Sermon - Do You Have a Scarcity or Abundance Mentality?

well thank you again art and again brethren happy Sabbath to all you even the Sun is coming out which is always a good on God's Sabbath day well today I'd like to continue our preparation for the Passover and the spring holy days and I'd like to follow up on a sermon I gave a couple of weeks ago on the law of the harvest you haven't had a chance to listen to that it ties in directly with my message today so I encourage you to listen to it when you get an opportunity it's available of course on the ucg site and also on our local youtube channel as well the law the harvest is a very simple spiritual principle and that is what you think about you eventually become what you sow you will ultimately reap now the harvest are the law of the harvest is the effect of our thinking what I'd like to do today is I would like to go now backward to explain and discuss the source or the cause of human values the cause of our thinking and here's why that's so important our values lead us to how we think and our thinking leads to our behavior and our behavior leads down the road to a particular harvest that's going to duplicate what we think about and is going to duplicate our behavior so it's important for us to know the foundation of two diametrically opposed approaches to life on this Sabbath I'd like to discuss the difference between having a scarcity mentality versus going through life having an abundance mentality scarcity mentality versus an abundance mentality the first time I came to understand the profound the difference between the two was reading a book many years ago by the late dr. Stephen Covey however he didn't spend much time on it and my purpose today is the focus on the spiritual aspect and comparing these two mindsets or mentalities the best place to begin is in the beginning because believe it or not early in the book of Genesis it's a metaphor about two different ways of life these two mentalities a abundance mentality or a scarcity mentality so let's to go back to the beginning Genesis chapter 2 we'll pick it up in verse 7 and we'll begin to see this very powerful opposing approach to life and how it's revealed in two different value systems and as human beings we've acquired one of those value systems or another one of those value systems or maybe a mixture of the two which is the case for many of us Genesis chapter 2 beginning in verse 7 let's read it it says in the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life and man became a living being God is very giving isn't he that was free the gift of life is free we didn't pay for it we didn't deserve it we just came one day into a sense of consciousness and we're here that was a free gift from God and the Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden the garden was given free Adam and Eve didn't do anything to earn that garden they didn't work that garden to make it happen God planted it and it was already there and it was a given as a gift from him that was already free and there he put a man in whom he had formed and out of the ground the Lord God made every tree grow that is pleasant to the sight and good for food so there were a number of trees fruit trees that were all given as pleasant to the sight and good for food but aside all these other trees there are two trees that are given special notice and we read about that in the later part here verse 9 the Tree of Life was also in the midst of the garden and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you see the Tree of Life is free even eternal life is given by the grace of God it's a gift we call it the gift of eternal life and it's free given by a giving God whom we will see has an abundance mentality the tree of the knowledge of good and evil there's a terrible be price to be paid for that that price is called sin it's called pain it's called ouch it's called misery because though there's some good mixed in in the tree of the knowledge of good and evil is good and evil mixed in there's a lot of suffering there's a lot of pain there's a price to be paid physically and emotionally when you partake of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil it is not free we pay and we pay dearly for that knowledge the creation of humankind is a historical fact yet the two literal trees these trees that we've just discussed are also metaphors representing two opposing value systems two different mindsets that would exist sometimes in the past in the church we've referred this as the way of give and the way of get and that's very true but I want to go in more detail today than just something as simple as the way of given the way of get the Tree of Life represented an abundance mindset whereas the tree of the knowledge of good and evil represented as scarcity mindset so that's the difference between the two Adam and Eve chose to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil and humanity has also chosen that path as we'll see in the sermon today our governments our organizations to a large degree even our families our churches even our sports are a result of partaking of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil our warp human cultures are a living example of the consequences of living with a scarcity mentality so let's start to examine these more closely these two values and we're going to begin with a scarcity mindset represented here again by the tree of the knowledge of good and evil so what is it what is a scarcity mindset or a scarcity mentality in its simplest forms it is a belief that there will never be enough whether it's money or food or love or praise or prestige or control or virtually anything else as a result there virtually is a lack and a person who has a scarcity mindset sees lack everywhere have you ever seen that old metaphor and I know it's tired and we use it a lot of a glass glass