Today’s devotion is from 2 Corinthians 8:9 (AMPC)
'For you are becoming progressively acquainted with and recognizing more strongly and clearly the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ (His kindness, His gracious generosity, His undeserved favor and spiritual blessing), [in] that though He was [so very] rich, yet for your sakes He became [so very] poor, in order that by His poverty you might become enriched (abundantly supplied).'
Wealth and riches are in the atonement…
One of the facets of the meaning of the word ‘salvation’ [sozo] is ‘prosperity. True New Covenant prosperity is much more than money or things, but it does include money and things. True New covenant prosperity and riches come as we are made whole in Christ. As we are made whole, emotionally, mentally and spiritually we begin to prosper. We prosper in every way as our soul prospers.
2 Corinthians 8:8 tells us that New Covenant riches, prosperity and wealth are given by grace and are received by receiving that grace through faith. When we receive His grace by faith, we receive His riches. (In that though He was so very rich, yet for your sakes He became so very poor, in order that by His poverty you might become enriched and abundantly supplied) Jesus left Heaven where the streets are paved with gold to be stripped naked, beaten and crucified for you and me. He became so very poor so that in His poverty we could be made so very rich.
New Covenant riches are given and received through grace, New Covenant riches is not the love of money…
The love of money is the root of all evil because those who love it depend on it to be free from needing God. Riches and wealth given through grace to worshippers who love and trust in the Lord are righteous mammon. New Covenant believers know that money is not their source – God is! New Covenant believers do not love money or depend on it, they use it to advance the kingdom. 1 Timothy 6:17 says, ‘Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy.’
Proverbs 10:22 says, ‘The blessing of the Lord makes one rich, and He adds no sorrow with it.’
Worldly wealth is seen a source of prosperity and provision and is depended upon by the world.
It has become a god to many. Sorrow, bondage and stress are always added to worldly wealth. The blessing of the Lord make us rich and He adds no sorrow with it. When we see the Lord as our source of supply, not money, then He will release riches to us by grace.
His riches do not come with sorrow, stress and bondage. That is because He is the source, not our works. Stress, bondage and sorrow come when we depend on ourselves, others and money… freedom, wealth and liberty came when we depend upon the Lord. Most people who love money will be very challenged to tithe or give generously. People who love money are trying to steward unrighteous mammon, but all unrighteous mammon comes with sorrow and stress. Their dependence is on their money, themselves and others, so they cannot be very generous. They are not free. They never have enough and they are stressed out by the money that has them or, the lack of money that they think they need to survive.
As we receive the Lord as our source of supply we will truly be made rich -all financial stress will go, sorrow will go, bondage will go and we will be set free to tithe, to give generously and to use the money we have received through grace as the Spirit leads. Our bills will be paid supernaturally, our needs will be met and there will be enough to sow as the Spirit leads. - Selah
