Over the years, I have. . .sadly. . .had a large number of people talk to me. . .with tears in their eyes. . .about how they lost everything they owned because of bad advice from well-meaning friends and or family members..

Couples who got in on the ground floor of a ‘can’t miss’. . .explosive money-making opportunity. . .at the urging of a family member or friend. . .only to watch the company go belly up. . .and their money disappear faster than an ice cube in hot tea on a summer’s day.

Dreamers who were robbed of their dreams by the doubts of someone who’s biggest decision is whether to have next Saturday’s breakfast at iHop or Cracker Barrel.

Listening to the wrong people. . .give unwise advice.

I could go on. . .with other sad stories I’ve heard. . .but let’s move on with seven reasons to not to take their word for it.

First, when I say don’t take their word for it. . .let me clarify who ‘they’ are.

When you wake up in the morning. . .what are you thinking about?

Be mindful of Proverbs 23:7 in the New King James Version:

“For as he thinks in his heart, so is he ….”

We decide how and what we want to think about and our thinking habits make up who we are.

Do you ever wonder what winners think about?

Here are seven things that you should think about today if you are seeking to have a winner’s mentality. It’s also a great way to have the best day possible.

1.      Wisdom

One of the favorite scriptures of my wisdom mentor and dear friend Dr. Mike Murdock is Proverbs 4:7 which in the Amplified Bible says:

There are 64 times in just the King James Version of the Bible that the word blessing is used. The word bless appears 463 times. It is obviously a word God likes to use.

A blessing is something we all enjoy receiving from God. It’s also what we are called to do and be to others.

Yet when you look around today there is a something that touches lives everywhere even in Christian circles.

I call it “blessing abuse” or the sin of ingratitude.

When we forget who brought us to the dance. . .when we forget who has delivered us out of trouble. . .time after time. . .who has answered our prayers and blessed us daily. . .who healed our bodies. . .lifted us up when we thought we were sinking.

We have abused the blessings that God has given us by a lack of appreciation, recognition or a forgetful memory.

This is why I was led to teach Deuteronomy 8:10-18 which reveals an amazing progression for those wanting to be used by God while manifesting the power to get wealth.

Here are seven wealth-accumulating, life-changing verses found in Deuteronomy 8.

The first life-changing verse is Deuteronomy 8:10 in The Living Bible which says:

I’ve written about purpose dozens of times. . .but I feel impressed to discuss it again. . .from a little different perspective.

Dictionary.com defines purpose as:

1. the reason for which something exists or is done, made, used, etc.
2. an intended or desired result; end; aim; goal.

God Has A Purpose For Your Life.

Say it out loud: GOD HAS A PURPOSE FOR MY LIFE….personalize and write it down.

Without your purpose identified firmly in your mind, you will wander through life, never quite feeling that you’re “in the flow.”

And let me be clear, your PURPOSE may have nothing to do with how you make money (your job)…because you can make MONEY in many ways that may not be directly related to your purpose….although you can still glorify God while doing your job.

Purpose gives meaning to WHY you’re doing what you’re doing.

You would be amazed at how many times I’ve heard someone say:

“If I could just meet the right people or make contact with someone who could help me.”

I have a revelation for you. . .unless you step out of your comfort zone. . .you’re not going to meet the right people.

Here are seven keys on building an effective team.

1.      Expect to build strong friendships.

You may be involved in social media where relationships are reduced to a lot of online communication, but daily you still run into real people. Do you capitalize on the encounters?

Do you expect to make new friends wherever you go? You can’t treat the people you meet like Facebook. You need to maximize the opportunities God gives you.

Expectation always leads to manifestation.

Here’s a ten-step formula to developing new friendships.

Recently, I was watching one of my favorite John Wayne movies entitled “Big Jake.” The Duke as he was known was my favorite movie star during my formative years. He was always the good guy. The one who stood for what was right. . .regardless of the consequence.

My three favorite John Wayne quotes are:

# 1    “Life is tough, but it's tougher when you're stupid.”

# 2    “Courage is being scared to death…but saddling up anyway.”

# 3    “Tomorrow is the most important thing in life. Comes into us at midnight very clean. It's perfect when it arrives and it puts itself in our hands. It hopes we've learned something from yesterday.”

