Comments on: Does God Want You to be Rich?

By: Andrew

Andrew — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 05:41:00 +0000

Well personally I believe it’s different for every person. I do not believe God plans for EVERY one of his children to be rich. The proof is with friends I’ve had who were called to start an orphanage in Uguanda, in some dangerous areas, and now they live there permanently. They used to live in Canada in Dauphin, Manitoba. Also money can relieve stress, but sorry not all of it. There will always be stress in some way shape or form. There are people who have tonnes of money yet may hate themselves deep inside and use money as a cover up. Why are there poor people? It’s not always the case of them being lazy or they haven’t been blessed. Crap happens in this world, and I’m not trying to play the victim, but what happens to a mother who’s husband died? Or left her with nothing? What about a kid who’s parents die and has no where else to go but an orphanage? How about the people in Africa? Some of them make less than 100 dollars a year yet still have joy and excitement. Remember what Paul stated. He knew what it was like to have much, and he also knew what it was like to have little, but in any state he learnt to be content. Could going through a financial strain also be a lesson for us to trust God above our own doing? In 2nd Timothy it also states do not think that following God will bring you riches. Basically don’t follow God expecting you will be rich. And the old tithing rule had nothing to do with money as well. It was in the old testament and it went to the levites, then the levites gave a tenth to the priests. It was always to do with food, and when reading the Bible notice much of the references in parables etc….. were always to do with food. I’ve never ever come across a verse in the Bible where the tithe was money. I believe that we have to be generous but sometimes that 10% is more than what we do have. Paul even says in Romans not to give more than what we are able. That when we were generous we will have all that is provided when we have nothing to give. There will be stages in life where we won’t always be able to give what we want. I’m not against being rich or giving 10% but we really need to open the Bible more, and read everything in it’s whole context. Read the history behind certain laws etc………I believe personally that the prosperity gospel can harm people. Say there is a person who just got saved and expects riches, but doesn’t get rich, will they still serve God with all their heart and mind? That’s just my two cents

By: Chris

Chris — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 22:05:59 +0000

One thing people need to understand is to be rich is not the same as to be wealthy. Riches consist of currency for the most part, stocks, bonds, credit (dollars), etc. Wealth; however, consist of having natural resources. Example If the world runs out of water it doesn’t matter how much Bill Gates’ budget allows him to spend, where will he go to spend it on water? The wealth is in having the ability to sustain yourself and family from nature.

Please don’t misunderstand me and think I expect people to be/become nature gurus, but natural resources are the only things considered to be wealth, i.e. those who have natural resources are wealthy. This is the reason all governments are evil. Because they want to and will do anything to control these resources in order to become RICH from their sales.

Now on to the subject at hand. The prosperity gospel is not sound doctrine. The same type of unsound doctrine that Paul warned Timothy about when he said, “in the last days the people will not give heed to sound doctrine”.

With that said the doctrine of having money, but not letting it have you was birthed and nurtured from the prosperity gospel as an excuse for them to commit their crimes against the Father and fellow men (whether they know it or not, two sides to every coin).

The scriptures used to support this gospel are twisted and manipulated to the utmost, as well as the hearts and minds of the hearers. For instance most professors of the Faith believe that the love of money is the root of all evil, but then turn around and say the Father wants them to be rich and they, in turn, desire to be rich. However, in the preceding verses Paul says,

(Starting in the middle of verse 5. Please read the whole chapter for context)

“5 …supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself . 6 But godliness with contentment is great gain. 7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out . 8 And having food and raiment let us be therewith content . 9 But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. 10 For the love of money is the root of all evil…”

Likewise, 3 John 1 is Johns’ prayer for us and not a commandment from the Father that says as your soul prospers so will your finances and health.

Then you also have that belief that the Christ was rich, but I read that the disciples asked where to get money to feed all the people as a test from the Christ who then performs a miracle in feed thousands.

Then he also tells us that we are to store up riches in heaven not on the earth. Never said different, but the people assume it’s all good.

The rich young ruler kept his riches and went away sorrowful. Zacchaeus who was a tax collector like Matthew who gave half of all he had to the poor, and to anyone he wronged by false accusation he gave four times what they lost from the other half he had left over.

Thus it can be assumed, with reason, that Matthew who followed the Christ for the duration of until his death was not a rich man. Paul says the disciples were chosen by the Father to be displayed last among all men brethren included.

My final thought is that the believer is to have faith in a promise to come and to strive to receive that promise. Therefore the directive from the Christ is for those who truly believe to store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, then look at the birds of the field.

By: DR

DR — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 10:18:01 +0000

John, that’s well said!

By: John

John — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 02:04:45 +0000

I think it is ok to have money as long as it doesn’t have us!

By: Rosalyn

Rosalyn — Mon, 07 Feb 2011 16:40:37 +0000

Yes, 1 John 3:1 I think,tells us that Above all things I hope that you prosper and be in good health even as your souls propser. In Psalms it tells us that Wealth and Riches are in our house.