half-full or half-empty is the glass half-full or half-empty the answer is yes the glass is half-full that is reality it is half-full yet that glass is half-empty it's reality indeed that glass is half-empty and it all depends on our perspective and how we view it so I'd like to talk about this today because as a result of a scarcity mentality the actions and thoughts of people who have a scarcity mindset place emphasis on lack they see life as having only so much as though there's only one pie out there and if someone gets a big piece of the pie it means less for someone else including themselves within this mentality is the belief that when others acquire something like material blessings influence praise or success that they somehow have been denied something someone else is someone else who gains something they view it as a personal loss when someone else is rewarded or gains something let's take a look here in Chapter three here in Genesis verse four and see how the serpent played along here Adam and Eve were happy up until this point but now the serpent is going to remind them that things are scarce God has more they have God he's not really telling you the whole story God is holding back on you God has a bigger piece of the pie and you're being denied and this is all part of a scarcity mentality then the serpent said to the woman you will not surely die for God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened and you will be like God God has too big of the piece of the pie and that's being taken away from you God's not fair the Creator is limiting your knowledge he's limiting your opportunities he's actually holding you back people with a scarcity mentality have a very difficult time sharing or giving recognition and credit to others because they look upon it as a personal loss there's only so much praise that can be offered in their minds there's only so much recognition available there's only so much wealth available and if someone else gets some of it then they have been deprived of their share or a greater share and that's the problem the scarcity mindset revolves around the idea that there simply isn't enough to go around everything in that mindset is of short supply there can only be one leader only one decision-maker only one successful person only one group of people with money there can only be one group or person or group who gets something everyone else can't have it the scarcity of mentality is characterized by anxiety and fear this mindset is why humans have repeated Wars and why we have so much violence in the world one nation says you have a piece of land that I don't have you have mineral rights that I don't have and I want that you have waterways and I'd like to have those waterways you have too big of a piece of the pie and I'm being denied so it's that attitude of scarcity that even causes human Wars with this mindset you question if you have enough and you're afraid that someone else will take away what you have if someone else achieves something you feel that you've been lost that you've been devalued that you're underappreciated therefore you have this sense of suspicion and caution and you're always on your guard let's go to Ezekiel chapter 28 if you'll turn there with me the scarcity mindset always focuses on the extreme short-term of every decision how can I get mine now how can I get an advantage over others how can I get for nothing what other people have to work for and struggle to get so we're gonna go right back now and see the prehistory of the serpent in an earlier era before I was known as the serpent as explained there in Genesis chapter one he was an archangel he was anointed carob who literally was serving God at his throne and we're going to see what happened to him because he's mindset change from the way that he was created which was an abundant mindset because that's what God has it will see clearly in a few minutes and it changed into a scarcity mindset so let's read about this Ezekiel chapter 28 beginning in verse 12 son of man take up a lamentation for the king of tyre and say to him thus says the Lord God and of course this goes beyond just a lamentation for an actual human king it's talking about an anointed care of a spiritual being this is the story of how he began to flip how he began to change from being an obedient servant of God into something else you were the seal of perfection full of wisdom and perfect in beauty you were in Eden the garden of God and a deal indeed later on as a serpent he is and will be in Eden every precious stone was your covering the Sardis the Topaz the diamond the beer girl the onyx the Jasper the sapphire the turquoise and emerald with gold to look at all the precious stones he's surrounded with does anyone here have all of those precious stones in your home I've got cubic zirconium and gold spray paint on some of my jewelry so I'm not quite there yet I'm still working on gathering these things continuing the workmanship of your temporals and pipes was prepared for you on the day that you were created even very musical very gifted you were the anointed Carib who covers I established you God says everything you had was a gift I gave it to you I made you powerful and beautiful and talented and all of these things I gave you as a gift I established you you were on the holy mountain of God you walked back and forth and amidst of the fiery stones the very throne of God serving God directly one-on-one you were perfect in your ways from the day you were created till or until iniquity was found in you we're reading here of a very gifted and powerful being who was created to directly serve God at his very throne and for a time he served very well until his mindset became that she began to change something happened to his value system and he changed from sharing an abundance mindset like God has into having a scarcity mentality