On a Personal Note ... Expand Your Knowledge Base
Of course, we receive emails from individuals who are having a challenging time getting their minds around the mere possibility that God Wants Us All to be Rich through the use of our individual gifts, talents and the dreams that are born within us to make a difference.
To answer the questions we received from many concerned individuals:
Why were Jesus and His disciples poor?
Why were His parents reduced to birthing Him in a dirty stable?
Did Jesus not say that it is difficult for a rich man to get into Heaven?
Why did Jesus tell the rich young ruler to sell all he had and give it to the poor and follow Him?
[The following answers condensed from Becoming A Millionaire God's Way: by Dr. C. Thomas Anderson]
"Why was Jesus poor?" Actually, Jesus and his disciples were very rich. Jesus came from a very wealthy family. Mary and Joseph were both from the royal lineage of King David (Matt 1:1-17 and Luke 3:23-37) Also, Mary's cousin Elizabeth was married to Zacharias, a priest, so her family had to be of high social status. Twelve-year-old Jesus was found in the Temple courtyard "sitting in the midst of the teachers, both listening to them and asking them questions. (Luke 2:46) A poor boy would not have been allowed to sit for three days in the Temple, let alone question the greatest teachers of Israel. The teachers were "amazed" at His understanding, because Jesus was well educated, and only the well-to-do could afford such schooling. Jesus' first miracle was making wine from water. Only the rich had big weddings and luxuries to match, and Jesus was an invited guest before he had ever performed a miracle. His first miracle was an extravagance of making wine for personal enjoyment.
"Why were His parents reduced to birthing Him in a dirty stable?" He was born in a manger simply because there was NO ROOM at the inn. (Luke 2:7) There were more travelers than accommodations due to the census being taken. Shortly thereafter, when the Magi arrived, they were living in a house in Bethlehem. (Matt. 2:11) Poor people don't acquire a second house in another town. Also, the Magi brought expensive gifts, adding to the family's wealth.
"Why were His disciples poor?" In fact, they were prosperous business men. Four had fishing businesses with boats and nets. One was a tax collector. (Matt 4:18-22; 9:9) These men understood money and business. Only wealthy men are able to travel around without having to find a job to meet their financial needs. The group of followers traveling with Him grew to at least seventy men and women (Luke 8:1-13; 10:1; 23:49) necessitating substantial resources to feed and house them. They didn't doubt His ability to pay for enough food to feed the multitude: "Shall we go and buy two hundred denarii worth of bread and give it to them to eat?" (Mark 6:37) Poor people don't ask that kind of question. There was so much money among them that Judas was assigned to keep the "money box" to (on another occasion) "buy what we need for the feast." (John 13:29) Poor? No.
"Didn't Jesus say that it is difficult for a rich man to get into Heaven?
Why did Jesus tell the rich young ruler to sell all he had and give it to the poor and follow Him?" (Luke 18:24-25) He was addressing someone who personified the attachment to money. Yes, Paul stated that "the love of money is the root of all evils; it is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith..." (1Tim 6:10) Some, not all. Jesus was speaking against being so attached to hoarding money that you cannot have compassion for others. He said it is difficult. He never said it is impossible. The lesson to the young ruler was an example in the extreme. In many other scriptures, this is tempered by many other admonishments, each directed at a particular impediment. He said: "You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: Love your neighbor as yourself. The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments." (Matt 22:37-40) Nowhere in there is the statement: "and the third law is that you must shun money and be poor." Love your neighbor as you love yourself.
And there's more... much, much more, and I invite you to simply investigate this subject further before you dismiss the importance of being all that you came here to be ... and embracing that this most certainly means getting definite about money. Do not be vague any longer about money, unless you want money to be vague in its response to you.
I am offering you below a compilation of books that provide specific scripture references that have helped tremendously to give me permission to be all that I can be. All of these authors have helped me embrace a connection with God that supports the idea that we are designed to be rich in all areas of our lives. They have provided substantial explanations of the scriptures most often misinterpreted / misunderstood and used for personal attacks and scriptural warfare.
Get as fully informed as you can. In fact, take in new unifying knowledge every day. Put your love for God and your neighbor as yourself first, before you launch your unsolicited attacks at people who think differently than you; because maybe, just maybe, they have a more loving, trusting connection and relationship with that which breathes them than you currently know how to have.
There are more wars generated from religious differences and money greed than anything else on the planet, and it begins right here, right now with how we treat anyone who simply thinks differently or simply has not investigated the possibility that there is always more than one way to think about every thing!
