A Prosperous New Year
"But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." - Matthew 6:33 -
Happy New Year to you and yours! Let me ask you a question. Wouldn’t it be great if someone had your life all figured out? Wouldn’t it be great if they loved you and looked out for your best interests? And what if that one was as excited about your success in life as you were?
Well there is a God in Heaven who knows you and has known you even before you were born. Our heavenly Father has eagerly waited for your birth to put his plan for your life into action; to pour out the blessings of heaven upon you and your life. I know that this year will be your happiest and most prosperous ever if you follow the plan that God has laid out for your life.
“For I know the thoughts I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.” - Jeremiah 29:11 –
God designed and created you to be successful and to prosper … according to his Word, one step at a time.
Seek ye first the kingdom of God, that is seek to be reconnected with the source and Creator of all things.
Then seek his righteousness. Simply put God is the standard by which all things are measured. When we seek his righteousness, we seek to do things rightly according to God’s standard of what is right.
The result is that we will be pleasing to God which will bring us his favor, “and all these things shall be added unto you.”
Which one of you does not want their child to do well and be happy? The Father wants the same for his children. And God has laid out a plan for happy successful living in the Bible for us to follow. I always ask others to thing of the Bible as the operators’ manual for the human life. Just as your car has instructions for smooth operation, so does your life. And, if we follow the instructions everything runs smoothly. However, if we neglect to maintain our lives the way God planned then we start to have a rough ride.
Our nature is to put the cart before the horse. Instead of first seeking entry into the kingdom of God; we chase after the things of this world. And doing so is like herding cats. The things that we seek so desperately as a measure of success always seem just out of reach. Better to be in harmony with the “Father of lights”, the One can provide “Every good gift and every perfect gift.”
Today I want to begin to examine what a prosperous life requires according to our operators’ manual, the Word of God.
WHAT IS PROSPERITY?
Let’s begin by defining prosperity.
According to www.yourdictionary.com
Prosperity is the state of being wealthy, or having a rich and full life.
An example of prosperity is a person who is living a rich and full life with all the money and happiness he needs.
An example of prosperity in developing countries is having basic luxuries such as running water and electricity.
According to this example it may appear that wealth is the overarching metric of success and prosperity. But; the definition offered by the yourdictionary.com further states: “or having a rich and full life.” Also in example number two it could be things as basic as running water and electricity.
What does prosperity mean to you?
Is it money in the bank, material wealth, property, or things of this world? Or, is prosperity the wisdom and practices taught in the Bible that can bring true contentment; and the things that you need and even desire?
“Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.” - Psalm 37:4 –
A good example from the book of Luke shows us what is really important in this life. When an argument broke out between two brothers about an inheritance, Jesus warned them:
“And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.” - Luke 12:15 –
You see, possessions are not prosperity. But, knowing the One who can give prosperity, now that’s the key.
“And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.’ - Colossians 1:17 –
Scripture tells us that Jesus is God, and, as God, he is eternal. Hence, “he is before all things”. We Also read in John 1:3 That “All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.” So not only is Jesus the one is involved in supplying all things that we need; but he is the creator of all that we need! Ultimately, if we have Jesus we have contentment as he is able to meet every need we may ever have.
“Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.” - Hebrews 13:5 –
Now that is true prosperity!
DIFFERING POINTS OF VIEW.
What do you think prosperity is? Is it having all of the bills paid on time, or is it having no bills at all? Is prosperity determined by being generally healthy or by being in really good health? You know, the kind of prosperity that allows you to go to the doctor to stay healthy instead of going in only when you are already very sick. Maybe your vision of prosperity involves mansions and servants, or you may just be happy to have enough to get through the day.
Here we learn that we should “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world…..” And, we should “be content with such things as ye have”, happily enjoying the things that we have and the blessings of the situation that God has seen fit to put us in. Remembering always that we often put ourselves in precarious situations and yet God still finds a way to bless us if we will look to him. And you should rejoice that you can look to him, “for he hath said I will NEVER LEAVE THEE, nor forsake thee.” Your help and your happiness is just a prayer away! Remember not to stray from the source of your strength.
“Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. ….” - James 4:8 –
“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” - Psalm 46:1 –
Prosperity is not a function of your surroundings or your situation any more than your salvation is based on what family you are born into or weather or not they are saved. Prosperity is the sense of well-being that comes from being right with God in any situation; good or bad, pleasant or unpleasant. Let us first compare the situations of two heroes of the Bible, King David and the Apostle Paul.
