Unity Church of Castro Valley
Sunday Message for August 26, 2007
The Persistent Millionaire, Jacob
Today, in our series on the millionaires in the Bible, we are talking about the persistent millionaire, Jacob. Jacob started out poor, but he ended up rich, very rich. He became a millionaire through persistence.
HIS PROSPERITY SECRETS FOR YOU
Jacob has often been described as the bad boy of the Old Testament. All of his bad points have been pointed out, and few of his good ones. When viewed impartially, his life is a tremendous study in the use of the universal prosperity principles that were known and practiced in ancient times, and that are still available to you today.
Although Jacob has usually been described as cold-blooded, crafty, and deceitful, he was patient in disappointment. He turned to God for guidance in his extreme experiences. God never reprimanded Jacob for his shrewdness. Jacob gradually learned how to use his mind powers rightly so that he went on to outstanding success. God finally renamed Jacob "Israel," which meant "Prince of God."
Most of us can identify with Jacob, who started out using his mind powers from a human standpoint to try to force his good. When you first learn of the tremendous results you can obtain through the deliberate use of mind power, you may often try to use it to force your good, too. Later Jacob learned to use his mind powers constructively and so can you - as you grow into it. He had many a bitter struggle but he prevailed and won out.
JACOB’S PROBLEMS BEGAN BECAUSE OF PROSPERITY
Jacob's problems began when he stole his brother's birthright, which included a prosperity blessing that Jacob wanted:
(Genesis 27:28-29) "God give you of the dew of heaven, and of the fatness of the earth, and plenty of grain and wine. Let peoples serve you, and nations bow down to you."
We are all interested in receiving this prosperity blessing, because the "dew of heaven" symbolizes rich ideas. The "fatness of the earth" symbolizes rich results. You may receive this prosperity blessing, which is your birthright, by affirming often: "I AM NOW BLESSED WITH 'THE DEW OF HEAVEN' AS RICH IDEAS. I AM NOW BLESSED WITH 'THE FATNESS OF THE EARTH' AS RICH RESULTS."
Let’s say this together, "I AM NOW BLESSED WITH 'THE DEW OF HEAVEN' AS RICH IDEAS. I AM NOW BLESSED WITH 'THE FATNESS OF THE EARTH' AS RICH RESULTS."
PROSPERING POWER OF RELEASE COMES FIRST
Jacob was still in a human consciousness of prosperity where he thought he had to fight for his good, to cheat and to scheme for it. His actions caused so many problems with his family that he "left the scene of the crime."
His father forgave him before he left home. Isaac even bestowed a prosperity blessing on his erring son, one fit for a millionaire-which Jacob persisted in becoming:
(Genesis 28:3-4) "May God Almighty bless you and make you fruitful and give to you the blessing of Abraham, so that you may take possession of the land where you now live--land that God gave to Abraham."
The first prosperity principles that Jacob used were those of release of mistakes and forgiveness. He released his mistakes by leaving home and going elsewhere to try again, after his father generously forgave him, and even bestowed a prosperity blessing on him.
Like Jacob, when you have erred, instead of hanging onto those mistakes, release them, and make a fresh start. You can do so by declaring, "THE FORGIVING LOVE OF THE UNIVERSE HAS SET ME FREE FROM ALL MISTAKES OF THE PAST OR PRESENT. I FACE THE FUTURE WISE; FREE, AND UNAFRAID."
When Isaac forgave his son for having deceived him, he also bestowed a prosperity blessing on Jacob that described his inheritance. You can claim your inheritance of universal abundance by declaring often, "I AM NOW COME INTO MY RICH INHERITANCE OF HEALTH, WEALTH, AND HAPPINESS. I AM. I AM. I AM."
When Jacob left his familiar surroundings, he left behind him the usual human methods for trying to demonstrate prosperity. He stopped scheming, cheating, and trying to force his good. He went forth endowed with the prosperity blessing given by his father, who had graciously forgiven and released him.
So, let’s say these two affirmations together, "THE FORGIVING LOVE OF THE UNIVERSE HAS SET ME FREE FROM ALL MISTAKES OF THE PAST OR PRESENT. I FACE THE FUTURE WISE; FREE, AND UNAFRAID."
"I AM NOW COME INTO MY RICH INHERITANCE OF HEALTH, WEALTH, AND HAPPINESS. I AM. I AM. I AM."
HOW RELEASE BROUGHT GIFT OF A GRAND PIANO
Like Jacob, you may have expected your good to come to you in one set of circumstances, only to find it elsewhere, after you have released the former circumstances which have become non-productive.
There was a musician who had friends pray with him for a piano, which he needed for his work. When the money didn’t show up for him to buy such an instrument, he continued to affirm that it would come anyway. Though affirmations were often spoken over a period of months by some of his friends for "Jim's piano," nothing happened until he gave up a part-time job which had become increasingly dissatisfying.
Two weeks after he left that job, he spent the weekend with relatives in a distant city. Together they attended several special musical events. Afterwards, as he was preparing to board a plane to return home, one of his relatives said, "You love music so much that I have decided to make you a gift of the best piano you can find. Let me know when you have located it and I will send you a check."
He shopped extensively until he found just the right instrument. When a music professor later saw this piano, he assured the young musician it was the best piano in town! But this rich gift only came after he had gained release from a nonproductive situation.
THE PROSPERING POWER OF GETTING DEFINITE
After Jacob released his former surroundings and former mistakes, he started out to Haran to work for his uncle. On the way he used another success principle when he made a Success Covenant with God. This act indicated that he was not only sorry for his mistakes, but that he wanted God's help in his new venture.
