Today on MoneyLife with Chuck Bentley
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Preparing for the Days Ahead
I
want to talk with you today about what we need to do as Christians to be
prepared for the days ahead. Our country is changing before our eyes. We are
moving to a bigger government with heavy control.
We’re moving to a global banking system and monetary policy. We’re facing
the possibility of a Great Depression. We’re dependent on foreign nations to
purchase our debt, which makes us totally dependent on outsiders to make our
economy work.
We’re shifting away from a Biblical world view. Our leaders don’t seem to be
looking to God for direction. A battle is being waged to protect prosperity and
the world is uniting to do that.
I believe Christians are unprepared for the challenges ahead. If we are
prepared, we have the opportunity to see a great spiritual revival.
The world is changing radically and rapidly. With so much uncertainty, we
have a great opportunity right now to see a revival in the hearts of God’s
people. Here are six things you need to do to be prepared for the days ahead:
- Why are you here? The first
thing you need to do is to determine why God put you here on earth for
this time. That's a big question you should wrestle with. Did He put you
here to live the American dream, raise a great family, participate in
sports over the weekend, build a business, watch TV, get an education, be
a consumer, or did He put you here to fulfill His purposes?
Write down your answer to that question and carry it with you. Begin ordering your life around your purpose. Anything can be a distraction when you don’t know what your purpose is.
God uses difficulty to clarify our purpose. God used the evil rule of Ahab to change the hearts of the people of
Most people are serving themselves not God. I believe when we turn back to God that things will turn around. God works through the few. He wants you to understand and fulfill your purpose.
3. What is your best? Determine right now your highest and best contribution to the Great Commission. Is there anything that needs to be moved, so you can make your best contribution? Any adjustments to your lifestyle? You consumption of time, energy, or money? What’s preventing you from being fully surrendered to the Lord? Are you willing to give God full reign over your life for His glory? We need to be prepared to take steps that will bring about a revival. Determine why God put you on earth, determine if you’re willing to take a stand for the Gospel despite the cost, and then determine how God uniquely equipped you to make the most difference and if there’s anything holding you back right now from doing that.
4. Make a plan. All of your resources should be allocated according to your plan. You should never be a slave to money, money should be a slave to your purpose. The resources you have been given are to be used to multiply God’s kingdom. Be free of all masters but Christ. The purpose of becoming debt-free isn’t so you can buy whatever you want. God doesn’t need more rich young rulers; he needs more people that will serve Him wholeheartedly.
I believe Christians will be tested in the days ahead. The proposed reduction in the tax benefit of charitable contributions, sadly, I predicted back in January. As believers, we’re called to give whether there is a tax benefit or not. This will be a test of generosity.
Get free financially so you can better serve your Master and do what He wants you to do. Do you have a skill that will help you survive and fulfill your purpose?. The Church began during a famine. God uses such times to bring the most glory to Himself because we demonstrate to the world that Jesus is real, our faith is real, our peace is real. That opportunity is coming.
5. Increase your spiritual fervor. Move to a life of dependence on God. Christ wants us to be totally dependent on Him, not the government. Jesus is our master, we are his ambassadors.
Our assignment on Earth is temporary. There’s nothing on Earth to lose because there’s nothing that’s yours. You can minister to family, those at work, those at church.
Your security should come from following Christ, not the world. God understands what’s happening. As believers, we have nothing to worry about. We can be full of hope and be prepared anytime to give an explanation about the hope within us. As you glorify God, revival happens.
We need to rise above our circumstances and keep them in God’s perspective. We must focus on the fulfillment of God’s will for our lives, actively pursue it, order our lives around that objective. Completely surrender to God’s will and allow Him to use you as salt and light in a desperate world.
6. Put the love of God into practice right now. We can believe, but until we put our faith into practice, it’s not going to be real to others. God didn’t put you here to live a life of comfort, pleasure, and fulfilling your personal dreams. He put you here to be a blessing to others, point them to Him, and advance His kingdom.
He gives you resources and prospers you so you can bless others, advance His kingdom and His glory. The Macedonians are our model (2 Cor. 8). They were rich in generosity even in extreme poverty. They gave themselves first to God and then to others. They put their love of God into action. Generosity flowed from their hearts because they realized they belonged to God. Man did not control their circumstances. As they practiced generosity, they experienced joy. They looked to God, not the government for their provision. They wanted the affluent to know God.
I hope you get prepared for the revival God wants to do in your life and to those you serve during this historic time.
