Prosperity Blog #10: Conclusion

Prosperity Blog #10: Conclusion

by Pastor Peter Samuels

Based on Chapter 21 of my Discipleship Training Course (http://tinyurl.com/disc-train-course)

Welcome to my tenth and final blog on prosperity. In this blog I shall try to bring together all the ideas we have considered in my first nine blogs.

What we have learnt so far:
• The subject of prosperity has been divisive within the Christian faith. We need to look to Jesus through His Word as He is the Truth.

• All our talents come from God. We should take a step of faith to invest then with a pure heart.

• We overcome poverty firstly by prospering in our spirits then in our souls. This should also change the lives of those around us.

• Whilst salvation is a gift we need to work it out in our lives. This should make us diligent.

• We should work unto God in worship, not unto man in fear.

• We should take responsibility for what we have been given in life, trusting God to help us to invest it wisely so that it increases.

• Those called to employment should do so with a spirit of excellence. God will promote us in His time as we are faithful to Him.

• Those called into business should write down their plans, serve others with something of value, not mix business with love, and separate their personal and business finances.

• We should not use prosperity scriptures out of greed, avarice or selfishness.

• We should have the self-worth to hold on to our blessings.

• We should seek to be rich towards God, hard-working, concerned for others and generous.

• We should trust God to provide in a season of lack.

Just as there is a narrow path that leads to eternal life (Matthew 7:13-14), there is a narrow path through prosperity theology that is balanced and leads to life.

Let us watch our lives and doctrines closely. As we persevere in them this will save both ourselves and our followers (1 Timothy 4:16).

Pastor Peter Samuels 

Check out the complete Discipleship Training Course at http://tinyurl.com/disc-train-course

Prosperity Blog #9: Attitudes to Cultivate

Prosperity Blog #9: Attitudes to Cultivate

Pastor Peter Samuels

Based on Chapter 21 of my Discipleship Training Course (http://tinyurl.com/disc-train-course)

Welcome to my ninth blog on prosperity. In my eighth blog we looked at some things we should avoid in our approach to prosperity. In this blog we shall look at some attitudes that we should seek to cultivate.

Firstly, we should seek to be rich towards God (Luke 12:21).

Secondly, we should value the Kingdom of God (Matthew 6:33), souls (Psalm 49:7-9, Matthew 16:26, Luke 12:16-20) and the presence of God (Psalm 27:4) above temporal things.

We should also invest in the preaching of the gospel (Mark 10:28-30).

We should cultivate an attitude of hard work and diligence (Proverbs 12:24).

We should seek always to be generous (2 Corinthians 8:1-15).

We should cultivate a concern for the poor and needy and a have sense of responsibility towards our community (Job 29:12-17, 1 John 3:17-18).

We should seek to be content instead of overworking (Proverbs 23:4, 1 Timothy 6:6).

We should seek after wisdom, knowledge and understanding more than earthly wealth (Proverbs 2).

We should invest our talents (Matthew 25:14-30).

We should allow God to build us up in our souls (Isaiah 54:11-14) so that we have a sense of self-worth and can hold on to our possessions.

We should follow Biblical principles of giving, tithing and firstfruits, etc., being led by the Holy Spirit and not out of bondage to religion. We should speak over our giving by faith (Deuteronomy 26:12-15).

We should be willing to lay all on the altar before God (or, like Abraham, the thing or person in this world that we treasure the highest – Genesis 22:1-18).

We should seek prosperity firstly in our spirits (Matthew 5:3), then in our souls, then materially (3 John 2).

We should walk in righteousness and humility so that we prosper spiritually (2 Chronicles 26:5) and are sheltered on a day of judgment (Zephaniah 2:3).

We should trust God to provide in a season of lack (Habakkuk 3:17-19, Luke 12:22-34).

Thanks for reading and I look forward to sharing my final prosperity blog with you soon.

Pastor Peter Samuels 

PS: Which blog has ignited your spirit the most? 

Prosperity Blog #8: Things to Avoid

Prosperity Blog #8: Things to Avoid

by Pastor Peter Samuels

Based on Chapter 21 of my Discipleship Training Course (http://tinyurl.com/disc-train-course)

Welcome to my eighth blog on prosperity. In my seventh blog we looked at prosperity in business. I gave some practical tips about making a business prosper based on my own experience. In this blog we shall look at some things to avoid.

