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| | The Christian Millionaire Mindset Mentors Network is not currently active and cannot accept new posts | | Wisdom first, wealth second | Views: 1100 | | Jan 15, 2007 6:05 pm | | Wisdom first, wealth second | # | 
Jack Weinzierl | | The focus on this morning’s TGIM is on Increasing our Wisdom account BEFORE our Bank account.
Welcome to our Thank God It’s Monday post.
Let’s open this up properly in prayer.
Dear Heavenly Father, I thank You that we do not have a spirit of fear, but that we have a spirit of power, a spirit of love and a spirit of a sound, strong, stable and disciplined mind. Father, I thank You that the peace of God, which surpasses all knowledge, is guarding my heart and mind. I command my mind to dwell only on that which is true, honorable, pure, lovely, excellent and worthy of praise. Help us to transform our hearts and minds today.
Father, we ask for supernatural favor and wisdom for every person readin this today. We thank you for all of your provision and encouragement as we build a business that honors and brings people to you, in Jesus name we pray, Amen.
I want to begin by sharing a quick story that you may have read about recently. The headline reads--
Man wins $315 million Powerball 5 Years ago: Says He is Broke
CHARLESTON , W.Va. - A man beset by problems since winning a record lottery jackpot says he can't pay a settlement to a casino worker because thieves cleaned out his bank accounts.
Powerball winner Jack Whittaker gave that explanation in a note last fall to a lawyer for Kitti French, who accused him of assaulting her at the Tri-State Racetrack and Gaming Center , a slots-only casino near Charleston , according to a motion French's lawyer filed this week demanding payment of the confidential settlement.
Whittaker won nearly $315 million on Christmas 2002, then the largest undivided lottery prize in U.S. history. He took his winnings in a lump sum of $113 million after taxes.
Since then, he has faced his granddaughter's death by drug overdose; he has been sued for bouncing checks at Atlantic City, N.J., casinos; he has been ordered to undergo rehab after being arrested on drunken driving charges; his vehicles and business have been burglarized; and he has been sued by the father of an 18-year-old boy, a friend of his granddaughter's, who was found dead in Whittaker's house.
Jack Whittaker is bankrupt.
Folks, we all can do the math. Putting $100 million into conservative investments would generate $5 million a year of interest to live on. That works out to over $10,000 a day. I think most of us could manage, but this leads me to the subject of this call—Wisdom. One must have and seek wisdom for lasting success and it is interconnected with Mindset. We need to focus Changing our Wisdom account BEFORE our Bank account. Most People are more focused on the resources never really thinking about the wisdom required. They have a lottery mindset and can end up morally and financially bankrupt.
Neither information nor knowledge is wisdom. I know a lot of very smart people who know a lot of information and knowledge, but they make some of the most bone-headed decisions that I have ever seen. That is why getting our mindset and hearts right first is so important BEFORE we have the resources. We need to be on solid ground and have wisdom BEFORE. 80% of large lottery winners are broke within a few years. It is staggering, but really, that should not surprise us because they did not change their wisdom level, just their resource level.
In fact, while we were driving to service yesterday, we had a teaching moment with our children. There were many churches in the Dallas area that cancelled service due to our ice storm out of safety concerns. While driving by some empty church parking lots, it hit me that most of America serves another God, so I had to ask my kids that question. Did you know that most people in this country serve another God on Sunday morning? They were confused by this question as they thought I was talking about different faiths. No, I mean there are many things competing for our time and our focus. Many people serve the God of comfort, staying warm and under the covers, then making their coffee and reading the big fat Sunday paper for 3 hours and watching political shows with pundits that will not impact their lives and results one bit. Then I reinforced the fact that information does not equal wisdom. It was a great seed to plant in their young minds.
It is good to seek knowledge, but don’t forget to ask God for the wisdom to use the knowledge that you get.
Daniel 12:4, "But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased."
Is there any question in your mind that we are living in the last days? Most Bible teachers and prophecy teachers agree that one of the signs of the times is the vast increase in knowledge.
Even before the days of the Internet, one “Think Tank” put forth this statement concerning knowledge: Knowledge is exploding at such a rate--more than 2000 pages a minute--that even Einstein couldn’t keep up. In fact, if you read 24 hours a day, from age 21 to 70, and retained all you read, you would be one and a half million years behind when you finished.
Now, since the beginning of the Internet, I wouldn’t be surprised that the growth rate has grown by 1000%, with more knowledge being presented on any given subject, in a single day, than what could have been shared in a year not more than 50 years ago. Of course, the increase of knowledge doesn’t affect everyone equally, and there are some that choose to remain blissfully ignorant.
Knowledge is not a bad thing to have most of the time. In fact, I am so very thankful for the knowledge that has come forward that makes life a little easier. I thank God for the knowledge that brought forth new methods and new instruments that enable us to share the gospel more effectively and to reach more people than ever before. I appreciate the technologies that allow many of us to work from home full time, not dealing with the ridiculous commute times, corresponding stress levels and office politics.
But knowledge alone is not enough. For knowledge to be as good as it can be, we must be able to use that knowledge with wisdom.
For knowledge to be useful, wisdom must be applied. The problem is that most of the world uses its knowledge based upon the wisdom of the world without God. Man thinks that he is as good, or better than God, or doesn’t believe in a supreme God at all.
Proverbs 9:10 says, "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding."
