How many of you have heard it said that it is our Christian duty to be poor and that poverty is a virtue? Many of us have heard that false bit of information at a very young age and it has ruled our life for far too many years.

If we look at the teachings of Jesus we see that Jesus fully understood the idea of God’s abundance back of all things. Jesus lived the law of prosperity, knowing that God is the abundant, everywhere present, unfailing resource out of which all good comes. Jesus had no visible possessions, and yet He could feed five thousand people with food through praising and giving thanks to the invisible Spirit of plenty.

There is always more than enough

Jesus taught that God is our source and has provided all things for us. He believed that there is always abundance to meet every need and He demonstrated that fact in His ministry and His life. He lived the kingdom of God, telling us there is no absence of God in the universe and no shortage in God. Would a kind, loving, good God create needs and desires which could not be satisfied? No, there is always more than enough to meet our every need and more. God always brings the increase.

Jesus’ teachings indicate that if we are experiencing lack we are not accepting the fullness of our own unique relationship with the kingdom of God.

Lack is simply the concealment of good or abundance.

We are always as rich and prosperous as we think we

are, and the only poverty we hold is in mind. We are constantly being told how bad things are; however, Jesus tells us be not anxious, don’t worry. "Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you shall eat or what you shall drink, nor about your body, what you shall put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?…for the Gentiles seek all these things and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things shall be yours." (Matthew 6:25,32,33)

"Get still and acknowledge the guiding principle. . ."

Eric Butterworth, in his book Discover the Power Within, states, "When you have a problem – no matter what it is or how serious it seems – don’t worry about it. Pray about it. Don’t try to work it out with human resources alone. Get still and acknowledge the guiding principle and the all-sufficient substance of the Universe. Have faith in God, in an opulent, orderly Universe. And have faith in yourself and your innate divinity, by which you can do what you need to do and have what you desire to have."

Jesus believed, taught and demonstrated that God would provide for our human needs. Being anxious or worrying about food and clothing doesn’t produce food or clothing, it gives power to lack, and that produces more lack. The word worry comes from the Anglo-Saxon word to choke or to strangle. When we become

anxious and worry we choke off our channels of good.

The good that wants to enter our life cannot enter because we have such a stranglehold on our fear, and the good we so want to experience cannot pass.

Fear takes hold of our emotions and causes us to turn from faith in God, to protecting what we have. The harder we hold on in fear the more we lose.

God cannot supply lack. Lack is an attitude of mind

There is no lack or limitation in the mind of God, therefore there can be no lack or limitation in our own individual minds. We must lift up our eyes and see the wonder, beauty, and plenty God has so freely and generously supplied to us.

What we desire is waiting for our acceptance

A number of years ago the movie The Lion King made its entrance on the world scene. I loved the movie, and my favorite part was watching the entire animal kingdom dancing and singing the song Hakuna Matata. Hakuna Matata, "No worries for the rest of your days." Be not anxious, no worries for the rest of our days. We are beloved children of a loving, giving God. God is more than equal to meeting our every need. Anytime we have a desire or need, it is a divine notification that that which we desire or need is already awaiting our acceptance of it. It is ready to come into manifestation. It is God tapping on the door of our consciousness saying, "That which you desire or need is already here awaiting your acceptance." So accept we must. Affirm with power and authority, "I accept! I am ready and willing to be enriched." "God richly provides for my every need and desire now." "I put God first and I am richly and abundantly blessed."

Know God is the source for all good

God’s abundance is back of all things, "Be not anxious, don’t worry." God is the abundant, everywhere present, unfailing resource out of which all good comes!