God spells out for us the way to righteousness, prosperity, and good success through the information in the following two scriptures.
Joshua 1:7-9 Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which
Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or
to the left, that thou mayest prosper withersoever thou goest.
This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.
Have not I commanded thee?
(Isn't it God who told you to do that which you are currently doing?)
Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.
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Psalm 1:1-3 Blessed
is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth
in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.
But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in HIS law doth he meditate day and night.
And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.
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If we fashion our life according to the instructions in these two scriptures we are going to be going in a way of righteousness as we live on this earth.
And we will also prosper and have good success on this earth.
If you will take each verse which is called to your attention by the Holy Spirit, and focus on that verse and do that verse, you will come into prosperity and good success without even trying to do so.
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During the past 43-years, I have never sought money or things of this world. My focus as been on scripture and the church. As I followed scripture, by the Spirit of God, at first it would seem I encountered loss ... but then it was like God did for me like HE did with the prophet Job.
Job 42:12 So the Lord blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning:
I didn't follow after blessings. I followed after verses of scripture that were called to my attention by the Holy Spirit and I tried to do those scriptures, and the blessings followed the doing of the scripture.
Today I have ended up, at 80-years-of- age, lacking nothing.
Many people in churches say, "The Lord is my shepherd: I shall not want."
But when the Lord is your shepherd, you follow HIM, doing that which HE shows you to do.
After a time of following those scriptures shown you by the Holy Spirit, you will one day realize that you actually have all you want. It just happened along the way as you followed God without even thinking of what you wanted.
Matthew 6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
All we think of is doing that scripture or word given us by the Spirit of God.
Deuteronomy 8:18 But thou shalt remember the Lord thy God: for it is HE that giveth thee power to get wealth, that HE may establish His covenant which HE sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day.
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Focus
on following one verse at a time ... keep that instruction in your mind
and think on it daily until you can do what it says to you, making it a
part of your life.
(It sometimes helps to look up definition of key words in a dictionary, viewing the meaning in your life as Holy Spirit reminds you of events or things in your life.)
(It sometimes helps to look up definition of key words in a dictionary, viewing the meaning in your life as Holy Spirit reminds you of events or things in your life.)
Joshua 1
* Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper withersoever thou goest.
(Of
course we do not do the OT sacrifices ... but think of this scripture
in terms of that way of God which we are told to do in the New Testament
church, following NT diligently. Also keeping in mind some of the many
promises of God from OT.)
The Holy Spirit will get us to focus on specific scripture which shows us the will of God for us at a specific point in time. Focus on that scripture, doing that which is appropriate in your life to conform yourself to that scripture for that is exactly what you need at this moment.
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When I was born again in 1975, one of the early scriptures which showed me the will of God is the following:
Romans 13:8 Owe no man any thing
I felt God was saying to me: "Get out of debt ... and stay out of debt."
I stopped buying things on credit. I bought only those things for which I could pay cash.
I
cut back my spending, even on "little things". Even though it didn't
amount to much toward paying the debt, it structured my life in another
way of thinking.
(I
am always shocked at the amount of money I see people spend on things
like iced tea and soft drinks when they go to café. While I was
getting out of debt, this is one way I disciplined myself and cut back.
Certainly today I could afford such but even to this day, the way of
life I developed in that period carries over.)
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I had gotten my personal life out of debt within a few weeks.
But I owned a business at that time and I had borrowed approximately $6000 from a woman who wanted to buy into my business.
But I owned a business at that time and I had borrowed approximately $6000 from a woman who wanted to buy into my business.
I used the money to buy merchandise which I sold in my shop.
This woman was an unbeliever, as was I when I began my business and borrowed from her.
But now I am a Christian!
And I saw the following instruction:
II Corinthians 6:14 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers:
My goal became to pay that business loan as quickly as possible, freeing myself from a business partnership with an unbeliever.
A situation came about to cause me to be able to get free from this debt much sooner than I expected.
My business was American Indian Arts. I bought authentic jewelry and pottery and offered the items for sale in Dallas, Texas.
I was on a buying trip in New Mexico (USA).
Mostly we sold jewelry in my shop and when I went on buying trips, most of the cash I had was used to pay for jewelry.
Mostly we sold jewelry in my shop and when I went on buying trips, most of the cash I had was used to pay for jewelry.
However, on this trip something very unusual happened.
An old Navajo rug caught my attention. (I knew nothing about Navajo rugs.) I tried to walk away from that rug but I kept coming back to it. I finally knew I had to buy the rug. It cost me $500.
