I believe in prosperity. I believe in the prosperity Gospel. I’m a prosperity preacher. And if that’s offensive to you then it’s because it’s offensive to your mindset. That’s the only way anyone gets offended. Could it be that your approach and frame of mind is one of poverty?
Poverty is not lack. Poverty is the attitude of never having enough. It’s a self–absorbed, self-centered, disposition of greed and fear. And when truths of Biblical prosperity are taught, they offend those with a poverty mentality.
I’ve come to realize that all of us have a poverty mindset. We’re born with it. And it takes the conviction of God’s word to set us free. We are all greedy. We are all stingy. We all hoard for ourselves. We all are tempted daily to think about our selves first before God.
This morning, in my reading, I read from the first chapter of the book of Haggai. I’ve read it many times but this time it spoke to me from another perspective. I believe God blesses those who walk in faithfulness and He shows favor to those who favor Him. We all know and believe that. So, how is it that many times we’re inclined to lose the blessing and favor of God? Why is it that many believer seem to struggle so much? Check it out… Haggai 1:2-11.
2 This is what the LORD Almighty says: “These people say, ‘The time has not yet come to rebuild the LORD’s house.’”3 Then the word of the LORD came through the prophet Haggai: 4 “Is it a time for you yourselves to be living in your paneled houses, while this house remains a ruin?”5 Now this is what the LORD Almighty says: “Give careful thought to your ways. 6 You have planted much, but harvested little. You eat, but never have enough. You drink, but never have your fill. You put on clothes, but are not warm. You earn wages, only to put them in a purse with holes in it.”7 This is what the LORD Almighty says: “Give careful thought to your ways. 8 Go up into the mountains and bring down timber and build my house, so that I may take pleasure in it and be honored,” says the LORD. 9 “You expected much, but see, it turned out to be little. What you brought home, I blew away. Why?” declares the LORD Almighty. “Because of my house, which remains a ruin, while each of you is busy with your own house. 10 Therefore, because of you the heavens have withheld their dew and the earth its crops. 11 I called for a drought on the fields and the mountains, on the grain, the new wine, the olive oil and everything else the ground produces, on people and livestock, and on all the labor of your hands.”
God speaks through Haggai to inform the people that the only reason they are struggling in poverty is because their self-interests replaces God’s interests.
Let’s take a good look at our lives and truly determine if God is first in everything. Is his Kingdom first? Don’t justify it! Go ahead ask yourself… Ask God… I know I did. And I realized the self-centered areas of my life that have prevented the rain of God’s favor and blessings to fall. A poverty mentality is one that thinks about self before God and his purposes.
Have you asked God yet? Has it been all about you? Are you cheating God with your money or your time?
