy or a
Success System to follow. Take making money on the Internet for example. We have all seen the statistics quoted about Internet success. Depending on where you get your information, the
chances of people making real money on the Internet is somewhere between 3% – 10%. That is pretty sad. What makes it even worse is that many people truly need to make some extra money not to buy a fancy new car or wide screen TV, but just to stay one step ahead of bill collectors. Or, many people are just looking for some extra money to get ahead in life and have some financial security.
Think about it this way. If you were out looking for a car to buy and the chances of it starting were only 3% or even 10%, would you buy it? Would you buy anything for that matter which only had a 3% or even 10% chance of working? Of course not!
Yet how many of us do not hesitate to plunk down hundreds of dollars to start building a second income using approaches almost guaranteed to result in failure? Ouch! That hurts doesn’t it?
There has to be more reasons than just bad programs to explain why people are not making money. Actually the opposite is probably more accurate – there are so many good programs and ways to make money, the beginner and those who have failed on the Net are overwhelmed with choices. But most books you will findabout how to make money on the Net are focused on programs, or how to make money.
No, it is not the program – it is your approach to making money that is wrong! When you finally accept this fact and you open your mind to new possibilities, you will find the success you so desperately want. Once you learn and follow a new Success Philosophy and the step by step Success
System, the Success Program you choose will help place you in the 3% to 10% of Netrepreneurs who do make money on the Net. And most importantly for Christians who want to build Success His Way, these two building blocks are based on the Bible.
Without a Success Philosophy and Success System, you have a shaky foundation on which to build your success that all too often comes tumbling down, as you have probably unfortunately experienced.
Let’s look at how both of these factors can help us reach any financial goals we desire! We will start with the Success Philosophy.
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As you might expect, Christians are called to do more with the gifts our Father blesses us with.
When you read the Bible you will find there are definite expectations placed on us about how we are to use our money. And as we will soon see, how we use our money will determine how much more we will be blessed.
The purpose for the money we acquire is not to have bigger houses, faster cars or more gadgets to play with. These can come as a by-product of following the guidelines in the Bible, but they are not the primary reason we will be blessed with wealth.
As a result of a great deal of research, there is only one reason I have discovered to explain why we are destined for financial success. When you use this concept to guide you, you will discover your life will be changed in so many wonderful ways.
Wealth Secret # 2:
The reason why God will bless us with financial abundance is so we can be His hands on earth.
- Mark Kauchak
This may come as a surprise to many, but if you read the number of verses in the Bible that talk about our financial duties, you will find some pretty specific guidance for us. Our financial obligations can be summarized as follows:
1. Tithe
2. Help the needy
In Malachai 3:10 we read:
“Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house, and try me in this says the Lord of hosts: Shall I not open the floodgates of heaven, to pour down blessings upon you without measure?”
And in Proverbs 3:9-10:
“Honor the Lord with your wealth, with first fruits of your harvest. Then will your barns be filled with grain, with your new wine your vats will overflow.”
From Hebrews 13:16:
"Do not neglect good deeds and generosity; God is pleased by sacrifices of that kind"
Finally we see the advice Tobit gives to his son Tobiah in Tobit 4:7:
“Give alms from your possessions. Do not turn your face from any of the poor, and God’s face will not be turned away from you.”
What is really fascinating and little understood is that the Bible tells us by doing what God has asked us to do, to tithe generously from our first fruits and help the needy; He will bless us many times over. All we need to do is put God first in our lives.
Whether we are tithing or helping those in need, when we are generous with our money, we read in the Bible that we cannot outdo the generosity of our Father and He will bless us many times over. These are promises we can rely on because they are found in the Bible. But we must let money flow freely in and out of our lives Here is how Christians can make such a tremendous impact in the world.
The wealth pump starts when we tithe and help those in need. God has promised to bless us far in excess of what we give. When we receive these blessings, we are in a position to use more of our money to tithe more and give more to help the needy. As we receive more blessings from God we are in the position to tithe and help more – and the cycle grows and grows.
Now imagine this concept being used by Christians throughout the
world and the impact we can have. Can you see now why I am so excited
about spreading this philosophy to as many people as possible?
Isn’t this awesome? Once you learn the rules you need to follow to receive God’s blessings, your excuses for not taking action and not succeeding are gone! Here are the rules you need to follow for how you use your money.
Wealth Secret # 3
We must follow Gods Rules for our Finances. They are in this order:
1. Be a good steward for the money you are given
2. Tithe
3. Provide for yourself and your loved ones
4. Help those in need
5. Buy the extras you will enjoy – treat yourself!
We all know it is not easy to follow these rules. Just think about what bombards us 24 hours a day on TV, internet and the radio; buy the newest, sleekest, sexiest, largest … for ourselves. All of these messages work to make sure we put ourselves first. Why? Because this attitude is all part of the “me first” Wall Street mentality to spend, spend, spend on me, me, me.
Think about the testimonials and pictures you read about for programs. When the people describe how their lives have been changed because of all the money they made with a particular program or book, they talk about how many new cars or the big house they bought or the vacations they took. When we buy into this philosophy, tithing and helping others go by the wayside, which is not God’s plan for our money.
Placing ourselves first on the priority list for spending money goes counter to God’s plan for our money. When this happens and we place our needs first on the priority list, we focus our financial plans on ourselves essentially paying ourselves first instead of God. Satisfying our desires becomes number 1 on our list instead of number 5. Our life is out of whack! Before you get the idea you have to dress in burlap bags or live in a cardboard box remember this; there is nothing wrong with buying the nicer things in life. But those things must wait when we follow God’s rules not man’s. Placing ourselves number 5 on the priority list is very difficult for many of us. But who said being a Christian was easy?
What is so awesome is that when we follow God’s plan for our finances, when we put God first in our lives the financial pump is primed and we will be blessed far beyond our original contributions. God has promised rewards of abundance when we follow His rules – when we achieve Success His Way.
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With all of the verses in the Bible describing how we should use our money to do good it is truly unfortunate there are people who actually believe money is evil. This attitude is hard to understand if we believe God wants us to be financially successful so we can be His hands on earth. How can we fulfill this role when our attitude about money may actually be preventing us from accumulating wealth to do God’s work? We need to change this attitude at once! Believing money is evil will sabotage our efforts to gain wealth. This attitude works just like magnets with the same charge that repel each other. Negative thoughts about money repel money. This may be hard to understand now, but the Chapter on Faith in The Biblical Guide to Internet Riches will describe very clearly why this is so and why it may be the very reason you have not been making money with your programs to date. Rather than debate the good and the bad of money, we need to think about money in a whole new way. This way of looking at money will forever change how you think about it as it has mine and in so doing will eliminate false beliefs that may be the cause of your lack of financial success.
Here it is …
Wealth Secret # 4
All the money we obtain is a loan from God. But unlike loans in real life, our God is kind and generous and does not require us to pay 100% of the loan back. The Bible instructs us to pay God back in the form of tithes and by helping those in need. We are also told the tithes must come from the first fruits of our success, meaning it is the first obligation we must pay. And unlike loans in real life, when we pay back the small portion God asks of us, what does He do? Whatever the amount of money we offer as tithes and use to help the needy, we will be blessed many times over and His generosity will not be
outdone. The Bible is very specific about these blessings! The money we are provided by God as a loan should be viewed as a tool. Like any tool, it can be used in a good or bad way. How you use it is up to you. When you view money as a tool, you can use it for good and you can let it go in and out of
your life without a problem. Your only concern should be how to use this tool to live God’s word.
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Wealth Secret # 5
Any journey to success must start with a decision to change! Sooner or later in your life you must decide to change your financial situation. Your decision to change will be the starting point for your journey to success. Through all of the reading I did in the Bible and my library of success books, it is
clear that success does not come from outside factors alone. Success must start from the inside. For as you will discover, how much money you make depends on only one factor – you! But nothing can happen until your journey to financial success starts with a decision. You have to finally say “I am not happy with where I am at and I am going to do something to improve”. Until you make this decision, nothing in your life will change – it is this simple. Despite what you may hope for or want to believe, doing nothing and hoping things will magically change for you will not bring you success.Tony Robbins in his book “Awaken the Giant Within” says: “Making a true decision means committing to achieving a result, and then cutting yourself off from any other possibility.”. To me, that is what “cutting yourself off from any other possibility” means. How can we turn this decision into the type of decision described by Tony Robbins that will not allow you to settle for anything less than total success? You
must find deep within you the reason why you want to change. James Allen in “As A Man Thinketh” also talks about the next step to take once you have made a decision to change: “A man should conceive of a legitimate purpose in his heart and set out to accomplish it …They who have no central purpose in their life fall an easy prey to petty worries, fears, troubles and self pityings, all of which are
indications of weakness, which lead just as surely as deliberately planned sins (although by a different route), to failure, unhappiness, and loss, for weakness cannot exist in a power evolving universe.”
According to Napoleon, here is the benefit of the burning desire caused by having a legitimate purpose or a Core Desire: “A burning desire to be and to do is the starting point from which the dreamer must take off. Dreams are not born of indifference, laziness or lack of ambition.” Make your decision to change. Then find the reason why you want to change. It must be a powerful and compelling reason. You will need this for one of the steps in the Success System you will shortly learn about.
Wealth Secrets 6, 7 and 8
There are three related factors we need to learn about in order to get ready to claim the promises of financial success waiting for us in the Bible. Since they are interrelated we will discuss them at the same time. You must have an unshakeable Faith, a Positive Mental Attitude or PMA regardless of the trials you encounter and you must include Prayer in your plans for success. There is absolutely no doubt Faith is a key message for us to learn and use in the Bible. There is a superb definition of Faith found in Hebrews 11:1: “Faith is confident assurance concerning what we hope for, and conviction
about things we do not see.” Does this describe the Faith you have about achieving your financial goals ? Given the emphasis placed on Faith by the inspired writers, Faith must be a key
factor to our success in life too. Here are a couple of examples .
