What Kind of Life Do You Chose?

Do you chose to live a life always wanting more things or what we call the "American Dream?" Should that really be our dream?
Are we all working for that next new car, the biggest house, or the next greatest gadget?  Is that really what we should be working towards?
God doesn't want us enslaved to this world. Romans 13:8 says, "Keep out of debt and owe no man anything." So by living the "American Dream"  are we constantly in debt?Do we believe we have to be in debt to have a house or a car? Do You believe God can give you those things?
Sometimes I think we cut God's arm short because we can't see how God can give us a house or a car. Our brains can't fathom how we could be given something worth so much money. I do believe that God can give me those things. Like you it is hard for me to wrap my mind around how He could do those things but I don't have to understand. I don't have to know the how or the when, I just have to have faith that they will come.
You see the devil wants us to believe the lie that we must borrow money to have anything. That is what the devil does, he lies. I chose to no longer believe this lie. I don't want to be enslaved to this world any longer. I want to be able to enjoy  life the way God intended for me to have. I want to be able to spend time with my family and go places without having to worry about having a mountain of bills. God wants us to have an abundant life. "The thief comes only in order to steal and kill, and destroy. I came that you may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance[to the full, till it overflows]." (John 10:10 AMP)
Obviously prosperity doesn't happen overnight but there are seven steps from the article "True Prosperity" by Gloria Copeland that will get you on the right track. Here is the link:  http://www.kcm.org/real-help/article/true-prosperity . I would strongly suggest that you read this article. It was so enlightening to me! I want to share a few things that I took away from this article that has really helped me understand this subject better and make me want to learn more.
The first thing that really got me thinking was that I have to be walking in the ways of God to be able to prosper. Not just in tithing but in every area of my life. John 8:31-32 says, " If you abide in My word [hold fast to My teachings and live in accordance with them], you are truly My disciples. And you will know the Truth, and the Truth will set you free." (AMP) This verse takes on a whole new meaning in this subject. If we walk in what God says then we will have freedom. Not just freedom from poverty but freedom from sickness and freedom in every area of your life. If we walk in obedience to God then we can have the blessing that are outlined in Deuteronomy 28:1-14. "If you will listen diligently to the voice of the Lord your God, being watchful to do all His commandments which I command you this day, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth.

² And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you if you heed the voice of the Lord your God.

³ Blessed shall you be in the city and blessed shall you be in the field.

⁴ Blessed shall be the fruit of your body and the fruit of your ground and the fruit of your beasts, the increase of your cattle and the young of your flock.

⁵ Blessed shall be your basket and your kneading trough.

⁶ Blessed shall you be when you come in and blessed shall you be when you go out.

⁷ The Lord shall cause your enemies who rise up against you to be defeated before your face; they shall come out against you one way and flee before you seven ways.

⁸ The Lord shall command the blessing upon you in your storehouse and in all that you undertake. And He will bless you in the land which the Lord your God gives you.

⁹ The Lord will establish you as a people holy to Himself, as He has sworn to you, if you keep the commandments of the Lord your God and walk in His ways.

¹⁰ And all people of the earth shall see that you are called by the name [and in the presence of] the Lord, and they shall be afraid of you.

¹¹ And the Lord shall make you have a surplus of prosperity, through the fruit of your body, of your livestock, and of your ground, in the land which the Lord swore to your fathers to give you.

¹² The Lord shall open to you His good treasury, the heavens, to give the rain of your land in its season and to bless all the work of your hands; and you shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow.

¹³ And the Lord shall make you the head, and not the tail; and you shall be above only, and you shall not be beneath, if you heed the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you this day and are watchful to do them.

¹⁴ And you shall not turn aside from any of the words which I command you this day, to the right hand or to the left, to go after other gods to serve them.

How awesome is that! So I want to stay in the Word and learn so I can be living in obedience to God!

Psalm 25:12-13 says, "Who is the man who reverently fears and worships the Lord? Him shall He teach in the way that he should choose. He himself shall dwell at ease, and his offspring shall inherit the land." So as long as we are worshiping and seeking the Lord He will guide our life and help us make the right choices. I believe He wants me to stay out of debt. I can only do that by trusting Him. I believe He wants us all to stay out of debt just like it says in Romans 13:8. He wouldn't go against His Word. 

The second thing I got from this article is that I need to find the promises in the word and meditate on them all the time. " My son, attend to my words; consent and submit to my sayings. Let them not depart from your sight; keep them in the center for your heart, for they are life to those who find them, healing and health to all their flesh. Keep and guard your heart with all vigilance and above all that you guard, for out of it flow the springs of life." (Proverbs 4:20-23, AMP) So if I am constantly meditating on the promise then that will leave no opportunity for the devil to have a word.

I also liked the part about being faithful on everything you do. Make sure that everything you do is always done unto Christ. Your not living by what others think, you are living for God! I learned this when I worked at Home Depot. There were many people there that weren't very nice and I dreaded going to work. I learned through those experiences that I am not going to focus on what they think of me but focus on what God thinks of me. I tried to make sure that I was always treated them with love and did everything that would please God!

Pastor has talked about giving your first fruits and I believe it must be done to prosper not only financially but spiritually. I always give God my first moments of the day. On days that I don't I can most definitely tell a difference. I personally am still learning to be faithful in tithing. I have to realize that the money I have is not mine. The Lord have it to me. Really this goes for anything. He gave us the house we live in, the car we drive, our friends. They are all gifts from God. He entrusts us with them. I think that God can only give you more if you learn how to be diligent with what He has already given you. (Also something Pastor talked about) I also realize that I can't just tithe because I know it is right, I have to do it with the right heart. "And now, behold, I bring the first-fruits of the ground which You, O Lord, have given me. And you shall set it down before the Lord your God and worship before the Lord your God. And you and the Levite and the stranger and the sojourner among you shall rejoice in all the good which the Lord your God has given you and your household." (Deuteronomy 26:10-11, AMP) Tithing with the right heart is not always easy but we must remember that it is not our money anyways. I also believe that we can't just stop at 10% we must give more when God lays it on our heart to do so. Sometimes that may mean giving of our time but sometimes it will mean giving our money. "Give, and [gifts] will be given to you; good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over, will they pour into the bosom. For with the measure you deal out [with the measure you use when you confer benefits on others], it will be measured back to you." (Luke 6:38, AMP) This verse tells us exactly what we must do.

Again, I really think it is important to believe what the word says and to speak it! You will never see anything come to pass if you don't believe and you speak the opposite of what the Word says. So don't say you're poor, say you're rich because that is what God says! You words are very powerful. "Death and life are in the power of tongue, and they who indulge in it shall eat of the fruit of it [for death or life]." (Proverbs 18:21, AMP) So even if you can't see it, speak it! This really goes for everything. If you are sick, continually keep the the words of health on your tongue and don't say anything against the promise.

So what do you choose? I choose a life of abundance. A life where God is in control. I know it won't always be easy bu I believe God can give me everything I need and the desires of my heart in His timing. I hope this gives you something to think about like it did me. I encourage you to go read the article by Gloria Copeland. Here is the link again: http://www.kcm.org/real-help/article/true-prosperity .

~Thanks for Reading~