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PERSONAL FROM
Universal
Prosperity:
Is
lt
Possible?
e
AN YOU
imagine a world
wher all poverty is banished? Well, I have
news for you. Yes, good news. You're going
to see it, and
in
your lifetime, but not the
way that men think.
Does a world of universal prosperity sound
fantastic? Why should it? All material wealth
comes out of the ground, and there's enough m
this earth to provide plenty, even luxury for
everyone. Stop and think a moment. Why is
today's world filled with so much poverty,
hunger and want? Why do the few live in
comparative weaJth and the many in díre need?
One idea in circulation today is that God
Almighty created this world to be poor; that God
hates the rich and laves the poor. We hear a Jot
about "God's poor." Does God hate the successful
and the prosperous? Is prosperity a sin?
Listen to what God hímself has said in his inspired
revelatíon to mankínd, the Holy Bible. Through John,
God says, " 1 wish above all things that thou mayest
prosper and be in health...."
l n the first Psalm you read this: "Biessed is the man
that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly ... but
his delight is in the Jaw of the Lord.... Whatsoever he
doeth shall prosper" (verses 1-3). The man who walks
God's way, who delights in God's law and is obedient in
whatsoever he does, God says shall prosper. That's a
promise from God Almighty.
October 1984
Notice Genesis 39:2-3: "And the Lord was with
Joseph, and he was a prosperous man.... The Lord
made all that he did to prosper in bis hand." Joseph
served God (verse 4).
Psalm 84 says: " ... no good thing will [God) '
withhold from them that walk uprightly. O Lord of
hosts, blessed is the man that trusteth in thee"
(verses 11-12). Blessings are promised. Do you know
that God set befare bis people blessings on tbe one
hand and cursi ngs on the other? And he said to
man, "Choose." Man has chosen curses and death,
when God Almighty intended that man should
choose happiness and blessings, prosperity and
eterna] life.
But God warns through David against setting our
hearts even on the prosperity that he gives. That's
what's wrong with this world.
The way to happiness and prosperity revolves
around the true gospel of Jesus Christ. He preached
the kingdom of God, which means the government
of God-God's government over our lives and over
society as a whole; over aii of this ear th.
The laws of God's government are the ways of love;
of giving rather than of receiving; of serving, not
getting the best of others.
Jt
is a matter of doing, not of
inactive hearing. lt's a matter of diligence-applying
God's way, not the way of laziness. The Ten
Commandments summarize that entire law. T he Ten
Commandments are the way into prosperity and
financia) success, if you understaod the real meaning
and spirit back of the Ten Commandments; their
purpose accord ing to the spi ri t of the law rather than
just the Jetter.
The basic law of God's government is the only
way to peace, to true happiness and to lasting
prosperity. But this world doesn't believe it, and tlús
world has not found prosperity. All the world's ills,
all suffering, all inequality and injustice, yes, and
even all poverty have come from transgressiog the
spírítual Jaw- the Ten Commandments.
Sin is the transgression of t hat Law
{l
Jobo 3:4). T he
apostle Paul said t hat that law is spiritual, holy, just
and good. Many people don't believe that today, and
that's why there's so much poverty in this world.
To transgress the
~ays
that lead to prosperity, to
health, to peace, to happiness and joy- is s in, and the
way of sin is not good for
(Continued on page 6)
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