Champions BYTES for 6/30/10: "Wealth and Riches!"

"Praise the LORD. Blessed is the man who fears the LORD, who finds great delight in his commands. His children will be mighty in the land; the generation of the upright will be blessed. Wealth and riches are in his house, and his righteousness endures forever. Even in darkness light dawns for the upright, for the gracious and compassionate and righteous man. Good will come to him who is generous and lends freely, who conducts his affairs with justice. Surely he will never be shaken; a righteous man will be remembered forever. He will have no fear of bad news; his heart is steadfast, trusting in the LORD. His heart is secure, he will have no fear; in the end he will look in triumph on his foes." -King David

The fear of the LORD triggers a release of divine wisdom, longevity, blessing, all sufficiency, friendship, protection, deliverance and forgiveness in your life.

Whatever you love, you will honor. And humility comes before honor (or "fear.") King David's lineage wrote:

"The reward of humility and the reverent and worshipful fear of the Lord is riches and honor and life." (Pr. 22:4.)

"Behold, thus shall the man be blessed who reverently and worshipfully fears the Lord. May the Lord bless you out of Zion [His sanctuary], and may you see the prosperity of Jerusalem all the days of your life (Ps. 128:4-5.)

But what does is it mean to "fear" the Lord?

"Fear is a natural and, in its purpose, beneficent feeling, arising in the presence or anticipation of danger, and moving to its avoidance; it is also awakened in the presence of superiors and of striking manifestations of power, etc., taking the form of awe or reverence. Fear has been said to be the source of religion, but religion can never have originated from fear alone, since men are impelled to draw nigh with expectation to the object of worship." (The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia)

So when David said, "I am "fearfully" and wonderfully made" in Psalms 139, he was saying, "I am "extremely," to an awesome degree made in the image of God. I was created to bring awe to nations in demonstration of the God Who created me."

Proverbs 10:4 says: "He becomes poor who works with a slack and idle hand, but the hand of the diligent makes rich."

2. But wealth is also the result of the supernatural favor and blessing of God.
2 Chronicles 1:7 records: "That night God appeared to Solomon and said to him, Ask what I shall give you. Give me now wisdom and knowledge to go out and come in before this people, for who can rule this Your people who are so great? God replied to Solomon, Because this was in your heart and you have not asked for riches, possessions, honor, and glory, or the life of your foes, or even for long life, but have asked wisdom and knowledge for yourself, that you may rule and judge My people over whom I have made you king, Wisdom and knowledge are granted you. And I will give you riches, possessions, honor, and glory, such as none of the kings had before you, and none after you shall have their equal."

God gave Solomon wealth or a treasury of wisdom, knowledge and creativity, THEN riches.

"Riches" in Hebrew and Greek meant: something acquired, a purchased acquisition; substance, property, goods, equipment, plunder, possessions; it is a general term for all movable goods of livestock, utensils and STORES.

In Genesis 41:48, what Joseph gathered up in the seven good years in the land of Egypt became a storehouse for him to sell to all of Egypt (in famine.) He stored away in each city the food from the fields around it (Gen. 41:48):

"But when all the land of Egypt was weakened with hunger, the people [there] cried to Pharaoh for food; and Pharaoh said to [them] all, Go to Joseph; what he says to you, do. When the famine was over all the land, Joseph opened all the storehouses and sold to the Egyptians; for the famine grew extremely distressing in the land of Egypt. And all countries came to Egypt to Joseph to buy grain, because the famine was severe over all [the known] earth" (Gen. 41:55-57.)

God has something great in "store" for you.

He is sending people "to you." But you need to tap into your inner wealth (and creativity) before you can possess external riches.

Moses reminded his people: "But you shall [earnestly] remember the Lord your God, for it is He Who gives you power to create, influence or persuade wealth;"

You can be blessed or wealthy in seed, yet not rich in harvest (or deed.) You can be wealthy yet still stuck in the wilderness. Too many of us withhold seed out of fear, depriving ourselves of living the good life which God prearranged and made ready for us to live (Eph. 2:10.)

Don't let your "crisis" (or the cares of this world) choke or determine your seed. The Apostle Paul wrote: "But we have this treasure in earthen vessels that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;" (2 Cor. 4:7)

Your seed (dream, idea, gift, anointing or excellence) will prosper if you dare sow it.

We have a treasure of excellence inside of us. That's why, the blessing of the Lord makes rich and adds no sorrow. One of the Hebrew definitions of "riches" is: strength, ability, efficiency, force or an army. God wants to make you a force to be reckoned with in your industry and generation.

Yes, material riches are: Transitory (Proverbs 27:24); They are not to be trusted in (Mark 10:23; Luke 18:24; 1 Timothy 6:17); They are not to be gloried in (Jeremiah 9:23); The heart is not to be set on them (Psalms 62:10); But they are made by God (Psalms 104:24), Come from God (1 Chronicles 29:12); and They are the crown of the wise (Proverbs 14:24.)

The blessing of the upright is to a thousand generations; to make you a thousand times more than what you currently are.

Today, you are more than your badge title or position.

You are more than a secretary, salesman, clerk, manager, director, lawyer, doctor, nurse, pastor, student, parent or whatever role you may occupy.

What are you doing with the hidden treasure (blessing and wealth) of that gift that was designed to make you rich (or more); that was designed to build a storehouse (for the King) in your crisis?

You are filled with the Spirit of God, with skill, creative ability, wisdom, knowledge to design, create, build and work in a specific craftsmanship.

You have been brought to the sanctuary of the Lord (and to that team or business) with other wise-hearted men and women to do all manner of work for the vision of the house (according to all that God has promised.)

Your gift was designed to build a house, not tear one down.

And whatever gift builds your employer, school PTA or committee, volunteer position, home or school can either be a gift or offense to the house of God.