suddenly having wisdom and beauty and wealth and power next to God was no longer enough since God had these things and more this anointed Carib felt denied someone else has too big of the piece of the pie it's as if glory is limited is as if power is limited it's as if talent is limited so you've got to be very suspicious you got to be very envious of someone who also has some of the things that you have again he felt denied lack in power and this began the work inside his thinking process and it changed him so let's see what happened we're now going to go to Isaiah 14 take a look at another scripture here and see what was the result of this thinking that's going on in his mind as he is being transformed in a negative way from an abundance mindset like God has to a scarcity mindset Isaiah chapter 14 at verse 12 if you will kindly turn there with me here he's actually given a name instead of being just referred to is the anointed care of who covers who was in Eden now he's being given a name in Hebrew which was his original title which he was created how are you fallen from heaven Oh Lucifer and it's the Hebrew word hail and it means Morningstar son of the morning how you are cut down to the ground you who weakened the nation's now this is a beautiful scripture because it not only describes what happens to Lucifer as he becomes Satan but ultimately it's also a prophecy about a time when Jesus Christ is going to return and this being is going to be put in a spiritual prison and be be impotent and weak and you know what people will say in the kingdom of God when they look and they see this pathetic being trapped in this spiritual prison they'll say this was the God of the world this was the god that manipulated the nation's this being here was so powerful that people trembled and were used by him he was the originator sin and evil this this weak powerless little thing that's what they'll say let's read about it Oh Lucifer son of the morning how are you cut down to the ground who weakened the nation's for you have said in your heart I will ascend into heaven I will exalt my throne above the stars of God I want to be as high as God is I want to be higher than the other angels the stars of God refer to the other angels within God's spiritual galaxies I want to be number one they have glory some are higher than I am and that's not fair they have a bigger piece of the pie than I have therefore I want to exalt my throne above the stars of God I will also sit on the Mount of the congregation I want to be above everyone else I want to be in the mountaintop on the farthest size of the North I will ascend above the heights of the clouds I will be like the Most High why should God have a big piece of the pie this is the reasoning that this being has this Lucifer this Lucifer says there's only so much glory and I'm not getting enough of it there's only so much beauty so much power so much influence so much prestige and I'm not getting my share and this begins the work in his mind yet to hear beginning the prophecy about the future of this being in verse 15 yet you shall be brought down to Sheol you're gonna be brought down to the earth just that old Baal colonna's earth to the lowest depth of the pit those who see you will gaze at you and consider you saying is this the man who made the earth tremble who shook Nations this being powerless now useless a nobody and nothing this is what put terror in the nations of the world for six thousand years that's what they'll say here's what the Scofield Bible notes say about these verses verses 12 through 14 evidently refer to Satan who as the prince of this world system is the real though unseen ruler of successive world powers tyre Babylon medo-persia Greece Rome etc continuing they say the morning star can be none other than Satan this significant passage points back to the beginning of sin in the universe when Satan said I will sin began I'm not getting my fair share therefore I will rise I'll get what's coming to me I'm tired of this scarcity I want abundance I want it all I want everyone else's piece of the pie I want you to notice the changed mindset here of Lucifer who had been given wisdom and beauty and wealth and power next to God as a gift he had been given it by a gracious and a loving God but it was no longer enough for him if God was higher or more exalted than Lucifer felt denied he felt appreciate it in his thinking God and other angelic beings have glory and the fact that they had glory diminished what he could have what is that that's a scarcity mentality think of some other scriptures examples of scriptures in which it is revealed that people or nations or individuals had a cigar city mentality I'd be a good Bible study and I could use the next hour giving you many many examples but I don't have time to do that I'll just mention a few for example in the parable of the talents did the man who buried his one talent have a scarcity or an abundance mindset he had a scarcity mindset he was afraid why this talent this is precious what don't work there are lots of other talents out there sure there were but in his mindset it was scarcity and he was afraid and he buried that one talent how about the young man who turned down a discipleship because Jesus stated in Matthew 19 he said if you want to if you want to be perfect go and sell what you have and give to the poor and you'll have treasure in heaven did this young man have a scarcity or an abundance mindset he had a scarcity mindset why I have to give up some wealth there's only so much wealth and world I'm a wealthy young man I'm being asked to go and give my wealth to the poor scarcity limited thinking how about the nine out of ten lepers whom jesus healed in Luke chapter 17 and nine out of the ten whom he healed did not return to thank him for healing them only one letter out of the ten came back after he was healed and