God Approved Prosperity - Bennie Cryer

Bilities to get out of it, he wants you to prosper.

He wants you to grow financially.

And you might say well that's strange.

Well it's not strange. When you look at that verse now

he says I want you to prosper even as thy soul prospereth.

Now, a lot of people, they Prosper, but their soul don't

Prosper see there, so just stay shrunk.

Actually, they're so doesn't grow their the same last year as

the world last year and the year before that their soul just

doesn't grow. But brother their bank account

has grown Their material possessions have grown and

developed, but their soul hasn't see that's God's measurement

right there. Ever how your soul prospereth?

How it grows, then you can prosper.

But if you start prospering and your soul doesn't Prosper, the

soul. Doesn't grow.

The soul. Doesn't become more useful to

the Lord. Jesus Christ.

Then you have a problem. There's a great problem there,

so we want to discuss all of these things here.

As we go along in this lesson this morning.

I'll tell you, I am really thankful for our Brethren who

have prospered. And their soul has prospered

along with it. We got many of them in the

church that has done that and they are.

So is so wonderful for us to behold and the kingdom of God

has been strengthened because of them.

Now, How do you determine somebody's will?

I don't know anything about your bank accounts here.

I don't know how much money you make.

I really don't care if your soul has prospered.

So, how do you determine a man's wealth?

Well, it was a dumb man. One time when asked directions

to a certain place answered in hand size?

And they finally figured out that he would only give them

directions to the place where they were going from money.

So they gave him some money and then he immediately began

speaking to them and giving them directions to the place where

they wanted to go. And they said, why didn't you

speak before? Why he said it's only money that

talks. See, that's the way some people

are today to they think the only thing that talks today This

money. See, God doesn't want you to

have that kind of attitude. He wants your soul to grow.

And prosper. And he wants you to prosper to

as long as your soul grows beyond that.

Now in marked the 10th chapter verse 22, you remember this Rich

Young Ruler. He was came to Jesus and ask

him. Good Master.

What must I do to inherit eternal life?

And Jesus said, you know, the Commandments.

And he quoted a few of those Commandments and and he said,

oh, these how have I observed from my youth?

But then Jesus gave him a startling blow.

He said, one thing, thou likest, Go thy way and sell whatsoever

thou Hast and give to the poor and that's how Treasures in

Heaven. See.

Now, you know why? Jesus told him that?

Because his soul hadn't prospered like he had prospered.

See he let his money, his riches, his gold, and his

silver, and all of that grow. But his so we'll still little

bitty, see was very small. And Jesus saw the problem right

off. You got to get rid of that, it's

in your way of going to heaven. It's in your way of letting

those things of doing those things that will bring you

Treasures in Heaven. And so he didn't like that.

You know what it is. Well, his wealth was more

important to him than eternal life.

So he turned his back on Jesus and walked away.

I heard about a man and one of the Southern States, he had some

property and they were drilling for an oil.

Well on it. And they found oil, they hit

oil. And it was Sunday morning when

they did it. And somebody came into the

assembly. And told them they've struck oil

on your place, the man got up and walked out and didn't come

back to church until that all well went dry.

What do you think about somebody that has that kind of attitude?

Well, this is something we might need to consider, but wealth was

more important to this man than eternal life.

You know in 1957, one year before One year before Joanne,

and I moved to California. The.

State was. Was voting.

For what would be California's motto?

See. What's it going to be?

Well, it boil down to two things.

In God, we trust Are Eureka. You know which one won by vote

of 6:40. Eureka.

I have found it. Talking about the Gold Rush

days. And the riches that California

had Eureka, I have found it. Well now, I don't know whether

California's been blessed or not.

It's still a very wealthy State and all of that.

But brother wickedness has grown with it.

Hasn't it? People.

They have not prospered. So far as their soul is

concerned, but we got that motto.

Just blot it out. And In God, We Trust And I'll

tell you right now, Terry, I've got to figure out which side

this this operates on here, I don't know what I've done.

