GODS CONDITIONS FOR PROSPERITY

How to Earn the Rewards of Christian Living

Charles Hunter

Contents Chapter 1 What Is Real Prosperity? Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter " Chapter & Chapter ( Chapter 7 Chapter , Chapter . Chapter 1Chapter 11 Chapter 12 Chapter 13 Chapter 1" Prosperity: Lost and Found Discovery o !old #nderstandin$ %uccess ul People Choosin$ 'lessin$s or Curses Prosperity Durin$ )ou$h )i*es Prosperity in +arria$e Desires /oy o the Lord Is 0our %tren$th )he Cost o Riches Prosperity in the Love Wal1 Listenin$ to !od2s Plan or Prosperity +oney Can 'uy 3nythin$ #lti*ate Prosperity

3 7 17 21 27 3& &1 773 ,1 .11 ( 12 3 12 ,

Chapter One

What Is Real Prosperity?

Do you really 4ant to 5e prosperous? )hen as1 yoursel 6 7What real prosperity?8 When 4e say prosperity6 4hat do 4e really *ean? )he irst thin$ 4e thin1 o is livin$ on 9o5 :ill in a 5i$ *ansion6 and drivin$ orty;nine Cadillacs plus t4o Rolls Royces< =ne ti*e 4hen I 4as operatin$ as a certi ied pu5lic accountant6 I 4as 4or1in$ or a *ulti;ultra; *ulti;*illionaire< :e had lots o *oney6 *ore than he could ever spend even the interest on< :e 4as super rich< :e said to *e6 7Charles6 don2t ever lose your desire to 4or16 5ecause the *ost *isera5le thin$ you can ever do is to lose that desire>8 )hat is tre*endous advice< %o*e people thin1 that the ulti*ate in prosperity is 4hen you can retire and ?uit 4or1< 'ut literally6 that is the arthest thin$ ro* the truth< It is a lie o the devil< )he )en Co**and*ents tell us6 SIX days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath of the Lord your God; in it you shall not do any work.... @ABodus 2-:.6 1- 93%'C< )he pro5le* is that 4e stopped 4or1in$ on the siBth day6 then 4e reduced it to ive or our6 and 4e $ot into a lot o pro5le*s and *isery 5ecause 4e didn2t 4or1 on the siBth day< We thou$ht rest 4ould co*e on the seventh day6 5ut i you loa on the 3

siBth6 you $et *isera5le on the seventh< 0ou $et 5ored6 and that isn2t prosperity< Prosperity has *any acetsD it is eBpensive6 5ut is easily availa5le to us< )oo o ten6 ho4ever6 4e have alse notions a5out thin$s 4e thin1 are necessary in order to have prosperityD 4e are utter ailures6 no *atter ho4 rich in su5stance 4e *i$ht ind ourselves to 5e< )he dictionary says that prosperity is a state o 5ein$ prosperousD advance or $ain in anythin$ $ood or desira5leD success ul pro$ress in any 5usiness or enterprise< Prosperity *eans success< Prosperity *eans a5undance< 'ut 4hat does a5undance *ean? !reat plenty6 an over; lo4in$ ?uantity6 a*ple su iciency6 a5undance o heart6 *ore than enou$h< !od can do all thin$s< :e can do *iracles< :e can do anythin$< !od is the only one 4ho can $ive true a5undance< /esus said6 7)he thie co*eth not6 5ut or to steal6 and to 1ill6 and to destroyD I a* co*e that they *i$ht have li e6 and that they *i$ht have it *ore a5undantly8 @/ohn 1-:1- E/FC< )hat is real prosperity< )hat is real success< 'ut 4hat are the conditions or receivin$ a5undant li e? Do you Gust suddenly 4a1e up so*e *ornin$ and say6 7I2* a5undantly rich?8 %uppose you 4ere dealin$ 4ith inances and so*eone died and the la4yer ca*e to you and said6 7:ere is the su5stance o his 4ill< 0ou are no4 a *illionaire>8 Is that the 4ay to have a5undance? Well6 that 4ould 5e a5undance in one area o your li e6 4ouldn2t it?

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We heard a testi*ony recently a5out a *an 4ho had 4or1ed very hard or t4o or three years in a ne4 co*pany< :e 4as a scientist 4ho 4as 4or1in$ on *any di erent proGects 4hen he suddenly 5ro1e throu$h 4ith an outstandin$ invention< :e 4ent to 5ed one ni$ht 4ith Gust enou$h *oney to live on6 and the neBt *ornin$ he 4as a *illionaire< %o*eone as1ed hi* on television6 7:o4 does it eel to 5e prosperous? Do you eel di erent no4 that you are a *illionaire?8 :e said: No, really it doesnt ake a bit of differen!e to e. I was havin" the needs that I had et. I was eatin" re"ularly. I was slee#in" re"ularly. I was !lothed well. I was housed well, and I was ha##y in y work. It didnt !han"e that. Its ni!e to have se!urity, but it wont affe!t y life at all$ I "oin" ri"ht on workin" to develo# other new inventions whi!h will bless so eone else. :e had a $ivin$ heart< =ne o !od2s $reat and *i$hty conditions is that you *ust have the a5ility to $ive in order to receive< /esus said6 7It is 5etter to $ive than to receive<8 /esus sho4ed us *any other conditions 4hich $ive us prosperity< I suppose one o the $reatest ti*es o prosperity I have ever had 4as 4hen everythin$ see*ed to $o 4ron$< Pro5le*s hit< Finances 4ere lo4< +y health 4as $ivin$ *e a pro5le*< I 4as 4or1in$ hard< )he pieces 4ere not ittin$ to$ether< We 4ere stru$$lin$ 4ith personnel< We 4ere stru$$lin$ 4ith everythin$ there 4as6 5ut 4hen I suddenly loo1ed up and sa4 !od6 I had peace< I 4asn2t 4orried a5out the outco*e< I 4asn2t &

4orried a5out 4hat 4as $oin$ to happen< I 4asn2t 4orried a5out ho4 I 4as $oin$ to *eet the neBt payroll or the co*pany6 althou$h it had to 5e *et< )here 4as no 4ay I could avoid *eetin$ it6 and yet 5ecause I had peace6 I had prosperity H real prosperity< When I 4as a child6 I had a dread o 5ein$ dra ted into the *ilitary and sent into the 4ar 4here I 4ould have to $o out and shoot people< I had ni$ht*ares a ti*e or t4o6 thin1in$ I 4as out on the ront line shootin$ people6 and I didn2t 4ant to shoot people< )hat 4asn2t a5undance at all6 5ut 4hen I did enter the 3ir Force6 I didn2t have any ear6 5ecause I 4as trustin$ in !od< )hat is real a5undance< )hat2s the ulti*ate in prosperity<

Chapter Two

Prosperity: Lost and Found

!enuine prosperity lies in trustin$ and o5eyin$ !od as our supplier6 the one 4ho provides all o our needs6 accordin$ to his riches in $lory 5y Christ /esus< )hat is real prosperity< )he irst prosperity recorded in the 4ord o !od is ri$ht in the 5e$innin$< )here 4ere t4o youn$ 1ids in the !arden o Aden6 and 4ho could have ever 4anted anythin$ *ore? 3 youn$ *arried couple6 3da* and Ave< )hey didn2t have to 4orry a5out 5uildin$ a ho*e< )hey didn2t have to 4orry a5out 4hether they had urniture< )hey didn2t have to 4orry a5out Go5s< )hey didn2t have to 4orry a5out clothes< )hey Gust 4al1ed a5out in the !arden o Aden and enGoyed it> )hey 4al1ed in the cool o the evenin$ 4ith !od and had the 4orld2s *ost delicious ruit to eat< )hey had everythin". )hey 4ere prosperous< In all o the history o all the earth6 they 4ere 4ithout a dou5t the richest people on earth< 3nd yet they didn2t have even a t4o;dollar 5ill in their poc1et< @)hey didn2t even have poc1ets<C )hey had everythin$ 5ecause !od provided the* 4ith everythin$ they needed< I they had Gust o5eyed !od6 4e could have had the sa*e !arden o Aden6 eBpanded to 4here "<" 5illion people could have still 5een livin$ in that prosperity< 'ut they 5ro1e their relationship to prosperity< )hey sinned< )hey re5elled a$ainst 7

al*i$hty !od6 and 4hen you re5el a$ainst !od6 you lose all the 5ene its o !od< I you o5ey !od6 you 5eco*e his child and all o his inheritance 5eco*es yours< Averythin$ that !od has is ours 4hen 4e are o5edient to hi*6 5ut 4hen 4e re5el and put another $od 5e ore hi*6 then 4e are re*oved ro* the 5lessin$s o the a*ily o !od< We are re*oved ro* his protection6 and a5undance 5eco*es actual poverty< We are poor< 3da* and Ave6 4ho 4ere *illionaires H 5illionairesH4ith everythin$ they needed6 suddenly ound the*selves 4ithout anythin$< In that one *o*ent o sin6 all the prosperity !od had provided or *an1ind 4as lost< 'ac1 in 1.2. and 1.3-6 *any people Gu*ped o s1yscrapers 4hen the stoc1 *ar1et crashed6 5ecause people 4ho had 5een *ulti*illionaires 4ere suddenly le t 4ith nothin$< )heir pride 4as hurt6 and the thin$ they had thou$ht 4as their prosperity 4as $one6 and they discovered they had nothin$ le t< )hey 4ere livin$ in poverty< )hey had nothin$6 nothin$6 nothin$6 le t> 3nd the reason they didn2t have anythin$ le t is that they 5ased their prosperity on the 4ron$ thin$6 the 4ron$ person6 the 4ron$ condition< Well6 then6 ho4 can 4e 5e prosperous? :o4 can 4e 4al1 into this 1in$do* o prosperity6 this livin$ in a5undance in everythin$ that 4e do? :o4 can 4e do that 4hen 3da* and Ave destroyed all o that prosperity? )he 4hole 4orld 5an1in$ syste* ailed 4hen 3da* and Ave sinned< !od said6 7:ere2s a 4hole orchard o ruit< 0ou can have

anythin$ you 4ant6 eBcept the ruit ro* this one tree<8 )hey had everythin$ they needed6 5ut 5ecause o $reed6 they diso5eyed !od and ate o the or5idden ruit6 and poverty struc1 instead o a5undance< Let2s revie4 a little story a5out 35raha*< :e 4as one o the *ost success ul people o all ti*es< :e had an a5undance o everythin$< :e had a happy a*ily< Aven 4hen he 4as an old *an6 he and his 4i e produced a child< :e had the 4hole 4orld at his in$ertips6 and !od 5lessed hi* a5undantly< What 4as the condition6 the source o his prosperity? 35raha* is the ather o aith< :e trusted !od< :e 5elieved that there was a !odHthat there 4as one !odHthat he could !o uni!ate 4ith that !od Hthat he could live or that !odHthat he could obey that !odHthat he could hear that !od spea1< !od 5e$an to deal 4ith 35raha*6 and 35raha* had to *eet certain conditions< =ne o the hardest decisions that 4as ever placed 5e ore 35raha* 4as 4hen !od called on hi* to lay his son o the pro*ise on the altar< !od had pro*ised that he 4ould $ive hi* a son 4ho 4as to 5e his herita$e< !od had said that throu$h hi* 4ould co*e so *any children that they 4ould 5e *ore plenti ul than the $rains o sand out on the 5each6 and yet !od spo1e to hi* and said6 7!o 1ill your only son>8 Is that a5undance? I you had to 1ill one *e*5er o your a*ily6 4ould that 5e the a5undant li e? 9o6 5ut the faith that 35raha* had 4as a5undant li e< )he *ost precious thin$ he had 4as .

his only son< )he action that he had to ta1e 4ould have 5rou$ht poverty into his heart< I his son 4as ta1en a4ay ro* hi*6 he 4ould have lost everythin$ that *ade hi* happy6 5ut he 4as 4illin$ to $ive all in order to do 4hat !od 4anted hi* to do< :e 4as 4illin$ to trust !od as his source o everythin$6 and 5y aith he 5elieved that i he plun$ed the 1ni e into the heart o his son and 1illed hi*6 !od 4ould raise hi* ro* the dead< !od let hi* *eet a test< When he *et that test6 the condition or prosperity6 then !od opened up a ne4 a5undance o prosperity< =5edience 4as the thin$ that caused 35raha* to *aintain his a5undant li e6 his riches6 his prosperity< 'ut 4hat 4ould have happened i at that crucial *o*ent he had said6 7!od6 I can2t do it>8 :e 4ould have lost his prosperityHhis a5undant li e< When 35raha* 4as old and ready to depart ro* this earth as a hu*an 5ein$6 he 4anted to do so*ethin$ or his son Isaac< 35raha* 4anted hi* to have a 4i eD 5ut he had 5een instructed 5y the al*i$hty !od that Isaac 4as not to *arry a orei$ner ro* the Canaan land6 so he instructed his trust4orthy servant to $o and ind a suita5le 4i e or his son< )he servant2s irst response 4as6 7'ut 4hat i I can2t ind the 4i e that !od 4ants hi* to have?8 'e very care ul 4henever you hear the 4ords6 7'ut 4hat i ?8 3s lon$ as you operate in the 75ut 4hat i 2s8 and you2re in dou5t6 you cannot have the a5undant li e< )he servant 4as distur5ed< What 4ould happen to hi*? Well6 i a servant didn2t o5ey

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his *aster6 he could 5e 1illed< :e 1ne4 he had to o5ey< Let2s loo1 at this #ros#erity story in )he Livin$ 'i5le startin$ 4ith the irst verse o the t4enty; ourth chapter o !enesis< %braha was now a very old an, and God blessed hi in every way. I!od had $iven hi* #ros#erity in every 4ay< Why? What 4ere his conditions or prosperity?J &ne day %braha said to his household ad inistrator, who was his oldest servant, Swear by 'ehovah, the God of heaven and earth, that you will not let y son arry one of those lo!al "irls, these (anaanites. Go instead to y ho eland, to y relatives, and find a wife for hi there. )ut su##ose I !ant find a "irl who will !o e so far fro ho e* the servant asked. +hen shall I take Isaa! there, to live a on" your relatives* 79o>8 35raha* 4arned< 7'e care ul that you don2t do that under any circu*stance<8 35raha* had a reason or 5ein$ so speci ic and here it is: 7For the Lord !od o heaven told *e to leave that land and *y people6 and pro*ised to $ive *e and *y children this land<8 35raha* 1ne4 4hat !od had pro*isedD he 1ne4 4hat prosperity 4as and ho4 to attain it< :e 1ne4 !od2s conditions or prosperity< :e 1ne4 !od said to o5ey his la4s< )hrou$h telescopic spiritual eyes !od 4as $ivin$ hi* a vie4 o 4hat /esus 4ould do to 5rin$ ulti*ate prosperity to all o us< /esus 4as to $ive us li e6 and li e a5undantly6 i 4e 4ould serve hi* 4ith co*plete o5edience< 11

35raha* also 1ne4 that i he didn2t do 4hat !od said6 he 4ould lose everythin$< Later the children o Israel ound this out 4hen6 a ter 5ein$ in slavery in A$ypt so lon$6 !od led the* out< 'ecause they diso5eyed hi*6 they never ound the prosperity o the land o *il1 and honey that they could have had< )hey ailed to trust !od< )hey lost their opportunity or prosperity 5ecause they ailed to 5elieve !od as 35raha* had done 5e ore the*< )hey did not *eet the conditions or prosperity< Continuin$ 4ith !enesis 2"6 35raha* said: ,e will send his an"el on ahead of you, and he will see to it that you find a "irl fro there to be y son wife. )ut if you dont su!!eed, then you are free fro this oath; but under no !ir!u stan!es are you to take y son there. So the servant vowed to follow %braha s instru!tions. 9otice that the servant 1ne4 the conditions or his prosperity6 too< ,e took with hi ten of %braha s !a els loaded with sa #les of the best of everythin" his aster owned, and -ourneyed to Ira., to Nahors villa"e. +here he ade the !a els kneel down outside the town, beside a s#rin". It was evenin", and the wo en of the villa"e were !o in" to draw water. / 'ehovah, the God of y aster, he #rayed, show kindness to y aster %braha and hel# e to a!!o #lish the #ur#ose of y -ourney. +his servant knew the sour!e of #ros#erity. See, here I a , standin" beside this s#rin", and the "irls of the villa"e are !o in" out to draw 12

water. +his is y re.uest0 1hen I ask one of the for a drink and she says, 23es, !ertainly, and I will water your !a els too$4let her be the one you have a##ointed as Isaa!s wife. +hat is how I will know. %s he was still s#eakin" to the Lord about this, a beautiful youn" "irl na ed 5ebekah arrived with a water -u" on her shoulder and filled it at the s#rin". 6,er father was )ethuel the son of Nahor and his wife 7il!ah.8 5unnin" over to her, the servant asked her for a drink. (ertainly, sir, she said, and .ui!kly lowered the -u" for hi to drink. +hen she said, Ill draw water for your !a els, too, until they have enou"h$ !lory to !od> )al1 a5out prosperity< )his servant ound 4hat he 4as loo1in$ or6 and Re5e1ah6 4ho 4as 4illin$ to $ive even *ore than this stran$er as1ed or6 4as a5out to 5e 5lessed as 4ell> So she e #tied the -u" into the waterin" trou"h and ran down to the s#rin" a"ain and ke#t !arryin" water to the !a els until they had enou"h. +he servant said no ore, but wat!hed her !arefully to see if she would finish the -ob, so that he would know whether she was the one. +hen at last, when the !a els had finished drinkin", he #rodu!ed a .uarter9oun!e "old earrin" and two five9oun!e "olden bra!elets for her wrists. )his servant 4anted to please his *aster6 and !od provided prosperity or hi*< I 4e really 4ant to please our +aster6 then 4e6 too6 can as1 !od or anythin$ 4ithin his plan and he 4ill $ladly6 13

a5undantly $ive it to us li1e he did to 35raha*2s servant< =h6 !od6 4e love you or your lovin$ care or those 4ho *eet your conditions to receive that *i$hty love< )han1 you6 Father6 or your over4hel*in$ prosperity 4hen 4e *eet your si*ple conditions< 1hose dau"hter are you, iss* he asked. 1ould your father have any roo to #ut us u# for the ni"ht* 7y father is )ethuel, the son of 7il!ah the wife of Nahor, she re#lied. 3es, we have #lenty of straw and food for the !a els, and a "uest roo . )he *an stood there a *o*ent 4ith head 5o4ed6 4orshippin$ /ehovah< 7)han1 you6 Lord !od o *y *aster 35raha*68 he prayedD 7than1 you or 5ein$ so 1ind and true to hi*6 and or leadin$ *e strai$ht to the a*ily o *y *aster2s relatives<8 =h6 the si*plicity o !od2s conditions or prosperity< )his servant 1ne4 that he 4anted to please his *aster6 and loo1 4hat !od did or hi*< )he servant also 4as ?uic1 to ac1no4led$e the source o prosperity he had oundH or his *aster6 5ut also or hi*sel < :is *aster2s son 4as to $et the 5eauti ul 4i e !od selected or hi*6 5ut the servant received a *i$hty $i t also< :is prosperity 4as not only that he 4as success ul in his *ission or his *aster6 5ut he 4as 5lessed 5y !od 4ith that inner prosperity o the satis action6 peace6 thrill6 love6 Goy that is so $reat that only our !od can $ive it to a hu*an< I you have 1no4n that inti*ate personal love !od loods you 4ith 4hen you have pleased

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hi*6 you 1no4 that there is no prosperity on earth so $reat and so 5lessed< In the 3&th verse the servant said: %nd 'ehovah has overwhel ed y aster with blessin"s so that he is a "reat an a on" the #eo#le of his land. God has "iven hi flo!ks of shee# and herds of !attle, and a fortune in silver and "old, and any slaves and !a els and donkeys. )here are e4 people on earth today6 i any6 that have the prosperity o 35raha*< :o4 did he ac?uire such 4ealth? 'y o5edience to his !od< )he conditions or our prosperity today are the sa*e as 35raha* *etD 4illin$ and total o5edience to /ehovah6 the livin$ *i$hty !od 4ho* 4e serve< )hat 1ind o prosperity cannot 5e *easured< It cannot 5e contained in a 5an1 or in houses and land< It cannot 5e depletedD it 1eeps $ettin$ *ore 5lessed as 4e $ive *ore o our love to our +aster< Frances and I 4ere in the elite eBecutive o ices o a pro essional person recently< Averythin$ in the o ice 4as ne46 the inest6 and the latest *odel< )his person had Gust *oved into the penthouse o a s1yscraper 5uildin$ overloo1in$ the $iant *ultipleB o :ouston2s richest do4nto4n area< We re*ar1ed that the o ices 4ere super5ly 5eauti ul 4hen the o4ner said6 7I have everythin$ I need and 4hat I don2t have I don2t 4ant<8 =ur hearts cried 5ecause really the only thin$ needed 4as /esus6 and he 4as the only thin$ the person did not have< It is throu$h Isaac and Re5e1ah that 4e have our inheritance o a continuin$ li e that !od pro*ised 35raha*< 'ut it is throu$h 35raha*2s 1&

o5edience and aith in the !od in 4ho* he so totally 5elieved that 4e have our inheritance in /esus< )his prosperity lasts orever and ever and is 5eyond *easure< )here is really no a5undance6 no prosperity any place or any 4ay eBcept that $iven 5y !od throu$h /esus< Loo1 at the provisions or that 1ind o prosperity< 35raha* and his aith ul servant heard !od6 they trusted !od6 they 5elieved !od6 they o5eyed !od even unto death i necessary6 5ecause they 4anted to< )hey ound out 4hat !od 4anted and their only desire 4as to please hi*6 not the*selves< Do you realiKe that 4e can as1 !od or $reat earthly prosperity and li*it hi* there5y? I you open your i*a$inations and drea* up the $reatest prosperity you can thin1 o and i !od $ave you that6 you 4ould li*it the desires o !od<

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Chapter 3

Discovery of Gold
:is unli*ited prosperity is pro*ised us6 4ith a condition6 in +alachi 3:1- )L': )rin" all the tithes into the storehouse so that there will be food enou"h in y +e #le; I!od2s conditionJ if you do, I will o#en u# the windows of heaven for you and #our out a blessin" so "reat you wont have roo enou"h to take it in$ +ry it$ Let e #rove it to you$ When I read that pro*ise in +alachi6 I thou$ht6 7L'rin$ in your 4hole tithe2Hthat *eans $ive all your li e6 everythin$ to !od<8 )hat2s 4hat I 4anted to do *ore than anythin$ else< %o*eho4 I 4as i*pressed that I should $ive all o *ysel D I didn2t really notice nor desire that !od should $ive *e 5lessin$s *ore than I could i*a$ine< I already had a 5eauti ul ho*e6 three cars 4hen I only needed one6 a prosperin$ CP3 5usiness 4here *y clients loved *e and I loved the 4or1< I had $ood healthD I 4as happyD and I had a host o riends< I had ound a ne4 personal relationship 4ith !od and /esus< I 4as a5undantly 5lessed< I had everythin$ I 4anted or needed and I really 4asn2t loo1in$ or *ore than I already had< I 4as deter*ined that I 4ould *editate day and ni$ht in !od2s 4ord 5ecause !od had spo1en to *e and told *e to $o into his 4ord and listen to no *an and he 4ould tell *e 4hat he 4anted *e to 1no4< 17

)hat 4as all that *attered to *e6 and I read ni$ht and day< I couldn2t $et enou$h o the 'i5le< I you loo1ed at *y circu*stances durin$ that ti*e6 you 4ouldn2t call it a5undance< +y 4i e ell sic1 and died o cancer< Was that a5undance? )he prosperity I had durin$ 4hat the 4orld *i$ht descri5e as the opposite6 4as that !od had said6 7Charles6 let *e do this *y 4ay8 and I 4as pleased to let hi* do anythin$ he 4anted to his 4ay< Why should I ?uestion hi*? 35raha* didn2t< :is servant didn2t< /esus didn2t< )he pro*ises !od $ave to 35raha* are also still or us today< +hat the blessin" of %braha i"ht !o e on the Gentiles throu"h 'esus (hrist, that we i"ht re!eive the #ro ise of the S#irit throu"h faith @!alatians 3:1" E/FC< 'ecause !od and /esus 4ant to over4hel* us 4ith their $reatest 5lessin$s6 I can Gust i*a$ine the* sittin$ on their throne6 chattin$ a5out thin$s on earth and noticin$ *e< I can hear the* sayin$6 7Charles really *eans it 4hen he says he 4ants to please us< :e is pourin$ hi*sel into the 'i5le to search or our desires< :is heart is ri$ht6 so let2s ind hi* a special $i t<8 I can see the* in *y i*a$ination $oin$ into the storehouse o their heavenly treasury and loo1in$ around or this special $i t< /esus pro5a5ly said6 7Do you thin1 this *ansion alon$side a *ountain 5roo1 4ould *a1e hi* *ore happy? 9o6 he has a 5eauti ul ho*e on +e*orial Drive that he loves6 and he has told us he has no desire or anythin$ *ore than he already has< We have already $iven 1,

hi* a ine prosperin$ 5usiness6 his ho*e a*id the trees he loves6 $ood health6 happiness< :e 1eeps tellin$ us he Gust 4ants to ind 4ays to *a1e us happy< )hat *ansion 4ouldn2t *a1e any di erence to hi*< 7:o4 a5out $ivin$ hi* a ne4 Rolls Royce? 9o6 he has three cars and he doesn2t even need 5ut one6 and he doesn2t care a5out sho4in$ off his possessions< 7We could *a1e his stoc1 value $o up and the value o his house and land $o up and *a1e hi* rich> 'ut he doesn2t even care a5out that any*ore< :e has already told us that he 4ould $ive it a4ay i 4e 4anted hi* to< 3ll he 4ants to do is loo1 or 4ays to please us<8 )hen 5oth o the* *ust have Gu*ped up and shouted at the sa*e ti*e< 7)here it is> )here it is> )here it is>8 )hey 5oth rushed over to the 5i$ 4indo4 o heaven< /esus $ot hold o one side and !od the other and they slid it open as 4ide as they could and shoved Frances ri$ht into *y ar*s> !lory to !od6 that2s prosperity at its pea1> Who could as1 or anythin$ *ore? 35undant prosperity? Frances is a 5lessin$ ar 5eyond anythin$ I could ever i*a$ine or drea*< )hat $i t is so*ethin$ li1e /esus sayin$6 i you o5ey the irst t4o co**and*ents6 all the others 4ill ollo4< When they 5lessed *e 4ith Frances6 I ound the nature o /esus in her6 all that could ever 5e descri5ed as prosperity< I ound love6 Goy6 peace6 patience6 1indness6 $oodness6 aith ulness6 $entleness6 sel ;control6 all these and anythin$ else !od could thin1 o < 1.

