When we catch ourselves putting too much focus on our finances, scripture recommends generosity as a way to restore balance. The apostle Paul told the Corinthians to be a conduit for giving to others as a form of service and gratitude.  “You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, ...

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If you remember the parable of the talents, the last servant made excuses for his poor performance. Although this servant blamed his mistake on fear, it could have just as easily been due to laziness.  In the workplace, you can often identify the lazy workers by their multiple excuses. Some of them can get comical.  ...

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Kathy and I hired a contractor whom we respected to do some work for us. Unfortunately, when problems occurred with his team’s performance, we began having trouble with the contractor responding to our concerns.  We needed to have some tough conversations, but we were delayed week after week. It seemed our contractor had “stuck his ...

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Years ago, during a challenging economic cycle, my friend Jeff and I discussed the impact of the economy on ministries. Jeff shared that he and his wife had decided to significantly increase their giving, due to the economy and many struggling ministries.   A generous spirit is rare and refreshing.  Paul highlighted the generous spirit of ...

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For many small businesses, cash flow anxiety can cause them to be very reluctant to make financial commitments. At times, they may even be tempted to break their promises.   The Apostle Paul was concerned that the Corinthian church was about to break their promise. In 2 Corinthians 8, the Corinthians had made a pledge to ...

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Ignaz Semmelweis was a Hungarian physician who implemented hand washing procedures for doctors at Vienna General Hospital. This new practice decreased the incidence of maternal death from 18% to 2%.   Sadly, the medical community was offended to be told that a gentlemen’s hands could possibly carry disease. Doctors unanimously continued their deathly procedures.   Unfortunately, ...

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Recently, I met with two friends separately who owned significant businesses, both forced into bankruptcy. In addition, both friends have multiple pending lawsuits.   Bankruptcy can leave a person feeling persecuted, lonely, and full of shame. It can be easy to wonder where God may be.   Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego bravely refused to worship Nebuchadnezzar’s idol ...

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Following the driven career example set by his father, Eric saw his job at the property development company as the means to build the wealth he had been taught would define his personal success. So, he was devastated when the company shut its doors, forcing him to start over. But he took advantage of the ...

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I was excited when I reached the savings milestone that I had pursued for years. Accumulating those funds felt like fulfillment of Psalm 128:2: “You will eat the fruit of your labor; blessings and prosperity will be yours.”  But the month I reached that milestone, a significant market drop caused a big loss in my portfolio. ...

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Acts 19 describes the apostle Paul’s disruption to the city of Ephesus. Paul's testimony about Jesus turned many away from the local cults, threatening the income of the silversmiths who were creating statues for idol worship. These craftsmen could not hear Paul’s message because they were too fixated on how it impacted their work.  Jesus ...

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