BIBLICAL WEALTH

Jesus tells us...

I tell you, you can pray for anything, and if you believe that you’ve received it, it will be yours.

Mark 11:24

The verse above can be misleading. God is not a vending machine. You don't pray and poof... your wish comes true.

There are some pre-conditions.

ACTIVATING BIBLICAL WEALTH IN YOUR LIFE

Essential Ingredient #2 - BE PART OF THE FAMILY

The RELATIONSHIP between you and God is EVERYTHING.

To help us understand the relationship, God uses the analogy of father and child.

“I will be a Father to you,

and you will be my sons and daughters,

says the Lord Almighty.”

2 Corinthians 6:18

Here’s a summary of me as a child with my father...

As a child, my father was my provider, guide, cheerleader, and friend. I trusted he knew best. I was fearful of him at the same time best friends. We enjoyed each other's company.

In my teen years, I thought I knew everything. My father was still my provider, but I wasn't grateful. I thought I didn't need him. Our relationship grew distant. My father was heartbroken.

Clearly I was more likable as a child than a know it all, ungrateful teenager.

God feels the same way.

The Bible tells us...

Jesus speaking... 

“Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew 18:3

The verse above makes it clear. To be accepted by God, we must be like little children.

What's special about little children?

1. They're honest and direct (no hidden agendas)
2. They're totally trusting of their parents 
3. They're totally dependent on their parents
4. They respect their parents

What other insights can you gain from little children? It's worth thinking about. These attributes help you grow closer to God.

So far we've only been looking at the child side of the relationship. 

Let's look at the Father side.

A Father gives love, provision, discipline and blessings to his children because... they are his children.

IMPORTANT POINT - Fathers don't pour out love, provision, disciple and blessings to other people's kids.

God gives us the Father and child analogy to help us understand our relationship with Him.

Key Point

God's love and blessings only go to HIS children. Not children who don't belong to Him.

If you want the promises in the Bible, become a child of God. Don't be an ungrateful know it all.

A healthy Father / Child relationship with God brings blessings beyond imagination.

From the Bible…

You parents—if your children ask for a loaf of bread, do you give them a stone instead? Or if they ask for a fish, do you give them a snake? Of course not! So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him.

Matthew 7:9-11

How to become a child of God

To become God's child, believe that Jesus Christ is God's son who died on the cross to redeem your sins.

The Bible says...

... to all who did receive him (Jesus) , to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God —

John 1:12

So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith,

Galatians 3:26

Homework:

To understand what Jesus did to redeem your sins, read the books of Matthew, Mark, Luke or John in the Bible.

Have a Great Day!

Dragon Xu

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