Why did they choose to $ive *e such a 5lessin$? 'ecause I had o5eyed the* in every 4ay I 1ne46 ro* *y heart6 and I trusted the* to ta1e all o *y li e and do 4ith it 4hat they 4anted to 4ithout consideration o 4hat they 4ould do or *e< )hat2s a condition or prosperity< 3lso6 I $et *ore Goy out o doin$ thin$s to *a1e Frances happy than anythin$ she could do or *e< )hat is a principle o !od: !ivin$ 4ill al4ays 5rin$ returns< I you $ive6 you 4ill receive6 5ut !od 4ants us to $ive 4ithout thou$ht o 4hat he can do in return< We li*it hi* i 4e loo1 irst or 4hat he 4ill do or us i 4e 4ill do so*ethin$ or hi*< :e can out $ive us a hundred to one or even *ore< =ur attitude is a condition o prosperity<

2-

Chapter Four

Understanding Successful People

I have al4ays 5een told that i I 4anted success6 I should loo1 at the person 4ho has attained success and see 4hy it 4or1ed or hi*< 'ecause o this6 I 5e$an to loo1 at the success ul characters in the 'i5le 5ecause there *ust 5e a reason they ound the prosperity they did< Let2s loo1 at /oseph< :e 4as success ul< :e prospered *i$htily< What caused hi* to have so *uch in his avor? What conditions or prosperity did he o5serve and do? )his story is ound in !enesis6 chapters 37 to :/. /oseph 4as loved 5y his ather *ore than the other children o /aco5 5ecause he 4as 5orn in his old a$e< )his 1ind o special love is prosperity< /oseph 4ould report to his ather so*e o the thin$s his 5rothers 4ould do 4ron$6 and it caused his 5rothers to disli1e hi*< )his $re4 into hate and Gealousy until they even 4anted to 1ill hi*< Would you say /oseph had prosperity at that ti*e? Did he have a5undance? :e *ust have lived in ear o the dan$er ro* the*< )hey 4ere pro5a5ly *ean to hi* every day< ;o you thin1 /oseph thou$ht6 7I a* livin$ prosperously>8 %ure enou$h6 one day they decided to 1ill hi*6 5ut one 5rother said6 79o6 let2s do so*ethin$ else< Let2s thro4 hi* into the 4ell over there and then dip his coat into the 5lood o an ani*al and send it 21

ho*e to our ather 4ith the *essa$e that an ani*al 1illed hi*<8 Can you i*a$ine ho4 success ul /oseph elt at that ti*e? 'ut /oseph trusted !od< :e didn2t 1no4 !od2s plan6 5ut he trusted hi* 4ith his very li e< :is ather had tau$ht hi* 4ell to 5elieve in !od< 3lthou$h /oseph didn2t realiKe it6 !od caused *erchants to co*e 5y and purchase hi* as a slave< 3s a slave6 /oseph 4or1ed hard or his *aster< )hat is a condition o the 'i5le or prosperity< !od2s la4s and nature 4ere i*planted into the heart o /oseph< Later6 !od put this la4 in Aphesians <0: Slaves, obey your asters, be ea"er to "ive the your very best. Serve the as you would (hrist @)L'C< 'ecause he o5eyed !od2s la4s6 5ecause he o5eyed his *aster and 4or1ed hard6 he 4as pro*oted to the head position in Potiphar2s house< Potiphar 4as a *e*5er o the personal sta o Pharaoh6 the 1in$ o A$ypt< :e 4as the captain o the 1in$2s 5ody$uard and his chie eBecutioner< )he Lord $reatly 5lessed /oseph there in the ho*e o his *aster6 so that everythin$ he did succeeded< Potiphar noticed this and realiKed that the Lord 4as 4ith /oseph in a very special 4ay< %o /oseph naturally 5eca*e ?uite a avorite 4ith hi*< %oon he 4as put in char$e o the ad*inistration o Potiphar2s household6 and all o his 5usiness a airs< 3t once the Lord 5e$an 5lessin$ Potiphar or /oseph2s sa1e< 3ll his household a airs 5e$an to run s*oothly6 his crops lourished and his loc1s *ultiplied @!enesis 3.:2;& )L'C<

22

)his really 4as a5undant prosperity6 4asn2t it? Potiphar trusted /oseph< 'ut /oseph 4as a very handso*e youn$ *an and Potiphar2s 4i e 4as a 5eauti ul 4o*an 4ithout too *any scruples< =ne day they 4ere alone in the 5i$ house< 6She8 be"an akin" eyes at 'ose#h and su""ested that he !o e and slee# with her. 'ose#h refused. Look, he told her, y aster trusts e with everythin" in the entire household; he hi self has no ore authority here than I have$ ,e ha held ba!k nothin" fro e e=!e#t you yourself be!ause you are his wife. ,ow !an I do su!h a wi!ked thin" as this* It would be a "reat sin a"ainst God. 7 @!enesis 3.:7;. )L'C< In spite o his resistance and 1eepin$ a4ay ro* her as *uch as he could6 she inally de*anded6 7%leep 4ith *e<8 When he tried to lee6 she $ra55ed his Gac1et and held it< When he ran a4ay6 she 5e$an screa*in$ and 4hen others ca*e to her6 she said6 7:e tried to rape *e6 5ut 4hen I screa*ed6 he ran6 and or$ot to ta1e his Gac1et8 @verse 1&C< Prosperity 4as 4or1in$ or hi* at that ti*e? What 4ere his conditions or prosperity? #nder the circu*stances it loo1ed li1e he had had it< 'ac1 into prison and chains he 4ent< Who 4ould ever 5elieve !od 4as still on his side? Does !od2s pro*ise o prosperity 4or1 at a ti*e li1e this? /oseph 4as o5edient6 air6 Gust6 aith ul6 loyal6 and honest 4ith !od and *an< 'ut apparently it 4as not 4or1in$ or hi*< Did you ever thin1 a5out !od2s prosperity in your li e? I did6 5ut at that ti*e6 and every ti*e I have 5een te*pted to thin1 that6 I si*ply said6 7!od6 I 4ill 5e aith ul to you no 23

*atter 4hat happens<8 !od al4ays co*es throu$h 4ith 5lessin$s 4hen I continue to trust hi*< /oseph $ot prosperous a$ain6 5ecause !od $ave hi* avor in prison 4ith the chie Gailer< In act6 the entire prison ad*inistration 4as soon turned over to hi*< )he Lord 4as 4ith hi* so that everythin$ ran s*oothly and 4ell< %ure6 !od2s prosperity 4or1s i 4e continue to *eet his conditions o trustin$ and o5eyin$ his la4s6 his nature and his principles< :o4 4ould you li1e it i you had a chance to $et out o prison6 5ut so*e $uy or$ot or t4o years to tell the ri$ht people to ree you? )hat2s 4hat happened6 and can you i*a$ine 5ein$ in Gail or t4o years and callin$ that prosperity? 'ut Pharaoh had a drea* and he needed a drea* interpreter< 'ecause /oseph received the interpretation ro* !od6 a$ain !od2s prosperity ca*e to /oseph6 and he 4as not only reed ro* Gail6 5ut 4as elevated to the hi$hest ran1in$ person in the land under the 1in$< It 4as throu$h this that /oseph 4as a5le to ollo4 !od2s instructions so that all o A$ypt 4as saved ro* a*ine throu$h his 4isdo*6 and eventually /oseph2s a*ily 4as united and saved ro* starvation< 0ou have seen an overvie4 o the entire li e o one o !od2s *ost success ul people6 and yet he 4as in and out o prison or slavery a $reat portion o his li e< %o 4hat prosperity did he attain in li e6 and 4hat 4ere the conditions under 4hich he attained his a5undance? Listen to the $reatness o the nature o !od in /oseph as he revealed his identity to the 5rothers 4ho sold hi* into slavery: 2"

I a 'ose#h, your brother who you sold into >"y#t$ )ut dont be an"ry with yourselves that you did this to e, for God did it$ ,e sent e here ahead of you to #reserve your lives. +hese two years of fa ine will "row to seven, durin" whi!h there will be neither #lowin" nor harvest. God has sent e here to kee# you and your fa ilies alive, so that you will be!o e a "reat nation. 3es, it was God who sent e here, not you$ @!enesis "&:";7 )L'C< !od loo1s over the entire li eti*e o each o us6 and he 1no4s 4hat is necessary to carry out his eternal plan o rede*ption or his people< !reater it is to serve his purposes than to have a continuous li eti*e o 4ealth and ease< 9ever in his li eti*e did /oseph ail to ollo4 the 4ill o !od6 even thou$h *any ti*es and or lon$ ti*es he never sa4 earthly evidence o prosperity< 0et6 in his o4n heart he *ust al4ays have had peace in 1no4in$ he 4as in the per ect 4ill o his Father< +any ti*es 4hen Frances and I have pro5le*s o inance6 health6 5usiness operations in our *inistry6 or other ne$ative attac1s on our lives6 4hen 4e ta1e it to !od6 he $ives a $reat peace6 a cal* in our spirits< )hat is our personal si$nal that the ans4er is on the 4ay< Further6 even i that peace does not co*e as soon as 4e thin1 it should6 4e have !od2s 4ord6 4hich $ives us the assurance that he 4ill ta1e care o all our needs accordin$ to his riches in $lory 5y Christ /esus< I so*eone placed an unli*ited a*ount o unds on deposit in a 5an16 and the 5an1 in or*ed you that you could 4rite as *any chec1s as you desired 2&

or any a*ount you 4anted or needed6 4ould you say you have a5undant prosperity? Who could do 5etter than that? !od can> /oseph o5eyed !od and ollo4ed the principles o $ivin$ and $ivin$ and $ivin$6 and he continually served others 4hether he 4as in prison or headin$ the $overn*ent< :is circu*stances *ade no di erence in his desire to please !od and o5ey hi*< 'ecause /oseph 5elieved !od and o5eyed hi*6 !od al4ays too1 care o his needs< :e could have had 4ealth and earthly ul ill*ent 5y his opportunities to $et richD he could have stolen $rain6 he could have slept 4ith a 5eauti ul 4o*an in satis action o lust o the lesh6 he had the 4ealth o a nation at his in$ertips and could have 5eco*e a *illionaire< 3ll this and *ore could have 5een /oseph2s6 5ut !od had an eternal plan to ul ill and a people 4ho needed hi*< :e chose a *an 4ho* he could trust< !od 4as pleased6 and 4hen !od is pleased he 4ill truly open the 4indo4s o heaven and pour out 5lessin$s *ore than 4e can ever drea* or i*a$ine< )he condition !od set or /oseph 4as that o trust< /oseph *et that condition6 and !od ul illed his pro*ise o prosperity or hi*< !od2s plans are preordained< :e 4ill carry out every sin$le detail o his plan or *an1ind6 his ello4ship 4ith his creation6 his rede*ption o *an1ind< :e does not predestine or preordain a hu*an 5ein$6 5ut he selects certain people and i they do not do his Go56 he 4ill pass the* 5y and ind so*eone 4ho 4ill o5ey hi* to the very end< When 4e ind !od2s 5est6 4e 4ill ind it in 5ein$ trust4orthy in his serviceD then he 4ill choose us to 5eco*e a part o his plan to 5uild historic steps into eternity< )hat2s eternal prosperity< I plan to *eet all o !od2s conditions or prosperity< Do you?

2(

Chapter Five

hoosing !lessings or urses

Perhaps the clearest and *ost si*ple o all places in the 'i5le to ind !od2s conditions or prosperity is in the 5oo1 o Deuterono*y6 chapter 2,< )he irst ourteen verses tell us ho4 to 5eco*e prosperous< Ferses i teen to the end o the chapter tell us o the a5Gect poverty 4e 4ill have i 4e do not ollo4 the conditions o prosperity in the irst ourteen verses< It is that si*ple< If you fully obey all of these !o and ents of the Lord your God, the laws I a de!larin" to you today, God will transfor you into the "reatest nation in the world. +hese are the blessin"s that will !o e u#on you0 @Deuterono*y 2,:16 2 )L'C< )hen he $oes on to tell a5out every 1ind o 5lessin$ you can i*a$ine< In verse nine he says6 ,e will !han"e you into a holy #eo#le dedi!ated to hi self; this he has #ro ised to do if you will only obey hi and walk in his ways. Do you see ho4 si*ple he *a1es it? /ust o5ey 4hat he has set orth or us6 and do you 5elieve !od only 4ants 4hat is $ood or us? Isn2t it oolish to even consider doin$ so*ethin$ a$ainst !od2s la4 Gust to $et punished 4hen 4e can have hi* on our side helpin$ us into prosperity? 3nd ho4 *uch *ore prosperous can 4e $et than to 5e chan$ed into a holy people dedicated to !od? Did you notice the si*ple conditions he *ade 27

in eBchan$e or hi* *a1in$ us holy? 7<<< if you will only obey hi and walk in his ways. 7 !od is so plain in his 4ord6 and is so si*ple in his re?uire*ents< Loo1 4hat else he lists under his prosperity o er: +he Lord will "ive you an abundan!e of "ood thin"s in the land, -ust as he #ro ised0 any !hildren, any !attle, and abundant !ro#s. ,e will o#en to you his wonderful treasury of rain in the heavens, to "ive you fine !ro#s every season. ,e will bless everythin" you do4and what are his only !onditions for you to walk in this abundant #ros#erity* 'ust si #le obedien!e$ )ut ea!h of these blessin"s de#ends on your not turnin" aside in any way fro the laws I have "iven you; and you ust never worshi# other "ods, @Deuterono*y 2,:116 1" )L'C< What are !od2s la4s? 0ou can su* the* up6 /esus said6 in t4o la4s: Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and ind. +his is the first and "reatest !o and ent. +he se!ond ost i #ortant is si ilar0 Love your nei"hbor as u!h as you love yourself. %ll the other !o and ents and all the de ands of the #ro#hets ste fro these two laws and are fulfilled if you obey the . ?ee# only these and you will find that you are obeyin" all the others @+atthe4 22:37;"- )L'C< When you thin1 o the conditions o prosperity6 o o5eyin$ the co**and*ents or la4s o !od6 thin1 4ith *e a *o*ent a5out 4hat /esus *eant 5y o5eyin$ these t4o la4s< I you truly love your ather6 *other6 sister6 5rother6 4i e6 hus5and6 2,

children or so*eone else6 don2t you 4ant to do everythin$ you can to please the*? I have ound that 5ecause I 4ant to do everythin$ I can to *a1e Frances happy6 the *ore I do or her6 the *ore she 4ants to do or *e< I do it 5ecause I 4ant toHnot to $et love or attention in return6 5ut that la4 o $ivin$ love still 4or1s< )hat2s 4hy it 4or1s 4hen you love the Lord your !od 4ith all your heart6 soul6 and *ind< I I paid *ore attention to so*e other 4o*an than I did Frances6 do you thin1 I 4ould prosper in receivin$ her 5est love? 9o 4ay< Do you see 4hy it is i*portant to !od that 4e put no other $ods 5e ore hi*? :e 4ants all o us and all our love6 5ut in eBchan$e or that si*ple little thin$6 he pro*ises all the 5lessin$s and *ore that he lists in the irst ourteen verses o Deuterono*y 2,< Why not try that route into a5undant prosperity? )he conditions are easy and even doin$ those conditions 5rin$s prosperity< 0ou Gust can2t lose 5y 5lessin$ !od< :is eBchan$e rate is too $ood to *iss< 'ut Gust in case you 4ant to 5e so oolish as to not choose the irst ourteen verses o 5lessin$s6 ta1e a loo1 at the conse?uences6 at the road to poverty and *isery< If you wont listen to the Lord your God and wont obey these laws I a "ivin" you today, then all of these !urses shall !o e u#on you @Deuterono*y 2,:1& )L'C< Who 4ants !od to place a curse upon us? !od has no desire to do this6 5ut 4hen he *ade la4s he *ade the* per ect to per or* a5undantly or us6 not a$ainst us< !ravity is a la4 o !od< =nce he set this 2.

la4 into *otion6 it 4ill not 5e chan$ed until !od 4ants to chan$e it< =ur o5edience or diso5edience 4ill not chan$e that la4< !od2s attitude to4ard us 4hether 4e o5ey or diso5ey 4ill not chan$e that la4< )he la4 is $ood and per ect< 'ut6 4hen 4e $o a$ainst that la4 it 4ill do us har*< 9otice that !od doesn2t har* us< We har* ourselves 5y diso5edience< !od2s la4 that 4e should love our nei$h5or as 4e love ourselves is a per ect la4< !od set the la4 into *otion6 and it 4ill al4ays 4or1 or our $ood i 4e do it< I 4e do har* to our nei$h5or6 the la4 4ill 4or1 a$ainst us< )hat isn2t !od2s ault< :e desi$ned the la4 to 4or1 4onders or us and to $ive us the $reatest prosperity in our nei$h5orhood< )ry puttin$ that la4 to 4or1 or you6 and you 4i e see ho4 your nei$h5ors respond< I you 4ant prosperity to co*e your 4ay6 Gust do 4hat /esus said in those t4o co**and*ents6 and 4atch !od co**and 5lessin$s to co*e your 4ay< = ten people hear a $ood prosperity teacher say you can clai* your 5lessin$s ro* !od< /ust $ive your6 *oney to !od6 and he 4ill $ive it 5ac1 so a5undantly that you can live in inancial riches< Well6 there2s nothin$ 4ron$ 4ith that state*ent6 and there2s nothin$ 4ron$ 4ith that la4< 'ut don2t or$et !od2s conditions that *a1e the la4 4or1 or you< 0our car 4ill 4or1 or you i it is in $ood runnin$ order and is supplied 4ith $asoline or other uel< 'ut you have to do *ore than Gust $et into it and say6 7Car6 ta1e *e to *y desired destination<8 3-

%ure it 4ill 4or16 5ut not 4ithout you *eetin$ its conditions< 0ou have to set the orce6 the po4er that *a1es the car $o6 into *otion 5y i$nitin$ the uel that turns the sha t that *oves the 4heels< 0ou have to 4or1 4ith the la4s that *a1e the auto*o5ile unction< I you sit there and say6 7Car6 in the na*e o /esus6 I co**and you to ta1e *e to the store8 it 4on2t 4or1 or you< Why 4on2t it 4or1 or you? Is it 5ecause you have a lac1 o aith? Is it 5ecause !od Gust doesn2t love you any *ore? Is it 5ecause o your sayin$ so*ethin$ 5ad to your spouse on the 4ay out the door? 9o6 that car could care less a5out those thin$s< 3ll it needs you to do is o5ey its la4s< !od says: 7y #eo#le are destroyed for la!k of knowled"e; be!ause you @the #riestly nationA have re-e!ted knowled"e, I will also re-e!t you, that you shall be no #riest to 7e; seein" you have for"otten the law of your God, I will also for"et your !hildren. +he ore they in!reased and ulti#lied @in #ros#erity and #owerA, the ore they sinned a"ainst 7e; I will !han"e their "lory into sha e @:osea ":(6 7 3*p<C< 9otice in those %criptures that it 4as the ault o the people that !od could not 5less the* 7in prosperity and po4er<8 !od cannot operate a$ainst his la4s< :e honors his 4ord6 praise his holy na*e< We can al4ays depend on !odHcan !od al4ays depend on us? I you didn2t 1no4 ho4 to start the *otor on your car6 you 4ould lac1 1no4led$e that 4ould 1eep you ro* enGoyin$ the prosperity o drivin$ the car< 3 condition or usin$ your car is that you 31

1no4 ho4 to use it< 3 condition o $ettin$ !od2s 4ord to 4or1 or you is 1no4in$ ho4 to *a1e it 4or1< 0ou need to study the instructions or listen care ully to an instructor to drive a car or to set into *otion the la4s o !od2s pro*ises< I you 4ant to 5e a5le to attain riches 5y clai*in$ !od2s pro*ises o a hundred old return6 read the instructions very care ullyHall o the*< +editate day and ni$ht in his instruction 5oo16 his 4ord6 and you 4ill discover so*e o the la4s and conditions o the la4s 4or1in$ in your li e< Riches co*e 5y o5edience to all o !od2s la4s co*5ined6 not 5y one or t4o verses< )hen you also need to understand 4hat riches are and 4hich ones you need< Riches in *oney6 ho*es6 cars6 and other earthly possessions are not 5ad in the*selves< In act6 they are $ood6 5ut they *ay not 5e 4hat you need *ost< We have had people co*e to us or healin$ 4hen they 4ere al*ost dead ro* so*e disease< )hey 4ould $ladly part 4ith all their riches to $et their health and li e 5ac1< )he $reatest riches you can have are not riches in thin$s6 5ut in 5lessin$s ro* !od< 9o46 don2t $et the idea I thin1 !od 4ants you to 5e livin$ in poverty< I 5elieve !od 4ants us to prosper in our earthly livin$< 'ut so*e o us 4ould put earthly riches a5ove those thin$s 4hich !od 1no4s are 5est or us< )oo o ten6 the *ore 4e increase and *ultiply in prosperity and po4er6 the *ore 4e sin a$ainst !od6 as !od said in :osea ":7< !od2s la4s provide or a 5alanced li e< I the plant li e in a ish a?uariu* is out o 5alance6 the 32

ish 4ill die< I 4e don2t listen to all o !od2s 4ord so 4e 4ill understand his 5alance6 4e can die ro* lac1 o 1no4led$e a5out ho4 to live in his 5alanced li e here on earth< )hat2s 4hy !od says6 )eloved, I wish above all thin"s that thou ayest #ros#er and be in health, even as thy soul #ros#ereth @III /ohn 2 E/FC< !od can 5less so*e people 4ith $reater earthly possessions 5ecause they are 5alanced in their understandin$ o the total 'i5le principles and 5ecause they can love !od *ore than the $od o thin$s< )rue lovers o !od don2t love 7prosperity8 4ith all their hearts6 souls6 and *inds< )hey love 7the Lord their !od8 4ith all their hearts6 souls6 and *inds< !od2s co**and*ents are si*ple6 5ut to $et the* to 4or1 or you6 the conditions are that you 1no4 the la4s and 4ant to o5ey the*< I love Philippians 2:13 in )he Livin$ 'i5le< Bor God is at work within you, hel#in" you want to obey hi , and then hel#in" you do what he wants. %i*ple6 isn2t it? 'ut you *ust 4ant !od *ore than thin$s 5e ore you can enGoy the thin$s !od $ives you< Let2s $o 5ac1 to Deuterono*y 2,:2-6 21 )L' or Gust a *inute: Bor the Lord hi self will send his #ersonal !urse u#on you. 3ou will be !onfused and a failure in everythin" you do, until at last you are destroyed be!ause of the sin of forsakin" hi . ,e will send disease a on" you until you are destroyed fro the fa!e of the land whi!h you are about to enter and #ossess. !od had Gust preceded this 4ith a condition< If you wont listen to the Lord your God and wont 33

obey these laws I a "ivin" you today, then all of these !urses shall !o e u#on you. !od is sayin$ to us6 stic1 4ith hi* and his a5undant 4ays and 4e 4ill prosper6 5ut i 4e don2t 4ant to prosper6 then 4e can eBpect his la4s to 4or1 a$ainst us< Re*e*5er6 4e are tal1in$ a5out the conditions o prosperity< We are actually *a1in$ a choice ourselves as to 4hether 4e 4ant prosperity or poverty< We are learnin$ so*e o the conditions that 4ill ena5le us to live in the a5undance /esus pro*ised us< 3ll 4e have to do is do the si*ple thin$s !od and /esus instructed us to do6 and !od2s 4ord 4ill 4or1 at all ti*es< We *ust constantly see1 !od in his 4ord and in our tal1in$ and thin1in$ 4ith hi*< %ee1 !od and you 4ill ind hi*6 and then you 4ill have all the prosperity o all 1inds< )hat2s a 5i$ pro*ise6 isn2t it? Deuterono*y 2,:27;2. )L' says6 ,e will send u#on you >"y#tian boils, tu ors, s!urvy, and it!h, for none of whi!h will there be a re edy. ,e will send adness, blindness, fear, and #ani! u#on you. 3ou shall "ro#e in the bri"ht sunli"ht -ust as the blind an "ro#es in darkness. 3ou shall not #ros#er in anythin" you do... )hat2s a pro*ise o !od that you 4ill not prosper under the conditions that you diso5ey his la4s< 'ut6 loo1 at our choice in Deuterono*y 2.:. )L'< )his is the 4ill o !odD this is the prosperity o !od: +herefore, obey the ter s of this !ovenant so that you will #ros#er in everythin" you do. I thin1 it is so 4onder ul o !od to leave us 4ith a si*ple choice o livin$ in his a5undant prosperity or livin$ in *isera5le poverty< I li1e prosperity 5etter6 don2t you? 3"

