HOW TO PROSPER AS A CHRISTIAN

INTRODUCTION TO PROSPERITY

Ps 118:20-25 This gate of the LORD, into which the righteous shall enter. (21) I will praise thee: for thou hast heard me, and art become my salvation. (22) The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner.(23) This is the LORD'S doing; it is marvellous in our eyes.(24) This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it. (25) Save now, I beseech thee, O LORD: O LORD, I beseech thee, send now prosperity.

As the psalmist calls out to God here, so should we as Christians individually and collectively in our churches. Salvation is a wonderful thing but we should seek spiritual prosperity.
There are many was we can spiritually prosper and the next few devotionals will be devoted to that subject.
NOTE: Feel free to use these devotionals in any way to further our Lord's kingdom. You may forward them in emails, put them in your Newsletters or whatever. We feel that God has directed us to write these devotionals, they are His and for His Glory. Feel free to use or share them in any way that might bring Him Glory.

ONE DAY AT A TIME

James 4:13-14Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such acity, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain:(14)Whereas ye know not what on the morrow. For what yourlife? It is even a [vapour], that appeareth for a little time, andthen vanisheth away.

Life is not difficult if we take it one day at a time. Jesus taught us to take one day at a time.

Matthew 6:34Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day the evil thereof.

It can be overwhelming to try to plan a lifetime. What we need to do is make the best of each day that God has given us.

TODAY I WILL:
1. WORK ON MY LITTLE PROBLEMS AND NOT TRY TO SOLVE EVERYTHING AT ONCE

2. MAKE UP MY MIND TO BE AS HAPPY AS I POSSIBLY CAN Abraham Lincoln said, "Most folks are about as happy as they makeup their minds to be."

3. TODAY I WILL DEAL WITH THINGS REALISTICALLY There is a little prayer that you see on a lot of plaques and pictures that simply says, "Lord help me to be reasonable. There are things in the world that need to be different. Help me to change the things I can and accept the things I cannot change."

4. TODAY I WILL SPEND SOME QUIET TIME WITH GOD TODAY I WILL PRAY: TODAY I WILL READ AND STUDY GOD'S WORD TODAY I WILL MEDITATE AND THINK FOR AWHILE ON SPIRITUAL THINGS

5. TODAY I WILL TRY TO FINISH SOMETHING I HAVE BEEN PUTTING OFF.

6. TODAY I WILL WORK ON SOME AREA OF MY LIFE AND TRY TO IMPROVE. I WILL ESPECIALLY TRY TO GROW SPIRITUALLY TODAY.

7. TODAY I WILL BE EASY TO GET ALONG WITH

8. TODAY I WILL TRY DO MY BEST TO WITNESS TO SOMEONE WHO IS LOST.


WE SHOULD BE MOVED WITH COMPASSION

Matthew 9:36 But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd.
Jesus had compassion on the hungry multitude, both the physically hungry and the spiritually hungry. We too should be moved with compassion.
We should have compassion for those less fortunate and do what we can to help them. I am a firm believer that the welfare state in our country is a destructive force. It is far more compassionate to give people a hand than it is to give them a handout. I am not saying that there aren't times when we must charitably give to people. Many people find themselves in dire straits through no fault of their own.I am saying how much more compassionate it is to teach someone to take care of themselves than it is to just take care of them.
We should be moved to minister to others. Sometimes our compassion may lead us into a special ministry. Visiting the elderly in a nursing home or working with disabled veterans are great ministries and all you need is a compassionate heart and some time. Mentoring young people is a wonderful ministry, especially with so many without a proper family environment.
We should be moved by compassion for the lost. It is easy to complain about the crime and all the sin in the world but what are we doing to help with the problem. If we have compassion on the lost we will tell them about Jesus and His wonderful plan of Salvation.

WE SHOULD BE MOVED BY GODLY FEAR

Acts 24:24-25 And after certain days, when Felix came with his wife Drusilla, which was a Jewess, he sent for Paul, and heard him concerning the faith in Christ. {25} And as he reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come, Felix trembled, and answered, Go thy way for this time; when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee.
We should be moved with conviction of the sin in our life. Unlike Felix we should make things right with God at this time and not try to wait for a convenient season. What could be more convenient than right now.
Once we are moved by God to be convicted (strongly convinced of the seriousness) of our sins we should be moved to repentance. We hear the word repent a lot. What it really means is a change of direction. Repentance should bring about a change of heart so strong that it cause a change of our direction. Instead of moving away from God we will move toward Him.
The closer we move toward God, the closer we move to righteousness. Righteousness can only be found and achieved through Jesus Christ.Don't wait for a convenient season. Move toward God now.

WE SHOULD BE MOVED BY OUR FAITH

Hebrews 11:7 By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.
We need to be moved by having faith in God's warnings. When Noah built the Ark it had never rained before, a mist came up from the ground and watered the Earth. Noah believed God's warning and built the Ark. The whole human race was saved because Noah believed God was going to send a flood. Only His family survived, therefore, we are all descendants of Noah.
We also need to be moved by faith in God's promises. Just as with a warning, a promise will come to pass. Many of God's promises are conditional. If we really have faith we will accept the conditions.Always remember that it is God's desire to bless you and for you to have the best. He has let us know the way to have the very best through His promises in the Bible. Sometimes it takes faith not to settle for what we think is good and lose what God says is best.

WE SHOULD BE MOVED BY THE SPIRIT

Judges 13:24-25 And the woman bare a son, and called his name Samson: and thechild grew, and the LORD blessed him. (25) And the spirit of the LORD began to move him at times in thecamp of Dan between Zorah and Eshtaol.

2 Peter 1:21 For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake moved by the Holy Ghost.

Sometimes we know the Spirit is moving us to speak to someone. Maybe it is to share the gospel, maybe it is to encourage them, and maybe it is to gently rebuke them for some sin. So often we struggle to keep from saying something when it is really time to all the Spirit to move us to speak.
There are also times when the Spirit moves us to act and we do nothing. We might be afraid or timid. We might not want to make a committment or there may be some other reason. When the Spirit of God leads us to act we should act. God will not lead us to do somehthing that He will not Help us do.
We should let the Spitit move us toward worship of God. The best definition I have ever heard of Worship is : an overflowing adoration. So many times we meet and sing, listen to the preaching, have an invitation and go home without ever worshiping. If we are sensitive to the leading of the Spirit we will be drawn into worshipful experience.

WE SHOULD BE MOVED BY GOD

2 Chronicles 18:31 And it came to pass, when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, that they said, It the king of Israel. Therefore they compassed about him to fight: but Jehoshaphat cried out, and the LORD helped him; and God moved them from him.

We should pray for God to remove the obstacles that keep us from serving Him. The obstacles are many and sometimes they are so overwhelming that we can't work our way around them on our own. Sometimes calling out to God for Him to remove the obstacles is the only way. God doesn't want anything standing in the way of our serving Him. You have to be careful when you ask God to remove an obstacle you might be asking Him to remove an opportunity.

We should ask God to move our enemies. You notice that I didn't say remove them. It is imperative that we pray for our enemies and strive to win them to the Lord. If we pray for God to move them and to change their hearts they will no longer be our enemies but will become our Brothers and Sisters in Christ.

We shoul pray for God to move in our own hearts and give us a burden for the lost and a burning desire to serve Him better. When God moves us it is always in the right direction.