The Mindset of the Wealthy 3

Written by Uyoyou Christiana Charles-Iyoha

The unnamed virtuous woman of Proverbs Chapter 31 verses 10 to 31 was a successful wife, as well as a mother no doubt. Besides, her husband was a man of substance considering that he sat with the elders at the city gate. That should have been any woman’s pride in her days. After all, she owned a home provided for by her husband yet the Bible records that she was not an idle woman. Economically and socially, and even spiritually, she was profitably busy. In today’s world, she would be described as a fashion designer, and a very successful one at that. But her success as a fashion designer did not get to her head that she had peaked. Rather, the success she experienced as a fashion designer who supplied sashes to merchants did not get to her head and make her complacent. Rather, it made her more diligent and committed to investing in other areas of the economy. She took profits from her fashion business into purchasing a field to grow a vineyard – a source of raw materials for wine production. What an amazing woman, with the great mindset of the wealthy, the people who truly understand the difference between bread and seed. A typical bread eater would happily fritter the profits from the fashion business in to bread eating (physical bread, entertainment, additional clothes and accessories that are not even needed) but the seed sower that she was, she ploughed the profits into a different sector of the economy thereby multiplying her income streams as well as sheltering her financial resources by investing in different sectors of the economy. That is the mindset of the wealthy, invest, reinvest, diversify investments, multiply income streams and associate with like minded people and not bread eaters.

Isaac was the heir of Abraham, a very wealthy man. Please read Genesis Chapters 13 and 24 yet Isaac did not become complacent despite inheriting so much wealth from his father. Isaac kept working to accumulate more wealth (Genesis Chapter 26) until he became very wealthy and even when he was already very wealthy, he did not stop investing. He dug up more wells despite the contention by the Philistines over the wells his servants dug.

The Mindset of the Wealthy 2

Written by Uyoyou Christiana Charles-Iyoha

God also endowed Solomon with great descriptive powers so that he could describe plant life, including plants and trees which were not even native to Israel. He had great descriptive powers coupled with vast knowledge which kept his very attentive audience spell bound; willing to come back again and again to hear him speak. Additionally, this same audience spread the word about Solomon’s great wisdom, vast knowledge base and understanding like wildfire. Any wonder his fame spread.

King Solomon topped these up with the divine ability to teach – transfer knowledge and wisdom resources to other people. Please read Ecclesiastes Chapter 12 verses 9 to 13. He was a great communicator. Solomon was indeed endowed with the tongue of the learned – Isaiah Chapter 50 verses 4 to 5; an instructed tongue, clearly instructed by God to speak peace, life, comfort, healing, deliverance, knowledge to take away ignorance from the lives of people held captive by ignorance (Isaiah Chapter 9 verse 2), understanding to people whose lack of understanding made life difficult to understand; and wisdom to the foolish so they could become wise, truly functional and successful.

King Solomon also knew how to take advantage of divine opportunities and platform. The people who came from all nations to hear his wisdom alongside his own people whom he ruled were great assets. So he invested his wisdom in them; and also partnered with them to do business. Hiram, his most trusted and respected ally was one of his greatest business partners. Together, they ruled the sea with their trading fleet of ships alongside their seasoned sailors who knew and understood the sea and sea routes as well as where to find gold, silver, choice spices and other great articles of trade. This way, King Solomon made money every second, minute, hour, day, week, month and year. Are you still surprised that he was the richest man of his days!

Break the Ceiling of Self Imposed Limitations

Written by Uyoyou Charles-Iyoha

Self imposed limitations are the limitations a person, a family, institution, community or nations imposes on themselves to limit them from progressing to God’s very best plans and purposes for their lives. Moses for instance tried to place limits on himself when God called him at the burning bush. First, he gave the excuse of being an inconsequential person to stand before Pharaoh; not only to demand the release of the children of Israel from Egypt but also to bring the children of Israel out of Egypt. When eventually God assured Moses that He would be with him, Moses gave yet another excuse of being a person of a slow tongue. God also reassured him that He would be with his mouth in addition to teaching him what to say. Beloved, is Moses not forgetting something here? Was the God Who created him and Who chose him and promised to be with him not capable of addressing whatever issues he had with his mouth? Just like the rest of us, Moses displayed his human frailties by showcasing his weakness, thereby imposing personal limitations on himself with the excuses he gave. God however overwrote the limitations and excuses and still made Moses go to Egypt and accomplish the task of standing before Pharaoh as well as bringing the children of Israel out of Egypt.

