Get Rich Quick – A Guide to Prayer

[Norma]

Norma J. Oliver
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Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. Matthew 6:19-21

Now that I have your attention this is not about material wealth but spiritual wealth. I bet your eyes were big when you read that title and maybe your mouth even got a little watery. Be careful with your pursuit of money. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. 1Timothy 6:10 The Bible does not say that money is evil but it is oftentimes a motivator to do evil. So tell me, since the economy has got you up in arms what have you been praying for? Do your prayers tend to sound like a wish list? If you are without a job, then, are you just asking for another one? Come on, be honest and take stock of your prayers. Do you even know what to pray for? Well, if we ask the Holy Spirit I am sure we are asking for all the wrong things or at least mostly the wrong things. Are you praying at all?

You may have heard or been taught that we should always pray. Jesus even gave us the model prayer. Can anyone tell me if it mentions money? Let’s see how Jesus or rather what Jesus says we should ask for when we pray. The opening line is more of a declaration than a request: Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. We need to recognize who our Father is and identify His powerful name. Then it goes on to say that we should only want what God wants: Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Not only is he in control of heaven but earth, too. Now here comes a request: Give us this day our daily bread. Did you notice that it did not say, “Lord, give me some money so I can get me something to eat?” You see when we pray we should never tell God how to answer our prayer but to simply make our requests known. He is the provider so it may come in the form of money but it may be that someone gives you some food to eat. Can I tell you that when my groceries are short and money is tight I just get what I can and let God provide the increase? God has a way (correction He is the way, the truth and the life), you just have to trust Him completely. Sometimes my gas is low but to Brown Baptist I must go. I know that obedience is better than sacrifice. God will make a way. Who can remember a few Sundays back when Pastor Orr asked who can tell him the Biblical background for the song “Down By the Riverside?” I grabbed my priceless jewel, which is my Bible, and turned to the concordance. I found that is was in Isaiah 2:4. I texted Pastor Orr and I won a $25 Sam’s card! Can you say gas money, food money, household items money, honey?! I dare you to try my God!

You can’t come to Him with doubt. He doesn’t like it at all. Faith is the key that turns the lock on the bank of blessings. You can’t break in the vault you have to trust your way in. What if your own child came to you hungry or in need of clothes? How would you feel if your child told you what they needed and then only waited a little while for you to answer and then go digging in the trash for food or calling somebody else’s parent and asked them? You wouldn’t like it, would you? You would scold that child and say, “Haven’t I always fed and clothed you? I know you need food. I know you need clothes. I am your parent and I will take care of you, always have and always will until you are able to take care of yourself.” But this is not so with God, He said he will never leave us or forsake us whether we are 2 or 92 and even after this life – forever. God can bless us better than any person can, including your parents. He is love so no one can beat Him at showing it.

Okay, what’s the next line? And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. Hmm, do you think this debt is money we owe someone or someone owes us? It may be but it is not only referring to money owed. Romans 13:8 says, Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law. So it seems that we can not only owe one another financially but in love. Wow, how much love do you owe others and how much is due to you? You can’t figure that out on a calculator! Jesus teaches us that love is the principal thing – love Him and love others so you can keep the law. So if we love one another we won’t owe anyone anything including money. Looks like this prayer is about getting spiritual blessings not material wealth.

And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. This sounds like a request for self-control and obedience. Again, we see that we are not to tell God how to keep us on the right track but to simply keep us on it. It could mean that we need to change the places we go and the people we see. We just need God to strengthen us in making those decisions and sticking with them. Our so-called friends and family may be leading us into temptation. “One drink won’t hurt.” “Everybody’s doing it.” “I just drop a few coins in the slot, it’s not like it’s my bill money.” “You need to do whatever makes you happy.” Can we agree that these are some of the biggest lies ever told?! Don’t fall for the tricks of the devil and don’t let the devil use you! Sometimes, you know temptation when it knocks on your door or calls your phone. Check the peephole and check your caller id, you know what the devil looks like and his phone number! Don’t play!

Finally, we close on a note of adoration, recognition and honor. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen. Let’s look at who God is here. It says He is the kingdom. Wow, this reminds me of Matthew 6:33 where it says But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Now this tells us that if thine is the kingdom then if we seek God he will give us the desires of our heart. That’s Biblical, not Norma! And the power makes us know that He is not a power but He is the power. He is an all powerful God. I think that is self explanatory. And the glory, forever. Amen – now all this time we thought we gave God glory but understand that He is the glory whether we give Him glory or not. Forever is how long He will be the kingdom, and the power and the glory! We need to recognize who our God is and why we must pray to Him. He is the only God that is able to save us and give us wealth, spiritual or otherwise. So the next time you bow your head and close your eyes, remember who you are asking and what to ask.

Be encouraged!