The blind men meet Jesus in Matthew 10: 28-29.
“Jesus said to them, "Are you confident I can do this?" "Yes Lord" they told him. At that point he touched their eyes and said, "Because of your faith it shall be done to you."”
Or how about the hemorrhaging woman in Mark 4:28: "If only I just touch his clothing," she thought, "I shall get well." Jesus said to her, "Daughter, it is your faith that has cured you."
In each of these examples, Jesus worked a miracle in the lives of these people because they had Faith. Ultimately, Faith means how much we believe God will (not can) bless us in our lives. Faith creates a burning desire for success because you will be doing something you are passionate about and you know success is the end result.
Faith creates a powerful by-product that plays an important role in achieving your success - Positive Mental Attitude (PMA). Believe it or not, the Bible does talk about the need to have a Positive Mental Attitude! Faith and PMA are the dynamic duo that will see you through any adversity, through any slump, through any doubts to make sure you arrive at any destination of your choosing.
What then is the relationship between Faith and PMA?
To start with, when you have Faith, you know you will achieve your desired goal of financial independence. With this confidence, you develop a Positive Mental Attitude.
With PMA, regardless of the roadblocks you run into on your journey you have the ability to keep positive thoughts – because through your Faith you know you will achieve success.
Finally, praying is interconnected and cannot be separated from Faith. There are just 2 things required to have your prayers answered.
1. Asking in Faith
2. God’s willingness to bestow
The secret to answered prayer in any aspect of our lives is to have both conditions fulfilled. This also applies to our prayers for financial success. Both conditions must be met in order for us to realize the promises made to us about financial security in the Bible.
But how should we pray? What is the most effective way to pray so that God will hear our prayers? We must do several things.
1. First, we must pray with complete Faith. Remember we must pray not that God can answer our prayers but that He will. That is praying with Faith!
2. We must eliminate the escape clause … If … from our prayers! We must pray with the expectation of prayers being answered. Unfortunately answered prayer seems to cause more amazement than being the norm for us.
3. You must be specific in your prayers. You must ask your Subconscious Mind the right answers to get the answers you seek. To say I want to be financially successful is not being specific. To say I want to pay off $35,000 in bills is specific. How else are you going to know if your prayers are being answered or how else will you know when you are receiving guidance to achieve your goals?
4. Once you have prayed in Faith, go about your business taking action,
knowing that your prayers rest with God. Listen to your Subconscious Mind for answers to your prayers and be alert for the circumstances you need for success!
Employ these techniques in your prayer life and see how powerful your prayers can become!
All of the Wealth Secrets discussed help form a Success Philosophy that is aligned with the Bible. The Wealth Secrets will prepare your mind to achieve Success His Way. We must now develop a Success System to implement what we have learned, for as we know, without taking action, there can be no success.
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The first Factor of the Formula of the Success System is to Conceive, which consists of 6 steps.
Step 1
You must identify your Heart’s Desire – that one reason that is causing you to develop a second income. The Desire will be your focus that will drive you to success no matter what obstacle you must overcome. Write down your Heart’s Desire(s). Make it a passionate statement. Make it a powerful one. Put lots of feeling into it because you will find the more passion and feeling it has, the more of a motivator it will be for you.
Step 2
Set your goals. Don’t make the mistake of setting lofty goals right from the start. If you do, you may find your Faith may not be strong enough to believe in what you are doing and you may be doomed from the start. Don’t forget about your ultimate objective, just set smaller sub-goals to help you
get there. It’s like the old joke; “How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.”
Step 3
Identify your Financial Success DNA. In this step you will answer questions to help you determine what your strengths and capabilities are as well as what really interests you. This means you need to really be honest answering these questions since this will help you choose the program that ill give you the best chance of success. This is not the step where you choose your program.
Step 4
Find the program that matches your Financial Success DNA. This is where you do the research to find the program that best matches your Financial Success DNA. Don’t choose a program just because of the money it promises or the “guru” who is pushing it. Make sure it is something you will enjoy doing! Note, it is not time to sign up for a program!
Step 5
This is the step you choose your program and develop the plan to implement your decision. No, it is not time to sign up for programs yet!
Step 6
In this step you will fine-tune your plan by giving it a once over to make sure you are still happy with your selection. After all, you will be committing time and money to build your financial future. Take the extra time now before you get started to make sure you are headed down the right path. It is still not time to sign up for programs yet!
Factor 2
Once you have finished the Conceive Factor, the next Factor is to Take Action. This is when you will finally sign up for your program and execute the plans you developed in the Conceive Factor. The Bible encourages us to take action and not expect success to just fall in our lap.
In Ecclesiastes 11:6 we find the following verse: “In the
morning sow your seed, and at evening let not your hand be idle:
For you know not which of the two will be successful, or whether
both
alike will turn out well.”
Verse Concepts
"How should a Christian view wealth?"
Answer: The Christian view of wealth should be derived from the Scriptures. There are many times in the Old Testament that God gave riches to His people. Solomon was promised riches and became the richest of all the kings of the earth (1 Kings 3:11-13; 2 Chronicles 9:22); David said in 1 Chronicles 29:12: “Wealth and honor come from you; you are the ruler of all things.” Abraham (Genesis 17-20), Jacob (Genesis 30-31), Joseph (Genesis 41), King Jehoshaphat (2 Chronicles 17:5), and many others were blessed by God with wealth. However, they were a chosen people with earthly promises and rewards. They were given a land and all the riches it held.
In the New Testament, there is a different standard. The church was never given a land or the promise of riches. Ephesians 1:3 tells us, “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.” Christ spoke in Matthew 13:22 concerning the seed of God's Word falling among thorns and “the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful” (NKJV). This is the first reference to earthly riches in the New Testament. Clearly, this is not a positive image.
In Mark 10:23, " Jesus looked around and said to His disciples, ‘How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!’” It was not impossible—for all things are possible with God—but it would be “hard.” In Luke 16:13, Jesus spoke about “mammon” (the Aramaic word for “riches”): “No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.” Again, the imagery here is of wealth as a negative influence on spirituality and one that can keep us from God.
God speaks of the true riches He brings to us today in Romans 2:4: “Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, tolerance and patience, not realizing that God's kindness leads you toward repentance?” These are the riches which bring eternal life. Again, this is brought out in Romans 9:23: “And that He might make known the riches of His glory on the vessels of mercy, which He had prepared beforehand for glory, even us whom He called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?” (NKJV). Also, Ephesians 1:7: “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace." Referring to God giving mercy, Paul praises God in Romans 11:33: “Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out!” The emphasis of the New Testament is God's riches in us: “That you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints” (Ephesians1:18b). God actually wants to show off His riches in us in heaven: “And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 2:6-7).
The riches that God wants for us: “I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being” (Ephesians 3:16). The greatest verse for New Testament believers concerning riches is Philippians 4:19: “And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.” This statement was written by Paul because the Philippians had sent sacrificial gifts to take care of Paul's needs.
First Timothy 6:17 gives a warning to the rich: “Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.” James 5:1-3 gives us another warning about riches that were wrongly gained: “Now listen, you rich people, weep and wail because of the misery that is coming upon you. Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes. Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have hoarded wealth in the last days.” The last time that riches are mentioned in the Bible is in Revelation 18:17, speaking of the great destruction of Babylon: “In one hour such great wealth has been brought to ruin!”
To summarize, Israel was given earthly promises and rewards as God's chosen people on earth. He gave many illustrations and types and truths through them. Many people desire to take their blessings, but not their curses. However, in the progression of revelation, God has revealed through Jesus Christ a more excellent ministry: “But the ministry Jesus has received is as superior to theirs as the covenant of which he is mediator is superior to the old one, and it is founded on better promises” (Hebrews 8:6).
God does not condemn anyone for having riches. Riches come to people from many sources, but He gives grave warnings to those who seek after them more than they seek after God and trust in them more than in God. His greatest desire is for us to set our hearts on things above and not on things on this earth. This may sound very high and unobtainable, but Paul wrote, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13 NKJV). The secret is knowing Christ as Savior and allowing the Holy Spirit to conform our minds and heart to His (Romans 12:1-2).
How does God define wealth?
But is that the way God defines wealth? I think not. Many of the individuals who are included in one year's ranking are excluded from the next, their wealth having been dissipated through a variety of causes. Some are even forced into bankruptcy. "Do not overwork to be rich; . . . will you set your eyes on that which is not?" (Proverbs 23:4, 5).
Still others lead rather checkered lives marked by greed, divorce, or immorality. "Better is a little with righteousness, than vast revenues without justice" (Proverbs 16:8).
However, God is not opposed to personal monetary wealth. Many prominent Bible characters were quite well-to-do, including Abraham, Job, Joseph, and Solomon. But God is concerned that we view riches from His perspective.
How God Defines Wealth
Wealth from God's standpoint is not limited to currency. Rich men and women are often miserable. Their bank accounts may be overflowing but their souls are impoverished. Biblical wealth may be defined as the ability to experience and enjoy God's blessings. The poor individual who knows God as Savior has indescribable wealth compared to the rich one who rejects Him. Friendship, godly wisdom, and a happy home are invaluable.The biblical frame of reference for wealth is that God is the source of all gain. "Both riches and honor come from You, and You reign over all. In Your hand is power and might; in Your hand it is to make great and to give strength to all" (1 Chronicles 29:12).
God Is Our Sole Source of Blessing
Apart from the benevolence of God, we are unable to amass wealth. While our labor, diligence, planning and wisdom are vital, God remains the sole source of blessing. He is the fountainhead of life, health, food, sun, and all other necessary elements for prosperity. As Creator, all of life is His gift. He is the Prime Giver. "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights" (James 1:17).As God prepared to take the Israelites into fertile and fruitful Canaan, His fundamental concern was that they should not forget the source of their new-found affluence: "Then you say in your heart, 'My power and the might of my hand have gained me this wealth.' And you shall remember the LORD your God, for it is He who gives you power to get wealth" (Deuteronomy 8:17, 18).
