What you believe about God and your money will determine how you pray and what you believe Him for. You say, ‘But money is the root of all evil.’ No, the Bible says, ‘The love of money is the root of all evil’ (1 Timothy 6:10 KJV). That means if you’re a miser, God won’t give you more. ‘But haven’t some preachers used the Bible to enrich themselves?’ you ask. Absolutely – and you wouldn’t want to stand in their shoes when they answer to God! But don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater. The best way to tell if a five-pound note is counterfeit is to place it beside a genuine one. So here’s the question: are you looking for a reason to doubt God’s promises, or a reason to believe them? The Bible says, ‘No good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless’ (Psalm 84:11 NIV). We all agree that providing for your family, getting a promotion, educating your children, and meeting other people’s needs are all ‘good’ things. So when you ‘do what is right’ before God, you can expect Him to bless you. John wrote, ‘Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers’ (3 John 2 NKJV). Only when our children reach maturity and demonstrate responsibility do we entrust them with the keys to the family car, right? So maturity must precede prosperity. When you demonstrate maturity, you can go to God with confidence, knowing He’ll meet your needs and bless you. Which raises the question: are you growing and maturing spiritually?