Get In The Right Place To Receive

I was born in Mackay, Queensland, Australia at 5:26am on December 23, 1962 … that made me 48 yesterday.  (If you’re an astrologer then that information could give you a few insights!)

Yes, December 23 was my birthday so yesterday I decided to have a ‘do nothing’ day!  Well, not really a do nothing day but a day in which I just did something different … something just for me!

I thought I would share with my friends just how I spent the day:

1. I started my birthday by sleeping in! If you know me well you will know that I normally go to bed well after midnight almost every night (yes, some nights I forget what time it is and I realize that the sun is rising and I should get some sleep!!)  I normally have between 4-6 hours sleep … yesterday I had 9!
2. After having a late breakfast together with my darling wife Lorna I sat down at the computer and read my emails and Facebook messages.  I was humbled and felt very blessed by all birthday messages from my friends around the world.
3. My wife gave me a gift voucher for a massage for my birthday so we heading out to Doncaster Shoppingtown and I went straight for my massage.  I had just completed four seminars in as many weeks and standing speaking for 8-13 hours a day takes its toll on the body.
4. Lorna went off to finish some Christmas shopping for our boys.
5. When I finished my massage I did my most favourite thing in the world … I sat down at a good coffee shop, I ordered an extra hot latte and read my favourite book. 
   I guess you are wondering what my favourite book is?
   If you know me well you will be able to guess!  It’s not Think & Grow Rich or The Science of Getting Rich or even The Secret, though they all rate highly.  The most amazing book ever printed is the Bible, and within that book my most loved book is Paul’s letter to the church in the city of Ephesus. 
   As I read Ephesians through yet again I received even more revelation.  I wondered how many people had actually read this book.  Regardless of your spiritual beliefs or convictions there is so much wisdom and truth that can be gained from this book. 
   Sometimes in our own little world when things don’t work out how we would have liked we can feel isolated, alone and lonely.  Even as I read the first few paragraphs (verses) I reflected how truly blessed I am … Did you know that God had you in mind even before He laid the foundations of the earth?   Did you know that God’s love for you surpasses any human comprehension?

As I read Ephesians I felt compelled to share my birthday with you, not to boast or puff myself up in any way, but rather to give you hope in a sometimes seemingly hopeless world.  Here is some of what I read:

“How blessed is God! And what a blessing he is! He’s the Father of our Master, Jesus Christ, and takes us to the high places of blessing in him.

“Long before he laid down earth’s foundations, he had us in mind, had settled on us as the focus of his love, to be made whole and holy by his love. Long, long ago he decided to adopt us into his family through Jesus Christ. (What pleasure he took in planning this!) He wanted us to enter into the celebration of his lavish gift-giving by the hand of his beloved Son.

“Because of the sacrifice of the Messiah, his blood poured out on the altar of the Cross, we’re a free people—free of penalties and punishments chalked up by all our misdeeds. And not just barely free, either. Abundantly free!

“He thought of everything, provided for everything we could possibly need, letting us in on the plans he took such delight in making. He set it all out before us in Christ, a long-range plan in which everything would be brought together and summed up in him, everything in deepest heaven, everything on planet earth.

“It’s in Christ that we find out who we are and what we are living for. Long before we first heard of Christ and got our hopes up, he had his eye on us, had designs on us for glorious living, part of the overall purpose he is working out in everything and everyone.

“It’s in Christ that you, once you heard the truth and believed it (this Message of your salvation), found yourselves home free—signed, sealed, and delivered by the Holy Spirit. This signet from God is the first installment on what’s coming, a reminder that we’ll get everything God has planned for us, a praising and glorious life.“ (Ephesians 1:3-14 The Message Bible)

Even if you don’t realise it or understand it or even believe it, the creator of the universe loves you and thinks more about you then anything else He has ever created.  You and I are so special to God that He desires to give us the very best that creation has.  Further on in Ephesians Paul wrote: “God can do anything you know – far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams!” (Eph 3:20)  WOW!  That’s huge!!!