thanked Jesus Christ so the nine out of ten did they have a scarcity or an abundance mindset in a nutshell this is the foundation of what our world and its cultures are built upon today our governments our human organizations are founded upon the values and the principles of a scarcity mentality all reflected by that beautiful metaphor of that literal tree in the Garden of Eden the tree of the knowledge of good and evil of which Adam and Eve partook of and their children and their descendants at all humanity has been living by and reflecting since that time because everything in our world is perceived through lack and scarcity you see things like autocratic command and control structures in families in businesses and governments in churches and community groups even many of our sports whenever you have a mindset of scarcity you will always find a few who desire to control everything because they believe the talent is scarce therefore I have to control it money is scarce I have to hold it prestige is scarce I have to grab onto that and cling to it because the pie isn't big enough in their minds they become an elite who believe that power and money and talent and prestige naturally belong to them because there are not enough of these qualities to share with others and if they are shared with others then they feel robbed they feel diminished let's take a look at an example where Jesus in the same scriptures Jesus demonstrates an abundance mindset and at the same time same event one of his disciples demonstrates a scarcity mindset let's take a look at that if you'll turn with me we will go to John chapter 12 and begin in verse 1 John chapter 12 and we're gonna begin in verse 1 two diametrically opposed values in the same story John chapter 12 beginning in verse 1 and six days before the Passover Jesus came to Bethany where Lazarus who had been dead whom he had raised from the dead there they made him a supper and Jesus I'm sorry and Martha served but Lazarus was one of those who sat at the table with him then Mary took a pound of very costly oil of spikenard anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet with her hair and the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil everyone can smell this beautiful aroma of this oil through this symbolic funeral ritual that she just did for Jesus Christ then one of his disciples Judas Iscariot and of course we know where he's he's leading - we know what he's going to do Judas Iscariot Simon's son who would betray him said why was this fragrant oil not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor this he said not because he cared for the poor but because he was a thief and he had the money box and he used to take what was put in it but jesus said let her alone she has kept this for my day of burial for the poor you have with you always but me you do not have always so here in the same scripture Jesus praises the action of Mary you know something there's plenty of fragrant oil in the world isn't there this was a very special occasion she was honoring the Christ and Jesus is saying you know what you can help the poor out tomorrow and you should and next week and you should next year you should because in a world of scarcity and the world of the scarcity mentality you will always have poor people as a result of that he says but the Savior you only have with you for a short period of time it wouldn't be long before he was martyred now on the other hand geez Judas has an Envy problem he's envious of others he's a selfish thief he wants to control the money he's a hypocrite he pretends to care about the poor but he just really wants to get his hands on more money if he had convinced them to give him that money I can guarantee you it would have gone in the money box and the poor would have never seen it but I'll bet he would have seen it that's a scarcity mentality many of the works of the flesh mentioned in Galatians 5 generate from a scarcity mentality including contentions and jealousies and outbursts of Wrath selfish ambitions dissensions heresies and me these are all qualities mentioned in the works of the flesh an attitude of scarcity is selfish it things it says to itself it thinks what can I do to get an advantage what can I do to get it for free when other people have to work hard and pay the price how can I get more of everything and give little back in return but there's a problem with that thinking here's the problem when you sow scarcity you know what you read back more scarcity when you think about that than when that is your mindset when you behave in that way the law of the harvest says you will reap what you sow now let's talk about the abundance mindset the abundance mentality on the other hand flows from a deep inner sense of personal Worth and security that's given by God there is no feeling of lack or entitlement when you have an abundance mindset it's a perception that there's plenty of everything available and there's enough despair for everyone a person with this mindset sees life as having abundance and if there is a pie out there if you want to use that analogy they believe it's a huge pie but maybe it's two pies maybe there's enough ingredients to make a hundred pies that's how they view life it results in the sharing of prestige of recognition of honor of profits of decision making but as valuable as that it opens up possibilities it opens up options alternatives creativity that you will never experience that you will never ever discover if you have a scarcity mindset let's take a look at an example here and begin to see what kind of mindset Jesus Christ himself had he's our role model let this mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus let's see what kind of mind was in Christ Jesus John chapter 6 and verse 35 John chapter 6 and verse 35 and Jesus said to them I am the bread of life and he who comes to me shall