The Scarcity Mindset: From Worry to God's Abundant Provision

This episode focuses on the common scarcity mindset that many people experience, which creates a constant worry about not having enough. We will look at how this way of thinking often leads to fear and unhappiness, blocking us from seeing and receiving God’s abundant provision. By exploring lessons from the Bible, we hope to guide you on a journey from fear to trusting in God’s generous care. We will also share practical steps to help change your mindset, encouraging gratitude and generosity that can free you from scarcity. In the end, we invite you to build a close relationship with God, the true source of peace and provision, so you can live a life full of abundance—not lack—truly embracing The Scarcity Mindset: From Worry to God’s Abundant Provision.
Check the full podcast episode here
This episode focuses on the common scarcity mindset that many people face today. This mindset causes constant worry about not having enough—whether it’s money, resources, or emotional support. Ralph shares personal stories to show how this fear can affect everyday choices, like wanting to keep more than we need or competing with others. The podcast points out how this way of thinking hurts our happiness and generosity. It also explains how living in fear makes it hard to trust God’s care. The message encourages listeners to change their thinking—from scarcity to abundance—by having faith and being thankful. Using Bible teachings, Ralph shows how we can overcome anxiety and live with trust in God’s constant provision, leading to a more generous and joyful life.
Takeaways:
- This episode explores the pervasive nature of the scarcity mindset and its impact on our daily lives.
- We discussed the importance of transitioning from a mindset of worry to one of abundant provision offered by God.
- The scarcity mindset not only affects our finances but also our spiritual well-being and overall joy in life.
- Generosity is presented as a powerful antidote to the scarcity mindset, promoting trust over fear in God's provision.
- Scriptural truths from the Bible are emphasized to encourage listeners to trust in God's abundant provision.
- The episode concludes by inviting listeners to cultivate a relationship with God as a source of true security and peace.
Links referenced in this episode:
Ready for an Eternal Connection?
If you heard Ralph's invitation for salvation at the end of this episode and felt a stirring in your heart, we celebrate with you! To learn more about starting a relationship with Jesus Christ, or to share your decision, please reach out to a trusted Christian friend, a pastor, or connect with us directly. We’d love to help you take your next steps in faith.
About Your Host: Ralph
Ralph is a trusted guide dedicated to helping Christians navigate the complexities of life with unwavering faith and practical wisdom. As the founder of the Ask Ralph Media network, he brings profound biblical insight and actionable strategies to empower you in your spiritual walk and financial journey.
Connect with Ralph & Ask Ralph Media:
- Visit our website for all episodes & show notes: TruthUnveiledWithRalph.com
- Also from the Ask Ralph Media Network:
- Financially Confident Christian: Your daily dose of biblical wisdom for financial freedom and spiritual growth. Learn more at FinanciallyConfidentChristian.com
- Grit and Growth Business: Biblical strategies and insights for Christian entrepreneurs and business leaders. Learn more at GritAndGrowthBusiness.com
- Visit the main Ask Ralph Media hub: askralph.com
- Explore Ralph's Books:
Please share our Podcast with all your friends and family!
Submit your questions or ideas for future shows - email us at
ralph@askralph.com or leave a voicemail message on our podcast page
Buy Ralph's Book - Mastering Your Finances!
Buy Ralph's Book - Gospel of Entrepreneurship: Following Jesus in Your Business Journey
Buy Ralph's Book - How to Become a Financially Confident Christian
Want to be a guest on Financially Confident Christian? Send Ralph Estep, Jr. a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/1704313698808231d175d3ba6
Support the Ministry:
If this podcast has blessed you, consider supporting our ministry to help us reach more people with God's truth. Click here
00:00 - Untitled
00:00 - Introduction to Truth Unveiled
00:51 - From Scarcity to Abundance: Understanding the Fear of Not Enough
10:27 - The Mindset of Abundance
19:14 - Transforming Mindsets: From Scarcity to Abundance
22:29 - Overcoming Anxiety Through Trust in God
28:54 - Changing Your Mindset: Trust Over Fear
32:25 - Stepping Off the Treadmill of Worry
Feeling lost in today's headlines, seeking God's truth for our chaotic culture. Welcome to Truth Unveiled with Ralph. We'll cut through the noise guiding you to biblical discernment for your faith, your finances and your life.Now here's Ralph Estep Jr.
