Five Keys to Success

1. Put God first

“No one can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammom. Therefore I say to you, do not worry 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? For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the Kingdom of God’s righteousness, and all these things shall be added to. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things.” (Matthew 6:24-25, 32-34.)

It is pretty clear to me that we have a choice to make in life; serve God or serve money. God is not our servant to supply us with money and things every time we cry out and beg Him to do so. What is required is for our hearts to change. He is not our servant but rather we are his children. Yes there are times in our lives when we will experience hunger, pain and poverty, but if we are seeking God and following Him first, those times will fade away. God knows what we need. The promise in Matthew six is that if we seek Him first He will see what need and He will be there for us, at the right time which is on His schedule not ours. We simply need to trust him.

2. Make a covenant with Him

Everyone of us who is born again has entered into a covenant agreement with them. He is our father and we are his children. When we submit to Him, in this covenant agreement He provides for our needs, teaches us, guides us, helps us move forward and prevail through difficult times. It is however up to us to obey his commandments in return in order to see all His provision come to fruition. When we break the covenant through disobedience, rebellion, unbelief, forgetting God or hidden sin, we bring peril to our own success.

3. Seek strategies from God to reach your goals

God expects us plan our lives using the Spiritual Gifts that He has blest us with. In Philippians 3, Paul tells us that we are pressing ahead reaching for our goal of godly success and forgetting those things that are in the past. In doing so we lay up treasures in the Kingdom for our life here on earth as well as internal. By seeking God and asking Him, He will give us pieces of the strategy along the way. We must follow His strategy in the obedience to Him.

4. Live in Christ

To live for Christ and to honour Him in all that we do will bring us ultimate success and prosperity, whether we live or die. Joshua 1:8 says, “meditate on the Word day and night and then you will be prosperous”.

5. Return to Him, and Give your way into freedom

The word “tithe” means 10%. Return to God 10% of your gross income, (He owns it, you don’t) then make offerings and gifts to support the Kingdom of God. His whole supernatural economy is based upon seed time and harvest. Plant seeds of every kind, not just financial, and prepare yourself to receive his blessing.

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Wealth of the Businessman

As an entrepreneur for over thirty years I am well aware of the fact that the businessman is looking for a return on everything he does; whether it be a return on time, labour, resources or money. That is just the way a businessman thinks; it is the way God made him.

As I look at the billions of dollars that well meaning governments and charities have given in foreign aid to third world countries, I can’t help but see that so much of it has been wasted and the rest has not accomplished too much as the problems are still there. What kind of a return is that? No wonder some people are tired of the endless demands for funds from charities. What people want is results; a return on their investment.

A few years ago, Bill Bright the founder of Campus Crusade for Christ developed what is now known as the Seven Cultural Mountains of influence in society. (government, education, media, arts and entertainment, religion, family, and business). God gave Adam dominion over the entire plant which included these seven mountains. The church has been charged with the responsibility of having dominion over these Seven Cultural Mountains. However, it has failed miserably. Consequently we now have a lost culture and the Kingdom of God cannot be advanced. How did this happen? The Christian church is guilty of three things which contributed to the loss of power and influence resulting in the degradation of society:

  1. Disobedience (Deuteronomy chapter 8 and Chapter 18 – idols)
  2. The church teaches salvation but does not keep teach Kingdom authority and dominion
  3. The church has historically had a biblical view of work and ministry, but no longer. Only 19% of Christians hold a biblical view of the world.

Along with the degradation of society has come the inability of the church and the world to solve world problems like famine, sickness, disease, war, crime, etc. Billions of people suffer daily from a lack of adequate food, water, shelter, clothing, employment, and sanitation. Yet, the world is some areas like North America and Europe remain enormously wealthy.

Of the Seven Cultural Mountains in society, it is business that influences all the rest because this is where the money is, and money is the engine or fuel for everything else. The church has still not come to terms with the fact that money is not evil, wrong or a sign of greed. The bible says that people will never listen to a poor man but only to a rich man because the rich man has influence; a poor man does not.

Who has the money and wealth of the world? Three goups: governments, who get theirs by stealing it in the form of taxes, criminals, terroristist, and war-mongers; and the businessman. Of the three it is only the businessman that has the ability to solve problems. Give a problem to an entrepreneur and he will solve it. That creates wealth and Christian dominated wealth is what solves the world’s problems.

