It is clear in both the Old and New Testaments that it is God's good pleasure to bless and to prosper His children. However, it is also clear that curses accrue to individuals who fail to utilize their abundance to bless other people and to promote God's work on earth. Because of this latter aspect of financial abundance many Christian leaders have emphasized poverty as a Christian trait rather than prosperity.

Many Christian teachers, trying to stress the importance of Christian poverty, point to scriptures such as Matthew 8:19,20, ""...a scribe came and said to Him, Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go, and Jesus said to him 'Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head'".

Jesus maintained a headquarters in Capernaum from where he went to minister, Matthew 4:13, "And leaving Nazareth, he came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is by the sea, in the regions of Zebulun and Naphtali...." Nevertheless, Jesus traveled throughout the areas of Galilee, Samaria and Judea, ministering to the masses, and many nights were spent in the open fields. Jesus' emphasis was not on attaining great wealth, houses and lands but on the message of the good news of His salvation and the meeting of human needs.

Jesus sent seventy of His followers to minister in His name and ordered them, Luke 10:4, "Carry neither money bag, knapsack, nor sandals...." II Corinthians 8:9 states, "For you know the grace of our LORD Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich".

It is true that relative to the extreme abundance and glory that Jesus experienced in His heavenly home before coming to earth to be born as a man His life here was lived in comparative poverty. Nevertheless there are many statements concerning His life on earth to indicate that there was significant funding at His disposal. For instance, Luke 8:3 states, "and Joanna the wife of Chuza, Herod's steward, and Susanna, and many others who provided for Him from their substance."

Sufficient funds came to Jesus' ministry to require special management. Judas Iscariot had been appointed treasurer, John 13:29, "For some thought, because Judas had the money box, that Jesus had said to him, 'Buy those things we need for the feast, or that he should give something to the poor'". Jesus here indicated that money was to be used to help others, even as the preacher had stated in Ecclesiastes 5:13-14, "There is a severe evil which I have seen under the sun: riches kept for their owner to his hurt. But those riches perish through misfortune;..."

Provision of Needs

Jesus constantly assured His followers that their needs would be supplied, as indicated in Matthew 6:31-33, "Therefore do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble."

The life of Paul the apostle was replete with evidence of God's provision, as in Philippians 4:18-19, "Indeed I have all and abound. I am full, having received from Epaphroditus the things sent from you, a sweet-smelling aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well pleasing to God. And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus."

The promise of provision was not given first to Christ's believers, but there was a long history in the Bible of abundant meeting of needs for God's people. Before the children of Israel left the land of Egypt they had been instructed by God to take with them the wealth of the Egyptians, Exodus 12:35-36, "...they had asked from the Egyptians articles of silver, articles of gold, and clothing. And the LORD had given the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they granted them what they requested. Thus they plundered the Egyptians."

After leaving Egypt as a consequence of a series of miraculous interventions by God, God continued to show His power and might through a continuing series of daily miracles. Just the provision of water for the mass of over one million people in the barren desert of Sinai for forty years today would require a freight train of tank cars one and a half miles long EVERY DAY. Yet this much water was provided these people constantly as well as a miraculous dropping of food from the sky in the form of daily manna. Additionally, neither their shoes nor their clothing grew old nor wore out during this forty years' journey. Through this series of miracles God showed quite clearly that He well was able to supply any need we might have.

Abundance

This concept of wealth was repeated in Isaiah 61:5, "...the abundance of the sea shall be turned to you, the wealth of the Gentiles shall come to you."

That God could direct the provision of wealth to people who call on His name should come as no surprise since Haggai 2:8 states of God, "The silver is Mine, and the gold is Mine, says the LORD of hosts."

Ecclestiastes 10:19 states, "...money answers all things."

As early as Genesis 2:10-12 gold is mentioned specifically, " Now a river went out of Eden to water the garden, and from there it parted and became four riverheads. The name of the first is Pishon; it is the one which skirts the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold. And the gold of that land is good...."

Gold was among the gifts that the wise men offered to Jesus at His birth in Bethlehem, Matthew 2:11, "...And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts of Him: gold, frankincense and myrrh."

Of course a widely acclaimed use for gold is as street paving, speaking of the New Jerusalem, Revelation 21:21, "The twelve gates were twelve pearls; each individual gate was of one pearl. And the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass." Scientific research has shown that when gold is refined, free of all contaminants until it is 100 percent pure, it indeed appears as a shiny, transparent yellow metal, just as the Bible always indicated it to be.

No one questions that there shall be incredible abundance and riches in heaven. The Bible makes clear that just as through the blood sacrifice of Jesus Christ we are redeemed from the curse of the law and of sin so are we redeemed from the curse of poverty and want that came upon mankind as a consequence of his sin.

Trust in God

The major problem is that mankind tends to focus on wealth instead of on God and His kingdom. While Jesus promised us abundant life He also warned us not to focus on wealth as our source. God is our source of all good gifts.