There is nothing more disconcerting to the well-being of the planet than individuals who jump to conclusions, attack just because they've decided they are entitled, without having investigated first. But alas, it happens because it's a learned behavior, and those are the very people we must bless, have compassion with, love and not condemn ourselves!
Once you've investigated additional information beyond what you may currently understand, you get to decide what interpretation you give to what was happening in the time period they were written as they translate to now.
We simply ask that, by giving you as much information as has brought us closer to God, you will refrain from ever again using scripture as your own personal "entitlement" to abuse others with your beliefs, just because you believe differently. There is NO excuse for attitudinal or physical abuse ... ever! You simply cannot LOVE and judge, i.e., condemn your neighbor, in the same instant and not be doing so to yourself.
God Helps Those Who Help Themselves
It is my firm belief and personal experience that God Helps Those Who Help Themselves, even those who are currently physically, emotionally or psychologically disabled. We all have the capacity to take a step forward to help ourselves from something as simple as deciding to be positive, to mentally intending, visualizing and feeling the realization of the dreams being dreamed through them "as if" it is already accomplished. Make the effort to stretch your spiritual muscle and move whatever parts of yourself that are working, to help yourself go forward in some way. Faith forward is when help arrives!
I consider myself a TurnAround Specialist and MasterMinding Maven® extraordinaire! I felt divinely guided and directed to write my newly released God Wants You To Be Rich movie and gift book, because I receive emails all the time from people stating that they are "stuck" or "blocked" in their business and their ability to thrive, not just survive. It is the duality of these deep seated beliefs that keeps the inner struggle unresolved.
Many suffering today from financial lack have decided it has to be EITHER / OR ...EITHER you're spiritual because you are living daily on the least amount of money and provision possible, OR you are somehow doing something wrong by wanting to have an abundance money above and beyond what you could ever need in this life. To experience a Rich Life you simply learn to think and expect BOTH.
It is my hope that through my new movie, gift book and my MasterMinding books and online courses that you will begin to align all the different beliefs you hold about money that are creating barriers within your psyche, causing mindless self-sabotage and blocks to your ability to just go ahead and be rich monetarily and spiritually BOTH ... and be the difference maker you came here to be, i.e., On Your Life's Purpose.
In 1984 when my first child died during labor, I'll never forget the morning after, when I looked down at my beautiful marquis diamond ring that I had always enjoyed looking at because it always made me feel rich and so loved by my husband. Of course, that marquis diamond ring then meant nothing to me at all. I am the first to know that what's really important in life is the love we share and our time together ... I fully and completely understand that you can have a ton of fancy clothes, jewelry and money in the bank and still feel empty and unhappy.
After my husband and I divorced a year later, after the successful birth of our second child, I hit professional and personal burn out. During this devastating time period of my life, I literally lived on pennies, so I know the absolute pain and embarrassment of not being able to pay for things that my children need. I'll never forget the times I went to the grocery store with my calculator adding up everything I put in my grocery cart to make sure I did not go ever the few dollars and change I had left to my name, so I would not also have to suffer public humiliation at the check out counter.
I did not feel worthy or deserving, no matter how hard I worked, no matter how hard I tried. I believed that I was not a good person if I wanted money, and this had everything to do with my very limited understanding of God and scriptural interpretation. There I was, a graduate school educated woman who had garnered success with all of the at-risk kids that I had worked with, unable to provide for myself. The absolute horrifying pain of not having money to pay my bills IS what finally motivated me to make the time to learn more about a spiritually and monetarily rich life.
I could not continue with my life's purpose if I could not accept money as a blessing. If I kept sabotaging myself at every turn, believing it to be more spiritual to be monetarily poor, I would never become abundant in all things necessary to be the blessing I wanted to be to others.
It is simply an error in your thinking to continually make wanting or needing money good or bad, right or wrong, instead of simply a means of energetic exchange for your divine gifts and talents, and I invite you to make a decision to learn something new that could bring alignment between poverty / scarcity ideas and scriptural and spiritual interpretation.
The huge, life changing benefits of making the time to learn more about monetary and spiritual riches is what will bring you more ease, physical wellness, Joy and comfort into your life, as well as afford you the time, money and availability to make a difference in the lives of the many who need us all to be invested in doing for humanity.
Instead of attitudinally attacking people who are Rich in Money for their beliefs about money, make the time to gather for yourself additional perspectives ... get educated on the subject of money and spirituality. The only one who ultimately suffers from conflicting beliefs and subsequent judgments and disdain about what the abundance of money and all good things others may have, is You!
