BVOV Magazine 2013 - present

But, of course, that’s not how the conversation went. On the contrary, God told Solomon that He would not only give him wisdom and knowledge, He would make him wealthier than any king ever had been or ever would be. From that moment on, there was an anointing on Solomon to prosper. He kept getting richer and richer because of the word the Lord had spoken over him. According to the Bible, the gold that came to him in one year was “six hundred and threescore and six talents” (2 Chronicles 9:13). I once asked Kenneth to figure up on his calculator how much that would be in the current economy. At the time (which was about 15 years ago) gold was $300 an ounce, so 636 talents equaled about $150 million. Right now I think gold is selling for about four times that amount. So today Solomon’s yearly income would total about $600 million! I think God did very well keeping His word to Solomon, don’t you? Most of us could probably get by just fine on that kind of income. Even ministries that are spending a fortune preaching the gospel and ministering to people all over the world could get by on half a billion dollars a year! “But Gloria,” you might say, “I’m not sure being that rich is a good testimony to others. I’m not sure it glorifies God.” It certainly did in Solomon’s case. Consider the effect it had on the Queen of Sheba, for instance. When she heard what God had done for Solomon, she was so impressed she came to see it for herself. He shared his wisdom with her and gave her a tour of his palace. When she saw “the meat of his table, and the sitting of his servants, and the attendance of his ministers, and their apparel; his cupbearers also, and their apparel; and his ascent by which he went up into the house of the Lord; there was no more spirit in her” (verse 4). In other words, the Queen of Sheba was so overwhelmed by the manifestation of God’s goodness in Solomon’s life, she fainted! Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we as God’s people had that effect on unbelievers today? Wouldn’t it be great if they were absolutely overwhelmed by the BLESSING of God they see on our lives? Imagine having to say to people when we invite them to our house, “I have to warn you, God has been very good to me. My house is a really magnificent place. So when you see it, don’t faint!” Granted, that would aggravate the religious hypocrites, but the people who are really honest and spiritually hungry would respond the same way the Queen of Sheba did: She gave glory to God! “She said to the king, It was a true report which I heard in mine own land of thine acts, and of thy wisdom: Howbeit I believed not their words, until I came, and mine eyes had seen it: and, behold, the one half of the greatness of thy wisdom was not told me: for thou exceedest the fame that I heard. Happy are thy men, and happy are these thy servants, which stand continually before thee, and hear thy wisdom. Blessed be the Lord thy God, which delighted in thee to set thee on his throne, to be king…” (verses 5-8). The Queen of Sheba praised the Lord. This was true in Solomon’s day and it’s true in ours: God wants all of us as His people to be living billboards on the earth that reveal His goodness and power. He wants those who don’t know Him to look at us and say, “I need to find out more about the God those Christians serve. He’s generous and loving and kind. His people are really BLESSED!” The Safeguard on the Storehouse If the wealth God gave Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Solomon isn’t proof enough for you that rich isn’t a dirty word, there are plenty of other Bible verses that confirm it. Consider these, for example: ***article continues on next page*** *****ADVERTISEMENT***** Setting the Record Straight God isn’t punishing you. He wants to bless you! In "The Goodness of God" series, Gloria Copeland reveals—beyond any doubt—that God desires to do you good. You’ll see how, throughout Scripture, God is a good God whose clear motivation behind all He does is love. Then, with that foundation, discover a revolutionary road map to your spiritual, emotional and financial wellness in "God’s Will Is Prosperity"...a road map based on love. Set the record straight and become a living demonstration of God’s goodness today! The Goodness of God Package "The Goodness of God" 6 CDs "God’s Will Is Prosperity" paperback sale $27.99* reg $40.99 #B141202 Order online and save an additional 10% kcm.org/mag 1-800-600-7395 U.S. only +1-817-852-6000 *Plus shipping. Offer price valid until Dec. 31, 2014 ********************************* BVOV : 29

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