OCTOBER 2004

Robert McLaughlin Bible Ministries

Miraculous things happen to positive believers in the realm of prosperity.

Friday, October 1, 2004

MAT 11:19 He ate fine food and drank good wine.
MAR 15:24 He wore expensive clothing.
LUK 10:1-8 – He supported and provided for over 72 men traveling with Him.

HAG 1:6c he who earns, earns wages to put into a purse with holes.

ECC 5:11 When good things increase, those who consume them increase.

He had absolutely no need for worldly, material assets because He knew that He could apply His faith to God’s guidelines and instructions to prosper in order to obtain whatever He needed.

He knew and believed the principle that when you are living in the will of God for your life, there is always more than enough provided by God, MAT 6:33.

MAT 17:27 Go down to the shore and throw in a line, and open the mouth of the first fish you catch. You will find a coin to cover the taxes for both of us; take it and pay them

Miraculous things happen to believers who have PVTD – perception, metabolization and especially application of Bible doctrine – miracles manifested in their life in the realm of prosperity.

JOH 3:16 For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.
HEB 8:12 “For I will be merciful to their iniquities, And I will remember their sins no more.”

MAR 10:29 “Truly I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or farms, for My sake and for the gospel’s sake,”
MAR 10:30 but that he shall receive a hundred times as much now in the present age, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and farms,

When Peter and the other disciples had fished all night and came up empty, TLJC was able to produce so many fish that the nets broke, LUK 5:1-11,
JOH 21:1-11.

Was the Lord so much in fellowship with His Father and God the Holy Spirit that He received divine guidance concerning where the fish were?

LUK 6:38 Give, and it will be given to you; good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, they will pour into your lap. For by your standard of measure it will be measured to you in return.

PRO 3:9-10 Honor the Lord from your wealth, And from the first of all your produce; So your barns will be filled with plenty, And your vats will overflow with new wine.

PRO 11:25 The generous man will be prosperous, And he who waters will himself be watered.
PSA 23:6 Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life,

When TLJC needed a colt, a rich man’s means of transportation in the ancient world, to travel to Jerusalem on that first Palm Sunday, He did not have to rent or buy a colt.

He simply told two of His disciples to go into the village of Bethphage to look for a donkey and its colt tied alongside the road, MAT 21:2.

When TLJC needed a room to serve the Passover meal, He did not go to a hotel to rent one.

He sent two of His disciples into Jerusalem and told them to contact a certain man who would lead them to another man, MAR 14:12-16.

Jesus Christ had the purest faith that has ever been seen on this earth.

JOH 8:44 He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own {nature;} for he is a liar, and the father of lies.

Satan is called a thief, JOH 10:1-10, because through his lies and his promotion of human viewpoint, he robs blessings and prosperity from mankind.

Because our Lord Jesus followed all of God’s guidelines and instructions to prosper, He enjoyed total prosperity, not just financial prosperity, but total prosperity of the spirit, soul and body – throughout His earthly ministry.

JOB 27:16-17 The evil man may accumulate money like dust, with closets jammed full of clothing – yes, he may order them made by his tailor, but the innocent shall wear that clothing and shall divide his silver among them. – TLB

PSA 84:11 “No good thing will He withhold from them who walk along His paths”
PSA 68:19 “Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits.”

Robert McLaughlin Bible Ministries

The divine design in the difference between men and women.

Sunday, October 3, 2004

Click Here to View Slide

Intimate – Latin intimus = inmost.

You are part of society, and society is not going to be any stronger than its homes, and homes are not going to be any better than the intimacy that we build in these homes.

PSA 11:3 If the foundations are destroyed, What can the righteous do?

The man is infinitely superior to a woman at being a man.
A woman is infinitely superior to a man at being a woman.

God made us different that He might make us one.

Most men are stronger than most women.
The difference between beauty and the beast.

The job that God gave to Adam was two-fold, to dress the garden and to keep the garden, so he was to be the provider and the protector.

“Eve” = life-giver.

God made her physical body to nurture, to love, to be gentle, to be soft, to be cuddly – that is what God made her to do.

Medical science now tells us that 40 % of a man’s body is muscle, on averages – only 25% of the woman’s body is muscle.

Women have a thin layer of cellulite underneath the layer of their skin – that is to keep them warm, because they do not have as much blood in their bodies as men have.

Man has about one and a half gallons of blood – a woman has about four-fifths of a gallon of blood.
A man has almost 50% more blood flowing in his body.

A woman does not have as many capillaries (tiny blood vessels) to deliver that blood to her skin surface.

Men also have a larger lung capacity – that is the reason in athletics men can many times outlast a woman – but women have a better immune system.
A lot of you ladies will not be surprised to learn that men have thicker skulls.

Women, their bones are just more brittle than men; every cell in a woman’s body is different from the cell in man’s body. Women have the XX chromosome, men have XY chromosome.

There ought to be a protective instinct for your wife, or for the ladies, because they are more delicate.
It is her delicacy that makes her so wonderful, but God has given you as the stronger person, as the stronger vessel, to give honor to the woman as unto the weaker vessel.

Men are made for fighting wars, women are not.

Not only beauty and the beast – but the tortoise and the hare.

Men have a lot more energy, but women have a lot more durability.
You have more red blood cells to deliver energy to yourself.
You have a bigger lung capacity that is going to give more oxygen, but she has a better immune system.

The romantic and the mechanic.
Their job is to dress the garden and to keep the garden.
A hard outer shell.

They are the homemaker, they are to love, they are to nurture, they are to be soft, they are to raise the children.

Ladies, you need to understand that he will never have the romantic heart that you want him to have, he is just not wired that way.

He is not turned on by romance, he is turned on visually, he is turned on by her beauty, he is a creature that is attracted by what he sees.

The radar versus the computer.
“A sophisticated form of magnetic resonance imaging on living brains shows women use both hemispheres to solve a certain language problem, men use only one.”

The two hemispheres in your brain – the left hemisphere deals primarily with logic, reasoning, and calculation; the right hemisphere deals with feeling, emotion, sympathy, love, intuition.

Men tend to be more logical and analytical and factual in their thinking. Women are more detail-oriented, they want all of the little details, because she is using both sides of her brain at the same time.

The left side is logical, rational, objective, precise; the right side is the effective domain, feeling subjectivity, sensitivity.

Do not listen to what a woman says, listen to what she means.

Women are lovers, men are achievers.

What is the deepest need of a woman?
Romance.

What is man’s greatest need?
He wants to be admired.
He wants to be respected.

1 – The foundation.
2 – The flexibility.
Understanding each other is how to have fantastic prosperity in life.

Jesus Christ died on the cross for the cause of intimacy.

Involved in a sexual relationship
Innermost or essential
Showing profound and detailed knowledge & understanding as from long study

Jesus Christ died so we might become intimate with Him, with His Father, with the Holy Spirit, and with one another.

GEN 1:27 God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; make and female He created them.
GEN 2:24 For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother, and be joined to his wife; and they shall become one flesh.

The husband and wife express with their bodies that deep longing each of us has for oneness with others.

God wants to get inside our souls, and He wants to let us get inside His soul!
The greatest intimacy possible between two people occurs when a believer acquires the mind of Christ.

The husband and wife becoming one body is symbolic of the members of the church becoming one body in Christ.

ROM 12:4-5 Jesus Christ died so we might become intimate with Him, with His Father, with the Holy Spirit, and with one another.
John 17:23 I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that You sent Me

1 Cor 10:17 Since there is one bread, we who are many are one body; for we all partake of the one bread.

The Lords Supper is a celebration of great intimacy.

Robert McLaughlin Bible Ministries

What does it mean to keep God first?

Wednesday, October 6, 2004

One of the first principles for blessing from the God of prosperity is to make sure God has number 1 priority in our life,
MAT 6:33, “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added to you.”

Whatever any of us need in any area of our lives, God’s guidelines and instructions to prosper teach us that He will provide them when we keep Him first in every area of our lives.

Never forget to start your day spending a period of quiet time with God.

PSA 4:4 Meditate in your heart upon your bed, and be still. Selah.

“Jabez” = pain or affliction.
“One who causes or will cause pain.”

MAT 7:8 “For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it shall be opened.”

Putting your relationship with God first also means to set time aside for the study of His word on a daily basis.

2CO 13:5 Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves!

1. “Do you place your family commitments ahead of God?”
2. “Is God more important to you than your social life?”
3. “Do you spend more time seeking God than you do on the computer, watching television, or enjoying your games and hobbies?”
4. “Is seeking God on a daily basis more important to you than seeking financial prosperity?”

