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crazy. ey say, "You can't increase by giving money away. That's the worst thing you can do in the middle of a bad economy!" But as citizens of heaven, we know better. We understand that the best thing we can do for our finances is let God get involved in them. We aren't giving our money away. We are giving it to God! He can do more with it than we ever could on our own. What's more, all it takes to open the door to Him is 10 percent of our income. at's all God asks. We get to keep the other 90 percent—which is more than fair since, without God, we wouldn't have anything at all. The way I see it, tithing is a privilege! It's an act of faith that ties us, as believers, securely into heaven's economy. It puts us in f inancial partnership with God so that no matter what comes down the pike— recessions, depressions or whatever— nothing can stop us from prospering! Here's something else exciting. Although we give our tithes and offerings to the work of God on earth, Hebrews 7:8 says that Jesus actually receives them in heaven. I 'm t e l l i n g y o u , t i t h e r s a r e BLESSED! So don't pass up the op p or t u n it y. Honor G o d w it h your tithe! Love Is Not Optional e third thing you'll want to do to live a prosperous life is walk in love. Why? Because in the Bible, God said this is our commandment, " That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment" (1 John 3:23). at means, for those of us who are citizens of heaven, love isn't optional. It's mandatory. We can't live like God intends without it. For one thing, "faith worketh by love" (Galatians 5:6), so without love your faith won't function—and you need your faith all the time! Because the devil knows this, one of the ways he'll try to stop your faith and keep you from prospering is by getting you off your love walk. He'll use someone who's acting ugly to try to provoke you into getting into strife. But don't let him do it. Strife is bad. "Where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work" (James 3:16). So do whatever it takes to stay out of strife. "But that's hard," you might say. "Some people just irritate me!" Well, you probably irritate them too. So forgive them and walk in love toward them any way. Rather than f uming about how they 've done you wrong, meditate on what 1 Corinthians 13 says: Love endures long and is patient and kind; love never is envious nor boils over with jealousy, is not boastful or vainglorious, does not display itself haughtily. It is not conceited (arrogant and inf lated with pride); it is not rude (unmannerly) and does not act unbecomingly. Love (God's love in us) does not insist on its own rights or its own way, for it is not self- seeking; it is not touchy or fretful or resentful; it takes no account of the evil done to it [it pays no attention to a suffered wrong]. Love bears up under anything and everything that comes, is ever ready to believe the best of every person, its hopes are fadeless under all circumstances, and it endures everything [without weakening]. Love never fails… (verses 4-5, 7-8, AMP). Remember, faith works by love! e love of God is powerful! Even when the whole world seems to be falling apart around you, the love of God working in you and flowing through you toward others will never fail. So stick with love, stick with the Word and keep tithing. In other words, seek f irst the kingdom of God. en, regardless of what happens to the world's economy, you can enjoy a prosperous life! i points to get you there A prosperous life you A prosperous life A prosperous life A prosperous life 1 2 3 4 5 get get B V O V : 3 1 The world's economy has a lot of problems. But as a born-again believer, you don't have to worry about them because you're not of this world. You're a citizen of heaven, and by staying connected to heaven's economy—no matter what happens in the world—you can continually live a prosperous life. Here are some points to get you there: There's nothing stingy about God. He wants to prosper you. 3 John 1:2: "Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth." The more you walk in God's truth, the more prosperity He can safely give you. 3 John 1:4: "I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth." God's Word helps you prosper by separating you from the ways of the world. John 17:16-17: "They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth." Putting God first place in your life keeps you connected to heaven's economy. Matthew 6:33: "Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." A supernaturally prosperous life is a life of faith and love. 1 John 3:23: "And this is his commandment, that we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment." A prosperous life Enjoyed this article? For more insightful teachings, go to kcm.org.au

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