Chapter Six

Prosperity During "ough "i#es

David 4as a *an a ter !od2s o4n heart 4ho loved to o5ey !od2s la4s and 4ho *editated day and ni$ht in the* that he *i$ht 1no4 all !od 4anted hi* to do< /oin hi* in his 4isdo* and understandin$ o !od and !od2s desire or our prosperity as he 5e$ins Psal* 1:16 2 )L'< &h, the -oys of those who do not follow evil ens advi!e, who do not han" around with sinners, s!offin" at the thin"s of God0 )ut they deli"ht in doin" everythin" God wants the to, and day and ni"ht are always editatin" on his laws and thinkin" about ways to follow hi ore !losely. +hey are like trees alon" a river bank bearin" lus!ious fruit ea!h season without fail. +heir leaves shall never wither, and all they do shall #ros#er. David 4as livin$ in prosperity< :e 1ne4 4hat !od 4anted6 and he 4anted 4hat !od 1ne4 4as 5est or hi*< :e 4asn2t tryin$ to $et ro* !odD he 4as 4antin$ to do or !od< 'lessed is the *an that 4al1eth not in the counsel o the un$odly< I you don2t listen to sinners tell you ho4 to 5eco*e prosperous6 then !od can prosper you< )hat2s a condition o prosperity< We are to 1eep our eyes on the pro*ises o !od6 his instructions6 his counsel i 4e 4ant his prosperity< 3&

)hat doesn2t *ean that 5usiness*en or 4o*en 4ho have trained the*selves in a trade or pro ession aren2t to 5e consulted 5y you< +any doctors6 la4yers6 accountants6 co*puter eBperts6 and others 4ho 1no4 their 5usiness are not Christians 5ut are 4orthy o listenin$ to or advice ro* the acts they 1no4< 'ut 4hen it co*es to thin$s o !od6 and his la4s and principles6 then $o only to !od or his people 4ho 1no4 hi* or counsel< =5edience to his la4s 4ill 5rin$ prosperity6 and 4e *ust 5e care ul 4here 4e $o to ind the *eanin$ o his la4s< I 4e 4ill ind our counsel 5y *editatin$ in the 4ord o !od *any hours daily6 indin$ 4ays to please hi* and principles he 4rites on our hearts as 4e *editate6 his la4s 5eco*e a part o us and 4ill 5rin$ all *anner o prosperity< )hose 4ho *editate on his la4s day and ni$ht shall 5e li1e trees alon$ a river 5an1 5earin$ luscious ruit each season 4ithout ail< )he leaves and lives o those 4ho do this shall never 4ither6 and all they do shall prosper< What a condition or us to ollo46 *editatin$ in his 4ord day and ni$ht< I love to spend hours and hours *editatin$ in the 'i5le6 and it really 5rin$s orth ruit and prosperity in *y li e6 and it 4ill in yours6 too< When !od said6 7Let there 5e li$ht68 li$ht appeared< !od spo1e into 5ein$ a orce6 an ener$y that never stops unless he stops it< When !od spea1s a la46 it continues to have a orce that 4ill 5rin$ action< When !od said that i 4e 4ould o5ey his la4s 4e 4ould prosper6 then it has to 5e so< We 4ill prosper< 3(

!od didn2t say he 4ould over lo4 our 5an1 accounts 4ith eBcess *oney< :e did say6 7I 4ill supply all your needs 4hen you do 4hat I say<8 3ctually 4e are 4or1in$ or /esus and he pays 4ell or our services 4hen 4e do our Go5< :e didn2t say he 4ould eed us stea1 ten ti*es a dayD he said he 4ould supply all our needs< 3ll our needs are those thin$s 4hich are necessary or us to per or* his 4ord 4hile 4e are on earth< :e 4ill not supply our needs to diso5ey hi*< :e 4ill supply our needs to o5ey hi* and carry on his plans< )hat is a condition !od 4isely places on us so that 4e 4ill live in all o his a5undant prosperity< :e thin1s 5i$$er than 4e do< I 4e try to leave out part o !od2s *essa$e or t4ist it to it our desires instead o his6 then 4e are not a5le to call upon !od to per or* his 4ord< %o*eti*es 4e try to use our desires and attitudes to *a1e !od diso5ey his la4s or our 5ene its 5y tryin$ to co**and !od to o5ey one o his pro*ises< We can let !od 1no4 4e 1no4 his pro*ises @and he already 1no4s thatC and !od deli$hts in per or*in$ his 4ord 4hen 4e do that< !od 4ill even ans4er our prayers 5e ore 4e pray i 4e are ul illin$ his conditions< :e loves to 5less those 4ho 5less hi*< =ne o the $reat pro*ises o prosperity 4ith a condition is ound in +atthe4 (:,;1&< I2* $oin$ to use the 3*pli ied 'i5le or this 5ecause it eBpands the *eanin$ a little6 and also I 4ant you to start 5e ore the Lord2s *odel prayer and continue a ter it< 9ote the conditions @or the la4s o !odC or hi* to per or* this 5eauti ul prayer: 37

;o not be like the , for your Bather knows what you need before you ask ,i . Isn2t that po4er ul> )hat2s a5undance in prosperity< 2Cray therefore like this0 &ur Bather 1ho is in heaven, hallowed @ke#t holyA be 3our na e. 3our kin"do !o e, 3our will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. !od really lives li1e a 1in$ in heaven< :e has pure transparent $old 5y the tons< Pro5a5ly uses pure $old plates or 4hatever 4e 4ill use or our 5an?uet 4hen 4e $et there< 3nd yet6 he says that his 4ill or us is the sa*e on earth as it is in heaven< Give us this day our daily bread IIn Philippians ":1. E/F6 Paul says6J )ut y God shall su##ly all your need a!!ordin" to his ri!hes in "lory by (hrist 'esus. %nd for"ive us our debts, as we also have for"iven Ile t6 re*itted and let $o the de5ts6 and $iven up resent*ent a$ainstJ our debtors. 3nd lead I5rin$J us not into te*ptation6 5ut deliver us ro* the evil one< For 0ours is the 1in$do* and the po4er and the $lory orever< 3*en< For I4atch or the conditions o prosperityJ i you or$ive people their trespasses Hthat is6 their rec1less and 4ill ul sins6 leavin$ the*6 lettin$ the* $o and $ivin$ up resent*entHyour heavenly Father 4ill also or$ive you< 'ut i you do not or$ive others their trespasses Htheir rec1less and 4ill ul sins6 leavin$ the*6 lettin$ the* $o and $ivin$ up resent*entHneither 4ill your Father or$ive you your trespasses< We o ten eBpect !od to $ive us our daily 5read6 pay our 5ills6 1eep the ene*y ro* causin$ sic1ness 3,

or ro55in$ us o success6 5ut do 4e al4ays loo1 at the conditions o eBa*inin$ our attitudes to see i 4e are o5eyin$ all o his co**and*ents? +any recite the 4ord o !od eBpectin$ hi* to ill our 5an1 accounts 4ith *oney and our $ara$es 4ith cars6 4hen 4e have not hear1ened to the voice o the Lord our !od to do all he has co**anded us to do6 includin$ or$ivin$ those 4ho 4ron$ us or hurt us< 'ut 4hen 4e do all his co**and*ents and or$ive those 4ho have sinned a$ainst us6 then 4e can eBpect his 1in$do* on earth to 5e prosperous li1e the one in heaven< It2s $oin$ to $et 7$ooder8 and 7$ooder8 as 4e learn *ore and *ore ho4 to *a1e his 1in$do* 4or1 on earth< )he earth is $ood and is a $reat place to live6 and 4e should 5e livin$ in a *odern $arden o Aden< !od 4ants that or us< Praise !od6 4e don2t have to 4orry a5out 4hat happens to our econo*y 4hen 4e are operatin$ in the real* o !od2s la4s< 'read 4ill $o to M2- a loa accordin$ to the Livin$ 'i5le in Revelation (:(6 5ut that should 5e a ter 4e are in heaven 4ith the 'read o Li e< 'ut 4hatever the price o 5read or other ood and clothin$6 !od said that i 4e 4ould o5ey all his co**and*ents6 he 4ould supply all our need accordin$ to his riches in $lory 5y Christ /esus< )hat *eans he 4ill> I don2t 1no4 4hether I 4ill have the cash to pay the $rocer or all *y needs6 5ut I do 1no4 that !od 4ill provide a 4ay that his ri$hteous 4ill never 5e orsa1en nor his seed out 5e$$in$ or 5read< :e *ay even re?uire us to $o on a ast or hi* to provide our needs6 5ut that2s all ri$ht< :e *ay 3.

re?uire us to live on one *eal a day6 5ut i so that is all 4e need to *aintain per ect health and stren$th< I don2t 1no4 ho4 he 4ill do it6 5ut this one thin$ I 1no4Hhe 4ill do it< 3ll I 1no4 is that Frances and I trust !od6 and 4e hope you do6 too< :e is per ectly relia5le and in act is the only sta5le thin$ in eBistence< 35raha* trusted !od6 and he had all his needs supplied< /oseph trusted !od6 and he had all his needs supplied< /esus is the sa*e yesterday6 today6 and orever6 so 4hy should 4e 4orry i 4e are children o !od and doin$ 4hat he said or us to do? It2s eBcitin$ to 1no4 that 4e don2t have to 5e operatin$ in poverty 4hen !od pro*ises prosperity< :is conditions are so si*ple and are 4orth it all< %o*eti*es he re?uires a lot o us6 5ut he al4ays co*es throu$h $loriously i 4e 1eep trustin$ hi*< /aco5 4or1ed seven years or his lover6 Rachel6 and then 4as deceived and had to 4or1 another seven years to $et the a5undant prosperity he 4anted< )hat not only too1 aith6 5ut it too1 a lot o s4eat< !od o ten re?uires a lot ro* us so that our aith and trust in hi* 4ill 5e prosperity to hi*< :e deserves to 5e prosperous6 too< We *a1e !od prosperous 5y continuin$ to 4or1 or hi* and trust hi*6 no *atter 4hat happens< %o*e o his conditions to 4or1 or hi* are to 4or1 hard6 produce $ood results in our la5or6 4or1 siB days a 4ee16 use co**on sense6 use $ood Gud$*ent6 4or1 dili$ently6 love our nei$h5or and our 5oss as ourselves6 trust !od 4ith all our hearts and lean not on our o4n understandin$D trust !od 4hen thin$s "-

don2t see* ri$ht6 and on and on< 'ut all those thin$s see* trivial 4hen co*pared to the security ound in trustin$ !od and his return syste*< We *ust 4atch all o the 'i5le conditions and do the* in order or the* to 4or1 or us< =ne *an told us the other day that he had 5een sittin$ around 4aitin$ or our *onths or !od to supply proper ood or his a*ily< :e 4ouldn2t 4or1 5ecause6 he said6 7I clai* !od2s pro*ise o supplyin$ all *y needs<8 !od said a lot *ore than that6 and that *an let his a*ily $o hun$ry6 4hich certainly is not !od2s 4ay o doin$ thin$s< :e Gust sat do4n and 5eca*e poverty;stric1en< !od2s la4s 4or1ed or hi*H!od said that is 4hat 4ould happen i 4e diso5eyed his la4s< :e tried to ta1e one verse and s?ueeKe !od into it to o5tain a sel ish desire< 0ou can2t do it that 4ay< 0ou *ust o5ey all o !od2s la4s< 0ou *ust *editate in his la4s day and ni$ht so that you 4ill understand 4hat he 4ants to do or us 4hen 4e do 4hat he 4ants< 9o5ody 4ants us to prosper *ore than !od< )he devil 4ants to put poverty and sic1ness on us6 5ut i 4e are 4al1in$ in !od2s prosperity6 he cannot succeed< :e is de eated 5y the 4ord o !od< In Isaiah :D0EF !od says: No wea#on that is for ed a"ainst you shall #ros#er; and every ton"ue that a!!uses you in -ud" ent you will !onde n. +his is the herita"e of the servants of the Lord @93%'C< Do you see that !od2s prosperity overco*es the devil2s poverty and sic1ness? We 4in< 'ut 4e still *ust 4al1 in the 4ill and 4ays o !od6 or the devil has a ri$ht to put curses on us< We can operate in

"1

either prosperity or poverty< We can 4al1 in !od2s 4ays or the devil2s< We 4ho 4al1 in the 4ays o !od are heirs o salvationD that *eans heirs o all o !od2s prosperity< %alvation includes inances6 health6 and all other $ood thin$s o !od< )he *ore o this 5oo1 I 4rite ro* the 4ord o !od6 the *ore oolish it appears to choose the devil2s 4ay to slide into poverty 4hen !od *a1es it so plain 4hat he 4ants to do or us< I can Gust hear !od say6 Charles and Frances6 your cup5oard is a little lo46 so 4hy don2t you 4al1 up on that hill over yonder? )hat2s a piece o *y property6 and you can use anythin$ you ind there< It all 5elon$s to *y a*ily6 so help yoursel < )here is a lar$e herd o cattle6 so*e deer and antelope6 so*e 4ild tur1eys6 and a lot o other thin$s< )here is a sprin$ up near the top and there are all 1inds o ve$eta5les and ruit6 so help yourselves< 'y the 4ay6 i you 4ill ta1e a pan 4ith you6 there2s a lot o resh 4ater ish in the sprin$ la1e6 so 4hy not enGoy so*e o it 4hile you are up there6 and 5rin$ all you 4ant 5ac1 4ith you? When you $et throu$h coo1in$ the ish6 4hy don2t you dip the pan into the $ravel in the 5otto* o that strea*? I have stored so *uch $old there that you can $et all you need to *a1e any purchases you desire< =h6 yes6 and i anyone stops you and says6 4hy are you doin$ this6 Gust say6 7)he Lord has need o it>8 @%ee +ar1 11:3C< I he tries to $ive you any trou5le6 Gust tell hi* your !od o4ns the cattle on a thousand hills and this is one o his hills< :e also

"2

o4ns not only the sur ace ri$hts6 5ut all the *ineral ri$hts6 too< 9o46 don2t $et the idea ro* this that !od says to $o $ather your nei$h5or2s crops< =ur Father is very rich6 and as his children 4e have inherited all o his 1in$do*< = course6 4e still are re?uired to do 4hat !od says6 or else he has to restrict us to protect us ro* the curses o the la4< )hat2s dou5le prosperity< Peter 4as a *an 4ho succeeded6 even thou$h he had so*e pro5le*s alon$ the 4ay< 3 ter he received the 5aptis* 4ith the :oly %pirit6 he never 4avered ro* o5eyin$ and trustin$ !od< :e is in heaven no4 and 4hat $reater prosperity than that can 4e ever desire? +hen Ceter answered and said to ,i , )ehold, we have left everythin" and followed 3ou; what then will there be for us* %nd 'esus said to the , +ruly I say to you, that you who have followed 7e, in the re"eneration when the Son of 7an will sit on ,is "lorious throne, you also shall sit u#on twelve thrones, -ud"in" the twelve tribes of Israel. %nd everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or other or !hildren or far s for 7y na es sake, shall re!eive any ti es as u!h, and shall inherit eternal life @+atthe4 1.:27;2. 93%'C< Do you see the antastic prosperity pro*ises /esus has *ade to us in those verses? What are his conditions? First6 he identi ied those to 4ho* he 4as $ivin$ his 5est as the ones 4ho ollo4 hi*6

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irst the disciples6 then anyone 4ho has le t those 4ho* he loves *ost and thin$s he values< )hose 4ho ollo4 hi* 5y "ivin" everythin", li1e the disciples o old and those o us today6 are the ones to 4ho* he 4ill $ive the prosperity in ull< )hose 4ho $ive up personal loves or his na es sake is another o the conditions or these $reat re4ards< :o4 *uch are 4e $oin$ to receive 4hen 4e *eet these conditions or prosperity? 7any ti es as *uch as 4e $ive< %nd eternal li e 5esides< Is that $enerous prosperity? )hat doesn2t *ean !od is $oin$ to strip you o everythin$ $ood on earth i you don2t $o o preachin$ so*e4here< 'ut his condition does *ean that you put hi* a5solutely irst 4hile you are 4or1in$ at your Go5< What is *ore valua5le6 those 4ho* 4e love and the thin$s o this earth o value6 or *any ti*es as *uch love or those 4e love and *any ti*es *ore thin$s o this earth o value? It still loo1s oolish not to accept the o ers o !od and /esus instead o the poverty and curses 4hich 4ill co*e i 4e don2t< What do 4e have to lose i 4e i$nore the pro*ises and conditions? Averythin$6 includin$ eternal li e in the *ost $lorious ho*e ever conceived6 our heavenly ho*e 4ith !od6 /esus6 vast hosts o an$els and *ultiplied nu*5ers o riends 4ho are there< :alleluGah> I2ll stay on the 4innin$ side< :o4 a5out you? Perhaps a scripture that Frances loves and uses *ost is Lu1e (:3,6 and she reads it *ostly ro* the Ein$ /a*es version6 so let2s loo1 at it 4ith her to see 4hat !od has to o er<

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!ive6 and it shall 5e $iven unto youD $ood *easure6 pressed do4n6 and sha1en to$ether6 and runnin$ over6 shall *en $ive into your 5oso*< For 4ith the sa*e *easure that ye *ete 4ithal it shall 5e *easured to you a$ain< )his is the prosperity re4ard< 'ut 4here do 4e ind the conditions or all that to 5eco*e ours? )here is so *uch in the 'i5le that is so $ood that I Gust 4ant to 1eep tellin$ you *ore and *ore ro* the 4ord< I have ound that the only true source o the a5undance6 the ever;present happiness and Goy6 the peace o !od that al4ays eBists no *atter ho4 5ad the situations are around *e6 co*es ro* hundreds o places in the 'i5le< I love the thin$s !od has $iven us and I love to o5ey his 4ishes< What loo1s hard 4hen 4e hesitate to do 4hat !od says actually is very easy 4hen 4e really6 truly 4ant to or$et ourselves and do 4hat he 4ants< )o ind the real conditions o Lu1e (:3,2s riches6 loo1 at the conditions that ca*e 5e ore the 5lessin$s< Fro* )he Livin$ 'i5le6 verses 22 and 236 or eBa*ple: What happiness it is 4hen others hate you and eBclude you and insult you and s*ear your na*e 5ecause you are *ine> When that happens6 reGoice> 0es6 leap or Goy> For you 4ill have a $reat re4ard a4aitin$ you in heaven< 3nd you 4ill 5e in $ood !o #any4the an!ient #ro#hets were treated that way too$ =n the sur ace6 5ein$ hated6 eBcluded6 and insulted doesn2t sound li1e prosperity< 'ut /esus said it 4as6 4hen it 4as done 5ecause you did it or hi*< "&

In Lu1e (:3(;3, )L' /esus says: +ry to show as u!h !o #assion as your Bather does. Never !riti!iGe or !onde n4or it will all !o e ba!k on you. Go easy on others0 then they will do the sa e for you. Bor Ino4 co*es the re4ard i you *eet those conditionsJ if you "ive you will "et$ 3our "ift will return to you in full and overflowin" easure, #ressed down, shaken to"ether to ake roo for ore, and runnin" over. 1hatever easure you use to "ive4lar"e or s all 4will be used to easure what is "iven ba!k to you. Do you see 4hat I *ean 5y the conditions 4hich 5rin$ prosperous 5lessin$s? !od set principles that 4or1D he esta5lished la4s that 4or1 per ectly< It2s up to us to lo4 4ith those principles< 9o airplane could ly i the en$ineers and desi$ners had not discovered the principles o aerodyna*ics that cause those tons o 4ei$ht to *ove up4ard< )hey discovered that 5y the proper shape o 4in$s they could cause a vacuu* to or* over the 4in$s as the plane *oved alon$ the $round or throu$h the air< )hey ound out that i they did that6 the plane 4ould li t6 actually pulled up 5y a vacuu*< When the tur5ulence distur5s that lo4 4ith the la4s o aerodyna*ics6 this li t 4ill 5e stopped or chan$ed< )hey discovered that they needed this la46 too6 or else the plane 4ould 1eep on li tin$ and they could never land it or chan$e its direction< )hey o5eyed !od2s la4s 4hich he *ade per ect 4hen he created air< /esus said that 4hen tur5ulence co*es6 li1e *en hatin$ you and eBcludin$ you and insultin$ you6 "(

ta1e advanta$e o his la4 and you can control the situation< :e said that 4hen tur5ulence co*es li1e that6 reGoice< 0es6 leap or Goy> Do you see 4hy he esta5lished that reGoicin$ principle at a ti*e o distress? :e 4anted to 1eep you cal* instead o distressed6 so he set up the la4 o trust in hi*< 7Peace6 5e still68 /esus said 4hen the stor*s ca*e up< 7RelaB and trust *e< :ave aith that I 4ill ta1e care o you 4hen you are helpless to do anythin$ a5out the circu*stances o li e<8 !od2s la4s 1eep li tin$ you up no *atter ho4 heavy the 4ei$ht you eel on your shoulders< 7)rust *e< )rust *e< )rust *e< Don2t let tur5ulence stop your trustin$ in *e< Peter6 1eep your eyes o the stor*y 4aves and 1eep the* on *e6 then you can 4al1 on 4ater< 0ou can 4al1 on top o those pro5le*s< 0ou can reGoice and leap or Goy 4hile they are happenin$< 9ot 5ecause the circu*stances see* prosperous6 5ut 5ecause *y provision is al4ays there i you trust *e<8 CriticiKin$ and co*plainin$ ta1e you into the cursin$ side o the la4< 0our reaction to so*eone else criticiKin$ you and co*plainin$ a$ainst you 4ill deter*ine 4hether you are receivin$ !od2s prosperity or the devil2s poverty< )he la4 /esus stated 4as that 4e are not to criticiKe and co*plain< Why not o5ey his la4s and receive his 5lessin$s pressed do4n6 sha1en to$ether and runnin$ over? When you react to criticis* and co*plainin$ 5y others 4ith love6 this puts you on the receivin$ end o 5lessin$s< I you criticiKe and co*plain6 you lose< Criticis* and co*plainin$ 4ill 5e $iven unto you6 pressed do4n6 sha1en to$ether6 and runnin$ over< "7

'e sure to $ive 4hat !od desi$ned and not 4hat the devil steals6 and then you 5ene it ro* the 5lessin$s !od pro*ises< /esus is our *odel o li e< I 4e could live eBactly as he did6 there 4ould never 5e a *ore success ul li e< :e had a hard condition to *eet6 5ut he did it 5ecause he al4ays trusted his Father< !od has desi$ned a plan o rede*ption or all *an1ind6 a plan or our eternal prosperity< :is plan 4as that /esus should co*e to earth6 $ive up his $reat riches in heaven6 5e persecuted6 5e 1illed6 so that he throu$h his resurrection could 5rin$ salvation to all o us< /esus had a choice< Would he *eet !od2s conditions or 4ould he ail to trust !od? 3ou know how full of love and kindness our Lord 'esus was0 thou"h he was so very ri!h, yet to hel# you he be!a e so very #oor, so that by bein" #oor he !ould ake you ri!h @II Corinthians ,:. )L'C< Could anythin$ 5e *ore plainly stated than that pro*ise o !od? /esus ully *ade the provision or riches or us instead o poverty< :e did all that is needed 5y hi*< :e provided not only or us to 5e rich6 5ut to 5e in health< )eloved, I wish above all thin"s that thou ayest #ros#er and be in health, even as thy soul #ros#ereth @III /ohn 2 E/FC< )he condition /esus 4as re?uired to *eet 4as *etD no4 he is sayin$6 $et your soul lined up6 let it 5e healthy and prosper6 and then *y provisions o prosperity and health can co*e to you< )ut if anyone kee#s lookin" steadily into Gods law for free en, he will not only re e ber it but