1. “Do I actually place God ahead of each member of my family?”
2. “Is God more important to me than my friendships?”

You will be hindered by your friends, family members, co-workers and even enemies from fulfilling the PPOG.

Abraham stayed with his father because of sentimentality, and that was a mistake because his father led him down the path to reversionism.

Jonathan chose a member of his earthly family, namely his father, over God’s people and died on the battlefield,1SA 31:2.

Your family life is not the most important thing in your life.

MAR 3:21 And when His own family heard of this [that He claimed to be the Son of God], they went out to take custody of him; for they [members of His family] were saying, “He has lost His senses.”

They did not come to believe on Him and to follow His teachings, they came because they thought He was going nuts – He was taking this thing a little too serious.

JOH 7:5 For not even His brothers were believing in Him.

TLJC taught that His followers are even closer to Him than His natural family and closest relatives.

1TI 2:4 He wills all men to be saved and to come to the epignosis knowledge of the truth.

Relationship with God must have priority over relationship with people.

As an expression of this, emphasis on people over God must be set aside.

“Do I spend more time seeking God each day than I do listening to the lies perpetuated from the cosmic system through technology?”

2CO 4:4 in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving, that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

PSA 101:5 Whoso privily slandereth his neighbor, him will I cut off: [I will separate from]

PSA 119:63 I am a friend of all those who respect and honor Thee, And of those who keep Thy doctrines.

PRO 16:25 There is a way {which seems} right to a man, But its end is the way of death.
MAR 4:24 And He was saying to them, “Take care what you listen to.”
LUK 8:18 “Therefore take care how you listen;”

JOH 7:24 “Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment.”
ISA 11:3 “And He will delight in the respect for the Lord, And He will not judge by what His eyes see, Nor make a decision by what His ears hear”

ISA 59:5 They hatch adders’ eggs and weave the spider’s web; He who eats of their eggs dies, And {from} that which is crushed a snake breaks forth.
Adder – tsiph`oniy = a poisonous serpent or a viper; used for a viper thrusting out the tongue and hissing, also used for laying cockatrice eggs which will eventually hatch and bring forth serpents and vipers.

ISA 59:5 They hatch adders’ eggs and weave the spider’s web [the traps and snares of the wicked]; He who eats of their eggs dies,
1CO 10:12 “Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.”
JER 15:16 Thy words were found and I ate them,

Just like we can eat God’s words by allowing His word to enter our soul, the same is true with the god of this world who uses his power through words to influence the believer and the unbeliever.

For many people, when the truth is too strong to ignore, they hide it from sight and attempt to forget it.

Do I spend more time seeking God each day than I do watching television or enjoying hobbies?

LUK 9:23 And He was saying to {them} all, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.”

The world’s system of prosperity puts other things ahead of God, such as money, success, possessions and personal recognition.

The Living Bible –
PRO 22:4 “True humility and respect for the Lord lead a man to riches, honor and long life”

His Word says that we obtain these things by constantly humbling ourselves before Him with an awesome respect and honor for Him.

The Living Bible –
HEB 2:8 And You have put Him [Jesus Christ] in complete charge of everything there is.

EXO 20:3 “You shall have no other gods before Me.”

Robert McLaughlin Bible Ministries

They that seek the Lord shall not be in want of anything.

Thursday, October 7, 2004

One of the first principles for blessing from the God of prosperity is to make sure God has number 1 priority in our life;
1KI 2:6-12; MAT 6:33.

This all-consuming desire for money is exactly the kind of desire that we should have for God.

PRO 16:16 Get wisdom – it’s worth more than money; choose insight over income every time.

PRO 23:23 Buy truth – don’t sell it for love or money; buy wisdom, buy education, buy insight.

The more we learn of God and His ways, the more we should want to learn.

PSA 34:10 The young lions do lack and suffer hunger; But they who seek the Lord shall not be in want of any good thing.

When we are in right standing with God and always keep Him first, we will receive all of the riches and honor that we will ever want or need.

JOH 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

Too many Christians (often without even realizing it) are much more problem-centered than they are God-centered.

All freedom comes from switching our preoccupation from ourselves to occupation with God.

ISA 26:3 “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in Thee.”

First, we must keep Him first at all times by keeping on mind on Him.
Second, we must trust Him completely.

God’s guidelines and instructions to prosper will only work to the degree that we keep Him first in our lives, totally, completely and absolutely ahead of everything else.

The blessings that we receive from God will be in direct proportion to the degree of our true, deep and lasting commitment to Him.

A part of God’s guidelines and instructions to prosper is to renew our minds so that we will understand that God’s way for prosperity is different than the world’s way.

You have been taught lies and propaganda from the cosmos diabolicus – the devil’s world – concerning how to prosper.

PRO 3:14 She [wisdom] is worth far more than money in the bank; her friendship is better than a big salary.

PRO 8:10 Prefer my life-disciplines over chasing after money, and God-knowledge over a lucrative career.
PRO 16:16 Get wisdom – it’s worth more than money; choose insight over income every time.

PRO 22:1 A sterling reputation is better than striking it rich; a gracious spirit is better than money in the bank.
PRO 23:5 Riches disappear in the blink of an eye; wealth sprouts wings and flies off into the wild blue yonder.

One of the biggest obstacles to learning and applying God’s guidelines and instructions to prosper is the tremendous difference between them and the world’s system of prosperity.

Will you really believe what the Bible says and do it – will that be your challenge?

Many of us have followed the world’s system for many years and it’s not easy to change from long established and ingrained habits and patterns.

ROM 12:2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.

Anakainosis = to make new, to completely change.

Are you willing to “erase” the information which has governed your viewpoint for prosperity, so that you will line up with God’s guidelines and instructions to prosper instead of the world’s system of prosperity?

3JO 1:2 Beloved, I pray that in all respects you may prosper and be in good health, just as your soul prospers.

We will experience this prosperity and health that He wants so much for us in exact proportion to the degree that our souls are “prospered” – to the exact degree that our souls are made brand new.
The soul is the combination of our heart, our mind, and our emotions.

God wants us to constantly engage in the process of converting our souls from the world’s ways to His ways.

PSA 19:7 The law of the Lord is perfect, restoring the soul; The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.

In order to prosper, we have to change from the way that we have always handled our prosperity and finances to the way that God tells us to handle our finances.

JOH 17:17 “Sanctify them in the truth; Thy word is truth.”

Verse 3 – God wants His truth inside of us and He wants us to walk in truth – to live our daily lives based upon the teachings of His Word.
Verse 4 – nothing gives Him greater joy than to see His children walking in truth.
Verse 5 – acting faithfully in truth produces divine good even toward strangers.

Verse 8 – walking in truth causes us to support others who are doing the same!

We will prosper under God’s guidelines and instructions to prosper to the exact degree that we fill our hearts with these laws and obey them in our daily lives.

MAR 7:13 “Thus invalidating the word of God by your tradition.”

God does not ever think in terms of financial or other shortages.
MAT 13:58 And He did not do many miracles there because of their unbelief.

God wants us to renew our minds because He wants to restore our souls, to make the soul “brand new” in the realm of thinking divine viewpoint.

PSA 23:1-2 “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters. He restores my soul; He guides me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake.”

He will guide us to the still waters – away from the angry and bitter waves of the cosmic system or the failing systems of this world.

He will restore our souls so that we will always be in tune with His laws of prosperity instead of worrying about the constant erosion of the world’s man-made system of prosperity.

Amplified Bible –
EPH 4:22-23 Strip yourselves of your former nature – put off and discard your old unrenewed self which characterized your previous manner of life and becomes corrupt through lusts and desires that spring from delusion; And be constantly renewed in the spirit of your mind – having a fresh mental and spiritual attitude.

One of the biggest obstacles to learning and applying God’s guidelines and instructions to prosper is the tremendous difference between them and the world’s system of prosperity.

PSA 51:10 “Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me.”

ROM 12:2 “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind,”

2CO 4:16 Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day.

Renew – pres-pass-ind – anakainoo = to receive new strength, new vigor, new energy, to be changed with a new kind of life.

JOH 6:63 “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life.”

EPH 4:23 “Be renewed by means of the breathing of the soul,”

2TI 3:16 All Scripture is inspired by God-breathed and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness;

COL 3:10 “Put on the new self who is being renewed by means of epignosis knowledge [metabolized doctrine] according to the image of the One who created him.”

Too many of God’s people are trying to solve their serious problems with their limited, carnal, unrenewed minds.

