Seize the Day!

There is no getting around it, you are what you do daily.  No matter what you did TODAY you were 100% successful at what you did.  You may not have wanted to do what you did but you were 100% successful in doing what you did.  What you did may have not benefitted you or anyone else but you were 100% successful at what you did.

You may not have planned or scheduled what you did TODAY but you were 100% successful at what you did.   The last principle in my book Prosperity Renewal: 14 Bibilical Principles for True Financial Freedom addresses the setting of goals and how setting them makes everyday productive and how it makes us live God-sized lives.     

Read more about seizing your day…

Feel free to leave a comment about article or about what you have accomplished in the last three (3) months.

Flora M. Kynard, author of
Prosperity Renewal: 14 Biblical Principles for True Financial Freedom
info@prosperityrenewal.org
www.prosperityrenewal.org

God’s Plan for Financial Freedom

Today’s Scripture…
“We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.”  2 Corinthians 5:20 (NIV)

Devotional Thought…
On January 20th, 2009, one of democracy’s finest moments occurred yet again, as Barak Obama was sworn in as our 44th President.  The transition of power from George W. Bush’s presidency to the Obama presidency is even more amazing because ideologically these two men are not on the same page with their views on several matters.

Around the world, the United States has (in most countries) someone designated as a United States Ambassador.  The Ambassador is asked to live not in the United States, but in another country and another culture (usually many miles from home) to represent the President and the United States of America in matters of interest.  If an issue arises in one of these countries, it is the job of the Ambassador to know what the will of the President is on that issue and communicate that will clearly to the leaders of this foreign government.  Failure to do so could cause a foreign government to act in a way that could damage diplomatic relations.  When Obama was elected, Ambassadors started being briefed on the specific differences between the previous Bush presidency, and the current Obama presidency.

Today’s scripture reminds us that we too are ambassadors, not of an earthly government but of Jesus Christ, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.  Though believers in Jesus have a home in heaven (2 Corinthians 5:1-10), for the time being we are asked to dwell on this earth, in a culture that pursues many things that are contrary to the Kingdom of Heaven.  Jesus prayed that we would be “in the world but not of the world” (John 17:15-16).  Jesus wants everyone to become a believer, and to enjoy an eternal citizenship in the heavenly Kingdom.  This passage says he wants to make this truth known through you.

How can you be a good ambassador for the King of Kings?

By knowing the will of the King-  we don’t have to guess, just read it.  The message we need to know is found in the Bible.  Are you committed to knowing the will of the King?
 
By living the will of the King-  its not enough to know the will of the King, as ambassadors we are called to be living examples of it (James 1:22-25).  Are you committed to living out the will of the King in every way?
 
I’m sure that if a President had an ambassador who was not acting in accordance to his will, he would communicate his displeasure.  Through the Holy Spirit, the King of Kings does the same, calling on His ambassadors to confess their sin so that they might be restored (1 John 1:9).  If Jesus is currently making you aware of ways your finances, relationships, actions or attitudes are running counter to His will, confess it and let Him bring you the victory and restoration you need to be an effective ambassador for Christ.
Kingdom Focused!

Flora M. Kynard, author of
Prosperity Renewal: 14 Biblical Principles for True Financial Freedom
info@prosperityrenewal.org
www.prosperityrenewal.org
Excerpt from DAILY DEVOS, a ministry of First Baptist Church of Allen, Texas.  We would love to hear how God is using this ministry to help you find and take your next steps with God.

God’s Plan for Financial Freedom

Today’s Scripture…
“On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh.  And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.”  Matthew 2:11-12 (NIV)

Devotional Thought…
Today’s devotional scripture comes from the Christmas story, where the Magi have followed the star and finally have arrived at their destination.

Mary and Joseph were poor, and were not used to having expensive things like gold, incense and myrrh lying around the house.  Much has been suggested about the meaning of each of these gifts, and these “foreshadowing” meanings are probably right.  But the truth is, the greatest meaning for Mary and Joseph was that these things were quickly going to be able to be turned into cold hard cash!  God knew that as soon as the Magi left, He would have to send an angel to Mary and Joseph, telling them to get Jesus away from Herod’s jealous attempt to kill him (Matthew 2:13-15).  And where did God tell Joseph to go… Egypt!  This trip to Egypt was long, and the time they stayed there was probably a few years.  The money that Mary and Joseph were able to obtain through these gifts made the trip and stay possible.

Most of us have received an unexpected monetary or material gift.  For many, before the day is over we have already spent it or figured out how to use it on ourselves. But what if Mary and Joseph had done that?  If they had cashed in these gifts to spurge on a new home in Bethlehem or a sleek newer model donkey to ride around town on, they would have had nothing for the trip God knew they needed to take.

Many right now are asking God what He wants them to do related to finances?  For some, God wants to help get the ball rolling with debt reduction.  For others, God wants to work on your attitude about money.  If some miracle money comes your way in the near future, could it be…
God’s plan is for you to start a debt snowball with it so you can begin the disciplined process of paying off your debts?
 
