Financial Intelligence

Jim Elliot, a missionary to an obscure tribe in Ecuador, wrote this: “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose.” Jim and his team were killed by the very people they were trying to reach. In the end, God used their deaths to bring that entire tribe to know Him. 

Jim Elliot had an eternal perspective. He did receive a reward which can never be taken away from him. He and his team spent their lives in obedience to God. They lost nothing. They gained everything.

It’s a challenge to look at life through an eternal lens, especially when surrounded by the seeming happiness of those who do not follow God. 

We live in a materialistic culture. The world tells us that money and accumulating stuff will make us happy, and the more money we have, the better off we will be. Inherent in that is the idea that our soul will find peace and satisfaction through wealth and possessions.

Jesus, on the other hand, has a completely different perspective. He wants us to profit in other, more important, ways. He beckons us into a relationship with Him, so that we can know Him as Lord and friend and grow more like Him. When we follow Him, we grow spiritually, emotionally and financially; but God’s focus is not on just wealth. 

When Jesus is our first love, instead of the pursuit of money, we can enjoy life on higher ground; one of significance and personal fulfillment as we grow in the knowledge of Him and follow His will for our lives. Instead of being focused on accumulating wealth, God teaches us to practice wise stewardship of the wealth He gives us. He teaches us how to use our wealth to advance His Kingdom and help others to participate in His big plans.

Join me as we discover the practical application of what God teaches about money and how to handle it, including what tithing should look like today by watching the video above.