Jesus warned in Mark 10:23-30, " Then Jesus looked around and said to His disciples, 'How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!' And the disciples were astonished at His words. But Jesus answered again and said to them, 'Children, how hard it is for those who trust in riches to enter the kingdom of God!'

"'It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God'" and they were greatly astonished, saying among themselves, 'Who then can be saved?"

"But Jesus looked at them and said, 'With men it is impossible, but not with God; for with God all things are possible.'

"Then Peter began to say to Him, 'See, we have left all and followed You.'

"So Jesus answered and said, 'Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My sake and the gospel's who shall not receive a hundredfold now in this time-houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions-and in the age to come, eternal life.'"

This passage contains clear assurance that while those who TRUST in their wealth will have great difficulty in entering heaven, it is nevertheless possible for the wealthy to enter heaven if their trust is in the LORD. Psalm 62:10 states, "If riches increase, do not set your heart on them" Having wealth itself is not a barrier to heaven. Jesus followed this with the promise that those who had made great sacrifices for His cause would IN THIS LIFE receive a hundredfold return of all that had been sacrificed in the way of personal relationships, houses and lands (wealth).

Sowing Seed

Jesus repeated the hundredfold concept in the parable of the sower, Luke 8:5-8, " A sower went out to sow his seed. And as he sowed, some fell by the wayside; and it was trampled down, and the birds of the air devoured it. Some fell on rock; and as soon as it sprang up, it withered away because it lacked moisture. And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up with it and choked it. But others fell on good ground, sprang up and yielded a crop a hundredfold."

Obviously in this parable the sower was focusing on the hundredfold harvest of the seed that he had sown. This same parable was repeated in Matthew and Mark, so it is evident that God intended for us to make a connection between sowing and reaping. No farmer would consider harvesting less than a large percentage of increase over the amount of seed that he had sown. With the other costs involved in the farming venture he could not afford to expect less than a remarkably greater harvest than the amount which was sown.

Paul addressed this thought in II Corinthians 9:6-10, "...He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work. As it is written: 'He has dispersed abroad, He has given to the poor; His righteousness endures forever.'

"Now may He who supplies seed to the sower, and bread for food, supply and multiply the seed you have sown and increase the fruits of your righteousness."

Jesus said in Luke 6:38, Give and it will be given to you; good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you."

III John verse 2 encourages, "Beloved, I pray that you may prosper and be in health, just as your soul prospers."

Nowhere is there a suggestion that Christians should repudiate the concept of potential wealth. Rather they are encouraged to expect God to bless them with abundance, with the anticipation that they will use the wealth God supplies to further God's work here on earth. Certainly the furtherance of the gospel cannot be conducted by a needy, poverty-stricken group of believers. Rather it is expected that mature Christians will keep earthly blessings in their proper perspective.

It is to be expected that we can be trusted to keep our priorities straight. Our true wealth and true rewards will be revealed in Heaven. Until then our faith and confidence are focused on the person of the LORD Jesus Christ. He will guide us throughout our time on earth and bring us safely through all trials and tribulations.

Another aspect of sowing relates to the reproduction of the characteristics of the seed. One does not sow radishes and expect to reap petunias. Paul states, Galatians 6:7-9, "Do not be deceived, God is not mocked, for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasing life. And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart."

Here we are encouraged to expect a harvest of that which we have sown. If we have given finances to the work of God we should expect God to reward us with a harvest of wealth. No farmer would plant seeds into the ground without expecting to see the harvest, and by the same token neither should we donate to God's work without expecting the harvest.

Bless God With Our Abundance

For generations Christians have been taught that it is somehow shameful to expect to receive blessings from their giving. It is only shameful if they use their financial blessings for ungodly purposes or if they begin to place their confidence and trust in their financial holdings rather than to give thanks and praise to God for His abundant blessings and care.

We are a blessed people, and God's blessings are promised to be with us continually and to overtake us as we go. Deuteronomy 28:1-14 enumerates all of the many ways in which we are blessed as we obey the LORD God and follow His ways of righteousness. We are blessed in our coming in and in our going out. All of the works of our hands are blessed. Our ground and storehouses are blessed. We are promised plenty of goods, financial blessing and healthy and prosperous children. We are promised the ability to lend and not to have to borrow and to be successful in everything we attempt to do as we follow God's ways. The remainder of Deuteronomy 28 enumerates the curses that shall befall those who refuse to serve and bless God with their abundance.

There is no shortage in the abundance of blessings we are promised as children of God. We should expect to receive these many blessings as we believe in and trust the promises of God given to us through His word in the Bible. To believe and to act otherwise is to show that we have no confidence in God's word. This would indicate that we believe that He lied when He gave us these promises. Throughout the Bible we are told over and over again that God cannot lie. If He had not meant to bless us abundantly He never would have given us these promises in His word. It is incumbent upon us to take God at His word.