Speaker BHello, friend. Welcome to Truth Unveiled with Ralph. And it's really, really good to be with you today. You know, we've been hitting some tough topics lately, haven't we?Last time we dug into the cancel culture and how to live a life of grace in a world that just thrives on unforgiveness. Before that, we looked at identity crisis, we talked about the digital divide and we even looked into the culture of complaint.And if you missed any of those shows, you can find them all at our website. That's truthunveiledwithralph.com so I encourage you to check them out and get caught up on the show.Today though, we're going to talk about something that's a quiet, constant hum of stress. And, and for many of us, it's a feeling we live with for our whole lives. It's a persistent fear. And that fear is that there won't be enough.Today we're talking about the scarcity mindset and we're going to talk about from worry to God's abundant provision. Because today I want to help you move from worry into a place of abundance in God's provision.Let me just ask you right now, are you ready for a change in your mindset? Well, friend, let's get truly deeply honest for a moment.Just between you and me, have you ever felt that gnawing feeling that no matter what you have, no matter what those things are, it's just not enough? That feeling like if you give a little, there won't be any left for you.That worry that if you save for one thing, you'll have to go without something else. The anxiety that the economy might crash and you won't be prepared. It's this constant low level stress, isn't it?A feeling of being on the defensive, Always protecting what you have, always worried about what might be taken away. Always looking at what others have and just feeling like you're missing out.And if I'm being honest, you know, I felt that myself and I can still remember times early in my life when money was tight. I'm talking about super tight. That feeling that you're, you see something you really need or maybe it's just something that you want.You find yourself having to say no because there just wasn't enough and that just breeds this mindset. It breeds this mindset, this idea that resources are limited, that you have to hold on tight.Did you have to compete for your, what they call, piece of the pie, that if you're not constantly hustling and hoarding, you're going to be left behind. I can still remember a time when there were whispers in the news about a certain shortage.Now I think about it, it was during COVID Honestly can't remember just what it was, but. But my natural instinct was to go to the store and buy a few extra of that item just in case, just to be safe. It's a reasonable thing to do, right?Maybe you're thinking, Ralph, listen, I did the same thing during that time. But that feeling I had wasn't just reasonable. It was a little bit of panic, a whisper that, what if there's not enough?And I had to stop and ask myself this, am I making this choice out of wisdom, or am I making it out of a scarcity mindset? Because there's a difference there. The difference in that moment of self reflection, friend, was night and day.And we hear this in the news all the time, don't we? Talk of a coming recession, reports of inflation. I did a show about the inflation illusion. I encourage you to check it out.But we hear about predictions of economic hardship. It all feeds into this scarcity mindset. See, this isn't just a financial issue, though. We could stop there and say, well, this is a financial issue.We don't worry about it. But it's not that it's deep and it's a deep spiritual cost of this mindset we have. Because when we live in a mindset of scarcity, what does it do?It drains our joy. It makes us forget all the blessings that God has already given us. And if we're honest with ourselves, it's so easy to do.That isn't makes us anxious, it makes us stress and it makes us live lives full of fear. It closes our hand in so many ways, making it impossible to be truly generous.And worst of all, it subtly, quietly makes us trust in our money and our own hustle. More than just a trust in God who promises to be. And this is a big word, I'm going to use this today, but I want you to hear this.More than we trust in God who promises to be our shepherd, we start to say with our actions, lord, I know you're a provider, but I'm not sure you're going to come through this time. So I've got to take Matters into my own hands. I've got a hoard, Lord, I've got to worry, I've got to hustle.Because the world is screaming all around us. You better get yours. You better hold on tight. Every man for himself.But when we live in that kind of fear, and that's what we're talking about, that is fear. When you live in that kind of fear, we miss out on the incredible peace and freedom and true freedom that God has for us.Like I said, this isn't just a financial problem, friend. It's a spiritual battle for your peace. It's a spiritual battle for your joy. And, hey, it's a spiritual battle for your trust in God.Think about that for a second. A battle for your peace, a battle for your joy, and a battle for that trust that you place in God.But let me ask you right now, does God's word, written thousands of years ago, have anything to say about this constant fear of death? Not