Choose To Be Rich – Rhapsody Of Realities TeeVo Devotional May 18th

(Poverty Is Not A Blessing)

TO THE BIBLE: 2 Corinthians 8:9
“For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich.”

LET’S TALK
Poverty isn’t a blessing. You say, “Pastor Chris, how do you know that? Must everyone be rich?” Well, the Bible says, “The blessing of the Lord makes one rich, and He adds no sorrow with it” (Proverbs 10:22). Simple! That’s the reason Jesus delivered us from it.

The Bible says He was rich, yet for our sakes, He became poor so that through His poverty, we might be made rich. He gave us prosperity in place of poverty in the same way that He gave us His righteousness in place of sin (2 Corinthians 8:9; 2 Corinthians 5:21).

When we say that poverty isn’t a blessing, that’s not to say that when anyone is poor, something is wrong with him or her; no! Anyone can make a choice.

It’s like what the Bible says about many who were tortured yet refused deliverance so that they might obtain a better resurrection (Hebrews 11:35).

In the same way, some people have chosen to live in poverty, and if that’s your choice, it’s okay because that’s the choice you’ve made.

However, if you became poor because of circumstances, as a result of being oppressed by others, or for some other reason outside of your personal choice, then that’s not okay. You have a right to change things.

Nonetheless, some of us have been called to do certain things in the world, for which reason we can’t and mustn’t be poor! This isn’t because we love to be “rich” but because of responsibility and what we have to do.

God is counting on us to take the Gospel to the ends of the earth. He said in Matthew 24:14, “And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.” The Gospel is free, but it’s not cheap to publish.

The Lord said through the Prophet in Zechariah 1:17, “…My cities shall again spread out through prosperity….” Refuse to be poor. Make up your mind that you’ll be as prosperous as God has ordained you to be.

He said in 3 John 1:2, “Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.” He wants you to prosper spiritually, physically, and financially. Make a choice not to be anything less.

Go Deeper
2 Peter 1:2-3; Psalm 23:1-2; Romans 8:17

Speak:
I’m an heir of God and a joint-heir with Christ; the world belongs to me. All things are mine; I dwell in the realm of superabundance, where I’m graciously supplied with every good thing. I walk in my inheritance in Christ, prospering in divine health, even as my soul prospers. Hallelujah!

Daily Bible Reading
ONE YEAR
John 8:31-47, 1 Kings 22
TWO YEAR
1 Corinthians 10:14-21, Proverbs 14

Act:
Study and meditate on Deuteronomy 30:19: “I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live.”