Does your life ever feel out of control? Do you rush from one task to the next, attempting to make some sense of your journey through life? Unfortunately, we often make foolish choices to run our lives apart from God, the one who gave us the desire for control to serve Him by serving others […]

Do you want to be content? Contentment literally means “to be held together.” Amidst trying circumstances, we attempt to hold it all together, but we can’t accomplish this alone. God created the desire for contentment by blessing man to be fruitful, to increase, to fill the earth, and to subdue it (Genesis 1:28). Subdue means […]

What’s your target of success? For many of us, it’s money. We frequently find ourselves working so hard for it that we miss out on our relationships with family, friends, and coworkers. Placing profit ahead of people is outside God’s design for our lives. It’s not the money that’s evil; rather, it’s the desires of […]

A businessman realized how his financial interests were causing him to spend a great deal of time worrying. One day, he decided to make an appointment to set aside twenty minutes to worry about money. The appointment began at one o’clock. He sat in his desk chair and started to worry about money. About five […]

Each U.S. dollar reads, “IN GOD WE TRUST.” A multi-billionaire gave a billion of those dollars to one of his favorite causes. Afterward, he was interviewed by a national television network’s morning news anchor who insightfully asked him about financial security. He replied, “I wake up every morning afraid that I’m going to lose it […]

How much money would give you financial security? Pride seeks security from money. Jesus taught, “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear” (Matthew 6:25a). When our hearts are hard, we see money as the doorway to financial security. […]

Do you find yourself trying to serve God and your selfish interests? This comes as the result of attempting to control your own life, as well as others. Jesus taught: “No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and […]

How do you find wisdom in your personal encounters? In an effort to fully surrender my business to the Restorer, I developed the mission statement for our company, “Serve God and others,” printing it on our brochures discreetly under the postal indicia. I’ll never forget the words of an Australian car collector after he picked […]

Where do you find power? It might not reside where you think. Paul taught that he had discovered power in humility: “But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power […]

Does your sinful nature or the Spirit control you? Paul taught: “Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind of sinful man is death, but the […]

“Who or what has ultimate control of your life, God or money?” Control is the extension of our will over another person or object. We attempt to control others, our own lives, or even God. That’s why in our pride we seek control from money. Jesus taught, “No one can serve two masters” (Matthew 6:24). […]

Are you resisting life’s bad pitches? Betting the farm on a risky business venture? A foolish relationship choice? Succumbing to a temptation in order to feel accepted? Contrasting a good eye with a bad eye, Jesus taught that seeking contentment apart from God led to discontentment (Matthew 6:22-23). Today, we use “good eye” to commend […]

How much is enough? Solomon, the wealthiest person on earth, reflected, “Whoever loves money never has money enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income. This too is meaningless” (Ecclesiastes 5:10). Money will never satisfy. During a trip through Germany I discovered a proverbial hidden treasure. It was a Horch twelve-cylinder special roadster […]

Who is more content, the person with a million dollars or the person with ten children? You probably guessed the person with ten children, and you are correct. He is more content because he does not want any more. That is the definition of contentment: not wanting anything more or different. The desire for contentment […]

Why do you initiate conversations? Is it solely for your benefit? What would happen if you initiated communication simply to know others, to learn about their needs, to understand their desires, and to build relationships rather than focus on any remuneration or return? Community is something that money can never buy. When you discover the […]

Significance  comes from being created in God’s image (Genesis 1:27). However, pride seeks significance from money. Jesus said, “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth” (Matthew 6:19). We store up treasures on earth to find significance, which is “expressed meaning, purpose, importance, or value.” Notice that the first four letters of significance comprise […]

What is the focal point of your desires? Adam and Eve were created with humble hearts. The focal point of their satisfaction was God. In their pride, they hardheartedly desired significance, contentment, control and security apart from Him. With temptation from the serpent, they convinced themselves they were making the right decisions. The result was […]

The fourth stage of foolishness is the scorning fool. He is a mocker (Proverbs 21:24) who can’t even find wisdom (Proverbs 14:6). Consequently, he struggles to separate wise choices from foolish ones, causing dissension in organizations. This is due to the fact that he ignored all previous rebukes (Proverbs 9:7-8; 13:1). Thus, he must be […]

Would a little extra money satisfy any of your desires? Money is pride’s measurement of our giftedness (time, talent, and treasure). Wisdom is humility’s measurement of our godliness (Christ in us). Money, in and of itself, is not evil, and owning stuff is not from the devil. Rather, our problem occurs when the stuff owns […]

What is God’s will for your life? King David described the process of knowing God’s will in a psalm: “Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart” (Psalm 37:4). “Delight,” anag in Hebrew, means “to make one’s heart pliable.” In essence, it is a surrendered heart that is […]