enough. Ask yourself, does the Bible, in its ancient wisdom, offer a way to move from a place of scarcity to a place of abundance?Well, my friend, you can truly take a deep breath, because you bet it absolutely does. And it's a truth that can break that grip of scarcity and give you a peace that passes all understanding.So let's open God's word together, friend, and see what he has to say about anxiety, what he has to say about trust, and, hey, what he has to say about provision. Because this is not just a collection of ancient stories. I hear so many people say, oh, Ralph, the Bible, that's.That's a great bunch of ancient stories. That's a great fiction. But it's more than that. It's not a collection of that.It's a living promise for your soul, guiding you from worry to confidence. You want to go from worry to confidence? Well, let's get right into the scripture today.Let's go straight to the famous words of Jesus in Matthew, chapter 6, verses 25 to 34, because this is a beautiful, gentle passage. Just listen to this.Therefore, I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air.They neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you, being anxious, can add a single hour to his life?Therefore, do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be Anxious for itself, sufficient for the day is its own trouble. Wow. Don't be anxious. Jesus says that again and again. You think he's trying to make a point? Of course he is.Because he knew we were going to struggle with this. He knew we were going to live in a fear of not enough. See, Jesus already knew this. He knew we were going to struggle. He knew.He said it again and again. He said, you're going to live in a fear of not having enough. But he reminds us. What a beautiful reminder.He reminds us that we are more value than the birds of the air. And what did he do for them? He perfectly provided for them. And think about that. That is a direct command to release that scarcity mindset.Just let it go. And it's a beautiful reminder of our worth in his eyes. See, a lot of people say they don't understand. God values you.He values you above the birds of the air. It's right there in the Scripture. Well, let's look at the Book of Psalms, chapter 23, verse 1. Hey.It's probably one of the most quoted verses of Scripture, but it gives us a powerful truth about God's role in our lives. What does it say? The Lord is my shepherd. I shall not want. I shall not want. Think about that.When you trust that God is your shepherd, he provides for you. He leads you to green pastures. You don't have to live in a state of wanting. You don't have to live in a state of lack.You don't have to be afraid of not enough. Because here's the beautiful truth. You have a shepherd who is infinitely powerful and perfectly loving. You want to talk about what the antidote is?Let me tell you right now, this is the ultimate antidote to a scarcity mindset. Well, now let's go into Philippians, chapter four, verse 19. It gives us an incredibly reassuring promise. Again, Philippians 4. 19.And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory, in Christ Jesus. Every need of yours. Now, be careful it doesn't say every want. A lot of people get hunkball on that. Not everyone, but every need.And he doesn't provide from a limited resource. God doesn't have limited resources. What does he provide from? Says it right there in the Scripture. From his riches in glory.What does that mean to you? That means his supply is boundless. It's based on who he is. A God of infinite abundance.If you hear nothing else I've said so far, we worship a God of infinite, infinite abundance. Not on the state of the economy or the balance of your bank account. So many people get hung up on, they get that anxiety.They live in that scarcity mindset because they think about the state of the economy or the balance of their bank account. But God has infinite abundance, and this promise is a lifeline for anyone feeling anxious about provision.If you're feeling anxious about provision, just go right back to that bible verse, Philippians 4:19. And my God will supply every need of yours according to. According to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. His supply is boundless.Now, where does this mindset of abundance lead us? If we really think about if we really want to live that out? It leads us to generosity.Let's look at the book of Proverbs, chapter 11, verses 24 to 25. It says, this one gives freely, yet grows all the richer. Another withholds what he should give and only suffers want.Whoever brings blessings will be enriched, and whoever waters will himself be watered. This is a beautiful paradox, isn't it? The world says, hold on tighter, you'll suffer want, you got to go get it for yourself.But God's word says the complete opposite. What is it saying? It says, one who gives freely gets richer. One who withholds suffers, want. See, generosity isn't about giving a lot.It's not about that at all. It's about having a heart that trusts God will provide. It's an act of faith that breaks the power of the scarcity mindset in your life.I remember a time when my family was really living on a tight budget. I'm talking about super tight. We were watching every single dollar. I remember about that time, we