We Are Caretakers of God's Assets
Since all wealth flows from the loving provision of God, our role is to be sensible, faithful stewards. God gives it all and God owns it all. He designates us as caretakers of His assets. Our spending and investments then become extensions of His will. Following the careful guidelines of Scripture, we can wisely manage God's riches. That is a staggering privilege and responsibility. What matters is not how much we possess, but how we use what we are entrusted with.The biblically wealthy individual may be rich or poor according to the world's standards. Regardless, he or she knows that wealth is not measured by dollars. God is the source of all riches, and we are called to the noble task of managing God's gracious gifts.
For further insights, read the following passages:
Psalm 37:16-17
Ecclesiastes 5:19
Jeremiah 9:23-24
Romans 11:36
100 Bible Verses about Rich People
“No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and
love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other.
You cannot serve God and money.
James 5:1-6 ESV / 202 helpful votes
Come now, you rich, weep and howl for the miseries that are coming
upon you. Your riches have rotted and your garments are moth-eaten. Your
gold and silver have corroded, and their corrosion will be evidence
against you and will eat your flesh like fire. You have laid up treasure
in the last days. Behold, the wages of the laborers who mowed your
fields, which you kept back by fraud, are crying out against you, and
the cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts.
You have lived on the earth in luxury and in self-indulgence. You have
fattened your hearts in a day of slaughter. ...
Luke 18:25 ESV /
For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.”
Luke 12:33 ESV /
Sell your possessions, and give to the needy. Provide yourselves
with moneybags that do not grow old, with a treasure in the heavens that
does not fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys.
Hebrews 13:5 ESV
Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what
you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”
Mark 12:41-44 ESV /
And he sat down opposite the treasury and watched the people
putting money into the offering box. Many rich people put in large sums.
And a poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which make a
penny. And he called his disciples to him and said to them, “Truly, I
say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are
contributing to the offering box. For they all contributed out of their
abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all
she had to live on.”
1 Timothy 6:10 ESV /
For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is
through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and
pierced themselves with many pangs.
1 Timothy 6:17 ESV /
As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty,
nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who
richly provides us with everything to enjoy.
Revelation 3:17 ESV /
For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not
realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked.
Acts 20:35 ESV /
In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we
must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he
himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”
Luke 6:24 ESV /
“But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation.
Matthew 6:19-21 ESV /
“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and
rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for
yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and
where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is,
there your heart will be also.
Proverbs 19:17 ESV /
Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will repay him for his deed.
Luke 6:20 ESV /
And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said: “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.
1 Timothy 6:9 ESV /
But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare,
into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin
and destruction.
2 Corinthians 9:7 ESV
Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
Proverbs 23:4-5 ESV /
Do not toil to acquire wealth; be discerning enough to desist. When
your eyes light on it, it is gone, for suddenly it sprouts wings,
flying like an eagle toward heaven.
2 Corinthians 8:9 ESV /
For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was
rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty
might become rich.
Proverbs 14:31 ESV /
Whoever oppresses a poor man insults his Maker, but he who is generous to the needy honors him.
James 1:11 ESV /
For the sun rises with its scorching heat and withers the grass;
its flower falls, and its beauty perishes. So also will the rich man
fade away in the midst of his pursuits.
1 Timothy 6:18 ESV /
They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share,
Luke 6:20-21 ESV /
And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said: “Blessed are
you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. “Blessed are you who
are hungry now, for you shall be satisfied. “Blessed are you who weep
now, for you shall laugh.
Proverbs 13:11 ESV /
Wealth gained hastily will dwindle, but whoever gathers little by little will increase it.
James 2:5 ESV /
Listen, my beloved brothers, has not God chosen those who are poor
in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom, which he has
promised to those who love him?
1 Timothy 6:17-19 ESV /
As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty,
nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who
richly provides us with everything to enjoy. They are to do good, to be
rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, thus storing up
treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that
they may take hold of that which is truly life.
Luke 16:19-31 ESV /
“There was a rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and
who feasted sumptuously every day. And at his gate was laid a poor man
named Lazarus, covered with sores, who desired to be fed with what fell
from the rich man's table. Moreover, even the dogs came and licked his
sores. The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham's
side. The rich man also died and was buried, and in Hades, being in
torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at
his side. ...
Luke 14:12-14 ESV
He said also to the man who had invited him, “When you give a
dinner or a banquet, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your
relatives or rich neighbors, lest they also invite you in return and
you be repaid. But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled,
the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay
you. For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the just.”
James 5:1 ESV /
Come now, you rich, weep and howl for the miseries that are coming upon you.
Proverbs 22:9 ESV /
Whoever has a bountiful eye will be blessed, for he shares his bread with the poor.
Matthew 19:21 ESV /
Jesus said to him, “If you would be perfect, go, sell what you
possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and
come, follow me.”
1 Samuel 2:7 ESV /
The Lord makes poor and makes rich; he brings low and he exalts.
Luke 12:15 ESV /
And he said to them, “Take care, and be on your guard against all
covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of his
possessions.”
Proverbs 30:8 ESV /
Remove far from me falsehood and lying; give me neither poverty nor
riches; feed me with the food that is needful for me,
Proverbs 22:16 ESV /
Whoever oppresses the poor to increase his own wealth, or gives to the rich, will only come to poverty.
Proverbs 22:2 ESV /
The rich and the poor meet together; the Lord is the maker of them all.
Luke 12:33-34 ESV /
Sell your possessions, and give to the needy. Provide yourselves
with moneybags that do not grow old, with a treasure in the heavens that
does not fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys. For
where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
Matthew 13:22 ESV /
As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the
word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke
the word, and it proves unfruitful.
Ecclesiastes 5:10 ESV /
He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves wealth with his income; this also is vanity.
Leviticus 19:9-10 ESV /
“When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap your
field right up to its edge, neither shall you gather the gleanings after
your harvest. And you shall not strip your vineyard bare, neither shall
you gather the fallen grapes of your vineyard. You shall leave them for
the poor and for the sojourner: I am the Lord your God.
1 Timothy 6:6-10 ESV /
Now there is great gain in godliness with contentment, for we
brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the
world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content.
But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into
many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and
destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It
is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and
pierced themselves with many pangs.
Proverbs 28:27 ESV /
Whoever gives to the poor will not want, but he who hides his eyes will get many a curse.
Matthew 25:14-30 ESV /
“For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his
servants and entrusted to them his property. To one he gave five
talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his
ability. Then he went away. He who had received the five talents went at
once and traded with them, and he made five talents more. So also he
who had the two talents made two talents more. But he who had received
the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master's money.
...
Matthew 5:42 ESV /
Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you.
Proverbs 22:7 ESV /
The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower is the slave of the lender.
Leviticus 19:15 ESV /
“You shall do no injustice in court. You shall not be partial to
the poor or defer to the great, but in righteousness shall you judge
your neighbor.
Psalm 140:12 ESV /
I know that the Lord will maintain the cause of the afflicted, and will execute justice for the needy.
Philippians 4:19 ESV /
And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.
Proverbs 29:7 ESV /
A righteous man knows the rights of the poor; a wicked man does not understand such knowledge.
Psalm 62:10 ESV /
Put no trust in extortion; set no vain hopes on robbery; if riches increase, set not your heart on them.
Genesis 13:2 ESV /
Now Abram was very rich in livestock, in silver, and in gold.
Matthew 25:31-46 ESV /
“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with
him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be
gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another
as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. And he will place the
sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. Then the King will say to
those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit
the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was
hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was
a stranger and you welcomed me, ...
Proverbs 11:28 ESV
Whoever trusts in his riches will fall, but the righteous will flourish like a green leaf.
Deuteronomy 8:18 ESV /
You shall remember the Lord your God, for
it is he who gives you power to get wealth, that he may confirm his
covenant that he swore to your fathers, as it is this day.
Matthew 6:33 ESV /
But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
Jeremiah 22:3 ESV /
Thus says the Lord: Do justice and
righteousness, and deliver from the hand of the oppressor him who has
been robbed. And do no wrong or violence to the resident alien, the
fatherless, and the widow, nor shed innocent blood in this place.
Ecclesiastes 5:19 ESV /
Everyone also to whom God has given wealth and possessions and
power to enjoy them, and to accept his lot and rejoice in his toil—this
is the gift of God.
1 John 3:17 ESV /
But if anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother in need,
yet closes his heart against him, how does God's love abide in him?
2 Corinthians 8:13-15 ESV /
For I do not mean that others should be eased and you burdened, but
that as a matter of fairness your abundance at the present time should
supply their need, so that their abundance may supply your need, that
there may be fairness. As it is written, “Whoever gathered much had
nothing left over, and whoever gathered little had no lack.”
Proverbs 11:4 ESV /
Riches do not profit in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers from death.
James 1:10-11 ESV /
And the rich in his humiliation, because like a flower of the grass
he will pass away. For the sun rises with its scorching heat and
withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beauty perishes. So also
will the rich man fade away in the midst of his pursuits.
Acts 4:32-35 ESV /
Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and
soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was
his own, but they had everything in common. And with great power the
apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord
Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. There was not a needy person
among them, for as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them and
brought the proceeds of what was sold and laid it at the apostles' feet,
and it was distributed to each as any had need.
Luke 21:1-4 ESV /
Jesus looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the
offering box, and he saw a poor widow put in two small copper coins. And
he said, “Truly, I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all
of them. For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of
her poverty put in all she had to live on.”
Luke 3:11 ESV /
And he answered them, “Whoever has two tunics is to share with him
who has none, and whoever has food is to do likewise.”
Isaiah 1:17 ESV /
Learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow's cause.
Proverbs 28:22 ESV /
A stingy man hastens after wealth and does not know that poverty will come upon him.
Proverbs 22:22-23 ESV /
Do not rob the poor, because he is poor, or crush the afflicted at the gate, for the Lord will plead their cause and rob of life those who rob them.
