How does God provide material prosperity for His children?

The concept of working for a living has been there since the very beginning in God’s Word the Bible. God made Adam, planted the Garden of Eden for him, but gave him the responsibility of working in it and maintaining it (Genesis 2:8, 15). Even Israel, in their wilderness journey to the promised land of Canaan, although they did not sow or reap any harvest during the forty years journey, yet they had to labor every morning to gather their quota of manna; if they failed to do so, it was gone as the day progressed (Exodus 16:21). Once in Canaan, they had to fight to possess the land, and then to cultivate it to receive it's benefits. Even when God fought for Israel to defeat their enemies, they still had to go and position themselves in the battle ground (2 Chronicles 20:14-17), and only then go and gather the loot for themselves (2 Chronicles 20:25). None of Gods people got anything by sitting back at home, or taking it easy and just waiting for God to fill in their pockets, with whether spiritual or physical blessings; they always had to work for their living and maintaining their families - a fulfillment of the legacy "In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread" (Genesis 3:19) of the first sin our fore-parents committed. Even the Lord Jesus worked as a carpenter (Mark 6:3) till the time He began His ministry. The Holy Spirit, through the Apostle Paul has laid it down in Gods Word for us: "For you yourselves know how you ought to follow us, for we were not disorderly among you; nor did we eat anyone's bread free of charge, but worked with labor and toil night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you, not because we do not have authority, but to make ourselves an example of how you should follow us. For even when we were with you, we commanded you this: If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat. For we hear that there are some who walk among you in a disorderly manner, not working at all, but are busybodies. Now those who are such we command and exhort through our Lord Jesus Christ that they work in quietness and eat their own bread” (2 Thessalonians 3: 7-12). Paul and his companions, although primarily engaged in Gods ministry of spreading the gospel, also worked for a living and for helping others (1 Thessalonians 2:7-10), and so should everybody else. Workers are exhorted in the Word of God to faithfully do their work, as to the Lord and not to men, and God will reward them for it (Colossians 3:22-25; 1 Peter 2:18-21). Hence, the first thing for a Believer to do to be prosperous is to be a sincere, honest, hardworking person, fulfilling his assigned responsibilities so as to be a witness for his faith, for his Lord, and to glorify the savior Lord Jesus Christ (1 Peter 2:12) through his work, trusting God to reward his sincerity and hard-work, in God's own time and manner.

Secondly, as is evident from the life of Paul, besides the secular work, we should always be determined to find time and opportunity to engage in God's Work as well – it is of paramount importance. God has already determined something or the other to be done by everyone one of His Born Again children (Ephesians 2:10), and has accordingly given us the required gifts. He sends opportunities our way, appropriate to our God ordained ministries, for us to fulfill. If we are not aware or sure of the work God wants us to do for Him, then we should spend time in praying and inquiring from God about it. An indicator of God's desire for us can be the various spiritual activity opportunities that either often come our way, or we find interesting to do, or others often entrust us with. We should make ourselves available to God, to our Church, and to our fellowship, and should ask God to lead us into the things that He wants us to do. It says in 3 John 1:2 “Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers”. In other words, our physical prosperity, in Gods scheme of things, is linked to our spiritual prosperity. As we prosper spiritually, we will also prosper physically. When we take care of God's work, God takes care of us and our family.

Thirdly, we should make it a point to tithe from whatever little we presently have or get. God never set a lower or minimum limit to earnings for tithing. The more we give to God, God returns even more back to us. From whatever we earn, little or much, we should faithfully and regularly tithe and give our tithe portion into the Church, without spending it in the name of God according to our own fancy. We ought to bring and put it into the house of God as it says in Malachi 3:10; only then should we use the rest for our needs; and we will see for ourselves how God blesses us for it. A very good example of how God blesses those who trust Him for His Word of blessing through tithing is the life of William Colgate, the founder of the world famous Colgate toothpaste: (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Colgate). Therefore we should not let Satan create an apprehension or fear in our mind about not being able to afford tithing and cheat us out of our blessings; rather, we should trust God and do it regularly. No one can reap a harvest, without first sowing some seed; our tithe is the seed sown for our harvest - the quality and quantity of the seed sown determines the quality and quantity of the harvest we will receive.

Fourthly, we ought to pray to God and ask for His will about studying/training further and thereby improving our job opportunities. Now-a-days there are many online courses and part-time or on-the-job study opportunities, which we can make use of, so as to be earning, as well as improving our work and salary prospects.

By doing these in the guidance and will of God, we will find that somehow we will be able to find the time, strength and wisdom to not only do our present job well, but also do God's work, look after our family, and also study for improving our prospects and do well in the further studies/training. When done in the will and guidance of God, the battle to balance these responsibilities will not be ours but the Lords; we will only have to position ourselves in the battlefield, and then go in to gather the spoils.

A great portion from Gods Word for encouragement in trying times is Isaiah 40:27-31 “Why do you say, O Jacob, And speak, O Israel: "My way is hidden from the Lord, And my just claim is passed over by my God"? Have you not known? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, the Lord, The Creator of the ends of the earth, neither faints nor is weary. His understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the weak, And to those who have no might He increases strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, And the young men shall utterly fall, But those who wait on the Lord Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint” and I encourage you to claim it for yourself.”