",

he will do what it says, and God will "reatly bless hi in everythin" he does @/a*es 1:2& )L'C< Condition: 1eep loo1in$ steadily into !od2s la46 then do 4hat it says and you 4ill 5e 5lessed 4ith prosperity in everythin$ you do< Is that air enou$h? %ounds $ood to *e< Do you consider love prosperity? If you believe that 'esus is the (hrist4that he is Gods Son and your Savior4then you are a !hild of God. %nd all who love the Bather love his !hildren too. So you !an find out how u!h you love Gods !hildren4your brothers and sisters in the Lord4by how u!h you love and obey God. Lovin" God eans doin" what he tells us to do, and really, that isnt hard at all; for every !hild of God !an obey hi , defeatin" sin and evil #leasure by trustin" (hrist to hel# hi @I /ohn &:1;3 )L'C< !od *a1es a5undance so availa5le to us and so plain that 4e really have no reason not to live in his prosperity o love all the ti*e< )he 4orst thin$ I can thin1 o that hell is li1e is that there is a5solutely no love there< )he 5est thin$ heaven has to o er is perpetual6 over4hel*in$ love6 or !od is love and he is there< What are the conditions or prosperity in love? Find out throu$h lovin$ your 5rothers and sisters in Christ ho4 *uch you love and o5ey !od< :o4 *uch did our *odel /esus love? :e loved the *aBi*u* 5y $ivin$ his li e or us6 so that 4e can have li e and have it *ore a5undantly< /esus could have stayed in heaven 4ith all the $lory o !od and riches 5eyond *easure6 5ut he o5eyed !od< While he 4as on earth6 he could have ".

had the 4hole 4orld i he had 4orshiped %atan Gust a little 5it6 5ut he o5eyed !od< :e could have called t4elve le$ions o an$els to save hi* ro* the cross6 5ut he o5eyed !od< :e 1ne4 that he 4ould even 5e separated ro* !od6 that his very eternal soul 4ould $o into hell and 5e su5Gect to %atan2s po4er6 5ut he o5eyed !od< :e 1ne4 that upon his return to heaven 4ith all the sins o the 4orld on his shoulders6 his o4n Father 4ould turn his 5ac1 to hi* 5ecause !od cannot loo1 at sin6 5ut he o5eyed !od< :e ul illed all that !od as1ed hi* to do or you and *e and no4 /esus sits at the ri$ht hand o his Father6 enGoyin$ all the $lory that could have 5een lost to hi*6 5ut he 4as *ore concerned or you and *e that 4e *i$ht 5e his $lory< 'ecause o /esus and his o5edience to !od6 4e can have a5undance o peace6 Goy6 riches6 health6 and all the other in$redients o prosperity< What an eBcitin$ day that 4ill 5e 4hen 4e loo1 up and see our rede*ption tha4in$ near< When 4e see /esus co*in$ do4n ro* heaven or the second ti*e to receive us and ta1e us to his $lory and our $lory in heaven 4ith !od<

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Chapter Seven

Prosperity in $arriage
Prosperity is lac1in$ in *arria$es pro5a5ly *ore than in any other place< 3 *aGority o couples livin$ to$ether today are *arria$e poor6 and poverty;stric1en conditions eBist in *arria$es 5ecause o a lac1 o understandin$ o 4hat is possi5le or all o us< I you 4rote on a piece o paper all the 4ays you could i*a$ine that 4ould *a1e your *arria$e prosperous6 4hat 4ould you list? N Co**unication so per ect and aultless that you 4ould enGoy every *o*ent 4ith your spouse< N Co*panionship so lovin$6 understandin$6 and tender that you 4ould have per ect peace every *o*ent you are to$ether< N %eB so per ect that you 4ould live in a state o 5liss ul satis action at all ti*es< N 3 ho*e that 4as eBactly 4hat you and your spouse 4ould consider per ect6 4hether it 5e a cotta$e 5y the sea6 or a *ansion in the *ountains< N %ecurity so totally co*plete that you 4ould never 5e concerned a5out *oney6 clothes6 or any o the nice thin$s o li e<

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N )o$etherness so co*plete that you could hardly stand leavin$ your spouse even to $o to 4or1< N )he 5est loo1in$ hus5and or the *ost 5eauti ul 4i e you could possi5ly i*a$ine< N Retire*ent 4hile you are youn$ enou$h to enGoy it and enou$h *oney that you could continually do anythin$ you 4ould li1e< N Co*plete reedo* ro* all responsi5ilities o li e< N Per ect health at all ti*es or you and your spouse< N 3 5i$ a*ily o healthy6 happy children< )his list could $o on and on until it $ot lon$er than a *ail order catalo$ that lists everythin$ anyone could 4ant or need< I you had everythin$ you listed6 and even *ore than that6 all directed to4ard *a1in$ your *arria$e per ect6 4ould you have co*plete success and total prosperity in your union 4ith your *ate? Let *e as1 you a e4 ?uestions: N What does it ta1e to have prosperity in your *arria$e? N What is prosperity in *arria$e? N Can everyone 4ho is *arried have prosperity? )he ans4er very si*ply is 70es8 i you *eet !od2s conditions6 5ecause !od 4ants only the very 5est or his a*ily< Can you picture yoursel at the 4eddin$s o your children? What 4ould you honestly 4ish or the*? )hat everythin$ in their *arria$es 4ould 5e the very 5estHor 4ould you 4ish that their &2

*arria$es 4ould 5e *isera5le? Can you picture in the sa*e 4ay !od6 our eternal Father6 sayin$6 7I2* $oin$ to use all o *y po4er to *a1e you *isera5le all your li e?8 !od has proven hi*sel totally and co*pletely a !od o love6 and he has sho4n or thousands o years his $reat patience in tryin$ to $et *an1ind to love hi* 5ac1< :e created us or inti*ate ello4ship 4ith hi*< :e needs us< !od *ade *arria$e to 5e the *ost eBact replica o our relationship 4ith /esus that he could possi5ly *a1e< 3 per ect relationship 4ith our spiritual hus5and6 /esus6 leads to the a5undant6 over lo4in$ li e that is pro*ised in the Word o !od< We are instructed to love our nei$h5ors as *uch as 4e love ourselves and to love !od *ore than 4e love any5ody or anythin$< )hen he $oes urther in the i th chapter o Aphesians to sho4 ho4 *uch love and respect he 4ants hus5ands and 4ives to $ive to their spouses< Within this real* lies per ection in *arria$e to the eBact de$ree 4e are 4illin$ to ully *eet his conditions or a prosperous *arria$e< 3ctually6 as $ood and $odly as all those thin$s are that you or I listed6 they still do not it the conditions that !od $ives or the *ost a5undant li e 4e could have< !od2s la4s and conditions are very plain and clear in the 'i5le< )hey are si*ple and easy to o5ey6 and they are e ortless to discover i you 4ant to o5ey the*< 'ut they are *ost o5scure to ind6 and *ost la5orious to o5ey i you don2t 4ant to do 4hat !od 4ants you to do< I al4ays li1e to $o 5ac1 to the very oundation6 the very root o all the principles o 4hat !od 4ants &3

o his people< )he oundation started even 5e ore !od *ade the earth as 4e 1no4 it< It all started in heaven< !od and /esus are the only ones 4ho are so per ect that they can 5e the hi$hest rulers6 total *onarchs6 and can still not have pride o sel < When their total nature6 their %pirits6 are 4ithin us6 then their per ect nature can also rule our lives and *a1e us capa5le o 5ein$ rulers 4ithout pride o sel < In heaven !od is all in all6 and his %on /esus is his eBact li1eness< !od created a $reat host6 possi5ly 5illions6 o an$els to *a1e heaven a per ect and 5eauti ul environ*ent< :e *ade the* so per ect that they 4ould 5e in the hi$h position o servin$ every need o the *ost hi$h !od orever< :e *ade Luci er one o his *ost 5eauti ul an$els< Luci er 4as in one o the hi$hest positions o honor and 4as very close to the throne o !od< Averythin$ 4as so per ect and he 4as so per ect that it is i*possi5le to co*prehend 4ith our inite *inds or even 4ildly i*a$ine anythin$ so prosperous< :e had all the prosperity even !od could provide< Why didn2t he continue in this position o a5undant prosperity? :e ailed to *eet !od2s conditions< :e let self 5e eBalted< Cride of self entered into his heart< :e allo4ed a desire to creep in to please self *ore than he 4anted to serve and please !od< )hat is pro5a5ly 4hy !od put the irst co**and*ent ri$ht in ront o the other nine that he $ave to the Israelites6 3ou shall have no other "ods before 7e @ABodus 2-:3 93%'C<

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0ou *i$ht thin16 7I 4onder ho4 lon$ it too1 or the self desire to 5uild up 4ithin Luci er?8 !od 1no4s all thin$s6 and he cannot stand sin< )he 'i5le doesn2t say6 5ut I 5elieve that the very *o*ent6 at the very *icrosecond the thou$ht or even the intent entered the *ind o %atan @Luci erC6 !od 1ne4 all a5out it and6 4ithout hesitation6 thre4 %atan out o heaven li1e a 5olt o li$htnin$< !od2s la4s o prosperity and a5undance 4ill not unction in an at*osphere 4here self eBists< 0ou *i$ht say6 7Well6 ho4 can !od 5e so eBalted i he doesn2t 4ant sel to 5e eBalted?8 !od2s total nature is love6 and love al4ays 4ants to $ive itsel a4ay< !od6 the supre*e head over all hu*an 5ein$s and o everythin$ ever *ade6 is the very $reatest o servants< :is 4hole 5ein$Hhis nature and his characterH4ants to $ive hi*sel and his a5undant prosperity a4ay all the ti*e< 'ecause 3da* and Ave allo4ed sin to enter in6 every li e created ro* the*6 includin$ each o us6 is 5orn 4ith the sin ul nature o the devil< )hat characteristic is the sa*e one that entered into Luci er in heavenHsel < 3da* and Ave in their per ect li e o a5undance and co*pleteness very si*ply chose self9#leasure *ore than trustin$ !od6 and self destroyed all their prosperity< It is ?uite o5vious6 then6 that we ust self9 destru!t to 5e created a ne46 prosperous person< )hat doesn2t *ean physical suicide< It si*ply *eans your sel ish desires *ust totally die and in their place 4e *ust put total trust in !od and his pro*ises< !ivin$ up sel is easy6 i 4e sincerely and unreservedly 4ant the a5undant li e /esus pro*ised &&

to those 4ho 4ould o5ey !od< We *ust deter*ine in our hearts that 4e are $oin$ to put orth all the e ort and 4or1 necessary to ind out 4hat pleases !od instead o sel and then do 4ithout reservation 4hatever !od 4ants< !od2s po4er is necessary to ena5le us to do that6 5ut his po4er is ever a5undantly availa5le i 4e aith ully serve hi*< In act6 he *a1es his po4er so easily accessi5le to us that he ills our very spirits 4ith hi*sel < )he $reatest po4er plant on earth is in you and *e 4hen 4e are illed 4ith the :oly %pirit< With these principles o !od2s conditions or prosperity in *ind6 let us care ully and inti*ately eBa*ine *arria$e and see ho4 to attain per ection in it< First o all6 it ta1es t4o individuals 4or1in$ to$ether< 0ou can no *ore have a per ect *arria$e 4ith only one spouse 4antin$ to 5lend 4ith !od2s la4s than you can have a per ect runnin$ auto*o5ile 4ith hal the spar1 plu$s *issin$ ro* the en$ine< 9ot all *arria$es have t4o people 4ith a *utual desire to please !od< :o4ever6 even one spouse can do a lot or the *arria$e i he or she ollo4s !od2s la4s< Follo4in$ !od is not easy6 5ut it 4ill help6 and perhaps the other spouse 4ill eventually see the 5lessin$s that co*e 4hen 4e live !od2s 4ay< Frances and I receive a lot o testi*onies tellin$ ho4 hus5ands or 4ives sa4 tre*endous chan$e in their spouses 4hen they started trustin$ /esus6 and6 as a result6 they the*selves accepted /esus and the *arria$e 4as healed< In *any 4ays Frances and I have Gust as ordinary conditions in our ho*e li e as anyone else< &(

%o*e o the conditions are di erent 5ecause 4e are constantly 5usy in ull;ti*e 4or1 or /esus< 'ut 4e have days at ho*e 4hen 4e live li1e a typical a*ily< We have discovered that 4hether 4e are out o the city or at ho*e 4or1in$ in the 5usiness end o our *inistry6 4e are still the sa*e t4o people6 and !od is the sa*e !od and his la4s are the sa*e la4s< +ost people have never discovered that you !an never "et away fro yourself, so 5e happy and search or 4ays to *a1e li e a success 4here you are< Re*e*5er6 your pro5le*s 4ill ollo4 you 4herever you $o6 and so 4ill your 5lessin$s< Let2s ta1e the irst ite* I listed or 4ays to *a1e your *arria$e prosperous @not that it is necessarily the *ost i*portant oneC< Communications We o ten say that 4e tal1 a5out /esus all the ti*e6 so there is no shorta$e o sti*ulatin$ conversation and eBcitin$ co**unication< We 5rie ly discuss 4hat 4e 4ill have or 5rea1 ast or supper6 5ut this is a ?uic1ly inished su5Gect on 4hich 4e spend a *ini*u* o ti*e< 'ecause /esus is the center and the very heart o our lives6 our *arria$e6 and our ho*e6 he is the center and the very heart o our conversation< )he 'i5le says to pray continually< 0ears a$o I thou$ht6 7I can2t pray ive *inutes 4ithout runnin$ out o so*ethin$ to say to !od<8 )hen I learned a $reat secret 4hich 1eeps the line o co**unication 4ith !od open at all ti*es< &7

In *y pro essional li e as a certi ied pu5lic accountant6 I 4as very conscientious and loyal to *y clients< I 4or1ed dili$ently to *a1e everythin$ I did or the* a total success< I had hundreds o clients and each one 4as very special to *e6 5ut I didn2t Gust thin1 a5out their 4or1 4hen I 4as 4ith the* or 4or1in$ or the*< I al4ays planned the neBt day2s 4or1 lon$ 5e ore the previous day ended< I 1ne4 4hich client I 4ould 5e 4or1in$ or6 and I 1ne4 eBactly 4hat I 4as to do or the*< 'ecause *y heart 4as a $ivin$ heart in 5usiness6 I thou$ht throu$h their needs durin$ *y o ;4or1 ti*e< In act6 the ti*e I did *y *ost productive and creative thin1in$ 4as early in the *ornin$ 4hile I 4as shavin$6 5athin$6 and $ettin$ ready or the day2s 4or1< I care ully and painsta1in$ly analyKed each and every situation< I they had a taB pro5le*6 I 4ould let *y *ind eBa*ine alternatives< I 4ould thin16 7I I do thus and so6 4e 4ill $et the 5est possi5le taB advanta$e6 or *ay5e 4e can do it this 4ay and even $et 5etter and *ore choice 5ene its<8 )hen I 4ould pro5e into the area o the ris1s 4e 4ould ta1e i 4e did the taB plannin$ so*e other 4ay< 'y *editatin$ in this *anner I 4as a5le to thin1 throu$h *any situations and alternatives and then $o to *y taB la4s and re erence 5oo1s to prove the 5est 4ay< 3 ter that6 *y clients and I 4ould *a1e decisions< 3 ter I yielded *y li e totally to !od and to /esus and 4as *editatin$ in the Word o !od al*ost day and ni$ht or a5out a year6 the principles o !od2s la4s 4ere so in$rained in *y *ind and

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4ritten on *y heart that they in iltrated every thou$ht and every decision I *ade< =ne *ornin$ 4hile I 4as shavin$ and thin1in$ throu$h a client2s needs6 I discovered a re*ar1a5le secret that chan$ed *y li e in the area o co**unications< I discovered that instead o thin1in$ to *ysel 6 I 4as thinkin" to God. I 4ould thin16 7!od6 i I apply this taB la4 to their situation6 4ill that *ean that I can $et the 5est taB advanta$e6 or i I do it this 4ay6 4ill that 5e 5etter? Will I 5e ris1in$ losin$ *ore 5ene its i I do it this 4ay6 or should I ta1e the less ris1y route?8 I discovered that 5y ilterin$ *y thou$hts throu$h !od6 his *i$hty %pirit 4ould alert *y *ind to thin$s I 1ne4 and direct *y thou$hts to the 5est and *ost prosperous 4ay to 5ene it *y clients< !od 4as vitally interested in $ivin$ *e his 5est6 i I 4ould thin1 to hi* and let hi* $uide *e< 'ecause I 4anted to please !od6 he caused *e to do a ar $reater Go5 in pleasin$ *y clients< %o*eti*es *y *ind sent si$nals li1e a thousand little thou$hts searchin$ out4ard or ans4ers and alternatives6 and then they all ca*e 5ac1 into *y *ind as thou$h throu$h a unnel< !od directed *y *ind in *y everyday a airs and decisions< 3t a5out ive o2cloc1 one %unday *ornin$ I discovered one o !od2s la4s6 4hich helped eBplain *y thin1in$ to !od and !od thin1in$ 5ac1 to *e in *a1in$ decisions< !od had Gust appointed %aul to 5e 1in$ o Israel6 5ut %aul 4as really not trained to 5e 1in$< :e didn2t 1no4 ho4 to *a1e all the decisions and to *a1e &.

4ise Gud$*ent in rulin$ this vast nation o people< :e 5eca*e 1in$6 and !od2s prophet6 %a*uel6 4as to anoint hi* so that the :oly %pirit 4ould 5e upon hi*< %a*uel poured a las1 o oil over %aul< )hat 4as sy*5olic o pourin$ the %pirit o !od on hi*< Ri$ht a ter the anointin$6 in I %a*uel 1-:(6 7 a la4 or condition o !od 4as $iven that eBploded in *y spirit 4hen I discovered it< %t that ti e the S#irit of the Lord will !o e i"htily u#on you, and you will #ro#hesy with the and you will feel and a!t like a different #erson. Bro that ti e on your de!isions should be based on whatever see s best under the !ir!u stan!es, for the Lord will "uide you. @)L'C< I had al4ays *ade decisions 5ased on 4hatever see*ed 5est under the circu*stances< I had care ully considered all conditions and alternatives 5e ore *a1in$ decisions< 'ut !od said so*ethin$ I hadn2t discovered in his la4s 5e ore< :e said he would "uide us i 4e ollo4ed a ter his :oly %pirit6 his 4ays6 his desires< :e 4ould direct our daily lives and decisions< !lory to !od6 he 4ill $uide all o us in our daily decisions i 4e 4ill trust hi*6 learn his la4s and conditions and then o5ey the*< )rustin$ !od 4or1s< 3nd it 4ill 4or1 in co**unicatin$ 4ith our spouse in *arria$e< I 4e are constantly tal1in$ a5out 4ays 4e can 5less !od throu$h doin$ 4hat he 4ants us to do6 he 4ill $ive us *ore to tal1 a5out than 4e have ti*e to say< Frances and I o ten say6 7=h6 I or$ot to tell you thus and so8 It is 5ecause 4e have so *uch to tal1 a5out that 4e don2t (-

re*e*5er to tell each other all the little thin$s o possi5le interest or *inor i*portance< 0es6 4e have prosperity in co**unications in our *arria$e6 and you can6 tooHi you 4ill search !od2s pro*ises in his Word and then 4ant to do 4hat pleases hi*< :e 4ill 1eep you 5usy6 and you 4ill never 5e 5ored and lac1in$ so*ethin$ $ood to tal1 a5out to your 5eloved< Companionship /esus said to love your nei$h5or as yoursel < )hen in Aphesians :0H: @)L'C he said: %nd you husbands, show the sa e kind of love to your wives as (hrist showed to the !hur!h when he died for her. Ferse 2,: +hat is how husbands should treat their wives, lovin" the as #arts of the selves. Bor sin!e a an and his wife are now one, a an is really doin" hi self a favor and lovin" hi self when he loves his wife! I you are irritated 5y so*ethin$ your spouse did6 ri$ht or 4ron$6 you 4ill 5e te*pted to cut hi* or her do4n 4ith un1ind 4ords or even ar$ue or i$ht over 4ho is ri$ht or 4ron$< !od says to treat your spouse Gust li1e you treat yoursel and6 even *ore i*portantly6 li1e you treat /esus< 'ecause I love Frances6 i I say so*ethin$ cuttin$ or 5ad to or a5out her6 I *ust loo1 up to /esus and say6 7/esus6 that $oes or you6 too>8 3nd I *ust say it 4ith the sa*e attitude I say it to Frances< 'ut the $ood part is that 4hen I tell Frances ho4 per ect and ho4 5eauti ul she is6 I can say to /esus6 7)hat $oes or you6 too>8 (1

/esus said6 .. to the e=tent that you did it to one of these brothers of 7ine, even the least of the , you did it to 7e @+atthe4 2&:"- 93%'C< I your co**unication is al4ays directed 5y the la4s o !od6 then you 4ill have co*panionship so precious and enGoya5le that you 4ill 4ant to 5e 4ith that co*panion all the ti*e< Frances and I are to$ether al*ost t4enty; our hours every day o every year6 and 4e never $ro4 tired o one another< When 4e have 5een apart even or a e4 *inutes or a e4 hours6 4e al4ays rush 5ac1 into each other2s ar*s< )hat2s prosperity in co*panionship< Why is our co*panionship so per ect? 'ecause 4e have *editated on !od2s conditions ni$ht and day 4ith the sole purpose o pleasin$ !od and /esus6 and their la4s 4or1 in our avor 5y $ivin$ us the sa*e co*panionship that eBists 5et4een !od and /esus< Can you i*a$ine !od $ettin$ tired o livin$ 4ith /esus? We should never let the thin$s o our daily li e *a1e us tired o pleasin$ one another< Sex Is your seB li e in your *arria$e prosperin$? !od created this cul*ination o love in his irst creatures6 and he 4ants this to 5e a thrillin$ part o our earthly lives< :is la4s and conditions 4or1 5eauti ully in the seB area o *arria$e6 Gust as they do in every other area6 to 5rin$ the ulti*ate prosperity in such an i*portant part o our lives< !od 4ants our seB li e to prosper< We should 4holeheartedly 4ant to do everythin$ in our po4er to please and satis y our (2

spouse< )his is Gust as *uch a part o !od2s conditions or prosperity in seB as the re?uisite o doin$ everythin$ in our po4er to please !od and Christ /esus i 4e 4ant to have an a5undant li e< Eeep in *ind that you cannot have prosperity in seB outside o *arria$e 5ecause that is in violation o !od2s la4s6 and 4hen *an1ind does anythin$ that is contrary to !od2s la4s o seB6 he 4ill ace eventual ailure and utter disappoint*ent and destruction< !od hi$hly honors seB in *arria$e 5ecause it is a part o his creation< 'ecause he lives in us as Christians6 he 4ill not tolerate any perversion o this 5ody that 5elon$s to hi*< ;ont you realiGe that all of you to"ether are the house of God, and that the S#irit of God lives a on" you in his house* If anyone defiles and s#oils Gods ho e, God will destroy hi . Bor Gods ho e s holy and !lean, and you are that ho e @I Corinthians 3:1(6 17 )L'C< Love is li1e a thread that 4eaves our lives as hus5and and 4i e to one another< It is the 5ond that *a1es us one< /ust as !od and /esus are one6 so hus5and and 4i e are *ade one 4hen Goined to$ether in *arria$e under the la4s o !od< Love is an ener$y that lo4s 5et4een hus5and and 4i e< It is *ore than an attitude6 thin$6 or relationship< It is alive and po4er ul< It is li e< Love is alive 5ecause !od is love and he is alive< We can even see a si*ilarity 5et4een the love 4e $ive to !od and the hu*an love 5et4een hus5and and 4i e< Love has eelin$6 5ut it is a eelin$ di erent than any other eelin$ in the hu*an

(3

5ody< When youn$ or old all deeply in love6 so*ethin$ indescri5a5le lo4s 5et4een the*< In Revelation 2:" @)L'C6 /esus said throu$h /ohn: 3et there is one thin" wron"; you dont love e as at first$ +hink about those ti es of your first love 6how different now$8 and turn ba!k to e a"ain and work as you did before... When that irst love is released 4ithin !od2s la4s6 it can al4ays and continuously 5e as eBcitin$ly resh as the irst lic1er that lipped your heart 4ith your true lover< I your seB li e is not prosperin$6 apply this la4 o !od to turn 5ac1 to /esus a$ain and 4or1 as you did 5e ore< Loo1 5ac1 to your irst love 4ith your spouse and eBa*ine 4hat *ade it so thrillin$ and enGoya5le< Constant care and attention to your spouse are necessary to 1eep that irst love alive year a ter year< )hin1 5ac1 and see i you didn2t $ive tenderness and love $enerously to your spouse< 3nd re*e*5er 4hen you loved hi* or her so *uch6 their response to you 4as the love that thrilled your heart< +urn ba!k to e a"ain and work as you did before... )urn 5ac1 to your 5eauti ul spouse a$ain and 4or1 as you did 5e ore6 and see i your love 4on2t 5e the sa*e as 5e ore< 0ou 4ill discover so*ethin$ else antasticHthe lon$er you are to$ether applyin$ these la4s o love6 the $reater your love li e and your seB li e 4ill 5eco*e< Don2t let your love $ro4 cold to4ard one another< Wor1 at it6 and your e ort 4ill return in 5ounti ul *easure<

("

