In Numbers 13 and 14 we read about 10 spies that Moses sent into Canaan to scope out the land.  The spies were sent to report back to the Israelites what kind of a land Canaan was and what kind of people lived there.  Interestingly enough, there were two reports brought back to Moses.  Eight out of the 10 spies said, “We can’t attack those people; they are stonger than we are.”  Two of the 10, Caleb and Joshua, said, “We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it.”

How can 10 spies see the same land and bring a divided report?  The answer is that Caleb and Joshua were looking at Canaan from God’s prospective and the other 8 were looking at the land throught their own eyes, a human prospective.  Don’t we look at our finances the same way, from a human prospective?  We often times look at our heap of bills, obligations and lack from our own prospective, not God’s.

The word prospective means “that is looked forward to as likely or promised; probable; expected”.  What does prospective have to do with our finances?  After all, you may think that the money we bring in and the money we spend is just a matter of living and not so much a matter of something we can choose to change.  Well, in our own strength (or from our own prospective) that can be very true.  But if we remember that God is looking at our finances from His prospective and He is our ever present help we can realize what is likely to occur or promised, probable or expected.  Then we can have a VERY different report on our financial condition.

When Joshua and Caleb went to scout Canaan, they brought back fruit from the land.  They could tangibly hold evidence of provision in their hands.  Can we not do the same thing when we look at our checkbook?  Try to point to fruit that has been produced as a result of a good financial decision or by giving to ministries that further the Kingdom of God or helping a friend in need.  Fruit in our finances is evidence of God’s blessing.  Take a moment to assess what fruit is in your finances.  Are you supporting a family or raising children by providing for them?  Thank God for the fruit of your labor.  Are you generous to the needy?  Are you faithful in tithing?  Are you making sound, wise financial decisions? 

Some times we look at our financial picture as the other eight spies whose prospective stemmed from their vantage point.  Their report to Moses was, “The land we explored devours those living in it.  All the people we saw there are of great size.”  In other words, the other eight spies concentrated on giants and what they could not conquer in their own power.  Some times looking at our finances seems as though we’re staring into the face of a giant.  Maybe large debt looms or economic uncertaintly seems too huge to overcome or the cost of living keeps increasing faster than the increase in the paycheck.  Remember to change your prospective.  Think about what is probable or expected when you look at your finances from God’s prospective.  Exchange your report for a report from God that says you CAN possess the land of milk and honey.  A land of no debt, financial freedom and generosity.  Ask God how to change your report for His.

Take a close look at your land Flowing with Milk and Honey and choose to be like Caleb and Joshua and look at the probable and likely to be expected as you exchange your prospective for God’s.