Ephesians chapter two says that the church is to be built upon the foundations of apostles and prophets. However, such is not usually the case; churches are established and built by pastors. Although pastors are needed and very anointed, they are not skilled at the visionary process of building a church; not unlike a business. (Jesus said that He was about His Father’s “business”; He did not say “ministry.”)

Pastors have a gifting of looking after people, not necessarily solving their problems which is what the apostle does. Consequently, pastor founded churches tend to be “mercy-driven” as apposed to “Kingdom-driven.” A Kingdom based and driven church, by that of an apostle, can influence the businessman who inturn influences the Business Cultural Mountain, which in turn influences, changes, and dominates the other six Cultural Mountains for the purpose of building the Kingdom of God. As long as churches are headed by pastors with mercy-driven agendas, they will be “feeding a man for day.” The next day, the man needs to be feed again. The apostles will with the businessman teach the man how to feed himself. That is what a micro-loan can do.

So how do we as business people receive a return on our investment, take our influence and solve the worlds problems by making money and then plowing it into people and countries in need? The best opportunity that I have seen is “micro-loans.” Millions of people in third world countries live in a world of subsistence living. Each day is a struggle and a challenge to find food, water, cooking fuel, a job etc. yet, if they had a small helping hand, they could easily overcome this and be on their way to self-sufficiency and a start to personal wealth. A micro-loan can be and often is, that small helping hand that changes peoples lives forever.

Perhaps the best example of the success of micro-loans is found in an organization called “Kiva” (kiva.org). How does it work? Simple. Business people lend a small amount of money, even as low as $100. The money is lent to a third party who then starts a business. How do you start a business with only $100? Not in a first world nation, but in a third world nation, a hundred dollars can buy a sewing machine for example and start a single mother on her way to making a living and providing for her family. A hundred dollars can buy a popcorn machine and start a man on his way to entrepreneurship. After a few months, the loan is paid back and the money is reused for another loan. A micro-loan is literally the “gift that keeps on giving.” What is the default rate? Only about 10%. I don’t know of a better rate of return than this idea!

Micro-loans combined with businessmen that are willing to instruct people in the basics of business can literally change a nation by advancing its people from subsistence living to personal growth, development, eventually lifting them out of systemic poverty.

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The Classification of Spiritual Gifts

A number of years ago I was taking a course taught by my personal mentor Dr. C. Peter Wagner. Peter made a comment about the term “fivefold ministry”. He says the term has a tendency to make people that don’t have one of the five Gifts feel like a second-class Christian. I full heartedly agreed.

It is interesting how the church seems to go through different cycles and patterns. The last 15 years we have always heard this term the “fivefold ministry”. What if you don’t have any of those five gifts? Does that mean you can never go in the ministry? Does that mean if you don’t have one of the five you are not a full-fledged Christian? The term or expression “five fold ministry” is not in the Bible. Yes it does mention the five gifts in a row but it never refers to them as a “ministry”. I sat down with my college dean one day and expressed my opinion and he fully agreed. However, he said that you could classify the different gifts under the five separate headings. I proceeded to take out a piece of paper and wrote down the headings as we together determined the classifications.

Personally, my strongest gift is the Gift of Administration. In my capacity as an administrator, what am I really doing? I’m helping others to get them, or businesses, or ministries organized and running more efficiently. In a sense, I’m helping them which makes me a pastor. Therefore the Gift of Administration falls under the classification of Pastor.

What does an evangelist need? Healing and miracles to prove to the unsaved the power of God so that he can evangelize them into the Kingdom. Therefore people that have Gifts of Faith or Healing or Miracles follow under the category of evangelist.

Below is the list that my bible college dean and I constructed. I showed Peter Wagner and although he did not disagree with it, he did not see the relevance. It took me a while to figure out where he was going with his line of thought, but eventually I saw his point.

Peter is a teacher of “new wineskins” not “old wineskins”. In his opinion the “fivefold ministry” is an “old wineskin” much like ordination is in his opinion. He believes the new wineskin is all spiritual gifts working in unison and instead of ordination “commissioning” is the new wineskin (remember, Jesus never went to bible school or was ordained, but was commissioned by His Father).

After praying about this I came to conclusion that Peter was absolutely right. In spite of my attempts to make myself and others feel better about not being second-class Christians because we don’t fall under the fivefold ministry category, what I was really doing was floundering around in an old wineskin. However as Peter has said, there is not necessarily anything wrong with an old wineskin. Further he has stated that there will always be people that will hang on to the traditional ways of doing things which is in that wineskin. Personally I’m not one that wants to be in the old wineskin (neither does Peter); I like following the new wineskin. However I am cognizant of the fact that others will stay in the old wineskin.

