Here is a radical idea: start a prosperity plan. You could start a health plan, a college plan, a renewed mind plan, etc. But here we are talking about prosperity. You can see how well your plan is progressing because money is easy to count. The first part of that plan might be to start a journal where you write down what you learn about prosperity. God’s Word would be a great place to start. Write in your new journal verses about prosperity that inspire you or ones you recently learned.
Then to develop your prosperity plan, read some books or listen to audio CDs of the books. Learn from others what their journey was like and how they rose up. You could put lines in your journal that come from songs, poems, conversations with your banker or conversations you overhear.
The problem with our minds is that we don’t remember well what we learn. In the wilderness, did Israel remember all the times God delivered them in the past? NO! We want to do better than that. A journal is a great place to record what you don’t want to forget and to be able to review periodically what you have learned. Bring those things back up to the top of your thinking.
In the 70’s and 80’s, positive affirmations were very popular. But God says in His Word that His instructions need more than confessing His promises. For instance, James says that faith without works is dead. It is not enough to hear the words of prosperity, we actually have to do as instructed.
Even God talks about those who hear and then walk away. In some places, God talks about some that heard, and He said they mocked and laughed at the messengers. It says some were perplexed and some did not know what was going on. And then it says some believed. The Bible was written for those that want to believe. When this subject of money comes up, some want to argue about everything. They argue because they don’t believe, and since they don’t believe, they don’t do. Just let them be.
But not you. You are a giver, a saver, and an investor. Some promoters of prosperity advocate giving 10%, saving 10% and investing 10%. In other words, learning to live on 70% of your take-home income and taking that 30% off the top to accomplish your goals. This is a change of mindset. This is a new philosophy. This is a turning point in your prosperous life.
I have heard people say that it is amazing how quickly the funds stack up once they are saving.
The same things happen to everybody. We all have 24 hours a day, we live in the same economy and maybe live in the same country. Yet some prosper and become wealthy and others struggle all their lives.
God tells us in His Word to consider, to ponder, to think. Think: why are some so prosperous and I struggle? Why do I tithe/give and yet I am always behind on my bills and broke?
Many times, changing our outcomes takes just small adjustments in our course. If you have never been one that saves money, perhaps 10% seems unattainable or to give 10% seems a lot more than you could do. Start with what you can believe to do. I started by putting change in a quart jar. Now we have money deducted from our account and put into a money market fund every week. As you carry out what God has said, your believing should grow along with the saved funds.
Every person has a philosophy on how they run their life, what they believe and how they act upon it. Some people don’t give, save, or invest. It is just not part of their inner philosophy. Perhaps no one ever showed them a better way.
I remember talking to a young man, about 35, who was a roofer a few years ago. We were talking about money and how business expenses had a great effect on how jobs were priced. This young man told me he had an older gentleman that worked for him that said one day “I make more money working for you than I did when I ran my own roofing business.” The young man asked the old man how much he used to charge to fix leaks in a roof. The older man said, “About $25.00.” “ How long did they usually take?” “About 2 hours.” He was making about $12.50 per hour. The younger man told him, “I don’t even start my trucks for anything less than $150.00.”
The younger man went on to explain all the expenses involved in running a business. For example, trucks, insurance on the truck, fuel, maintenance, computer for billing, software, office supplies, and all the insurance required, like contractor’s liability and workmen’s comp. That was just for starters. After you have paid for all that, then you hand your wife what’s left and ask her to pay the household bills.
The older man said, “I never THOUGHT about all that.”
When it comes to prosperity, thinking is extremely important. Ask God why, how does this work, and what do I need to know? Then expect Him to teach you. You must start looking for the answers. Seek and ye shall find! Many times, you will learn through books or talking to people. God can teach you by being in the right place to overhear a conversation. Write what you learn in a journal because you won’t remember most of it. A journal is a great way to capture the important stuff.
This radical idea can help you begin to write out your prosperity plan for The Prosperous Life.