So at any rate, your Rica is now on the state seal.

Instead of in God we trust and you know they're trying to get

rid of that statement on our coins on her money and never

play since they can all across this great and wonderful land

that we have. They don't want to trust in God.

The nation's Soul has not prospered his it.

We have got to trust in God and we want to have that as our

motto for our life, whether the state of California or the

United States or anybody else does or not.

We want to have it as the motto for our life.

In God, We Trust now. so, how does God determine wealth?

The prosperity of one soul is our father standard.

And let's read that verse again. Beloved, I wish above all things

that thou mayest prosper and be in health even as thy Soul has

prospered. Now.

In Matthew 10 verse 28. Jesus was talking to some people

Matthew 10:28

that were very interested in material things.

Wealth among them, but he told them, he said in fear, not them

which kill the body but are not able to kill the soul but rather

fear him which is able to destroy both soul and Body in

hell. Brother, that is who we had

better fear. That is the one that America

needs to fear today more than any other thing in this life.

See we need to fear him which is able to destroy both soul and

Body in hell, that's real So let's be careful about that in

Matthew 16 and 26. He kind of brings it all down.

To the truth that we need for. What is a man profited?

If he should gain the whole world and lose his own soul, or

what? Shall a man give in exchange for

his soul? What about that brother?

That got up and walked out of the assembly when he heard he

had? Vast riches coming in.

What about someone that will forsake God in order to work at

a job? Where they really have a good

income. They're not fearing.

God are they? Listen, he says you fear the one

that is able to destroy both soul and Body in hell.

And remember this, your soul is worth more than all of the

riches of the world. That precious soul that you have

what a valuable thing. It is.

What a great thing it is. So This teaches us.

The value of the soul and that's reason, God chose it as the

Stander of prosperity measurement.

Think about it. What people will sacrifice so

far as spiritual, spiritual things are concerned in order to

get a higher-paying job. Or in order to accumulate some

wealth here. Think about it.

Listen. Your precious soul is worth more

than all of the material things here in this life.

And when you, if you lose it, you have lost it all now.

Everyone likes the first two parts of this prayer verse that

John was writing to this brother in Christ.

They they really like to pray for Prosperity.

That really like to pray for good health.

But they don't like God's measurement when he said even as

thy Soul has prospered because their soul is not prospering.

It's not growing, I hope every one of us gets stronger and

stronger every year. That we develop.

You've got good leaders here. You got people who strive to

teach the congregation in all that is supposed to do.

And you as an individual and you know what, if you're not

growing, they'll help you, they'll study with you, they'll

work with you see what a wonderful thing that is.

But make sure your soul is growing that it's developing and

all of those things that go along with it because it is the

standard For measuring Health as well.

We know what sickness will do, don't we?

How it has invaded. So many congregations including

this one in recent days. now, he wants our health to prosper to

sometimes people say, well, God brought all of these things on I

know he can, but I don't think he has I think the devil still

in business just like it was in the days of job when the devil

caused all of the financial losses that job experience.

And then took his health away where he had boils from the top

of his head to the bottom of his feet.

And his children were all killed in a storm, not that God

brought, but what the devil brought.

And I want to tell you the devil is still in business today and

you better watch out for him. and so, when something happens,

We don't blame God. Let's blame the devil.

Let's learn for our, let's teach our children to hate the devil.

And will be blessed. Because the devil is still

sponsoring a lot of meanness, lot of heartache and

disappointments. You know, if we pray for our

health Then we generally do exercises and things like that.

But when people are doing that, do they really believe?

This is God's standard for our wealth and for our health.

Let me ask you a question. I want you to look at this right

here. Suppose, this prayer was

answered for you. Let's say we want to pray for

prosperity. We want to pray for hell.

And those we were we prayed to receive blessings as our soul is

prospered. So suppose this prayer was

answered for you. Would you be on welfare

immediately because your soul hasn't grown.

