– by Lowell Fillmore* – Guest Author
*Son of Charles and Myrtle Fillmore, the founders of Unity School of Christianity.
MONEY was invented for the convenience of men in expediting the exchange among themselves of services and goods. Money should always be a servant of man and never his master.
Man’s attitude toward his money determines whether it will be a curse or a blessing to him. If a man curses his money or curses others because he fears they are trying to get his money, then a curse will return to him. If he blesses his money and makes it a blessing to others, blessings will come home to him.
Money has no value except that which is given it by man, and its value is dependent upon a man’s faith in his fellow men. No one would be willing to accept money if he did not have faith in those who co-operate in using the money. God created the universe and all things in it. Therefore, God is greater and more important to us than these things.
When we remember that we remember that we “live, move, and have our being” in God we shall not feel that we are adrift on an uncertain sea of materiality, but we shall know that we are safe in the care and keeping of our loving Father, who has created all things for our good. When we abide in this realization we shall not be unhappy if there seems to be a temporary lack of money, for we shall know that no material thing can stand between us and God’s blessings. When we go direct to God in faith and acknowledge Him in all our affairs we shall be sustained by Him.
Money is merely a symbol of values. When we place our faith in the symbol rather than in the true value we are disappointed. We must train ourselves to look to God direct for our prosperity and not trust too much in money, as good and desirable as it is.
If our income seems to be inadequate because of high prices we must not be dismayed, but we must steadfastly realize that our good comes from God, not from money. Placing the power of God’s blessings upon our money will actually make it possible for us to buy more with a given sum than we could purchase by ordinary methods.
If we realize that money represents only a symbol of true substance, our faith will call out the true substance by blessing the symbol. When we realize that there is no limit to God-substance, our faith will call God-substance into service for us and all our needs will be supplied.
Jesus understood the truth of His faith, and He lacked for no good thing. The fish provided Him with tax money; the multitude was fed from God’s invisible substance, and Jesus was always welcome to partake of food in every village He entered. He was neither beggar nor a financier, but He had close communion with His Father, God, the Source of all good things.
It is not necessary for God to perform miracles in order to take care of our daily needs. His wonders are performed before our very eyes through material channels when we have made contact with His substance through our faith. God will stretch anybody’s income so as to cover all needs, even as He multiplied the loaves and fishes to feed the five thousand.
By blessing what we have we increase and multiply it. We need to become attuned to the great universal spiritual ideal behind money, which can be manifested as money or as anything else that is good. There is security in God, and we are very near to it when we go within and consult Him sincerely in spirit and in truth.
God is Spirit, and we must therefore worship Him in spirit and in truth. If we attempt to pray to God for money and then while praying, because of our fears and worries, fix our attention on our need for money rather than on giving thanks to God for His abundance, we shall not be making a very successful prayer. When we give thanks for His substance and withdraw our attention from the thought of lack and place it upon God in faith and thanksgiving we shall be heard and supplied by the Father.
Paul tells us in the 11th chapter of Hebrews that “what is seen hath not been made out of things which appear.”
We know that certain invisible gaseous elements when combined will form a visible substance. For example: Hydrogen and oxygen gases combined in right proportion become visible water. But while Spirit is invisible, just as gases are, it is much finer substance. Jesus explained Spirit to Nicodemus by likening it to the wind that blows where it pleases; man cannot see where it comes from nor where it goes.
So it is with Spirit. We cannot see it, but it is never-the-less the invisible substance out of which are formed all things that appear. An oak tree grows from a little acorn and expands into a mighty tree on a seemingly lean diet of water, sunshine, and microscopic amounts of chemicals in the soil. So does the mighty substance of God come forth out of Spirit and take its place in our affairs through natural channels to supply our needs.
If your present income seems to be inadequate for your needs, do not worry; do not complain; do not be critical; do not be afraid. Instead, give thanks to God for His rich supply and bless the symbol of substance that you presently have. Your action will cause it to grow and increase in buying power. Like the mustard seed, which grew from a tiny seed into a tree, its increase will amaze you.
God-substance is present everywhere and in truth is more real than the things you can touch and see. Bless the good symbol (money) you have and see substance miraculously increase in your hands!
The above is excerpted from: The Prayer Way To Health, Wealth, & Happiness
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If this article is helpful to you, kindly let me know. RevMichelle@GoldenKeyMinistry.com