The Bible is very clear that God promises riches to His people.  To become rich God requires preparation and certain conditions being met.  Some riches are immediate and others are for later.  Christ says where he is going there are many mansions.  He is going to prepare a place for us.  In Heaven are technological devices that have never been invented.  We will have every comfort imaginable.  Many are more concerned about what He promised now, to Christians, and they want instant gratification.

There are reasons why God may not bless you with wealth.  You are a poor steward and do not handle money well.  By blessing you with riches it could separate you from God. Scripture says it is hard for a rich person to enter heaven.  For your own good, God will not tempt you with more than you can handle.  Next, you are a great steward and with wealth you would give abundantly to God’s ministry.  The devil will do everything to keep you from getting riches.  He does not want to see the church grow and people come to the Lord.  Then you may be a great giver but a poor steward and wealth would tempt you beyond what you could control.

God says every promise is conditional for now and for later.  We must accept Christ as the Son of God and as our Savior.  We must have received the Holy Spirit and walk upright and live a holy life.  Unless we are sealed by His Spirit, His promises will not work for us.  If you have received the Holy Spirit your name has been written in the Lamb’s Book of Life guaranteeing you are a child of God and that His promises are available for you.  Meaning God will give you every opportunity to become financially secure if you meet His conditions.

I John 3:21 – 23 – “Dear friends, if we don’t feel guilty, we can come to God with bold confidence.  And we will receive from him whatever we ask because we obey him and do the things that please him.  And this is his commandment: We must believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as he commanded us.  Those who obey God’s commandments remain in fellowship with him, and he with them. And we know he lives in us because the Spirit he gave us lives in us.” NLT

John 16:23 – 24 –“I tell you the truth, you will ask the Father directly, and he will grant your request because you use my name. You haven’t done this before. Ask, using my name, and you will receive, and you will have abundant joy.”  NLT

Once you have met the conditions, these are some of God’s promises: I will give you strength and energy.  I will give you my Spirit and He will give you guidance and counseling.  All your sins will be forgiven and you will no longer be guilty. He will comfort you, meet your needs, offer you a purpose and give direction.  He will answer your prayers, provide healing, give refuge and be with you always. He will give you peace and remove all anxiety.  He will give you unconditional love.  He will give you eternal life and no one can ever take it from you.  He will give you heavenly faith and wisdom, make you fruitful and provide an opportunity to prosper.  He will give you the desires of your heart.  He promises that anytime we are tempted He will provide a way out.  These are just a few examples of God’s promises.

Christ tells us if we do not have what we need it is because we have not asked.  Prayer is a requirement and faith to believe that He will provide is a necessity.  (Matthew 6:8 and 7:7 – 8)

Most Christians have allowed Satan to deceive them and keep them needy.  Satan will make us believe those promises are for others and not us.  We may believe we don’t qualify because we are not worthy.  But God’s grace is sufficient to make us worthy.  We are not required to work our way for God’s acceptance.  We are judged by our hearts and our attitudes.

Most do not receive wealth because they have spent themselves into debt and have little chance of getting out.  We have had people ask that we prescribe a cure for their ailing financial situation that is near terminal.  I sometimes feel like a doctor asked to heal a patient with a thirty year history of overeating, overdrinking, heavy smoking, drug addicted and physical inactivity.  There isn’t much a doctor can do with arteries that are already clogged, lungs that are already destroyed and a liver akin to a piece of shoe leather!  They may have prayed with the above Scriptures in mind but it seems God has not met their financial needs.  So what do you tell someone like this?

It appears too many Christians have not developed the right priorities in life.  It seems many assign priorities wearing intellectual blinders.  If you delve into their finances you will find it quite incredible.  The only consolation that we can really give them is: join the party.  You are behaving like most worldly Americans and today’s recession proves it.  So where do we start to correct the problem?  God demands that we tithe, are you?  This could be one of your problems, a lack of obedience.  God’s promises will only work if we are willing to live according to His requirements.  Christians are faced with three influences in their lives.  The one positive is the Holy Spirit countering the two negatives.  The negatives are our carnal, self-centered nature and its desires and influences coming from evil spirits.  Many are not spiritually mature enough to except guidance from the Holy Spirit and they yield to the two negatives.  Prayer and Bible study are the preparations that make the difference.

Are you rich?  Why not?  It may be like preparing for retirement.  If you wait until you are fifty-five before you get serious and start investing, chances are you will never be adequately prepared to live in retirement financially secure.  It isn’t too late to start doing what Christ taught us and riches do not always mean material things.  Peace of mind and lack of anxiety can be worth a million.  Those are immediate promises that are always available.  God wants to make you rich.  Are you willing?

My wife and I owe no one and are debt free.  Our advantage is we have been Christians over 50 years and strive to live by Christian principles.  We have experienced what God has promised and know what He promises works and they can work for other Christians too.