Christians who have not renewed their minds in God’s Word do not have the “spiritual eyesight” to see their way out of seemingly unsolvable problems.

ROM 13:12 “Let us therefore lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.”

ROM 13:14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to {its} lusts.

EPH 4:24 “Put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created by means of perfect righteousness and devotion to the truth.”

MAT 19:26 “but with God all things are possible.”

“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me”

JOH 16:33 “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.”

PSA 34:19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous; But the Lord delivers him out of them all.

JOH 16:13 “But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come.”

Christians who have paid the price of diligently renewing their minds will focus in on the solution.

Christians who have not paid the price of renewing their minds will focus in on the problem.

Renewal is a law of God.

2CO 4:16 …“though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day.”

That spiritual food is transformed into a spiritual strength and energy called pistis or faith.

2CO 5:7 for we walk by faith, not by sight –

JER 15:16 Thy words were found and I ate them, And Thy words became for me a joy and the delight of my heart;

Our soul cannot prosper unless our mind is under control and our mind will not be under control unless we can cast out all negative thoughts and bring every one of our thoughts completely in line with the Word of God.

Too many Christians today focus so much on the problems of the world that they ultimately become part of those problems because they are so identified with them.

Robert McLaughlin Bible Ministries

They that seek the Lord shall not be in want of anything.

Thursday, October 7, 2004

One of the first principles for blessing from the God of prosperity is to make sure God has number 1 priority in our life;
1KI 2:6-12; MAT 6:33.

This all-consuming desire for money is exactly the kind of desire that we should have for God.

PRO 16:16 Get wisdom – it’s worth more than money; choose insight over income every time.

PRO 23:23 Buy truth – don’t sell it for love or money; buy wisdom, buy education, buy insight.

The more we learn of God and His ways, the more we should want to learn.

PSA 34:10 The young lions do lack and suffer hunger; But they who seek the Lord shall not be in want of any good thing.

When we are in right standing with God and always keep Him first, we will receive all of the riches and honor that we will ever want or need.

JOH 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

Too many Christians (often without even realizing it) are much more problem-centered than they are God-centered.

All freedom comes from switching our preoccupation from ourselves to occupation with God.

ISA 26:3 “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in Thee.”

First, we must keep Him first at all times by keeping on mind on Him.
Second, we must trust Him completely.

God’s guidelines and instructions to prosper will only work to the degree that we keep Him first in our lives, totally, completely and absolutely ahead of everything else.

The blessings that we receive from God will be in direct proportion to the degree of our true, deep and lasting commitment to Him.

A part of God’s guidelines and instructions to prosper is to renew our minds so that we will understand that God’s way for prosperity is different than the world’s way.

You have been taught lies and propaganda from the cosmos diabolicus – the devil’s world – concerning how to prosper.

PRO 3:14 She [wisdom] is worth far more than money in the bank; her friendship is better than a big salary.

PRO 8:10 Prefer my life-disciplines over chasing after money, and God-knowledge over a lucrative career.
PRO 16:16 Get wisdom – it’s worth more than money; choose insight over income every time.

PRO 22:1 A sterling reputation is better than striking it rich; a gracious spirit is better than money in the bank.
PRO 23:5 Riches disappear in the blink of an eye; wealth sprouts wings and flies off into the wild blue yonder.

One of the biggest obstacles to learning and applying God’s guidelines and instructions to prosper is the tremendous difference between them and the world’s system of prosperity.

Will you really believe what the Bible says and do it – will that be your challenge?

Many of us have followed the world’s system for many years and it’s not easy to change from long established and ingrained habits and patterns.

ROM 12:2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.

Anakainosis = to make new, to completely change.

Are you willing to “erase” the information which has governed your viewpoint for prosperity, so that you will line up with God’s guidelines and instructions to prosper instead of the world’s system of prosperity?

3JO 1:2 Beloved, I pray that in all respects you may prosper and be in good health, just as your soul prospers.

We will experience this prosperity and health that He wants so much for us in exact proportion to the degree that our souls are “prospered” – to the exact degree that our souls are made brand new.
The soul is the combination of our heart, our mind, and our emotions.

God wants us to constantly engage in the process of converting our souls from the world’s ways to His ways.

PSA 19:7 The law of the Lord is perfect, restoring the soul; The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.

In order to prosper, we have to change from the way that we have always handled our prosperity and finances to the way that God tells us to handle our finances.

JOH 17:17 “Sanctify them in the truth; Thy word is truth.”

Verse 3 – God wants His truth inside of us and He wants us to walk in truth – to live our daily lives based upon the teachings of His Word.
Verse 4 – nothing gives Him greater joy than to see His children walking in truth.
Verse 5 – acting faithfully in truth produces divine good even toward strangers.

Verse 8 – walking in truth causes us to support others who are doing the same!

We will prosper under God’s guidelines and instructions to prosper to the exact degree that we fill our hearts with these laws and obey them in our daily lives.

MAR 7:13 “Thus invalidating the word of God by your tradition.”

God does not ever think in terms of financial or other shortages.
MAT 13:58 And He did not do many miracles there because of their unbelief.

God wants us to renew our minds because He wants to restore our souls, to make the soul “brand new” in the realm of thinking divine viewpoint.

PSA 23:1-2 “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters. He restores my soul; He guides me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake.”

He will guide us to the still waters – away from the angry and bitter waves of the cosmic system or the failing systems of this world.

He will restore our souls so that we will always be in tune with His laws of prosperity instead of worrying about the constant erosion of the world’s man-made system of prosperity.

Amplified Bible –
EPH 4:22-23 Strip yourselves of your former nature – put off and discard your old unrenewed self which characterized your previous manner of life and becomes corrupt through lusts and desires that spring from delusion; And be constantly renewed in the spirit of your mind – having a fresh mental and spiritual attitude.

One of the biggest obstacles to learning and applying God’s guidelines and instructions to prosper is the tremendous difference between them and the world’s system of prosperity.

PSA 51:10 “Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me.”

ROM 12:2 “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind,”

2CO 4:16 Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day.

Renew – pres-pass-ind – anakainoo = to receive new strength, new vigor, new energy, to be changed with a new kind of life.

JOH 6:63 “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life.”

EPH 4:23 “Be renewed by means of the breathing of the soul,”

2TI 3:16 All Scripture is inspired by God-breathed and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness;

COL 3:10 “Put on the new self who is being renewed by means of epignosis knowledge [metabolized doctrine] according to the image of the One who created him.”

Too many of God’s people are trying to solve their serious problems with their limited, carnal, unrenewed minds.

Christians who have not renewed their minds in God’s Word do not have the “spiritual eyesight” to see their way out of seemingly unsolvable problems.

ROM 13:12 “Let us therefore lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.”

ROM 13:14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to {its} lusts.

EPH 4:24 “Put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created by means of perfect righteousness and devotion to the truth.”

MAT 19:26 “but with God all things are possible.”

“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me”

JOH 16:33 “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.”

PSA 34:19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous; But the Lord delivers him out of them all.

JOH 16:13 “But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come.”

Christians who have paid the price of diligently renewing their minds will focus in on the solution.

Christians who have not paid the price of renewing their minds will focus in on the problem.

Renewal is a law of God.

2CO 4:16 …“though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day.”

That spiritual food is transformed into a spiritual strength and energy called pistis or faith.

2CO 5:7 for we walk by faith, not by sight –

JER 15:16 Thy words were found and I ate them, And Thy words became for me a joy and the delight of my heart;

Our soul cannot prosper unless our mind is under control and our mind will not be under control unless we can cast out all negative thoughts and bring every one of our thoughts completely in line with the Word of God.

Too many Christians today focus so much on the problems of the world that they ultimately become part of those problems because they are so identified with them.

Robert McLaughlin Bible Ministries

We must renew our minds so that we can understand God’s way for prosperity.

Friday, October 8, 2004

One of the first principles for blessing from the God of prosperity is to make sure God has number 1 priority in our life;
1KI 2:6-12; MAT 6:33.

A part of God’s guidelines and instructions to prosper is to renew our minds so that we will understand that God’s way for prosperity is different than the world’s way.

God wants us to renew our minds because He wants to restore our souls, to make the soul “brand new” in the realm of thinking divine viewpoint.

He will guide us to the still waters away from the unstable waves of the cosmic system or the failing systems of this world.

He will restore our souls so that we will always be in tune with His laws of prosperity instead of worrying about the constant erosion of the world’s man-made system of prosperity.

