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From: LIFE Today <info@lifetoday.org>

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Date: Sun, 18 Dec 2011 04:07:49 -0500

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Subject: Words of LIFE: Generous Prosperity

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Life Outreach International :: Words of Life Weekly Devotional

Generous Prosperity

by Dr. Dave Martin

According to the Bible, money is a good thing. Money is never referred to as "evil" in God's word. It is the love of money that is the root of all kinds of evil (1 Timothy 6:10), because love involves obsession. God likes it when money becomes a tool in our hands for doing good things for ourselves and others, but He doesn't want anybody to obsess over a temporal, earthly thing. That is why the first commandment says, "Thou shall have no other gods before me" (Exodus 20:3). The true God wants to be first in our lives, and He wants to sit on the throne of our hearts. All external things He has given us in this world are intended to remain external to our lives. They are intended to serve a purpose and then pass away. God created man’s heart to be His throne room, and He won't share that throne with anyone or anything.

We should never lose sight of the fact that money is just a tool designed by God to help us fulfill our purpose on the earth. When we forget this fact and allow the truly important things in our lives to be relegated to a subordinate role while money is elevated to a role of ultimate superiority, we invite disaster. Money itself is not evil; in fact, money is necessary. God designed money to be the fuel that drives all aspects of economic life. But money will never be more than a mere thing, and we must never forget that fact. Consequently, is not the abundance of money or a lack of money that interests God, but one's attitude toward money. The person who understands, respects, and handles it well can often be entrusted by God to handle more of it. On the other hand, the man who frets over it and bends his ethical standards to acquire a little more is the man who is not worthy of handling more. The way we acquire money and the way we use money determine its effect on our lives.

Prosperity is more about one's mindset than it is about one's financial bottom line. People who have a lot of money seem to look at money differently and think about money differently than the average person, and most of these prosperous people held those attitudes long before they built their large portfolios. In fact, I personally believe most self-made millionaires became wealthy primarily because of their generous attitude towards money. I am also convinced very few people will ever find themselves in a comfortable financial situation until they change the way they think about money.

God wants to bless us, and He wants to make us a blessing in the earth. Although most people are not wealthy, and although the Bible tells us that most people who fill our churches are simple, common people, there is nothing in the Bible that tells us we need to remain in our "commonness." In fact, the Bible teaches from Genesis to Revelation that God desires to uplift His people in every way, including financially.

So what is prosperity? What does it mean to be prosperous? Prosperity is simply having enough to do what God calls you to do. It means having enough to survive and to take care of yourself and those who are dependent upon you. But it goes beyond this basic definition to include the ability to thrive – to pursue the dreams that are in your heart and to reach out assisting others with their needs and pursuits. It means having the resources to make a difference and leave an impression on the world. It means having the resources to fulfill the call of God upon your life, with plenty left over for your descendents and for the people and causes God places in your life.

Excerpted from “The 12 Traits of the Greats” by Dr. Dave Martin (Harrison House Publishers). Used with permission.