Here are the authors I have enjoyed over the years and who I recommend you read to expand your knowledge base. I think these authors have covered every conceivable area that is imperative that you learn more about to become all that you came here to be, do and have.
You will notice several other books with the same title as the one I chose for my movie and gift book. I felt guided to use the same title, because each author has covered a different area of being rich monetarily and spiritually that I feel is very important to understand. One author covers the economics of biblical interpretation, while two of the authors cover the most misunderstood scriptures on money in the Bible, and a fourth author on how to grow your money God's way through financial planning and investment.
And then there is what I write about: MasterMinding for a Rich Life and MasterMinding 101 Online Course.
Click on the title to purchase:
God Wants You To Be Rich: So You Can Make A Difference by Mary Robinson Reynolds
God Wants You To Be Rich: How and Why Everyone Can Enjoy Material and Spiritual Wealth in Our Abundant World by Paul Zane Pilzer covers world economics, and despite all of the fear mongering going on out there about scarcity, there IS more than enough. He shows how today's technological advancements are in fact, engineering new solutions for the challenges of this day and age, just like what has happened in all the times past. Given that theology in the broadest sense is language about God, this book is remarkably revealing theologically. The object of trust here, unequivocally and unapologetically, is technology, which, it is assumed, creates wealth without limit by a process revealingly labeled "economic alchemy."
God Wants You Rich: Not Poor and Struggling by Scot Anderson gives you all the scriptural interpretation you could ever need and more. Your subconscious makes 95% of your decisions. If you deep down believe the LIE that it is spiritual to be poor, then your subconscious will sabotage your life and your finances to keep you spiritual (poor according to your belief system). There is only one thing that can free you from the bondage of a lie: THE TRUTH SHALL SET YOU FREE!!! The truth will set free this generation. This will be the generation of Christians who get the wealth that was laid up for them. God will take pleasure in the prosperity of his children (psalms 35). God wants you to have an abundance that you can give out off for every good work (II Corinthians 9). God wants you blessed so you can be a blessing.
God Wants You To Be Rich by Bright Winner. Time Magazine ran a story in its September 18, 2006 edition with the front-page caption, "Does God Want You To Be Rich"? My answer is yes! God wants you to be a millionaire or even a billionaire. Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Job, King David, and King Solomon were all multimillionaires in their time. Why not you? God Wants You To Be Rich is a must read for anyone who is sick and tired of financial lack. Take control of your financial future today by choosing to be rich. See you at the top!
Becoming A Millionaire God's Way: Getting Money To You Not From You by Dr. C. Thomas Anderson. This newly revised and expanded edition decries the myth that Christians must be poor and gives readers the keys to financial prosperity. Dr. Anderson combines biblical principles with expert financial advice, equipping readers with the tools they need to attain the riches they deserve. An invaluable resource for current or would-be investors or entrepreneurs, this book not only inspires readers to become educated about finances but also spurs them on to action and compels them to move forward confidently to achieve their financial dreams. New content includes callouts and new chapters on how to invest safely in today's market and on understanding that Jesus wasn't poor.
MY ALL TIME FAVORITES:
The Dynamic Laws of Prosperity and the Millionaires of the Bible series by Catherine Ponder
The Wisdom of Florence Scoval Shinn
The Master Mind Principle by Jack Boland
Power of Positive Thinking by Norman Vincent Peale
Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill
the Prayer of Jabez by Bruce Wilkinson
Secrets of the Millionaire Mind by T. Harv Eker
Becoming a Millionaire Within a Year with No Effort by John R. Colt
You Were Born Rich by Bob Proctor
The Science of Getting Richby Wallace D. Wattles
Money and the Law of Attraction by Esther and Jerry Hicks
With Wings As Eagles by John Randolph Price
It's Your Time: Activate Your Faith, Achieve Your Dreams, and Increase in God's Favor by Joel Osteen
Never Give Up!: Relentless Determination to Overcome Life's Challenges by Joyce Meyer
The Little Book That Beats The Market by Joel Greenblatt
Freakonomics by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner. Once again, before you get caught up in the media fear and scarcity hysteria going on from natural resources to global warming... get the facts about all of the advancements that are being engineered to advance and save our planet and world. Check out Part 1 of the 20/20 special "20 Questions: You Never Thought to Ask." https://abcnews.go.com/2020/Books/superfreakonomics-read-excerpt/story?id=8848071
and remember this ... God Answers Before You Call
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