Proverbs 10:22 ESV /
The blessing of the Lord makes rich, and he adds no sorrow with it.
1 John 2:15-17 ESV /
Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves
the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the
world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in
possessions—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world
is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God
abides forever.
James 2:15-16 ESV /
If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food,
and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,”
without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that?
James 2:6 ESV /
But you have dishonored the poor man. Are not the rich the ones who oppress you, and the ones who drag you into court?
1 Timothy 5:8 ESV /
But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially
for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than
an unbeliever.
Matthew 22:21 ESV /
They said, “Caesar's.” Then he said to them, “Therefore render to
Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are
God's.”
Isaiah 25:4 ESV /
For you have been a stronghold to the poor, a stronghold to the
needy in his distress, a shelter from the storm and a shade from the
heat; for the breath of the ruthless is like a storm against a wall,
Proverbs 21:20 ESV /
Precious treasure and oil are in a wise man's dwelling, but a foolish man devours it.
Proverbs 21:13 ESV /
Whoever closes his ear to the cry of the poor will himself call out and not be answered.
James 2:1-26 ESV /
My brothers, show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord
Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory. For if a man wearing a gold ring and
fine clothing comes into your assembly, and a poor man in shabby
clothing also comes in, and if you pay attention to the one who wears
the fine clothing and say, “You sit here in a good place,” while you say
to the poor man, “You stand over there,” or, “Sit down at my feet,”
have you not then made distinctions among yourselves and become judges
with evil thoughts? Listen, my beloved brothers, has not God chosen
those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the
kingdom, which he has promised to those who love him? ...
2 Corinthians 9:8 ESV /
And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all
sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good
work.
John 3:16 ESV /
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that
whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
1 Peter 5:2 ESV /
Shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight,
not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for
shameful gain, but eagerly;
Ephesians 2:8-9 ESV /
For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not
your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no
one may boast.
John 3:16-17 ESV /
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that
whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God
did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order
that the world might be saved through him.
Mark 4:19 ESV /
But the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches and the
desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it proves
unfruitful.
Ezekiel 7:19 ESV /
They cast their silver into the streets, and their gold is like an
unclean thing. Their silver and gold are not able to deliver them in the
day of the wrath of the Lord. They cannot satisfy their hunger or fill their stomachs with it. For it was the stumbling block of their iniquity.
Proverbs 14:21 ESV /
Whoever despises his neighbor is a sinner, but blessed is he who is generous to the poor.
Proverbs 13:22 ESV /
A good man leaves an inheritance to his children's children, but the sinner's wealth is laid up for the righteous.
Deuteronomy 15:7 ESV /
“If among you, one of your brothers should become poor, in any of your towns within your land that the Lord your God is giving you, you shall not harden your heart or shut your hand against your poor brother,
Mark 10:25 ESV /
It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.”
Proverbs 30:8-9 ESV /
Remove far from me falsehood and lying; give me neither poverty nor
riches; feed me with the food that is needful for me, lest I be full
and deny you and say, “Who is the Lord?” or lest I be poor and steal and profane the name of my God.
Proverbs 22:1 ESV /
A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, and favor is better than silver or gold.
Proverbs 14:23 ESV /
In all toil there is profit, but mere talk tends only to poverty.
James 2:26 ESV /
For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.
James 2:1 ESV /
My brothers, show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory.
Luke 1:53 ESV /
He has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty.
Mark 8:36 ESV /
For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?
Proverbs 28:6 ESV /
Better is a poor man who walks in his integrity than a rich man who is crooked in his ways.
Ephesians 5:5 ESV /
For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral
or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has no inheritance
in the kingdom of Christ and God.
Romans 13:8 ESV /
Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law.
Matthew 6:21 ESV /
For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
1 Peter 1:18-19 ESV
Knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from
your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but
with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish
or spot.
Proverbs 15:27
What Does the Bible Say About Money, Wealth, & Being Rich?
What Is Money? What Does the Bible Say About Money?
Let’s face it, we all need money to pay rent, eat,
provide clothing, etc. So what is money? Money is simply a measure of
resources. There are several different types of resources. There is
land, there is labor, there is scarce minerals and goods, etc. Money
simply represents these resources. It represents worth. It represents
utility or “usefulness.”
In the old days, they didn’t use money as much. They did
have silver or gold coins, and they would use that at times. But they
would simply barter or “trade” goods too many times. However, as life
grew more complex, the need for a monetary system quickly developed.
Suddenly, there was a need to do complex trading. So to
simplify things, money was used as a standard. Of course, like almost
any other thing in the world, money would soon be abused by people.
What Does the Bible Say About Money, Wealth, & Being Rich?
You may be reminded of several Biblical principles when
you think of money. Quotes such as “money is the root of all sorts
of evil,” quickly come to mind. Also, let’s not forget what Jesus had to
say about money:
“No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the
one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the
other. You cannot serve both God and Money. “Therefore I tell you, do
not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your
body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the
body more important than clothes? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall
we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the
pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that
you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all
these things will be given to you as well. (NIV, Matthew 6:24-25,
31-33)
The verse above shows a few Biblical principles very
clearly. First, it acknowledges that God is aware of our need for money.
Of course we need money to survive. God fully knows this.
Second, it says that if you seek the kingdom of God
first, all of those things (money, food, etc.) will be given to you.
This is a very interesting verse. Jesus says that if we seek the kingdom
of God first, everything that we need will be provided. This tells us
that God indeed has plans to give us money or take care of our needs.
God will feed you. So those are two powerful points. God knows we need
money, God plans to give us money if we seek his kingdom first.
Is Being Rich or Wealthy a Sin? What Does the Bible Say About Having Money?
With all the above being said, we must look closely at the question of what God & Bible says about money.
The Bible can be summed up in these main points: God
understands that we need money, God gives us resources and blesses some
people with lots of money, God commands we tithe our money and give
generously to support ministry so others can come to Christ, and God
expects us to wisely manage our money and to give generously to those in
need.
The Bible clearly indicates that God has blessed people
with wealth. Also, keep in mind that some of the most holy and righteous
people in the Bible were wealthy. God blessed Job with wealth after
testing him. God blessed King Solomon with both wealth and wisdom. In
fact, Solomon is considered the wealthiest person who has ever lived.
God also blessed Abraham, Jacob, and many others with
wealth. So this indicates that God does not view being rich or having
money as being sinful. If that were the case, He would not have blessed
so many faithful people with money. There is nothing wrong with saving
money, working hard to better your life, setting financial goals, or
even being wealthy/rich.
However, let us not forget the dangers of money as well.
Money becomes a tool of the enemy (Satan) when we spend every hour of
the day plotting on how to make more money. Or if we do immoral or
corrupt/evil things just to get more money. Or if we are very wealthy
& we refuse to help others by giving financial help when they need
it badly.
All of these things make money evil. Money itself isn’t
evil, and even having a lot of money isn’t a sin or evil. It is the
worship of money that is evil. It is falling for the temptation to sin
or doing wrong just to get money. That is the problem.
The Bible warns us of this kind of behavior in two scriptures below:
“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth,
where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But
store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not
destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your
treasure is, there your heart will be also. (NIV, Matthew 6:19-21)
“Do not wear yourself out to get rich; have the wisdom
to show restraint. Cast but a glance at riches, and they are gone, for
they will surely sprout wings and fly off to the sky like an eagle.”
(NIV, Proverbs 23:4-5)
It is truth that money doesn’t make you happy. In fact,
some of the most wealthy people in the world have committed suicide, had
diseases & problems that all of the money in the world couldn’t
cure. I love the quote by Zig Ziglar that says, “Money won’t make you
happy, but everyone wants to find out for themselves.”
Regardless of your net worth, you will still die on this
earth. You will witness hardships, lies, fears, health problems,
sadness, frustrations, and all of the other human emotions. Sometimes
great wealth also carries with it greater problems and burdens.
True happiness only comes when you fully embrace the
life God wants you to have-regardless of how much money you acquire.
This means living by His incredible word, loving everyone, forgiving
those that have wronged you, & following the commands &
teachings of the Bible.
Conclusion of What the Bible Says About Money, Wealth, & Being Rich
Money is a great resource. It is meant to represent worth & value in our society. It should be treated with respect & managed wisely. God clearly understands that we all need money. He even wants to give us money if we seek His way of life. However, don’t let money rule you. Let God be your true master, not money! There is nothing wrong with acquiring wealth, having nice things, improving your life, etc. But don’t forget all of the others who will need YOUR help, and my help along the way.What Does the Bible Say About Money and Wealth?
The Bible has quite a bit to say about money. In "Lifestyles of the Poor and Unknown," Jack Zavada of Inspiration-for-singles.com considers what the Bible says about money, wealth, and riches, and how Christians can find fulfillment even with lifestyles of the poor and unknown.Lifestyles of the Poor and Unknown
In the 1980s, one of the most popular programs on American television was a weekly show called Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous.Each week, the host visited celebrities and royalty at their luxurious mansions, fawning over their exotic cars, million-dollar jewelry, and lavish wardrobes. It was conspicuous consumption at its most nauseating, and viewers couldn't get enough of it.But don't we all secretly envy the rich and famous? Don't we believe that if only we were rich, it would solve all our problems? Don't we long to be recognized and loved by millions of people?
What Does the Bible Say About Money?
This craving for fortune is nothing new. Two thousand years ago Jesus Christ said, "It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God." (Mark 10:25 NIV)Why is that? Jesus, who knew the human heart better than anyone ever has or ever will, understood that it's a matter of priorities. Too often, rich people make wealth their number one priority instead of God. They spend most of their time making wealth, spending it, and increasing it.
In a very real sense, money becomes their idol.
God won't stand for that. He told us so in his First Commandment: "You shall have no other gods before me." (Exodus 20:3 NIV).What Riches Can't Buy
Today,
we still believe the lie that money can buy happiness. Yet hardly a
week passes that we don't read about rich celebrities getting a divorce.Other high-profile millionaires get in trouble with the law and have to enter drug or alcohol rehab programs.