How did Moses come about the limitations? He was looking at his fleshly capacities and not the power of God that was fully behind him and was with him all the way. Why was he afraid to stand before Pharaoh? After all, he was raised in the palace of Egypt as royalty and had stood before Pharaoh before! Why was he suddenly conscious of the fact that he stammered? The circumstances of life that Moses had experienced were responsible for the limitations he imposed on himself. He was a fugitive running from justice in Egypt – he killed a man and could be tried for murder and that had significantly impacted his status as he lacked the princely power and robe to stand before Pharaoh. So as far as Moses was concerned, he was an insignificant person before Pharaoh. But unknown to Moses, God had made him a great man before Pharaoh and he could literally bring Pharaoh to his knees if only he knew that God was with him over and above Pharaoh and everyone else that appeared to matter in Egypt. Please read Exodus Chapter 3 verses 1 to 2, please note verses 11 to 12, 4 verses 1 to 17, note verses 10 to 15.

Gideon also tried to impose limitations on himself by highlighting his origin – he was the least in his father’s house and was from the weakest clan in Manasseh. But God overwrote the excuses and told Gideon that He was with him and would always be with him. This implies that Gideon’s lineage and genealogy did not really matter. What mattered was the Presence of God in the life of Gideon. Please read Judges Chapter 6. In like manner, Moses’ past and disabilities were inconsequential to the plans and purposes of God for his life. What was consequential, important and relevant and significant was the Presence of God in his life, the life of Gideon and anyone God calls to implement and accomplish divine purpose. Background, etc which could constitute personal limitations are inconsequential. The Presence of God is what matters.

The prophet Jeremiah was afraid of God’s call upon his life and gave the excuse of being a youth; a self imposed limitation based on cultural practices and prejudices. Who was a mere youth to speak to the nations as a prophet of God. God overwrote the personal limitation Jeremiah placed on himself on account of cultural prejudices. God promised to be with Jeremiah. Beloved, please note that the emphasis is on the Presence of God, not a great age, not who knows you or your family as being from the largest or strongest ethnic group in the land or the biggest, strongest or richest nation in the world. Please read Jeremiah Chapter 1 verses 1 to 10, 1^st Corinthians Chapter 1 verses 25 to 29.

Allow God to Enrich You

Written by Uyoyou Christiana Charles-Iyoha

A gift or present is different from a bribe and should be received with thanksgiving especially when God leads people to bless you with gifts. A number of Kings as well as other prominent people in the Bible received financial and material gifts from the people God made them to interact with. These gifts translated into personal wealth for them. The Apostle Paul commended the Church in Philippi for supporting him financially. Please read Philippians Chapter 4 verses 10 to 19, Galatians Chapter 6 verse 6 and 1^st Corinthians Chapter 9 verses 1 to 27.

Quite significant and instructive is the fact that Jesus Christ received gifts from people who supported his earthly ministry. Please read Luke Chapter 8 verses 1 to 3. However, He did not demand the gifts. The people willingly brought the gifts. This implies that the people God sends to bless you with gifts usually do so without compulsion. They simply respond to the promptings of God to bless whoever God leads them to.

The prophet Elisha also received gifts. Please read 2^nd Kings Chapter 4 verses 42 to 44 but when it was inappropriate to receive gifts, he declined to accept the gifts as exemplified in the case of Naaman. Beloved, this implies that not all gifts should be accepted especially when God says not to accept such gifts. There are times for receiving gifts and times for rejecting gifts. Please read 2^nd Kings Chapter 5 and Genesis Chapter 14 verses 1 to 24. God by His Spirit always guides His children into receiving and rejecting gifts since He knows all things.

A good number of the wealthy people in the Bible received presents and gifts from people, Kings and Queens which they translated into personal wealth. Kings Solomon, Jehoshaphat and Hezekiah are some examples. So also is Abraham. Additionally, they earned income from other activities. They did not rely on the gifts alone. King Solomon traded. Please read 1^st Kings Chapters 10 verses 21 to 29, 9 verses 26 to 28.