Surely we are living in the end of the end times.  We all have the opportunity to participate in the Final Harvest if we choose to do so.  The financing of this great harvest of souls will take more finances than the Body of Christ now has in its possession.  Surely informed Christians do not expect the financing of the Gospel of Jesus Christ to come from drug dealers, pornographic businesses, rock stars or Microsoft corporation.

The Bible does not teach against Christians having wealth, it teaches against being covetous with what God has given us.  Paul wrote to Timothy outlining the last days.  This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.  For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous…continuing with a list of other characteristics …having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away (II Tim. 3: 1-5).  If there is a more accurate description of the world and some churches today, I don’t know where you would find it.

Having money is not being covetous.  Loving money and trusting in it is being covetous.  In other words, “get all you can, can all you get, and sit on the can”.   The word covetous comes from the Greek word philarguous.  Philos—fond, a friend, associate +  arguous—silver. “Fond of silver”– loving money to the extent that security is in money and not in the living God.  One who places their faith and trust in money.  This was the situation with the rich young ruler.  Jesus did not rebuke him for having money.  The Bible says Jesus loved him with his money.

If there is one thing that is coming to light in the midst of the economic crisis facing the nations of the world, it is the misplaced faith of individuals and nations in man’s ability to meet his own needs—without God. Unlike our wise and godly forefathers in the Bible, nations and individuals are looking to governments for their financial security.  Without seeking God for guidance and wisdom, man’s attempt to fix the situation just makes matters worse.  God sums this up in the Bible with one word—FOOL.

As born-again believers, we should not be looking anywhere else but to our covenant with God, who has provided us with a rich financial heritage.   There are Christians that will tell you it is not possible to serve God and be wealthy.  They have obviously not read major portions of the Bible, or have just chosen to ignore it.  It is interesting that throughout history, no one has been able to convince God that money has been an obstacle to serving Him or that His children should just get by, while the ungodly prosper and control the finances of the world. If you read the Bible, God has never had a problem with His people being blessed abundantly.

And Abram was very rich in cattle, in silver, and in gold (Genesis 13:2).  To paraphrase his words to the Sodomite king, “I will not take even a shoelace from you, because no man will ever say he made Abram rich but God Almighty” (Genesis 14: 22-23).

Probably no single individual has ever given more finances into the Church than King David. In I Samuel 13:14, God considered David to be “a man after His own heart” (money and all).

Now, my son, (Solomon) the LORD be with thee; and prosper thou, and build the house of the Lord thy God, as he hath said of thee.  Now, behold, in my trouble I have prepared for the house of the LORD and hundred thousand talents of gold, and a thousand thousand talents of silver; and of brass and iron without weight; FOR IT IS IN ABUNDANCE: timber also and stone have I prepared; and thou mayest add thereto.  Of the gold, the silver, and the brass, and the iron, THERE IS NO NUMBER.  Arise therefore, and be doing, and the LORD be with thee (I Chronicles 22: 11,14, 16).

This is the equivalent of $61 billion David personally gave to the building of the temple!  Then David said to Solomon, “if this is not enough, you can add to it” (verse 14).

In Psalm 112, David declares the blessed state of the righteous.  Blessed is the man that feareth (reverences) the Lord, that delighteth greatly in His commandments (Word).  His seed shall be mighty upon earth: the generation of the upright shall be blessed.  WEALTH AND RICHES SHALL BE IN HIS HOUSE: and his righteousness endureth for ever (verses 1-3).

In one year alone of Solomon’s reign he was so blessed with gold …six hundred and threescore and six talents… (that is 25 tons to you and me) that silver was considered to be worthless so that he piled it up in heaps as rocks (II Chronicles 9: 13,27)  What did David and Solomon do with the wealth that came into their hands?  They put it in the house of the Lord.  As a result of their devotion and obedience to God—they were personally blessed.

Our rich forefathers knew exactly what God wanted them to do with the finances that came into their hands.

• They understood that financial prosperity comes from God.
• THEY UNDERSTOOD THE PURPOSE FOR PROSPERITY– Godly finances come to godly people for godly purposes.
• They sought the wisdom of God on how to handle it.

The wise and rich Solomon wrote in Proverbs 13:22, A good man leaves an inheritance [of moral stability and goodness] to his children’s children, and the wealth of the sinner [finds its way eventually] into the hands of the righteous, for whom it was laid up (Amplified Bible).  He understood that wealth does not belong to the devil and his crowd.  God has laid up wealth for His covenant people —that includes you and me in the Body of Christ. Would to God every church leader had that revelation today. It would not take long to evangelize the entire world.

Solomon understood that wealth was a gift from God.  Every man also to whom GOD HATH GIVEN RICHES AND WEALTH, and hath given him power to eat thereof, and to take his portion, and to rejoice in his labour; THIS IS THE GIFT OF GOD (Ecc.5: 19).

The words “wisdom” or “wise” and “understanding” occur over 140 times in Proverbs.  The wealthy king Solomon also understood it would take the wisdom of God to cause riches and wealth to come to him in order to bless his life and to be a blessing to others.  For the turning away of the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them (Proverbs 1:32).  He continues in Proverbs 4:7 by saying, wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.

The wealthy Solomon could also see there was more to prosperity than just money and possessions.  To paraphrase him, “Every time I get my hands on some life, it dies”.  In his frustration, he says …all is vanity (Ecc. 1:2).  He could see the need for the New Birth in order to obtain TOTAL prosperity—spirit, soul, body, financially.

Solomon’s name means “peaceful”.  The peace and wisdom of God he operated in, brought unprecedented prosperity to the nation of Israel, so much so that the queen of Sheba and other rulers of his time brought wealth and piled it at his feet.  So king Solomon exceeded all the kings of the earth for riches and wisdom (I Kings 10:23).

Nations, economies and the Body of Christ could quickly bring much needed change if leaders would follow the example of Solomon by seeking God for a wise and understanding heart and embracing God’s plan for prospering His people.

Every born-again person who reads the Word of God with the intent to receive wisdom and understanding, knows that the Word of God is a message of TOTAL PROSPERITY– of which finances is an integral part.

Our confession should be—“I receive God’s plan to prosper me for His purposes, and I ask for a wise and understanding heart”.