were really getting into our church.Our kids were real young, and we felt God's nudge to give a significant amount to a ministry that we really believe in. To be honest with you, looking back at it now and at the time of this is completely illogical.Every part of my mind said, we can't afford this right now. We need to save it. We got to go get ours. We can't afford to give it.But reluctantly, and I'm going to say reluctantly at the time, because it was an act of faith. We acted in faith and we gave it. But here's the beautiful part. Just a week later, you're never going to believe this.A week later, we received an unexpected check in the mail from an old, forgotten project that more than covered what we had given. Think about that for a second. It was a beautiful, tangible reminder that God is not bound by our logic.Hey, if you think that God goes by your logic, you are sorely mistaken. God's not bound by that. His economy is one of abundance. He's not just a provider, He's a rewarder. He's a rewarder. Think about that for a second.Think about that. Well, let's Also look at Second Corinthians, chapter 9, verses 7 to 8, which ties this all beautifully together.Again, Second Corinthians, 9, verses 7, 8. Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion. For God loves a cheerful giver.And God is able to make all grace abound in you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work. What does that say? God is able to make all grace abound. Not some grace, not a little grace, all grace abound.This is a promise of sufficiency, of abundance for a specific purpose. What is that purpose? So that we may abound in every good work. See, God blesses us not just so we can be comfortable.A lot of people don't understand it. God's not blessing you to be comfortable. He's blessing you so that you can be a blessing to others. That this is so critical. So many people miss this.God blesses us not just so we can be comfortable. That's great. And I appreciate what he does for me. He does that for the birds as well. But that's not the big takeaway.He also blesses us so that we can be a blessing to others. Are you being a blessing to others? I know that cuts a little bit, but are you?Let's go on and talk about some powerful words from the book of Isaiah, chapter 41, verse 10. Again, Isaiah 41:10. It says, Fear not, for I am with you. Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you. I will help you.I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. Now that's reassuring, isn't it? What is this verse doing? It's a direct command for us to put down our fear. Because why?God is our constant present help. He's always here with us. That is the ultimate counter to this fear based thinking of a scarcity mindset. So let me ask you again.The Bible's message is pretty clear, isn't it? We are called not to worry. We are called not to live in a state of lack. We are called to trust in an abundant God. Who is what? He's our shepherd.And we are called to be generous, which is the ultimate expression of that trust. This isn't about God. Being mad at you, my friend. I'm not saying that at all.If you're worried about that, it's about him loving you so much that he wants you to experience true peace. He wants you to experience true freedom, and he wants you to be positioned to generously bless others and serve his kingdom unburdened by fear.But now this show is all about contrasting.So here's the stark, sobering difference between what a scarcity mindset often pushes, because we live in that the world all around us is based on a scarcity mindset. But here's the difference between that and what God's word truly reveals about provision and this choice that you make. And it is a choice.You've got the free will to make this choice. It's going to be a choice that impacts your peace, it's a choice that impacts your generosity.And hey, it's a choice that impacts your very spiritual vitality. Let's start looking at cultures way, what I call the scarcity mindset. The world tells you that resources are limited.There's only so much stuff out there, Ralph. It tells you to hustle, it tells you to hoard, it tells you to compete. What does it tell you to look out for yourself? Hey, you've heard it.Because if you don't, you're gonna be left behind. Well, think about that mindset for a second. That is a mindset rooted in fear. A belief that your provision ultimately depends on what?On your own efforts. Or even worse, it depends on the state of the economy.You know where that path leads, that pad leads to profound anxiety, it leads to stress, it leads to worry, it leads to greed, it leads to discontentment, and it leads to a lack of generosity. A lot of leading going on there isn't. Makes your heart hard, makes your hands closed and your spirit just weary from endless striving.You're probably listening right now. You're like, ralph, man, I feel that right at this moment, that's the world, that's culture's view.But let's just take a moment and contrast that with God's way, what I call the abundance, abundance mindset. See, the Bible reveals that God is the ultimate provider. He's the owner of everything.His resources are limitless and he is faithful to meet all of your needs. In this mindset, that biblical mindset, that abundance mindset is