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Do you have a poverty mentality

Posted on Dec 8, 2020 by Martyn Sullivan in General | 866

A Poverty mentality is a mindset driven by fear and usually one that people develop over time based on a strong belief that they will never have enough.

Are you suffering from a poverty mentality?

If so it’s holding you back from living a full and happy life.

When you’ve got a poverty mentality your mindset is fixed on a strong belief that everything is hard to get, i.e. it’s difficult to get ahead, it’s difficult to make money, get ahead in a career, make friends and so on. Everything in life is a struggle or an uphill battle.

But guess what? You can change your mindset. You are in control, and with know-how and practice, you can re-engineer how you think.

Romans 12:2

2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

With a mindset driven by fear, there can be no comfort nor contentment in your life, and this is no way to live. Life is not a rehearsal is it, so there isn’t a second to lose. Let’s look at the traits of a poverty mindset and how to train yourself to think differently about life and what you really want from it.

Poverty Traits

Do you have some of these common characteristics of a poverty mentality?

Feeling guilty as soon as you buy something.
Being constantly worried about money or thinking about it often.

Having a strong dislike of ‘blessed’ people, yet wanting to be just like them.

Making decisions based on fear.
Thinking small rather than thinking big.

With a poverty mentality, you set yourself up to fail. Your decision-making is poor, so the outcomes are limiting. For example, fear will instil a lack of confidence, and with it, your goals will be inadequate if you even set goals. We are all conditioned and learn our behaviour from people close to us.

When we are young, we are very impressionable, and we believe what we learn from our family, educators, and friends but as Christians we are called to be influenced by the Scriptures.

Over time we tend to form our own opinions and seek input from more extensive sources, including the workplace, social and sporting activities as well as from other cultures when we travel abroad but we often fail to remember what the Bible says.

A poverty mentality is also commonly found in people who have experienced poverty in childhood. We know it is a barrier to enjoying happiness and financial security, but fear stops us from reaching out to learn new behaviour.

Abundance Mindset

Being consciously aware that you need to change how you think is the starting point, so well done! Now you can take steps to turn your negative thoughts around, so you can set far-reaching yet achievable goals, have confidence in your decision making and enjoy life.

According to a 2009 study [1] published in the European Journal of Social Psychology, it takes 18 to 254 days for a person to form a new habit, so remember, if you are going to develop new habits you will need to give yourself time. On average, you’ll need a couple of months of daily practice to make your new habit second-nature to you.

So let’s go to the Scriptures and begin the process of changing our mindset.

Things to Remember:

Recognising and changing a mindset is NOT something that we should allow to “worry us” Remember God is in the business of transformation.

Phillippians 4:6 ^(NiV)

6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

When you start out, you’ll be consciously aware you’re thinking differently about having enough, about making friends, about success, about fear, and then in time the habit will be formed insofar as you’ll be unconsciously aware you’re thinking and acting in a new way. Your life will no longer be fear driven:

Isaiah 41:13 ^(NiV)

13 For I am the LORD your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.

2 Timothy 1:7 ^(NiV)

7 For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.

You will begin to think in accordance with the Scriptures which remind us:

2 Corinthians 9:8 ^(NiV)

8 And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.

An abundance mindset is a belief that not only does God provide, He is also able to get that provision to you.

Luke 12:24 ^(NiV)

24 Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds!

Matthew 6:31-32 ^(NiV)

31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.

Romans 8:32 ^(NiV)

32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?

As we allow the Scriptures to transform the way that we think and guide our decisions, so our abilities to make money, invest wisely, empower and support others increases, and we begin to develop an abundance mentality. To maintain an abundance mentality, learn from people who have the mindset you want. Mix with likeminded people. Continue reading the Scriptures and praying through the promises of God … and remember, He is with you in it all and through it all ..

Avoid Going Back

Once you have gotten your abundance mindset, there will be ongoing challenges in life that will attempt to pull you back down to your old way of thinking. Acknowledge to yourself every time fear creeps in and attempts to sway your positive attitude. Stop negative thoughts immediately and reframe them with your abundance mindset. Go back to the Scriptures and remind yourself of God’s ability to provide.

God bless.

[1] European Journal of Social Psychology Eur. J. Soc. Psychol. 40, 998–1009 (2010) Published online 16 July 2009 in Wiley Online Library (wileyonlinelibrary.com) DOI: 10.1002/ejsp.674

Mar '20

So Covid-19 Changes Our World.

Posted on Mar 18, 2020 by admin in General | 1165

Mar '20

We are certainly living in very strange says. Covid 19 is already changing the face of the church and the face of the world. While many talk about the church being “Shut down” actually it is only “places of worship” that are shut down, the people of God remain the people of God and the church still exists all be it in different circumstances.