What causes love to $ro4 cold and seB to 5eco*e either not possi5le6 not enGoya5le6 or not re?uent? 0our seB relationship 4ith one another 4ill 5e very closely related to your spiritual relationship 4ith !od and /esus< When you are spiritually healthy6 happy6 and in love 4ith the*6 you 4ill 5e so 5ecause you have done everythin$ at all ti*es to please the* and to o5ey their la4s and conditions or total prosperity< 0ou don2t do it to $et prosperity Hyou do it to $ive prosperity< When you $ive to !od6 he prospers6 and in turn you prosper< )he *ore you $ive to !od6 the *ore he 4ill $ive 5ac1 to you6 and he 4ill out $ive you every ti*e< %o 4ill your spouse< I could never really receive love ro* Frances unless I irst $ave love to her< It is li1e you have to e*pty yoursel 5e ore you have roo* to receive ro* others< Love $iven ro* our heart to 5less our spouse is a livin$ loveD it cannot 5e arti icial< !enuine love $iven 4ill spontaneously lo4 5ac1 into your o4n li e< I your passion is released to receive satis action or yoursel 6 it 4ill not lon$ continue to 5e enGoya5le< I you love your spouse so *uch that you 4ant 4ith all that is 4ithin you to please hi* or her6 then release that desire in seBual co**union and 4hen your spouse is satis ied6 you 4ill 5e *ore than satis ied< :o4 o ten do you *editate in the Word o !od Gust to ind *ore 4ays to tell !od and /esus you love the*? I love to spend at least an hour in the early hours o the *ornin$6 o ten at t4o6 three6 or our o2cloc1 in the *ornin$6 not tryin$ to study the (&

'i5le6 5ut to ind 4ords and 4ays to love !od and /esus< I I *iss several *ornin$s doin$ that6 I lose the sharp ed$e o love or the* and the 'i5le< I have to discipline *ysel to read and even to direct *y attention to lovin$ the*< )he sa*e thin$ applies to love and seB< #nless you $ive it lovin$ attention it 4ill $ro4 cold< 9ever lose that 7 irst love8 reshness ro* the heart either or !od or or each other< When you $et a 5eauti ul 5ou?uet o resh lo4ers6 you *ust care or the*6 or they 4ill 4ilt and die< 0our love *ust continually 5e cared or or it 4ill 4ilt and die< I you don2t discipline yoursel to constantly stay in the 'i5le and to constantly see1 !od and 4ays to please hi*6 you 4ill lose that inti*acy 4ith hi*< I you only in re?uently love your spouse your love 4ill $ro4 cold and uninterestin$< :e or she needs constant attention in loveHnot Gust in seB< We discuss this a lot *ore in detail in our 5oo1 ,ow to 7ake 3our 7arria"e >=!itin", 5ut it is i*portant to say it 5rie ly here< Let your love start the *inute your eyes open 4hen you a4a1en in the *ornin$ and never stop or slo4 do4n until you close the* in sleep at ni$ht< When you touch each other tenderly6 4hen you spea1 1indness and love to one another throu$hout the day and ni$ht6 then 4hen you co*e close to$ether in this cocoon that is the apeB o love6 you 4ill ind that you 4ill 4ant to reely $ive your love< I you don2t love all day6 you 4ill ind that you 4ill ((

4ant to ta1e love instead o $ive it6 and that is not the 5ed o prosperity< ...freely you re!eived, freely "ive @+atthe4 1-:, 93%'C< )he po4er o !od is reely $iven to you 4hen you o5ey /esus2 instructions to ,eal the si!k, raise the dead, !leanse the le#ers, !ast out de ons; freely you re!eived, freely "ive. 7)he 5lessin$s o !od 4ill lo4 in your seB li e i you want to reely $ive to your spouse< !od2s la4s o prosperity in seB 4or1 i 4e 4ill *eet his conditions< Love continually< 3nythin$ that is valua5le is 4orth 4or1in$ orD anythin$ you don2t 4or1 to $et and 1eep 4ill lose its value to you< Is your prosperity in *arria$e valua5le? Is it 4orth 4or1in$ to 1eep? Wor1 5eco*es the hi$hest or* o pleasure 4hen 4e 4or1 to please !od6 /esus6 or our spouse< !ivin$ 5eco*es the hi$hest or* o receivin$ in our relationship 4ith !od and 4ith our *arria$e partner< )a1e a ?uic1 loo1 at the other ite*s I listed6 plus the ones you listed: N :o*e N %ecurity N )o$etherness N 3ttractiveness N Retire*ent N Freedo* N :ealth N Fa*ily

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=ne scripture rather 4ell su*s up ho4 to enGoy the $reatest o !od2s prosperity in all these thin$s: )ut seek ye first the ?in"do of God, and his ri"hteousness; and all these thin"s shall be added unto you @+atthe4 (:33 E/FC< Frances 4as a 4ido4 4ith t4o children 4hen !od called her into his service< %he loved !od and /esus 4ith all her heart6 *ind6 5ody6 and soul and 4anted nothin$ else in li e eBcept to have a *ad6 4ild love a air 4ith the* the rest o her li e< 'ut 4hen I 4as 5ein$ 5rou$ht into her li e she didn2t understand ho4 !od could continue in the direction he 4as $oin$ 4ith her i she $ot *arried< )hen !od said to her throu$h this one verse6 70ou have sou$ht *e irst and put *y 4ays irst in everythin$ you do and thin16 so I a* $oin$ to add Charles to your li e to $ive you everythin$ you need 4hile on earth<8 When !od let her 1no4 that he 4as the one 4ho 4ould add all those thin$s necessary to $ive her total prosperity o the $reatest di*ension she could drea* or i*a$ine6 she 4as 4illin$ to accept his 4ays into prosperity and 4e 4ere soon *arried< %he didn2t understand6 5ut she o5eyed !od< I didn2t understand 4hat !od 4as doin$ 4ith *y li e at that sa*e ti*e6 5ut I 4as totally and co*pletely su5*itted to hi*< When *y 4i e died6 I honestly elt that !od had a plan or *e to 5e sin$le li1e he did in Paul2s li e6 5ut 4hen !od spo1e to *e and told *e to *arry Frances6 I 5elieved !od< 35raha* 5elieved !od and !od $ave hi* prosperity< When I 5elieved !od6 !od $ave *e prosperity ar 5eyond anythin$ I could ever drea* or i*a$ine< (,

!od2s 4ays to prosperity 4or16 and they are the only 4ays that 4or1< %ee1 !od and you 4ill ind hi*< %ee1 !od and you 4ill ind the ulti*ate in prosperity in every area o your li e6 includin$ your *arria$e< +arria$e prosperity is: N Love N /oy N Peace N Lon$su erin$ N Eindness N !oodness N Faith ulness N !entleness N %el ;control With all this ro* !od6 you 4ill have 4hatever you need to ul ill all o those pleasures o !odH a5undantly<

(.

Chapter Eight

Desires
I you had the chance to ac?uire anythin$ you desired6 4hat 4ould you choose? Can anyone on earth 5e so prosperous that they have anythin$ and everythin$ they desireHat all ti*es? )hat2s a 5i$ 5an1 account o prosperity< !od said6 ;eli"ht yourself also in the Lord, %nd ,e shall "ive you the desires of your heart @Psal* 37:" 93%'C< Frances and I li1e to teach the 5lessin$s o this verse 5y sayin$6 7+ove the period ro* the end o the sentence 5ac1 to 4here it reads6 LDeli$ht yoursel also in the Lord<2 When you do everythin$ to please !od and /esus6 you are deli$htin$ the* and there ore you deli$ht yoursel in the*< =nce you $ive all o yoursel to please the*6 then you can *ove the period 5ac1 into its place and !od 4ill say to you6 2;eli"ht yourself also in the Lord, and ,e shall "ive you the desires of your heart. )he desires o !od 4ill 5e put into your heart until all you 4ant is to ul ill his desires6 then the desires o your heart 4ill prosper 5ecause they are not sel ish<8 In the natural real*6 our desires are to 5ene it ourselves< I re*e*5er that a ter *y 4i e died6 I had three cars and could only drive one< I needed *oney 5ecause o the tre*endous cost o sic1ness and loss o 4or16 so *y hu*an desire 4as to $et all the *oney I could to pay 5ills< I could have sold t4o o 7-

the cars and that 4ould have helped< 3ctually one o the* 4as a +orris +inor that I had purchased 4hile I 4as in An$land6 and even 5e ore *y 4i e died6 I ound a nurse in the hospital 4ho did not have a car< I had the car serviced6 illed 4ith $asoline6 4ashed6 polished6 and $reasedD I chan$ed the oil and did everythin$ I could do to *a1e it per ect< I drove it to this nurse2s ho*e6 si$ned the title to her6 and $ave her the 1eys< %he ound it di icult to 5elieve that anyone 4ould do such a thin$< I2* sure she 4ondered 4hat snea1y sche*e I had up *y sleeve< )hrou$h the Word o !od6 a desire to $ive 4as inscri5ed in *y heart and it 4as *ani ested in this spontaneous $i t< )he $reatest deli$ht I received 4as the Goy it $ave to this An$lish nurse< )hat 4as 4orth ar *ore to *e than all the *oney I could have received ro* its sale< !od *ust receive $reat Goy 4hen he sees us respond to the principles he has $iven to us so 4e can 5e 5lessed< I $ave 5ecause I 4anted to< !od $ave /esus to us 5ecause he 4anted to< )he other car 4as a very ine 'uic1 that 4as airly ne4 and in top condition6 4ith lo4 *ilea$e< +y pastor2s 4i e did not have a car6 and she needed one< I si*ply si$ned the title over to her throu$h the church and handed the 1eys to her< %he 4as 5lessed even *ore 5ecause I responded to the $ivin$ nature o !od6 and it pleased hi*< 0ou *i$ht 5e interested in 1no4in$ that recently a 5eauti ul Cadillac %eville Ale$ante 4as driven up to our ho*e6 the title 4as si$ned over to us6 and the 1eys handed to us< !od2s desires are to

71

a5undantly $ive to those 4ho love hi* and serve hi*< When !od 4rites his la4s o $ivin$ into our hearts6 those la4s and desires are al4ays there< 7 < < to the e=tent that you did it to one of these brothers of 7ine, even the least of the , you did it to 7e @+atthe4 H:0D/ 93%'C< I do not understand ho4 !od causes his prosperity to co*e to us 4hen 4e have his desires instead o our o4n6 5ut so*e 4ay and al4ays he does< !od2s Word 4or1s<

72

Chapter Nine

"he %oy of the Lord Is &our Strength

(Nehemiah ! " #$ )hat is an unusual verse to descri5e prosperity< :o4 can the Goy o the Lord actually $ive us stren$th? )hin1 a5out 4hy !od 4ould say such a thin$< I advise you to obey only the ,oly S#irits instru!tions. ,e will tell you where to "o and what to do, and then you wont always be doin" the wron" thin"s your evil nature wants you to. Bor we naturally love to do evil thin"s that are -ust the o##osite fro the thin"s that the ,oly S#irit tells us to do; and the "ood thin"s we want to do when the S#irit has his way with us are -ust the o##osite of our natural desires. +hese two for!es within us are !onstantly fi"htin" ea!h other to win !ontrol over us, and our wishes are never free fro their #ressures @!alatians &:1(6 17 )L'C< )he devil 4ants us to live in poverty in all areas o our li e6 5ut /esus 4ants us to prosper< %o*e o the stron$est tools o the devil are depression6 despondency6 loneliness6 $rie 6 suicide6 and ear< )hese are all ne$ative orces used a$ainst our 5odies6 *inds6 and spirits to de eat us and to ta1e a4ay all o !od2s prosperity< )hey are all o the devil and are 5rou$ht to us to steal6 1ill6 and destroy us and our relationship 4ith !od< 73

Directly the opposite o those orces is the nature o !od 4hich is the positive true orce< It centers on the ruit o the %pirit and is very po4er ul< I read o an eBperi*ent *ade 5y ive atheistic *edical doctors< )hey 4anted to ind out 4hat ta1es place 4hen a person dies< )hey had an electronic instru*ent *ade that 4ould re$ister &-- ne$ative and &-- positive on a *eter< )hey applied this instru*ent to a radio si$nal that 4as sent around the 4orld6 and it re$istered . positive< )his instru*ent 4as attached to the 5rain o a patient 4ho 4as dyin$ o cancer< )hey placed a sensitive *icrophone near her *outh6 then 4ent into another roo* to *onitor the response on the instru*ent as she died< When the inal hour approached6 they heard her sayin$ so*ethin$ li1e: 7!od6 I love youD I praise you< 0ou are the only true !odD there is no other !od< )han1 you Father or 5ein$ so $ood to *e<8 =n and on she 4ent usin$ the *i$hty na*e o !od in praise and trust< )he doctors 5eca*e so intent 4ith 4hat she 4as sayin$ that they or$ot to 4atch the instru*ent< %uddenly they heard a clic1in$ noise and their attention turned to the cause o the sound< )o their a*aKe*ent the needle 4as hittin$ the &-- positive post and tryin$ to $o 5eyond that< )hen they attached the instru*ent to a second person 4ho 4as dyin$< )his ti*e they heard 4ords to the e ect that 7there is no !odD i there 4as a

7"

!od I 4ould hate hi*<8 :e cursed and denied the 3l*i$hty !od< )hey 4ere utterly astonished as they 4atched the needle $o to the &-- ne$ative post and try to $o urther< )o the*6 this 4as a scienti ic proo that there is po4er that can 5e *easured ro* 4hat people 5elieve and say< )here 4as *ore than Gust an attitude or thou$ht eBpressed< )here 4as a po4er ro* outside the* that 4as $reater than the po4er o positive thin1in$6 $reat as that po4er is< )hey discovered that !od2s co**and*ents6 4hen eBpressed and 5elieved6 produced a *easura5le lo4 o ener$y< )hey 4ere so touched 5y the results o this eBperi*ent that they all $ave their lives to !od< When !od said6 Let there be li"ht, 7 he spo1e into eBistence an everlastin$ li$ht to the universe and $ave us li$ht on the earth< )hat sa*e po4er o !od6 4hen 5elieved and spo1en 5y hu*ans 4ho are illed 4ith the po4er o !od2s :oly %pirit6 4ill 5rin$ orth *easura5le results< God "ives life to the dead and !alls into bein" that whi!h does not e=ist @Ro*ans ":17 93%'C< !od $ave /esus all o his po4er6 and /esus dele$ated this sa*e po4er to us 4ho 5elieve< Frances and I have had the a4eso*e privile$e o seein$ !od do hundreds o *iracles o $reat *a$nitude throu$h us even thou$h 4e are ordinary hu*an 5ein$s6 5ecause !od $ave us his po4er and /esus told us 4e could co**and thin$s to happen and they 4ould<

7&

We have seen ne4 parts appear in 5odies at our co**and in the na*e o /esus< We 4atched a thu*5 that 4as cut o at the second Goint $ro4 out to a ull thu*5 ri$ht 5e ore the eyes o seventy; ive people< It 4as an a4eso*e spectacle< We 4atched an ar* a5out ten inches shorter than the other ar* $ro4 out in ront o our eyes6 the eyes o three *edical doctors6 and a5out 163-people< 3ll 4e did 4as to 5elieve 4hat /esus said6 that 4e could do the sa*e thin$s he did and even $reater thin$s6 and use his authority to co**and this *iracle to happen< It happened6 and 4e $ive hi* $reat $lory< =ur a*ily doctor co*pleted his eBa*ination o *y 5eloved Frances and $ave us the distur5in$ ne4s that she had a $reatly enlar$ed heart and eBcessively hi$h 5lood pressure< :e instructed her to ta1e it easy and to let hi* chec1 this a$ain soon< :e had O;rayed the heart and had scienti ic evidence o the enlar$ed heart and the hi$h 5lood pressure readin$< 3 e4 days later6 or no apparent reason6 Frances 4ent to 5ed 4ith a 5urstin$ headache< We prayed6 5ut 4hen she received no relie 6 she too1 several aspirins< )he eBcruciatin$ pain continued< 3 ter t4enty; our hours o a$ony6 4e called the doctor and he sent her *edication to 5rin$ the pressure do4n< 'ut6 a ter three hours o *edication6 her head 4as still hurtin$ Gust as violently< We 4ere prayin$ a5out 4hat 1ind o action 4e should ta1e 4hen a riend ca*e to our ho*e< %he 4as a technician 4ho had her stethoscope and sphy$*o*ano*eter 4ith her< )he 5lood pressure at 7(

that ti*e 4as 22&P1"-< )he technician noted the enlar$ed heart and also stated that she could hear air escapin$ ro* it 5ecause o an o5vious hole in the heart< %o*ethin$ happened inside o *e as I realiKed the devil 4as atte*ptin$ to ta1e the li e o *y 5eloved< )hen I heard !od spea1 to *e6 tellin$ *e to ta1e authority over the heart< In the na*e o /esus6 and 5y the po4er o the :oly %pirit6 I started co**andin$ the heart to reduce to nor*al siKe6 the hole to 5e healed and the 5lood pressure to $o do4n to nor*al< I continued spea1in$ to her heart 4ith the authority !od $ave us throu$h /esus Christ6 and at the end o t4elve *inutes the scienti ic report 4as: )he 5lood pressure is nor*al6 1"-P,-< Instantly the a$oniKin$ pain le t6 and Frances $ot ri$ht out o 5ed6 her usual nor*al6 cheer ul sel < Frances returned to the sa*e doctor 4ho had O; rayed her and eBa*ined her only a e4 days 5e ore6 and he *ade every heart stress test that could 5e *ade< :e sho4ed us the previous O;ray and the ne4 one and said6 7Loo1 at the old heart 4hich 4as enlar$ed6 and loo1 no4 at the ne4 nor*al siKe heart<8 :e could ind no trace o a hole nor any evidence that there ever had 5een a hole6 and he said the 5lood pressure 4as eBcellent at 1"-P,-< :is dia$nosis 4as 7Frances6 you have the heart o a siBteen;year;old $irl<8 :alleluGah> )his ti*e a %pirit; illed Christian doctor had ound scienti ically *easura5le results ro* a *iracle o !od< Frances has never had a pro5le* 4ith her heart since then<

77

!od2s la4s are po4er ul 4eapons *ade availa5le to all o us 4ho 5elieve and apply those la4s to attain 5ounti ul prosperity in every area o our lives< !od 4ants us to 5e healthy< I have shared these stories or the $lory o !od to sho4 the po4er o !od $iven to us hu*an 5ein$s on earth to provide stren$th6 health6 happiness6 and any other needs< Why is the la4 o !od that says6 7)he Goy o the Lord is your stren$th8 so po4er ul? )he positive orce o !od and the ne$ative orce o %atan are constantly i$htin$ each other to 4in control over us< We have the po4er to su5*it to either o these orces6 5ut 4e *ust *a1e the choice< We are the ones 4ho decide 4hich orce 4e allo4 to control us< We can $ive in to the ne$ative6 or 4e can 5e dra4n 5y the positive< )he positive orces are the po4er o !od and his WordD the ne$ative orces are the violation o !od2s la4s< We can either o5ey or diso5ey !od2s la4s and 4e 4ill see results either 4ay< :is la4s 4or1 and are per ect< When 4e apply the*6 4e can 5rin$ into action those *i$hty orces that can *a1e a scienti ic *easurin$ device $o to4ard the positive or ne$ative< We choose 4hat happens6 5ut 4e cannot control 4hat happens eBcept 5y o5edience or diso5edience o !od2s la4s< When circu*stances o li e6 trials6 disappoint*ents6 or any other pro5le*s con ront us6 4e can resist the* and turn to trustin$ !od6 or 4e can $ive in to the* and 5eco*e de eated6 discoura$ed6 depressed6 lonely6 and controlled 5y

7,

other ne$ative orces that co*e 4hen 4e diso5ey !od2s Word< Sub it therefore to God. 5esist the devil and he will flee fro you. ;raw near to God and ,e will draw near to you... @/a*es ":76 , 93%'C< 'e anBious or nothin$6 5ut in everythin$ 5y prayer and supplication 4ith than1s$ivin$ let your re?uests 5e *ade 1no4n to !od< 3nd the peace o !od6 4hich surpasses all co*prehension6 shall $uard your hearts and your *inds in Christ /esus< Finally6 5rethren6 4hatever is true6 4hatever is lovely6 4hatever is o $ood repute6 i there is any eBcellence and i anythin$ 4orthy o praise6 let your *ind d4ell on these thin$s< )he thin$s you have learned and received and heard and seen in *e6 practice these thin$s6 and the !od o peace shall 5e 4ith you @Philippians ":(;. 93%'C< !od has $iven us the or*ula to drive out those ne$ative po4ers that ta1e a4ay our stren$th 5y ta1in$ a4ay our Goy and replacin$ it 4ith sadness6 unhappiness6 depression6 ear6 de eat6 $rie 6 and loneliness< Do you notice the lac1 o ener$y and stren$th you have 4hen you are do4nhearted? Do you also notice ho4 ull o ener$y you are 4hen all is $oin$ 4ell and you are ull o Goy? Frances and I 4ill not allo4 anythin$ to ta1e a4ay our Goy< 0es6 4e have as *any pro5le*s as anyone6 and our 5odies and *inds $et overly tired at ti*es< 'ut 4e 1no4 that i 4e *aintain Goy at all ti*es6 our stren$th 4ill never 4ane or ail< When the ne$ative orces try to co*e a$ainst you6 recite the scriptures I $ave you and learn *any 7.

*ore Goy; illed scriptures< %pea1 the* out loud every day and you 4ill discover that spea1in$ !od2s Word 4ill cause you to li t up your head and praise !od6 no *atter 4hat the circu*stances< +he -oy of the Lord is your stren"th. +he -oy of the Lord is #ros#erity.

,-

Chapter Ten

"he ost of Riches

:o4 *uch does a *illion dollars cost? What is the spiritual cost o prosperity? /udas paid thirty pieces o silver or the $reatest poverty ever purchased< /esus $ave his li e or the $reatest prosperity ever purchased< )he prosperity /esus purchased 4as the rede*ption o every sin$le individual6 ro* the irst *an to the last6 4ho 4ould 5elieve that he $ave his li e or the or$iveness o sin so that *an could live in the presence o !od 4hile on earth and eternally in heaven< )hat is 4hy 4e are his possessionHhis $lory< )he *ost i*portant person or 4ho* /esus $ave his li e is you< /udas paid a 5i$ price or poverty< :e 4as a traitor to the %on o !od and his pay 4as *ental an$uish6 4hich led to suicide and eternal dar1ness in hell< What choice do 4e have or prosperity or poverty? /esus ca*e to *a1e us rich< 3ou know how full of love and kindness our Lord 'esus was0 thou"h he was so very ri!h, yet to hel# you he be!a e so very #oor, so that by bein" #oor he !ould ake you ri!h @II Corinthians ,:. )L'C< ,1

%uppose one o the 4ealthiest people in the 4orld today ca*e to you and said6 7I 4ant to *a1e you very rich6 so here is a cashier2s chec1 dra4n on *y account or M1- *illion<8 !od o4ns everythin$ in heaven and in earth6 on the earth6 under the earth6 and all the stars6 planets6 suns6 and *oons6 and he $ave it all to /esus6 and then *ade us Goint heirs 4ith /esusH or all o this< )hen /esus ca*e to earth and 5eca*e poor so that he could *a1e us rich< )en *illion dollars< )hat2s nothin$ co*pared 4ith 4hat /esus has $iven to us< We are very6 very rich 4hen 4e 5eco*e a *e*5er o this a*ily o !od< We share in all the riches o !od6 the *ost eBcellent o 4hich is Gust to live in the luBurious presence o !od and /esusH here on earth6 no46 and then in heaven orever and orever< )hat2s prosperity< We *ust *eet one condition to 5eco*e a *e*5er o this 4ealthy a*ily o !od6 5ut it is so easy that it is al*ost e ortless< )urnin$ do4n all these riches is very hard< What is the condition o 5eco*in$ heir to all o !od2s riches? :o4 do you $et into such a 4ealthy a*ily to 5e a5le to receive all o its 5ene its? )he irst re?uire*ent to 5eco*e a *e*5er o this a*ily and enGoy all o !od2s $reat riches is to 5e 5orn into that a*ily< )hat is the only 4ay you can 5eco*e a 5lood child o an earthly a*ilyH 5ein$ 5orn into that a*ily< /esus said very clearly that in order to $et into the 1in$do* o !od6 his a*ily6 4e *ust 5e 5orn a$ain<

,2

It 4asn2t very di icult or co*plicated or *e to 5e 5orn< +y ather planted a sper* or a tiny seed that contained *y entire li e into the 4o*5 o *y *other6 and throu$h the *iracle o propa$ation !od desi$ned6 that seed *ultiplied into cells< When *y ti*e in the 4o*5 4as co*pleted6 I 4as 5orn physically< I 5eca*e a child o Ad :unter 4ho produced *y li e ro* his o4n li e6 and *y *other 4ho received this li e into hersel and nourished and cared or it until that li e ca*e orth as a 5a5y< I 5eca*e a little :unter 4hen I 4ars 5orn into this a*ily< When /esus 4as 5orn on earth as a *an6 he 4ent throu$h the sa*e physical process o 5ein$ 5orn< )he only di erence 4as that instead o an earthly *an li1e /oseph plantin$ the seed into the 4o*5 o +ary6 his *other6 !od planted the seed containin$ the li e o /esus< +ary 4as conceived 5y the :oly %pirit o !od6 so the li e planted into her 4o*5 5y !od produced the child /esus< /esus called !od his Father 5ecause !od 4as the one 4ho planted this seed containin$ li e into the 4o*5 o /esus2 earthly *other< )hen ho4 could this sa*e thin$ happen to us i /esus said6 70ou *ust 5e 5orn a$ain to inherit li e ro* !od<8 !od is a spirit and the 'i5le re ers to his spirit as the :oly %pirit< /esus6 his %on6 is also a spirit< 3n$els6 5oth $ood and 5ad6 are spirits< )he 'i5le tells us that 4e6 too6 are soul and spirit6 housed in hu*an lesh< =ur soul and spirit live in our 5odies< When 3da* and Ave sinned in the !arden o Aden6 their souls died and !od2s %pirit no lon$er lived in their spirits to $ive the* li e< )heir physical ,3

5odies continued to live or a $reat nu*5er o years even thou$h they had died spiritually< )o 5rin$ 5ac1 !od2s li e into the hu*an soul and spirit6 !od sent /esus to earth to *a1e a provision or this to happen< !od 5reathed li e into 3da* to *a1e hi* a livin$ soul6 so 4ould !od a$ain have to 5reathe li e into us to *a1e our souls live? )his is the 4ay !od did it: !od had to have a sper* or seed that contained li e6 Gust as the seed or sper* *y ather $ave to produce *y li e< Where 4ould he ind such a pheno*enal seed that 4ould produce life in the soul o *an1ind? 35raha* is re erred to as the ather o the children o Israel< !od pro*ised hi*6 and $ave hi*6 a son throu$h 4ho* his descendants 4ould 5e as nu*erous as the sands o the sea and the stars in the s1y< 'ut there 4as so*ethin$ special a5out this son !od $ave to 35raha*< !alatians 3:1( 93%' tells us6 Now the #ro ises were s#oken to %braha and to his seed. ,e does not say, 2%nd to seeds, 2as referrin" to any, but rather to one, 2%nd to your seed, that is, (hrist. Re*e*5er that it 4as !od2s :oly %pirit 4ho planted a seed into the 4o*5 o +ary so that /esus could 5e 5orn a hu*an 5ein$< )hat sa*e :oly %pirit plants a seed @the %pirit o /esus ChristC into the soul and spirit o those 4ho 4ill 5elieve in /esus and accept this seed li1e *y *other accepted a seed ro* *y ather6 Ad<

,"

:ad *y *other decided that she did not 4ant to have a 5a5y Charles6 she could have ta1en *easures to not accept this seed< %he could have used a contraceptive6 an arti icial prevention o the ertiliKation o the hu*an ovu*6 o ten called 5irth control< 'ut she didn2t< %he accepted the seed that contained *y li e< We have a choice o acceptin$ the seed6 or the li e o /esus6 ro* !od< We can choose 4hether 4e 4ant to serve !od or the devil< We don2t have three choicesHGust t4o< +y *other only had t4o choices Hto accept or reGect the seed containin$ *y li e< When 4e decide to accept /esus6 the seed o !od6 !od2s seed 4ill 5e planted into our spirit and 4e 4ill 5e 5orn a$ain< )hen 4e can call !od our Father Gust li1e /esus did6 and 4e can 5e a child o !od and a 5rother o /esus< )his is our 4ay o 5eco*in$ a *e*5er o the richest a*ily o all6 the a*ily o !od< Loo1 at ho4 clearly this is eBpressed in 1 /ohn 3:1 @)L'C: See how very u!h our heavenly Bather loves us, for he allows us to be !alled his !hildren4think of it4and we really are$ )ut sin!e ost #eo#le dont know God, naturally they dont understand that we are his !hildren. 3es, dear friends, we are already Gods !hildren, ri"ht now, and we !ant even i a"ine what it is "oin" to be like later on. )ut we do know this, that when he !o es we will be like hi , as a result of seein" hi as he really is. %nd everyone who really believes this will try to stay #ure be!ause (hrist is #ure.

