Tuesday, February 8, 2011

Don’t waste your resources! -By Bishop David Oyedepo

A renowned author once said, "Money without financial intelligence is money soon gone ... If you want to be rich, then you need to become financially literate."

God empowers us for financial fortune through the release of divine ideas. If you want to be rich and sustain it, you need to guide your ideas with discretion.

Many people in the society have lost sight of these facts, taking things for granted, living a wasteful life and thereby living in poverty, lack and want. That is why this week, I will be showing you one of the important things you need to do, if you must enjoy financial fortune in your family this year. It is avoiding waste!

The American Heritage Dictionary

defines waste as using, consuming, spending, or expending thoughtlessly or carelessly. In God’s own economy, waste is the worst enemy of wealth. Waste is an economic cancer that eats up one’s financial wealth. Therefore, your financial expenditure needs to be focused and done with a sense of purpose, especially in these days of economic meltdown.

The Bible tells us a story about the prodigal son, who wasted his substance on riotous living in a far country. When famine broke out there, he began to be in want and started eating the food meant for the swine (Luke 15:11-24). By implication therefore, when you are a victim of waste, you automatically become a victim of want.

There is no doubt that financial waste has been the undoing of many people in their various homes. For instance, many do not know how much is expended on telephone bills, car maintenance, house-keeping, and so on. They just keep spending until they find themselves in lack and want.

Nobody keeps a treasure under a leaking roof. If you live a leaking life, God can’t entrust His riches in your home. If you live an extravagant life, one day you will end up in penury! Every waster of financial resources is destined to end up a failure in life.

You can’t be earning N40,000 and using N30,000 for hosting visitors; that is waste! You are not prudent with your financial resources. Some put their children in schools whose fees are not affordable.

Many people are living above their levels. Why must you impress others and depress yourself? Many put on 10 bangles, trinkets and chains and can’t afford to maintain their families. This is bad! This is not the way to cater for your family.

God gave you brain so that you can give Him rest. Live within your means. Don’t put your children in schools charging outrageous fees. My wife and I never needed prayer to pay our children’s school fees. We put them in schools that we could afford.

In my house, we have a home budget and my wife is the General Manager. She applies prudence in its management. If you are a guest in my house, for instance, and you need to make a phone call, I will be consulted so as to know the purpose for such a call. This is because where purpose is not defined, abuse is inevitable.

For you to qualify for sustained financial resources, you must be a good manager of your resources. The blessings from God will stop flowing in your direction, when you start wasting them. So, don’t be a waster! Learn to order your priorities right, and live within your means per time. When you waste your resources, you suffer lack and want and this may lead to begging and borrowing. This may eventually lead you into stealing, especially, when you fail to get what you want. If you want to enjoy financial fortune, avoid waste. Be prudent in your spending.

I want you to know that God, Himself hates waste. The Bible tells us a story about how Jesus Christ fed 5,000 men, beside women and children, with five loaves and two fishes. After feeding them, the remnants that were gathered filled 12 baskets (Matthew 14:19-21).

From this, we can see that waste is not allowed in the kingdom of God. A waster does not go too far in life! Therefore, stop wasting your electricity so you don’t suffer financial pressure, especially when you are not able to cope with the bills! If you are fond of doing this in the past, please refrain from it as from today.

Apart from that, you can adopt the policy of budgeting, in order to avoid wasteful spending. For instance, in my house, we have household maintenance budget. We’ve been doing that for years. Although this budget is increasing annually somehow, we have always been able to live within the maintenance budget. That way, I avoid wasteful spending!

Are you a waster of resources? There is still hope for you if you come to God who is Omniscient. When you come to Him, He will give you the wisdom needed to be prudent with your resources.

Coming to God entails confessing your sins and accepting Jesus your Lord and Saviour. That is how to be born again. If you are not yet born again, you can do so now, as you say this prayer: Lord Jesus, I come to You today. I am a sinner. Forgive me my sins. Deliver me from sin and Satan, to serve the Living God. Today, I accept You as my Lord and Saviour. Thank You Jesus for saving me! Now I know I am born again!