Despite
all their money, many rich people feel empty and without meaning. Some
surround themselves with a dozen hangers-on, confusing opportunists with
friends. Others get pulled in by New Age beliefs and religious cults,
searching in vain for something that will help them make sense of their
lives.While it's true that wealth can purchase all kinds of thrills and creature comforts, in the long run, those things amount to high-priced glitter and trash. Anything that ends up in a junkyard or landfill cannot satisfy the yearning in the human heart.
Lifestyles of the Poor and Unknown
Since you have a computer and Internet service, you're probably not living below the poverty line. But that doesn't mean the lure of riches and possessions never tempts you.Our culture constantly hypes the new--new cars, new music players, new computers, new furniture, new clothes. Wearing something that's out of style pegs you as a misfit, somebody who doesn't quite "get it." And we all want to "get it" because we long for the approval of our peers.
So we're caught somewhere in between, not poor but far from rich, and certainly not famous outside of our circle of family and friends.
We yearn for the importance that
money brings. We've seen enough rich people treated with respect and
admiration to want a piece of that for ourselves.
We have God, but we want more. Just like Adam and Eve, we desperately desire to be bigger shots than we are. Satan lied to them then, and he's still lying to us today.Seeing Ourselves as we Really Are
Because of the world's false values, we seldom see ourselves as we really are. The truth is that in the eyes of God, every believer is rich and famous.We possess the richness of a salvation that can never be taken from us. This is the treasure that's immune from moths and rust. We take it with us when we die, unlike money or fancy possessions.
We are famous and precious to our Savior, so much that he sacrificed himself so we can spend eternity with him.
His love surpasses any earthly fame because it will never end.
It's
time to stop comparing houses, cars, clothes, and bank accounts. It's
time to stop feeling inadequate because we don't own the outward symbols
of success.Instead, it's time to turn our eyes to our intimate relationship with Jesus Christ. That's where we'll experience our greatest fulfillment. That's where we'll finally find all the riches we've ever wanted.
Creating Wealth God’s Way: How To Stop Being Poor and Tired
Because of this Satan is spreading a lot of lies about money, in hopes that you believe them and that you’ll self sabotage your efforts to create wealth. He is very deceitful, and mostly uses half-truths to plant the seed of doubt in your mind.
How many of these half-truths have you heard about money?
- Rich people are greedy, that’s how they got their money
- When the bible talks about prosperity, it is referring to other blessings besides “money.”
- All money belongs to God, and we’re just stewards of it.
- It is greedy to think about ways to get more money so you can have a better life for your family.
- God knows future events, so if you don’t have money, it was pre-destined in advance that you were to be poor.
- God is not a gumball machine where you can ask for more money and he is obligated to spit out money to you.
- It is impossible to get into heaven if you are wealthy
- If anyone deserved to be wealthy, it would have been the apostles; and yet they died penniless.
But you are obviously not swayed by his half-truths, or otherwise you wouldn’t be searching the internet and landing on this web site right now.
How Can We Make Your Life More Prosperous?
The purpose of this website is two-fold. First, to be a beacon of light on the truth of the Gospel. It is “biblical” that you can make and have more money. Since Satan is trying to deceive you and make you mistrust this web site, you’ll see the scripture passages that say it is OK to have money and to create wealth. You can believe the bible, right?You don’t have to be ashamed of making money or having money when you are talking with your friends and family. That is the desire of Satan. He plants the seed of envy in the hearts of poor people so it will grow and put social pressure on others like you that want to make money.
When that happens, you’ll put less effort into doing the things that make money. The result: you will be poorer. And when you’re poorer, your voice (when proclaiming the name of Jesus Christ) becomes diminished. Satan wins when you, as a Christian, are ashamed to make more money. Money matters when it comes to proclaiming the gospel – Satan knows it to be true, do you?
The second purpose of this web site is to point out the practical advice that comes out of the bible on how to make money. The bible is full of exceptional business advice. It is so down to earth, that you would have thought that it comes from the Chamber of Commerce. You won’t be ashamed to implement the ideas you’ll find on this web site. In fact, your family and friends will look at you with increased admiration because of the wisdom you’ve displayed.
Why isn’t this taught in churches?
You’ll probably never hear about this from the preachers in churches. Why? Because making money is not their calling–so how would they know the most efficient methods to make money? Preachers are called to expose sin in the lives of unbelievers so that the Holy Spirit can convict them to accept Christ as their Lord and Savior. That is a full-time job for them, and they base their reward in heaven by how many souls are saved in their churches.There is no fault directed toward them for not knowing how to make money. We rejoice with them when each soul has been saved. But because that is their passion, they don’t have the time to devote to finding the passages in the bible that show how to make money and create wealth.
Save Your Way To Wealth?
Incidentally, what concepts do Preachers know about money? That is a good question. They know how to “save money.” And they are very good at that. Why? Because most preachers are under-paid, so they have to stretch every single dollar that they do get. They have become masters at stewardship. So when they preach about money from the pulpit, they almost always talk about what they know: being a good steward. There is nothing wrong with a good savings plan.You were called to be more than a steward though. Think about this… Say you hired a manager to invest your retirement money. At the end of the year, he comes back and gives you all your money back. But there is no “increase.” There isn’t even any interest money. You’d be furious with that steward and would fire him, right?
You know this situation sounds exactly like the parable of the talents from the bible, right? It is. And that is how God views your job here on earth. You are to make money. It is a command, not a suggestion.
The individual Christian is often on their own to find ways to make money. But there is some good news! This website is here to help you by pointing out the formula that God has written down in the bible. The bible is the map; this website is just the magnifying glass to help you read the fine print and to help you orient this map to the real-world around you. Learning how to make money is easier when you have a guide to show you how it is done.
Notice the word “easier,” not “easy.” You’ll not find a get-rich-overnight scheme here. It doesn’t work that way. Getting rich overnight usually involves a lot of pre-work in advance. It is like a farmer that plants his crops and waters them all summer long. On harvest day, he is wealthy; but prior to that, it was a lot of hard work. The farmer’s job is easier if he has an adviser telling him when is the best time to sow the seeds, when to put on the fertilizer, and how much water to add. That is the purpose of this web site. It can give you the advice that will help you make money easier.
Learn how to make money, God’s way. It is part of his plan to prosper you.
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)
How the Bible can help make you rich
Want a best-selling book jammed with top tips on how to become rich? Try the Bible.
You may not realise it but the Bible is packed with sage business advice, according to a prominent US investment analyst.Sean Hyman is a foreign exchange trader, television commentator and editor of the Ultimate Wealth Report. He’s also a former pastor who says he has cracked a lucrative biblical code embedded in ancient scripture.
It doesn’t, according
to Hyman, who argues that the Bible preaches that it is “the love of
money is the root of all kinds of evil."
For Hyman, this is an important distinction.
“Money is neither good nor bad," he says. “It is simply a medium of exchange, a way people can do business with one another.
“In fact, God bestows money upon people as a blessing. And obviously, money and wealth can be used to do great things."
For Hyman, this is an important distinction.
“Money is neither good nor bad," he says. “It is simply a medium of exchange, a way people can do business with one another.
“In fact, God bestows money upon people as a blessing. And obviously, money and wealth can be used to do great things."
About half of Jesus’ parables relate to money and wealth, according to Hyman.
“The carpenter from Nazareth was a shrewd businessman," he says.
It’s easy to be sceptical about anyone selling investment secrets over the internet, let alone when they are lifted from a religious text, but Hyman makes some reasonable points.
In his online spiel, he encourages people to research investments carefully and not to chase quick gains.
“The carpenter from Nazareth was a shrewd businessman," he says.
It’s easy to be sceptical about anyone selling investment secrets over the internet, let alone when they are lifted from a religious text, but Hyman makes some reasonable points.
In his online spiel, he encourages people to research investments carefully and not to chase quick gains.
Hyman
says that Warren’s Buffett preference for avoiding over-hyped tech
stocks is consistent with biblical teachings. It’s best to invest for
the long term, Hyman says, and to buy when others are spooked by
short-term fluctuations in prices.
“The love of money can derail anyone and leave them in the vicious boom-and-bust cycles of investing," he says.
“The wise person looks well into an investment using fundamental analysis, technical analysis, and sentiment analysis."
But don’t just take Hyman’s word for it. Here are some other investment tips lifted straight from the world’s most widely distributed book.
“The wise person looks well into an investment using fundamental analysis, technical analysis, and sentiment analysis."
But don’t just take Hyman’s word for it. Here are some other investment tips lifted straight from the world’s most widely distributed book.
Biblical investment tips (with our translation)
■ It is the blessing of the Lord that makes rich, And He adds no sorrow to it. Proverbs 10:22. In other words: Don’t feel bad. God is fine with you making a bit of spare cash.■ The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty. Proverbs 21:5 In other words: Take your time or you might end up broke.
■ Divide your portion to seven, or even to eight, for you do not know what misfortune may occur on the earth. Ecclesiates 11:2. In other words: Diversify, diversify, diversify.
■ Without counsel
purposes are disappointed: but in the multitude of counsellors they are
established. Proverbs 15:12. In other words: Get good advice from people
who know what they are doing.
■ Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it? Luke 14:28. In other words: Draw up a thorough budget before committing to an investment.
■ He who loves pleasure will become a poor man; He who loves wine and oil will not become rich. Proverbs 21:17. In other words: Lay off the booze and get back to work.
Hyman says people often assume that the Bible is against people making money.■ Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it? Luke 14:28. In other words: Draw up a thorough budget before committing to an investment.
■ He who loves pleasure will become a poor man; He who loves wine and oil will not become rich. Proverbs 21:17. In other words: Lay off the booze and get back to work.
Is It God’s Will for All Christians to Be Wealthy?
