LABOR IS GODLY
Generally speaking we typically endorse praying about everything and believing you received your answer is required. This is typically known as the prayer of faith. The prayer of faith is right and it is more than just being right it is God’s Way for His children to obtain His Will (His Promises) according to the Holy Bible. However, we will caution many Christians that praying for financial provision works somewhat differently. It is common for many Believers to pray that God will meet an upcoming need in their life and then they are disappointed if the money does not arrive by the due date. Although many ministers don’t like to talk about this occurrence it happens in the Body of Christ. Many teachers of God’s Word believe that if you sow a seed you can expect a return harvest for a certain amount made payable by a specific date. Angela and I know that these experiences happen in the Body of Christ but they are just that – “personal experiences”. Since these types of experiences are not promised us in the Word of God we should not practice this doctrine as a way of life. We as children of God should follow what is taught to us specifically in reference to the whole counsel of God’s Word not just the experiences we hear from the pulpit. The manifestation of money apart from some work is exhibited in the Word of God on rare occasions but it is not strongly encouraged. Some Believers have taken an example of someone else’s experience in the Holy Bible as a teaching doctrine for the Body of Christ. We are not to follow all the examples in the Holy Bible but we are admonished to follow the principles of the Holy Bible. The precepts found in the Holy Word of God teach us how to obtain, gather and handle money, whereas the scriptural examples generally show us the blessing that can come from adding our faith in God to unusually situations. The thought God conveys in the Holy Scriptures is to follow the practical precepts of God for your everyday life and if unusual circumstances present themselves call upon the Name of the Lord for an unusual solution to your unusual circumstance. Never make the exception the rule, but rather rule all exceptions in the Wonderful Name of Jesus. Yes, the Holy Bible equates the increase of money with labor of your hands. Simply put if you need more money you should be willing to work for it.
Psalm 128:1-2
1 A Song of degrees.
Blessed is every one that feareth the LORD; that walketh in his ways.
2 For thou shalt eat the labour of thine hands: happy shalt thou be, and it shall be well with thee. KJV
And Proverbs 21:25
25 The desire of the lazy man kills him,
For his hands refuse to labor. NKJV
And Ephesians 4:28
Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth. KJV
And Proverbs 13:11
Wealth gotten by vanity shall be diminished: but he that gathereth by labour shall increase. KJV
And Proverbs 14:23
In all labor there is profit,
But idle chatter leads only to poverty. NKJV
Praying for a hundred dollars sounds great and I have done that but make no mistake about it if the Lord answered this praying every time someone prayed it, or claimed it, why work? The Word of God must be taken in balance it is not God Will to bring about a new revelation that undermines His established foundational doctrine of work. The prayer of faith may be used for financial provision but it works more effectively in occupations where a variety of people are involved in your business. Occupations like ministry, sells, charitable organizations, etc…. where people are the major source of your income have a greater potential of earning power simply because God is not limited on whom He can use. However if you are a nine to five auto worker under a supervisor to believe God will give you an extra hundred dollars a month through someone not associated with you or your job is not faith but presumption. This may sound like faith because it does sound good but the reality is you have no scriptural authority (no biblical basis, no Godly precedence) for this belief. If you don’t have God’s Word of Promise you can not have God’s Faith for Provision. You would do a lot better to believe that the Lord would provide you an opportunity to make extra money than to think you should receive extra money because you have faith and others do not. This type of doctrine is dangerous and has already poisoned many sincere and honest Christians. We are to use our faith on our jobs by believing God to help us become better workers and we are to live within our means as good stewards over the resources we have. Yes, surprises come up and emergencies do happen and for this reason God implemented the concept of savings. Therefore, believing you received extra money here and there may work for a season but it should not be practiced as a lifestyle. Yes, miracles can happen and yes miracles are from God but notice God’s established will for mankind was for men to labor and this will for men upon the earth to work, has not changed. So be not foolish enough to consider believing God through faith is more spiritual than working because if you do, “What is your faith based upon the Word of God or the experiences of man?” Know that God is not obligated to bless the ways of man but He has bound Himself to bless the production of His Word. When we do God’s Word faithfully we can guarantee the blessings of God in our life.
Romans 12:10-11
10 Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other. 11 Never be lazy in your work, but serve the Lord enthusiastically. NLT
When I was younger in the Lord I believed it would be great to receive everything by faith, so I failed to appreciate the muscles God gave me to work. I thought the Lord should bless our house because I am doing His Will but I failed to realize that doing labor is God’s Will too and I was being blessed by that already. If you have children tell me which one would you prefer? The daughter that works faithfully each day to provide for her own needs or a son who faithfully confesses abundance each day thinking that someone is going to give him some money today independently of his labor. I hope you can see that working to obtain a fair wage is a blessing ordained of God. If one can work voluntarily without a wage, to whom are they working for? They know inside their heart that it is right because God gives them a clear conscience. Many people all over the face of the earth work because it is right, so to refuse to work because of a new revelation of financial increase may not be God’s Will for you, just because it is not God’s Will for all mankind.
1 Corinthians 14:20
Brethren, do not be children [immature] in your thinking; continue to be babes in [matters of] evil, but in your minds be mature [men]. AMP
So we implore you fellow Believer in Christ desire to work as a diligent child of God because you are one of God representatives on this earth. Please don’t go over board on working hard to obtain all your income but don’t go under board either by believing that work is not longer necessary because you have faith.
James 2:17-18
17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.
18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works. KJV
Since Jesus was a carpenter then a preacher and received wages for working at them both, and the Apostle Paul was a tentmaker and a minister receiving wages while doing both why should we be any different? As James told us God’s faith is not the issue but rather your display of His Faith that makes the difference in Jesus Name. Amen!
The hands of a laboring man are full, but the hands of an idle man find mischief!
In His Love, Eric & Angela Foster