True Prosperity
ICS Daily Devotions
Genesis 14:20-23 (NKJV) “And blessed be God Most High, who delivered your enemies into your hand.” Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything.” the king of Sodom said to Abram, “Give me the persons, and take the goods for yourself.” But Abram said to the king of Sodom, “I have raised my hand to the LORD, God Most High, the Possessor of heaven and earth,that I will take nothing, from a thread to a sandal strap, and that I will not take anything that is yours, lest you should say, ‘I have made Abram rich’
Between the two choices of compromising with the values of the world to gain prosperity or living a consecrated life and experiencing God’s blessings by applying biblical financial principles like tithing, which do you choose? The god of this age will tempt us to bow down to worship power and money instead of having faith in God—the one who created the entire world to provide for us. Therefore, we must learn absolute dependency on God and declare Him as our sole financial provision just like Abraham did.
The first time we see the tithe appear in Scripture is when Abraham met Melchizedek after the battle. Abraham overcame the temptation from the King of Sodom by refusing the wealth of Sodom (which represented the world) that was offered to him. Abraham forsook all to obey God and he refused to turn back in times of trial. He knew and wanted to remember that it was God who made him prosper and not the King of Sodom or the world. Abraham obeyed the law of tithing as a declaration of his dependence on God. We also need to make a conscious decision to put our trust in God by following biblical principles.
Abraham has made it a lifestyle that God was his sole provider. When he left the Land or Ur, all He knew was that God had promised him a land and he was going to be a father of many nations. He believed in God’s promises, despite being old and childless. God blessed Abraham richly because He called on the name of the Lord.
Abraham knew that his wealth was the blessing of God. Therefore, when he and Lot needed to part ways, Abraham gave Lot the priority and privilege to choose. Lot picked the plain of Sodom—a land filled with natural resources, just like the world—because Lot represents those who trust in the world. He believed in what he saw with his natural eyes without a relationship with God and only knowing about God. It is easier to believe in what can be seen rather than stepping into the unseen and surrendering our lives to God. However, Abraham held on to his faith in the unseen promises of God, saw God as his sole provider, and got rewarded with true prosperity and life, blessing many through God.
Sermon Series: A Steady Walk of Faith with God