,&

)ut those who kee# on sinnin" are a"ainst God, for every sin is done a"ainst the will of God. %nd you know that he !ould take away our sins, and that there is no sin in hi , no issin" of Gods will at any ti e in any way. So if we stay !lose to hi , obedient to hi , we wont be sinnin" either; but as for those who kee# on sinnin", they should realiGe this0 +hey sin be!ause they have never really known hi or be!o e his. &h, dear !hildren, dont let anyone de!eive you about this0 if you are !onstantly doin" what is "ood, it is be!ause you are "ood, even as he is. )ut if you kee# on sinnin", it shows that you belon" to Satan, who sin!e he first be"an to sin has ke#t steadily at it. )ut the Son of God !a e to destroy these works of the devil. +he #erson who has been born into Gods fa ily does not ake a #ra!ti!e of sinnin", be!ause now Gods life is in hi ; so he !ant kee# on sinnin", for this new life has been born into hi and !ontrols hi 4he has been born a"ain. What should I do to be born again? /esus is our %avior6 so 4e can si*ply as1 hi* to or$ive our sins6 our 4ron$ ha5its and 4ron$ attitudes6 and he 4ill< :e 4ill re*ove the* ro* us as ar as the east is ro* the 4est6 never to 5e re*e*5ered a$ain< )hen i 4e really6 truly 4ant /esus to live in us6 to 5e our 4ay6 our truth6 and our life, 4e can as1 hi* sincerely and he 4ill co*e into our spirits6 put there as the seed o li e 5y the %pirit o !od6 Gust as our earthly ather placed li e into us 5y his seed in our *other2s 4o*5< 'elieve that /esus is the %on o !od6 that he really did die or the ,(

resurrection o our li e in hi*6 that he 4as resurrected ro* the dead and no4 lives in $lory at the ri$ht hand o !od the Father< I you do that si*ple thin$6 your spirit 4ill 5e conceived 5y the :oly %pirit6 and the %pirit o /esus 4ill *er$e 4ith your spirit and you 4ill 5e born a"ain spiritually< !lory to !od> I you did that6 you are no4 a *e*5er o !od2s royal a*ily and entitled to all his prosperity< Is that all there is to it? Let2s eBa*ine that ?uestion< When I 4as a 5a5y6 I didn2t have to do anythin$ to 5e a part o this a*ily< +y *other6 ather6 5rothers6 and sisters did everythin$ or *e< )hey ed *e and too1 care o *e< 3s I $ot older6 *y parents 5e$an to $ive *e responsi5ilities as a part o this a*ily< It too1 all o us to do all the daily tas1s that needed to 5e done< I then learned to 4or16 and ortunately I learned to enGoy that 4or1< +y ather and *other told *e 4hat *y duties 4ere6 and they had a 4ay o disciplinin$ *e so that 4hether I 4anted to or not6 I 1ne4 I *ust do the*< +y instructions or 5ein$ a part o this a*ily 4ere clear6 and 4hen 4e all did our part6 the a*ily ran s*oothly< When one o us didn2t do our part6 4e had pro5le*s< !od2s conditions or enGoyin$ the 5ene its and 5lessin$s o 5ein$ a part o this $reat a*ily o !od include *any responsi5ilities and conditions< )he interestin$ thin$ is that Gust as each *e*5er o our earthly a*ily had to per or* their part or the a*ily to prosper in enGoy*ent and co* orts o livin$6 so it is in !od2s a*ily<

,7

!od 4ill al4ays prosper6 5ut 4e 4ill only prosper to the eBtent 4e do our part 4illin$ly and Goy ully< We 4ere 4ith our son6 )o*6 and his a*ily6 enGoyin$ the un o all 5ein$ in the s4i**in$ pool at their ho*e< )he our children 4ere playin$6 divin$6 splashin$6 and havin$ a super $ood ti*e< )hey $ot a little rou$h6 and one o the* $ot *ad at the others< %he 4ent to the end o the pool 5y hersel and pouted or several *inutes< %he 4as *isera5le< )he other 1ids continued to have a $reat ti*e6 i$norin$ her< Finally I 4ent over to her6 put *y ar* around her and said6 7Loo1 at the others havin$ a $ood ti*e< Do you notice that you are the only one 4ho is not enGoyin$ the s4i*?8 )hat 4as si*ple 4isdo* and love6 5ut she 4as s*art enou$h to see 4hat I *eant6 and it 4as only a e4 *inutes until she 4as 5ac1 havin$ un 4ith the others< When you loo1 at 7sel 8 you are al4ays *isera5le< We *ust cooperate 4ith the *e*5ers o our a*ily and o5ey the si*ple la4s o lovin$ one another6 or$ivin$ one another6 overloo1in$ the 4ea1nesses o the others6 and *any o the other conditions !od put into his instructions or prosperity in our ho*e li e< =ur $randdau$hter 4as diso5eyin$ !od2s conditions6 and she 4as livin$ or a e4 *inutes in poverty< 3s soon as she o5eyed !od2s la4s6 4hich said to love one another6 to or$ive those 4ho did you 4ron$6 to 5e illed 4ith Goy6 and *any other principles !od esta5lished so 4e could have ,,

prosperity in all thin$s6 she a$ain entered into that Goy ul real* o prosperity< Did you notice in that si*ple illustration that !od2s la4s are all or our $ood? )hey are never to stop us ro* havin$ a5undant un or peace or Goy< !od *ade every conceiva5le provision or our enGoy*ent in everythin$ 4e do< %atan is the thie 4ho 4ants to steal the a*ily ortune a4ay ro* us< :e does the *ost stupid and a5surd6 yet clever6 thin$s to convince us that diso5edience to !od 4ill 5ene it us< It never does< =5edience 4ill al4ays 5ene it us< What is the cost o riches? )radin$ our lives or the li e o /esus<

,.

Chapter E%even

Prosperity in the Love Wal'

When I si$ned *y li e over to !od 4ithout recourse6 or hi* to do anythin$ he 4anted to do 4ith *e6 I 5e$an searchin$ or every 4ay I possi5ly could to chan$e *y li e to please hi*< I read and *editated on everythin$ in his Word to ind out 4hat I needed to do to 4al1 4ith hi*< I read and *editated on the ruit o the %pirit as 4ritten in !alatians &:226 23< I 1ne4 these 4ere descriptions and characteristics o !od6 and i I 4as to please hi*6 I should 5e li1e hi*< !od is love6 and love is the irst ruit listed< I 5e$an to 4atch *y li e to see i love 4as a part o every act and thou$ht I had and i I really displayed /esus livin$ in *e 4hen I 4as aced 4ith situations that 4ere not conducive to lovin$ others< I discovered 4hen I as1ed !od to teach *e to love and 5e lovin$ even as /esus 4as6 that he allo4ed *any unlovin$ situations to co*e 5e ore *e< When 4e start 4al1in$ the love 4al1 4ith !od6 4e o ten *a1e an a*aKin$ discovery and 5eco*e a4are o a startlin$ act that 4e don2t al4ays eBpress love durin$ all circu*stances< Whenever 4e detect a situation eBistin$ li1e this6 4e need to chan$e 4hat 4e say and do to others< I *ade a concentrated e ort in *y o4n li e to alter *y attitudes and even adGusted 4hat I said or did to others< Aach ti*e I ac1no4led$ed *y .-

shortco*in$s6 and did so*ethin$ a5out the*6 I 1ne4 I 4as pleasin$ !od< What I 4as really doin$ 4as allo4in$ the li$ht o !od2s :oly %pirit to shine on the areas o *y li e 4here there 4as dar1ness< )hen as it did6 I repented o *y sins6 turned *y 5ac1 on the* and 5e$an trainin$ *ysel to 5e a 5etter i*itator o *y Father6 as a 5eloved child 4ould do @%ee Aphesians &:1C< I did this 5ecause I 4anted to o5ey !od *ore than I 4anted to please *ysel < Did I lose prosperity 5y doin$ this? = course not< +y 5an1 account 4as $ro4in$ as !od 4as sho4in$ *e conditions to enGoy *y a*ily ortune as a part o his a*ily< CriticiKin$ other Christians is a pasti*e in 4hich *any individuals indul$e< It is very easy to slip into this ha5it pattern< 3s I continued *y search to 5e *ore and *ore o an i*itator o !od6 I discovered that I 4as $uilty o this 5ecause certain individuals or $roups did not 5elieve li1e I did6 nor did they al4ays do thin$s the 4ay I thou$ht 4as 5est< I 4as livin$ outside o the la4s o !od or prosperity in *y li e 5ecause o *y criticiKin$ others6 5ecause !od said6 ;ont !riti!iGe, and then you wont be !riti!iGed. Bor others will treat you as you treat the @+atthe4 7:1 )L'C< What I didn2t realiKe 4as that I 4as diso5eyin$ one o !od2s instructions and6 5y so doin$6 I 4as $oin$ into poverty< I 4as6 5y *y o4n 5ehavior6 1eepin$ !od ro* 5lessin$ *e< We can6 5y our o4n volition6 deplete our 5an1 account o prosperity 5y continually dra4in$ a$ainst it in criticis*6 i*patience6 un1indness6 and any or all o %atan2s .1

violations o !od2s la4s< We need to stop *a1in$ 4ithdra4als and start *a1in$ *ore and *ore deposits< =ne day Frances and I 4ere preparin$ to produce our television pro$ra* and the :oly %pirit led *e to the thirteenth chapter o First Corinthians< )his is 4hat I discovered a5out trainin$ *ysel to 5e an i*itator o !od as he had instructed us to 5e: Ferse " says6 Love is very #atient and kind... I !od is love and I a* to 5e li1e hi*6 then 4hat 4ould that verse say i I put *y na*e in it? %o I read6 7Charles is very patient and 1ind<<<<8 )he *o*ent I placed *y na*e in that scripture6 it 4as as i !od lashed across *y *ind 4ays I had responded or reacted to4ard people6 and I ound out very ?uic1ly that I 4as not ully o5eyin$ that verse at all ti*es in *y everyday li e< %o*e people have a natural a5ility to 7che48 people out< I do not6 and I than1 !od or this6 5ut as he televised across *y *e*ory so*e o the loo1s I had $iven people6 and so*e o the curt re*ar1s I had *ade6 and so*e o the 4ays I had let the* 1no4 they displeased *e6 even thou$h I a* not $iven to ton$ue lashin$s6 I certainly ound out that I could stand i*prove*ent in the area o al4ays 5ein$ 1ind< )hen I as1ed !od to teach *e patience< I never really elt that I 4as short in this area6 5ut I have ne4s or you< #nless you *ean it6 you had 5etter not as1 hi* to do that< :e 4ill $ive you unli*ited opportunities to test your patience6 and you 4ill have plenty o practice learnin$ ho4 to 5eco*e patient and 1ind< .2

It 4as shortly a ter Frances and I 4ere *arried that I had as1ed !od to reveal to *e 4here I *i$ht 5e lac1in$ in the area o patience6 and he used *y o4n 5eloved 4i e and dau$hter to teach *e the $reatest lesson o *y li e in the area o patience< Frances and I 4ere preparin$ to drive 1(& *iles to 3ustin6 )eBas6 or a spea1in$ en$a$e*ent< We 4ere ta1in$ our dau$hter6 /oan6 alon$ 4ith us since it 4as on a %aturday *ornin$< I had driven to 3ustin *any ti*es and I 1ne4 al*ost to the *inute ho4 lon$ it ta1es to drive there< I had planned the ni$ht 5e ore that 4e 4ould leave at , a<*< so that 4e 4ould have a little eBtra ti*e or any un oreseen tra ic pro5le*s< I had calculated that this 4ould also $ive us su icient ti*e to set up our 5oo1 ta5le and *eet and $reet the people as they ca*e to the *eetin$< I had trained and disciplined *y li e or *any years to al4ays 5e at an appointed place 4ell ahead o ti*e< We had not 5een *arried very lon$ and I 4as not accusto*ed to havin$ a a*ily to $et ready or a trip< )hat particular *ornin$ /oanie see*ed to *e to 5e the slo4est person I had ever *et< %he see*ed to do nothin$ 5ut 7po1e alon$<8 When I 4or16 I 4or1 ast< When I 4al16 I 4al1 ast< When I do anythin$6 I do it rapidly6 and that *ornin$ it see*ed as i /oan 4as deli5erately delayin$ our departure< @0ou should see her today as a pastor2s 4i e and the *other o our youn$ children< :er speed is incredi5le<C I 4as pacin$ the loor and $ettin$ *ore irritated 5y the *o*ent 5ecause Frances didn2t see* to *e to 5e helpin$ *atters6 either< %he and /oanie see*ed .3

to *e to 5e tal1in$ too *uch instead o $ettin$ ready or this trip< 3t a5out 7:3- that *ornin$6 I 4as *easurin$ the ti*e it 4ould ta1e the* to inish $ettin$ ready6 and it certainly didn2t loo1 to *e li1e they 4ould *a1e it on ti*e6 so I re*inded the* @in love6 o courseC that they only had thirty *inutes le t 5e ore ti*e to leave< 3t 7:"& I had put everythin$ in the car that I could6 and it still didn2t appear to *e that they 4ere any closer to 5ein$ ready than the last ti*e I pro*pted the*< +y patience 4as 5ein$ tried6 5ut I didn2t thin1 a5out thatHI 4as criticiKin$ the* or 5ein$ so po1ey< +y attitude 4as 5ein$ pressed a$ainst a cloc1< Would you 5elieve that they 4eren2t ready at ei$ht o2cloc1 4hen 4e 4ere supposed to leave? In *y rustration I elt they 4ere deli5erately delayin$ thin$s or didn2t care and that they 4eren2t doin$ anythin$ to speed thin$s up< I 5e$an to put pressure on the*< I had 5een ready or thirty *inutes6 and I 4as sty*ied a5out doin$ anythin$ else until they $ot ready< 'y I0E: they still 4eren2t ready6 and I 4as losin$ a little 5it o *y te*per> +y patience had already eBpired and *y 1indness 4as $ettin$ very thin6 and I 4as deter*ined to per or* *y atherly duty to eBpedite thin$s6 no *atter 4hat I had to do< Frances 1ept insistin$ that 4e 4ould $et there in a*ple ti*e< Finally6 at a5out ,:3- they 4ere ready to $o< I practically shoved the* into the car and 7ripped8 the car out o the drive at a5out dou5le speed< I 1ne4 not to 5rea1 the speed li*it 5ecause ."

!od had already tau$ht *e to o5ey the la4s o the land @see ,ow to 7ake 3our 7arria"e >=!itin"4 )e ,onestA. 'ut I2ll tell you this6 I didn2t $o a second slo4er than the speed li*it< I 4as 7$unnin$8 the car a4ay ro* the stop si$ns6 tryin$ to *a1e up every *inute 4e had lost6 and 4e 4ere a5out our *iles do4n the road 4hen Frances said6 7Charles6 I have to stop at the store in the shoppin$ center or Gust a second<8 I2* $lad the thou$hts that 4ent throu$h *y *ind 4eren2t in 4ritin$< :o4 unreasona5le could you 5e a ter startin$ so late? 'ut I love Frances so dearly that I 4ould do anythin$ to please her6 so into the par1in$ lot o the shoppin$ center 4e 4ent< %he returned ?uic1ly ro* the store 4here she *ade a purchase6 and as I helped her 5ac1 into the car she said6 7Charles6 I or$ot *y 4atch>8 I ever there 4as a ti*e in our *arria$e 4hen I honestly elt li1e $ettin$ *ad at her6 this 4as it< Instead o sayin$ anythin$6 I sla**ed the door a ter puttin$ her in the car6 ran around to the driver2s side and6 5e ore I had hardly $otten *y door closed6 I 7scratched8 out across that par1in$ lot and every ti*e the 4heel turned over6 it 4as screechin$ ho4 *ad I 4as< I didn2t say a 4ord to her6 5ut *y actions certainly proved ho4 I elt< )o *a1e *atters 4orse6 construction 4as 5ein$ done in the shoppin$ center6 and 4e ca*e to so*e road 5loc1s6 so I sla**ed on the 5ra1es6 al*ost thre4 Frances into the 4indshield6 4heeled around and too1 o in another direction tryin$ to $et 5ac1 to the house< %he 4as petri ied< I had the en$ine roarin$ to $et it up to the speed li*it in a hurry6 .&

4hen Frances touched *e on the ar* and 4ith a steely ?uality in her voice that I had never heard 5e ore6 and have never heard since6 she very ir*ly said6 7Charles6 i you don2t stop that and slo4 do4n6 I2* $oin$ to $et =ut o this car ri$ht no4<8 %he *eant it< %he had her hand on the door6 and it 5ro1e *y heart that I had done so*ethin$ to hurt her< 'ut the very instant I realiKed that I had hurt her6 I slo4ed do4n to a reasona5le speed and 4ent 5ac1 ho*e to $et the 4atch< We didn2t tal1 *uch in the car 4hen 4e inally $ot 5ac1 on the ree4ay a$ain6 and it too1 ?uite a e4 *iles or *y te*per to settle and *y *ind to relaB6 5ut as the *iles 4ent 5y6 I as1ed *y a*ily to or$ive *e6 and once a$ain 4e 4ere the happy a*ily 4e have al4ays 5een< Would you li1e to 1no4 so*ethin$? In spite o all the delays6 4e arrived at our *eetin$ place over thirty *inutes ahead o our planned arrival ti*e6 and the doors o the church 4ere not even open yet6 so 4e had to sit in the car and 4hile a4ay the ti*e< !od6 teach *e patience< :e did< Ferse " o I Corinthians 13 continues6 Q never -ealous or envious... 7 It is so easy to 5eco*e Gealous 4ithout even realiKin$ it< %o*eti*es 4e can loo1 at the 5lessin$s o others and 5eco*e dissatis ied 4ith 4hat !od has $iven us< Financial prosperity has caused *any spirit; illed Christians to 5eco*e unhappy 4ith their lot 4hen they see so*eone else *ore a luent than they< In the *inistry6 Gealousy could creep in 5ecause 4e *i$ht eel in erior to another *inistry< In the church6 4e can 5eco*e Gealous 5ecause 4e *i$ht .(

eel the pastor is sho4in$ 7 avoritis*8 to individuals other than us< 9ever co*pare yoursel 4ith so*eone elseH loo1 only at /esus and the hi$h standards he has set or hi*sel and or us< )hen do your 5est or hi*6 and he and you 4ill 5e satis ied< ....never boastful or #roud... Did you ever 5ra$ a5out so*ethin$ to dra4 attention to ho4 $ood you are? Did you ever $et proud o your acco*plish*ents? Paul 5ra$$ed a5out a lot o thin$s in II Corinthians and other places 5ecause he had a lot o *erits that 4ere hi$h a5ove those o others 4ith 4ho* he associated< 'ut loo1 at his true 5oast ulness and his true pride: %s for e, God forbid that I should boast about anythin" e=!e#t the !ross of our Lord 'esus (hrist. )e!ause of that !ross y interest in all the attra!tive thin"s of the world was killed lon" a"o, and the worlds interest in e is also lon" dead. It doesnt ake any differen!e now whether we have been !ir!u !ised or not; what !ounts is whether we really have been !han"ed into new and different #eo#le. 7ay Gods er!y and #ea!e be u#on all of you who live by this #rin!i#le and u#on those everywhere who are really Gods own @!alatians (: 1";1( )L'C< Pride o sel ;acco*plish*ents 4ill lead to de eat and poverty6 5ut !odly pride in doin$ your 5est or hi* 4ill lead to $lori yin$ /esus in our lives< /esus *ust have ull reedo* to live his li e6 not ours6 in our daily activities6 ha5its and attitudes< ...never hau"hty or selfish or rude.

