There are many people that want to get rich or grow wealth is another way to say it. Did you know that the Bible tells you how, step by step?
Lesson 4 is to give generously to God’s work.
Step 1 is to tithe (give ten percent to God’s Kingdom) of every dollar God gives you. Step 2 is to take care of your family, especially those in your household. Step 3 is pay off all debts you have, this can be financial or emotional debt. Step 4 is to give, and give generously.
To give generously may sound contradictory to building wealth. Much of the Bible is opposite of the way the world thinks. Read Luke 6:38, “Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full—pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back.”
Wow, did you read that? The amount that you give will determine the amount that you get back. Be wise in your giving, research charities to ensure they are working to advance the love of God in this world. Listen for the Holy Spirit to prompt you, all that you have is His anyway. Giving does not mean just money, but time or things. So, give, generously – but only if you want that amount back.
As you are working on Step 4, never stop doing Steps 1, 2 and 3. God blesses obedience. You will get discouraged, the enemy will try to disrupt your Godly plans. Do not fall for those senseless thoughts, they are the same old tricks. You are stronger and wiser.
Let’s pray. Father in heaven, thank You for the blood of Jesus. Thank You for His sacrifice that provides us access to the loving arms of our Father in heaven. Help us to walk by faith and Your Word. Help us to be an example of Your love to everyone we encounter. Lord, help us to grow in You each day. In Jesus’ name we pray, amen.
There are many people that want to get rich or grow wealth is another way to say it. Did you know that the Bible tells you how, step by step?
Lesson 3 is to pay off all debts.
Read Romans 8:13, “Owe nothing to anyone—except for your obligation to love one another. If you love your neighbor, you will fulfill the requirements of God’s law.”
Step 1 is to tithe (give ten percent to God’s Kingdom) of every dollar God gives you. Step 2 is to take care of your family, especially those in your household. Step 3 is pay off all debts you may have. You may have financial debt or emotional debt.
If you have hurt someone, apologize. Pray for them to have peace and be blessed. Read Matthew 5:23 and 5:24, “So if you are presenting a sacrifice at the altar in the Temple and you suddenly remember that someone has something against you, leave your sacrifice there at the altar. Go and be reconciled to that person. Then come and offer your sacrifice to God.”
If the person is no longer in your life or has died, apologize out loud to them.
You may have financial debt. There are many ways to pay off debt and it depends on how much debt you have and what kind. But start. Just start somewhere. Set aside a dime a day, a dollar a day and then at the end of the month, send that money to the credit card company or whatever lender you have. If you can set aside more than a dollar a day – do it. Either pay off the smallest debt you have first if you want a quick result or tackle the biggest debt you have if that would be encouraging to you to see that balance decreasing.
Do not create new debt. Live on less money than God gives you. If you need help paying for food or shelter, ask for help. There is an app called FindHelp, it lists all the local programs based on your location that can assist with food, shelter, mental health services and more. There are also programs that are offered by local churches that can offer food or shelter. Asking for help may not be the easiest thing to do, but God will bless the steps you take to obey.
As you are working on Step 3, never stop doing Steps 1 and 2.
Let’s pray. Father in heaven, thank You for the blood of Jesus. Thank You for His sacrifice that provides us access to the loving arms of our Father in heaven. Help us to walk by faith and Your Word. Help us to be an example of Your love to everyone we encounter. Lord, help us to grow in You each day. In Jesus’ name we pray, amen.
There are many people that want to get rich or grow wealth is another way to say it. Did you know that the Bible tells you how, step by step?
Lesson 2 is to take care of your family.
Read 1 Timothy chapter 5, verse 8, “But those who won’t care for their relatives, especially those in their own household, have denied the true faith. Such people are worse than unbelievers.”
After Step 1, which is to tithe (give ten percent) of every dollar God gives you, focus on ensuring that your family, especially those in your household, have a roof over their head and food on the table.
Let’s pray. Father in heaven, thank You for the blood of Jesus. Thank You for His sacrifice that provides us access to the loving arms of our Father in heaven. Help us to walk by faith and Your Word. Help us to be an example of Your love to everyone we encounter. Lord, help us to grow in You each day. In Jesus’ name we pray, amen.
There are many people that want to get rich or grow wealth is another way to say it. Did you know that the Bible tells you how, step by step?
Lesson 1 is to test God. Whoa, what? Yes.
Read Malachi chapter 3 starting in verse 8,“Should people cheat God? Yet you have cheated me!
“But you ask, ‘What do you mean? When did we ever cheat you?’