God doesn’t care where we have been, what we have done, how messed up we are, what our beliefs are or how much we have screwed up our lives … all God wants is for mankind to accept Him as their spiritual father and accept Jesus Christ as His son and acknowledge that He has done everything there is to be done, the price is paid … God just wants to pour out His abundance and generosity to us.  We are the ones who prevent God’s goodness flowing to us.

Of course, I went to bed last night reflecting on all the gifts and blessings God has poured out to me and my family.  I couldn’t help wonder how I could help others experience the same in the fullest measure possible.

Thank you for your birthday wishes and may you have a wonderful Christmas season and an abundantly blessed 2011.

Love NEVER fails!

When my wife and I were in the US recently we were amazed by how many people we met who were either divorced and single or remarried.  This was not a judgment of a person, rather an observation which alarmed us.

We were both brought up to believe that married was “until death doth part!”  We belonged in a church where people were excommunicated or at least punished if their marriage failed.  I don’t believe in either, nor do I believe that a person should live in condemnation or be judged if they choose to separate or divorce.

I do believe that many people, especially Christians, go into a relationship with a lack of knowledge about love.  In fact, I would go as far to say that most people don’t understand love!

The side effects of this lack of knowledge are devastating.  It does not just cause emotional trauma and lifelong issue associated with the loss of love, it causes:

• loss of business,
• loss of finances,
• loss of productivity,
• loss of creativity,
• low self-worth,
• sickness,
• eating disorders,
• even death to name a few!

The effect a divorce has on children is so massive we cannot comprehend it.

Here are some startling facts:

According to Nationmaster.com, the USA has the highest annual divorce rate in the world – 495 per 100,000 people, UK is #4, New Zealand is #6, Australia is #7 and Canada is #8!!  USA is twice as high as Australia.  Italy comes in at #32 with 27 people per 100,000 … that’s one twentieth of that of the USA!!  Want the harsh reality … that is 1,584,000 divorces per year in the USA alone! WOW!!

Here is another sad fact:

One in every two children now goes to bed in the USA without a father to tuck them in! The effects of a child not knowing a father’s presence and influence is horrific … maybe that’s an article for another time.

No wonder the bible says that “My people perish because of the lack of knowledge.”

We MUST start learning, living and teaching people about love.  I’m not speaking about the emotion of love but rather the God type of love or ‘Agape’ … unconditional love.

Love is the most powerful unseen force known to man.

You can have everything else in the world but if you don’t have love in your heart you are empty, lonely and will experience hell on earth!  If you have unconditional love, no matter what else you lack, you will feel on top of the world … heaven on earth.

The opposite of unconditional love is not hate but rather selfishness.  Love says “How can I bless you?” when selfishness says “How can I get for me?”

Love is a decision not an emotion.

To decide comes for the Latin root of ‘de’ and ‘cide’ which means to cut off – so a decision means to cut off all other possibilities.

Imagine the effect on a relationship if, when people went into it, they both cut off all other possibilities.  That means when the going got tough they knew that there was no other option other then make it work.

• What if you never quit on the other person?
• What if you put their needs before yours?
• What if you only saw the best in them at all times?
• What if you never kept score of the times they mess up?
• What if you never questioned their intent?
• What if you never got mad at them because you loved them unconditionally?
• What if you never looked back but only looked forward to the perfect outcome?
• What if you understood love and lived it each day?

The most potent characteristic of God is that He is love, love is God’s nature.

Do this … Just for today, regardless of what you are going through or how angry people make you feel, give everyone you meet a loving compliment (or smile or wave).  If you can’t think of what to say just say, “Did you know that God loves you?”  Let me know what happens!

Oh! … and by the way … Did you know that I love you?  And God loves you.

“Eagerly pursue and seek to acquire this love – make it your aim, your great quest …” (1 Corinthians 14:1)

“What is the greatest power known to man?”

A couple of years ago I wrote a blog on The Greatest Secret … in fact, those who have attended our “My Abundant Life” seminars or purchased the CD series will know the answer … Love!

Recently Rhonda Byrne (producer of The Secret) released a book called “The Power.” Guess what it is all about?!?

