The Monday Memo 255

I am sorry this Memo is a day late.  I ignored the saying, "Never put off until tomorrow what you can do now!"  I flew into Dallas last night and all day kept thinking, "I'll do the Memo later in the airport or when I arrive."  Flights were late, I was tired, and, well, here is this week's better-late-than-never edition.

Last week we discussed abundance and I got some encouraging feedback.  But then, I always get positive feedback about abundance in general.  It's when people have to apply the abundance principle in their own life that the problems often start.  I hear some people say on one hand, "God can do anything," and then say, "But John, you don't understand. I'm from a poor family" or "I don't make much money at my job" or "I live in Africa and we're poor" or "I live in the United States and the cost of living is so high in my area."

Either abundance applies to everyone in God's kingdom or it doesn't.  I'm not talking about fancy cars and big homes.  I'm talking about you having all the resources you need to fulfill your purpose and be productive.  The problem isn't the abundance; the problem is how you think about abundance.  Let's look at a story that could help you with your thinking where abundance is concerned.

MOSES ARRIVES ON THE SCENE

When Moses arrived in Egypt, the Israelites were living in Egypt.  Times were tough.  They were oppressed by the Egyptians and forced to work as slaves.  It is interesting that they were numerous and potentially powerful, but they had a slave mentality that kept them locked into what they had always done.

Along comes Moses and announced that it was a new day; God was going to set them free!  The only problem was Pharaoh.  He refused to cooperate when Moses told him the good news and made the work conditions more severe to keep the Israelites "occupied."    This caused the Israelites to grumble against Moses, their liberator.  Any time you have a slave mentality, you resent someone who wants to set you free.

So God stepped in and initiated what we know to be the ten plagues on Egypt.  Each plague confronted an Egyptian god and proved that Moses' God was more powerful and had the right to set His people free.  Things got worse and worse in Egypt as God sent hail, gnats, frogs, darkness and boils on the Egyptians. 

At this time, the Israelites lived in an area called Goshen.  The most amazing thing happened while the Egyptians were going through their plagues.  I refer to this amazing phenomenon as the Goshen Principle. 

THE GOSHEN PRINCIPLE

To explain the Goshen principle, let's look at three passages:

1.  "'But on that day I will deal differently with the land of Goshen , where my people live; no swarms of flies will be there, so that you will know that I, the LORD, am in this land. I will make a distinction between my people and your people. This miraculous sign will occur tomorrow'" (Exodus 8:22-23).
2. The only place it did not hail was the land of Goshen , where the Israelites were (Exodus 9:26). 
3. So Moses stretched out his hand toward the sky, and total darkness covered all Egypt for three days. No one could see anyone else or leave his place for three days. Yet all the Israelites had light in the places where they lived (Exodus 10:21-23) 

Do you see the Goshen Principle in action?  God blessed and protected His people while He plagued Egypt!  Your abundance doesn't depend on external conditions. Your abundance depends on God and God alone.  You must position yourself mentally, however, to receive this abundance or you can and will block or limit it in your life while you celebrate it in other people's lives.

This week would be a good time to examine your attitude toward abundance, not where other people are concerned, but where you are concerned.  Do you believe that you have access to all that you need to be purposeful and productive?  If you do, can you prove it?  What are doing because you know the resources will be there when you need them?  You see, the Goshen Principle wasn't just for Israel; it's for you and me.  Armed with that fact, I hope this week you will act like a resident of Goshen where the sun always shines and the air is free of dust and gnats.  Have a great week!

If you would like to add your comments to this Memo, please go to the Monday Memo site to do so. 

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1.  Here is my schedule for the next three months.   Let me know if you would like to meet for a purpose session when I am in your area.

July 27-30 -- Maywood, New Jersey

August 7-11 -- Seattle, Washington

August 24-28 -- Johannesburg, South Africa

August 28-September 3 -- Harare, Zimbabwe

September 4-13 -- Israel

September 13-25 -- Harare, Zimbabwe

September 26-28 -- The Netherlands

Also, I am still leading a cruise retracing the steps of the apostle Paul from October 26-November 3.  If you are interested in being part of that cruise, email me and let me know.

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July Prayer Letter:  Download july_prayer_letter.doc

Comments

[Maria]

Dear John

Thank you - this is a powerful message and challenge. I am going to try it this week and I am believing God for a miracle because I am in Goshen where he has placed me. He is getting rid of my slave mentality. Thank you and God bless you.

[Collina]

Dr J

Speaking of Moses, I am reminded of the mana case -where God provided what was enough for that day only and forbode any to be kept for the next day. The Bible also encourages us not to worry for tommorow.
I am led to believe that we break the process of abundance because we budget part of what we got today for tommorow yet there are still unmet needs for today which what we set aside for tommorow could fulfil (maybe not our own need but someone elses). Could it be that we hinder God from giving us more because in our own understanding "we got it covered" so we stop expecting?
collina

[D.G.]

Hi, John.
Thanks for your generosity in sharing your wisdom, insight and writing ability with everyone. I am truly thankful for the gift of your words in my life right now. I agree in my head with everything you say but I have a question: what am I doing/not doing to cause me not to see His abundance for literal, real-life needs, such as rent? He does provide, so it must be something in me that is blocking His flow. This month, I chose to tithe over the rent (had the money for rent but when took tithe out, didn't leave enough left). It worked out bc my landlord is willing to wait till the end of the month for my disability check, but I wondered why it doesn't manifest earlier? Everything else has been provided for me, right on time, and in just enough amounts (food for my kids, electricity, etc.). Also, what about things like: school clothes, school supplies, school fees? Shouldn't those also be things I can expect His provision for,when they come to more financially than what I bring in? Thanks. I am asking Him for help in believing because sometimes it feels as if I just can't "get it" with the abundance mindset.

[John Stanko]

Hi Donna,

On one hand, you state that God provides, but then you lament that he doesn’t provide sooner or earlier than you really need what you need. This is the point: When you need it, you will have it—not a moment earlier or later. Again, consider the animals I referred to in my article. Do you think they kill an animal and store it? No, when they need it, God provides it, they eat it, go sleep and then come back for another meal when they are hungry.

Your response is full of stories of how God provided abundantly when you needed and not before. So you could embark on a strategy of creating the needs so that God will provide. I know, some would say isn’t that testing God? And I would respond that he says, “Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the LORD Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it (Malachi 3:9-11).

I think you are waiting for the provision before you make your moves to get what you need. I move to get what I need and the provision comes. It requires courage, but more often than not God has met me right where my need is with abundance--all that I need, no more, no less.

I hope this helps. I think you are already living a lifestyle of abundance. You may just to see it from a different perspective.

John

[John Stanko]

Collina,

Good insight on the abundance and provision issue. Yes, I think we do try to help God and consequently hinder what he could do for us. I do quite often because, honestly, I am afraid that he won’t provide in a way that I require or in a timely fashion.

I had a friend once who went to the airport without money or a ticket to go someplace that God wanted him to go. God provided! He also had me go the airport once with 20 boxes and had me ask the airlines to transport it free of charge. You know what? They did! I was shocked!

At any rate, thanks for your insight. It is spot-on.

In Him,

John

[Jane Asava]

Dear Brother,
I have been greatly blessed by your insights into what God would want of us as his children to become.May he strengthen you as you continue to do that which he has called you to do.
Jane
Nairobi
Kenya