“You have cheated me of the tithes and offerings due to me. 9 You are under a curse, for your whole nation has been cheating me. 10 Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so there will be enough food in my Temple. If you do,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, “I will open the windows of heaven for you. I will pour out a blessing so great you won’t have enough room to take it in! Try it! Put me to the test!”
Test God and tithe, which means that you give ten percent of all money that comes into your life to your home church (storehouse). If you do not have a church home, pray about where God would like the ten percent to go. It is, after all, His money. Tithing is the first and most important step you can take with any income that God sends into your life.
You may think I cannot pay my bills, how can I give ten percent? Test God and faithfully tithe, every week. He will keep His promise.
Let’s pray. Father in heaven, thank You for the blood of Jesus. Thank You for His sacrifice that provides us access to the loving arms of our Father in heaven. Help us to walk by faith and Your Word. Help us to be an example of Your love to everyone we encounter. Lord, help us to grow in You each day. In Jesus’ name we pray, amen.
Last week, I shared with you part one of a true story about a single mom named Holly who had a very sick daughter, Gem.
At the hospital, Holly watched through the glass as the nurses plunged Gem into an ice bath to bring down the fever. One of the nurses yelled, “We are losing her!” Holly was shuffled to a waiting room as the medical team worked on Gem.
After what seemed to be hours later, a nurse came out and began to ask Holly all sorts of questions about Gem’s medical history, what Gem had eaten that day, what medication she had been given. Wait, medication. Holly had given Gem an over-the-counter pain reliever to help bring down the fever. The nurse asked the name of the medication and then ran back into the room. Holly did not even get an update on how Gem was.
Several hours passed, finally Holly was brought into a hospital room where Gem was laying unconscious in a bed. There were tubes, cuffs, and machines hooked up to Gem that were breathing for her. A doctor came in and explained to Holly that Gem was in a coma and needed emergency brain surgery. Her brain was swelling and she was going to die. The surgery was experimental and had never been performed before. The chances that Gem would survive at all were slim, but the surgery was at least a chance. The doctor shoved some paperwork in front of Holly and told her to sign it so they could prepare the operating room. Holly hesitated. The doctor said for Holly to either sign the paperwork or go plan a funeral. Holly signed.
The next day after many hours of waiting, the surgery was finally over. Holly was escorted into a hospital room where Gem was laying. She was unconscious and had even more machines and wires hooked up to her. Gem’s skin was now a gray color. She had a shaved head that had many stitches in it and monitors taped all over. Holly asked the nurse, ‘what happens next?’ The nurse simply said, ‘we see if she wakes up’ and left the room.
Holly had asked her Gramma to pray even though Holly did not believe in church, prayer or Jesus. Gramma visited Gem often and prayed over her. In fact, Gramma’s entire church was praying that God would heal Gem, it would take a miracle. Gramma told Holly that Gem was going to be fine, God was at work. Holly watched as Gem did not get better and there were no signs of a miracle. Gramma encouraged Holly to pray too, after all, there was nothing to lose.
Over the next two weeks, various medical team members would enter the room and share details of what happened and why. Through their visits, Holly learned that Gem had died, but the medical team was able to revive her. Holly also learned that the type of illness Gem had became deadly when the patient was given a certain over-the-counter pain reliever. Wait, medication, like the exact one that Holly gave Gem? Holly could not believe what she was hearing. The over-the-counter pain reliever she gave Gem almost killed her!
Holly learned from the surgeon that no one had ever survived with this illness after they had been given that over-the-counter pain reliever. The medical teams were of varying opinions as to whether Gem would wake up, and if she did, how extensive her brain damage would be. As Holly waited day after day for Gem to wake up, she decided to start praying too, she had nothing to lose.
The next day, Gem woke up. She could breathe on her own and move her body. Some of the tubes were removed, so she could talk and eat. Within a few hours, Gem was able to get out of bed and walk, it seemed that her brain had not been impacted at all. Despite dying and the tiny chance of survival she was given by the medical teams, God chose to save Gem, He was not done with her yet.
Within a few days after she first woke up, Gem was sent home. Holly and the medical teams had seen a miracle take place! As Holly helped Gem get comfortable in her bed at home, she decided she would start to pray, after all, there was nothing to lose.
Let’s pray. Father in heaven, thank You that You bend down to listen to our prayers. Thank You that You care so much for each of us that every hair on our head is numbered by You. Thank You for loving us and listening to our prayers, no matter how far we have roamed from Your path. Thank You for Your peace and love. Help us to share You with everyone we meet. In Jesus’ precious name we pray, amen.
Wounded Butterflies 