And Abram was very rich in cattle, in silver, and in gold." Gen. 13:2

"He listened to, and obeyed God." Gen. 12:1-4

"He honored God, who prospered him." Gen. 12:7

"He was generous, and avoided strife." Gen. 13:5-9

"He was compassionate toward others." Gen. 18:24-33
Solomon understood the principals of prosperity. He was one of the richest men who ever lived. His proverbs reveal many truths regarding finances.

"Honor the Lord with thy substance, and with the first fruits of all thine increase: so thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst forth with new wine." Proverbs 3:9-10

"He who gives to the poor will not want, but he who hides his eyes [from their want] will have many a curse." Proverbs 28:27 AMP

But in order to have true riches, the motive of your heart must be pure, to bless others and establish God's covenant.

"And beware lest you say in your [mind and] heart, my power and the might of my hand have gotten me this wealth. But you shall earnestly remember the Lord your God, for it is He Who gives you power to get wealth that He may establish His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day." Deuteronomy 8:17-18 AMP

God does indeed want to be involved in our finances. Most Christians who are defeated in their finances are defeated because they believe and confess the words of the enemy, and those words hold them in bondage. What we believe and speak affects the natural world, including our finances. God has given us His Word so that we can understand these spiritual laws. When you work with these laws, they work for you. When you work against God's spiritual laws, they work against you.

When you speak negatively about your financial situation, you have what you say and believe. Here is a very important spiritual law: You can have what you say. With your words you can choose life or death, poverty or riches, sickness or health. You may tithe 10%, work hard, and pray for prosperity every day, but if your words are negative and contrary to God's Word, you could stay in debt, struggling to make ends meet.

Words are powerful, but God's Word is full of creative power. When you agree with what God has said about you, speaking His Word, your circumstances will begin to change and line up with His Will for your life.

As I give, it is given unto me, good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over. Luke 6:38.

My God makes all grace abound toward me in every favor and earthly blessing, so that I have all sufficiency for all things and I abound to every good work. 2 Corinthians 9:8.

I am blessed in the city, blessed in the field, blessed coming in, and blessed going out, my laying down, my rising up. I am blessed in the basket and blessed in my bank accounts, investments, health, and relationships; they flourish. The blessings of the Lord overtake me in all areas of my life and I receive them. Deut 28:1-14.

I am like a tree planted by rivers of water. I bring forth fruit in my season, my leaf shall not wither, and whatever I do will prosper. Psalms 1:3.

The blessings of the Lord makes truly rich, and He adds no sorrow with it. Proverbs 10:22

The Lord has opened unto me His good treasure and blessed the work of my hands. He has commanded the blessing upon me in my storehouse and all that I undertake. Deuteronomy 28:8 and 12.

God delights in my prosperity. He gives me power to get wealth that He may establish His covenant upon the earth. Deuteronomy 8:18, 11:12

God has given me all things that pertain to life and godliness, and I am well able to possess all that God has provided for me. Numbers 13:30, 2 Peter 1:3-4.

I delight myself in the Lord, and He gives me the desires of my heart. Psalms 37:4.

The Lord rebukes the devourer for my sake, and no weapon that is formed against me will prosper. All obstacles and hindrances to my prosperity are now dissolved. Malachi 3:10-11; Isaiah 54:17.

The Lord is my shepherd, and I do not want. Jesus came that I might have life and have it more abundantly. Psalms 23:1; John 10:10.

In "The Day They Shook the Plum Tree" Arthur H. Lewis tells the strange, but true story of Hetty Green. She died in 1916, the richest and most detested female in America. She had $100 million dollars in the bank, but ate crackers and cold oatmeal because she was too cheap to buy good food. Her own son's leg had to be amputated because she was too cheap to take him to a doctor.

They're all dead now -- Hetty and her two children. Her millions were distributed where they accomplished a minimum of good.

Many Christians (when it comes to their attitude toward money) are more like Hetty Green than like Christ. I'm simply talking about being self-centered instead of Christ-centered; being stingy instead of generous.

The truth is that many Christians keep some places within their hearts off limits to Christ's control. Receiving the grace of God often provides a wonderful sense of relief, peace, joy and hope. Letting Jesus change us and transform us to be like Him requires a kind of surrender that often feels like death.

As a result it seems easier to become a Christian than it does to be transformed into the likeness of Christ. And no where is this more true than in the area of being a giving person.

In II Corinthians 8 Paul explains that the only way people could be changed into selfless, sacrificing, giving people was the work of the grace of God in their lives.

They gave themselves first to the Lord, then to us in keeping with God's will. I Corinthians 8:5

The motivation is God's grace, not our guilt. This is the #1 problem in sermons, studies and programs on giving. A framework of grace is not seen, known or felt. The result is that average believers gives their money to relieve their guilt and to get God to like like them.

God's Spirit is transforming us from being a "bucket" to becoming a "funnel". God is changing us into people who will be a channel that flows into the lives of others.

In II Corinthians 9 Paul describes the marks of generous people.

Generous people have a plan for giving.

We have all seen budget books. Perhaps you use one for your household budget. The purpose is to help people plan how to spend their money. Often there are four major sections -- fixed expenses, living expenses, business expenses, and savings. Then it had a category for everything else -- Miscellaneous. According to this book, giving to God's work would be listed under miscellaneous. Do we put giving to spiritual things under "miscellaneous?" Giving people do not consider their generosity as "miscellaneous."

Generous people understand the principle of giving.

It's the law of the harvest. He who sows sparingly reaps sparingly. He who sows generously reaps generously.

This is what permits the Christian to be a cheerful giver. He knows that as he shovels out, God will shovel in and God's shovel is bigger than his.

"Reaping generously" doesn't necessarily mean that God rewards us with money. There are many blessings other than cash.

Generous people know the purpose of giving.

The purpose for giving is that God will be thanked and praised. Also, that people will have their needs met. Many of us use checks to pay bills. In the lower left corner we write what the check is for. If we give a check to God's work, what would we write on this line? Do we give because God is short of cash? to impress people and get a tax deduction? No.

We give that God's name on earth may be exalted and expanded. We give that people may be helped, encouraged and served.