Biblical and modern history provide many accounts of outstanding individuals from Abraham of old to Alexander Graham Bell, who attribute their worldly success to their belief in God. What relationship, if any, is there between your belief in a higher power and your success as a trader? Is it possible for you to enhance your trading results by embracing faith in a higher power? Lets explore a few thoughts on this topic.

Where Does Wealth Come From?
If you are a student of the Bible, then you perhaps are familiar with the verse that states that God gives the ability to get wealth. Deuteronomy 8:18. According to Psalm 24:1, The earth is the Lord's, and the fullness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein. The implication here is that everything on earth, including wealth, belongs to God. The Jewish king, David, acknowledges his dependence on God for his sustenance by declaring, I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills from whence cometh my help, my help cometh from the Lord which made heaven and earth, Psalms 121:1-2.

How Do I Access Help From God?
Ellen White, an early 19th Century writer once said that prayer is the key that unlocks Heavens storehouse. But wait.What is prayer? Good question. Prayer has been described as the way man talks to God both in thanksgiving and in petition for his needs. Imagineno emails, no long distance phone calls or overnight couriers necessary. Just fall on your knees or look up to heaven and start talking to God.

What Do I Ask For?
Matthew 7:7 seems to answer this question in an open-ended but straight-forward way. It simply states, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: Well, before you run to God with your billion-dollar requests, notice the restraint that James 4:2-3 NIV seems to put on our petitions: You do not have, because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures. Many wealthy entrepreneurs have made giving to worthwhile causes and less fortunate individuals part of their wealth plan. Super investor Warren Buffet recently made headlines when he turned over $85 Billion to the Bill and Malinda Gates Foundation for charitable and humanitarian purposes. Try the universal law of giving to enhance your bottom line.

Will I Get Rich If I Just Pray Or Even Not Pray?
Even the Bible states that, Faith without works is dead. James 2:20. So there has to be a work ethic to back up all that faith you manage to muster up. You may have noticed also that a lot of seemingly evil or faithless people also get rich. King David addressed this issue in Psalm 37:7 when he said, Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass. When concluding his famous Sermon On the Mount, Jesus said to his followers, That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. Matthew 5:45. The conclusion to be drawn is that God blesses whomsoever He desires to bless. Leave the equity of the matter to Him.

Putting It All Together
Have a belief system. Dont just rely on your faith. Get properly educated, form a trading plan and be a disciplined trader. Incorporate your trading plan into your belief system. Talk to God daily, inviting Him into your life and into your trading activities. Pray, believing that he will do what you ask. Have the right motives for your desire for profits and riches. Give to worthwhile causes and the poor. Do not give merely to receive, but give because it is the right thing to do and the blessings will surely follow. Enjoy a life of charity and service to others. Supporting the proposition that it is more blessed to give than to receive, Saint Francis of Assisi wrote, . . . it is in giving that we receive. Giving most certainly is the very best of rewards.

Sandy Robinson, J.D., Copyright 2007