We should avoid following Biblical principles as a law or because of pride or greed (such as giving in order to get).

We should avoid the love of money, which Jesus called worshipping Mammon (Matthew 6:24), and holding on to wealth like the rich young ruler instead of being rich towards God (Mark 10:17-22).

We should avoid greed (Ephesians 5:5) and avarice – the desire to be rich.

We should avoid meanness as the righteous are always generous (Psalm 37:26).

We should avoid having a lack of self-worth which might lead us to give away things too easily when we ought to hold on to our blessings.

We should avoid being unconcerned for the needs of others and closing our hearts to the poor and needy – which was the sin of Sodom (Ezekiel 16:49).

We should avoid idleness (2 Thessalonians 3:6-15).

We should avoid overwork (Proverbs 23:4).

We should not judge others according to their material wealth or show favouritism to the wealthy (James 2:1-13).

We should not steal from our employers and we should avoid only working hard when we are being observed (Ephesians 6:5-8).

We should avoid selfishness, indifference and having no sense of community or responsibility towards the wealth generation of others.

We should not hide our talents in the ground instead of investing them (Matthew 25:14-30).

Finally, we should avoid looking to our own human resources to survive in a season of lack (Ruth 1:1-5).

Thanks for reading and I look forward to sharing again with you soon.

Pastor Peter Samuels

Prosperity Blog #7: Prosperity in Business

Prosperity Blog #7: Prosperity in Business

by Pastor Peter Samuels
Based on Chapter 21 of my Discipleship Training Course (http://tinyurl.com/disc-train-course)

Welcome to my seventh blog on prosperity. In my sixth blog we looked at prosperity in the workplace. We discussed having a spirit of excellence, not fearing man and waiting for promotion from God. In this blog we shall look at prosperity in business.

Jesus once remarked that non-believers are shrewder in dealing with their own kind than believers (Luke 16:8). There are some principles of successful business that depend upon understanding fallen human nature.

Just as not everyone is called to work for an employer, not everyone is called to run their own business. Here are a few tips I have learnt over the years.

Write down your plan: If you have a business idea, start by writing it down. What investment is needed for it to start up? Who will it serve? How is it going to grow over the next few years? What are the staffing, administrative and legal implications of its growth?

Serve others with something of value: This is in essence what a business should do. If your product truly adds value to your customers’ lives then they will want it and will be willing to pay for it. Satisfied customers can become your best marketing agents.

Don’t mix business with love: Whilst it is good to tithe or to do charity work from a kingdom business, the business itself should be viable. Some businesses fail because they do not charge enough for their services and thus attract unscrupulous customers, or they start to lose money when they grow.

Separate your personal finances from your business finances: A big mistake in a new business is to treat any profit as your personal possession. Businesses go through ups and downs. They need their own assets so that they can withstand the hard times.

Thanks for reading and I look forward to sharing again with you soon.

Pastor Peter Samuels 

Prosperity Blog #6: Prosperity in the Workplace

Prosperity Blog #6: Prosperity in the Workplace

by Pastor Peter Samuels

Based on Chapter 21 of my Discipleship Training Course (http://tinyurl.com/disc-train-course)

Welcome to my sixth blog on prosperity. In my fifth blog we looked at preparation and investment. We saw how talents, abilities and opportunities are individual, and that they often require preparation or an investment in order to be fully realised. 

In this blog we shall look at prosperity in the workplace. Let us begin by addressing some assumptions. 

Firstly, not everyone is called to work under others. Secondly, like the prodigal son in the foreign land, when a nation’s economy is down it affects what workplace opportunities are available. Thirdly, some vocations make it difficult to serve the Lord outside of them, either due to the time or effort required, but this does not mean that you cannot be called to that role.

Joseph prospered in the workplace. The LORD was with him and he had a spirit of excellence about everything he did. He spent many years serving faithfully and was entrusted with greater responsibility. When he refused to compromise he was moved to a lower role. However, ultimately his promotion came from God and was far beyond his expectations.

