Hello Friend,

Judging from the response and the dialog that has resulted, this week’s messages from David have been hitting home with a lot of folks.

What about you? Do you deal with an internal struggle?

I know for myself, even after I came to believe God wants us to succeed in business, for many years it was much easier for me to accept that God would want someone else to do well… but when it came to me, it was harder to believe.  Consequently, as you can imagine, my effectiveness was limited when it came to my own business and my own earnings.

Only you and God know what goes on in your own mind. But if you struggle with any of the inner programming — the thoughts that say, “You don’t deserve it,” “God won’t allow you to have it,” “You’re just being greedy,” then I have good news!

David Johnson and I have been personally acquainted for the last 7 years or so.  In that time, we’ve worked side by side on a number of projects, including the very first “Nourish The Dream” event. If you’ve been a subscriber of mine for a while, you will remember the e-mail invitation you received to that event.  In fact, it was when he invited me to speak at that event,that I began to know more of what God has put in him. And, as we’ve worked even more closely together in this last year and half, I’ve seen much more of that. That’s why I’m thrilled to be able to tell you about this…

David has put together an audio series that addresses head-on those internal struggles and mental barriers that you may have experienced.  If you’ve ever dealt with anything like this, then I urge you to get your hands on this series right away. He’s even agreed to make a special offer available for people who respond to this e-mail, and it includes some great bonus gifts.

You owe it to yourself, to your business, to your family… to check it out now.

I look forward to hearing a good report from you after you’ve had a chance to listen to it!

Blessings,

Michael

P.S. Don’t delay! You could be retraining your thinking today!

The keys to developing an abundant mindset are found in Phil 4:8 “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things”

If there be any praise… If it is worthy of praise, it is worthy of consideration. Don’t be miserly with your praise. Be generous with it. Look for opportunities today to offer well deserved praise. Part of an abundant mindset is the ability to think of, look for and offer praise to the deserving. A person who is cheap with their praise will be cheap with other things, including their money. A person who is cheap with their money has a poverty mindset. Let not that person think they will prosper by God’s hand.

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The keys to developing an abundant mindset are found in Phil 4:8 “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”

If there be any virtue… Another word for virtue here is the word, excellence. To create something excellent requires an abundant mindset. If you are creating an excellent product, you will pay attention to detail and quality and you will spend much more in creating it. A poverty mindset creates cheap products, assuming the clientele are also cheap. (Many times they are.)

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The keys to developing an abundant mindset are found in Phil 4:8 “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”

There are things that all men agree in commending, that are useful and profitable to all. These are the things that are to occupy our mind. According to Proverbs 15:30, “A good report makes the bones healthy.” Good news strengthens us. Bad news tends to weaken us. When we are weakened, we tend to fear and buy into a poverty mindset. When we are strong, we tend to be confident and full of faith. We are fully confident of the abundance of God and His willingness to share every good thing with those who walk uprightly.

Read the rest of this entry »

The keys to developing an abundant mindset are found in Phil 4:8 “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”

Adam Clarke (1762–1832), the great British Methodist theologian and Biblical scholar, translates the word given as “lovely” to mean: “Whatsoever is amiable on its own account and on account of its usefulness to others, whether in your conduct or conversation.” Developing an abundant mind includes the idea of thinking of things that are helpful or useful to others. This may include deeds or finances or simply an encouraging word, but they all involve a sacrifice of your time.

If you have a poverty mentality, you see time as something that could be better spent in pursuit of natural abundance, which you also see as being in short supply. An abundant mind is looking for ways to enhance the lives of others, whether materially, practically or emotionally. It knows that time given up in this activity will be multiplied back in other ways to replace with increase what was given up.

Years ago, I was flying cross country and feeling limited on time and resources, so I wanted to use my travel time to work on a proposal. The Lord spoke to me that the person next to me was unsaved and I needed to engage him in conversation. I dismissed the thought as not being from God and proceeded to work. Moments later, the man engaged me and after a brief exchange, asked me what it meant to be a born again believer. I may be slow, but I’m not stupid. I closed my computer and spent the rest of the flight sharing my faith and answering questions with that man and his mother.

My wife picked me up at the airport and handed me a letter from a Fortune 100 company inviting me to speak to their executives at an upcoming event. While I was being useful to one of God’s lost children, He had supplied me with something I may never have gotten on my own.

The keys to developing an abundant mindset are found in Phil 4:8 “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”

So let’s look at the fourth area where Paul directs us: Purity. It literally means “whatsoever is chaste”. It is in reference to the state of the mind, and to the acts of the body. Nothing defiles quite like impurity and for the believer who thinks or acts out impurity, they must also deal with the debilitating feelings of guilt, shame and unworthiness.

