This Month's Feature

From the July 2009 issue of Money Matters

Six steps to prepare for the days ahead

By Chuck Bentley, CEO

The world’s current financial crisis has uncovered an even deeper problem that we all face—it’s a crisis of the heart.
Anyone can see that our society is quickly shifting away from any semblance of a biblical worldview. Instead of seeking God for direction and help, it seems that all our efforts are directed toward the temporal goal of protecting our prosperity at all costs.
As Christians, what will be our response to the challenges that lie before us? Here are six things that, if we do them, will prepare us for the days ahead and set the stage for a great spiritual revival.

1. Discover your God-given purpose. Why did God put you here on earth at this very moment in time? That’s a big question that each of us must wrestle with. Did He put you here to live the American Dream, raise a great family, get an education, watch TV, build a business, play sports, be a consumer? Write down your answer and carry it with you. Begin ordering your life around your purpose. (See 2 Timothy 1:9.)

2. Decide now if you’re willing to suffer for the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Jesus exhorted His disciples to be ready for persecution. Paul said that he was ready to suffer and die, if necessary, for Jesus. Are you ready to make the hard choices? (See Acts 21:13-14.)

3. Determine what is your highest and best contribution to fulfilling the Great Commission. Is there anything that needs to be moved out of the way so you can make your best contribution? Are there adjustments to your lifestyle or your consumption of time, energy, or money that will demonstrate your full surrender to the Lord? (See Hebrews 12:1-3.)

4. Develop a financial plan. Base your plan on your purpose, and prayerfully allocate all of your resources to it. Having your money serve you rather than the other way around will free you to fulfill your purpose. Remember, God is glorified as we demonstrate to the world that Jesus is real, our faith is real, and our peace is real. (See Matthew 6:24.)

5. Increase your spiritual fervor. Intentionally move from a life of independence to dependence on Him. We must be totally dependent on Christ and His Word, not our money, not our government. Jesus is our Master; we are His ambassadors. We should be full of hope, prepared anytime to offer an explanation of that hope to a wondering world. (See     1 Peter 3:14-16.)

6. Put the love of God into practice right now. Until we put our faith into practice, it accomplishes nothing. God put us here, not to live a life of comfort, pleasure, and fulfillment of our personal dreams, but to be a blessing to others, point them to Him, advance His Kingdom, and bring Him glory. (See James 2:14-17.)

As the people of God, we must understand that God placed us here at this moment in time to fulfill His purposes. Let’s commit to preparing now for the revival He wants to accomplish in us and in those we serve in His name during these momentous times.

Editor’s note: This article is adapted from the March 4, 2009 “MoneyLife”™ broadcast. Go to Crown.org/Message to listen.