WEALTH FROM THE INSIDE OUT

WHERE ARE YOU?

Every year, Forbes magazine lists some top income earners of the year. Many African-American celebrity entertainers and athletes are included on this highly publicized report. If we were do to our own Kenyan version I think we would have top athletes that we know in the list!

On Sunday Live each week we get the news of “Who Owns Kenya?” It is worth noting some notable names are mentioned! This is the list of the wealthiest individuals. This particular list of names contains few Kenyan individuals! It does not focus on income but on wealth.

“Wealth is not just the assets you have now but also a legacy of the past”, writers have said so. Many of us I believe in this room have first generation wealth – unlike many Asians, Whites or prominent Kenyan families!

SINNERS & SAINTS

Pr 13:22 A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children, But the wealth of the sinner is stored up for the righteous.

I wonder how many committed Christians are there on the Forbes lists? Jenkins says that his guess is that there are not many!

We as Christians are always confessing & professing how rich our Father is, and how He owns cattle on a thousand hills. BUT FOR SOME REASON, ALL THIS POWER IS NOT TRANSLATING INTO MORE WEALTH IN THE KINGDOM OF GOD.

Proverbs 13:22 says the wealth of the wicked is stored up for the righteous. But just because God has laid up this wealth for us doesn’t mean He is going to just slap it in our hands. We’ve got to go and get it!

God feeds the birds but He doesn’t throw the worms into their mouths!

One of the saddest indictments in the Word of God, out of God Himself, about the people of God, is in Luke 16:8b

“for the children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light.”KJV

NKJV says,

“For the sons of this world are more shrewd in their generation than the sons of light.”

This verse is basically saying: “When it comes to money and planning for our financial future, more often than not, sinners are smarter than saints.”

Why would Jesus say something like this? Not because Christians are less intelligent than sinners.

IT IS BECAUSE TOO MANY OF US AREN’T PRACTICAL, WE DON’T PLAN, WE AREN’T AGGRESSIVE ENOUGH ABOUT THE FINANCIAL WELL-BEING OF OUR FAMILIES, THE KINGDOM OR OURSELVES.

Basically, the church has messed up some some of us up as relates to money. We are running around naming it and claiming it, blabbing it and grabbing it, and we are still broke! I WISH THAT WAS ALL WE HAD TO DO. EVERYBODY WOULD BE RICH!

Ladies and Gentlemen it is time for men and women of God to get their financial houses in order so that we can take over!

Just Do a Google search for “He Who Has The Gold Makes The Rules.” You will agree with reality that you can’t have any lasting influence in this world without money.

Jenkins says that the following is hurting our wealth-building capabilities as Christians:

1. RELIGIOUS ESCAPE

Our religious activity will never make us immune from suffering the consequences of bad financial decisions. You have to do something. Yes keep on praying, and don’t stop praising God for your break-through, BUT WHEN YOU GET FINISHED , GO TO WORK! Take care of business! STOP USING THE BIBLE, THE CHURCH, AND JESUS, AS A CRUTCH – AN EXCUSE FOR YOUR LAZINESS. Take care of your responsibilities! PRAY AS IF IT ALL DEPENDS ON GOD, AND WORK AS IF IT ALL DEPENDS ON YOU.

2. LACK OF KNOWLEDGE

God states in Hosea 4:6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge” The biggest stumbling block in the lives of most Christians is financial ignorance. Everybody should know how to handle money and make wise financial decisions.

Unfortunately, basic money management skills are not taught enough in our schools, homes and churches. We need to educate ourselves by reading the Word of God and other books, both secular and Christian that teach about good money-management skills.

3. “WINGO” OR “ROTO 624” MENTALITY

This is the get-rich-quick mentality. There are a lot of Christians who have the lottery mentality.

Some of us tried some two years ago – those who risked at the beginning got a kill! Those who got in late after the waters had be chart lost! You know what I am talking about! However what I am talking about is when you and I treat your church like a casino, and the offering back like a slot machine. IT IS WHEN YOUR GIVING CEASES TO BE WORSHIP. You are giving to get – to hit the jackpot, to get rich quick. Giving is an act of worship! DON’T DIMINISH IT WITH AN ACT OF GREED!

4. POVERTY MENTALITY

I have seen people who have money as well as people who don’t have money who have a poverty mentality. You have a poverty mentality when:

(i) You are constantly struggling financially, and you try to justify where you are. You act as if there is a some kind of virtue in being broke, as if it brings you closer to God. You actually feel more comfortable struggling than living in prosperity.

(ii) You don’t feel you deserve to live well and to have nice things.

(iii) You are critical of men and women of God who have a lot of money, especially preachers.

(iv) You are stingy and afraid to give according to God’s Word.

(v) You fear that others are always trying to take your money or rip you off.