That being the case, this classification does serve its purpose.

The Five Main Gifts

Apostle Prophet Evangelist Teacher Pastor
Apostle Prophet Evangelist Teacher Pastor
Leadership Discernment Faith Wisdom Administration
Giving Exhortation Miracles Knowledge Hospitatlity
Celibacy Intercessor Healing Mercy Service & Help
  Tongues  & Interpretations Missionary   Worship
    Deliverance   Poverty (voluntary)

Have you not completed a spiritual Gifts Test? You can find them on Google, but I think Peter Wagners is the best.

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Prosperity – Part 2 of 2

Another concept that is difficult for the simple human mind to comprehend is supernatural debt cancellation. However, just like supernatural blessing, God can perform supernatural debt cancellation as well by doing one of three things:

1. He provides the finances

Examples: Elisha told the woman to sell the olive oil in her clay jugs after they had been supernaturally filled; Simon was not getting a lot of fish until Jesus told him where to drop his nets; taxes owed were paid for by a coin in a fish’s mouth

2. He removes the debt

Examples: Nehemiah cancelled the debts of the poor jews; the King forgave his servant of the 10,000 talents

3. He moves upon others

Examples: The good Samaritan paid for the needs of another; Paul promised to pay in full the wrongs of another person (Philemon 18-19.) We must remember when we refer to others helping us out that it is God that moves upon a person to help someone else. We are not to move another person for our benefit. Faith puts no pressure on others, faith puts pressure on the Word because faith says that “God is my source.”

Just like the world has banks, God has a heavenly bank. His however, has no debt and does not give loans (which would be debt.) God’s bank operates strictly as place of deposit and withdrawal. We “deposit” by tithing, investing in th gospel, giving to the poor, and giving praise to God. Here is a 7-point Bank of Heaven Withdrawal:

  1. Decide on what you need (James 1:5-8) Be exact, single minded about it, and write it down.
  2. Get into agreement with people of like faith (Mathew 18: 19-20)
  3. Claim what you need by faith (Mark 11:23-24)
  4. Bind the devil and his forces (Matt. 18:18)
  5. Loose the angels to get it (Heb. 1:4)
  6. Continually praise Go for it (Ps. 34:1)
  7. Avoid strife and unforgiveness (James 3:16, Mark 11:25 – 26)

One of the reasons people don’t get a big enough harvest, is that they don’t call it in. God provides the seed, man does the planting, God makes the increase, but man has to do the harvesting! In the case of a farmer and his crop, that means operating a combine. In the case of money, it means activating faith and using words to call it in. That is simply because our mouths harvest what we say. Additionally, we are to command the angels to go and get the harvest as stated in Hebrews 1:14; “Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?”

Christianity is known as the “great confession.” In fact the whole basis of our faith is confession. It started right in Genesis chapter one where God “said” and as a result of that, His words created the world. God said He would look after the heavens, and then Jesus said that He had given us all power and authority on the Earth. That power comes through faith and is activated by words. If we don’t call in our harvest, we don’t get one…..

Five vital Truths about Words

  1. There is nothing in this earth so great or so powerful, including the physical body, that cannot be turned around by our words. We can turn around any situation with our words.
  2. The entire course of nature and the circumstances surrounding every human being are controlled by that person’s words.
  3. We don’t have a choice whether or not we live by words. We do, however, have a choice of what words we live by.
  4. If your mouth will feed your heart the word of faith when you don’t need it – your heart will feed your mouth the word of faith when you do need it.
  5. We appropriate what is ours in Christ by making God’s Word a daily part of our vocabulary. We are to confess what we can do in Christ, who we are in Christ, and what we have in Christ.

Proverbs 22:17 – 18 (AMP) says, “Listen (consent and submit) to the words of the wise, and apply your mind to My knowledge; for it will be pleasant if you keep them in your mind (believing them); your lips will be accustomed to (confessing) them.

Isaiah 58:13 says, “Don’t speak your own words.”