God’s plan is for you to give it to someone who has desperate need for it, allowing you to work on your possessiveness of money and things?
 
We will never benefit from what God intended if we just blow it.  Ask God to help you start praying over your checkbook, over your purchases, and over any miracle money you receive.  You might be surprised what God intends to do with it.

Kingdom Focused!

Flora M. Kynard, author of 
Prosperity Renewal: 14 Biblical Principles for True Financial Freedom
info@prosperityrenewal.org
www.prosperityrenewal.org
Excerpt from DAILY DEVOS, a ministry of First Baptist Church of Allen, Texas.  We would love to hear how God is using this ministry to help you find and take your next steps with God.

God’s Plan for Financial Freedom

Today’s Scripture…
“I have rejoiced in your laws as much as in riches.”  Psalms 119:14 (NLT)

Devotional Thought…
Have you ever really wanted something and then were able to finally possess it?  Can you remember the feelings that were going on inside of you at that moment?  Maybe one of these examples will help you remember the feeling I am talking about…

The feeling of walking into a home you finally were able to purchase.
 
The feeling of driving home in that car you had your eye on.
 
The feeling of receiving that promotion that you were up for and had worked hard to get.
 
You know the feeling I am writing about.  That feeling that puts a smile not only on your face but a huge happy feeling on the inside as well.

Today’s scripture is a simple one to understand but not often practiced.  The Psalmist basically says to God that the words of God get him just as excited as a pile of money.  The scriptures put a smile on his face and in his heart just as much as his favorite possessions.
 
When is the last time we got excited as we heard from God?  Do we seek after His words to us as expectantly as we seek after a good word from our accountant or retirement account?  If we will seek after a word from God, He has promised that He will deliver (Proverbs 8:17).

Ask God to create expectancy for hearing from Him.  Do we really believe God desires and can speak to us through His word?  Express that belief to God and don’t be surprised when a “godly grin” or a “holy hallelujah” starts to make its way from the inside out.

Kingdom Focused!

Flora M. Kynard, author of
Prosperity Renewal: 14 Biblical Principles for True Financial Freedom
info@prosperityrenewal.org
www.prosperityrenewal.org
Excerpt from DAILY DEVOS, a ministry of First Baptist Church of Allen, Texas.  We would love to hear how God is using this ministry to help you find and take your next steps with God.

Be Content With What You Have

Today’s Scripture…
5Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”  Hebrews 13:5 (NIV)

Devotional Thought…
Not too many years after the Apostle Paul, lived the great Greek philosopher Plato.  In one of his philosophical moments, he is credited with coming up with the idea, “Necessity is the mother of invention.”  His observations were that most inventions come about NOT through some random idea that popped into the mind of a human, but usually they come because there is a need.  God has caused the human mind to work in a way that when we are frustrated or perturbed, we begin to say to ourselves, “There has got to be a better way to do this.”

Over the last several months, we have experienced an economic downturn of global proportions.  Retirement funds, savings accounts, the worth of homes and the net worth of many families and individuals has shrunk to levels that have caused many to become fearful and panicked.  Through the fog of economic uncertainty, many are evaluating the way they have valued and handled their money up to this point in life and are saying to themselves, “There has got to be a better way to do this.”

Today’s scripture gives us some great truths to meditate on when it comes to the topic of money…
Keeping our life free from the love of money means there should be NO place for it in our lives.  To “love money” means money is something we pursue, we think about, and is a passion for us. How much do you “love money?”  Could our current economy be a way God is showing us that we have a love for money that is hindering some things God wants to accomplish in our lives?  Is this something you need to confess to God?

We are called to be content with what we have.  Are you content with the money and things you have, or is there always something more you desire and seem to be striving to get?  Have you ever taken the time to walk through your house, your yard, and your garage and just thank God for your stuff?  Have you looked at your checking account, savings account or retirement account and thanked God for whatever the amount is?  Do you need to apologize to the Lord for not appreciating all that He has allowed you to have?

Our money will come and go, and so will our stuff.  But there is One who is eternal; one who will always be with us in His abundance.  When is the last time you have worshipped the Lord, honoring and recognizing Him as the Eternal, Abundant, Never-ending One?

The real question to ask during these days is not, “how much am I going to lose in these tough economic times?”  The eternal question is, “What kind of person do I want to be in these times and beyond these times?” 
 
Kingdom Focused!

Flora M. Kynard, author of
Prosperity Renewal: 14 Biblical Principles for Financial Freedom
info@prosperityrenewal.org
www.prosperityrenewal.org
Excerpt from DAILY DEVOS, a ministry of First Baptist Church of Allen, Texas.  We would love to hear how God is using this ministry to help you find and take your next steps with God.

The first principle in the book Prosperity Renewal: 14 Biblical Principles for True Financial Freedom the author suggests that God owns everything and everything belongs to God.  

The author suggests that since God owns everything (including us) that we are just managers or stewards of what God has placed at our disposal. 

Do you agree or disagree with such a statement?  Why or why not?

Flora M. Kynard,  Director

Prosperity Renewal Ministries

www.prosperityrenewal.org