February 27, 2011
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Living paycheck
to paycheck - One of the
interesting realities of life is that
most of us just spend all the money we make working at a job. It’s
called
“living from paycheck to paycheck.” Unions are fighting for better job
benefits,
but it’s really a losing battle. Think about it. Do you believe any
company can
afford to hire you for a good wage for 20-30 years and then pay your
pension
and medical benefits for another 20-30 years after you retire? Do you
believe
your government can afford it if the company can’t? The money won’t be
there at
a level that will support your current lifestyle. It’s one of life’s
unfortunate delusions that millions embrace. My company lost
their contract and
terminated my employment just before I was 55 and eligible for lifetime
medical
benefits and a pension. It was the really a blessing. I stopped
expecting
someone else to take care of me. It was both scary and liberating at
the same
time. I wish I had done it when I was 25 instead of 55. I’m not railing
against
having a job or belonging to a union. However, I am pointing out some
simple
economics. You can add money to your account and pay your bills if you
have a
job, but you will never learn to multiple wealth until you tap your
entrepreneurial attitude and say, “I can take care of myself.” Creating wealth – Prosperity
starts with being entrepreneurial in
the context of free market capitalism. Governments don’t have money or
make
money. They can only take it or tax it from those who do. Expecting a
government to take care of you or me or the poor is part of our current
delusion that runs the risk of a more controlling or totalitarian
government. But you
shall remember the Lord your God, for it is He who is giving you power
to make
wealth, that He may confirm His covenant… Deut 8:18 NASU Disciple nations – Take a look at
the Legatum
Prosperity Index and find
your own nation. Their goal is to measure where people are happy. They
call it
a prosperity index because people are most happy when they are free,
have free
markets and are able to prosper through their own entrepreneurial
endeavors.
110 nations are ranked according to the following categories. Economy:
macroeconomic
policies, economic satisfaction and expectations, foundation for
growth, and
financial sector efficiency. Entrepreneurship
and Opportunity:
entrepreneurial
environment, innovative activity, and access to opportunity. Governance:
effective and
accountable government, fair elections and political participation, and
rule of
law. Education:
access to
education, quality of education, and human capital. Health:
basic health
outcomes, health infrastructure and preventative care, and physical and
mental
health satisfaction. Safety
and Security:
national security
and personal safety. Personal
Freedom:
individual freedom
and social tolerance. Social
Capital:
social cohesion and
engagement, as well as community and family networks. Can you see the
connection between
this list and the 7 mountains? …business,
media, arts & entertainment, education, family and government,
in addition
to the church, are explained in the video link by Lance Wallnau. You
may also
notice that the least prosperous nations are in the 10-40 window. Can
you see
the connection between the gospel of the Kingdom, freedom and
prosperity at a
national level? Right now God is releasing Kings to have influence,
favor and
prosperity in those mountains. They are being blessed personally, but
God’s
real goal is to bless the nations. The prosperity index is one measure
of our
progress. Listen to these verses for the word “nation.” "I
will make you into a great nation and
I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a
blessing. 3 I
will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse;
and all
peoples on earth (nations) will be
blessed through you." Gen 12:2-3 NIV Then
Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has
been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make
disciples of all nations… Matt
28:18-19 NIV And
as he taught them, he said, "Is it not written: "'My house will be
called a house of prayer for all nations'?
Mark 11:17 NIV Ask
of me, and I will make the
nations your
inheritance, the ends of
the earth your possession. Ps 2:8 NIV And
the nations of them which
are saved
shall walk in the light of it: and the kings
of the earth do bring
their glory and honour into it. And the gates of it
shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there. 26
And they
shall bring the glory and honour of the nations
into it. . Rev 21:24-26 KJV The Great
Commission – Can you see
that our goal includes personal evangelism and making
disciples of nations? We can actually measure our progress through the
Legatum
Prosperity Index on the latter! Grass roots
kingdom - How will it
happen? How will we make disciples of nations? Most
secular and religious minds (including Legatum) would look at the map
and
conclude that we should erase the national boundaries, and share more.
That
would actually translate to a one world government. The secular folks
would see
it run through the United Nations and the Muslims by a caliphate and
sharia law.
Both would lead to totalitarian regimes most notable for poverty and
loss of
personal freedom. God has already
figured this out. His Kingdom is within you. Personal
freedom, free markets, and Compassionate Capitalism were all His idea. Harold Eberle has
written a great
book, Compassionate
Capitalism that
addresses The
Spiritual Roots of Capitalism
– the title of a recent newsletter.
When millions and billions of people pursue the desires of their hearts
and
sell the goods and services they create… trillions of dollars of new
wealth are
created. The nations that are currently prosperous are just following
God’s
recipe a little better than poorer nations. There is genius
in having 50 independent states and 170 nations, each
with their own states and cities and business and individuals with no
overarching
control. The genius lies in individual creativity. When one individual
or
business or state or nation gets a good idea and implements it within
the
competition of free markets, then that idea can rise to the surface and
be
duplicated elsewhere. This process can be duplicated millions of times
every
day within free markets. Can you imagine a bureaucrat trying to manage
a
centrally planned dream from one person and doing better? I can’t. What about
me? – The Kingdom of
God is a flat organization. Jesus wants a personal
relationship with each of us. The Holy Spirit wants to communicate with
each of
us. Yes, there is leadership and government in the Kingdom, but God
didn’t
design His Kingdom to be a hierarchy. He’s the King of Kings, and the
increase
of His government and peace will never end (Isa 9:7). Give yourself
permission toDream, and
pursue
your heart’s desire. You don’t have to immediately quit your job, but
you do
have to activate the creative entrepreneurial gifts and talents that
God has
given you. Realize that God didn’t design you to be a robot on an
assembly
line. You were created to invent those machines and ideas. Think about
your
personal life like a business. Start managing your personal finances
with cash flow,
and capture your personal dreams in a business
plan format. Start thinking
like a King and you’ll be amazed at the doors God will
open. PS: the video version of this newsletter is also available.
Desire to Destiny is available now at our store along with reviews. Not sure what your dream is? This book will help you pull the curtain back on your future. |