Serving under others often brings us into contact with people who do not love or serve God. We should not allow the world to squeeze us into its mould. This requires wisdom and a strong sense of identity and trust in God. We should never fear man in our workplace. God is providing for us through our service.

We should also look for opportunities to express our faith in the workplace. One way is through prayer. Just as the stone smashed the statue in Daniel 2, God wants to use us to destroy every ungodly foundation and structure in our workplaces and to replace them with His Kingdom.

Thanks for reading and I look forward to sharing again with you soon.

Pastor Peter Samuels

Prosperity Blog #5: Preparation and Investment

Prosperity Blog #5: Preparation and Investment

by Pastor Peter Samuels

Based on Chapter 21 of my Discipleship Training Course (http://tinyurl.com/disc-train-course)

Welcome to my fifth blog on prosperity. In my fourth blog we looked at the relationship between salvation and prosperity. We saw how salvation is a gift of grace but that same grace causes us to work which can then lead us to prosper. In this blog we shall look at preparation and investment.

Whilst God gives out His grace and His blessings equally to all who ask Him in faith, talents, abilities and opportunities are diverse and individual. Thus we should not compare our inheritance against that of others but accept and take responsibility for what we have been given in life. However, if our inheritance is painfully small we can still cry out to God in an honourable way like Jabez, “Oh, that You would bless me and expand my territory!” (1 Chronicles 4:10, NLT).

Whilst our talents and abilities provide us with opportunities to prosper we also need to make wise investments. We cannot reap unless we first sow. Although reaping depends upon the quality of seed, the quality of soil and the conditions the crop experiences (Matthew 13:1-9), increase ultimately comes from God (1 Corinthians 3:6).

Isaac sowed and reaped a hundredfold (Genesis 26:12). God prospered him in a barren land through his covenant relationship. However, the Israelites later sowed much but harvested little because they had ignored the needs of God’s house (Haggai 1:1-11). In Luke 5:1-11 Jesus showed His first disciples that He was Lord of their natural talents.

An education or training is also an investment which can sharpen our talents and open doors for us. We should be prepared to submit to a season of discipline like a farmer patiently waiting for his crops to ripen.

It is good to study but not to wear yourself out in the process (Ecclesiastes 12:12). God will grant us success and increase when we love His Word (Psalm 119:99) and trust Him enough to rest (Exodus 31:13).

Thanks for reading and I look forward to sharing again with you soon.


Pastor Peter Samuels

Prosperity Blog #4: Salvation and Prosperity

Prosperity Blog #4: Salvation and Prosperity

by Pastor Peter Samuels

Based on Chapter 21 of my Discipleship Training Course (http://tinyurl.com/disc-train-course)

Welcome to my fourth blog on prosperity. In my third blog we looked at some principles for overcoming poverty, concluding that we need a change of heart towards God before all else. In this blog I want to explore the connection between salvation and prosperity.

The Old Testament image behind the word for salvation is being brought out of trouble into a spacious, well-watered plain (Psalm 66:10), indicating the potential of salvation for prosperity and blessing. In the New Testament the emphasis is on Jesus living His abundant new life through us (John 10:10, Galatians 2:20), indicating how this potential should be fulfilled.

Whilst salvation, along with righteousness, healing and deliverance, are gifts we receive by faith they should lead us to action. Paul said that God’s grace had the effect of making him work hard, but only through the very grace he had received as a gift (1 Corinthians 15:10). We have a responsibility to work out that which Christ has worked in us by God’s abundant and all-sufficient grace (Philippians 2:12-13, 2 Peter 1:3-11).

Our outworking should change the way we operate. Ephesians 4:28 states, “The thief must no longer steal. Instead, he must do honest work with his own hands, so that he has something to share with anyone in need” (HCSB). Diligent hands bring wealth (Proverbs 10:4) and they will rule (Proverbs 12:24).

Our outworking should also be directed to God in worship, not towards man out of fear or seeking favour, or to ourselves out of greed and selfish ambition. As slaves of Christ we should do the will of God from our hearts (Ephesians 4:5-6). Our prosperity and promotion will then come from the LORD (Psalm 75:6-7, KJV).

Thanks for reading and I look forward to sharing again with you soon.

Pastor Peter Samuels