John Wayne won his only Oscar in 1969 for the movie “True Grit.” There’s a point in the movie where 14 year-old Mattie Ross says to Marshal Rooster Cogburn (John Wayne) “They tell me you are a man with true grit.”

Dictionary.com defines true grit as:

“firmness of character; indomitable spirit”

The best definition I’ve ever heard of grit is:

It’s one thing to think about what you want to do. It’s another thing to speak about what you plan to do.

But, it’s an entirely different matter to act on what you’ve been thinking and speaking about doing.

One evening, after a particularly long day. . .I came across James 1:22-24 in the Message Bible which says:

“Don't fool yourself into thinking that you are a listener when you are anything but, letting the Word go in one ear and out the other. Act on what you hear! Those who hear and don't act are like those who glance in the mirror, walk away, and two minutes later have no idea who they are, what they look like.”

I was struck by five words in this passage of scripture when it says:

ACT ON WHAT YOU HEAR!

Even before the Lord dropped Rich Thoughts into my spirit nearly twelve years ago, I’ve always considered myself a Rich Thinker. . .someone who acted on what they believed.

As I was reflecting on this. . .the Lord directed me to challenge us to think differently.

Action Step #1   Start with Rich Thoughts.

Do you feel like shouting?   You will after reading Deuteronomy 28:12-13 in the Amplified Bible which says:

“The Lord shall open to you His good treasury, the heavens, to give the rain of your land in its season and to bless all the work of your hands; and you shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow.  And the Lord shall make you the head, and not the tail; and you shall be above only, and you shall not be beneath, if you heed the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you this day and are watchful to do them.”

These two verses contain seven priceless benefits. . .giving you unlimited access to an open heaven.

This unlimited access is available to every believer who follows two simple instructions.  A hint: they are found in the last sentence of the verse above.  Here are the seven priceless benefits.

1.      You have unlimited access to the treasures of heaven.

Let me put it another way. . .your heavenly treasure has more wealth than King Solomon, King Midas and the world’s 2,208 billionaires combined and tripled.  In fact, all that accumulated wealth would just be chump change when compared to the treasury in heaven to which you have unlimited access.

As I started writing this teaching. . .I was led to Genesis 28:12 which says:

1 Corinthians 15:20-22 says:

“But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept. For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.”

As I was meditating on this scripture. . .I felt the Lord leading me to write on this passage. At first, I wasn’t sure exactly what he wanted me to write about.

Did He want me to write about how Resurrection Sunday should be celebrated 52 weeks a year?

Did God want me to remind everyone that He is the greatest giver? That He gave us His only begotten Son that we might have eternal life?

Did He want me to remind everyone that He allowed the birth, life, death, crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus because “. . . He is the first of a great harvest of all who have died”as it says in 1 Corinthians 15:20 (NLT).

But then, at His urging, I looked up the words “. . .in Christ shall all be made alive”in the Strong’s Concordance.

What does it mean to be alive? Is it just the opposite of being dead? Absolutely not, it’s so much more.

According to the Random House Dictionary the primary definition for alive is:

Have you ever had a cell phone, iPad, computer or other electronic toy wear down or out?

When this occurs you can often send the electronic gizmo back to the manufacturer where it will be refurbished according to the manufacturer’s specifications. . .making it as good as new. . .at least, according to them.

Sometimes we need to be mentally and spiritually refurbished. . .going us back to our manufacturer. . .our Creator. . .for a makeover. . .do over or get over. . .whichever is more appropriate and needed.

If you have renovated an older house you know. . .it’s a process of changing those things that need renovation.

You replace the old flooring with a new more updated look and style.

You replace the old electrical wiring with new. . .to eliminate static interference with your new electronics or prevent a fire hazard.

You replace the outdated exterior and interior wall colors with new vibrant colors and textures.

You replace the old appliances and furniture with new. . .to reflect in changes in time and your taste.

The same parallel is true when we renew our minds.