The COVID-19 epidemic already seems to be making us rethink what we do, who we meet with and indeed even where we go. But as Christians how should we respond .

Fear Not

Firstly we must NOT be driven by fear?

Psalm 27:1 says, “The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?”

There are lots of people who are being driven by fear but as Christians we are told to “Fear Not” … Let us not forget that God is still God, He has not changed and neither has His Word. He can give you peace in impossible situations.

Philippians 4:6+7 “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God (7) and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus”

Find Safety

As we see COVID-19 presenting a threat to so many things, threatening life, health, work, finances and so much more we need to be wise and make wise decisions.

Proverbs 13:20 “He who walks with wise men will be wise, but the companion of fools will be destroyed”

At the strange time we need to consider the advice of the wise, those who understand what is going on. Currently our government is advising social distancing and in some cases self isolation and shielding of those who are vulnerable. I personally do not believe they say that lightly or with some ulterior motive, they want to help people avoid catching COVID-19. Yes it seems to disrupt our daily life, our relationships, our economy, and so much more but if we are wise we will come through it quicker and healthier!

Love your neighbor as yourself

The effects of COVID-19 are widespread. Currently we see whole countries shutting down schools, businesses, cinemas, restaurants and large and small gatherings of people. Already there we are seeing people who are self-quarantining at home who may not have the food, medicines, and supplies and may not be able to get them through the 14 day quarantine.

Jesus meant it when he said, “Love your neighbour as yourself,”, as Christians we cannot ignore the needs and vulnerabilities of those who live around us. If the disease is not likely to be fatal to you, then you are still responsible to not spread it so that the elderly or weaker people around you contract it. Loving your neighbour also means checking on your elderly neighbour, perhaps bringing food and medication to someone struggling to get out. Loving your neighbour may mean picking up a phone, sending an email, contacting someone who may be lonely or feeling depressed. Loving your neighbour means caring about those around you.

Join with Christians throughout the ages who lived as heroes when their neighbors needed them most. Join with Jesus who “did not consider equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant,” Philippians 2:6-7.

Aug '18

A quick look back at our journey so far

Posted on Aug 27, 2018 by admin in General | Tags: god, journey, Looking back1770

Aug '18

We spend most of our time looking forward, thinking about our hopes and dreams, but what about the past ? Where we started from ! Where we are now. How can we measure where we are without understanding where we have come from ?

St Luke’s Church has been on quite a journey. It started back in the late 20’s when the church was first started by a group of Christians from South Kirkby. They were walking up to 20 miles every Sunday to attend church. They decided they wanted a local church and so the journey began.

Eventually that small group of believers managed to purchase some land on Mill Lane, South Kirkby where they began to build. Mount Carmel Pentecostal Church was built. Local believers from South Kirkby and the surrounding area had a place to call home.

Some years later the church purchased a house for their pastor to live in and the church began to grow. Under the tutelage of Pastor Selwyn Hughes in the 1950’s the church continued to grow. It was during Selwyn’s tenure a great Sunday School was developed as well as many different outreach programmes. Of course Selwyn left and the church continued on with the work albeit without his dynamism.

After numerous pastor’s had come and gone our current pastor, Pastor Martyn Sullivan joined the church in 1992. The church had suffered many problems and still had more to face but stability was needed. By 1996 a new leadership team was in place, the congregation had improved and the church had begun a new journey. During a prayer time Pastor Martyn experienced a vision which he believed was from God showing an angel walking down the main road from South Kirkby to South Elmsall. He believed that God was showing him that the church would move from South Kirkby to South Elmsall. What has followed has been incredible.

In 1996 the first step of that journey was the purchase of the former job centre on Barnsley Rd, South Kirkby. In 2000 the church purchased the former council offices on Carlton Rd, South Elmsall and then in 2014 the church purchased the former Methodist Church on Barnsley Rd, South Elmsall.

Today the church is very different. It has 2 nurseries, a cafe, a youth centre as well as a recording studio. All of those were at one time just a vision, a dream, something that we wanted to do but didn’t have either the space or the money to create. We have indeed come a long way. Of course there is much more to do and many more people need to hear the wonderful gospel message. Looking back and seeing where we have come from and remembering how God has indeed led us and provided for us gives us hope for our future, Why? Because He who promised is faithful.

Jul '17

A look back in time.

Posted on Jul 4, 2017 by admin in Devotions, Family in the Bible, Love in the Bible, Prayers, Reading the Bible, Sermons | Tags: church2282

Jul '17

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