Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and
the man that getteth understanding. For the
merchandise of it is better than the merchandise
of silver, and the gain thereof than fine
gold. She is more precious than rubies: and all
the things thou canst desire are not to be compared
unto her. Length of days is in her right
hand; and in her left hand riches and honour
(Proverbs 3:13-16)

This scripture says Wisdom holds life in one hand
and riches and honor in the other. Without honor,
wealth—or the prospect of wealth—is dangerous.
As we saw in chapter 3, Proverbs 1:32 says prosperity
will ruin a fool. Why? Because a fool will not know
how to handle prosperity honorably.

When prosperity ruins a fool, he doesn’t know it.
He will do everything he can to gain wealth—including
running right over you. He is a thief. He will steal
your time, even your thought life, by telling you a lie if
he thinks it will help him. He will steal your honor to
get what he wants.

A dishonorable person will always have money
problems. No matter how much wealth he accumulates,
he will always be in financial trouble.
A dishonorable person is driven by fear. That is
the reason he lies. He is afraid. Afraid of what? Afraid
of losing what he does have. He is also afraid of never
getting what he wants and doesn’t have.
Sadly, many “good” Christians, and even the
Church itself, have adopted this same attitude.

Our thinking has been so perverted by the world’s
ideas of finance that our attitude has become, “If I get
anything, I have to keep it. I must not let it get away.”
Actually, that is the most selfish, self-defeating attitude
a Christian or Christian organization can have. It is
also the most dishonorable thing we can do because
God gave us the power to get wealth in order to establish
His covenant on the earth.

Use what you have to establish God’s covenant,
to spread His Word throughout the world. The Lord
will replace that money if you honor Him and follow
the dictates of the covenant. If you are dishonorable
and hold tight to what you have, you will never have
much more than you do now. You will always be
either headed into financial trouble or just coming out
of financial trouble, and worried about it all the time.
Be honorable before God and do your part. He will
honor you. Believe God for your finances and act on
your belief.

If you don’t want to keep more than a few hundred
dollars a month for yourself and your family, that’s
your decision. I think you are cheating your family;
but that’s between you, your family and God. Go ahead
and believe God for $10,000, keep a few hundred dollars
of it, and put the rest into the work of God. The
blessings of the Lord will start overtaking you if you
stay in honor with God and keep His covenant.

God appreciates what you do for Him. He will
return it to you faster than you can invest it. I know,
because He has done it for me. These blessings will
overtake and overwhelm you. God will bless you
with riches faster than you can get rid of them. When
you begin to honor the covenant by supporting the
preaching of the gospel, God will honor you richly.

The Lord has promised, “Those who honor Me,
I will honor” (1 Samuel 2:30). What is that honor?

Can we identify it in Scripture? Yes, we can. He who is
faithful (or honorable) over little will be made master
over much (Luke 16:10-12; Matthew 25:21).

Riches and honor come with wisdom and
understanding. They are a part of the heritage of
the saints—those who honor God with their lives
and substance.

Kenneth Copeland Ministries