You know people today, oh God doesn't make any difference.

One man, told me one time that that religion was for women and

children. See.

But he didn't do well. In this life.

I want to tell you religion was given to us by God, to bring us

back to him. So what it means really, again,

Leo, which means to tie, to tie this back together with God.

That's what religion is far to. Bring us back to God and ties

together with him in a fellowship that blesses, our

prosperity and our health and And our.

So let's talk about, let's talk about these things.

You know, financial trouble is inconvenient.

And it's embarrassing to. Do you consider Soul trouble?

Like this. Like financial trouble is

inconvenient and embarrassing. Oh, I got soul trouble.

Do we say this? It's so embarrassing.

I've got to do something about it.

Well, some people don't. now, I don't care whether you have a

huge bank account and put material possessions or whether

you are in poverty. I know what that is and I can

remember what I went to school. I didn't ask my dad for twenty

dollar bill. I didn't ask him for a ten

dollar bill. I asked him for a pin and

sometimes he didn't even have that.

Daddy would you give me a penny? Son, I don't have it.

I know what poverty is. I was raised in it. and, and so,

I think if people would consider so trouble.

Like to do Health trouble and financial trouble.

They pay more attention to their soul.

So Prosperity is the name of the game.

So, can you think of anything worse than bad health?

It's a terrible thing. These Last two or three years of

my life. I've had that health problem

pretty bad. But so trouble.

So Tara, you know, when I was going through all of that

sickness, I tried. To study the word of God.

Ice tried. I tried to grow I tried to

develop some more lessons and things like that.

I tried to pray more and I tried to read the Bible more.

That's what we got to do, when we have trouble.

But we have difficulties in life.

Let's get closer to God, sometimes even in death.

People, they don't try to get closer to God, listen, he's the

one who can help us. He's I remember.

When our parents died, my parents died, that it was on

Wednesday night. And we went to church.

And people would ask us. What are you doing at church?

Your father died. How come you're at church

brother? That's when you need to be close

to God. See, that's when you need to get

closer to him and grow in all of this because he's got strength,

he's got power. And helps us in time of need.

So, so trouble. I think it's worse to my mind,

and I think the Gods But is it to your mind?

So sickness is it worse in your mind?

That's a bad, he'll our financial difficulties things

like that. So, Spiritual sickness and

infirmities. It's a terrible thing.

See. Don't talks about some things.

Now, some people might think of meddling What'd you see?

Some people have religious hydrophobic fear of water.

I can stand up here and teach these Brethren can stand up here

and teach the Plan of Salvation is.

You've got to believe, you got to repent and you've got to

confess Jesus to be the Son of God.

And then be baptized. Oh, Some people say, there you

go about baptism again. Like a rabid skunk.

They've got. Religious Hydrophobia fear of

water. I don't know why else they're

doing that because Jesus is plainly given us some

instructions along this of on this line.

But I consider this the number one spiritual disease today.

You know what Mark 16 and 60 he said he that believeth and is

baptized shall be saved but he that believeth not shall be

damned. Well.

Now, Jesus was very interested in water.

They're interested in it. And so he wanted people to be

baptized immersed in water. It acts 8:21, you remember that?

Acts 8:21

We have Simon simulant Simon there that had been converted in

Samaria. And He was a powerful man, among

those people back there, he was a sorcerer.

But boy, when he saw what Philip the Evangelist could do.

And heard that preaching, he was baptized, then he saw the

apostles who came down from Jerusalem, lay hands on these

people and give them the Holy Spirit.

And so he asked for that. He wanted to buy.

And Peter told him, thou Hast, neither part nor lot in this

matter for thy heart. Is not right in the sight of

God. See he had heart trouble, didn't

you? He had to straighten that out,

heart trouble difficulties things like that.

Oh, you Corinthians. Paul said our mouth is open unto

you, our heart is enlarged. In other words, the apostles was

just had a big heart and he loved all of these Brothers and

Sisters in Christ was a Love him.

