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Are you spiritually rich or spiritually poor without realizing it? Dr. John exposes the Corinthian church's dangerous self-deception through 1 Corinthians 4:8-13, where Paul reveals their spiritual poverty disguised as wealth. He outlines four keys to true spiritual wealth: depending on Christ, embracing suffering for His sake, working hard in discipleship, and responding to criticism like Jesus did—with blessing instead of retaliation.

The Power of Christ in a Pagan World: Join Dr. John Neufeld for this 20-message series as he focuses on the book of 1 Corinthians. Covering chapters 1-4, The Power of Christ in a Pagan World looks at the many issues that confronted the church in Corinth; Problems that seemed to find their place within the church at every turn! This series helps us unpack the different conflicts and struggles of this early church in a relevant and practical way. Even though the church in Corinth existed a long time ago, they went through trials that might sound familiar to us in the 21st Century!

A recent survey reveals that nearly 1 in 4 Americans has no emergency savings, and more than a third had to tap into their savings just to get through the past year. Even more sobering, Bankrate reports that only 46% of U.S. adults have enough savings to cover three months of expenses, while 33% have more credit card debt than they do in emergency savings.

The numbers are alarming, but they don’t have to define your future.

Before we talk about building wealth or making investments, we must start with the foundation: living on less than you earn. It’s the bedrock of biblical financial wisdom. As John Maxwell put it, “A budget is telling your money where to go instead of wondering where it went.” Without a plan, it’s easy to drift. But a budget anchors your finances and gives every dollar a purpose.

That’s where the FaithFi app can help—offering a practical tool to craft a spending plan rooted in biblical values.

Proverbs 6:6–8 urges us:

“Go to the ant, O sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise. Without having any chief, officer, or ruler, she prepares her bread in summer and gathers her food in harvest.”

The ant doesn't wait for a crisis—it stores up in advance. That’s what budgeting does. It’s not about restriction; it’s about preparation and wisdom.

Once you’ve created margin through budgeting, the next step is investing. Why? Because while money sitting in a checking account loses value due to inflation, investing allows your resources to grow through the power of compound interest.

As Proverbs 21:5 (TLB) says:

“Steady plodding brings prosperity; hasty speculation brings poverty.”

Wise investing isn’t about chasing trends—it’s about faithful, consistent action over time.

Maybe you’re thinking, “I don’t make enough to invest.” But consider this: If you invest just $100 a month starting at age 25, earning an 8% annual return, you’ll have over $300,000 by age 65. That’s the power of small, faithful steps over time.

And today, getting started is easier than ever. Roboadvisors, such as Schwab Intelligent Portfolios or Betterment, offer diversified, user-friendly platforms that require minimal financial knowledge.

Remember: financial freedom isn’t independence from God—it’s dependence on Him with wisdom. Deuteronomy 8 reminds us that even the ability to produce wealth comes from the Lord. As Proverbs 13:11 teaches:

“Wealth gained hastily will dwindle, but whoever gathers little by little will increase it.”

God doesn’t call us to perfection—He calls us to faithful stewardship.

Why do we budget, save, and invest? So we can live with margin, give joyfully, and bless others. Wise financial decisions position us to participate in God’s Kingdom work—not just provide for ourselves. So if you’re feeling stuck, start small:

• Build a budget
• Create margin
• Save a little
• Invest a little
• Trust God with the process

Over time, you’ll be amazed at what He can do through your faithfulness.

• My friend is interested in investing directly in Israel’s stock market—how would they go about doing that? Additionally, I’m 83 years old and own a home valued at $360,000. I need to replace the iron pipes, which could cost between $35,000 and $51,000. At my age, what are my options for financing a project like this?
• My 66-year-old brother wants to set aside money to care for his adult autistic son, who currently lives in a group hom

There are three words that can liberate you from the tyranny of the urgent. Three words that can help you regain control of your life. Three words that will reduce your stress and increase your joy. Join Chip to find out what those three words are.

Three reasons why most of us live with two sets of priorities:

1. We are DECEIVED. We honestly don't see the discrepancy between what we think and say, and how we actually live.
2. We are AFRAID. Though we long to put "first things first," we simply do not believe that God will supply our needs if we give Him the first portion of our time, our lives, and our money.
3. We have FAILED repeatedly. Our sincere and honest efforts to put "first things first" in the past lasted only a short time and ended with frustration and disillusionment with ourselves.

So, what’s the “Missing Ingredient” to living out our priorities?

• It's a RARELY USED word.
• It's a FRUIT of the Spirit.
• It comes to us by GRACE.
• We ADMIRE it in others.
• It's ESSENTIAL for putting "first things first."

The Word = DISCIPLINE / SELF CONTROL

Definition: Discipline is doing what needs to be done when it needs to be done.

The Dynamics of Biblical Discipline Can Be Summed Up in 2 Words:

• DELAYED GRATIFICATION - Hebrews 12:11

The Method of Developing Biblical Discipline Can Be Summed Up in 3 Words:

• ADVANCED DECISION-MAKING - 1 Corinthians 9:24-27

How Does It Work?

1. Advanced Decision Making begins with CLEAR–CUT OBJECTIVES.
2. Advanced Decision Making is reinforced by REWARDING ALONG the WAY.
3. Advanced Decision Making becomes a personal conviction when you PONDER the CONSEQUENCES.

Broadcast Resource

• 'Balancing Life's Demands' Resources
• Message Notes

Additional Resource Mentions

• Small Group Resources

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How can a wife teach her husband? Learning takes place most effectively when someone is asking questions. So if your husband is asking you questions, it means he wants to learn from you!

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Discover the perseverance and opportunity factors … today on Bold Steps with Pastor Mark Jobe. Last time, Mark started a message called, Breaking the Cycle of Scarcity … and touched upon the first two points of our message—the seed and time factors.  And on this program, he’ll expand upon the third and fourth points—perseverance and opportunity. It’s the final message in our series … Connected.

Bold Step Gift: MOVING FORWARD AFTER MESSING UP: A NEW FUTURE WITH THE GOD OF SECOND CHANCES

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1 Timothy 4:8

“Physical training is good, but training for godliness is much better, promising benefits in this life and in the life to come.”

Question

Prayer

Join the conversation with Pastor Jimmy Pruitt and Adam Curry as they answer the question: Why Does God Allow Bad Things to Happen to Good People?