And unto Adam he said, "Because thou has hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, 'Thou shalt not eat of it': cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field, in the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it hast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return."
(Genesis 3:17-19)

Before the curse, God commanded Adam to take care of the garden and guard it (Gen. 2:15). Nothing would hinder the production of the ground, and each seed would produce in abundance. So business began in the garden before the curse entered. Because work existed before the curse, it will also exist after the curse is removed. Moreover, business will flourish during Christ's millennial reign.

When Adam sinned, the ground was cursed. Notice in verse 18 that the ground would be hindered by thorns and thistles, but not stopped. Despite the curse, the ground would produce. There is a curse against business, also.

Competition, taxes, safety standards, insurance, malpractice, and changing technology are only a few of the hurdles to overcome in the business world. Despite these obstacles, however, your business can prosper. An experienced farmer knows that tares have a short life, but wheat endures. You will have to work by the sweat of your brow and be faithful, but you can eat (Gen. 3:19).

There is as much a calling into business as there is into a pulpit ministry. In the Old Testament, Moses told his people that it was God who gave them the power and ability to make money (Deut. 8:18). God has not changed in the New Testament. He still gives talents and spiritual power to generate wealth in this cursed world. The purpose of the New Testament remains the same as the Old, "...to establish the covenant." A businessman or woman is called by God to financially support those who preach the gospel.

If God has called you into business, don't quit to go into mission work or evangelism because a minister makes you feel inferior to others in pulpit or full-time ministries. A businessman who tries to be a preacher is as bad as a preacher who tries to be a businessman. The businessman or woman should stay with thier divine call to make profit, expand their business, and finance the gospel.

Scriptural Principles for Success in Business
Sowing good seeds into your business today will insure its success tomorrow and for generations to come. God would love to make an enduring enterprise of your business even more than you would. He would like to have your heritage use the business to spread the gospel for many more years to come. Some important scriptural principles to follow include:

• Dedicate the business to the Lord. It is not your business but the Lord's. He owns everything anyway (Ps. 50:10-11)! He only asks you to be a wise steward over His possessions.
• Pray daily over your business. If God will lead, guide, direct, protect, heal, forgive and prosper you, He will do it for your business, also. Businesses are just groups of people. Pray over purchases, sales, investments, hiring, expansion and the host of other areas faced daily in business. An ounce of prayer is worth a pound of repentance!
• Quit looking for quick riches. Overnight riches take on overnight wings (Prov. 23:5). God wants to give you "durable riches" (Prov. 8:18). Remember, God blesses your business like He blesses you. Your business will "prosper and be in health as your soul prospers" (3 John 2). You did not understand the whole realm of Christian doctrine the day after you were saved, and neither will your riches come in this way. It is "...first the blade, then the ear, and after the full forn in the ear" (Mark 4:28), "...some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some an hundred" (Mark 4:20), and "...that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God" (Rom. 12:2).
• Don't enter into a partnership with an unbeliever (2 Cor. 6:14). Should you bring a partner into your business, you should not be joined to an unbeliever, but a mature believer with the same vision and convictions you possess.
• Hire spiritually mature believers as employees. Employees are junior partners in your business. Since Christians can over steal, cheat and lie better than sinners, screen your applicants by the Holy Spirit more than by their qualifications. Remember, most of the lists of sins in the New Testament are sins of believers, not unbelievers!
• Be a giver from your business. If the "liberal soul shall be made fat (prosperous)" (Prov. 11:25), then so will the liberal business. Don't hide behind the excuse of many businessmen, "My assets are not liquid." Why didn't you give when they were liquid? When you first receive is when God asks for it.
  
  Abram was met by Melchizedek immediately after his victory over the kings. He gave tithes to the priest while he still had cast, before he could invest it in land, cattle or sheep (Prov. 3:9-10).

By living up your business practices with the Word of God, you will see this scripture fulfilled in your life. Giving to the work of the Lord will become a great joy and pleasure to you. More than that, you will be rewarded throughout eternity for the ministry your finances made possible.

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