rooted in trust. It's a belief that your provision depends on a loving God.Now, this path is not simple. It's not an easy path.It may require some stepping out in faith but it leads to profound peace, it leads to freedom from worry, it leads to joy, open handed generosity and a deeper trust in God. And rather than your heart being hard, it makes your heart thankful, it makes your hands open and it makes your spirit vibrant with the confidence.And it's truly a confidence that your shepherd is always with. You. See that scarcity mindset that culture wants you to believe, that you have to live in fear and worry. That's what it wants you to do.It wants you to stay in a place. That mindset of fear and that mindset of worry. But God's truth invites you to a radical path of abundance. I'm talking about radical.The world doesn't understand it, the world doesn't get it. But God's truth invites you to that radical path of abundance.A spiritual discipline that unlocks peace, a spiritual discipline that unlocks joy, and a spiritual discipline that unlocks a profound sense of his presence.No matter what's happening around you, it doesn't matter whether the economy's crashing, it doesn't matter whether inflation is going through the roof. It doesn't matter if we're in a recession, it doesn't matter if we're in a Great Depression.It doesn't matter about things not being available in the stores. It doesn't matter at all. Because that path right there, as you're listening right now, I want you to hear this loud and clear.It's the path to genuine spiritual and financial liberation. You want financial liberation? Then choose God's path. So now you might be saying, how do we actually live out this liberating truth in a world?Ralph, listen, the world is constantly encouraging us to be afraid. Ralph. Do you not live in the world, Ralph? Yes, I do. I get what you're saying.So how do we find that unshakable peace and take faithful action when our natural inclination.Hey, listen, if you're a human, if you're flesh and blood like me, your natural inclination is to worry, your natural inclination is to hoard, and your natural inclination is to get anxious. So let me just put that aside right now. You are living in your natural inclinations.But here's the thing, you don't have to live like that if you're willing to change your mindset. So right now I want to share some concrete, actionable steps focused on moving from a mindset of scarcity.We got to move away from that to a mindset of abundance and walking, truly walking in God's wisdom. Let's start with some actionable steps for moving from Worry to worship. Because that's where I think it really starts.These are what I'm going to call some spiritual habits. Here's my first suggestion. These are only suggestions. I'm going to give you a bunch of them today. But let's start with the first one.Cultivate a daily gratitude for provision practice. You may be saying, ralph, what in the world are you talking about? It's not that complicated. But here's what I want you to do every day.I'm talking about every single day. Make a habit of consciously giving thanks for God's provision in your life, no matter how big, no matter how small.And this isn't just some general, oh, thank you, God. I really appreciate it. No, I want you to be specific. God, thank you for a home. Thank you for a loving wife, thank you for children who are healthy.Thank you for a job, thank you for a car, thank you for clothes, thank you for food. You got the idea. Not some general, oh, thank you for everything, God. No, I don't care how big. I don't care how small it is. Be specific.Because this practice is a powerful spiritual weapon against scarcity. You want to battle scarcity?You got to have a practice of understanding and appreciating what you have because it forces your focus of what you lack so easy to stay focused on what you lack. Well, my neighbors have this, Ralph. Well, my neighbors got this. Or my friends got this.You got to shift your focus off what you lack and onto what God has already faithfully given you. God has given you so much. If you're listening to my voice right now, God has given you an abundance.But you got to do that because you got to get off of what you lack and on to what God has already faithfully given you. Train your heart to trust his faithfulness because this right here will reorient your entire perspective. Just keep a simple gratitude journal.Just maybe this three, four or five provisions from God each day. Maybe put it right at your bedside. Maybe during your morning prayer. Thank him for providing food for the day. We just take that for granted.There are people right now in this world who do not have enough food to eat to sustain their life. But you've got it, don't you? Thank him for providing it for you. Thank him for providing your home. How many people right now are homeless?We've got homeless in this country. There's homeless all over the world. Do you take that for granted? Some days? I know I do. So start there. Thank him for providing your home.Hey, thank him for providing your Job. Now you'll be saying, rob, I don't really want this job. This job stinks. I don't like it. But what does that job afford you, the ability to do?It affords you to have that home, it affords you to