By: Darrin

Darrin — Mon, 25 Oct 2010 23:01:36 +0000

Hello all,

It’s funny I’ve been thinking about this for two days. I’ve had the chance to Pastor more then one church, as well had great money, 6,000sf home and more. I’ve also seen the side of life, where money was no where to be found. I can remember my wife, had $5.00 and through the provision of God she was able to feed the family for 1 week.

To the point!

For a while I’ve been the person to say, preachers should not teach about wealth. I’ve been the person to look at preachers adn say why do they need that huge home or all those cars? I’ve often, said to serve God a person needs not those things, because the bible tells us the love of money is the root to all evil.

God has given, me another thought about wealth. For sometime I’ve always knew the power of God to heal people from sickness, because through the ministry he gave me, people were healed. But I’m starting to understand his power in wealth. The bible tells us, it’s God who gives us the power to get wealth. With this said, we find many people in the bible who were pretty wealthy.

I’m finding the Jesus said on earth as it is in heaven. God wants his children to be blessed as well live in wealth. Think about how often Jesus did things that pointed to the thought of wealth. He turned water into wine, and not just any wine but fine wine. With 2 fish and 5 loves of bread he feed a gret amount of people.

Having money, will give people to ability to help others, show God’s blessings with homes, cars, healing and more. As well having wealth will prevent sickness in the body, and allow many people not to be stressed which will do it’s part on the body.

God however will not let his people LOVE money or wealth. He never said be poor, because it’s to many people in the bible who had a lot. God put Adam in the garden where he had everything. God only wants to still be the center of your life if you are wealthy. The bible says it’s hard for a rich person to get into heaven. It’s never said that rich person would not make it to heaven.

Seek after God, if he gives you the power or wisdom to get wealth, always keep him first, before the money or wealth. The danger with some people having wealth is they will give all the credit to themself or the money God has blessed them with.

It’s not wrong to have wealth. Theh bible says don’t store up things on this earth, and again this is telling us don’t put all your faith trust and hope in money and wealth.

By: Peter Wolfe

Peter Wolfe — Sat, 23 Oct 2010 00:50:27 +0000

Don’t you think instead of a blessing of wealth that its a test of God to test you by temptation? Middle class people get wound up into this pontification that they are more blessed cause they have more instead rather they have more materially perhaps not spiritually. Many middle class people live like the pharisees and scribes did in the Gospels with their segrgated lifestyles away from true poverty in our streets and neighborhoods. They lock their doors calling others lazy, worthless, ugly, thieves, and so on and so foth about them.
I think that the middle to upper class should give much more as the poor are often times exploited out of cheap labour cause of being viewed as being expendable. We are are all exposable in the end myself included. The nerve of the well to do in society thinks wrongly its a temptation of the devil is what I’m thinking to test your faith. We are all given tests of our faith and wealth is most certainly one of the well to do in the world today likeit was back them. Looking at poor people its a fundamental trust issue ause of their deprived natures in Africa, Latin America and Asia to beckon true belief from disppair is hard to come by for sure. Then, the poor here in the United States in comparison seems margainly wide but its not really when you have seen as much as my eyes have seen or my ears have heard of the crying of the poor. Homeless, sing mothers, ghetto dwellers and the alike like foster/adoptees and others can haunt you at night and instead christians largely give up. The nerve of well to do people to think that the pooor won’t resort to relying on the governmet from your misdoings is apparenlty out of arrogance cause of yoru largely apathetic classist false sense of superiority in this ntion towards your own people an that of the world’s pooor.

By: Magda

Magda — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 07:50:31 +0000

Prosperity teaching is a lie from the devil himself. My son has been involved in this for over 20 years he has nothing, got divorced and still has nothing. He only has the money he gets paid at the end of the month. They were taught give and God will bless you with more. Invest in the pastor and the church and you will be blessed your debts will disappear. Only the pastors enriched themselves and go on the most expensive holidays and live in palaces. No I have seen enough but you know what God loves them and all we can do is pray for them that God will heal them from spiritual blindness.

Jesus said my Kingdom is not of this world. There are people that he blesses everybody cant be rich as Jesus said the poor you will always have with you. Nowhere in the New Testament does it say we must pay 10% it was in the time of Moses where the people will still under the law. New Testament giving is grace giving give what you have and more. If you give God only 10% in any case you are robbing Him. The bible says true faith is to look after the widows and the orphans. We need to praise God everyday for spiritual blessings and Grace that we do not deserve. He is faithfull He knows what each one needs and all we need to do is love others share if we are rich with those who dont have.

By: JarrodChambers

JarrodChambers — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 18:07:27 +0000

For sure there are many refferences to good wealthy men.

By: DR

DR — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 12:45:45 +0000

Jarrod, thanks for your thoughtful comment. I’ve read the text many times, although I note that many references in the Old Testament speak of God’s financial blessings for those that follow him. Solomon was wealthy. Luke and Matthew were likely very wealthy by standard of that day. Paul I think did well for himself.