(vi) You are always looking for God to do the miraculous for you. You always need something big to happen in your financial life. YOU VIEW PROPERITY AS AN EVENT, NOT A PROCESS.

5. NONACCEPTANCE OF THE DELAYED GRATIFICATION PHILOSOPHY

Romans 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

We want instant, short term results. God does not necessarily do things for us instantly. HOWEVER! He is an “on time” God but not always a “right now” God. Many Christians go out and spend, get in debt, and then expect God to bail them out. They want everything now! Sometimes the best financial strategy you can have is to just wait.

6. NEEDS VERSUS WANTS

Make sure you are not sacrificing your future or the future of your children over something that is a WANT rather than a NEED!

7. A GOOD JOB

It sounds strange that a “good job” keeps people from attaining wealth, but in many cases it does. Example in our minds having a good job means the following:

(i) You went to college

(ii) You have a nice position

(iii) You have a good image and respect from people

(iv) You have good benefits and the promise of future advancement.

Friends, SALARIES DO NOT BUILD WEATH, ASSETS DO!

I my few years of seeking to be financially empowered in the near future, I have looked and found out that people who had the most money were not necessarily the engineers, executives and corporate types. In many cases it is that kiosk owner, matatu owner, plumber, coffee farmer who pooled his resource with his friends years ago!

In Nyeri you will find the Urumwe! In Nairobi Ngara and Kirinyaga Rd. Ordinary men did the Extra-ordinary.

Proverbs 12:9 He that is despised, and hath a servant, is better than he that honoureth himself, and lacketh bread.

8. INABILITY TO UNDERSTAND AND PRACTICE GROUP ECONOMICS – POOL OF RESOURCES

The first seven impediments to wealth are geared towards you the individual. Unfortunately over 90% of our income is spent outside our Christian community. Asians turn their money over nine times in their communities, Whites turn their money over eight times before it leaves their communities. Keeping money in a tighter circle makes the circle stronger. This is a win win situation for everybody. We dis-empower ourselves when we fail to spend some of our hard-earned money with each other. Unfortunately while some communities realize that there is strength in numbers, many of us do not see the strength in grouping ourselves with other like-minded individuals. REASON: We have been conditioned not to trust one another and help one another.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said, “Whenever Pharaoh wanted to keep the slaves in slavery, he kept them fighting among themselves.”

We must reverse years of self-defeating thinking about one another in order to control our resources and maintain a strong sense of community.

INSTITUTIONAL POWER IS ALWAYS MORE POTENT AND LONG LASTING THAN INDIVIDUAL POWER.

THE POWER TO MAKE WEALTH

We have a small group of like minded men and women we call it Group 818. We are in the process of registering it as a business name then a company.

When it comes to money, Deuteronomy 8:18 is one of the most popularly quoted verses in the Bible.

Let us read it!

But thou shalt remember the LORD thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day. KJV

“And you shall remember the LORD your God, for it is He who gives you power to get wealth, that He may establish His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day.” NKJV

This covenant was made with Abraham. As a Christian our spiritual family line, humanly speaking begins with Father Abraham. We are all spiritual descendants of him. Therefore what God is saying to Abraham is a timeless principle being said to us!

God is telling you, “I am going to bless you, and make your name great, so that you can be a blessing.”

The reason GOD WANTS TO GET WEALTH TO US IS SO THAT HE CAN GET WEALTH THROUGH US. God has a purpose for everything He gives us, and that includes money.

FIVE PRIMARY PURPOSES FOR WEALTH

1. TO BLESS YOU

There are many godly people in the Bible that were blessed with great material abudance. Abraham was rich, Solomon was superrich, and Job was pretty well off, too. Think about John’s letter to Gaius in 3 JOHN 2 Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.

2. TO CARE FOR YOUR FAMILY

God cares deeply that we care for our families. God wants your family to be blessed through you.
1 Timothy 5:8 But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.

3. TO GIVE TO THE KINGDOM

Sow for the kingdom! 2 Corinthians 9:10 Now may He who supplies seed to the sower, and bread for food, supply and multiply the seed you have sown and increase the fruits of your righteousness.

Do not take your giving lightly. Returning the Tithe (10%) in not giving yet! Blessings come when you start giving after returning the tithe.

4. TO CARRY OUT YOUR CALLING

We are all in different scenarios as far as our finances are concerned. Consider what you have as your talent and must give it your best stewardship – for your Master will need an account.

5. TO HELP OTHERS

Being a blessing to others is so powerful. We are blessed to be a blessing. As the Lord prospers you lookout for someone who may be in need. Don’t just think about yourself and your family all the time.

This was a presentation at a Pastors retreat on Kingdom Principles of Investment. This material has been excerpted mostly from Lee Jenkins' book "Taking Care Of Business".