The Amplified Bible –
EPH 4:22-23 “Strip yourselves of your former nature – put off and discard your old unrenewed self which characterized your previous manner of life and becomes corrupt through lusts and desires that spring from delusion; And be constantly renewed in the spirit of your mind – having a fresh mental and spiritual attitude.

PSA 51:10 “Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me.”
ROM 12:2 “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind,”
2CO 4:16 Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day.

2CO 4:16 – our inner man is being renewed day by day.
Renew – pres-pass-ind – anakainoo = to receive new strength, new vigor, new energy, to be changed with a new kind of life.

JOH 6:63 “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life.”

EPH 4:23 “Be renewed by means of the breathing of the soul,”

2TI 3:16 All Scripture is inspired by God-breathed and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness;

COL 3:10 “Put on the new self who is being renewed by means of epignosis knowledge [metabolized doctrine] according to the image of the One who created him.”

Too many of God’s people are trying to solve their serious problems with their limited, carnal, unrenewed minds.

Christians who have not renewed their minds in God’s Word do not have the “spiritual eyesight” to see their way out of seemingly unsolvable problems.

ROM 13:12 “Let us therefore lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.”

ROM 13:14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to {its} lusts.

EPH 4:24 “Put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created by means of perfect righteousness and devotion to the truth.”

MAT 19:26 “but with God all things are possible.”

“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me”

JOH 16:33 “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.”
PSA 34:19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous; But the Lord delivers him out of them all.

JOH 16:13 “But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come.”

Christians who have paid the price of diligently renewing their minds will focus in on the solution.

Christians who have not paid the price of renewing their minds will focus in on the problem.

Renewal of the mind is a law of God.

All of us are growing older physically – we should offset this aging process by renewing ourselves spiritually each and every day of our lives.

2CO 4:16 “though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day.”

That spiritual food is transformed into a spiritual strength and energy – pistis or faith.

2CO 5:7 for we walk by faith, not by sight –
JER 15:16 Thy words were found and I ate them, And Thy words became for me a joy and the delight of my heart;

God does not want our imaginations running rampant about our financial problems or the financial problems of the world and how bad things might become.

Our soul cannot prosper unless our mind is under control and our mind will not be under control unless we can cast out all negative thoughts and bring every one of our thoughts completely in line with the Word of God.

Too many Christians today focus so much on the problems of the world that they ultimately become part of those problems because they are so identified with them.

God’s Word and His promises are not dependent in any way upon the condition of a man-made economic system.

This peace, joy, prosperity and health are not “automatic” while we are on this earth.

In order for us to prosper as God wants us to prosper, our souls must prosper.
In order for our souls to prosper, God’s Word must dominate our lives.

PHI 4:17 Not that I seek the gift itself, but I seek for the profit which increases to your account.
PHI 4:17 Not that I’m looking for handouts, but I do want you to experience the blessing that issues from generosity.

AMP –
PHI 4:17 Not that I seek or am eager for [your] gift, but I do seek and am eager for the fruit which increases to your credit [the harvest of blessing that is accumulating to your account].

Robert McLaughlin Bible Ministries

Death and life are in the power of the tongue.

Sunday, October 10, 2004

PHI 4:9 These things [doctrinal principles] also you have learned [manthano – learned from a teacher under strict academic discipline] and received [accepted through metabolization of doctrine] and having heard [under discipline] and have understood by means of me [Paul’s teaching ministry]. Be putting these things into action and the God of prosperity shall be with you, all of you [supergrace believers].

There are relationships in life which are designed to be very meaningful and prosperous – this depends upon understanding one another.

There are some wonderful differences between male and female, and it is these differences, and understanding these differences, that unite us and produce relationships that are prosperous.

Once we understand that there are differences between the male and female species, it is time to apply those differences doctrinally or “Be putting these things into action and the God of prosperity shall be with you.”

We are wired differently, emotionally, psychologically, physically.
We come from different backgrounds, different family expectations, and traditions, and things that we have learned from childhood.

We add to that the old sin nature.

GEN 5:1 In the day when God created man, He made him in the likeness of God. He created them male and female, and He blessed them and named them Man in the day when they were created.

It was God who ordained marriage –
GEN 2:24 For this cause a man shall leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave to his wife; and they shall become one flesh.

1PE 3:7 You husbands likewise, live with your wives in an understanding way, as with a weaker vessel, since she is a woman; and grant her honor as a fellow heir of the grace of life,

LUK 8:18 “Be careful how you listen;”
MAT 12:34 “For the mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart.”

1. Observation – when you listen to an individual, listen also with your eyes, as well as your ears – observe the other person.

We perceive with our eyes, MAT 13:15.
EPH 1:18 I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints,

2. Concentration. Psychologists tell us that we only hear about 20 % of what is spoken.

3. Consideration.
PRO 18:21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue.

If you truly love them, do not try to catch them in an error, but listen to the meaning of the words, try to concentrate and consider, what they are saying, what they are feeling.

4. Observation, concentration, consideration, and clarification.
Think it through.

The old rabbis used to say, “The ears are open and out, they are unguarded, but the tongue is behind those ivory bars.”

PRO 19:11 Smart people know how to hold their tongue; their grandeur is to forgive and forget.
PRO 10:19 When there are many words, transgression is unavoidable, But he who restrains his lips is wise.

PRO 17:27 He who restrains his words has knowledge, And he who has a cool spirit is a man of understanding.
ECC 5:3 For the dream comes through much effort, and the voice of a fool through many words.

Sometimes people want to play the judge.

The professor is the one who assumes the superior position in the relationship.

Another game that people like to play is the psychologist.

1CO 13:4 Love is patient, love is kind, and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant,

They like to play the historian.
It is a diversionary tactic, not wanting to face the situation today as it really is.

1CO 13:5 love does not take into account a wrong suffered,

Another game that people like to play is the dictator.

PRO 21:9 Better to live alone in a tumbledown shack than share a mansion with a nagging spouse.

Do not play the dictator, do not play the critic.
The critic is the person who loves to compare you to other people!

Or you might compare negatively – “You are just like your father.”

The cruelest cut of all is when the critic criticizes the individual for something over which they have no control, over physical traits, over background, over intellectual capacity, and other things.
1CO 13:5 love does not act unbecomingly;

Another game that people like to play is the preacher.

The Bible is a wonderful sword, but it is a very poor club.

EPH 4:26 Be angry, and yet do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger,
ECC 7:9 Do not be eager in your heart to be angry, For anger resides in the bosom of fools.
PRO 16:32 He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, And he who rules his spirit, than he who captures a city.
PRO 29:22 An angry man stirs up strife, And a hot-tempered man abounds in transgression.

Do not let the sun go down upon your wrath, get it settled and get it settled today.

Just make up your mind to accept the other person.
Practice acceptance, and then practice accommodation.
Practice adjustment and flexibility.

Robert McLaughlin Bible Ministries

Prosperity Special. Part 9. What causes God to become a rewarder of those who seek Him.

Thursday, October 14, 2004

Without faith – “choris – cwriV” [without] pisteos – pivstew” [doctrine]” = “without what is believed” or “without doctrine resident in the soul.”

Accusative singular adjective – adunaton – a*duvnaton = impossible or powerless.

“To please Him” –
aor-act-inf – eu*aresthsai – euarestesai = to please or be pleasing, to be approved of by God.

Constantive aorist – gathers up into one entirety the action of the verb = pleasing God is consistent and persistent positive volition toward doctrine.

If you desire to please God, you must make daily decisions to take in doctrine.

Active voice – the subject, the believer as a member of the Royal Family of God produces the action of the verb – to please God but never apart from Bible doctrine.

Infinitive of intended result – the result is indicated as fulfilling a deliberate “aim.” The deliberate aim of your life as a member of the Royal Family of God should be to “please Him.”

COL 1:9-10 For this reason also, since the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with metabolized doctrine [EPIGNOSIS] of His will by means of all wisdom and spiritual understanding, in order that you might walk worthy of the Lord, pleasing God in all things, bearing fruit in every good work, constantly growing by means of metabolized [EPIGNOSIS] doctrine from the source of God.

GAL 1:10 For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ.

COL 3:22 Labor, obey human management on the basis of all things, not with eyeservice, as people-pleasers, but with the integrity of the right lobe, making a role model out of the Lord.

1TH 2:4 but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not as pleasing men but God, who examines our hearts.

“Bearing the weaknesses” of the weak = maximum utilization of impersonal love and total toleration in the area of non-essentials.

This is a warning because the more we advance in the PPOG, the greater the danger that in adolescence especially, there will be the inflexibility that will cause violations of the Royal Family Honor Code.