Impurity is a cancer. It attaches itself to something good and slowly, but surely deprives it of life. If not removed, it will take over the entire body, killing the person, the potential, the dream. Legalism and determination are no match for its power once it has gotten a hold on you. In my opinion, only the blood of Christ applied to your soul and a true revelation of the grace of God can free you. (I highly recommend Grace Rules and Grace Walk by Steve McVey)

It is virtually impossible to stop thinking about something. The harder you try, the more you fail. The cure? Simply start thinking about something else, preferably in the opposite direction. Impure thoughts lead to poverty of the soul and ultimately a very real natural poverty. (Yes, I know impure men have at times amassed vast fortunes, but Jeremiah 12 says they are being fattened for the day of slaughter. David had the same question, until he understood their end. Psalm 78:17-19). An abundant mind is a pure mind and from it will spring forth many good things that lead to abundance in all its forms.

The keys to developing an abundant mindset are found in Phil 4:8 “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”

An abundant mind is full of truth, honor (honesty) and also loves what is just. The unsaved of the world judge us much more by our deeds than our words. In particular, they pay attention to whether we are just in our dealings. If it even looks like we’re not, the accusations come. I believe it is our duty to not only be just in our dealings, but to go the extra mile to ensure our reputation for being just.

When we are not just in our dealings, it seems to me that the injustice is always done to the other party. We are rarely unjust to ourselves and if so, it is usually an accident! With that in mind, we must consider why we would be unjust? I submit to you it has its roots in a poverty mentality. We somehow feel that if we made ourselves just in the eyes of the other guy, it would cost us too much, hurt us financially or there wouldn’t be enough left to take care of our needs. That is poverty thinking. We must act justly. Bite the bullet. Think justly. It is what the Lord requires. (Micah 6:8)

When we embrace the abundant mindset of being just, we open the door of provision to accomplish that justice. God would not tell us to be just and make it impossible to do so. I believe He would also honor that and make provision as needed because you can be trusted.

The keys to developing an abundant mindset are found in Phil 4:8 “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”

Not only will filling my mind with Scripture (truth) prepare me for natural abundance, so also will filling my mind with whatever things are honest. As we previously discussed, the better translation of the word “honest” is “honorable”, but we will look at both. If I am thinking honestly about things, I will in no way attempt to acquire abundance dishonestly. Thinking honestly actually builds a rail for the train of my dreams to travel down. It keeps me from veering off into disaster or from having no guideline whatsoever.

Thinking honorably, or on the things that are worthy of honor, lifts me and prepares me to receive good things. When I am at my most honorable, I am also at my most generous and most benevolent. Thinking in terms of honor, I want to honor God, change the culture, impact my generation, etc. That often requires natural abundance and when I think honorably, it purifies my motives and frees me to think about acquiring the natural abundance required for the work God has given me. Not that I would attempt to obtain that abundance apart from God, but rather laboring with Him at His invitation. (“With God, all things are possible.”)

The keys to developing an abundant mindset are found in Phil 4:8 “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”

The first place I must develop abundance is in my mind. When I marinate my mind in abundance, it will get in my heart and will naturally find expression in my day to day life. Not by the things I acquire, but rather the liberality or generosity with which I live. (Of course, to give, I must first have.) When you think on things that are true, for example, you might well ponder the implications of Romans 8:32… “For God who spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also, freely give us all things?”

I once took the better part of the day just to attempt to take in the implications of that verse. I would love to hear your feedback on it. For some, it will mean spiritual gifts, for others it might mean healing or natural provision. From my perspective, it is not limited. There is nothing He will withhold from those who walk uprightly. (Psalm 84:11)

If all I think about is natural abundance, then my mind is starved indeed and anything but abundant. To have an abundant mind, it must be filled with the kind of things Paul tells us to think on. When our mind is abundant in this way, our hearts will be also and then it will be much easier to manifest in our lives the natural abundance we need to fulfill the purpose of God for our life.

I want to continue with this thought of developing an abundance mentality. Too many of us have avoided abundance because we thought it was somehow wrong. It was okay to inherit it or to have someone give it to us, but to work for it was somehow wrong. However, if you are working for abundance because of the good you can do with it and if you are now doing good with what supply you have, you are on the right track.

I thought the abundance mentality meant acquiring abundance for yourself, but that’s not the abundance mentality. That’s selfish and even foolish and many a person while “coveting after, has erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.” (1 Tim 6:10) And being covetous is idolatry (Col 3:5)

To me, having an abundance mentality is first and foremost about giving, not receiving. You may not have much to give, but you can start now with what you have. And you don’t have to give it all to some ministry. While that is appropriate to support various godly works, it spills over to much more.

Practice abundance when you tip at the restaurant, when you dine out with friends or when you meet strangers. Give of yourself and of your substance. Do it with the belief that there is always more where that came from and you will find over time that it is true. Eradicate the scarcity mentality that came with the fall in the Garden of Eden and embrace the abundance mind-set which Jesus clearly had and offered to us by faith.