  1. Words are God’s method of operation by which He accomplishes His will, purpose and desires.
  2. Words set spiritual laws in motion; The Law of Sin and Death and The Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus.
  3. Words are the most important things in the universe. Faith filled words will put you over; fear filled words will defeat you.
  4. Words are spiritual containers that carry power. They will either carry love and faith or hate and fear.
  5. Words are seeds sown with your mouth that produce after the own kind.
  6. Words are the process starters of life.
  7. Words are the building blocks with which you construct your life and future.
  8. Words have creative ability. They create the realities you see. God’s Word, the incorruptible seed, has within it the ability and DNA to cause itself to come to pass.
  9. Words program the human spirit for success or failure.
  10. Words of God, conceived in the heart, spoken out the mouth become a spiritual force that release faith which is the creative ability of God.
  11. Words establish strongholds, break habits, change things, redirect thought patterns.
  12. Words point you in whatever direction they are aimed at and released.
  13. Words set the course of your life.
  14. Words determine your future, your health, your wealth and your place in eternity – you are the prophet of your own life.
  15. Words arrive at your future before you do.
  16. Words create desires and transmit images that you will eventually live out.
  17. Words give permission and license to spiritual forces to work for you or against you.
  18. Words are our method of operation, by which God accomplished His will, purpose and desire for our lives.

What it will take to prosper in the famine times – total immersion

The attack on the mind in today’s world is immense. How can we be in this world but not part of it? The bible tells us to not be conformed to this world. In other words, don’t be so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. We must be transformed by the renewing of our minds. How do we do that? Isaiah 26:3 says, “thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on thee, because he trusts in thee.” Psalm 1:1-3 is the principle of total immersion. “Blessed is the man that walks not in the counsel the thee ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in His law does he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, and bring forth fruit in his season: his leaf also shall not whither: and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.”

Total transformation in your thinking comes from total immersion in God’s Word. By constantly immersing yourself in God’s Word, you will flush out all fear of failure and become rooted in the truth of your prosperity. Joshua 1:8 says, “meditate on the Word day and night and then you will be will be prosperous.”

Living Debt Free

There are several steps to living debt free:

  1. Seek first the Kingdom of God.
  2. Owe no man any thing except to love him in Christ.
  3. Make a decision to live debt free. (do the natural things like destroying credit cards, consolidating debts, reducing monthly payments and interest rates etc.)
  4. Keep tithing and planting seeds

The Grace of Giving

We must remember to give; give generously and not sparingly or with a grudge. “Remember this; he who sows sparingly and grudgingly will also reap sparingly and grudgingly, and he who sows generously will also reap generously and with blessings.” 2Cor. 9:6 We must also give from the heart and not from our head! We must also give cheerfully.

AMP “God is able to make all grace (every favour and earthly blessings) come to you in abundance, so that you may always and under all circumstances and whatever the need be self-sufficient (possessing enough to require no aid or support and furnish in abundance) for every good work and charitable donation.”

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Prosperity – Part 1 of 2

God wants you to prosper. It is not an idea that is new or open for debate although it often is by both Christians and non-Christians. The bible is soooo clear on this, I fail to understand what the issue is!

“Beloved I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prosperity.” 3 John 2. Without any further scripture, this one alone seems “cut and dried to me,” however, the book of Psalms continues with “Let the Lord be magnified, which has pleasure in the prosperity of His servant.” God not only desires for us to be prosperous, but actually takes pleasure in it! If we walk under the blessing of the Lord, which we do automatically the day we are born again, then that blessing will make us rich without sorrow. (Prov. 10 :22) God has a covenant determination to prosper us and to bless us in every way; health, happiness, financial, social and relational blessings as well. Our responsibility is to believe that and to receive it.

Prosperity is the ability to use God’s power and all that He has provided for us to meet the needs of mankind in every realm and area of life – spirit, soul and body, financially, emotionally, and relationally. As Christians we are not subject to, and do not live under the domination, rule, control, or influence of whichever way the economy and the world man-made system is going at any given moment. On the contrary, the world and the world system is under the authority of the Word of God, the blood and the Name of Jesus, when spoken and acted upon by the believer. Perhaps the greatest tragedy of the Christian life, is that many, too many, Christians do not know of the very power that is available to them for the simple acts of accepting, believing and acting upon the Word of God.

As we read in John 17: 13-22, we are separated from the world’s failing system which was established after the Tower of Babel when the world’s population was scattered around the globe. (hence the economic “system” in the worlds today is called the babylonian system.) In Galatians 1:4, God says He will deliver us from this present world, so I guess that means that we are not to be part of something that He wants us to be delivered from! Since we are not part of this system, but rather separated unto God, we are therefore put into the secret place of the most high God to flourish and prosper.