We become thoughtless, and instead of hypersensitivity the Royal Family Honor Code demands sensitivity and thoughtfulness of others.

Inevitably you have to come to the place, often through discipline, often through many tragedies, heartaches, and difficulties, you have to come to the place where God is going to be pleased.

Often commands are distorted into gimmick systems such as the command to give, the command to witness, the command to pray.

1TH 4:1 Finally then, brethren, we request and exhort you in the Lord Jesus, that, as you received doctrine from us as to how you ought to walk and please God

None of us can please God without doctrine in the soul and none of us have ever received doctrine in the soul without submitting to academic discipline.

“For” – explanatory use – particle “gar” – gaVr = indicates why there is only one way to please God in this life.

“He who comes” – pres-mid-part – proserchomenon – prosercovmenon = to approach or to occupy oneself with.
“For when one is occupied with” + “to theo” – tw/ qew/ = “the God.”

“Must” – pres-act-ind – dei – dei = used for the compulsion of duty.

It also refers to inner necessity growing out of a given situation.

1. Refusing to place yourself in a position of obligation to others as Abram did, GEN 14:22-24.
2. Being obligated to God for the many blessings He has provided for you, DEU 6:10-19.

PSA 116:12-14 What shall I render to the Lord For all His benefits toward me? I shall lift up the cup of salvation, And call upon the name of the Lord. I shall pay my vows to the Lord, Oh in the presence of all His people.

HEB 11:6 – the verb of obligation – pres-act-ind – dei – “must” = compulsion of duty, or necessity growing out of a given situation.

“Believe” – aor-act-inf – pisteusai – pisteusai = to believe, to be convinced of something so much that you become dogmatic about it.

First of all, you expose yourself to a little doctrine and it becomes resident in your soul. Then, that residual doctrine must convince you of the importance of going on with doctrine.

Then, the accumulation of doctrine in your frame of reference means that you are convinced from doctrine in your soul that you must go on with doctrine.Then you get more doctrine and then you get tests.

Whatever it is that tests you, the frame of reference says one thing, Bible doctrine in your soul; the old sin nature says another, doctrine is not important.

The more doctrine you get in your soul, the more your inner resources dictate to your volition.

“He is” – pres-act-ind – eimi – e!stin = “He keeps on being” = the essence of God and the fact that God exists and He has a plan.

The first “He is” is that “He is” but the second “He is” = pres-mid-ind – ginetai – givnetai = to become. “That He is and He becomes.”

Intensive middle – emphasizes the part taken by the subject, God. The form of the indirect middle stresses the agent as producing the action of the verb = “and that He Himself becomes.”

“A rewarder” – misthapodotes – misqapodovth” = a rewarder, or someone who recompenses and rewards wages – a hapax legomena.

The fact that God is a rewarder is a possibility or a potential depending upon your attitude toward doctrine.

PRO 3:2 For length of days and years of life, And peace [doctrine] will add to you.
PRO 3:16 Long life is in her [doctrine’s] right hand; In her left hand are riches and honor.
PRO 4:8 Prize her, and she will exalt you; She will honor you if you embrace her.
PRO 8:21 Doctrine endows those who love it with wealth, That I may fill their treasuries.
PRO 9:11 For by me your days will be multiplied, And years of life will be added to you.

Robert McLaughlin Bible Ministries

Prosperity Special. Part 10. The God of prosperity is a rewarder of those who diligently seek for Him.

Friday, October 15, 2004

HEB 11:6 And without doctrine resident in the soul, it is impossible to please Him, for he who is occupied with the God must be convinced by resident doctrine that He is, and that He becomes –

“A rewarder” – misthapodotes – misqapodovth” = a rewarder, or someone who recompenses and rewards wages – a hapax legomena.

The fact that God is a rewarder is a possibility or a potential depending upon your attitude toward doctrine.

PRO 3:2 For length of days and years of life, And peace [doctrine] will add to you.
PRO 3:16 Long life is in her [doctrine’s] right hand; In her left hand are riches and honor.

PRO 4:8 “Prize her, and she will exalt you; She will honor you if you embrace her.”
PRO 8:21 Doctrine endows those who love it with wealth, That I may fill their treasuries.
PRO 9:11 For by me your days will be multiplied, And years of life will be added to you.

“Those who seek Him” – pres-act-part – ekzetousin – e*kzhtousin = diligently or earnestly seek, it is a verb of obsession.

It means to seek out, to search for, to continually habitually seek in the participial form.

Static present – used for a condition which perpetually exists; it represents the importance of being consistent with your positive volition toward doctrine.
Active voice – winners or spiritual adults produce the action of the verb by persevering and not quitting in life.

HEB 11:6 And without doctrine [resident in the soul] it is impossible to please Him, for he who is occupied with the God must be convinced by [resident doctrine] that He is, and that He becomes a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

PSA 19:11 Moreover, by them [doctrines] Thy servant is warned; In keeping them there is great reward.
PRO 22:4 The reward of humility and respect for the Lord are riches, honor and life.

MAR 9:41 For whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because of your name as followers of Christ, truly I say to you, he shall not lose his reward.
1CO 3:8 Now he who plants and he who waters are one; but each will receive his own reward according to his own labor.

REV 22:12 Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to render to every man according to what he has done.

2TI 2:15 Study to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, handling accurately the word of truth.

1PE 3:15 “But sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you”

None of us should expect God to prosper us unless we are willing to pay the price of working hard at studying His Word.

Spoudazo – “study” – 2TI 2:15 = exertion, diligence, to use speed, to make a great effort.

If we have problems in one particular area of our lives, we need to do a thorough job of “rightly dividing,” God’s Word in order to find every possible verse of Scripture that covers this particular area.

The Bible will make us think like we have never thought before – but only if we are willing to dig and dig and dig without expecting it to unfold its secrets to us immediately.

What is the difference between “studying” the Bible and just “reading” the Bible?

If you had a book entitled “How To Survive When You’re Lost In The Mountains,” and you read it in the comfort of your home, you would just be reading it.

Because the way to glorify God is by being blessed by Him, all of us should study what God’s Word has to say about prosperity.

Millions of Christians are living far beneath their rights and privileges as children of God because they fail to pay the price of constantly studying God’s Word to find out exactly what these rights and privileges are and how to attain them.

1) We must speak His Word constantly which means His Scriptures should constantly come out of our mouths.
2) We should constantly study His Word and meditate “day and night” on what it says.

Meditate – hagah = to ponder, to meditate, to study, to examine.

Unlike the meditation that people do in yoga and similar forms of meditation which tell us to “empty” our minds, we are, instead, meditating by “filling” our minds with the awesome power of the Word of God.

3) We should live our lives exactly as His Word tells us to live and we should know His Word so well that we conduct our lives “according to all that is written in it.”

TIT 1:2 “who cannot lie,”
HEB 6:18 “It is impossible for God to lie,”

God tells us that, if we want to prosper in everything we do, He will bless “the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked” – this includes the world’s counsel on prosperity and finances.

ROM 12:2 – He tells us not to conform to the world’s way of doing things, but, instead, to transform our lives by following His laws.

No matter how bad a drought might be, the leaves of such a tree will never wither and dry up because the roots of this tree will be able to draw water from the river.

HOS 4:6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.

Robert McLaughlin Bible Ministries

Prosperity Special. Part 11. How to prosper in every area of our lives, financially, spritually, physically, mentally and emotionally.

Sunday, October 17, 2004

1. Always give God number 1 priority in our life by seeking His plan first, MAT 6:33.
2. To renew our minds so that we will understand that God’s way for prosperity is different than the world’s way,
ISA 55:7-8; ROM 12:2.
3. Bible doctrine being number one priority on your scale of values, HEB 11:6.

HOS 4:6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.

PRO 11:9b through knowledge the righteous will be delivered.

JOS 1:8 This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success.

PSA 1:2 But his delight is in the law of the Lord, And in His law he meditates day and night.
PSA 1:3 …And in whatever he does, he prospers.

If we do this continually, we will prosper in every area of our lives, financially, spiritually, physically, mentally and emotionally.

Seek – zeteo = to keep on searching for, keep on pursuing, keep on endeavoring to obtain, keep on investigating, keep on examining, keep on desiring to possess something.

MAR 12:30 And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.

Strength – ischuos = all your physical strength in the sense of you making the maximum effort to get to know God.

PRO 2:4 If you seek her [wisdom] as silver, and search for her as for hidden treasures; Then you will discern true respect for the Lord, and discover the true knowledge of God.
“If you seek her” – seek is in the Piel stem, the intensive stem = to search intensively or to strive after something.