have that food. It affords you to provide for your family. So thank God for providing for your job. And here's one a lot of people don't think about.Thank him for providing for your family. A lot of people don't think about that. But God has provided you with a loving family. Thank him for that.Because this simple act will build a daily testimony of his faithfulness. It'll help to change your mindset. It'll help to change your perception, because you're going to accept that God, I see what you've already given me.So start there. Well, the next thing I suggest is to pray for trust and freedom from anxiety. We live in a time of great amount of anxiety, but do we trust God?So that's what I'm going to encourage you to pray for, trust and freedom from anxiety. Make it a regular, earnest prayer to ask God to help you trust him more. You're thinking, Ralph, Are you serious? Yes, I am absolutely serious.Specifically, ask him to take away your anxiety about money and provision. And I need to say something very strong right now. You might not want to hear this, and I almost didn't say this today.I put this in my notes today, but you got to hear this. Anxiety is a sin. Listen, it's a sin we've all struggled with, but it's a sin. But it's something we need God's help to overcome.If you want to truly overcome sin in your life, you got to ask God to help you get past that. So bring your worries to him in prayer. Lord, help me to not be anxious. Help me to not feel this anxiety and this fear all around me all the time.Because when you do that, you're actively giving them to the one person, the only person, dare I say that, can truly handle them. So when you feel a financial worry or a fear creep in, listen, you're going to feel that. You might be feeling it right now.You might be thinking, ralph, as you're talking, I'm worried about that mortgage payment that's coming up, or I've got this thing, I got the kids going back to school, or whatever that looks like in your life. When you feel a financial worry or you feel that fear creep in, I want you to immediately turn it into a prayer.Say something like this, Lord, I feel this anxiety about that right now, I just give it to you, Lord, you are my shepherd. You shall not want. Help me trust you, Lord. So do that. Go to him in prayer. Help him to conquer that anxiety. Help him to conquer that fear.Well, here's another recommendation. Intentionally meditate on God's promises of provision. He said it in the scripture.Just choose one or two creased scriptures about God's provision, like Psalm 23 or Philippians 4:19. They'll be in the show notes today. And just meditate on them daily, dare I say, hide them in your heart.Because the best way to replace a lie, listen, the lie of scarcity, that is truly a lie. The best way to replace a lie is with a truth. That truth is the truth of God's abundance.And see, meditating on his promises fills your mind with his reality and it crowds out the world's fears. It just gets rid of them. Maybe write that verse on a sticky note and put it on your mirror. Hey, put it right on your desk.Put it on your phone screen and just go to that. Recite it when you feel anxious.Maybe use a Bible app to find it and save some verses on provision or some verses on trust and let those become the soundtrack of your thoughts. You want to change your mindset, you want to change your perception?Then change the soundtrack of your thoughts to verses about trust and verses about provision. Well, now let's talk about some specific actionable steps for abundant living from a financial perspective.That's my main goal is what I do every day is I'm an accountant. I work with people to help them with their finances. And I want to say right now, I do a daily Financially Confident Christian show.It's a daily podcast, usually about 10 to 12 minutes. I'm going to encourage you to check that out. You can do that at Financially Confident Christian.But let's talk about some specific actionable steps for abundant living from a financial perspective. Here's the first thing. I suggest you practice generosity as an ultimate act of faith.You're thinking, wait a second, Ralph, where are you going with this? But generosity is the ultimate activity.Think about what my family did when we were scared, when we thought we may not have enough, we acted in faith.Be intentional about giving away a portion of what you have, whether that's through tithing, whether that's through offerings, generous gifts, whatever that looks like. And listen, as I've said before, a lot of people don't want to hear this. I've said this so many times, it's not yours in the first place.You're like, ralph, wait a minute. I worked hard for this. Fine, you worked hard for it. But guess what? It's still not yours. It's God's. And you are simply a manager. You're just managing.Your fancy word in the Christian faith is you're stewarding it. It's not yours. So be intentional of giving away some of what God has allowed you to use because you're just a manager.But look, don't do this out of obligation because that's what the scripture talks about, but do it as an act of faith. See, generosity. I want you to hear this. Generosity is a direct and powerful challenge to a scarcity mindset.I want to say that again because this is huge