never hunger and he who believes in Me shall never thirst what do you have to do you only have to come to him you have to repent of your sins you only have to accept his shed blood and repent of your sins and receive God's Spirit it doesn't matter what color you are it doesn't matter what past religion you had it doesn't matter what language you speak what matters is he who comes to me that's what matters verse 36 but I said to you that he who sent me and you but I said to you that you have seen me and yet do not believe all that the father gives me will come to me and the one who comes to me I will by no means cast out for I have come down from heaven not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me verse 39 this is the will of the father who sent me that all he has given me I should lose nothing that's abundance everyone here's my goal everyone whom the father calls makes it into the God God's family makes it into the kingdom of God all that he has given me I should lose nothing but should raise it up at the last day and this is the will of him who sent me that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life and I will raise him up at the last day everyone doesn't matter who you are what your background is what part of earth you dwell on ultimately whether you're called now or in the kingdom of God after the thousand years that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him should have everlasting life is that scarcity or is that abundance brethren that's an abundance mindset so as Jesus reflecting on an abundance mindset here of course he is obviously his values in a are abundant what are some other things that he did or said that demonstrated and abundance attitude well it take a look at just a few things quickly when Jesus fed thousands with just a few fish and a few loaves of bread for example in Luke 9 was that a scarcity or an abundance mindset to take a few of something and multiply it so that thousands could be fed is that scarcity or is that abundance when Christ told Peter to catch the first fish he could and pull the coin out of its mouth to pay the temple tax in Matthew chapter 17 was that scarcity or is that an example of an abundance mindset when Jesus came to the synagogue rulers house when every wooden was mourning the death of the little girl the synagogue rulers little girl and Jesus said to those who were weeping do not weep she's not dead but she's only sleeping that's in Luke 8 was that a scarcity mindset that Jesus Christ had or an abundant mindset that Jesus Christ had again we could go on and on with examples of this throughout the New Testament where Jesus reflects oftentimes contrary to the culture contrary to everyone else's expectations because they live with a scarcity mindset he reflects an abundance mentality and everything that he does this wasn't new for the being that became known as Jesus Christ because we'll read about what Paul says he did earlier in Philippians chapter 2 and verse 5 turn there with me Philippians chapter 2 and verse 5 he says let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus who being in the form of God did not consider it robbery to be equal with God but made himself of no reputation there's no scarcity here he doesn't say wait a minute for me to empty myself of glory of being with the father to walk on earth as a human I'm being robbed that's what a scarcity mindset how immediately it would react it's not fair I'm giving up a piece of the pie that's not what Jesus Christ is like did not consider it robbery to be equal with God but made himself of no reputation taking the form of a bondservant and coming in the likeness of men and being found in appearance as a man he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death even the death of the Cross I'm gonna read this from the new century version which I think adds a little bit more pizzazz to the original Greek it says in your lives you must think and act like Christ Jesus Christ Himself was like God and everything but he did not think that being equal with God was something to be used for his own benefits why because he thinks in abundance he doesn't think short-term he doesn't think about things being limited that he somehow taking a loss he's volunteering for this position verse 7 continuing here but he gave up his place with God and made himself nothing he was born to be a man and became like a servant and when he was living as a man he humbled himself and was fully obedient to God even when that caused his death death on a cross so let me ask just a couple of questions here giving up equality with God being willing to do that does that show a scarcity or an abundance thinking obviously it shows an abundance thinking being willing to take a loss like that how about accepting a loss so that others can be forgiven and given an opportunity is that scary city or abundance thinking how about living in humility rather than an attitude of entitlement as it's so common with human beings is that scarcity thinking or is that abundant thinking you see typically the abundance mentality focuses on the long term it involves a deep understanding that just because you don't get everything or something right now it doesn't mean you won't have it later in even greater abundance it looks at things long-term where a scarcity mindset looks everything from the short-term this mindset also tends to create positive feelings towards others if you feel as though someone else's blessing is not taking away from anything that you have in your life or anything that you may receive it becomes much much easier to feel happy about that person's success to give them praise to be happy about them getting a new job or a home or a new car or a great relationship with another human being you don't feel a sense of envy you feel genuinely happy for them because you know that another person's