JER 29:13 And you will seek Me and find {Me,} when you search for Me with all your heart.

Search – Qal future – darash = to beat or to tread a path; used figuratively to learn and to study – to go to a place so frequently to learn that you tread a path from your home to that place [Gesenius].

HEB 11:6 And without doctrine [resident in the soul] it is impossible to please Him, for he who is occupied with the God must be convinced by [resident doctrine] that He is, and that He becomes a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

Seek – pres-act-part – ekzetousin = to seek diligently, investigate, scrutinize, crave and desire for something = P.V.T.D.

If you truly do seek to glorify God and to understand God’s guidelines and instructions to prosper then you need to accept the premise that God owns everything and that we own nothing.
God’s Word clearly tells us that we do not “own” anything.

1CO 4:7 For who regards you as superior? And what do you have that you did not receive? But if you did receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?

1CH 29:2 Now with all my ability I have provided for the house of my God
Then the people rejoiced because they had offered so willingly, for they made their offering to the Lord with a whole heart,

1CH 29:12 Both riches and honor come from Thee, and Thou dost rule over all, and in Thy hand is power and might; and it lies in Thy hand to make great, and to strengthen everyone.
1CH 29:14 But who am I and who are my people that we should be able to offer as generously as this? For all things come from Thee, and from Thy hand we have given Thee.

1CH 29:16 O Lord our God, all this abundance that we have provided to build Thee a house for Thy holy name, it is from Thy hand, and all is Thine.

DEU 10:14 Behold, to the Lord your God belong heaven and the highest heavens, the earth and all that is in it
1CO 10:26 for the earth is the Lord’s, and all it contains.
HAG 2:8 “The silver is Mine, and the gold is Mine,” declares the Lord of hosts.

1CO 6:19-20 Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body.

PSA 24:1 The earth is the Lord’s, and all it contains, The world, and those who dwell in it.

God’s Word warns us not to forget where our blessings come from,
DEU 8:17.

MAR 10:23 “How hard it will be for those who are wealthy to enter the kingdom of God!”

The world’s way is to trust in material assets and securities and to continually try to accumulate more of them.

Close observation of people who have more money than they can spend shows they do not find any lasting satisfaction from their wealth.

ECC 5:10 He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves abundance {with its} income. This too is vanity.
True satisfaction can only be found deep within ourselves, not in any external worldly possessions.

“Money has never made a man happy yet, nor will it. There is nothing in its nature to produce happiness. The more a man has, the more he wants. Instead of filling a vacuum, it makes one. If it satisfies one want, it doubles and triples that want in other ways.”
1TI 6:7 For we have brought nothing into the world, so we cannot take anything out of it either.

JOB 1:21 And he said, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, And naked I shall return there. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away. Blessed be the name of the Lord.”

PRO 21:6 The getting of treasures by a lying tongue is a fleeting vapor, the pursuit of death.

Often wealthy people find that the years of pursuing wealth have given them high blood pressure, ulcers, heart disease, mental illnesses and other illnesses as well.

Everyone who prospers by methods other than God’s guidelines and instructions to prosper sooner or later will find that this prosperity will become a curse.

PRO 1:32 “The prosperity of fools shall destroy them”
PSA 53:1 The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God,”
PRO 15:6 Much wealth is {in} the house of the righteous, But trouble is in the income of the wicked.

Financial prosperity achieved by the world’s methods will bring sorrow, but God’s Word clearly teaches us that God’s laws will enable us to prosper in every area of our lives without any sorrow.
PRO 10:22 It is the blessing of the Lord that makes rich, And He adds no sorrow to it.

1TI 6:10 For you see the love of money keeps on being a root of all sorts of evil, through which [love for money] certain ones by intensively desiring it [money] have gone astray from doctrine, and pierced themselves with many types of pain.

PRO 28:22 A man with an evil eye hastens after wealth, And does not know that want will come upon him.
PSA 10:3 For the wicked boasts of his heart’s desire, And the greedy man curses and spurns the Lord.

PRO 28:16 A leader who is a great oppressor lacks understanding, {But} he who hates unjust gain will prolong {his} days.
ECC 5:13 There is a grievous evil which I have seen under the sun: riches being hoarded by their owner to his hurt.

Robert McLaughlin Bible Ministries

Prosperity Special Part 12. God’s perspective on work and discipline.

Thursday, October 21, 2004

God’s perspective on work and discipline.

ECC 9:10 Whatever your hand finds to do, verily, do {it} with all your might;

COL 3:22-25 Labor, obey human management on the basis of all things, not with eyeservice, as people-pleasers, but with the integrity of the right lobe, making a role model out of the Lord. Whatever you do, keep on performing it from the soul, as to the Lord and not to people; since you know that from the Lord you will receive the reward of your inheritance, you serve the Lord Christ. For he who does wrong [on the job] will be paid back for that wrong which he has done, and there is no favoritism.

With most people, there is the attitude that “the world owes me a living.”

In today’s society, many people are content to put as little into their work as they think they can get away with.

Too many employees are receiving a full day’s pay for less than a full day’s work.

In our society, more and more emphasis is being placed on fun, enjoyment and leisure – on a “what’s in it for me first attitude.”

2TH 3:10 For even when we were with you, we used to give you this order: if anyone will not work, neither let him eat.

This doctrinal truth has been contradicted by the unbalanced systems that have been developed in many of our welfare programs, governmental agencies and some labor unions.

MAT 26:11 “For the poor you have with you always;”

The slave mentality is never content with wealth.

The slave mentality = to emphasize security over freedom.

To the person with the slave mentality, security is much more important than freedom.

Spiritual freedom is the heritage of the new birth or regeneration –
2CO 3:17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.

PSA 119:45 “I will walk in freedom because I seek Your doctrines.”

JOH 8:32 You shall know the doctrine and the doctrine shall make you free.

None of us by instinct are “freedom” oriented.
By instinct we are “security” oriented.

You do not develop freedom from security, you develop security from freedom.

“Observe people who are good at their work – skilled workers are always in demand and admired; they don’t take a back seat to anyone.”

Amplified Bible – 1TH 4:11-12 Work with your hands, as we charged you; so that you may bear yourselves becomingly, be correct and honorable and command the respect of the outside world, being self-supporting, dependent on nobody and having need of nothing

God tells us that the ant has no foreman or boss over them telling them what to do, but it instinctively works hard to provide its needs.

ECC 9:10 Whatever your hand finds to do, verily, do {it} with all your might
MAT 5:41 “And whoever shall force you to go one mile, go with him two.”

Whatever type of work any of us might do, God’s Word tells us that we should put everything we have into it because we really are working for Jesus Christ, not whomever our worldly employer might happen to be, COL 3:23.

Our job is to do the very best we can with the human abilities that God has given us and then to trust in Him for the rest.

If a believer does not do his best at his work, he will soon start to feel empty and unfulfilled, ECC 9:9.

ECC 5:12 The sleep of the working man is pleasant, whether he eats little or much.

God wants us to do our best, but the fact is that the great things of life really are done through us, not by us.

PSA 127:1 Unless the Lord builds the house, They labor in vain who build it.

Hard work starts with discipline.

JOH 8:31-32 If you abide in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

The one primary thing that stops Christians from realizing the freedom that is theirs in Christ is lack of consistency.

“Disciple” and “discipline” come from the Latin discipulus = pupil, student, from the Latin word discere = to learn or discern.

King James –
1TI 4:15 Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all.

“Meditate” – meletao = to revolve in the mind, to meditate, to attend to carefully, used of the Greeks to STUDY.

PSA 81:10 “I, the Lord, am your God, Who brought you up from the land of Egypt; Open your mouth wide and I will fill it.”

PSA 90:12 “Teach us to number our days and recognize how few they are; help us to spend them as we should.”

EPH 5:15-16 “Look carefully then how you walk! Live purposefully and worthily and accurately, not as the unwise and witless, but as wise, sensible intelligent people; making the very most of the time – buying up each opportunity – because the days are evil.”

MAR 4:15 And these are the ones who are beside the road where the word is sown; and when they hear, immediately Satan comes and takes away the word which has been sown in them.

2CO 2:11 in order that no advantage be taken of us by Satan; for we are not ignorant of his schemes.
2CO 11:14 for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.
1TI 5:15 for some have already turned aside to follow Satan.

Robert McLaughlin Bible Ministries

Prosperity Special. Part 14. The Golden Rule-God’s laws of sowing and reaping.

