A recent edition of Time Magazine covered the ongoing debate between Christians regarding whether it's "God's will" for you to prosper or be impoverished. With Your Best Life Now by Pentecostal minister Joel Olsteen topping the charts at over 4 million copies, many fundamental Christians are up in arms. Olsteen states that "God wants you to prosper in all areas of life" while some evangelicals like the bestselling author of The Purpose Driven Life, fellow mega-pastor Rick Warren, finds the very basis of prosperity "laughable." "This idea that God wants everyone to be wealthy?" says Warren. "There is a word for that: baloney." So, with each side of the house throwing philosophical and biblical rocks at each other, the question for us to ponder is, "which is right?" The answer... Both. Understanding the fundamentals of consciousness, as well as the laws of the Universe, "God" wants whatever you want. No more, no less. James Fowler of Harvard School of Divinity conducted exhaustive research regarding the individual's "god model." In other words, how we each define the Creative Source. His research found conclusively that God didn't "create us in His own image." In fact, he found that we create God in our own image. According to Fowler, as we grow and expand, so does our opinion of God. Case in point, compare the God of the Old Testament with the God of the New Testament. In the Old Testament, God is vengeful, jealous and temperamental. While in the New Testament, He does a 180 and becomes a loving, caring Father. Obviously, these two books were written several hundreds of years apart, allowing for several hundred years of evolution. I submit that the differences are not as much a product of the teacher per se as they are a product of the consciousness level of mankind as well as the teacher. Nobel Prize-winning neuroscientist Karl Pribram's research proved that everything we observe or perceive about the world is nothing more than a projection of our own consciousness. Dr. Fowler's work proves that as an individual expands his or her consciousness, their model of the Creative Source expands accordingly. Hence, the idea of God being temperamental, vengeful and jealous will have some in today's world think, "I better walk the line or I'm going to get punished." While others may think, "Why would I choose to worship someone who has no more emotional mastery than I do?" A potentially higher level of understanding is that "the Great Guy in the Sky" is nothing more than a projection of the limited mind of humankind attempting to understand the understandable. To anthropomorphize (or to turn into a person) God is acceptable to a degree because it helps us give the ineffable a relatable mental construct. But to hold this anthropomorphic figure as "ultimate reality" is limited. What does God want for you? Whatever you project He/She/It wants. God's will is your will. Now, I realize that this may seem outrageous, arguable and even heretical to many, and that's okay. But I encourage you to at least consider that the Christian prophet stated, "I and the Father (Creator) are one." This is the statement of an evolved and expanded consciousness, versus the one-time revelation and actualization of a dead prophet. If this pushes your buttons, then please remember that all great traditions, including Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Islam and Christianity, tell us that we are created in God's image. The more you own it, the more you are it. Quantum physics proves that we create and attract whatever is the focus of our attention. If you focus your energy and attention on poverty and make it righteous, that's how it is in your world. Conversely, if you focus your energy and attention on prosperity, more of that energy will flow to you. It's your choice. Many of the ultra-traditional variety like to quote Matthew 6:19-21 where Jesus states, "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on Earth... but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven. For where your treasure is, there your heart is also." If you agree with that potentially limited logic, here's some food for thought: The word "heaven" comes from the original Greek meaning "expansion." Furthermore, Jesus also stated, "The kingdom of heaven is within." Nowhere in his teachings does he ever promise the "condo on a cloud" that has been so popularized by traditional thought. Following this through, if heaven is expansion and it's within, then his advocacy in Matthew is not a divorce from the joys of Earth but rather a lesson in the focus of our primary attention. Written in current vernacular, the teaching may read: "Don't place your primary focus of attention in Earth (the world outside yourself). Rather, place your focus on the internal world within of expanding consciousness (heaven). For where your primary focus is resides your primary love (heart)." This may give new meaning to the advocacy of St. Paul of