blessing does not take away anything from you Romans chapter 8 and verse 14 let's continue in our quest here to see if Jesus Christ in God to father have an abundance mindset or a scarcity mindset Romans chapter 8 in verse 14 Paul wrote for as many as are led by the Spirit of God these are the sons of God for you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear but you received the spirit of adoption by whom we cry out Abba Father very dear enduring Aramaic term we cry out daddy Papa that's very close and intimate the Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are the children of God and if children then heirs heirs of God and joint heirs with Jesus Christ if we indeed suffer with him that we may also be glorified together brethren God is expanding his family he intends on sharing much of what he has with his adopted children he's taking carnal human beings he's forgiving them through the shed blood of Jesus Christ he's transforming them from merely fleshly thinking in the spirit and he's giving away to them everything that he has free so tell me is that an abundance mindset or is that a scarcity mindset revelation chapter 21 let's turn there revelation 21 we'll begin in verse 1 though this verse I want to focus on is verse 7 when we get to it Revelation chapter 21 verse 1 now I saw a new heaven and a new earth for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away and there was no more see his talking about a time in the future after the thousand years are concluded and then I John saw a new city or the holy city New Jerusalem coming down from heaven from God prepared as a bride adorned for her husband and I heard a loud voice from heaven saying behold the tabernacle of God is with men I brethren this is one reason why we continue to observe the Feast of Tabernacles it's not done away as some silly ancient he festival it pictures a time that this verse focuses on when God the Father himself will come to this earth and make it the capital of the universe and will Tabernacle with men that's why we continue to observe and rejoice and celebrate in the Feast of Tabernacles and he will dwell with them and they shall be his people God Himself will be with them and be their God and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes there shall be no more death nor sorrow nor crying there shall be no more pain for the former things have passed away then he who sat on the throne said behold I make all things new then he said to me write for these words are true and faithful and he said to me it is done I am the Alpha and the Omega the beginning and the end I will give the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirst and now verse 7 he who overcomes shall inherit all things and I will be his God and he shall be my son or my child what is God's desire what's his plan it is to have his spiritual children inherit all things the father in Jesus Christ are giving away the power and glory that they have to the children of God because they dwell in complete abundance and Majesty they don't feel like it will diminish their superiority or glory at all they have an abundance mentality they're giving away what they have to you and to me because they love us so much because their value system is based on abundance not on scarcity so the last few minutes of the sermon today in closing I'd like to contrast to these two opposing views and modern terms you could easily see the difference scripturally if you'll go to Galatians five and contrast the works of the flesh and the fruit of the spirit you'll see the difference between an abundance mindset and a scarcity mindset but I'd like to put everything together I'd like to pull it all together today and in modern human terms in English contrast the two to make sure that we fully comprehend and get the difference beginning with a scarcity mentality of scarcity mentality is selfish it's greedy it perceives the world as everything is lacking it's resentful of others it's controlling it's competitive it's suspicious it is representative of carnal human thinking that was portrayed by the tree of the knowledge of good and evil and most of humanity our human cultures have all been designed and constructed and operate under a scarcity mindset an abundance mindset is service-oriented its generous its abundant it sees opportunities everywhere it encourages other people it's sharing cooperative it's trusting rather than suspicious and it's composed of spiritual thinking it's a transformation that is represented by that tree known in the book of Genesis as The Tree of Life so in conclusion I'd like to quickly give seven major contrast between an abundant mentality and a scarcity mentality and I hope this just kind of pulls together some of the things that I said today so that within our minds we can clearly see the difference number one it's the difference between plenty and lack plenty and lack those with an abundant mentality believe there's plenty of everything in the world from material resources to love to relationships to personal growth to opportunities they believe that with God's help they can virtually do anything in time they agree with the Apostle Paul who said in Philippians chapter 4 and verse 13 I do all things through Christ who strengthens me that statement of Paul is that a scarcity mindset or is that an abundance mindset those with a lack mentality or have a mentality in which they see a lack everywhere prefer to believe that virtually everything is limited and is beyond their control that gives us Nix a reason to make lots of personal excuses why we can't do things all as a reflection of a scarcity mindset so that number one plenty versus lack number two thinking big versus thinking small those with an abundant mindset are known for thinking big a scarcity mindset creates limitations in the mind which prevents the creation of large audacious goals