An example of flourishing in difficult times is best illustrated by Issac in the book of Genesis where it tells of a terrible famine that was plaguing the world and the economic system. It was (and still is) a dark time for those who did not know God and the covenant that He has made with all of us. Famine brings fear, uncertainly, hopelessness, and hunger. However, God said, that He would save us from death in time of famine. How did Isaac do it? By sowing, believing, trusting, and accepting. The sowing of his seed was the action part (ie. faith without works is dead.) Believing is simply that; believing that in spite of the world around us, we know that God has a covenant with us once we have accepted Him as Lord of our lives. The trusting part is to stand on the Word no matter what the circumstances are. (ie faith) The accepting part is know that what God says and does is true and therfore “it is done.” In short, prosperity even in difficult economic times is simply ones obedience to the Word and power of the living God.

The Garden of Eden was a perfect demonstration of God’s plan for this planet. Not only a “demonstration” but the actual foundation for what was supposed to be – a prototype. Adam’s job was to exercise his God given authority and expand the Garden until it encompassed the entire earth. That was what the blessing was for. It provided Adam with the power to carry on the work God began at creation. It equipped him with the divine resources he needed to follow God’s example. He was to transform the uncultivated parts of this planet into a viable and prosperous Garden of Eden by speaking faith filled words, just as God did when He made the planet. The blessing of the Lord empowered Adam to be the blessing wherever he went. The blessing was literally inside of Adam, just as it is inside of each one of us!

Adam is called “the first Adam” who unfortunately did not follow the plan, and was definitely not “with the program.” Jesus came as the “second Adam.” His purpose was to “redeem” or buy back that which was lost. (ie. the blessing) First though, God re-established His foundation of blessing through Abraham, but required him to follow all kinds of blood rituals of atonement to live under the blessing. Jesus became the atonement and the redemption fo the garden was complete in Him through His blood.

In the Book of Dueteronomy God outlines the two choices fo mankind; either be blest or don’t be! (gee, this is not rocket science!) The list of cursings that will take place if we do not obey God is over twice as long as the list of blessings that will take place if we do obey God. The blessings include:

  • All these blessings will over take you
  • God will order a blessing on your barns and workplaces
  • The Lord shall make you have a surplus of prosperity
  • The Lord will make you fertile in every good thing
  • The Lord will send rain at the proper time from His rich treasury in the heavens and will bless the work you do
  • The Lord will open the storehouse of the windows of heaven.

In short, if we are walking in the fullness of the blessing, we are over flowing with an abundant life. The role of money in our lives is very important; perhaps one of the most important factors in our lives. Money issues can be a source of stress and pressure. It (if we allow it to) controls lives, attitudes, and emotions. Some people are selfish with it, driven to make as much as they can, spend it on themselves, or worse yet, horde it! A simple way to settle these issues is to take the stand that we serve God and money serves us. The seed we plant into God’s Kingdom was designed by God to serve us. In Mark 10:17-22 we see an example of a man serving money and in Mk. 12:41 – 44, we see an example of money serving a women.

How we conduct ourselves with money is also very impotant. The love of it is the root of all evil, not the money itself. We don’t love money, we love God and like what money can do. We don’t trust money, we trust God. We are not takers of money, we are givers and use money as a tool to help others. The purpose of money is to build the Kingdom (Deut. 8:18)

The bible has numerous examples of supernatural provision, the multiplying of the boy’s bread and fish dinners being the best example. This kind of provision is foreign to man’s way of thinking and therefore difficult for many to even comprehend. However, God has supernatural ways to fully supply every need in the face of fear, shortage and a bad economy. How do we put ourselves in alignment to experience and receive supernatural provision? First we must enlarge our capacity of our own thinking.

Believe that it can happen! We must continually feed on His Word, renew our minds, and exercise our faith by calling things that be not as though they were just as Abraham did as outlined in the book of Hebrews. The Amplified bible in Ephesians 3:20 says it the best:

“Now to Him Who, by the action of His power that is at work in us, is able to carry out His purpose and do superabundantly, far over and above all that we dare ask or think infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, hopes or dreams – to Him be glory in the church….”

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Do The Jews Know More About Money Than The Christians? Yes!

As God’s chosen people, the Jew’s since the earliest of times in the Old Testament, were blest with both money and material possessions. Abraham, Isaac and Jacob were all exceptionally wealthy. The book’s seven chapters discuss the reasons for these astonishing figures listed below.