today. Generosity is a direct and powerful challenge to a scarcity mindset.It's an act that says to God and to yourself, listen, I trust you so much, Lord, that I can give this away, knowing you are my source. I trust you, Lord, I can give this away because, hey, I've got a good shepherd. I know you're my source.And that right there is the ultimate key to unlocking an abundance mindset. It's your God first budget. Build a God first budget. If you don't have a budget, I'm going to encourage you to build one.Prioritize giving before any other expenses. People say, wait a second, Ralph, you're telling me I should give before I pay my mortgage? Yes.You're saying, ralph, I should give before I pay my car payments? I said, yes, Ralph, I should give before I feed my family and buy groceries? Yes. The Bible says to give your first fruits to God.Now listen, you can start small if you need to. I'm not saying don't pay your bills. Start small, but be consistent about it. Put God first in your budget.Look for opportunities to be generous with your time, with your resources or your money. See, a lot of people get hung up on this. It's not just about money. You may not have the money to give, but you could sure give your time.You could sure give your resources. See, it's not just about money. It's about your time and your resources. So many people miss that critical point. It's not just about your money.What time do you have, what resources? What are the gifts that God has given you? That's a way that you can give back. So that's my first thing of financial encouragement.And finally, here's another thing I would recommend you do. I would use stewardship as a practice of trust, not a response to Fear. See, when we live in survival mode, when we live in a.In a state of just responding to fear, it's a tough place to be, isn't it? You might be in that right now. You're like, ralph, my whole budget is about fear. I'm fear of getting put out on the street.I'm fear they're going to repo my car and I'm going to be walking to work or walking wherever I need to go.But make financial decisions, those things about budgeting, saving, investing, make them from a place of trusting God's provision, not from a place of fearing the worst. The culture will tell you, well, fear the worst, build it. Build that budget. You want to get yourself in trouble. But here's the problem.When we make financial decisions out of fear, if we just let fear do it, it leads to hoarding or it leads to bad emotional choices. Man, I've made those hoarding decisions. I've made those bad emotional choices.But when we make them out of trust, when we make them out of knowing that God has abundant provision, it leads to wisdom. And what does it lead to? It leads to peace. Let that simmer for a minute. Just simmer for a second.When we make them out of trust, it leads to wisdom and it leads to peace. See, we build a savings account not because we fear a disaster.And maybe that's why you're building it, but I want you to change your perspective on that. We build a savings account not because we fear a disaster, but because we trust a God who calls us to be prepared.He calls us to be wise with what he's given us. That's why we saved. Not because we fear a disaster, because God has commanded us.His word says to shepherd, his word says to steward what he's given us. So when making financial decisions, I don't care how big or how small, pause and ask this very important question.Am I making this choice out of fear or. Or out of a spirit of trust and wisdom? That's not an easy question to answer.Sometime that's when you just drop to your knees and pray for God's guidance. Lord, am I making this choice out of fear? Am I responding in the way of that scarcity mindset?The world has told me, you better go get mine, there's scarcity out there. Or am I making this choice out of a spirit of trust in you? And you being the shepherd and you being my abundant provision and wisdom?Sometimes you just got to pray for God's guidance. The truth is, the scarcity mindset is A very real, tangible pressure. You're probably feeling it right now. Listen. I feel it.And it tries relentlessly to steal your peace. It tries relentlessly to steal your joy. And listen, it's trying to steal your freedom. It tells you there will never be enough.There just never will be enough. And that you have to hustle and you have to worry to get by. That's what the world constantly is telling you.But God's truth calls us to something infinitely richer, something profoundly deeper, and something wonderfully more satisfying. He calls us to anchor our souls in his abundant provision, not in this scarcity mindset.A spiritual discipline that opens the floodgates of his peace. It opens the floodgates of his joy. And, hey, something beautiful about that. It can truly open up generosity in your life.And I want you to know right now, you are absolutely not alone in feeling this pressure, my friend. God sees your worries. God sees your fears. And guess what? He also sees your desire for true security.And he offers you a way to finally step off that treadmill of worry. Do you feel like you're on a treadmill of worry? I felt that before.But he offers you a way to finally step off of that treadmill of worry, to find profound peace