.7

Charles is never hau$hty or sel ish or rude? :ad I al4ays lived up to those standards in every situation? Was I no4 livin$ up to those standards at all ti*es? Did I ever eBpress alse pride and a hi$h opinion o *ysel ? I 4anted to understand ully 4hat hau"hty *eant6 so I 4ent to the dictionary: 1< proud and disdain ulD havin$ a hi$h opinion o onesel 2< proceedin$ ro* eBcessive pride or pride *in$led 4ith conte*pt )here are ti*es 4hen Frances and I stand 5e ore hu$e audiences and see the $lory o !od all and hundreds o people $et healed< %o*eti*es hundreds all under the a4eso*e po4er o !od in the audience6 and their lives are chan$ed< It is at ti*es li1e this that the devil loves to drop thou$ht te*ptations into *y *indH8Loo1 4hat you are doin"4wow$ Praise !od or the presence o his :oly %pirit6 5ecause 4hen this thou$ht tries to enter *y *ind6 he re*inds *e to $ive all the $lory to !od< I re*e*5er years a$o I 4as ridin$ a *otorcycle 4ithout a 4ind screen< It 4as at ni$ht6 and I 4as in an area 4here they 4ere *a1in$ su$ar6 4hich caused a lot o lar$e lyin$ 5u$s to 5e there< +y *otorcycle li$ht 4as 5ea*in$ in ront o *e a $reat distance and I could see these 5u$s co*e into vie4 lon$ 5e ore they reached *e< It see*ed li1e they 4ere 5ein$ hurled directly at *y ace and I 4as dod$in$ the* as ast as I could< 'ecause they 4ere

.,

visi5le 5e ore they reached *e6 I 4as anticipatin$ their hittin$ *e in the ace< 0ou can detect the thou$hts ro* %atan 5e ore they reach your *indHyou can see the* co*in$6 5ut you can 5esist the devil and he will flee fro you. 7 0ou actually can detect the thou$hts approachin$ your *ind and reGect or accept the* 5e ore they are planted into your *ind< I choose to reGect the* Gust as soon as I detect the*< )he %pirit o !od is your detective6 and he 1no4s eBactly6 instantly 4hat the devil is tryin$ to do< :e 4ill re*ind you in the t4in1lin$ o an eye that it is %atanHi you 4ant to please !od< )he ti*e to $et hau$htiness6 sel ishness6 and rudeness out o your *ind is 5e ore you receive those thou$hts ro* the devil< )he devil ca*ou la$es hi*sel as 7sel <8 )he pride o his 5eauty that he had in heaven still eBists undi*inished6 eBcept that he tries to i*pose it upon us< )hat is 4hy the :oly %pirit 4ill so ?uic1ly tell us 4hen pride starts to enter our *inds< 'ein$ sensitive to the thou$hts ro* !od allo4s !od2s detective a$ent to 4arn us o the approachin$ dan$er ?uic1ly enou$h or us to act a$ainst %atan2s atte*pt to corrupt !od2s nature 4ith his evil nature< Avery ti*e the devil tries to $et you to have pride o so*ethin$ $reat !od is doin$ in your li e6 that thou$ht should 5e thro4n out o our *inds Gust as ast as !od thre4 Luci er out o heaven 4hen pride entered his *ind< I pride o sel is allo4ed to enter our *inds6 it 5rin$s its co*panions6 sel ishness and rudeness6 4ith it and corrupts our nature< We actually have ..

the *ind o Christ as lon$ as 4e 1eep it pure and holy as !od co**ands< 3 pure and holy *ind is the nature o !od6 and it is our Go5 to 1eep our *inds ree o anythin$ that even rese*5les the nature o the devil< !od 4ants us to 5e li1e hi*6 and the devil tries to *a1e us turn a4ay ro* !od and lose our prosperity< )he devil o ers us poverty 4hen he o ers us his nature6 so Charles6 never be hau"hty or selfish or rude$ Ferse ive continues6 Love does not de and its own way. It is not irritable or tou!hy. Charles does not de*and his o4n 4ay and he is never irrita5le nor touchy< :ave I ever6 or do I ever de*and *y o4n 4ay? 3* I irrita5le or touchy 4hen I don2t $et y 4ay? Pro5a5ly no people alive6 Christian or non; Christian6 do not ind the*selves 4antin$ their o4n 4ay at ti*es< What2s 4ron$ 4ith that? 9othin$6 eBcept everythin$< !od 1no4s that i 4e de*and our 4ay instead o 4antin$ to please others 4e are never happy< :e 1no4s that even a little 5it o the nature o the devil starts the spirit o *an rottin$< 3 tiny cell o sel is li1e a cancer cell that *ultiplies so rapidly inside us that it 4ill soon 1ill< %atan co*es to 1ill6 to deceive6 and to destroy us< !od2s prosperity co*es ro* doin$ or others6 and 4hen 4e o5ey his la4s 4e 4ill not need to eBalt sel D his ri$hteous nature is 4hat 5rin$s happiness6 5ut the violation o his la4s 4ill 5rin$ de eat and poverty Gust 5y 7de*andin$ our o4n 4ays<8 We 5eco*e irrita5le and touchy 4hen 4e 4ant to have our 4ay and don2t $et it6 5ut !od2s 1--

hi$h4ay to prosperity 5rin$s peace and content*ent< 0ou cannot have peace o *ind 4hen you thin1 o yoursel instead o others6 5ut 4hen you proGect the nature o !od 5y servin$ others6 peace 5eyond *easure6 peace that passes all understandin$6 4ill 5e yours and that is a portion o the riches o !od2s $reat storehouse< Ferse & continues<<< 7It does not hold $rud$es and 4ill hardly even notice 4hen others do it 4ron$<8 Do you 1no4 4hat happens 4hen you hold a $rud$e? 5esent ent, hate, envy... )hey $ro4 inside you li1e ast spreadin$ cancer cells and eat your 4hole li e a4ay< What you put into your co*puter *ind stays there and 5eco*es a controller o your *ind6 your attitudes6 and eventually your 5odies and souls< What 1ind o peace6 Goy6 and happiness can people possi5ly eBpect to have i they have their *inds constantly illed 4ith ne$ative po4ers6 a lot o 4hich ste*s ro* holdin$ a $rud$e? Loo1 at 4hat the dictionary de ines as $rud$e6 and see i you 4ould li1e to pollute your *ind 4ith $ar5a$e li1e this: +o look u#on with envy; to envy the #ossessions of another; to "rud"e the #leasure of so eone; to "ive unwillin"ly; to #er it or "rant relu!tantly; to feel or entertain in a dis!ontented s#irit; to ur ur; to "ru ble; to re#ine; to !o #lain; to be unwillin"; to "rieve. What a pile o trash that is to conta*inate your *ind< Picture your *ind as a 5i$ $ar5a$e can ull o that 1ind o $ar5a$e< 1-1

Charles does not hold any $rud$e6 and he 4ill hardly even notice 4hen others do hi* 4ron$? Can you and I honestly say that a5out ourselves? Can 4e honestly say that 4e do not have any envy6 that 4e al4ays $ive to our nei$h5or 4illin$ly6 to our a*ily 4illin$ly and not sel ishly? Can 4e honestly say that 4e never *ur*ur or co*plain< Is it really true that 4e never have sel ;pity6 nor do 4e ever pout or sul1? Can 4e 5e truth ul 4hen 4e say that 4e do not have a 7discontented spirit?8 Do you notice that it is entirely up to us 4hat 4e do a5out it 4hen 4e discover that Gust a little 5it o our *inds are touched 5y so*e o these ne$atives? We can e*pty the $ar5a$e can6 4ash it6 and let it air so all the s*ell is $one6 or 4e can let it rot inside the can and s*ell up the 4hole place6 and even cause disease and *isery< Who 4ants rotten $ar5a$e s*ellin$ up their house? I re*e*5er one ti*e I 4as considerin$ purchasin$ an apart*ent proGect ro* one o *y clients in *y CP3 practice< :e had operated these apart*ents or t4o or three years and 1ne4 the pro5le*s that co*e 4ith so*e proGects li1e this< :e 4as honest 4ith *e 5ecause 4e 4ere very close riends6 and he said6 7Charles6 I don2t thin1 you 4ould enGoy o4nin$ these apart*ents< Recently so*eone *oved out 4ithout tellin$ us and 4e didn2t discover they had *oved or a5out a 4ee1< When 4e entered the apart*ent6 4e $a$$ed and al*ost vo*ited 5ecause o the horri5le odor< )hey had accu*ulated Llive2 $ar5a$e or so*eti*e 5e ore they *oved6 and it 4as so rotten that it s*elled li1e rotten e$$s< We had to re*ove 1-2

the carpets6 scru5 the loors6 ca5inets6 and the 4alls and repaint and then 4e could not $et all the odor out<8 :e said6 7I don2t thin1 you 4ant so*ethin$ li1e that in your li e<8 :e 4as so ri$ht6 and I really appreciated hi* lettin$ *e 1no4 that so*e people choose to live li1e that< 3 character in the 'i5le chose such a li e< :is apart*ent 4as 7:o$ Pen +anor<8 :e 4as the /e4ish son o a very 4ealthy *an6 5ut he chose to ta1e his part o the a*ily ortune and 7enGoy li e>8 :e le t the luBury o his ather2s ho*e and 4ent out to have a $ood ti*e< I2* sure he had un or a season< :e no dou5t had plenty o li?uor to drin16 he had a 4ild ti*e 4ith 4o*en6 pro5a5ly 4ent on dru$s i they 4ere availa5le then< :e 4ent 7ho$; 4ild8 4ith pleasures6 5ut he 4ound up eatin$ the s4ill 4ith the ho$s and suddenly realiKed 4hat he 4as doin$< :e 4ent 5ac1 ho*e and ound the prosperity o his ather 4aitin$ or hi*< )he pro5le* 4ith $rud$es and other attitudes that point to sel is that you $enerally don2t realiKe you have the* until they $et deep inside your *ind< )he devil is so s*art that he lets the* seep into your *ind $radually< 0our *ind is li1e porous soil H4ater seeps deep 4hen you 1eep puttin$ it into the $round< It ooKes in $radually6 and 4hen it seeps lon$ enou$h6 the $round is ully saturated< :e lets these ne$ative attitudes ooKe into our *inds so slo4ly that 4e hardly notice6 5ut the eBcitin$ thin$ is that 4e have a choice6 and 4e can put !od2s nature6 his attitudes6 into our *inds< When our *inds are ully saturated 4ith !od2s 1-3

nature6 4e can 5e prosperous in our *inds6 souls and 5odies< We can then say6 7Charles @put your na*e inC does not hold $rud$es and hardly 1no4s 4hen so*eone does hi* 4ron$<8 In act you can 1eep addin$ 5lessin$s a ter your na*e 4hen you saturate your *ind 4ith !od2s la4s< 7Charles is lovin$6 1ind6 eBcited6 rich6 healthy6 happy6 ull o Goy6 has peace68 and on and on $o the 5lessin$s !od 4ants to $ive us 4hen 4e o5ey his co**and*ents< I choose to live in a *ansion instead o in 7:o$ Pen +anor68 don2t you? We have to 4or1 and practice 4ith discipline to 1eep the thou$hts o %atan out o our *inds and to saturate the* 4ith the thou$hts o !od6 5ut it is 4orth4hile< !od2s conditions or prosperity are so si*ple and so easy 4hen 4e 1eep co*pletely a4ay ro* %atan2s nature and the attitudes he tries to put into our *inds< )he 5i$ secret is to $o all the 4ay 4ith !od6 not Gust part 4ay< :e said to o5ey all o his co**and*ents all the ti*e< )he devil Gust 4ants to start you o 4ith a s*all dose o his poison< It2s li1e so*eone ta1in$ their irst pu on a ci$arette6 or dru$s6 or alcoholHGust a little 5it 4ill dra4 you into the net held 5y the devil and his de*on an$els< Ferse (: It is never "lad about in-usti!e, but re-oi!es whenever truth wins out. 7Charles is never $lad a5out inGustice6 5ut reGoices 4henever truth 4ins =ut< )hin1 care ully to see i you are at all ti*es reGoicin$ 4hen truth 4ins outH4ith your a*ily6 4ith your riends6 4ith your nei$h5or6 your e*ployees or e*ployer< 1-"

:ave you ever had an ar$u*ent 4ith your spouse or your parents or children? Who 4on? !enerally everyone loses 4hen 4e ar$ue6 5ecause the Word o !od says not to ar$ue< We *ay thin1 4e 4in6 5ut does ar$uin$ 5rin$ peace and happiness to the a*ily? What does 4innin$ an ar$u*ent really *ean? Frances and I discovered a $reat secret a5out this< When 4e have a di erence o opinion a5out so*ethin$6 Frances tries to 4in the point or *e and I try to 4in it or her< :o4 lon$ can you ar$ue 4hen you are tryin$ to 4in or the other party? :o4 *ad can you $et 4hen you are tryin$ to 4in or so*eone 4ith 4ho* you do not a$ree? I 6 in your opinion6 you 4in an ar$u*ent6 that *eans you are $lad a5out inGustice 5ecause it hurts the other person< Do you reGoice 4hen you lose an ar$u*ent? )hat see*s illo$ical and *a1es no sense to the carnal *ind6 5ut 5ecause it is a principle o !od2s la4s6 it 4ill 4or1 in your avor< !od2s la4s al4ays serve others instead o sel 6 5ut !od is the one 4ho returns the 5lessin$sHand he $enerally does it throu$h the one you 5less< Jerse F0 If you love so eone you will be loyal to hi no atter what the !ost. 3ou will always believe in hi , always e=#e!t the best of hi , and always stand your "round in defendin" hi . I Charles loves so*eone he 4ill 5e loyal to hi* no *atter 4hat the cost? Loyalty is a very precious attri5ute< It is a treasure 4orth carin$ or and protectin$Hat any cost6 and 4hen co*5ined 4ith love you have a dou5le;portion pac1a$e< 1-&

Loyal *eans: 7 aith ul to the constituted authority o one2s countryD aith ul to those persons6 ideals6 etc<6 that one stands under an o5li$ation to de end or support<8 When t4o people enter into a 5lood covenant 4ith each other6 loyalty 5eco*es a li e;or;death *atter< Let2s say the chie s o t4o 3 rican tri5es enter into a 5lood covenant< What does that *ean? )hey actually cut their 4rists and so*eti*es their le$s to cause a lo4 o 5lood6 and they ru5 their 4rists to$ether to *in$le their 5lood6 5elievin$ that they 5eco*e as one< )hey *a1e a covenant or a$ree*ent that all that each o the* has 5elon$s to the otherD that their 4hole a*ilies or tri5es 5elon$ to the otherD that i any ene*y attac1s one o the*6 the other 4ill de end the* to the death o the last person< I they 5rea1 the covenant6 the 4i e o the one 5rea1in$ the a$ree*ent *ust cause her hus5and to 5e put to death< When I *arried Frances6 I *ade a covenant 4ith her that I 4ould love her and ta1e care o her until death< +arria$e is a or* o 5lood covenant< )he 'i5le places as hi$h responsi5ility on a hus5and and 4i e< Let2s ta1e a loo1 at this in Aphesians &:21;33 @)L'C< I thin1 it is i*portant to let you read this 4hole portion o !od2s la4s 4hen 4e loo1 care ully at the loyalty o love !od places on the *arria$e covenant and on our covenant 4ith !od< ,onor (hrist by sub ittin" to ea!h other. 3ou wives ust sub it to your husbands leadershi# in the sa e way you sub it to the Lord. 6,usbands, that doesnt ean to do ineer; it eans to sub it 1-(

your life for her !are like 'esus did his life be!ause he !ared for you and loved you even unto his death.8 Bor a husband is in !har"e of his wife in the sa e way (hrist is in !har"e of his body the !hur!h. @,e "ave his very life to take !are of it and be its Savior.A So you wives ust willin"ly obey your husbands in everythin", -ust as the !hur!h obeys (hrist. %nd you husbands, show the sa e kind of love to your wives as (hrist showed to the !hur!h when he died for her, to ake her holy and !lean, washed by ba#tis and Gods 1ord; so that he !ould "ive her to hi self as a "lorious !hur!h without a sin"le s#ot or wrinkle or any other ble ish, bein" holy and without a sin"le fault. 6+hats heavy res#onsibility, en$8 +hat is how husbands should treat their wives, lovin" the as #arts of the selves. Bor sin!e a an and his wife are now one, a an is really doin" hi self a favor and lovin" hi self when he loves his wife$ No one hates his own body but lovin"ly !ares for it, -ust as (hrist !ares for his body the !hur!h, of whi!h we are #arts. 6+hat the husband and wife are one body is #roved by the S!ri#ture whi!h says, % an ust leave his father and other when he arries, so that he !an be #erfe!tly -oined to his wife, and the two shall be one.8 I know this is hard to understand, but it is an illustration of the way we are #arts of the body of (hrist. So a"ain I say, a an ust love his wife as a#art of hi self, and the wife ust see to it that she

1-7

dee#ly res#e!ts her husband4obeyin", #raisin" and honorin" hi . Do you see the relationship o the 5lood covenant 5et4een t4o 3 rican chie s6 the covenant 4e *a1e 5et4een hus5and and 4i e6 and the covenant 4e *a1e 4ith !od? )he =ld )esta*ent is a covenant or a$ree*ent !od *ade 4ith the children o Israel 4hen he had the *en circu*cised< )hat caused 5lood to 5e shed and carried 4ith it the ull *eanin$ o a 5lood covenant< !od a$reed to protect the children o Israel at all costs and to care or the* i they 4ould o5ey hi* at all cost< It 4as only 4hen his people diso5eyed hi* that he had to 4ithdra4 all o his protection and care< :e chose to 5less the /e4s6 5ut they chose to re use his 5lessin$ and chose to accept the curses that he pro*ised 4ould happen i they diso5eyed @%ee Deuterono*y6 chapter 2,6 or eBa*pleC< !od had a per ect plan or his chosen people and as lon$ as they carried out their pro*ises in the 5lood covenant6 !od carried out his pro*ises< When they 5ro1e their covenant6 !od 4ithdre4 his 5lessin$s and all havoc 5ro1e loose< In *arria$e6 our 5lood covenant 5et4een hus5and and 4i e6 4e can have a per ect union 4hen 5oth parties carry out their part o the covenant< )hat is a "ivin" covenant< 3s a result o the "ivin", 5lessin$s are received6 5ut 4hen $ivin$ stops6 receivin$ stops< In the 9e4 )esta*ent6 !od 4anted to 4rite the la4s o his 9e4 Covenant on the hearts o his people 4here they 4ould never 4ant to diso5ey 1-,

the*6 and they 4ould 5e loyal to hi* at any cost< :e 4anted the* to want to love and o5ey hi* instead o havin" to o5ey< !od 4anted those 4ho 4ould 5e 4illin$ to *a1e a 5lood covenant 4ith hi* to 1no4 that he 4as 4illin$ to *a1e an everlastin$ 5lood covenant 4ith the*< %o in the 9e4 Covenant !od did not re?uire the cuttin$ o the covenant 5y havin$ the *en cut their 5odies in circu*cision< :e sent /esus to earth to 5e a covenant 4ith us< :e too1 all o the 5lood o /esus 4hen he allo4ed hi* to $ive his li e or us so that 4e could 5e *ade clean< :is 5lood covenant 4as so $reat that it covered all the sins o all people o all ti*es< 'ut this covenant had a condition< Prosperity has conditions that 4e *ust *eet to 5e receivers o the 5lessin$s o riches 5y Christ /esus< !od2s conditions 4ere that 4e 5elieve in /esus as 5ein$ the %on o !od6 that he $ave his li e;5lood as !od2s covenant 4ith us6 and that 4e as1 !od to put the %pirit o /esus into our spirits so that his li e 4ill 5e in us< 3ll 5lood covenants re?uire t4o in a$ree*ent< We *ust pled$e our loyalty or alle$iance to !od 4hen 4e *a1e a covenant 4ith hi* throu$h /esus< We *ust o5ey the la4s !od *ade6 all o 4hich are or our $ood< )he devil tries to *a1e us thin1 they are 5ad< +any people thin1 o police*en as 5ad ne4s6 5ut they are or the protection o our ri$hts6 and 4e should love and respect the*< 3 4i e should love and respect her hus5and 5ecause he 4ants only $ood or her< )he devil 4ill try to *a1e hi* 5elieve he is to do*ineer and suppress her6 5ut instead he 1-.

has *ade a pled$e o alle$iance to her< :e is or her $ood and never or her har*< :e is to 5e 4illin$ to de end her 4ith his very li e< )hat is loyalty< I a* al4ays eBceedin$ly care ul to see that in every act6 every attitude6 every thou$ht6 I put Frances irst a ter !od in *y li e< I do everythin$ I can to *a1e her li e a 5liss ul deli$ht at all ti*es< I don2t 4ant anythin$ 5ad to happen6 and I try to *a1e everythin$ $ood happen or her< I love her6 and I a* deter*ined at all cost to 5e loyal to her< Friction6 unhappiness6 pro5le*s6 and tur*oil co*e into a a*ily only 4hen one or *ore o the* 5rea1 their 5lood covenant 4ith the others< )his applies to the children as 4ell as hus5and and 4i e< )he children are the blood relatives< )here is a responsi5ility o 5oth ather and *other to ta1e care o the children< )here is a la4 o loyalty 4ritten into this a*ily 5lood covenant that 4ill 5rin$ peace and happiness 4hen it is o5eyedD 5ut 4hen it is not o5eyed6 tur*oil co*es< )he devil 4ants to 5rea1 up anythin$ !od provides< !od2s conditions or a*ily prosperity are 4ritten throu$hout the 4hole 'i5le6 5ut the part I ?uoted a5ove ro* Aphesians is a precious part o it< )he devil tries 4ith all his po4ers to $et us to 5rea1 our covenant 4ith !od and 4ith our a*ilies6 and 4hen he succeeds 4e 5rin$ curses upon ourselves and our a*ily< We are tal1in$ ri$ht no4 a5out loyalty< 7I you love so*eone you 4ill 5e loyal to hi* no *atter 4hat the cost< 0ou 4ill al4ays 5elieve in hi*6 al4ays eBpect the 5est o hi*6 and al4ays stand 11-

your $round in de endin$ hi*<8 Can I say that a5out Charles? Can you say that a5out yoursel ? 3re you loyal to !od and /esus? )o yoursel ? )o your spouse? )o your other a*ily *e*5ers? )o your e*ployer or e*ployee? )o your nei$h5or? )o your $overn*ent? Can you ind any area o your li e in 4hich you are not loyal? We are tal1in$ a5out love and its attri5utes6 one o 4hich is loyalty< !od is love< /esus is the eBact li1eness o !od6 so he is love< We are created in the i*a$e o !od6 so 4e are love< =r are 4e? )hat2s up to us< We can 5e love6 5ut i 4e are love6 4e *ust 5e loyal6 irst to !od and his provisions or us6 then to those on earth< I 4ant to share so*ethin$ a5out 5ein$ loyal that I pray 4ill cause you to deter*ine in your heart that you 4ill 5e totally loyal to everyone you love6 and accordin$ to /esus6 that *eans to love your ene*ies< I 4ant to i*press on your *ind the tre*endous i*portance that loyalty and love are in every person2s li e< /esus 4as a /e4< :e 4as a citiKen or a part o the /e4ish nationality< Paul 4as a /e46 and he 4as also a Ro*an citiKen< :e priKed that citiKenship hi$hly< Paul2s li e 4as 5ein$ threatened 5ecause he 4as proclai*in$ /esus to the /e4s< )hey 4ere a5out to 5eat hi* and had 5ound hi* 4ith thon$s 4hen Paul said to the centurion 4ho stood 5y: Is it lawful for you to s!our"e a an who is a 5o an, and un!onde ed*

111

1hen the !enturion heard that, he went and told the !o ander, sayin", +ake !are what you do, for this an is a 5o an. +hen the !o ander !a e and said to hi , +ell e, are you a 5o an* ,e said, 3es. %nd the !o ander answered, 1ith a lar"e su I obtained this !itiGenshi#. %nd Caul said, )ut I was born a !itiGen. +hen i ediately those who were about to e=a ine hi withdrew fro hi ; and the !o ander was also afraid after he found out that he was a 5o an, and be!ause he had bound hi @3cts 22:2&;2. 9E/FC< When you are a citiKen o any country6 5e loyal to that country and all its la4s< I you are a citiKen o a country di erent than *ine6 5e loyal to the country o 4hich you are a citiKen< I a* a citiKen o the #nited %tates o 3*erica6 and I2* proud o that herita$e< I respect *y country and a* loyal to it< I a* a reserve o icer in the #nited %tates 3ir Force< I have spent several years in active service6 ready to de end *y country 4ith *y li e< I a* also a citiKen o !od2s Ein$do*6 and I a* proud o it< I respect this privile$e o 5ein$ 5orn into this citiKenship< I a* 5orn a$ain< I a* a true citiKen 5y 5irth< I didn2t have to pay a lar$e su* to o5tain this citiKenship< +y 5rother6 /esus6 *y %avior6 *y +aster6 *y Lord6 *y Ein$ paid or this citiKenship< :e 5ou$ht *y ri$hts to 5e a child o !od6 the hi$hest ruler o all6 and he ully paid or it 4ith a $reat price< :e paid or it 4ith his 5lood<