  • Jews make up only 2% of the total U.S. population, yet 45% of the top 40 of the Forbes 400 richest Americans are Jewish.
  • One third of all American multi-millionaires are Jewish
  • The percentage of Jewish households with income greater than $50,000. is double that of non-Jews.
  • On the other hand, the percentage of Jewish households with income less than $20,000. Is half that of non-Jews.
  • 20% of professors at leading universities are Jewish
  • 40% of partners in leading New York and Washington D.C. law firms are Jewish
  • 25% of all American Nobel Peace Prize winners are Jewish.

Real wealth is portable; in other words it is knowledge with neither the government can tax or take away from you. It is part of the Jewish culture that after high school a young person attends university to receive an advanced education. After W.W. II , Jewish veterans took advantage of the American GI educational program at a rate twice that of the general population. A study in 1990 found that 78 percent of Jewish males twenty-five years or older had at least some college education, compared to 42 percent for non-Jewish white males. The question for the average Jewish family is not whether you will go to college, but where you will go, and which profession you will pursue.

Although Jews have a prejudice against them for being “cheap,” truth is, that they are extremely generous and look after their own families better than non-Jewish people do. The Talmud teaches that, “you are only as wealthy as the amount you give.” Jews are taught that charity is an obligation rooted in social justice, not in love or pity for their fellow man. Interest free loans to young Jewish entrepreneurs from other Jews is a standard practice within their culture.

To succeed in business or just about any other pursuit, you’ve got to have “chutzpa.” Jews do. They even invented their word. Chutzpa – call it “verbal self-confidence” if you like – is the ability to speak up, say your piece, ask questions, make demands. This breeds self-confidence and it is by no accident that Hollywood has basically been operated by the Jews for the last century. All four of the original movie production company were Jewish founded and owned. There are dozens and dozens of top movie and T.V. personalities that are Jewish. The media as well is filled with successful Jewish people. The Jews have developed a system of money making base upon scriptural principals that far exceeds any other culture in the world. No wonder that Hitler was jealous of them!

The label of being “cheap” does not fit the average Jew. “Selectively extravagant but prudently frugal” is their motto. Interesting to note, that when Jesus fed the five thousand with the fish and bread, he asked the disciples to pick-up the left overs so “none would be wasted.” The Jews have been doing that for centuries.

In essence, the Jewish people have learned from the Old Testament what we Christians would call, “biblical economics.” They have learned their lessons well and it has gone beyond just “teaching.” These lessons are now so entrenched in the Jewish culture that what is revelation knowledge to Christians is common knowledge to the Jewish people. Financially, they are the most successful culture in the world. It is further interesting to note that less than one tenth of one percent of the males incarcerated in North America prisons are of Jewish decent.

I keep thinking that if we only did that, the church would expand and the gospel would be preached!” If you want to learn how to make money and follow God’s principles, learn what the Jews did and copy them! They study the old testament which is where most of the biblical principles are..

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You’re not broke, You have a Seed

The word “Seedtime” is very important in biblical economics. There must be a seedtime, a time to sow your seed, if you are to have a harvest. To have a financial breakthrough, you must yield to the spirit of God and allow Him to show you when it is time to plant.

Being a giver puts us in a position where things can be multiplied.

We say, “I’ll serve God, I’ll sing, I’ll pray and I’ll praise,” but when it comes down to money, we say, “I can handle this.” Or we expect God to back us up through prayer, but prayer alone cannot change our finances.

Wicked folks may go into business and make money right away, while a Christian has to pray all night trying to get a break through. Why? Because money is no good without God governing that money.

God does not want us to raise money for the church. He wants us to learn these wealth secrets – and one of these secrets is that the Holy Ghost will have to escort us through the seedtime period to get us ready for the wealth period.

We see seedtime as a sad time, when it should be a rejoicing time!

When God tells us to sow, we shouldn’t be using our condition as an excuse not to sow. Remember, seedtime is always prime time to your financial future.

The seed principle is the most powerful principle in the bible. This is because Jesus was called a “seed”. The seed is the essential element of transmitting life. The “Word” is also called a seed. You need to recognize the fact that there is life in the seed principle and, unless you can see and understand this, you won’t be able to receive the benefits from it.

To understand “ due season” we must remember four things:

  1. In due season; we shall reap if we faint not;
  2. God has a due season;
  3. his season is not our season; and
  4. we shall reap.

A person’s life depends entirely upon what he sows and not upon what he has.

Like most Christians, I have never given much thought to a seed. I have planted seeds and simply left it at that. How about you?