Sunday, October 24, 2004

JOB 3:25 “For what I fear comes upon me, And what I dread befalls me.”

PRO 23:7 For as he thinks within himself, so he is.

When we work diligently at meditating in God’s Word or thinking in the realm of divine viewpoint, this will change every aspect of our lives.

PRO 4:23 Watch over your heart with all diligence, For from it flow the springs of life.
DEU 11:18 You shall therefore impress [inculcate] these words of mine on your heart and on your soul;

PRO 13:13 The one who despises the word will be in debt to it, But the one who respects the doctrines of the Lord will be rewarded.
PRO 16:20 He who gives attention to the word shall find good, And blessed is he who trusts in the Lord.

The rain represents the constant continual problems that haunt so many believers and the sorrows which accompany them.
The floods represent the adversities and opposition that come upon us suddenly.
The winds represent the adverse conditions which arise out of nowhere.

ISA 4:6 And there will be a shelter to give shade from the heat by day, [times of anger, bitterness and hatred]and refuge and protection from the storm and the rain.

Obedience is the key to receiving God’s blessings and different systems of prosperity.
LUK 11:28 “Blessed or blessings to those who hear the word of God, and keep it.”

Strong faith demands action.

JAM 1:22 But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who deceive themselves.
JAM 1:25 But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man shall be blessed in what he does.

JOB 36:11 If they hear and serve Him, They shall end their days in prosperity, And their years in pleasures.

PRO 3:1-2 My son, do not forget my doctrine, But let your heart keep my commands; For length of days and years of life, and prosperity they will add to you.

God’s Word tells us that we can actually put ourselves in a position where His blessings will “come upon us”and “overtake” us.

DEU 28:1-2 Now it shall be, if you will diligently obey the Lord your God, being careful to do all His commands which I command you today, all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, if you will obey the Lord your God.

Geographical blessings; DEU 28:3.
Family blessings; DEU 28:4.
Occupational blessings; DEU 28:4.
Domestic blessings; DEU 28:5.
Social blessing; DEU 28:6.
Protection from enemies; DEU 28:7.
Materialistic blessings; DEU 28:8.
Spiritual blessings; DEU 28:9.
Blessings of status; DEU 28:11.
Financial blessings; DEU 28:12.

“Will you have enough faith to put into operation God’s guidelines and instructions to prosper?”

We will be tested constantly in this life and the result will be based, not upon what we think we know, but on what we actually say and do during these tests of life.

Everything depends upon what you receive and how you apply God’s laws of sowing and reaping.

“Do you believe it and are you willing to put it into operation and do it?”

MAT 7:12 “Therefore, however you want people to treat you, so treat them, for this is the Law.”

King James Bible –
PRO 18:24 A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly:

MAT 17:20 – if you have faith as a mustard seed, you shall say to this mountain, “Move from here to there,” and it shall move; and nothing shall be impossible to you.

MAT 7:20 “So then, you will know them by their fruits.”

OBA 1:15 “As you have done, it will be done to you. Your dealings will return on your own head.”

Whatever we want to receive more of, we first of all need to “sow” more of that very thing.

Whatever you desire to reap you must sow.
Whatever you desire to gather you must scatter.
Whatever you desire to acquire you must disperse.
Whatever you desire to get you must give.

God’s laws of sowing and reaping work exactly the same in the giving realm as they do in the agricultural realm and in the realm of human relations.

God’s Word tells us that whatever good thing we do for others, He will give back to us.
EPH 6:8 knowing that whatever good thing each one does, this he will receive back from the Lord,

Whenever we give our time, talent, or treasure, what we are really giving is a portion of ourselves.

2CO 9:8 And God is able to make all grace (every favor and earthly blessing) come to you in abundance, so that you may always and under all circumstances and whatever the need,

1JO 3:17 “But whoever has the world’s goods, and beholds his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him?”

PRO 14:31 He who oppresses the poor reproaches his Maker, But he who is gracious to the needy honors Him.
PRO 19:17 He who is gracious to a poor man lends to the Lord, And He [the Lord] will repay him for his good deed.
PRO 21:13 He who shuts his ear to the cry of the poor Will also cry himself and not be answered.
PRO 22:9 He who is generous will be blessed, For he gives some of his food to the poor.

Robert McLaughlin Bible Ministries

God’s geographical will and the danger of emotional attachments.

Wednesday, October 27, 2004

De – transitional conjunction = now + aor-pass-ind – Echaren
de – Ecavrhn deV = rejoice; to have happiness, sharing the happiness of God because you are thinking with the thoughts of God.

When he wrote Philippians, Colossians, Philemon, and Ephesians, he was a supergrace believer.

When he wrote Titus and I and II Timothy, he was an ultra supergrace believer.

Constantive aorist – contemplates the action of the verb in its entirety. It takes the entire time that Paul was in supergrace and gathers it up into one concept of now sharing the happiness of God.

Passive voice – Paul receives the action of the verb and has the opportunity to express it under the conditions of this context.

Indicative mood – declarative for the reality of Paul having received God’s happiness.

“Now, I have received much inner happiness.”

“In the Lord” – en + instrumental of kurio – e*n kurivw/ = by means of the Lord.

Greatly – adverb megalos – megavlw” = greatly, extremely, or very much.

1. The manifestation of Paul’s recovery of his supergrace status is found both in the possession of his perfect happiness and the fact that his happiness is stimulated by the obvious interest of the Philippian church.

2. Paul was in prison because of the Jerusalem fiasco – which has to do with Paul willfully disobeying God resulting in imprisonment.

“Through the Spirit” – some commentators try to make a hero out of Paul for going to Jerusalem and it was directly against the guidance of God the Holy Spirit.

Paul should have been going west to Rome, Italy, France and Spain, instead he is heading east to Jerusalem.

Paul was just like many of God’s people today, involved in emotionalism and tradition.

In Paul’s case, he is about to get out of the geographical will of God, which is where he should be.

GEN 3:9 Then the Lord God called to the man, and said to him, “Where are you?”

GEN 16:8 He said, “Hagar, Sarai’s maid, where have you come from and where are you going?”

There are some believers who are emotionally involved with geographical areas and it hinders their spiritual life.

When Paul walks through the gates of Jerusalem then he will be out of the geographical will of God.

MAT 5:28 but I say to you, that everyone who looks on a woman to lust for her has committed adultery with her already in his heart.

JAM 1:15 Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death.

Paul is moving out of the geographical will of God, the place God wants him to be.

Escorted – propempo = to accompany someone with high respect or esteem.

We are to present the truth to one another not force the truth upon each other.

ROM 14:1 Now accept the one who is weak in faith, but not for the purpose of passing judgment on his opinions.

ROM 14:1 Welcome with open arms fellow believers who don’t see things the way you do. And don’t jump all over them every time they do or say something you don’t agree with – even when it seems that they are strong on opinions but weak in faith.

You can have a good attitude… good intentions… you can be very sincere… but if you are going in the wrong direction, it does not matter.

You can have the right attitude in the wrong place just like you can have the wrong attitude in the right place.

Paul still has the right to make his own mistakes without interference from others.

They will give him his privacy – and not forsake or abandon him.

Bible doctrine is the basis of making your own decisions not the bullying or coercing from other people.

Paul’s companions will follow him even though they know that he is wrong.

To pursue the matter beyond this point would be an infringement and an intrusion upon Paul’s privacy.

This is a great temptation – when you know that you are completely right and someone else is completely wrong, you have to put them in the Lord’s hands.

You can warn them in love but the moment that you start trying to force them to do something or condemn them or manipulate them, you are out of line.

Paul is not an apostate, he is a doctrinal believer making a wrong decision – and that is not grounds for separation.

2Co 8, Ph 4, 1CO 16:3 – Paul brought a large sum of money with him for the Jews. The believers at Jerusalem were in poverty because they were under divine discipline for rejecting the grace of God.

Jerusalem is filled with the same thing the United States is filled with, a lot of lazy unprepared pastors who go to the Mosaic law and extrapolate principles and teach that is the Christian way of life.

Robert McLaughlin Bible Ministries

The apostle of grace gives in to the attacks of legalism.

Thursday, October 28, 2004

The Jews at Jerusalem were being taught that living morally and following commandments from the Old Testament was the Christian way of life.

1. A believer under the Law makes Christ a minister of sin, GAL 2:17.
2. He taught that the believer has died to the Law, GAL 2:19.

3. Paul taught that a believer has received all the benefits of the Spirit through faith, GAL 3:1-5.
4. He taught that the Law brings nothing but condemnation, GAL 3:10-14.