You might be saying, “How can love be the greatest power? Is it greater than faith?”  Absolutely … let me show you.  Read and meditate on the following passage:

“If I speak with human eloquence and angelic ecstasy but don’t love, I’m nothing but the creaking of a rusty gate.

“If I speak God’s Word with power, revealing all his mysteries and making everything plain as day, and if I have faith that says to a mountain, “Jump,” and it jumps, but I don’t love, I’m nothing.

“If I give everything I own to the poor and even go to the stake to be burned as a martyr, but I don’t love, I’ve gotten nowhere. So, no matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I’m bankrupt without love.” (The Message Bible – 1 Corinthians 13:1-3)

I’m not speaking of the emotion of love, but rather the decision and lifestyle of love.  Yes, love is a decision. Often two people will ‘fall’ in love but never make the decision to love, they get married and wonder why they fight constantly, then divorce.  They never made the decision to love each other!  A decision means to cut off all other possibilities!

The Greek word ‘agape’ in the bible is translated as ‘love’; however the true meaning is ‘the God kind of love.’

We read on from the above scripture and we get a better understanding of agape love:

Love never gives up.

Love cares more for others than for self.

Love doesn’t want what it doesn’t have.

Love doesn’t strut,

Doesn’t have a swelled head,

Doesn’t force itself on others,

Isn’t always “me first,”

Doesn’t fly off the handle,

Doesn’t keep score of the sins of others,

Doesn’t revel when others grovel,

Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth,

Puts up with anything,

Trusts God always,

Always looks for the best,

Never looks back, but keeps going to the end.

Love never dies. (The Message Bible – 1 Corinthians 13:4-8)

I don’t know about you, but as I read this I check myself off against the list and I find myself saying “God teach me how to love like you love!”  In fact, this is the only commandment that Jesus gave in the new testament:  “But I say to you, Have love for those who are against you, and make prayer for those who are cruel to you;” Matthew 5:44

Put the same love passage in 1 Corinthians 13 from another rendition and in first person and it is even more impactful:

My love endures long and I am patient and kind;

I’m never envious nor boil over with jealousy; I’m not boastful or have a high opinion of myself.

I am not arrogant and inflated with pride;

I am not rude and I don’t act unfairly.

God’s love in me does not insist on my own rights or my own way;

I am not self-seeking;

I am not touchy or fretful or resentful;

I take no account of the evil done to me, I pay no attention to a suffered wrong.

I do not rejoice at injustice and unrighteousness, but rejoice when right and truth prevail.

I bear up under anything and everything that comes, I’m ever ready to believe the best of every person, my hopes are fadeless under all circumstances, and I endure everything without weakening.

My love never fails, never fades out or becomes obsolete or comes to an end.

Did you know that there is no fear in love … the bible says that “Perfect love (agape) casts out ALL fear.” (1 John 4:18)

If you have fear in your life you have to ask the question, “What or who do I not love?” A fear can be in the form of jealousy, hatred, revenge, anger, disease, poverty, lack, guilt, depression, competition for what someone else has, afraid of the future etc.

Love activates faith! (Galatians 5:6)  Faith without love is nothing more than the sound of a creaking gate, a noise that fades away to nothing.  “Now faith, hope and love abide in us; but the greatest of these is love.” (1 Corinthians 13:13)

We cannot know agape love with knowing God, because God is love (1 John 4:8).  Maybe one day we should look at the character of God as most people have a warped and incorrect understanding.

Please feel free to comment below and share your insights.

It Is God Who Gives You The Power To Get Wealth

My Sunday Special

As I have mentioned before, we are a three part being: A Spiritual being, with a Soul, living in a Physical body.

We must understand that there are laws governing every single thing, seen and unseen.  There are laws of the spirit world, there are laws of the soul world, and there are laws of the physical world.

A law is “a rule or collection of rules imposed by authority.” In this case, the authority is the Creator of the spirit, soul and body … I call Him God.  A law, its operation and consequence or penalty for disobedience, does not change because of our belief in it or our knowledge of it.  A three month old baby does not know about the law of gravity and if not supervised or protected, could crawl off a balcony 10 stories up; the law of gravity will still work.