He said, ye are straitened in your own balance.

Now, for a recompense in the same, I speak as unto my

children be, ye also enlarged. Now, you see, he wanted them to

grow. He wanted their emotions to be

powerful in the service of the Kingdom.

He wanted them to receive him and the other apostles.

But the heart, that's where our emotions are and job.

First John, three verse 17, he says, but whoso hath this

world's good and seeth. His brother have need and

shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how

dwelleth the love of God in him. See so let's be enlarged.

Let's grow and let's develop and make sure our soul is really

Prospered. Now, some people have spiritual

fever, like in First Corinthians 10 and six where he said about

those Israelites were that whole generation died out there on the

Wilderness gin Journey. He said, now these things were

our examples to the intent. We should not lust after evil

things, as they also lusted. Also many people, they got, they

got that kind of fever right there that Lust For Fever, they

want to do things to satisfy the flesh.

Like the Israelites did He wanted that to really not be the

characteristics of Christians in first, Timothy 69, he says, but

they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare and into

many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction

and Perdition in Titus 2 verses 11 and 12 for the grace of God.

Titus 2:11

God that bringeth salvation hath appeared unto all men.

Listen teaching us what's teaching us the grace of God

teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts.

We should live soberly and righteously and godly in this

present world. Let's help our soul to grow with

the great things that God has given to us.

And then this last rottenness of the bone.

You know, we had a neighbor one time.

That had diabeetus. And his bones in his feet, begin

to rot. See that we get the right

sometimes we'd look out there and he would have fallen in his

front yard because of Rome bone just broken his foot while he

was walking toward the house. well, you know Solomon said, in

Proverbs 14 and 30, a sound heart is the life of the flesh,

but Envy the rottenness of the bone injury.

You got that disease, have you got that spiritual sickness,

it's a terrible one to have. When you find yourself envying,

the lifestyle of the world, watch out.

People sometimes they want to follow the world in dress.

They want to follow the world in places where they go and

develop. Now, It's some people, they are

bloated or puffed up as a scripture calls that charity is

not puffed up. Let me give you this example

here, you probably heard it before, I've given it before he

did illustration, but a frog into Ducks lived in a pond that

dried up. They were pretty fond of each

other. So the three of them were

talking about it and decided that the two bucks would hold a

stick in their mouth between them and the Frog would clasp

his mouth around that stick and they would fly.

Him to the next Pond where there was some water there.

Well. Those that saw them do this,

thought it pretty clever and not flying through the air, kind of

passed them by said, that is really clever who thought of it

and from up in the air. The frog said I did.

You see the connection? He was so puffed up, but what

happened to him? When he opened his mouth and

said I see your mouth flies opened again. and then,

Kersplat, that's what happened to him.

Let's not be puffed up. Let's not think of ourselves

above that, which we ought to, or of others above that, which

we we ought to. Let's not have this spiritual

disease and tell you one more thing.

I don't have any you sisters in mind here because I don't know

what your habits are, but this woman sat in front of a mirror

for an hour. Looking at her beautiful face.

well she thought you know, I think this wrong I'll probably

doing this so you so she can confess to the preacher, the sin

of Pride for sitting in front of a mirror and looking at her

beautiful face And the preacher says that is not the sin of

Pride that you have, that's the sin of imagination now.

We have to watch out. That's not be puffed up.

Bodily exercise profiteth little but godliness is profitable all

things, so make sure your soul profits, more than your health

and your wealth. Let's make sure of that.

Here's a artist conception of Jesus coming forth out of the

Tomb. You see how he has his hands.

Can't you just hear him say come unto me.

All ye that labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest.

That's his message to you this morning.

If you're not in the right relationship with God, he still

saying coming to me, don't wait any longer.

Don't let your life linger. Away from God like that obey the

gospel. Believe that Jesus Christ is the

Son of God and be baptized into his body after repenting and

confessing him to be the son of God.

We thank you for listening to our podcast, put on by the

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