I
took it to a rug appraiser who told me it was really a very fine rug.
She said I should price it at a price where it would not sell for it
would go up in price and I should hold onto it.
At the time she appraised it at $1500.
I returned to Dallas and had that rug rolled up at the side of the room, not on display yet.
A man came to purchase jewelry. He saw that rug and asked, "What's that?"
I replied: "It is an old Navajo rug."
"Let me see it," he said.
I said, "Oh ... I don't think you'd like that." I responded.
But he kept insisting so I rolled the rug onto the floor.
After looking at the rug he said: "How much?"
"Let me see it," he said.
I said, "Oh ... I don't think you'd like that." I responded.
But he kept insisting so I rolled the rug onto the floor.
After looking at the rug he said: "How much?"
Without any thought, I said: "$5000."
He said: "I'll take it" ... and he began writing out a check to pay for the rug.
I was horrified. I always protected my customers, being sure of the quality of the item and charging a fair market price.
I did all I could to try to talk this man out of buying that rug but he was determined to buy the rug.
I said to him, "I'm
not going to cash your check for a week. If you change your mind,
bring the rug back to me and I will give you your check back."
I never saw the man again.
I deposited the check and repaid the woman all the money she had loaned me ... and I was debt free! And I was no longer yoked to an unbeliever!
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When we see a scripture and purpose in our heart to do that scripture, God makes a way for us to do that scripture.
Romans 13:8 Owe no man anything
II Corinthians 6:14 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers:
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Notice the steps taken by me in being led by God's Spirit.
* Before going on buying trips, I always prayed for wisdom concerning what I should purchase.
James 1:5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
I depended on God to lead me by HIS Spirit. I continually asked God for wisdom. I believed it would be given me when I asked, for that is what it says in the Bible.
How does God give me HIS wisdom?
Sometimes God will bring a thought to my mind by the Holy Spirit. It may be a scripture or a concept.
Sometimes God will get my attention drawn to something and my interest will be such that I can't leave that item behind. (In the rug case, that is what happened.)
Human reason often tries to talk us out of what God is trying to show us.
In this case: "But I need to spend my money on jewelry. That is what I sell, not rugs. I don't know anything about rugs."
But I had with me the cash to pay for the rug. That was very important since I had felt God was leading me to get out of debt and to stay out of debt.
I had absolutely no idea one item would end up allowing me to pay (in full) the woman who had invested in my shop!
I just couldn't walk away from that strong interest I had in that rug.
We can know the ideas that come from God by the following characteristics.
James 3:17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.
Also God had shown me the following scripture to live by:
Matthew 11:28-30 Come unto ME, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Take MY yoke upon you, and learn of ME; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
* Before going on buying trips, I always prayed for wisdom concerning what I should purchase.
James 1:5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
I depended on God to lead me by HIS Spirit. I continually asked God for wisdom. I believed it would be given me when I asked, for that is what it says in the Bible.
*****
How does God give me HIS wisdom?
Sometimes God will bring a thought to my mind by the Holy Spirit. It may be a scripture or a concept.
Sometimes God will get my attention drawn to something and my interest will be such that I can't leave that item behind. (In the rug case, that is what happened.)
Human reason often tries to talk us out of what God is trying to show us.
In this case: "But I need to spend my money on jewelry. That is what I sell, not rugs. I don't know anything about rugs."
But I had with me the cash to pay for the rug. That was very important since I had felt God was leading me to get out of debt and to stay out of debt.
I had absolutely no idea one item would end up allowing me to pay (in full) the woman who had invested in my shop!
I just couldn't walk away from that strong interest I had in that rug.
We can know the ideas that come from God by the following characteristics.
James 3:17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.
*****
Also God had shown me the following scripture to live by:
Matthew 11:28-30 Come unto ME, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Take MY yoke upon you, and learn of ME; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
For MY yoke is easy, and MY burden is light.
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I had been living the above scripture for many weeks.
I knew if something was complex and expensive, it would not be the way
of God for me. I would start reexamining the plan if it was going to
put me in a financial bind to do that plan. Always there would be
another way to go about accomplishing the goal and the other way would
be "easy to do" and "simple."
Another scripture I had been living for weeks:
Isaiah 55:12 Ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace:
Joy, interest, excitement ... were guides ... provided I could afford the item.
Of course there was always prayer: Asking God for wisdom.
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