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Notes on Wisdom – Taken from Andy Stanleys Book, “The Principle of the Path”

“The prudent see danger and take refuge” (Prov. 27:12a)

In light of my past experience, and my future hopes and dreams, what is the wise thing to do?

“…but the simple keep going and suffer for it.” (Prov. 27:12b)

“Simple” is used interchangeably with the term naive. Most people believe that there is a connection between the choices that they make today and their future, they just don’t live as if it is. Every time you talk yourself out of doing something that you should or should not do (exercising, lie to your spouse, spending money you haven’t got) you act as if today is in no way connected to tomorrow.

What are we going to suffer? For being oblivious to the obvious.

When it dawns on us that the undesirable but ever-so-predictable outcome of own choices is bearing down on us, we move into victim mode. Christians start talking about forgiveness as if somehow forgiveness serves as an escape hatch from the outcome of bad decisions. This is when people threaten to sue or countersue. Suddenly we want a second chance. We began talking about turning over a new leaf. This is when the formerly religious start showing up in church. We are quick to remind the world that nobody is perfect. If all else fails we play the fairness card: “it’s not fair that this is happening to me!”

Ignore the signs, and pay the price. When it dawns on you that you are addicted, that’s not the time to start thinking about more accountability and increased discipline. It is too late for that. When your credit cards are full and you are afraid to check the answering machine, that’s not the time to consider developing a budget and altering your spending habits. When your spouse serves you with papers, that’s not the time to begin working on your marriage. That opportunity is in the rearview mirror.

Our greatest regrets are all our fault.

Our problem stems from the fact that we are not on a truth quest. That is, we don’t wake up every morning with a burning desire to know what’s true, what’s right, what’s honourable. We are on a happy quest. We want to be – as in “feel” – happy. Our quest for happiness often trumps our appreciation for the pursuit of what’s true.

Why do we knowingly choose paths that take us where we already decided we don’t want to go? The answer is, when we stand at a crossroads between prudent and happy, we lie to ourselves. We turn into dishonest salespeople. We begin selling ourselves on what we want to do rather than what we ought to do. We listen to ourselves and, we believe our own lies, and then we opt for happiness.

“The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure.” (Jer. 17:9)

How many times have you looked back on something you’ve done and thought, “I don’t understand why I did that. What was I thinking?” Think of the times you’ve watched smart people do dumb things and thought, “I don’t understand why they do that.” The reason you don’t understand some of your decisions is the same reason I don’t understand many of mine. According to Jeremiah, no one can understand the heart.

The truth is, your heart can’t always be trusted. The truth is, there are better decision-making strategies than simply following your heart. The truth is, if you let it, your heart will direct you down a path that leads to the very spot you most want to avoid. Now that you know the truth about your heart, you don’t have to be deceived!

Three questions to help keep your heart and check:

  1. Why am I doing this, really?
  2. If someone in my circumstances came to me for advice, what course of action would I recommend?
  3. In light of my past experience, my future hopes, and my dreams, what is the wisest thing to do?

Choosing the right path begins with submission, not information. Not even direction. Submission. Specifically, submission to the One who knows were each path leads, as well as where it doesn’t lead.

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lead not on to your own understanding.” (Prov. 3:5)

Choosing the best path then begins with submission. Use this prayer:

“Lord, I’m leaning on you, not my experience, my insight, or my education. When conventional wisdom conflicts with what you have revealed through Your scriptures, I’ll lean hard into your revelation rather than my understanding. When my emotions are in conflict with your law, I’ll lean on your law and harness my emotions.”

“In all your ways and knowledge Him, and he will make the your paths straight.” (Prov. 3:6)

One never accomplishes the will of God by breaking the law of God, violating the principles of God, or ignoring the wisdom of God. Therefore, apply these three questions to every option that comes your way:

  1. Does this option violate God’s law?
  2. Does this option violate a principle of God’s?
  3. In light of the story I want to tell, what is the wisest thing to do?

Consumption does not lead to contentment.

The great thing about having friends who share your season of light is that you have so much in common. The downside to that is they are much further down the road of life than you are. Friends are great for friendship. They aren’t always that great for advice giving. Often it is not their advice that gets us into trouble – it is the assumptions we make based on what we observe about our friends. These assumptions become a map we inadvertently follow. I call this the “herd assumption.” The herd assumption happens when you assume that since everybody you know is doing something the same way, it must be right. If everybody you know is mortgaged to the hilt, driving two leased vehicles, and applying for a home equity line of credit, then it can’t be all that bad. If everybody you know a sleeping with whoever they happen to be dating at the time, and it’s just the way the world works. If everybody you know works 60 hours a week and sees their family primarily on weekends, then it must work out. Somehow. The problem, of course, is that everybody is headed for a similar destination at which no one knows and like you will discouver their mistakes, the hard way…

Spiritual development operates like the principle of the harvest. You sow early and reap late.