5. Paul taught that the Law has no power to give life or to sustain life, GAL 3:21.
6. The Law is intended only for the immature, while positionally, believers are full-grown sons, GAL 3:23-4:7.

7. The Law is a bondage to the believer, GAL 4:9.
8. Paul taught that law and grace are mutually exclusive principles; therefore, choose one or the other, GAL 4:21-31.

9. The believer has an abiding freedom in Christ, GAL 5:1.
10. He taught that the believer must keep all the Law, if he would attempt to keep even part of it, GAL 5:2-4.

11. The persuasion to put the believer under the Law is not from God, GAL 5:8.
12. Legalism of the believer does away with the offense of the cross, GAL 5:11.

13. All the Law is fulfilled by the Holy Spirit, GAL 5:16-24.
14. The life of the believer must be sustained on the same principle as his new birth or regeneration, GAL 5:25.

15. The believer’s proneness to sin calls for his dealing with grace, not dealing according to the Law, GAL 6:1-5.
16. Paul taught – ROM 3:20 because by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified in His sight; for through the Law {comes} the knowledge of sin.

17. ROM 3:28 For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from works of the Law.
18. ROM 6:14 For sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under law, but under grace.
19. ROM 10:4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.

He had a reputation for devastating and ruining the early church as Saul of Tarsus, ACT 8:3.

Then he had a reputation for teaching grace and the fact that we were no longer under the law, GAL 5:18.

Pres-act-ind – huparcho = to come into existence, to begin quietly, to slip into something very smoothly.

They were not saved by the Law but they became influenced by and zealous for the Law after salvation.

Told – aor-pass-ind – katecheo = to have something firmly taught, to be indoctrinated, to instruct, to teach, and to roar.

One of the definitions given for this word in The Complete Biblical Library = unfounded rumors.
Joseph Thayer – “to charm with resounding sound”
ROM 16:18 by their smooth and flattering speech they deceive the hearts of the stupid.

Robert McLaughlin Bible Ministries

When a believer allows his emotions and his feelings to rule, he refuses good advice and he takes bad advice.

Friday, October 29, 2004

PHI 4:10 Now, I have received much inner happiness by means of the Lord greatly,

PHI 4:18 But I have received everything in full, and have an abundance; I am amply supplied, having received from Epaphroditus what you have sent, a fragrant aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well-pleasing to God.

Told – aor-pass-ind – katecheo = to have something firmly taught, to be indoctrinated, to instruct, to teach, and to roar.
To speak unfounded rumors, or to charm with resounding sound.

Aorist tense = those points of time when the pastors in Jerusalem preached against the apostle Paul and believers were converted to legalism.
Passive voice – the Jews in Jerusalem were being taught by the pastors that Paul was misleading others.

Forsake – apostasian – “apostasy” = Paul was not teaching the Law as the Christian way of life.

ROM 9:4 who are Israelites, to whom belongs the adoption as sons and the glory and the covenants and the giving of the Law and the temple service and the promises,

The Mosaic Law was never given to Gentiles –
ROM 2:14 For the Gentiles do not have the Law.

The Mosaic Law was never given to the Church –
ROM 6:14 For sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under law, but under grace.

Customs – ethesin = the tradition of the Jews of the prescriptions in the Law.

ISA 56:11 And they are shepherds who have no understanding; They have all turned to their own way, Each one to his unjust gain, to the last one.
JER 10:21 For the shepherds have become stupid and have not sought the Lord; Therefore they have not prospered, And all their flock is scattered.

Believers do not develop spiritual self-esteem, they do not become spiritually self-sustained, and they do not reach spiritual maturity, all because they are under the wrong teacher.

Once you are out of the geographical will of God, it will be just a matter of time before you are out of the viewpoint will of God – what God wants you to think. Then you will get out of the operational will of God – what God wants you to do.

“Do this” – aor-act-imp – poieo = “This therefore do” – emphasizing the thing they want him to do.
“That we tell you” –
pres-act-ind – lego = what we keep on telling you.

You – dative of disadvantage – soi = it is to Paul’s disadvantage to do this.

Paul is going to do some things that are totally opposite of what he believed because when a believer becomes involved with legalism, he immediately becomes unstable and inconsistent.

When a believer allows his emotions and his feelings to rule, he refuses good advice and he takes bad advice.

Paul refused the good advice to stay out of Jerusalem and he took the bad advice to go into the Temple and offer the vow.

Paul came to Jerusalem out of the geographical will of God. When he enters into the Temple to make a vow, he will be out of the operational will of God as well.

Vows are a system of penance or a system of works minus grace and proper motivation.

For Paul to take a vow is to renounce everything that he has been teaching about the grace of God.

Purify – aor-pass-imp – hagnizo = to receive purification or to make yourself clean.

The vow starts by going into the Temple.
When they went into the Temple they would declare their intention to take a vow.

First, they had to let their hair grow.
Secondly, they had to go on a certain type of diet, often a semi-fasting type of diet or an ascetic diet.
Thirdly, they had to come up with a large financial offering within 30 days.

The priest would take a razor and shave all of the hair on their faces and heads.
Then they would take the hair and drop it on the altar and burn it.

Two reasons – sentimentality and emotionalism.

At the termination of the 30 days, Paul was to present himself in the Temple with his money and then the shaving of the hair and the burning of it on the altar.

First, his emotional attachment to Judaism.
Secondly, Paul failed to apply doctrine to the situation.

JAM 4:17 Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do, and does not do it, to him it is sin.

Thirdly, Paul failed to realize that love must be directed toward doctrine first and not toward people first.

GAL 5:1 It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery.

Robert McLaughlin Bible Ministries

Two are better than one.

Sunday, October 31, 2004

PHI 4:10 Now, I have received much inner happiness by means of the Lord greatly,

1. The manifestation of Paul’s recovery of his supergrace status is found both in the possession of his perfect happiness and the fact that his happiness is stimulated by the obvious interest of the Philippian church.

2. Paul was in prison because of the Jerusalem fiasco – Paul willfully disobeying God resulting in imprisonment.
3. So great was their interest that they sent their pastor, Epaphroditus, with an offering for Paul.

“That now” – conjunction hoti – o@ti + adverb of time – ede – h[dh + pote – poteV – length = “that now at length.”

Concern – pres-act-inf – phroneo – fronein = to care or be concerned about others with objective thinking.

There have been remarkable technological advances in science, medicine and communication.

Sympathy is feeling sorry for someone, empathy is feeling what he is going through, but compassion is doing something about his need.

1JO 3:17 But whoever has the world’s goods, and beholds his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him?

GEN 2:18 “It is not good for the man to be alone; I will make him a helper suitable for him.”

Ezer – helper = “to surround with care”

Jud 22 “Some have compassion making a difference.”

We are called ambassadors for Christ – we represent God to these people.

HOS 4:6a “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge”

Perhaps more lonely than any other culture around the world even though we are the most advanced technologically.

GEN 2:18 “It is not good for the man to be alone; I will make him a helper suitable for him.”

Today as Americans living in an advanced society, we value mobility, convenience, accommodations, and privacy.

Jacob Burckhardt –
“Western man was barely aware of himself before the Renaissance (14th century). He hardly viewed himself as an individual. Mostly he drew his identity from membership in groups, family, tribes and guilds.”

The problem that we have today is that most people want more knowledge and information rather than involvement in other people’s lives.

The method of communicating information has more influence on people than the information itself.

Once the printing press was invented, it took the invention of print to tear us from our tribes, groups, and families, and to plant the dream of isolation in our brains.

There is a kind of love relationship with the intangible’s, those things that don’t talk back.

Computers and computer games – little boxes made for one.

1JO 2:15 Do not love the world, nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
1JO 2:16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world.

Being compassionate and caring for others means to lighten adversity by dividing and sharing it.

JOB 6:14 For the despairing man there should be kindness from his friend;
GAL 6:2 Bear one another’s burdens, and thus fulfill the law of Christ.
The Living Bible – “for the results can be much better.”

The greatest man who ever lived was compassionate and cared for others –
HEB 4:15 For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.

Friendship is really indispensable and to the person who thinks he or she has no need and feels no need for it, they must be either much above the human nature or much below it.

MAR 6:7 “And He summoned the twelve and began to send them out in pairs; and He was giving them authority over the unclean spirits;”

This is why there was Moses and Aaron.

ACT 13:2 And while they were ministering to the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.”
REV 11:3 “And I will grant authority to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for twelve hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth.”