which even changes whether we think big or think small number three being proactive or reactive because of a positive can-do attitude of those with an abundant mindset they take a proactive approach to life because of foresight because they have a personal vision they see problems early on and they make course corrections immediately in contrast those with a scarcity mindset wait for problems to happen and then they wait for them to fester a little bit and then they react to the problem instead of proactively dealing with the problem early on being proactive or reactive the fourth contrast is learning versus being a know-it-all an abundance mentality is passionate about lifelong learning and growth they possess a never-ending thirst for knowledge and development of new skills and their own growth and development through the power of the Holy Spirit in contrast those with a scarcity mindset believe they know everything just ask them know don't you don't even have to wait to ask them they're just about to tell you they'll have an opinion on everything especially things that do not require an opinion number five happiness versus resentment number five happiness versus resentment an individual with an abundance mentality is an optimist and they are genuinely happy with others when other people achieve success conversely those with a scarcity mindset are competitive and they resent other people getting praise or material wealth or blessings of any kind because they look at life as some kind of competition and even when they achieve something themselves they're not satisfied very long because it's never ever really enough number six what is working and what is not working with an abundance mindset people are visionaries and they see the limitless possibilities in the world their focus in their daily lives is what is working that's the difference a person with a scarcity mindset thinks about negative things all day long and that develops within them a victim mentality and their daily focus is on what is not working rather than what is working their focus is on what is not working and you know what that negativity becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy in their lives because the law the harvest says what you think about you eventually become and then the seventh major contrast between an abundant mentality and a scarcity mentality the number seven is embracing change versus fear of change a person with an abundant mindset understands a change is necessary that it is a natural part of life life was designed it's baked in the human life constant change if you don't believe me just take a look at a picture of yourself seven years ago and you'll go a person with an abundant mindset understands a change is necessary it's a natural part of life it's baked in it's the way things are supposed to be they embrace and they accept change they know that change often leads to more positive outcomes even if that change sometimes is challenging and difficult to endure even if it's a trial they know long-term that they'll be better off for it in contrast those with a scarcity mindset are plagued by fear and suspicion they'll spend time constantly complaining about change another new thought another new idea and they take a longer period of time to finally accept change which is inevitable and baked into our lives one final scripture today Psalm chapter 36 and verse 7 if you'll turn there with me our final scripture Psalm chapter 36 and verse 7 I want to encourage all of us as we begin to think about the Passover this year and the days of unleavened bread what can I do with the power of God's Holy Spirit to develop more of that mind of Christ and have an abundance mentality rather than a scarcity mentality it's hard the world is against us the media pounds us all day scarcity scarcity scarcity the business world scarcity scarcity scarcity our culture every part of its scarcity scarcity that's all it whines about that's all it thinks about that's all that it emphasizes so I'm telling you that it's an uphill battle but if we want to develop the mind of Christ we have to think differently we have to understand that the positive seeds that we sow this coming year will come back to us as a harvest of goodness and righteousness the following year or the year after that because that's the way the law of the harvest worked Psalm chapter 36 and verse 7 how precious is your loving-kindness o God therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of your wings they are abundantly satisfied with the fullness of your house does the house of God lack anything no it says that God's house is full do those who follow God in his a loving kindness feel a lack in their lives no it says they are abundantly satisfied with the fullness of your house you give them drink from the rivers of your pleasures God wants to give us the universe as a gift because He loves us because he has an abundant mindset verse 9 for with you is the fountain of life in your light we see light you see God's going to share his glory his awesomeness his majesty with us and the greatness of his light will be reflected off of us as we are members of his family your light in your light we see light o continue your loving kindness to those who know you and your righteousness to the upright in heart so in conclusion I encourage you to think about the dramatic difference between these two opposing value systems that are reflected all the way back to the book of Genesis by the metaphor of those two trees choose life choose the Tree of Life choose to live with an abundance mindset and mentality have a wonderful and fulfilling Sabbath day you

Channel: UCG Cleveland

Views: 227

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Keywords: ucg cleveland, scarecity, abundance, mentality

Id: BiOQcTvtay8

Length: 54min 24sec (3264 seconds)

Published: Mon Feb 05 2018