112

+any people $ive their li e;5lood so that their country *ay re*ain a ree country< We are ree o all our sins 5ecause !od2s supre*e Co**ander6 /esus6 de ended our ri$hts as a citiKen o the Ein$do* o !od 4ith his 5lood< :e died so that 4e *i$ht 5e called a child o !od< We have all o our privile$es and ri$hts that !od $ave in his entire 'i5le 5ecause /esus2 5lood *ade us a part o that Ein$do*< 'ut as al4ays there are conditions or us to 5e and re*ain a citiKen o the Ein$do* o !od< )he conditions are that 4e 5elieve that /esus is the %on o !od6 that he died or us6 and rose a$ain so that he is a livin$ *onarch< )hen 4e *ust 5e loyal to our Ein$ even to the $ivin$ o our lives to de end this ri$ht< We $ive hi* our li e so that his li e can 5e in us< I have 5een cruci ied 4ith ChristD it is no lon$er I 4ho live6 5ut Christ lives in *eD and the li e 4hich I no4 live in the lesh I live 5y aith in the %on o !od6 4ho loved *e and $ave :i*sel or *e @!alatians 2:2- 9E/FC< We recently heard a youn$ Russian citiKen tell an a*aKin$ story 4hen he spo1e at our church at the City o Li$ht< :e told us o the persecution in Russia o the Christians there< :e said6 73*ericans6 5e proud o your ri$hts to reely 4orship !od 4ith no restrictions or persecutions<8 )hen he told o one instance o persecution< )he Russian o icers ca*e into a pu5lic $atherin$6 thre4 an open 'i5le on the loor and told the children to co*e one 5y one and spit on the 'i5le< Child nu*5er one ca*e and spit on the :oly 'i5le< Child nu*5er t4o did the sa*e< Child 113

nu*5er three did the sa*e< Child nu*5er our 4as a little $irl< Instead o spittin$ on the 'i5le6 she 1nelt do4n6 4iped the spit o the pa$es o the 'i5le6 and 1issed it< )he neBt thin$ that happened 4as that the pa$es o the 'i5le turned red 4ith her 5lood as they shot and 1illed her< %he *et the conditions or 5ein$ a citiKen o heaven6 althou$h she lost her citiKenship o her country< %he $ave her li e 5ecause she loved the praises o !od *ore than the praises o *an< :er loyalty and love 4ere inter*in$led 4ith her 5lood< We recently had an evan$elist at the City o Li$ht 4ho had attended a *eetin$ 4here a $roup o i**i$rants ro* other nations 4ere $ettin$ their citiKenship in the #nited %tates o 3*erica< :e 4as i*pressed 5y the parallel o their oath o alle$iance to the oath 4e ta1e 4hen 4e 5eco*e citiKens o the Ein$do* o !od< )hin1 o this parallel as you read the oath these i**i$rants too1< =ath o 3lle$iance 0ou here5y declare6 on oath6 that you a5solutely and entirely renounce and a5Gure all alle$iance and idelity to any orei$n prince6 potentate6 state or soverei$nty o 4ho* or 4hich you have hereto ore 5een a su5Gect or citiKenD that you 4ill support and de end the Constitution and the la4s o the #nited %tates o 3*erica a$ainst all ene*ies6 orei$n and do*esticD that you 4ill 5ear true aith and alle$iance to the sa*eD )hat you 4ill 5ear ar*s on 5ehal of the #nited %tates 4hen re?uired 5y la4D or that you 4ill 11"

per or* nonco*5atant service in the ar*ed orces o the #nited %tates 4hen re?uired 5y the la4D or that you 4ill per or* 4or1 o national i*portance under civilian direction 4hen re?uired 5y the la4D and that you ta1e this o5li$ation reely 4ithout any *ental reservation or purpose or evasionD so help you !od< When 4e heard this6 I 4ondered ho4 *any people 4ho are 5orn citiKens o the #nited %tates are a4are o their responsi5ilities and co**it*ents to 5e loyal to the #nited %tates< )hen I thou$ht6 7:o4 *any Christians 4ould si$n up as citiKens o the Ein$do* o !od i they had to pu5licly s4ear to the alle$iance o the Ein$do* o !od 4ith the co**it*ent the i**i$rants ta1e 4hen they 5eco*e citiKens o the #nited %tates?8 )his *ade *e *ore a4are o the privile$es and value o citiKenship in the #nited %tates and in the Ein$do* o !od< Loyalty and love0 Charles6 do you love !od enou$h that you 4ill 5e loyal to hi* no *atter 4hat the cost? Charles6 4ill you al4ays 5elieve in hi*6 al4ays eBpect the 5est o hi*6 and al4ays stand your $round in de endin$ hi*? 0ou are literally layin$ your li e do4n to 5e totally loyal to !od and /esus 4hen you 5eco*e a citiKen o !od2s a*ily< 'ut 4hen 4e *eet the conditions6 4e are in the one Ein$do* that 4ill last orever and orever< It can never 5e con?ueredD it can never lose a 5attleD it 4ill 5e secure orever 4ith the unde eata5le Ein$ /esus as its rulerD it 4ill 5e

11&

secure orever and 4ill 5e a !arden o Aden 4ith everythin$ 4e could ever desire6 as16 or drea*< !od pro*ises the ulti*ate in prosperity 4hen 4e ta1e our oath o alle$iance to hi* and his Ein$do*6 and 4hen 4e o5ey that oath<

11(

Chapter Twe%ve

Listening In (n God)s Plan For Prosperity

(on"ratulations, favored lady$ +he Lord s with you$ (onfused and disturbed, 7ary tried to think what the an"el !ould ean. ;ont be fri"htened, 7ary, the an"el told her, for God has de!ided to wonderfully bless you$ Jery soon now, you will be!o e #re"nant and have a baby boy, and you are to na e hi 2'esus. ,e shall be very "reat and shall be !alled the Son of God. %nd the Lord God shall "ive hi the throne of his an!estor ;avid. %nd he shall rei"n over Israel forever; his ?in"do shall never end$ 7ary asked the an"el, )ut how !an I have a baby* I a a vir"in. +he an"el re#lied, +he ,oly S#irit shall !o e u#on you, and the #ower of God shall overshadow you; so the baby born to you will be utterly holy4 the Son of God. Burther ore, si= onths a"o your %unt >liGabeth4 2the barren one, they !alled her4 be!a e #re"nant in her old a"e$ Bor every #ro ise fro God shall surely !o e true. 7ary said, I a the Lords servant, and I a willin" to do whatever he wants. 7ay everythin" you said !o e true. %nd then the an"el disa##eared @Lu1e 1:2,;3, )L'C< 117

3s you eavesdropped on the 3n$el !a5riel and +ary6 did you notice the pro*ises o !od that 4ould co*e to +ary i she 4ould do 4hat the an$el said? Let2s loo1 at the circu*stances and the conditions +ary aced in this conversation< %he 4as a youn$ lady6 a vir$in6 en$a$ed to a youn$ *an< Can you i*a$ine the conversation she *i$ht have had 4ith /oseph6 the *an she 4as en$a$ed to? 7/oseph6 honey6 I2* pre$nant<8 70ou are 4hat?8 7I2* pre$nant< )he an$el !a5riel ca*e to *e to tell *e I a* $oin$ to have a 5a5y 5oy and I2* to na*e hi* /esus< :e 4ill 5e called the %on o !od< /oseph6 I don2t really understand all this6 5ut he said the :oly %pirit 4ould co*e upon *e6 and the po4er o !od 4ould overshado4 *e< I $uess that2s ho4 I $ot pre$nant 5ecause you 1no4 I 4ould never 5e un aith ul to you< I love !od and you too *uch or that<8 What 4ould you do i you 4ere /oseph? 9othin$ li1e that had ever happened to anyone 5e ore< )hat re?uires totally trustin$ !od to 5elieve a 4ild story li1e that6 5ut ro* 4hat 4e see in the 'i5le6 /oseph 4as a *an o !od and he 5elieved< We *entioned ho4 35raha*6 /oseph6 and others in the =ld )esta*ent had aith to 5elieve !od in so*e unusual circu*stances6 and 5ecause o their 5elie they enGoyed the rich 5ene its o !od2s prosperity<

11,

What are so*e o the 5ene its !od $ave to +ary and /oseph 5ecause they 5elieved and o5eyed hi*? !od said throu$h the an$el that he had decided to 4onder ully 5less +ary< :o4 4ould you li1e or !od to send the hi$hest an$el in heaven to see you to tell you that he had decided to 4onder ully 5less you? )hat 4ould 5e eBcitin$6 and I2* sure 4hen 4e had ti*e to thin1 4e 4ould speculate on 4hat !od 4as $oin$ to do< Do you realiKe that 5ecause +ary accepted the conditions !od $ave to her6 4e actually have thousands o pro*ises in 4ritin$ in the 'i5le that !od 4ill 4onder ully 5less us< In verse 37 a5ove 4e are told< Bor every #ro ise fro God shall surely !o e true. I thin1 +ary2s reply to the an$el is the ans4er 4e *ust $ive to receive all !od 4ants to $ive to us: I a the Lords servant, and I a willin" to do whatever he wants. 7ay everythin" you said !o e true. 'ecause !od has so i*pressed on *y heart the i*portance o 4antin$ to please hi* and do only 4hat he 4ants6 that reply o +ary is one o the *ost po4er ul and thrillin$ verses in the 4hole 'i5le< I a willin" to do whatever he wants. Charles is 4illin$ to do 4hatever !od 4ants< Put your na*e here and say that you are 4illin$ to do 4hatever !od 4ants< ,ow we #raise God, the Bather of our Lord 'esus (hrist, who has blessed us with every blessin" in heaven be!ause we belon" to (hrist. 11.

Lon" a"o, even before he ade the world, God !hose us to be his very own, throu"h what (hrist would do for us; he de!ided then to ake us holy in his eyes, without a sin"le fault4we who stand before hi !overed with his love. ,is un!han"in" #lan has always been to ado#t us into his own fa ily by sendin" 'esus (hrist to die for us. %nd he did this be!ause he wanted to$ @Aphesians 1:3;& )L'C< !od is so 4ealthy that he can have anythin$ he 4ants< :e can *erely spea1 and a 4hole earth co*es into 5ein$6 4ith all the riches o $old6 silver6 uraniu*6 dia*onds6 and all the other precious $e*s6 oil6 land6 and every 1ind o 4ealth the 4orld 1no4s< )hat2s 5etter than havin$ an unli*ited chec1in$ account at our disposal< !od is very rich< 'ut out o all his 4ealth6 he chose us to 5e his very o4n< :e too1 on a 5i$ Go5 to *a1e us holy in his eyes6 adopt us into his o4n a*ily6 5ut he did all this 5ecause /esus 4as 4illin$ to co*e to earth to *a1e all this ours< /esus did this 5ecause he 4anted to< :e could have called t4elve le$ions o an$els and avoided $oin$ throu$h 4hat he did to a5sor5 our sins and sic1ness< Can you i*a$ine6 /esus did this 5ecause he 4anted to< !od allo4ed /esus to die6 Gust 5ecause !od 4anted to do this or us< :o4 very precious 4e *ust 5e in the si$ht o !od or hi* to value us so hi$hly< 3*on$ the riches +ary *ade possi5le 5y doin$ 4hat !od 4anted her to do in 5rin$in$ us /esus6 4e can $et choice $i ts out o !od2s storehouse< We are Goint heirs 4ith /esus to 4ho* !od $ave 12-

everythin$< ...(hrist has "iven ea!h of us s#e!ial abilities4whatever he wants us to have out of his ri!h storehouse of "ifts @Aphesians ":, )L'C< When +ary 5ore the %on o !od to *a1e hi* a *an on earth6 !od used her to $ive us a 1in$ 4ho 4ould rei$n over Israel oreverD his Ein$do* shall never end< We are a part o that rich Ein$do*6 all 5ecause o /esus< +ary 4as hi$hly honored a*on$ 4o*en6 5ut she 4as still only a hu*an 5ein$< /esus 4as $iven to us as the divine %on o !od6 and it is /esus 4ho* 4e 4orship< Aven the hi$hest honor that could 5e $iven to *an or 4o*an did not *erit the 4orship o !od2s people< )his had 5een done 5e ore6 5ut al4ays the people 4ho put other $ods 5e ore the 3l*i$hty !od ailed< In Revelation &:2;1" 4e discover: % i"hty an"el with a loud voi!e was shoutin" out this .uestion0 1ho s worthy to break the seals on this s!roll, and to unroll it* )ut no one in all heaven or earth or fro a on" the dead was #er itted to o#en and read it. +hen I we#t with disa##oint ent be!ause no one anywhere was worthy; no one !ould tell us what it said. )ut one of the twenty9four >lders said to e, Sto# !ryin", for look$ +he Lion of the tribe of 'udah, the 5oot of ;avid, has !on.uered, and #roved hi self worthy to o#en the s!roll and to break its seven seals. I looked and saw a La b standin" there before the twenty9four >lders, in front of the throne and the Livin" )ein"s, and on the La b were wounds 121

that on!e had !aused his death. ,e had seven horns and seven eyes, whi!h re#resent the seven9fold S#irit of God, sent out into every #art of the world. ,e ste##ed forward and took the s!roll fro the ri"ht hand of the one sittin" u#on the throne. %nd as he took the s!roll, the twenty9four >lders fell down before the La b, ea!h with a har# and "olden vials filled with in!ense4the #rayers of Gods #eo#le$ +hey were sin"in" hi a new son" with these words0 3ou are worthy to take the s!roll and break its seals and o#en it; for you were slain, and your blood has bou"ht #eo#le fro every nation as "ifts for God. %nd you have "athered the into a kin"do and ade the #riests of our God; they shall rei"n u#on the earth. +hen in y vision I heard the sin"in" of illions of an"els surroundin" the throne and the Livin" )ein"s and the >lders0 +he La b is worthy @loudly they san" it$A 4 the La b who was slain. ,e Ls worthy to re!eive the #ower, and the ri!hes, and the wisdo , and the stren"th, and the honor, and the "lory, and the blessin". %nd then I heard everyone in heaven and earth, and fro the dead beneath the earth and in the sea, e=!lai in", +he blessin" and the honor and the "lory and the #ower belon" to the one sittin" on the throne, and to the La b forever and ever. %nd the four Livin" )ein"s ke#t sayin", % en$ %nd the twenty9four >lders fell down and worshi##ed hi . )he an$els in heaven 4ere tryin$ to ind Gust one person 4ho 4as 4orthy6 and they inally ound 122

/esus and declared that he alone 4as 4orthy to 5e praised< :e alone is the one 4ho can $et us into the rich treasures o heaven6 and 4hen he $ets us there6 4e have inherited all the riches o !od2s $lory and it 4ill last orever and orever< =ne o !od2s conditions or prosperity is that 4e 4orship hi* and hi* alone<

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Chapter Thirteen

$oney an !uy *nything+++

:ave you heard that eBpression? I have6 5ut is it really a true state*ent? Can *oney 5uy peace o *ind6 Goy6 happiness6 content*ent or !od2s prosperity? I have to $ive a real e*phatic 79o8 in ans4er to that ?uestion< )his *ornin$ I 4o1e up 4ith an interestin$ thou$ht on *y *ind< 3ttitudes can 5e co*pared to inances< )here are attitudes that are li1e *oney in the 5an16 and there are attitudes li1e lia5ilities6 or *oney that 4e o4e< 3ttitudes that please !od are $ood< )hey are assets< 3ttitudes that displease !od are lia5ilities< Recently a 4ealthy %pirit; illed couple *ade a re*ar1 that 5ro1e *y heart< )hey 4ere discussin$ $ivin$ their year;end $i ts to *inistries and said6 7We don2t 1no4 ho4 *uch 4e2ll 5e $ivin$Hit depends on 4hat our accountant tells us to $ive>8 !od2s prosperity co*es 4hen you $ive ro* your heart6 not ro* 4hat your accountant dictates< Avery dollar Frances and I $ive is $iven 5ecause 4e as1 our accountant /esus ho4 *uch 4e should $ive< :e o4ns all 4e have or ever 4ill have< We are slaves 4or1in$ or hi*6 5ut 4e have all the 5lessin$s o !od co*in$ to usHnot *easura5le in *oney6 5ut in the love and 5lessin$s !od thin1s up< :e $ives peace and Goy *ore than 4e can even thin1 o or drea*< 12"

:e $ives love so $reat that 4e 5rea1 out in tears o Goy 5ecause his love over lo4s continuously< I2d rather have /esus than all the 4ealth o the 4orld6 and he is *y assetD the devil is a lia5ility6 5ut I don2t o4e hi* anythin$< :alleluGah> %everal years a$o !od spo1e to us and pro*ised us a *illion;dollar $i t that 4e have not received as yet< 'ut 4e 1no4 in our spirits it 4ill co*e< Recently !od spo1e to *e and said6 7Don2t li*it *e to Gust a *illion dollars>8 3nd it shoc1ed *e 5ecause I thou$ht6 7)4o *illion dollars6 ive *illion dollars?8 = ten 4e li*it !od and his resources 5ecause he 4ants to $ive us *ore than 4e are capa5le o anticipatin$< )he t4o o us $ot so eBcited 4e could hardly contain ourselves 4hen 4e realiKed that !od 4as sayin$6 7)a1e the lid o *y a5ility to 5rin$ inances into your *inistry 5ecause I a* not li*ited 5y your inite *inds>8 !lory> We have stopped puttin$ a li*it or a ceilin$ on !od2s a5ility to provide< We are 5elievin$ or an a5ility to reach out and touch *illions o people 4ith the $ospel o /esus Christ 5ecause 4e have stopped li*itin$ !od< We are $oin$ ull speed ahead until /esus appears in the s1y to ta1e us to heaven< What is a *illion dollars 4orth? What is /esus 4orth? No one !an serve two asters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and des#ise the other. 3ou !annot serve God and a on @+atthe4 (:2" 9E/FC< +a**on is also translated *oney< 0ou really cannot co*pare the t4o unless you try to *easure the distance 5et4een love and hate< 12&

=ne o the $reatest 5lessin$s /esus ever $ave *e 4as in 1.(,< )hat 4as the year I released all *y li e to !od and to /esus or the* to do anythin$ they 4anted to 4ith *e< )hat is the year I died to sel and let /esus live in and throu$h *eHone hundred percent< =ne %aturday *ornin$ I 4as *editatin$ in the 'i5le in the ourteenth chapter o Lu1e6 verses 2& throu$h 33< 3s I read the 2(th verse6 I 1ne4 !od 4as tryin$ to $et a *essa$e deep into *y spirit< 7I anyone co*es to +e6 and does not hate his o4n ather and *other and 4i e and children and 5rothers and sisters6 yes6 and even his o4n li e6 he cannot 5e +y disciple<8 I *ust have read those verses or ten hours that day< I could not understand 4hat !od 4as tryin$ to tell *e6 especially in the 2(th verse< )he neBt *ornin$ I $ot up early and started readin$ the sa*e verses over and over a$ain< )he special *essa$e he had or *e did not see* to penetrate *y *ind6 so I said6 7!od6 I can2t understand 4hat you are tryin$ to say to *e in the ourteenth chapter6 so I 4ill start readin$ the neBt chapter<8 I could not read it< )here 4as such a 4ooin$ o the :oly %pirit to return to the ourteenth chapter that I inally said6 73ll ri$ht6 !od6 I2ll 1eep readin$ those verses until I understand 4hat it is you are tryin$ to tell *e<8 )his ti*e the *essa$e !od 4anted *e to receive ca*e as clear as a cloudless day< /esus put a spotli$ht on that scripture and *ade it so personal to *e that it read: 12(

If you, (harles, !o e to 7e and do not hate your father and other, wife and !hildren, brothers and sisters, yes, and your own life also, you !annot be 7y dis!i#le$ %nd if you, (harles, do not bear your !ross and !o e after 7e, you !annot be 7y dis!i#le. II said6J 'esus, you know I want to be your dis!i#le, and I have "iven you y whole life, but I dont understand what you ean by sayin" to hate these #eo#le you entioned. I know you do not have hate in you and you dont want e to have hate. 1hat do you ean* I:e said6J +he "reatest distan!e of anythin" on earth is the distan!e between hate and love. +he #eo#le I entioned in that verse are the ones you love the ost. 3ou ust #ut your love for e as u!h above your love for your wife and the others that it is as far above the as the distan!e between love and hate$ IWithout hesitation or thou$ht6 I said6J 'esus, thats what I want to do and will do. 3t that ti*e *y 4i e 4ho* I loved 4ith all *y heart 4as dyin$ o cancer and I 4as prayin$ or her healin$< 'ut at that *o*ent 4hen /esus spo1e those 4ords into *y spirit6 I 1ne4 that I loved /esus even *ore than I did *y 4i e< )hat 4as the 5e$innin$ o the $reatest love I ever 1ne4< I discovered at that ti*e and as ti*e 4ent on that 4hen you put /esus and !od irst a5ove the ones or the thin$s you love the *ost6 they 4ill $ive you a ar $reater love or your a*ily than you can have on your o4n< 127

)hat 4as one o the $reatest 1eys I 4as ever $iven to unloc1 !od2s conditions or prosperity< =nce I put /esus ar a5ove *y $reatest earthly love6 the 4indo4s o heaven opened up to *e and I2ve 5een one o the richest *en on earth< +y riches cannot 5e *easured in $old and silver6 5ut I2* a *ulti;*illionaire in the a*ily o !od< When !od $ives his love 4ithout *easure6 your riches are e=!eedin"ly abundantly beyond all that we ask or think... @Aphesians ":2- 93%'C< 3da* 4as the richest hu*an 4ho ever lived< 3da* allo4ed %atan to steal all the 4ealth o the 4hole earth< %atan 5eca*e rich so that 4e could 5eco*e poor< /esus ca*e to earth to ta1e 5ac1 the possessions the devil stole ro* 3da*< Bor you know the "ra!e of our Lord 'esus (hrist, that thou"h ,e was ri!h, yet for your sake ,e be!a e #oor, that you throu"h ,is #overty i"ht be!o e ri!h @II Corinthians ,:. 93%'C< 9o4 /esus o4ns everythin$ on6 in6 and under the earth and in the heavens and in heaven 4here he lives 4ith !od as the Ein$ o Ein$s< When 4e 5eco*e his disciple6 4e 5eco*e a Goint heir 4ith /esus to all o !od2s total 4ealth< :o4 *uch does !od2s prosperity cost? It only costs you your li e<

12,

Chapter Fourteen

Ulti#ate Prosperity
Finally6 4hat is the very ulti*ate in prosperity? I you thou$ht o all thin$s and all potentials or prosperity and had your choice o havin$ anythin$ you 4anted6 4hat 4ould it 5e? Paul discovered it and attained it< I 4e can ind it and have it6 then prosperity at its very $reatest and or all eternity is ours< /ohn discovered it and attained it< %nd so I say to you fathers who know the eternal God, and to you youn" en who are stron", with Gods 1ord in your hearts, and have won your stru""le a"ainst Satan0 Sto# lovin" this evil world and all that it offers you, for when you love these thin"s you show that you do not really love God; for all these worldly thin"s, these evil desires4the !raGe for se=, the a bition to buy everythin" that a##eals to you, and the #ride that !o es fro wealth and i #ortan!e4these are not fro God. +hey are fro this evil world itself. %nd this world is fadin" away, and these evil, forbidden thin"s will "o with it, but whoever kee#s doin" the will of God will live forever @I /ohn 2:1""7 )L'C< Who 4as /ohn tal1in$ a5out? )hose 4ho know the eternal God. What is the pro*ise? 7Whoever 1eeps doin$ the 4ill o !od 4ill live orever<8 )hat one sentence $ives the pro*ise and the condition to 1no4 !od<

12.

/esus said: 7y #lea is not for the world but for those you have "iven e be!ause they belon" to you. %nd all of the , sin!e they are ine, belon" to you; and you have "iven the ba!k to e with everythin" else of yours, and so they are y "lory @/ohn 17:.6 1- )L'C< /esus has $iven us 5ac1 to !od 4ith everythin$ else that !od o4ns6 and he o4ns everythin$< Can you co*prehend that $i t ro* /esus? :e $ave you and *e to !od< We are on the receivin$ end o that *i$hty 5lessin$< What prosperity> What a5undance> )hen to cap it all o 4ith the $reatest thin$ 4e can attain6 the $reatest love 4e can ever have6 the $reatest riches6 the $reatest 5lessin$s6 the $reatest a5undance: 1hen 'esus had finished sayin" all these thin"s he looked u# to heaven and said, Bather, the ti e has !o e. 5eveal the "lory of your Son so that he !an "ive the "lory ba!k to you. Bor you have "iven hi authority over every an and wo an in all the earth. ,e "ives eternal life to ea!h one you have "iven hi . %nd this is the way to have eternal life4 by knowin" you, the only true God, and 'esus (hrist, the one you sent to earth$ @/ohn 17:1;3 )L'C< )he sole purpose or 4hich /esus did all that he did so that 4e could have li e and have it *ore a5undantly6 4as or us to know God. )hin1 a5out that< Is there anythin$ $reater in all heaven and earth than to truly 1no4 !od? Father6 there is nothin$ $reater in all the earth than 1no4in$ you< We 1no4 you 5ecause 4e 1no4 /esus< 13-

When you 1no4 !od6 really 1no4 hi* personally as your o4n Father6 the only true !od6 the !od a5ove all $ods6 even the Father o our Lord /esus Christ6 is there anythin$ else that *atters? Is there any hi$her desire or achieve*ent ever6 or anyone6 than that? /esus said to !od in /ohn 17:17: 7ake the Ithat2s you and *eJ #ure and holy throu"h tea!hin" the your words of truth. /esus said6 I a the way, the truth, and the life; no one !o es to the Bather, but throu"h 7e @/ohn 1":( 93%'C< %nd so they were sayin" to ,i , 1here is 3our Bather* 'esus answered, 3ou know neither 7e, nor 7y Bather; if you knew 7e, you would know 7y Bather also @/ohn ,:1. 93%'C< )he conditions o 1no4in$ !od are Gust as si*ple as any o the other conditions or prosperity< /esus *ade it so easy< For years I 1ne4 a5out !odD I 1ne4 a5out /esus6 5ut that one 5eauti ul day 4hen I 5ro1e throu$h into a ne4 di*ension o prosperity I si*ply said6 7Father6 ta1e all o *y li e and *a1e *e spiritually 4hat you 4ant *e to 5e>8 I *eant that 4ith all *y heart< I *eant ta1e 3LL o *y li e< I didn2t 1eep *y 4i e6 *y li e6 *y 5usiness6 *y ho*e6 *y stoc16 *y landD I $ave it all to hi* that early *ornin$< I turned loose o Charles :unter< )hat 4as the 5e$innin$ o *y *eetin$ !od2s conditions or the total a5undant li e /esus had pro*ised< I could never 5e$in to descri5e all the riches in $lory $iven to *e 5y Christ /esus since I $ave all to hi*< 9othin$ else really *atters< 9othin$ else is i*portant6 5ut 5ecause nothin$ 5ut 131

1no4in$ !od and /esus is i*portant6 that released all the la4s o !od to pour out *ore o his 5lessin$s on *e than I could ever drea* or i*a$ine< Bor the reveren!e and fear of God are basi! to all wisdo . ?nowin" God results in every other kind of understandin" @Prover5s .:1- )L'C< !od2s pro*ises are really true< )hey are not Gust 4ords on a piece o paper< )hey are not Gust stories in the 'i5le a5out other people in other ti*es< )hey are not Gust state*ents 4hich have neither li e nor *eanin$< )hey really 4or16 and they 4or1 today6 and they 4or1 or you and *e6 IF WE MEET THE CONDITIONS FOR PROSPERITY BY KNOWING GOD!

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