and. And purpose. Not in hoarding. That's not the answer. The answer is not in hoarding, but in trusting his loving kindness.And he offers a freedom that isn't dependent on the state of the economy. Doesn't matter. God doesn't care about recessions. God doesn't care about inflation. God doesn't care about shortages.That freedom isn't dependent on the state of the economy or the balance in your bank account. But it is based on his unfailing love and eternal truth. Let's choose today, together, to courageously resist the scarcity mindset.Choose trust over worry. Let's choose generosity over greed, knowing that our truest joy. I'm talking about the truest joy you ever experience. Our deepest security.A security so deep you can't even describe it. And our most fulfilling purposes are found in truly walking with God, our good shepherd, who provides for our every need.Will you make that decision today? And as we wrap up today, friend, I want to share something even more important than trusting God with your finances or overcoming worry.Yes, there's something more important than that.Believe it or not, God, it's all about the deepest connection of all, and that's a relationship with God himself, the One who created you, the One who loves you beyond all measure.If you've been listening today, perhaps Feeling this heavy weight of the world, that heavy weight of that scarcity mindset, that heavyweight of culture. Maybe you're feeling this emptiness just deep inside that no amount of material possessions or financial security can ever fill.Maybe your heart has been gently nudged to realize that the only real. I'm talking about, the only real lasting security and lasting peace comes from God himself.And perhaps you've never truly given your whole life to Jesus Christ.Yeah, you might have heard about him perhaps, maybe you've gone to church your whole life, but you've never taken that step of trusting him completely. I've given him a little bit, Ralph, but just not. Not at all. But I want to remind you of something right now. He is the one who beats sin.He beat death, and yes, he even beat the anxieties and despair of this world. He offers not just good advice for life, he's got great advice for life, but he offers something bigger than that.Eternal life and a relationship with God that absolutely nothing can shake or steal. You want to get out of that mindset of scarcity? Get a relationship with God.And if you feel that gentle push, you feel that stirring in your spirit right now, if your heart is saying, yes, Lord, I want to invite you to pray this simple prayer with me right now from the deepest part of your heart. Just say this. Dear Heavenly Father, I know I'm a sinner, and I just know I really need your forgiveness.I've tried to do this on my own, Lord, and I just can't do it. I believe with all my heart that Jesus Christ is your son. And I believe in all my heart that he died on the cross for my sins.And I believe in all my heart that you powerfully raised him from the dead. And Lord, right now I confess my sins to you right at this moment. And I just humbly ask you to come into my life.I give you my life today, Lord, completely. I'm not holding back at all. I give it to you completely. I choose to follow you, Jesus, as my Lord and as my Savior, starting now and forever.Thank you for your amazing love and for your precious gift of eternal life. Amen.Hey, listen, if you prayed that prayer, or maybe you're just thinking about it, please know this, friend, that heaven is celebrating your decision right now. There is a joyous celebration going on in heaven that someone else has taken on the life of Christ.Because truth is, if you prayed that prayer, you're now a loved child of God and your real wealth is safe with him. And it's safe with him forever. I just encourage you share this decision with a trusted Christian friend or maybe a pastor.Or here's another thing you can do. You can reach out to us at our website to give you a website address. Truth unveiled with Ralph.com decision because I'd love to hear from you.I'd like to help you figure out your next steps in faith, that of finding a good Bible believing church. That's super important for you to grow in Christ because this is just the first step.But I want you to grow in Christ and if you're finding value in this show, I want you to consider sharing it with someone. There's so many people who are stuck in a belief structure rooting in King Day's culture who need to understand the timeless wisdom of the Bible.So do me a favor and simply share the show with them. You can send them an email, maybe a text, or bring it up in your small group. Just simply a link to our website.That's Truth unveiled with Ralph.com Again, that's Truth unveiled with Ralph.com I just want to thank you for joining me on Truth Unveiled with Ralph.May God abundantly bless you, my dear friend, as you live for him in every area of your life, finding peace in his presence and trusting in his faithful care. And I want to encourage you join me next week as we keep unveiling God's truth in a world full of questions.So until then, walk in faith, learn in wisdom, and live confident in Christ. God bless you and I hope to see you again next week for another episode of Truth Unveiled. Have a great day.