In his Success Covenant, Jacob got definite about what he wanted to experience in his life. He proved that it pays to get definite, because God granted him far more than he had asked.
There was a widow who lived on a small annuity plus a Social Security income. Then she decided it was foolish to be content with such a meager existence. She got definite in her words about what she wanted and began to declare every day: "LARGE SUMS OF MONEY AND BIG HAPPY FINANCIAL SURPRISES NOW COME TO ME FOR MY PERSONAL USE. I USE THEM WISELY."
Her daughter soon invited her for a visit. It would cost $100 to make the trip. Though there seemed no way for this extra amount to come, the widow accepted the invitation in faith, and spoke her prosperity decrees daily.
She soon heard from the Social Security Administration. They stated that her next check would include an increase that was due her. When the accumulated back-income arrived, it was a check for $113 given in addition to her usual check. She quickly bought a plane ticket and joined her daughter for a happy visit.
Let’s say the next affirmation together: "LARGE SUMS OF MONEY AND BIG HAPPY FINANCIAL SURPRISES NOW COME TO ME FOR MY PERSONAL USE. I USE THEM WISELY."
THE PROSPERING POWER OF DWELLING ON SUBSTANCE
After making his Success Covenant, Jacob journeyed to Paddan-aram in the Land of Haran to work for his uncle. The word "Paddan-aram" symbolizes the unlimited substance of the universe, which is the source of all outer wealth. "Paddan-aram" also symbolizes the mind power that is necessary to manifest that substance as visible results.
Many people know that universal substance is the inner source of all outer wealth. Unlike Jacob, they don’t persist mentally until it manifests as visible results in their financial affairs and elsewhere.
There was a housewife who decided to test the power of substance in a difficult situation. She said: "My husband and I were coming home from a trip. I had a seven-months-old baby, and our car quit running in the Pennsylvania mountains, miles from anything. It was getting dark, the baby was crying, and my husband was getting mad. When he looked under the hood, he could find no reason why the car had stopped.
Quietly to myself I began to say, "DIVINE SUBSTANCE IS THE ONE AND ONLY REALITY IN THIS SITUATION. DIVINE SUBSTANCE IS APPROPRIATELY MANIFESTING FOR US HERE AND NOW."
When my husband got back in the car and tried the ignition, the car started. All the way home he kept saying, 'I sure don't get it.' I kept quiet and silently thanked Divine Substance for its help.
The word "Haran" means "uplifted." Jacob got into an exalted state of mind by dwelling on Divine Substance as the Source of his supply in the land of Haran. The ancient people knew the power of thinking about substance, thereby drawing success to them. Like Jacob, when you find yourself in strange new circumstances - or in difficult ones – that’s the time to dwell on Divine Substance as the one and only reality.
So, let’s say the next affirmation on your paper together, "DIVINE SUBSTANCE IS THE ONE AND ONLY REALITY IN THIS SITUATION. DIVINE SUBSTANCE IS APPROPRIATELY MANIFESTING FOR US HERE AND NOW."
KARMIC DEBTS MUST BE PAID IN ORDER TO PROSPER
After Jacob began working for his uncle in the land of Haran; the first thing that happened was a surprise. He reaped an unhappy result, yet it proved to be a part of a process that was working for him.
When his uncle had asked, (Genesis 29:15) "What shall your wages be?" the financial arrangement had been, (Genesis 29:18) "I will serve you seven years for your younger daughter Rachel." And he did. Yet he was deceived by finding himself married to Leah, the eldest daughter. He found it necessary to work seven more years for Rachel.
The law of cause and effect was at work from his previous actions: He had cheated in the past and now he was being cheated in return.
When you begin to develop an expanded consciousness of prosperity, often you have to clear up karmic debts which you have incurred from the past, before you are free to be personally prospered. Your early prosperity demonstrations may go to other people, or to outside situations that seem unfair yet never are. You are paying off debts from the past, either from earlier in this life, or from some previous one.
Yet when you meet disappointing experiences constructively, you always go forward to greater good.
When you are cheated or your good is withheld from you, it may be that like Jacob, you cheated or withheld someone else's good in the past. An old score is being settled.
Instead of whining, "This is a terrible injustice. I have been cheated," say to yourself, "I have paid for past mistakes through this present disappointment, so I now meet this disappointing experience constructively, and I go forward to greater good." Do not waste time and energy fighting the present disappointment. If you do, you bog down in failure.
The law of cause and effect often bobs up to be paid off and cleared away when you begin unfolding your prosperity consciousness.
If you meet those karmic debts nonresistantly and pay them off, you are then free to be permanently prospered. But if you fight and resist them - they often appear again and again in the form of unforeseen and unwanted responsibilities. This holds you down to a lower state of consciousness where you are never truly prospered.
Jacob paid his karmic debt by working 14 years for Rachel.
Next week we will finish up Jacob’s story. We might see a lot of our own schtuff in Jacob. When we first learned universal principles – we, too, may have tried to force our good. But, we found that we had more success when we used the power of our minds in a constructive way. We can dwell on Divine Substance as the Source of our supply and draw success to us.
SCRIPTURE: Genesis 27:28-29; Genesis 28:3-4; Genesis 29:15; Genesis 29:18; Genesis 30:30; Genesis 30:43; Genesis 33:11; Genesis 33:9
REFERENCE: The Millionaires of Genesis by Catherine Ponder
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Last updated
September 4, 2007