More and more Christians, all over the world, believe that material prosperity is the right of all Christians. They believe that God expects them to ask for it and to anticipate it as a sure fulfilment of his promise. There is no doubt that both the Old and New Testaments teach that the faithful will be blessed by God.But does that blessing necessarily always include material prosperity? Can all Christians expect to become wealthy? Turning to the Bible dispels such an expectation.
First, Paul often showed that his sufferings did not take away from his fullness of life. In his epistles he presents his suffering as part of the evidence that he was blessed and called by God (e.g. 2 Cor. 4:8-18; 6:3-10; 11:13-33; 12:1-10; Gal. 6:17). He once described himself “as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, yet possessing everything” (2 Cor. 6:10). In Ephesians, writing from prison, five times Paul mentions wealth—referring to the gospel and all its treasures. He himself was a poor prisoner deprived of many basic human necessities, but he viewed himself as being wealthy.
In Philippians, also writing from Prison, Paul said about his financial needs:
Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. (Phil. 4:11-12)He implies that wealth is not necessarily a sign of God’s blessing, but contentment is. In fact in this epistle the words joy, rejoice, rejoiced, and glad appear 16 times. He says that we must “rejoice in the Lord always” (Phil 4:4). This is also the epistle that talks about the peace of God that passes all understanding (4:7). So contentment, peace, and joy characterize a truly wealthy Christian.
Some years ago I did a study of all the places in the New Testament where Jesus is presented as a model
More Danger than Blessing
Third, the New Testament seems to show wealth more as a danger than as a blessing. It emphasises the dangers more than the desirability of wealth. Jesus set the tone for this emphasis with his statement, “How difficult it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God! For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God” (Luke 18:24-25). This statement is cited in all three synoptic Gospels. But how often do we hear preachers repeat it today? Jesus underscores his teaching about the dangers of wealth in his parable about the rich farmer who acquired sufficient wealth to secure a comfortable retirement. He is called a “fool” at his death. Jesus explains by saying, “So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God” (Luke 12:16-21). In his evangelistic call to would-be disciples to deny themselves, take up the cross, and follow him, Jesus warns, “What does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?” (Mark 8:36). If we neglect this aspect of the call of Christ in our preaching of the gospel, we will be guilty of distorting the gospel just like the liberals of an earlier generation.When we turn to 1 Timothy 6 we find more warnings about the dangers of wealth. Paul says that it is right to want basic necessities like food and clothing: “But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content” (1 Tim. 6:8). Beyond that necessity, wealth is not a big deal. Paul says, “But godliness with contentment is great gain, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world” (6:6-7). It is not essential that we are rich, but it is essential that we are godly and contented. Elsewhere Paul says that he is content even while suffering: “For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Cor. 12:10). The idea of strength in weakness is another neglected biblical doctrine today.
Let’s get back to the warnings. In 1 Timothy 6:9-10 Paul says:
Another strong warning comes in the parable of the sower, where Jesus says about the seed sown among thorns, “The cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it proves unfruitful” (Mark 4:19). These two strong warnings tell us how the desire for wealth can cause huge harm by deceiving us into giving up God’s way for the way of supposed prosperity. Sadly, today we find so many people who have fallen into these very traps. They have ruined their spiritual lives and condemned themselves to an unhappy life. In light of such strong warnings about the dangers of desiring to be rich, backed by so many whose lives have been ruined in this way, preachers should be careful not to inflame that desire by promising wealth to their hearers.
But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.
Treasures in Heaven
At the same time, the Bible does not give an entirely negative approach to the issue of wealth. Jesus said, “Lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal” (Matt. 6:20). This statement is made in the context of what to do with wealth. Using language familiar to people in the business world, Jesus advises that we make the smartest investment in the most secure place: heaven. Preachers should encourage Christians to pursue eternal prosperity.In 1 Timothy 6 Paul also asks the wealthy to be rich in generosity: “They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life” (6:18-19). We invest in the Bank of Heaven by giving to the needy. Earlier we observed that Paul said in 1 Timothy 6 that wealth is less important than godliness and contentment. Now he is saying that lavish generosity is also important. The many teachings in the Bible about giving show that, for a biblical Christian, this is one of the great ambitions in life. Paul says the Macedonian Christians were “begging us earnestly for the favor of taking part in the relief of the saints” (2 Cor. 8:4).
When urging the Corinthian Christians to contribute to the needs of the church in Jerusalem, Paul says, “Our desire is not that others might be relieved while you are hard pressed, but that there might be equality” (2 Cor. 8:13, NIV). In a world of glaring inequality, we give generously so as to bring some measure of fairness and equality. This urgent need for fairness in the world has led many Christians to make a decision to adopt a simple lifestyle—avoiding extravagance and giving as much as possible for the work of God and to the needy. As someone has said, “We live simply so that others may simply live.” In support of this idea of a simple lifestyle we refer to Jesus’ statement, “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth” (Matt. 6:19).
Example and Hero
Sixth, many of the heroes and devoted people of the New Testament were poor. Jesus is our prime example and hero. He became poor so that we might become rich (2 Cor. 8:9). He “emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant” (Phil. 2:7). Some say that Jesus took on the curse so that we may not have to live under it, and therefore we will not suffer as he did. But in both these passages Jesus is presented to us as an example to follow. Paul even says that he desires to “share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death” (Phil. 3:10). There is a depth of oneness with Christ that we will experience only when we suffer as he did. And to us union with Christ is the greatest wealth.Many of the commended followers of Jesus in the New Testament were poor. The Macedonians were heroes because they gave despite their poverty: “We want you to know, brothers, about the grace of God that has been given among the churches of Macedonia, for in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part” (2 Cor. 8:1-3). The giving of these poor Christians is described using the word wealth. In a passage rebuking the church for considering the rich as superior to the poor, James says, “Listen, my beloved brothers, has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom, which he has promised to those who love him?” (Jas. 2:5). The poor believers were actually rich!
In the letters to the seven churches in Revelation, only two churches do not receive a rebuke. And both of them are described as not having what the world thinks of as material success. The first is the church in Smyrna. The angel talks of their “poverty” then immediately says, “But you are rich” (Rev. 2:9). The second is the church in Philadelphia, which is described as having “but little power” (Rev. 3:8). They were two rare exceptions of churches having God-approved lifestyles at a time of great compromise. And they were poor and powerless! Isn’t it interesting how the poor Christians in these passages are described in terms suggesting that they were wealthy? That sense of being wealthy constitutes an important aspect of the identity of a Christian. If we are happy about our identity, then we will surely be happy people.
The mother church in Jerusalem consisted mainly of poor people. So other churches had to help them. There is nothing to say that they were poor because of something wrong in their beliefs or actions. It was a time of economic hardship in Jerusalem, compounded by the fact that many retirees lost their social relief benefits when they became Christians. Therefore the Christians in Jerusalem had great economic needs that Christians in other parts of the world met through their missionary giving.
It is true that the Old Testament promises prosperity as one of the blessings of faithfulness to God (e.g. Deut. 28:11). But we must remember that these promises were made to a righteous nation under the Old Covenant. The Old Testament often describes the pain of righteous individuals in that nation who struggled with the fact that the wicked were prospering while they were not. Many of the laments in the Psalms mention this struggle. Psalm 73 is a classic. Here Asaph’s struggle over his lack of prosperity compared to the prosperity of the wicked is solved only after he realizes that God will judge the wicked with righteousness. The books of Job and Habakkuk highlight the faith of genuinely godly people who honor God by refusing to give up trusting in him in the midst of terrible suffering. The Old Testament then does not assure the righteous of prosperity. In fact, like the New Testament, it also warns people often of the dangers of prosperity (e.g. Deut. 6:10-25; 8:11-20; 32:15-18).
Finally, history shows that some of the greatest growth of the church took place when the Christians were really poor and struggling. This was so recently in China, Nepal, and Korea (in the early years of church growth), and now in Iran where there is significant growth. Many qualities, such as child-like trust, are easier for the poor to grow in their lives. This is one reason why Christ said it was so hard for the rich to enter the kingdom of God.
God's Plan
There is no doubt that the Bible teaches that faithful people who are wealthy have an important role in God’s plan. Some exemplary people in the Bible, like Abraham (Gen 13:2), Barzillai (2 Sam. 19:32), the Shunemite woman who helped Elisha (2 Kings 4:8), and Joseph of Arimathea (Matt. 27:57), were specifically described as being wealthy. After saying that the rich must not be haughty, Paul says that “God . . . richly provides us with everything to enjoy” (1 Tim. 6:17). Enjoying the things that money can buy is not necessarily wrong. At the same time it is significant that each of these four godly wealthy people mentioned were commended for their generosity.5 Important Things Every Rich Christian Should Do
In a recent post I mentioned that I am a rich man when compared to those in the third world. What I did not mention (because I wanted you to struggle a little with that post) is that I don’t believe that it is a bad thing to be rich.
Through my wealth I am able to be a blessing to those around me. I employee two people. I provide critical transportation needs (like driving people to the hospital or providing transportation for church activities) because I own a vehicle. My home is open for Bible studies or meals. I don’t say this to brag, but to say that being wealthy in the presence of the poor is a blessing to both myself and the poor.
Being rich in the presence of the poor puts me in a unique position to help, to minister, and most importantly, witness to God’s goodness. Some may be called to give up everything while others are called to use their wealth to honor God.
Money and material things are not despised in the Bible. There are serious warnings about money, but there are also serious opportunities presented to those who have money. One who has decided to use those resources as a faithful steward can do many great and wonderful things in their life time.
How Have You Been Blessed By Wealthy Christians?
Here’s my list of ways I’ve been (am being) blessed by rich Christians.- 100% of my salary comes from the freewill offering of fellow Christians.
- I’ve been offered to use a vacation home for my family – at no cost.
- My mortgage is 100% funded by Christian individuals (a long story for another time).
- People have taken my family out to eat on more occasions than I can count.
- While in college the generosity of others literally helped put food on our table.
- I’ve received numerous scholarships for private Christian education (funded by Christian individuals).
