Greetings to all of my readers in the New Year of 2012.
You know I do not claim to be a prophet and I am not the son of a prophet. I am not sure I can predict any thng with accuracy. I used to enjoy predicting the collegiate football bowl games, and devised a system that the members of our family could predict the winners, even the scores. We did not gamble. But my brother-in-law, Lawrence Fulcher, would give a large box of candy to the winner, and a smaller box of candy to the one who has less wins.That was a lot of fun for all. Finally, because it became so popular that we allowed friends outside the family to participate in the game we all enjoyed. In fact, my mother-in-law, Frances Shropshire Stewart, predicted the winners of all the bowl games one year, and knew absolutely nothing about college football.
As I have been reading the Bible in recent months, it seems that two words continue to leap out to me from the Bible: Abundance and Prosperity.
Genesis 27:28
May God give you of heaven's dew
and of earth's richness —
an abundance of grain and new wine.
NIV
1 Peter 1:2
Grace and peace be yours in abundance.
NIV
Deuteronomy 28:11
The LORD will grant you abundant prosperity.
NIV
Psalm 128:2
2 You will eat the fruit of your labor;
blessings and prosperity will be yours.
NIV
A friend of mine who is the CEO of a major ministerial association told me a few weeks ago that they had purchased a large facility, renovated it to suit their ministry, and owed several hundreds of thousands of dollars. One of his partners, a lady with wealth (abundance and prosperity), wrote a check for the entire amount, and his ministry is completely out of debt.
This friend of mine and I were classmates at Asbury Theological Seminary in the early '60s. We sang in the Seminary Singers. What God has done for others, He will do for you. Start today thanking God for meeting all your financial needs.
It is my prayer that abundance and prosperity will overtake you in your personal lives and in your church and beyond in whatever ministries He may give you.
The place to begin is to follow through on what the Apostle Paul has to say about giving. It is recorded in the Book of Acts, chapter 20, and verse 35, "And remember the Words of the Lord Jesus, that He said, 'It is more blessed to give than to receive'" (NKJV).
The abundance and prosperity that God wants to give us in the year 2012 will start with our willingness to give to others. It is not just money, but friendship, helping others in need, volunteering at church or in the community, reading to elderly people, being a friend to someone who may feel he or she has no friends.
In the Book of Malachi and the Book of Luke we read, "He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers" (Malchi 4:6,
NIV).
In the Book of Luke the Word of the Lord is that John the Baptist, "And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous-to make ready a people prepared for the Lord" (Luke 1:17, NIV).
Fathers, including myself, need to create an atmosphere in their homes where love and acceptance of each person is the norm of the day. It has to do with genuine love, respect, and honor we give for others. When we realize that every human being has a soul and a spirit that will spend eternity somewhere, either heaven or hell, it should cause us to think soberly and seek God for wisdom and help in our relationships with others beginning with our own family members.
It is my prayer that you will experience abundance and prosperity in your life, your home, family, church and community.
I would like to hear your testimonies of how God has blessed you.
You may write me, Hugh Morgan, at: hugh@hughsnews.com
Posted on
Sun, January 1, 2012
by Hugh Morgan