“Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper. The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away. Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous. For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.” – Psalms 1:1-6 KJV
Not Worldly Wealth but Purity of Heart
Those who walk with the LORD will surely prosper. But it is important to note that godly prosperity is not to be measured in the same way as worldly wealth. For true prosperity isn’t about living for the world, but about delighting ourselves in the ways of the LORD. It’s about purity of heart. Therefore those who desire to prosper will not live selfishly, seeking to accumulate and/or hoard wealth on earth, but will labor to store treasure up in heaven, seeking to be a light to the world for Jesus.
Don’t expect to prosper in a godly way by seeking to meet the expectations of the world. Only by seeking first the kingdom of God and His righteousness will you truly prosper. Remember, godly gain is far more valuable to the soul than all worldly riches combined. Don’t worry about self preservation; rather, trust in God. Acknowledge His virtues and you will surely discover the meaning of life; live by them and you will hold the key to happiness.
The Measure of Your Worth
Those who assume that their worth is measured by worldly possessions do err. They think that they are somehow better off because they have many things. Yet our value is and has already been determined by He who gave His life for us all; that is, Jesus Christ. Indeed, we were bought at a price (1Cor. 6:20), and nothing could ever lessen the value that God has placed upon our lives through Him who died for us while we were yet sinners (Rom. 5:8).
How then could anyone be worth more or less in God’s eyes? Of course, some do have more than others in terms of materialistic things, but that doesn’t make them more valuable than those who have less. It just simply means that they have more things. That’s it!
That which is of the world will return to the dust. The only thing that will remain is character. And it will either be fit for heaven or ripe for hell. The choices that we make throughout our lives will decide that. Therefore it becomes a question of how much we really value God. Will we love Him enough to allow Him to take control of our lives or will we choose to eat dust? Don’t elevate the material above the spiritual, but be balanced in Christ. Use your possessions as a means to be a blessing to others, not as a ladder to climb higher than them.
“Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.” – 1 John 2:15-17 KJV
Don’t Let Toys Ruin Your Life
Have you ever heard the expression, “He who dies with the most toys wins?” Perhaps you’ve seen this before on a bumper sticker. Whatever the case may be, it is not true. What point is there in exercising all of your energy seeking to gain something that you will inevitably lose upon death? In other words, if you are going to lose it all in the end, then how could you be a winner?
Listen, the things of this world are passing away, and it is therefore unwise to live for worldly gain. We should seek to embrace things that have eternal value, such as love, peace and joy. These are things that belong to God, and we should desire to have them too. Unfortunately, many look to obtain these things in worldly pursuits. That is, they seek to acquire from the world that which can only be found in God, and are therefore left with feelings of discontentment, because they never really grasp what they need. They aren’t looking for it in the right place.
Some people even have the audacity to use Christianity as a means for wealth building. They encourage others to do the same, and make a load of money in the process. When they should be encouraging people to come out of the world they are instructing them to be worldly minded instead. Beware of such people! Their path leads to a destructive end.
God didn’t give us the gospel for wealth building; He gave us the gospel to bridge the gap that existed between Him and man. People who endeavor to look for support in the Bible to promote lavish living have fallen short of the mark. They do not know the Christ who said, “foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.” (Matthew 8:20 KJV)
“Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” – Matthew 6:19-21 KJV
Where is your heart? Where is your treasure? What is really most valuable to you?
It’s Time to Make a Choice
“And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life? And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments. He saith unto him, Which? Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. The young man saith unto him, All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet? Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me. But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions.” – Matthew 19:16-22 KJV
There is no doubt that this young man wanted God’s blessing; yet according to his estimation, it wasn’t worth it for him to give up his wealth in order to receive it. He obviously thought that he couldn’t live without his worldly possessions. Thus, he loved his wealth more than he loved God and thereby proved that even though he was living well according to the standards of the world, he was spiritually bankrupt.
Indeed, this man had many things; but his possessions were a curse to him, because he didn’t see Jesus as being more valuable than them. In other words, he couldn’t see himself as being content in only having Jesus. He had thought that he knew the law of God, but failed to grasp its substance in that he didn’t know that “it is more blessed to give than to receive.” (Acts 20:35 KJV)
Having many possessions isn’t proof that you are blessed. It’s what you do with what you have that shows whether you are truly blessed or not.
Let Him In
How long must the Holy Spirit contend with our self-centered hearts? When will people who profess to be Christians stop making excuses for being selfish and really follow Jesus Christ? When will we really love as He loves us?
“Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.” – Revelation 3:20-21 KJV
Have you opened the door of your heart to Jesus Christ? Are you earnestly seeking to learn the lessons that He wants to teach you? Do you live in such a way as to show others that it is more blessed to give than to receive? What does your life really say about God? Are you really prospering?
“But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment let us be therewith content. But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.” – 1 Timothy 6:6-11 KJV
Is this what you want for your life? If so, then embrace it, and know that this is what God wants for you too. Actually, this is what God wants for us all!