5 Things Every Rich Christians Should Do
This list includes the things I think are necessary of every rich Christian. If you have wealth, but one of these things is missing in your life, I’d encourage you to find away to incorporate it into your life.-
Rich Christians must acknowledge God as the Source of wealth.
When I look around at all of the many things I own it increases my appreciation. I am thankful and humbled in the presence of God. Each day before my family eats we thank God for the meal. In our prayers, we acknowledge that all we have is a gift from God because ultimately God is the source of every blessing we enjoy. -
Rich Christians should give God absolute ownership.
Though the bank account might have my name, I know the money is not my own. I am a steward put in a position to administer God’s funds. As a wealthy person I must seek God’s plan and purpose for my own money. -
Rich Christians use their position and influence for the kingdom.
God’s kingdom can be glorified through doctors, lawyers, and engineers who seek to use not just their money, but also their skills and gifts for the sake of others. One rich man I know teaches business courses overseas and another does surgeries overseas. They use their position and influence for the good of God’s kingdom. -
Rich Christians give generously from a genuine heart.
Barnabas graciously sold a field and laid the money at the feet of the apostles (Acts 4:36-37). The church in Philippi sent money to help Paul, the missionary (Phil. 4:14-18). Apphia and Archippus who opened their home for church meetings (Philemon 2). -
Rich Christians always give priority to people over things.
The Godly rich will never earn money at the expense of others. They will never seek to get things at the expense of others. There may be a way to earn more money, but if it doesn’t honor people, it is not worth considering. As such, the godly rich do not discriminate against the poor (James 2:3-4).
I struggle with this one because living overseas I’ve come to realize
that I get attached to my stuff. When someone loses something that
belongs to me, I take it personally as though they have done something
against me. Slowly, I’m learning the lesson that people are more
important than things.
If you take your neighbor’s cloak as a pledge, return it to him by sunset, because his cloak is the only covering he has for his body. What else will he sleep in? When he cries out to me, I will hear, for I am compassionate. (Exodus 22:26-27 NIV)To be rich is not evil, but to be rich without sensing a deep responsibility can be a very dangerous thing.
WEALTH SECRETS OF BIBLE :
When you follow God’s Word in the Bible, your destiny is to be financially successful. - Mark Kauchak
This is a bold statement to make, but when you learn the awesome promises made to us in the Bible you will know it is true. Yes, you are destined to be a financial success. Believe it or not you have been blessed from the moment of your birth with everything you need for success.
You may have a hard time believing this because:
• of past failures to make any money building a second income or failures you have had in other parts of your life.
• there is a pile of bills sitting on your kitchen table waiting to be paid with little money to pay them with.
• you are overwhelmed trying to figure out how to make any money online
• you are not sure how to manage your finances to ensure a life free from financial worry
Make no mistake though; regardless of where you are now financially, Success can be in your future – when you commit to following a different path!
The Bible is a treasure house of information about how to be financially successful. It is a guide filled with advice as real and applicable today as it was when it was first written two thousand plus years ago.
The Bible provides us the guidance we need to enjoy a life of financial abundance by laying out the rules we must follow in order to obtain the awesome promises waiting for us.
But few people ever spend the time to look for, read and understand the messages in the Bible. And so, the promises God is ready to grant us remain unknown to most of us even though they are there for anyone willing to take the time to investigate the success secrets of the Bible.
The lessons that teach what we need to do to be financially successful are just as powerful and applicable today as they were to the first readers thousands of years ago.
These proven messages about financial success however, have been forgotten and overshadowed today by the newest, quickest and surest ways to make money at the cost of disappointment, discouragement and confusion in so many lives. I can hear it now; my parents were divorced, my dad drank, I was born in a poor neighborhood, I don't have a college degree, I'm too old, I can't... I don't..., I wasn't... I’m not … and the list goes on and on. While some people cling to these and so many more excuses for financial failure and can recite them like a mantra, be assured poverty is not God’s plan for us!
Forget any ideas you may have about who can be successful! When we makethe decision to follow God’s rules our financial success does not depend on our education, sex, race, where you were born, the wealth of your parents or how tough your life has been. None of this matters when we commit to follow God’s rules.
That God shows no favoritism is a message that is clear from the Bible.
In Romans 2:11 we read;
“With God there is no favoritism.”
And from Acts 10:34-35;
“Peter proceeded to address them in these words; “I begin to see how true it is that God shows no partiality. Rather, the man of any nation who fears God and acts uprightly is acceptable to Him.””
Yes it is true some of us will have tougher roads to travel. In the end however, the only person responsible for achieving or not achieving financial success is the one person we see in the mirror every day when we wake up in the morning and go to bed at night.
Remember, success many times comes about because people change the way they think about success. So forget those ideas about success you may have picked up along the way because of the wasted time and money you have spent trying to build a second income with nothing to show for your efforts. Forget ideas about success that try to convince you who can and who can’t be successful.
Learn a new way to financial success that is available to anyone willing to take the time to learn at and to take action!
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The Biblical Guide to Internet Riches teaches there are three ingredients needed for success regardless of how you want to make money. Every aspiring entrepreneur needs, in this order, a Success Philosophy (the approach to wealth), a Success System (the game plan) and a Success Program (how you make your money).
But the Success Program, or how you actually make your money, comes third on the list of success steps following the Success Philosophy and Success System. Most of us have not been taught or learned steps one and two. All we see advertised on the Internet, in magazines and in the mail is information about Success Programs – how to make money to buy huge houses, expensive cars or
take dream vacations.
I tried many programs and many ways to make money. So how did I do with all of these programs designed to help reap a huge, financial harvest? Like the majority of people trying to build a second income I failed miserably spending untold dollars and time with nothing to show for it other than a stack of bills and a very unhappy wife because I did not have a Success Philosophy or a
Success System to follow. Take making money on the Internet for example. We have all seen the statistics quoted about Internet success. Depending on where you get your information, the
chances of people making real money on the Internet is somewhere between 3% – 10%. That is pretty sad. What makes it even worse is that many people truly need to make some extra money not to buy a fancy new car or wide screen TV, but just to stay one step ahead of bill collectors. Or, many people are just looking for some extra money to get ahead in life and have some financial security.
Think about it this way. If you were out looking for a car to buy and the chances of it starting were only 3% or even 10%, would you buy it? Would you buy anything for that matter which only had a 3% or even 10% chance of working? Of course not!
Yet how many of us do not hesitate to plunk down hundreds of dollars to start building a second income using approaches almost guaranteed to result in failure? Ouch! That hurts doesn’t it?
There has to be more reasons than just bad programs to explain why people are not making money. Actually the opposite is probably more accurate – there are so many good programs and ways to make money, the beginner and those who have failed on the Net are overwhelmed with choices. But most books you will findabout how to make money on the Net are focused on programs, or how to make money.
No, it is not the program – it is your approach to making money that is wrong! When you finally accept this fact and you open your mind to new possibilities, you will find the success you so desperately want. Once you learn and follow a new Success Philosophy and the step by step Success
System, the Success Program you choose will help place you in the 3% to 10% of Netrepreneurs who do make money on the Net. And most importantly for Christians who want to build Success His Way, these two building blocks are based on the Bible.
Without a Success Philosophy and Success System, you have a shaky foundation on which to build your success that all too often comes tumbling down, as you have probably unfortunately experienced.
Let’s look at how both of these factors can help us reach any financial goals we desire! We will start with the Success Philosophy.
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As you might expect, Christians are called to do more with the gifts our Father blesses us with.
When you read the Bible you will find there are definite expectations placed on us about how we are to use our money. And as we will soon see, how we use our money will determine how much more we will be blessed.
The purpose for the money we acquire is not to have bigger houses, faster cars or more gadgets to play with. These can come as a by-product of following the guidelines in the Bible, but they are not the primary reason we will be blessed with wealth.
As a result of a great deal of research, there is only one reason I have discovered to explain why we are destined for financial success. When you use this concept to guide you, you will discover your life will be changed in so many wonderful ways.
Wealth Secret # 2:
The reason why God will bless us with financial abundance is so we can be His hands on earth.
- Mark Kauchak
This may come as a surprise to many, but if you read the number of verses in the Bible that talk about our financial duties, you will find some pretty specific guidance for us. Our financial obligations can be summarized as follows:
1. Tithe
2. Help the needy
In Malachai 3:10 we read:
“Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house, and try me in this says the Lord of hosts: Shall I not open the floodgates of heaven, to pour down blessings upon you without measure?”
And in Proverbs 3:9-10:
“Honor the Lord with your wealth, with first fruits of your harvest. Then will your barns be filled with grain, with your new wine your vats will overflow.”
From Hebrews 13:16:
"Do not neglect good deeds and generosity; God is pleased by sacrifices of that kind"
Finally we see the advice Tobit gives to his son Tobiah in Tobit 4:7:
“Give alms from your possessions. Do not turn your face from any of the poor, and God’s face will not be turned away from you.”
What is really fascinating and little understood is that the Bible tells us by doing what God has asked us to do, to tithe generously from our first fruits and help the needy; He will bless us many times over. All we need to do is put God first in our lives.
Whether we are tithing or helping those in need, when we are generous with our money, we read in the Bible that we cannot outdo the generosity of our Father and He will bless us many times over. These are promises we can rely on because they are found in the Bible. But we must let money flow freely in and out of our lives Here is how Christians can make such a tremendous impact in the world.
The wealth pump starts when we tithe and help those in need. God has promised to bless us far in excess of what we give. When we receive these blessings, we are in a position to use more of our money to tithe more and give more to help the needy. As we receive more blessings from God we are in the position to tithe and help more – and the cycle grows and grows.
Isn’t this awesome? Once you learn the rules you need to follow to receive God’s blessings, your excuses for not taking action and not succeeding are gone! Here are the rules you need to follow for how you use your money.