Friend, God is set to do a new thing which will make a difference in your life, at SHILOH 2009. Tagged, Hour Of Restoration, the event will hold at Faith Tabernacle, Canaan Land, Idiroko Road, Ota from December 8-12, 2009. Come and enjoy full divine restoration and transformation! Jesus Is Lord! Remain blessed as you come!

Every exploit in life is a product of knowledge. For further reading, please get my books — Towards Excellence In Life And Ministry, Winning Prayer and Success In Marriage.

I know this teaching has blessed you. Write and share your testimony with me through: BISHOP DAVID OYEDEPO, Faith Tabernacle, Canaan Land, Ota, P.M.B. 21688, Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria; or call 7747546-8; or E-mail: bishop@davidoyedepoministries.org

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Eight Steps to Destination: Prosperity Overflow by Creflo Dollar

God wants us to prosper spirit, soul and body in every area of our lives. Follow these eight steps to the fullness of what God intended for your relationships, ministry, job and finances. Start planting the Word of God in your heart and watch as your harvest overflows!
God has a place He wants us to go: Destination: Prosperity Overflow. I believe with all my heart that God wants us to prosper. In fact, I believe that prosperity is an expression of God’s love to us. Now please understand, I’m not just talking about money. Prosperity includes money, but it is more than money. God wants you to prosper in your spirit, soul, emotions and physical body. He wants you to prosper in your anointing, relationships, marriage and job. He wants you to excel toward the promises of God.
God has already done His part. He’s already made lots of things available to us, but if we don’t understand the process that we need to take to arrive at our destination, we could live the rest of our lives without ever coming into what God fully intended for us.

There are eight steps in this process. If your destination is Prosperity Overflow, you’re going to have to understand and respect this process. So let’s look at it carefully and see how each step impacts your life.

Step 1: The Word of God
The Word of God. This is where everything in the process starts. If you’re going to end up at Destination: Prosperity Overflow, you’re going to have to start with the Word. “In the beginning was the Word” (John 1:1).
The Word is the incorruptible seed, the seed that will always produce, the seed that will never fail. It is the origin for all prosperity—the gateway to the blessings of God. We can’t achieve prosperity without it.
Prosperity is Word-determined, not money-determined. No matter what we give, our money won’t have a future if it’s not backed up by a “Word seed,” that is, a revelation from the Word of God. It’s the Word seed that causes that money seed to increase. So many of us want to give a money seed, but we don’t have a Word seed. And so we release the money seed without any force behind it.

For instance, imagine a preacher who has never experienced a financial breakthrough. When the offering comes, he always puts something in, but things never get better for him. Why? Because even though he gave a money seed, he never received a revelation from the Word concerning his financial breakthrough. He planted the money seed, but it had no future without the Word seed.

It’s the Word of God, the Word seed, which determines prosperity in every area of life. Word seed will prosper you when the doctor tells you you’re sick. Word seed will prosper you when you feel like you’re about to lose your mind. Word seed will prosper your marriage when things seem down and out.
The process to Destination: Prosperity Overflow starts with the Word.

Step 2: Your Thinking
If you ask people why they read the Bible, they’ll give you all kinds of answers. But the reason you should read your Bible is because it governs your thinking. It shows you what type of mind-set you should have. And that’s the second step in this process: Word thinking, or prosperous thinking.

Third John 2 states, “Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.” The prosperity of your life is based on the prosperity of your soul—that is, your mind, will and emotions.
You will be as you think. Proverbs 23:7 says, “As [a man] thinketh in his heart, so is he.” If you think you’re going to be poor all your life, you probably will be. If you think you’re going to break out of this financial situation, then you’ll break out of it.

Consider how you think. Do you have a lack mentality? A poverty mentality? A sickness mentality? A mentality of defeat? You’ve got to look at your thinking and what influences your thinking, because everything that’s going on in your life can be traced back to how you think.