Although King David had all the wealth, power and social position of royalty; he did not equate those “things” with prosperity. King David was never more prosperous than when he was in the pasture tending his father’s sheep. It was then that the power of God rested upon him and he was able to slay both the lion and the bear in defense of the flock he was to protect. This prosperity of the presence of God once again delivered David from the hero of the Philistines, the giant, Goliath of Gath. What made David prosperous in this battle was the surety of God’s presence and strength. The young shepherd boy David refused the strength of King Saul’s armor and trusted in the hand of God to guide him.
“David said moreover, The LORD that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine.” - 1 Samuel 17:37 –
Yet when David was king in Jerusalem he strayed from God and his eyes rested on “things” instead of on God. Although he strayed and lost fellowship with God, he sought out God diligently and with many tears and was found of God again. David cried out to a merciful God:
“Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.” - Psalm 51:10-12 –
Just as we do not disown our children when they do wrong; neither does God kick us out of the family when we sin against him. His mercies are “new every morning…” I’m glad for God’s promise:
“Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.” - Jeremiah 29:12-13 –
Now that’s true prosperity!
The Apostle Paul’s situation was diametrically opposed to David’s situation. While David got his start as a poor shepherd boy walking in the power of God, and then when reaching the pinnacle of success strayed from God; Paul began his life in a family of good breeding, power and prestige. Paul said himself that he was a “Hebrew of the Hebrews”, the cream of the crop. Yet for all of his learning and privilege he did not even recognize Jesus when he was confronted by him on the road to Damascus.
“And he said, Who art thou Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: ….” - Acts 9:5 –
But Paul was gloriously saved and his life was supernaturally changed. He no longer desired the things of the world but said:
“Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ.” - Philippians 3:8 –
It was only after Paul realized the futility in trusting in things of this world that he began to prosper in the truth of God; in the realization that the only true prosperity was the prosperity of being right with the father and trusting his leadership and presence for true eternal success.
In the following years Paul would endure natural catastrophe’s such as hurricanes for the cause of Christ. He would endure the whip five times, beatings with rods, shipwrecks, being robbed, being stoned, as well as, pain, hunger, thirst, cold and nakedness. His life did not seem to be very prosperous after his conversion to Christ, yet Paul said:
“…for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.” - Philippians 4:11 -
Now that’s true prosperity!
In addition to the experiences of David and Paul I would ask you to consider one more exemplary life; the life of Paul’s young convert, Timothy. Timothy had the distinct advantage of being raised by a godly grandmother and mother. Two women full of faith. These women; through precept and example planted the seeds of faith that enabled Paul at a later date to lead Timothy to salvation in Christ. Paul called Timothy: “my own son in the faith:”
Timothy did not have the powerful presence of God working in his young life as did David the shepherd boy, nor the obstacles of wealthy and position to overcome as Paul did. No Timothy was probably very much like you and me. Hearing the gospel, believing, receiving Christ, and then growing in the Lord. What we do know is that Timothy was a diligent student. He was teachable.
“But continue in the things which thou hast learned and been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them.” - 2 Timothy 3:14 –
Timothy’s life was one of growth over time, leading to maturity and ability to serve God and to teach others. The Apostle Peter teaches us that Christian growth is a process of addition. Over time we learn new facets of the Christian walk and incorporate them into our lives for God.
“And beside all this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge, And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.” - 2 Peter 1:5-8 –
True prosperity is a function of Truth, Trust, and Time.
The Truth of God’s Word, “But seek ye first the kingdom of God” … David knew that doing things God’s way was always the path to success. In Psalm 84:11 David records: “For the LORD God is a sun and a shield: for the Lord will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.”
Trust in God’s plan, “And his righteousness” … While Paul sought to serve the Lord God in according to his own idea of righteousness he soon realized that he was doing things all wrong; even though he meant well. It is impossible for us to be righteous by our own works. They just won’t do. Isaiah 64:6 tells us that “our righteousnesses are as filthy rags…” Paul realized this and willingly received the righteousness of Christ by faith. He later wrote to Titus that it is “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us.”
Time is required to become a good steward of the mysteries of God. “And all these things shall be added unto you.” … Like Timothy we will not mature in our faith or understanding of God’s ways overnight. We must by “patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life,” - Romans 2:7 -
Remember that: “He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?”
Now that’s true prosperity!