Wealth Secret # 3
We must follow Gods Rules for our Finances. They are in this order:
1. Be a good steward for the money you are given
2. Tithe
3. Provide for yourself and your loved ones
4. Help those in need
5. Buy the extras you will enjoy – treat yourself!
We all know it is not easy to follow these rules. Just think about what bombards us 24 hours a day on TV, internet and the radio; buy the newest, sleekest, sexiest, largest … for ourselves. All of these messages work to make sure we put ourselves first. Why? Because this attitude is all part of the “me first” Wall Street mentality to spend, spend, spend on me, me, me.
Think about the testimonials and pictures you read about for programs. When the people describe how their lives have been changed because of all the money they made with a particular program or book, they talk about how many new cars or the big house they bought or the vacations they took. When we buy into this philosophy, tithing and helping others go by the wayside, which is not God’s plan for our money.
Placing ourselves first on the priority list for spending money goes counter to God’s plan for our money. When this happens and we place our needs first on the priority list, we focus our financial plans on ourselves essentially paying ourselves first instead of God. Satisfying our desires becomes number 1 on our list instead of number 5. Our life is out of whack! Before you get the idea you have to dress in burlap bags or live in a cardboard box remember this; there is nothing wrong with buying the nicer things in life. But those things must wait when we follow God’s rules not man’s. Placing ourselves number 5 on the priority list is very difficult for many of us. But who said being a Christian was easy?
What is so awesome is that when we follow God’s plan for our finances, when we put God first in our lives the financial pump is primed and we will be blessed far beyond our original contributions. God has promised rewards of abundance when we follow His rules – when we achieve Success His Way.
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With all of the verses in the Bible describing how we should use our money to do good it is truly unfortunate there are people who actually believe money is evil. This attitude is hard to understand if we believe God wants us to be financially successful so we can be His hands on earth. How can we fulfill this role when our attitude about money may actually be preventing us from accumulating wealth to do God’s work? We need to change this attitude at once! Believing money is evil will sabotage our efforts to gain wealth. This attitude works just like magnets with the same charge that repel each other. Negative thoughts about money repel money. This may be hard to understand now, but the Chapter on Faith in The Biblical Guide to Internet Riches will describe very clearly why this is so and why it may be the very reason you have not been making money with your programs to date. Rather than debate the good and the bad of money, we need to think about money in a whole new way. This way of looking at money will forever change how you think about it as it has mine and in so doing will eliminate false beliefs that may be the cause of your lack of financial success.
Here it is …
Wealth Secret # 4
All the money we obtain is a loan from God. But unlike loans in real life, our God is kind and generous and does not require us to pay 100% of the loan back. The Bible instructs us to pay God back in the form of tithes and by helping those in need. We are also told the tithes must come from the first fruits of our success, meaning it is the first obligation we must pay. And unlike loans in real life, when we pay back the small portion God asks of us, what does He do? Whatever the amount of money we offer as tithes and use to help the needy, we will be blessed many times over and His generosity will not be
outdone. The Bible is very specific about these blessings! The money we are provided by God as a loan should be viewed as a tool. Like any tool, it can be used in a good or bad way. How you use it is up to you. When you view money as a tool, you can use it for good and you can let it go in and out of
your life without a problem. Your only concern should be how to use this tool to live God’s word.
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Wealth Secret # 5
Any journey to success must start with a decision to change! Sooner or later in your life you must decide to change your financial situation. Your decision to change will be the starting point for your journey to success. Through all of the reading I did in the Bible and my library of success books, it is
clear that success does not come from outside factors alone. Success must start from the inside. For as you will discover, how much money you make depends on only one factor – you! But nothing can happen until your journey to financial success starts with a decision. You have to finally say “I am not happy with where I am at and I am going to do something to improve”. Until you make this decision, nothing in your life will change – it is this simple. Despite what you may hope for or want to believe, doing nothing and hoping things will magically change for you will not bring you success.Tony Robbins in his book “Awaken the Giant Within” says: “Making a true decision means committing to achieving a result, and then cutting yourself off from any other possibility.”. To me, that is what “cutting yourself off from any other possibility” means. How can we turn this decision into the type of decision described by Tony Robbins that will not allow you to settle for anything less than total success? You
must find deep within you the reason why you want to change. James Allen in “As A Man Thinketh” also talks about the next step to take once you have made a decision to change: “A man should conceive of a legitimate purpose in his heart and set out to accomplish it …They who have no central purpose in their life fall an easy prey to petty worries, fears, troubles and self pityings, all of which are
indications of weakness, which lead just as surely as deliberately planned sins (although by a different route), to failure, unhappiness, and loss, for weakness cannot exist in a power evolving universe.”
According to Napoleon, here is the benefit of the burning desire caused by having a legitimate purpose or a Core Desire: “A burning desire to be and to do is the starting point from which the dreamer must take off. Dreams are not born of indifference, laziness or lack of ambition.” Make your decision to change. Then find the reason why you want to change. It must be a powerful and compelling reason. You will need this for one of the steps in the Success System you will shortly learn about.
Wealth Secrets 6, 7 and 8
There are three related factors we need to learn about in order to get ready to claim the promises of financial success waiting for us in the Bible. Since they are interrelated we will discuss them at the same time. You must have an unshakeable Faith, a Positive Mental Attitude or PMA regardless of the trials you encounter and you must include Prayer in your plans for success. There is absolutely no doubt Faith is a key message for us to learn and use in the Bible. There is a superb definition of Faith found in Hebrews 11:1: “Faith is confident assurance concerning what we hope for, and conviction
about things we do not see.” Does this describe the Faith you have about achieving your financial goals ? Given the emphasis placed on Faith by the inspired writers, Faith must be a key
factor to our success in life too. Here are a couple of examples .
“Jesus said to them, "Are you confident I can do this?" "Yes Lord" they told him. At that point he touched their eyes and said, "Because of your faith it shall be done to you."”
Or how about the hemorrhaging woman in Mark 4:28: "If only I just touch his clothing," she thought, "I shall get well." Jesus said to her, "Daughter, it is your faith that has cured you."
In each of these examples, Jesus worked a miracle in the lives of these people because they had Faith. Ultimately, Faith means how much we believe God will (not can) bless us in our lives. Faith creates a burning desire for success because you will be doing something you are passionate about and you know success is the end result.
Faith creates a powerful by-product that plays an important role in achieving your success - Positive Mental Attitude (PMA). Believe it or not, the Bible does talk about the need to have a Positive Mental Attitude! Faith and PMA are the dynamic duo that will see you through any adversity, through any slump, through any doubts to make sure you arrive at any destination of your choosing.
What then is the relationship between Faith and PMA?
To start with, when you have Faith, you know you will achieve your desired goal of financial independence. With this confidence, you develop a Positive Mental Attitude.
With PMA, regardless of the roadblocks you run into on your journey you have the ability to keep positive thoughts – because through your Faith you know you will achieve success.
Finally, praying is interconnected and cannot be separated from Faith. There are just 2 things required to have your prayers answered.
1. Asking in Faith
2. God’s willingness to bestow
The secret to answered prayer in any aspect of our lives is to have both conditions fulfilled. This also applies to our prayers for financial success. Both conditions must be met in order for us to realize the promises made to us about financial security in the Bible.
But how should we pray? What is the most effective way to pray so that God will hear our prayers? We must do several things.
1. First, we must pray with complete Faith. Remember we must pray not that God can answer our prayers but that He will. That is praying with Faith!
2. We must eliminate the escape clause … If … from our prayers! We must pray with the expectation of prayers being answered. Unfortunately answered prayer seems to cause more amazement than being the norm for us.
3. You must be specific in your prayers. You must ask your Subconscious Mind the right answers to get the answers you seek. To say I want to be financially successful is not being specific. To say I want to pay off $35,000 in bills is specific. How else are you going to know if your prayers are being answered or how else will you know when you are receiving guidance to achieve your goals?
4. Once you have prayed in Faith, go about your business taking action,
knowing that your prayers rest with God. Listen to your Subconscious Mind for answers to your prayers and be alert for the circumstances you need for success!
Employ these techniques in your prayer life and see how powerful your prayers can become!
All of the Wealth Secrets discussed help form a Success Philosophy that is aligned with the Bible. The Wealth Secrets will prepare your mind to achieve Success His Way. We must now develop a Success System to implement what we have learned, for as we know, without taking action, there can be no success.
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The first Factor of the Formula of the Success System is to Conceive, which consists of 6 steps.
Step 1
You must identify your Heart’s Desire – that one reason that is causing you to develop a second income. The Desire will be your focus that will drive you to success no matter what obstacle you must overcome. Write down your Heart’s Desire(s). Make it a passionate statement. Make it a powerful one. Put lots of feeling into it because you will find the more passion and feeling it has, the more of a motivator it will be for you.
Set your goals. Don’t make the mistake of setting lofty goals right from the start. If you do, you may find your Faith may not be strong enough to believe in what you are doing and you may be doomed from the start. Don’t forget about your ultimate objective, just set smaller sub-goals to help you
get there. It’s like the old joke; “How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.”
Step 3
Identify your Financial Success DNA. In this step you will answer questions to help you determine what your strengths and capabilities are as well as what really interests you. This means you need to really be honest answering these questions since this will help you choose the program that ill give you the best chance of success. This is not the step where you choose your program.
Step 4
Find the program that matches your Financial Success DNA. This is where you do the research to find the program that best matches your Financial Success DNA. Don’t choose a program just because of the money it promises or the “guru” who is pushing it. Make sure it is something you will enjoy doing! Note, it is not time to sign up for a program!
This is the step you choose your program and develop the plan to implement your decision. No, it is not time to sign up for programs yet!
Step 6
In this step you will fine-tune your plan by giving it a once over to make sure you are still happy with your selection. After all, you will be committing time and money to build your financial future. Take the extra time now before you get started to make sure you are headed down the right path. It is still not time to sign up for programs yet!
Factor 2
Once you have finished the Conceive Factor, the next Factor is to Take Action. This is when you will finally sign up for your program and execute the plans you developed in the Conceive Factor. The Bible encourages us to take action and not expect success to just fall in our lap.
alike will turn out well.”
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