the same tradition who stated, "Be transformed (moved beyond current form) by the renewing of your mind (redirection of attention and love)." Is it possible that as we evolve and expand our wisdom and understanding, we are truly transformed not only spiritually... but mentally, emotionally, physically and financially? I submit that as long as we place our primary attention on our own evolution and growth, we can still be comfortable and enjoy the pleasures of Earth in the process... This can be God's will or not... it's up to you and what you're prepared to embrace. And if that doesn't work for you, that's okay and respectable as well. By and large, we've taken quantum leaps in our technology, and yet only baby steps in our spiritual understanding. While many in our own country, as well as cross-culturally, still argue over the "rightness" or "wrongness" of each others "gods," maybe some of us can step out of that sandbox altogether. The key to leaving the sandbox is not to judge the rightness or wrongness of the sandbox we left. For as we judge, we merely play the same game in a different box. The key is to appreciate each game for what it is, and to recognize that all games have a time and place in the grand scheme. With this broadening of focus, you can choose whichever path is going to most rapidly and harmoniously advance your own expansion/heaven... And you can joyously allow all others to do the same. To your wealth and happiness,
James Arthur Ray
President/CEO
James Ray International Labels: god, message, prosperity | 
It is a sin to be poor.
There are great points in this post about wealth being a multi-faceted thing. But the above comment speaks to age old knee-jerk stereotypes about the poor. Suggesting that poor people have crappy relationships, are stupid and in ill health is offensive to the majority of the world's populace. MOST of the world subsists on less than $1 a day. For those of us who work with the homeless and the working poor, stereotypes like these are damaging and lead people to spend more time worrying about their personal wealth than the health of the community at large. There are larger paradigms at work here than individual responsibility. I would suggest that the author note the Pulitizer prize winning novel, "The Working Poor" by David K. Shipler for a balanced discussion on personal and collective responsibility.
We are a part of the whole. Offering blanket stereotypes about the majority of the earth's inhabitants damages not only those who live on less than $1 each day, but on those of us who have material abundance. Wealth is not an indication of health, relationships or intellect (visit Los Angeles for evidence!). Nor is poverty. Such a simplistic approach is intellectually irresponsible.
It's wonderful to support and empower people people in living in true abundance. However, it is socially irresponsible to label the majority of the world so negatively because they do not fit Western paradigms of material wealth.
I don't believe there is anything damaging about giving "hope" and to my mind there was no suggestion of stereotypes created through financial poverty. He endorses the fact that EVERYONE has an equal opportunity to use their thoughts and actions to create happiness within. As for suggesting that Mr Ray is socially irresponsible.... like me, you "Chose" to read this article.. Nobody made you continue and arouse anger towards it. Which supports all his beliefs.. That thoughts create our reality. The energy we waste on being angry and judgemental can be far better employed in creating balance in our lives for ourselves and others which will ultimately lead us all towards harmonic wealth.
Your words are an inspiration and confirmation that my Heavenly Father - provides for me in abundance completely. For those who can take what you like and leave the rest. For who cannot or chose to write about the poor - attempting to fit the Atlantic Ocean into your thimble sized thinking may be the issue or not.
Your massage speaks huge volumes of modern day reality of steroetypes who believe poverty is a gate way to heaven.My kid sister discusing with her just yesterday told me how rich people like Bill Gate have sleepless nights because of money and ahvances all reasons why she believes mediocracy is the best option for humanity.Worst of it all is that these philosophies are perpetuated by "born again christians"like my sister.But on the other hand i thank God for teachers like you who bring the reality from a biblical perspective about God abundant life in all areas.
Thanks soo much James and i am looking forward to seeing you in one of your events in my area.
GOD BLESS.
Your work is an inspiration that it can be done. I have a similar problem to yours. I am unable to keep the material wealth I acquire. I can not tell you how many times I have had to start all over again. I am in one of those moments.
I hope I can resolve it in your workshop.Thank you