Step 3: Your Emotions
The Word of God will lead you to start thinking thoughts that are in line with the Word. And thinking that lines up with the Word will produce emotions that line up with the Word.
God gave us emotions. They are a gift. Jesus had emotions. The Bible says He was touched with the feeling of our infirmities (Hebrews 4:15). It is fine to have emotions…but we must make sure that emotions never have us.
Emotions are feelings caused by pain or pleasure that will direct you or move you in a direction. God has given you emotions. If you don’t learn how to control them, they will move you to places you don’t need to go.

If the devil’s going to move you out of the will of God where prosperity is concerned, then he’s going to do it by enticing your emotions. He tried to do that with Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. Jesus was sweating blood because He was “deeply distressed” (Mark 14:33, New International Version). He was resisting, not allowing His emotions to take charge.

As Jesus resisted, the King James Version says He “went forward” (verse 35) and kept praying. When your emotions try to move you out of God’s will, do like Jesus and keep moving forward. Keep doing God’s will, regardless of how you feel.You have authority over your emotions.

Step 4: Your Decisions
It’s extremely important that we understand how to govern ourselves and take charge of our emotions because how we feel will determine the next step in this process: the decisions we make.
Life is a series of decisions. Every day you wake up, you make a decision. According to Deuteronomy 30:19, you’re a free moral agent. You can choose life or death, blessing or cursing. And when you make decisions in line with the will of God, heaven will back you up.

Look what happened when Jairus made a decision and interrupted Jesus’ plans in Mark 5:21-23: “When Jesus was passed over again by ship unto the other side.… Behold, there cometh one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name; and when he saw him, he fell at his feet, and besought him greatly, saying, My little daughter lieth at the point of death: I pray thee, come and lay thy hands on her, that she may be healed; and she shall live.”
Now, look at what Jesus did in verse 24: “Jesus went with him.”

Did you get that? Jesus stepped off the boat, ready to accomplish the will of God for His life. But when Jairus interrupted Him, Jesus turned and went with him.

Then in verse 28, right in the middle of this situation, a woman with an issue of blood arrived. She had made a decision, too: “If I may touch but his clothes, I shall be whole.” Jesus stopped and healed her right there on the spot. Shortly after that, Jairus’ daughter was healed, too.

In both circumstances, Jesus was doing one thing when He was directed elsewhere. There’s a powerful principle here: Jesus has put His ministry and His Anointing into the hands of people who will make decisions that line up with His will. When you make a decision that lines up with His will, He will stop, turn and show up at your house to remove burdens and destroye yokes. That’s how powerful a decision is!

Step 5: Your Actions
Your decisions will determine your actions. And your actions cause the increase. Faith without works is dead (James 2:17). So start acting like what you just decided. Start talking like what you just decided. You may not be able to buy a $500 suit right now, but get yourself a good suit and have it dry cleaned. Get yourself a nice tie and a little handkerchief. Start walking like you’re already in the overflow. God weighs your actions (1 Samuel 2:3), so start doing what you can. Let your actions show what you believe.

Step 6: Your Habits
Your actions will determine your habits. You will develop in whatever you are doing on a daily basis. So you’ve got to check what you’re doing and saying every day, because what you do and say determines your potential.
If you lie, you have a potential to become a developed liar. If you sneak around looking at pornography every day, you only have the potential to develop in that. So make sure you look at your actions because your actions will determine your habits, and you don’t want habits in your life that are out of line with the Word of God.
Step 7: Your Character

Your habits will produce Step 7: your character. Character is what people have come to expect from you. Understand this: You will never rise above the limitations of your character.

Over the years, Brother Kenneth Copeland has defined character as doing what’s right because it’s right and then doing it right. The character we should desire is, of course, the character of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. What was His character? Love. We should begin to develop in the character of agape love so we can learn how to love people with agape love.

Step 8 : Your Destiny
Finally, the type of character you develop will determine your destination in life.
What’s your destiny? In John 10:10, Jesus says it succinctly: “I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows)” (The Amplified Bible). There’s your destiny. Enjoy life! That’s where you’re headed. Amen!

