The Bible tells us God's nature is revealed to us in the things that He created. So when we look at a universe that consists of billions of stars in billions of galaxies, we quickly realize that God loves to create. And by placing us in an abundant universe, He shows us that He wants everyone to live in abundance.
But in order to get into the flow of abundance we need to get better at something we tend to struggle with: The Art of Receiving.
If you've been a Christian for a while, you've probably learned a little bit about prayer. If you're like me, you've been taught that you come to God with your requests and present them to Him. But something that has been missing in most of what I've learned about prayer is the second half of "ask and you will receive," and it's the actual receiving part.
So what can we do? What is it that needs to change in our minds and hearts so that we can have all that God wants to give us?
Recognize Our Source - God
The first thing we need to do is to recognize that everything we have, and all that we will ever have, comes to us as a gift from God. And when it comes to God's gifts the only requirement He places on us is that we have faith in Him. As Hebrews 11:6 tells us, we have to come to God knowing that He is who He says He is, and that He rewards us simply because we seek Him.
You and I don't get to enjoy God's blessings because we earn them or deserve them. The only reason we have them is because He wants to give them to us. Which doesn't mean that we get to lie around on the couch and pray for God to drop money into our laps.
What it does mean is that we recognize that our first priority is to seek God. In other words, we don't go chasing after all the stuff we want, instead we go to God "who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment." (1 Timothy 6:17)
In other words, it's more about God wanting to give to us than it is about us wanting to get from Him. And by recognizing that God is the source of everything in our lives, and that He loves us and wants to bless us, we let go of the idea that we have to find some way to earn His favor. Instead we know that we already have it, and we open our hearts to receive from Him all that He wants to give us.
Remember To Give Thanks
One of the things that God told the children of Israel in Deuteronomy 8:18 was, "But remember the LORD your God, for it is He who gives you the ability to produce wealth."
After we recognize that God gives us abundance and wealth, we might believe that our natural response would be to be thankful to Him. But throughout mankind's history, one thing that becomes clear is our tendency to hog all the credit. We mistakenly believe that it was our charm and good looks that brought us all of this wealth. Instead of remembering God, we pat ourselves on the back for a "job well done."
There are probably few things that will stop the flow of abundance in our lives faster than being ungrateful. The simple truth is that those who forget God will pay a heavy price, and their wealth will be taken from them and given to those who will give God the glory.
But as we remember to give thanks, God will be well pleased and give us even more. Because we know where it all comes from, we know that the next logical step toward abundance is gratitude. And the fastest way to get better at the art of receiving is to be thankful for all that we have, all that we will receive, and all that God does in our lives.
Releasing It All To God
In Luke 12:13-21 Jesus tells the parable of a rich man whose fields yielded a great harvest. The man wondered what he was supposed to do with all of this wealth because he didn't have enough room to store it. In verses 18-19 we read, "Then he said, 'This is what I'll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I'll say to myself, "You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry."'"
The conclusion of the parable is that the man is called a fool. Jesus says that he was going to die that night and then asked, "Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?"
Something that we learn from this parable is that our goal isn't to hoard our wealth. God brings abundance into our lives and He expects us to use it, and not to hide it in a mattress where it won't help anyone. Proverbs 11:26 says, "People curse the man who hoards grain, but blessing crowns him who is willing to sell."
Our abundance and wealth increase because we release what comes into our lives. We don't do that by being foolish and squandering it, but by making sure that we continue to serve others with what God gives us. Unlike the man in the parable, we continue to be rich toward God because we trust Him for our ongoing supply rather than hoarding our riches.
The flow of abundance in our lives increases because we recognize that everything we have comes to us as a gift from God. It also grows as we remember to give thanks to God, and because we keep the flow moving in and through our lives. By keeping these things in mind, we continually get better at the art of receiving, and we enjoy more of God's abundance.
The same faith that helped David defeat Goliath is in everyone of us. In "Taking On Goliath - How To Unleash The David In All Of Us," author Rob Marshall shows you how to unleash your faith, overcome any obstacle, and live your dreams. Sign up for his newsletter and get two free chapters from "Taking On Goliath" at: http://www.TakingOnGoliath.com
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