If you and God care about your future, why would you resist Him? When we resist God’s will for our lives, we are in essence resisting God. Pay attention to the things that are competing for your attention. Pause before devoting your attention to anything. Devote special attention to those things that deserve your attention. Beware of things that take your attention off of God.

Have a richly blest day!

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Taxes

A tax assessor came one day to a poor Christian to determine the amount of taxes he would have to pay. The following conversation took place:

“What property do you possess?”, asked the assessor. “I am a very wealthy man”, replied the Christian. “List your possessions, please”, the assessor instructed.

The Christian said:

  • “First, I have everlasting life” (John 3:16).
  • “Second, I have a mansion in heaven” (John 14:2).
  • “Third, I have peace that passes all understanding” (Philippians 4:7).
  • “Fourth, I have joy unspeakable” (1 Peter 1:8).
  • “Fifth, I have divine love which never fails”( 1 Corinthians 13:8).
  • “Sixth, I have a faithful wife” (Proverbs 31:10).
  • “Seventh, I have healthy, happy obedient children” (Exodus 20:12).
  • “Eighth, I have true, loyal friends” (Proverbs 18:24).
  • “Ninth, I have songs in the night” (Psalms 42:8).
  • “Tenth, I have a crown of life” (James 1:12).

The tax assessor closed his book, and said, “Truly you are a very rich man, but your property is not subject to taxation.”

I pray that all of us will have this kind of tax free “wealth.”

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How to Pray Successfully

Successful prayer is dependent on a few simple principles. All of these involve relationship with God. He made prayer to be a relational engagement and not a systematic activity.

1. Abiding.

Jesus said in John 15:7 “If you abide in Me and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it shall be done for you.” To abide means to be in one’s presence, to wait, to draw near to. Our fruitfulness comes from remaining in Jesus, drawing near to Him and waiting on Him. The word, “words” in this passage is in reference to the word that the Holy Spirit quickens to us as we wait on Him. It is the rhema.

2. Pray according to His will.

“And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he hears us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.” 1 John 5:14, 15 If we are going to pray successfully, we need to pray according to His will and purposes.

3. Praying with right motives and a pure heart.

Right motives are essential for effective prayer. James 4:4 – 5 “You ask and do not receive because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures. You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility towards God?” It is always important to ask the Holy Spirit to search your heart and to convict you of any unconfessed sin or impure motives. Psalm 66:18 says that if we regard wickedness in our heart, then the Lord will not hear. 1 John 1:9 says that if we confess our sins, that He is faithful and just to forgive us our sin and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Take time to search your heart and to receive forgiveness and cleansing.

4. Faith.

“Without faith it is impossible to please Him for He who comes to God must first believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” (Hebrews 11:6 ) We must approach God in faith believing that He is desiring to reward us with answered prayer. Do not doubt. Mark 11:24 gives us some strong insight: “…all things for which you pray and ask, believe that you receive them and you shall have them.” This is an amazing promise!

5. Fervency and passion.

When you pray, pray with passion and focus. Don’t pray wimpy little scattered prayers and expect God to answer them. “The effectual, fervent prayer of a righteous man will accomplish much.” James 5:16

6. Endurance.

Do not lose heart and do not lose faith. Galatians 6:9 says that we will reap if we faint not. Jesus taught His disciples that if they had faith as a mustard seed, that nothing would be impossible for them (see Matthew 17:20). A mustard seed’s greatest quality is that of endurance. If you plant a mustard seed deep into the earth and then covered the earth above it with a slab of pavement, somehow that mustard seed will find a way to grow. It doesn’t matter how many years it takes, it will persevere. If it can’t push through the pavement, it will go around it, but it will find a way to grow.

7. The blessing of Journaling.

One of the things that will enhance your prayer life is keeping a prayer journal. That way you can keep track of your prayers, the scripture promises you are standing on, the date you brought your request before the Lord and the date of the fulfillment. God is so faithful to answer all our prayers. Keeping a journal reminds you of His continued faithfulness in answering your prayers.

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