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
- A. III John 1-2
- Chronic sickness, as in the life of beloved Gaius, is not a good representation of God in the earth.
- God desires to use the life of His covenant people as His representation in the earth.
- In other words, prosperity is not necessarily for you; your prosperous lifestyle is to draw others into the Kingdom.
- B. Psalm 84:11(KJV & The Amplified Bible)
- Doing things God’s way is upright or righteousness.
- If it’s good, God’s wants the upright to have it.
- Proverbs 10:22
- The objective of the blessing is to continue to manifest in your life until you are rich.
- When prosperity is working optimally, there is no struggle to keep or maintain it.
- Proverbs 10:22
- C. Joshua 1:8
- The level of the word of God proceeding out of your mouth determines the level of your prosperity.
- D. II Timothy 3:16-17 (KJV & The Amplified Bible)
- Doctrine – establishes the proper order of God.
- Reproof – dismantling of erroneous thinking.
- Correction – the process of assimilating God’s truth into our thinking.
- Instruction – the method of integrating God’s thoughts into our daily activity.
- The objective of God is that your life will be perfect and thoroughly furnished to all good works (not requiring need of anything).
- II Corinthians 9:6-8 (KJV & The Amplified Bible) [Emphasis verse 8]
- Your giving is controlled by your heart. In other words, the heart is an identifier.
- Our giving positions us to receive.
- II Corinthians 9:6-8 (KJV & The Amplified Bible) [Emphasis verse 8]
REVIEW
- God’s best comes in stages.
- God’s best describes stages or degrees in time (God’s best is the highest degree).
- 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).
- Evidence of settling for less than God’s best…
- Numbers 32:1-9
- 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.
- 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)
- II Chronicles 25:1-9
- God is able to give you much more than what you currently have.
- 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.
- Numbers 32:1-9
- God’s best describes stages or degrees in time (God’s best is the highest degree).
- Examples of the progressive stages to God’s best:
- Romans 12:1-2
- St. Mark 4:20, 24-28
- Observations (to sowing seed in the kingdom of God uninterrupted by Satan’s strategy)
- I must know that something is happening in the spirit realm each time I sow my seed.
- 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.
- I must know that God is not a respecter of person.
- I must know that my words have control over conditions.
- 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)
- I must know that faith results are normally progressive.
- I must know that when I participate in God’s system, people will try to talk me out of God’s best.
· Additions
- God cannot lie. (Scripture references – Numbers 23:19; Titus 1:2 Hebrews 6:18)
- Satan robs most believers from experiencing God’s best by what they say.
- I. Prosperity is an identifier of my heart.
- Prosperity defined…living a fulfilled life with all emotional, physical, financial, relational and spiritual needs met in abundance.
- 1. St. John 10:10 (KJV & The Amplified Bible)
- How I handle money [toward God, His people and His programs] is an identifier of my heart.
- St. Matthew 6:19-21
- Giving to God is a heavenly investment.
- Prioritizing [God and money] is a heart issue.
- The believer’s first priority is God. (Scripture references – St. Luke 6:38; I Samuel 2:30)
- I Timothy 6:10
- The love of money or prioritizing your financial plan over God is what is evil, not the money itself.
- I Timothy 6:17-18
- Can God trust you to receive His best and still love His people?
- Money not handle appropriately or according to God’s standards can cut off or stifle righteous commitments.
- St. Matthew 6:19-21
- Four principles that must be resolved to maintain a heart of obedience to God in giving:
- What am I currently doing with the money I now possess?
- Am I honoring God with my money?
- Am I a giver as I desire people to give to me?
- Am I cheap or stingy?
- Do I give good gifts or undesirable ones just to say I gave?
- I should determine what money will not do to me.
- I will not allow money to change me toward God, toward worship, or stop coming to the house of God.
- I will not allow my commitment and faithfulness to ministry to change.
- I must resolve what I will not do for money.
- I will not lie or steal for money.
- I will not accept jobs that contradict with the word of God.
- I will not compromise my standards for money.
- I must determine what money cannot do.
- Money will never replace God, people, friends, or the work of God.
- Money will not qualify the instructions of God.
- What am I currently doing with the money I now possess?
- Prosperity defined…living a fulfilled life with all emotional, physical, financial, relational and spiritual needs met in abundance.
© 2011 George Matthews Ministries