The Word produces your thinking; your thinking produces your emotions; your emotions produce your decisions; your decisions produce your actions; your actions produce your habits; your habits produce your character; and your character produces your destiny. Where you end up in life will be based on how you handle that progression.

You’re destined to live an overflowing life. You’re destined to be healed, to be at peace, to be wealthy. You’re destined to be happy. You’re destined to be sound. That’s what you were born to enter into. Life in the overflow! That’s your Destination: Prosperity Overflow.

HOW TO BE DEBT FREE-BY KENNETH COPELAND

How to Become Debt Free
Becoming debt free is something every Christian can—and should—accomplish. The Bible tells us in Romans 13:8 to “keep out of debt and owe no man anything, except to love on anther…” (The Amplified Bible). In fact, as believers, we should be the lender, not the borrower (Deuteronomy 28:12).

What’s the big deal over borrowing money when all the world seems to be in debt? The problem is just that—debt is part of the world’s system of finance. It’s a system devised by the devil to keep us in bondage to the world (see Deuteronomy 28:15, 43-44; Proverbs 22:7). Jesus, however, has redeemed us from the curse of the law, and we are free to walk in all the blessing of Abraham (Galatians 3:13-14).

You may be thinking: I understand that the Scriptures tell us to get out of debt. But how realistic is it for me to even think about owning a car or a house, or any of the other nice things I want, if I’m not willing to borrow the money to get them?

That’s a good question, and we want to share with you the following powerful truths that we have discovered—and experienced—in God’s Word.

Decide to get out of debt and live debt free.
Start by giving the Word first place in your life, and by making it your final authority. With that, you must decide to obey Romans 13:8 and believe God to be your source for all your needs and desires. Determine to be single-minded (James 1:8, 22-25), and then meditate on the Word (Psalm 1:1-3; Joshua 1:8).
Put God first in your financial affairs.
Decide that no matter what comes your way, you will obey God’s Word and tithe, as well as be a giver (Malachi 3:8-12; 2 Corinthians 9:6-15). Tithing lays the foundation for your financial success. (See the confession about giving below.)

Believe God for your daily bread (Matthew 6:11).
This is the money you need for your household to function every day. Your tithes and giving should be included in this, but don’t cheat yourself. Make sure you also include in this “daily bread” amount some “padding” for other things—such as debt payments, etc.—above your tithes, giving and necessities.
And remember, do not write “hot” checks—checks which your bank balance will not cover. This is fraud.
Get in agreement (Matthew 18:19).

Have your spouse agree with you, and if you are not married, find a strong believer who will agree with you.
Lay hold of it by faith.
Follow the principles set out in Mark 11:23-24. Believe in your heart and confess with your mouth that your needs are met, that you are out of debt, that the windows of heaven are opened to you, that the hundredfold return is yours in this lifetime and that you operate financially according to the wisdom of God. (See Proverbs 2:1-10, 3:13-18.)
Bind the devil in the Name of Jesus (Matthew 18:18; Mark 16:17; James 4:7; Ephesians 6:10-18).

In Jesus’ Name, order Satan and all his forces out of your financial affairs. When you are dealing with a financial matter involving the family, it is important that the husband and/or father—who is responsible as the spiritual head of the home—take the lead in this resistance of the devil’s attacks.
Loose the forces of heaven into your financial affairs (Hebrews 1:14; Psalm 103:20).
The angels of God are your ministering spirits and they too will assist you.

Praise God for the manifestation of His power in your financial affairs (Psalm 9:1-4, 67:5-6, 68:19).
Praise keeps the door to abundance wide open. When the channel between you and God is clear, you can receive His promises.

Finally, it is important to realize—and decide—that you are living to give (Ephesians 4:28). Live on the increase from your giving, that is, reach for the place in your financial life where the income from your job or business becomes your seed for giving.

And as you sow, believe for a hundredfold harvest. You will be a blessing to others and be out of debt. God will bless you and “make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work” (2 Corinthians 9:8).