As we study these laws we learn that the laws of the soul realm (the soul being the conscious mind, the will and the subconscious mind) are more powerful then the physical world and the laws of the physical realm; and the laws of the spirit realm are more powerful than the soul world and the laws of the soul realm.

Now that means, whether money is part of the spiritual realm, soul realm, physical realm or all realms, there are laws which govern its acquisition and disposal!  That means …

… there are exact laws which govern poverty and exact laws which govern financial wealth.

We can talk about the different laws which govern the creation of wealth, and we will over time.  I want to draw your attention to one law which I believe is vitally important! Disobeying this law won’t stop you from acquiring wealth, however it will cause you to be unfulfilled with any amount of wealth and even lose whatever you create!!

It appears this law was first recorded between 1446 BC and 1406 BC by Moses in the Torah. It can be read in the bible in Deuteronomy 8:17-20:

17And beware lest you say in your mind and heart, “My power and the might of my hand have gotten me this wealth.”

18But you shall [earnestly] remember the Lord your God, for it is He Who gives you power to get wealth, that He may establish His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day.

19And if you forget the Lord your God and walk after other gods and serve them and worship them, I testify against you this day that you shall surely perish.

20Like the nations which the Lord makes to perish before you, so shall you perish, because you would not obey the voice of the Lord your God.

This is worthwhile a considerable amount of your time to mediate and ponder on.

This does NOT say that God will punish you.  What it does say is if you puff yourself up, or believe you are God and that you alone created the wealth and do not give gratitude and praise to the source of all wealth and prosperity, you will suffer the penalty of not obeying the law.

This is a law, and the consequence of being ignorant to it or disobeying it is not altered by your belief whether it exists or works or not!

Are You Worth More Than 9 cents Per Day??

In Part 1 of this series I suggested that there were two key concepts you must accept:

1. That money is an energy which flows according to your thoughts; and
2. The source of money is NOT other people.

We have been brought up to look at the world as a world of visible things such as people, machines, buildings, computers and so on.  We very much focus on the physical realm and take little thought of other realms or even if they exist.  Many people even say, “I have to see it before I believe it.”

Let me prove it to you … In the United States alone:

1. Physical – Over $450 billion is spent per year on diet foods, supplements and gym memberships, 22 billion on fashion, $65 billion on cosmetics, food at $785 billion, health care of $1.2 trillion … that’s not counting research on the body and a myriad of other things … total of $2.5 trillion;
2. Mental - Around $110 billion is spent per year on education, most of that is before you leave school, little is spent from age 25 to death;
3. Spiritual - Less than $11 billion is spent per year on self-help and personal development which includes spiritual development!

Courtesy of http://www.visualeconomics.com/how-the-average-us-consumer-spends-their-paycheck

My guess is that more money is spent per year studying the physical part of a human being than what has been spent since the beginning of time studying the spiritual part of a human being!!

Want the math?

The average American spends about 7 and a half hours a day eating and watching TV and over $21.40 per day feeding, developing, learning about and looking after there body; they spend less than a buck a day developing their mind; and spend only seconds a day meditating, praying or visualizing and just 9 cents per day feeding, looking after, learning about and developing their spiritual being!!!  Yet the more we learn and understand about the process of creation the more we realise that ALL physical manifestation is first created on the spiritual plane and processed on the mental plane.

Isn’t it interesting that long before the ‘New Age’ or ‘New Thought’ or ‘I’m spiritual’ movements that Paul (in the bible) wrote to the Thessalonians about being Spirit, Soul AND Body (Thess 5:23)  and that if we want to change our outside world we had to change or renew our mind (Romans 10:2).  We are a spiritual being with a soul (mind, will and emotions) living in a physical body.

I will prove to you that EVERYTHING that appears on the physical plane, whether it be money or poverty or health or sickness or happiness or sadness or success in business or failure, is ALWAYS created first in the spiritual plane. If we understand that, we then know the source of money and it is not other people.

History has it that the Creator of the universe and of man said to a bloke called Moses a few thousand years ago, “I give you the power to get wealth for the establishment of my covenant on earth.”

So where DOES money come from?