We're reaching out to Bessemer, Birmingham, & beyond!

9/21/11 – “God’s Best Comes through Giving” III – Prosperity is in an Identifier of the Heart

MIDWEEK BIBLE STUDIES

Wednesday in the Word

September 21, 2011

 

God’s Best Comes through Giving III

(Prosperity is in an Identifier of the Heart)

 

FOUNDATIONAL TEXTS

  1. A.      III John 1-2
    1. Chronic sickness, as in the life of beloved Gaius, is not a good representation of God in the earth.
    2. God desires to use the life of His covenant people as His representation in the earth.
    3. In other words, prosperity is not necessarily for you; your prosperous lifestyle is to draw others into the Kingdom.
  2. B.       Psalm 84:11(KJV & The Amplified Bible)
    1. Doing things God’s way is upright or righteousness.
    2. If it’s good, God’s wants the upright to have it.
      1. Proverbs 10:22
        1. The objective of the blessing is to continue to manifest in your life until you are rich.
        2. When prosperity is working optimally, there is no struggle to keep or maintain it.
  3. C.       Joshua 1:8
    1. The level of the word of God proceeding out of your mouth determines the level of your prosperity.
  4. D.      II Timothy 3:16-17 (KJV & The Amplified Bible)
    1. Doctrine – establishes the proper order of God.
    2. Reproof – dismantling of erroneous thinking.
    3. Correction – the process of assimilating God’s truth into our thinking.
    4. Instruction – the method of integrating God’s thoughts into our daily activity.
    5. The objective of God is that your life will be perfect and thoroughly furnished to all good works (not requiring need of anything).
      1. II Corinthians 9:6-8 (KJV & The Amplified Bible) [Emphasis verse 8]
        1. Your giving is controlled by your heart.  In other words, the heart is an identifier.
        2. Our giving positions us to receive.

REVIEW

  1. God’s best comes in stages.
    1. God’s best describes stages or degrees in time (God’s best is the highest degree).
      1. Best defined… of the highest quality, excellence or standing (as in the phrase the best work, the best student); most advantageous, suitable or desirable (as in the best way).
    2. Evidence of settling for less than God’s best…
      1. Numbers 32:1-9
        1. The tribes of Reuben and Gad settled for the wrong side (west side) of the Jordan River, and the Promised Land was on the east side of Jordan.
        2. Good is not God’s best.  Good may suffice for where you are but not where you are going.  (Scripture reference – St. Mark 5:1-14)
        3. II Chronicles 25:1-9
          1. God is able to give you much more than what you currently have.
          2. Able defined…having sufficient power, strength, force, or skill; having the means or resources of any kind to accomplish…; possessed of qualifications rendering competent for some end; legally qualified.
  2. Examples of the progressive stages to God’s best:
    1. Romans 12:1-2
    2. St. Mark 4:20, 24-28
  3. Observations (to sowing seed in the kingdom of God uninterrupted by Satan’s strategy)
    1. I must know that something is happening in the spirit realm each time I sow my seed.
    2. I must know that my confession supplements all seed that I sow; therefore, I need a set time to confess God’s word daily over my seed.
    3. I must know that God is not a respecter of person.
    4. I must know that my words have control over conditions.
    5. I must know that if I am willing to wait and participate in God’s system forever, then I will not be waiting very long.  (Scripture reference – Hebrews 6:12)
    6. I must know that faith results are normally progressive.
    7. I must know that when I participate in God’s system, people will try to talk me out of God’s best.

·           Additions

  1. God cannot lie.  (Scripture references –  Numbers 23:19; Titus 1:2 Hebrews 6:18)
  2. Satan robs most believers from experiencing God’s best by what they say.

 

  1.          I.            Prosperity is an identifier of my heart.
    1. Prosperity defined…living a fulfilled life with all emotional, physical, financial, relational and spiritual needs met in abundance.
      1. 1.       St. John 10:10 (KJV & The Amplified Bible)
    2. How I handle money [toward God, His people and His programs] is an identifier of my heart.
      1. St. Matthew 6:19-21
        1. Giving to God is a heavenly investment.
        2. Prioritizing [God and money] is a heart issue.
        3. The believer’s first priority is God.  (Scripture references – St. Luke 6:38; I Samuel 2:30)
        4. I Timothy 6:10
          1. The love of money or prioritizing your financial plan over God is what is evil, not the money itself.
        5. I Timothy 6:17-18
          1. Can God trust you to receive His best and still love His people?
          2. Money not handle appropriately or according to God’s standards can cut off or stifle righteous commitments.
    3. Four principles that must be resolved to maintain a heart of obedience to God in giving:
      1. What am I currently doing with the money I now possess?
        1. Am I honoring God with my money?
        2. Am I a giver as I desire people to give to me?
        3. Am I cheap or stingy?
        4. Do I give good gifts or undesirable ones just to say I gave?
        5. I should determine what money will not do to me.
          1. I will not allow money to change me toward God, toward worship, or stop coming to the house of God.
          2. I will not allow my commitment and faithfulness to ministry to change.
        6. I must resolve what I will not do for money.
          1. I will not lie or steal for money.
          2. I will not accept jobs that contradict with the word of God.
          3. I will not compromise my standards for money.
        7. I must determine what money cannot do.
          1. Money will never replace God, people, friends, or the work of God.
          2. Money will not qualify the instructions of God.

© 2011 George Matthews Ministries