The Apostle Paul even warned Timothy that in the last days, knowledge would be ever increasing, but that man would never be able to find the truth because he refused to believe in the source of all Truth. Jesus said that He was the “Truth, the Life and the Way.” If mankind won’t accept that Jesus is Truth, and that God is the Creator, the source of all knowledge and wisdom, then how can mankind ever use what he learns wisely? This really hits the mark when you think of all the worldly teaching and new age garbage being thrown about these days. They refuse to believe in the source of all Truth.
2 Timothy 3:1-5, "This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away."
2 Timothy 3:7, "Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth."
Knowledge, without the fear of the Lord, and the wisdom to use the knowledge we learn, is a very dangerous thing. Knowledge, without God in the midst of it, can do for a man. It can become a hindrance instead of helping him.
Knowledge creates within the heart of man a desire for things that he does not understand or need. In other words, it becomes a source of temptation. The first man and woman, Adam and Eve, are prime example of this. Satan’s temptation was too much for them because they desired to be like God, to know what God knew, even if it cost them everything.
I have discovered that the more we think we know, the more we presume to know more, or know better than God, concerning our own lives and the things we want to do.
God knew this would be a problem for mankind that was now caught in the grip of sin.
Knowledge also increases the risk of a prideful spirit entering into our hearts. How many times have I tried to witness to someone with a higher education and they spurned the gospel or laughed? They become smug in their education, thinking that they have it all figured out, and that they can handle it all alone. The higher up the ladder of education people go, the harder it is to reach them with the gospel.
So knowledge is not always a good thing. Sometimes it can even be a dangerous thing. What is it that makes knowledge worth knowing? It’s knowing the source of knowledge in the person of our Lord Jesus Christ.
When we come to know the Lord, the knowledge that we attain suddenly has a deeper meaning than ever before. With knowledge, we gain the wisdom to use it through the leading of the Holy Spirit in our lives.
But sometimes knowledge can be a wonderful thing. I want to know more about my Lord. I want to know more about His Word. I want to know more about His ways. But, I must first know Him, as my Lord and Savior, and then that knowledge will be a blessing and not a curse. A lot of believers go around and they recognize that He is their Savior, they got their ticket punched and they are going to Heaven, but they don’t make Him Lord of their lives. We need to make Him Lord and Savior in our lives.
James 1:5, "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him."
It is good to seek knowledge, but don’t forget to ask God for the wisdom to use the knowledge that you get.
KINGDOM WISDOM FROM PROVERBS
God wants His people to have a full and satisfying life. But how do we get it? Demands are made on us, with the pressures of the 21st century in terms of time and resources. We’re bombarded by the influences of the secular environment and at the same time there’s the insistent call of God as we seek to be disciples of Jesus. If we’re serious in our commitment to our Lord, as citizens of His Kingdom, we need to be continually refreshed with a healthy dose of: Kingdom Wisdom.
KINGDOM DECISION-MAKING
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.” The implication of this is that we rely wholly on God for guidance. “Acknowledging God” means obeying God’s will as He’s revealed it.
Solomon advises that “in all your ways acknowledge him (the Lord)” which infers that we openly recognize that He’s the real “boss”. God knows what life is all about. He’s bigger than all the problems we face. He’s with us, He’s committed to us. We can go through the darkness with confidence because He will see us through.
The verse ends “and he will make your paths straight.” This is a promise as well as a proverb, but it doesn’t guarantee that we will never make mistakes! When you navigate a journey from a road map it seems perfectly clear, but when actually on the road you come up to a complicated roundabout, it’s easy to mistake a turning and it’s necessary to go round again! Above all, says Solomon, “Don’t be wise in you own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil.” Solomon has advised us on Kingdom Wisdom - it’s Rules, Principles and Decision-Making. He then tackles the contentious area of money.
KINGDOM ECONOMICS
“Honor the Lord with your wealth …” Perhaps the room of our life which we guard most for ourselves is our treasury. It’s sometimes said that tithing is legalistic but in fact our Lord’s and the Apostle Paul’s teaching shows it’s all of grace when we recall the words used in describing Christian giving: “sacrificially, joyfully, willingly, spontaneously, abundantly, secretly, humbly, regularly and trustfully” (Matt 6, 1 Cor 16 and 2 Cor 8 and 9). It’s all about placing our financial resources under the lordship of Christ. Is He your Savior or is He your Lord and Savior?
We’re indebted to Solomon for the Kingdom Wisdom he was inspired to write. Here we have God’s direction or roadmap for the Christian. God’s Word must be our guide. The wisdom of this world will fail us, so our relationship must be with the source of all wisdom, God Himself. The Holy Spirit will lead us in to all truth if we allow Him to do so.
Some on the line this morning have made a resolution to get in shape in 2007. One thing that I just started is to listen to the Word while on the treadmill. You can get the complete Bible on Audio for about $100.00. What an incredible investment towards your Wisdom account. A 40 minute run or walk will get through about 1/3 of Proverbs so if you workout 3 times a week, you can listen to Proverbs in one week and I encourage you to repeat it for several weeks. This does not replace reading the Word, but it is a great tool to get the Word in you and you will also experience more fulfillment in your workouts.
I sure trust that you are excited and passionate about your business. Do you view your business as a marketplace ministry? Are you on purpose? Are you passionate? I now wonder why and how I ever settled in to the mediocrity and lack of purpose that I had experienced for most of my adult life. Pray for wisdom in your business every day.
It is my responsibility to leave an inheritance for my children’s children.
I am the head and not the tail, above and not beneath and we were designed to succeed and I choose to walk toward my God given right. I am confident and not arrogant. And the prize for the race is not always given to the quick, but to those who run the entire race and persevere. And confidence without arrogance is something that every one of the Christian Millionaires possessed from the last 4 Millionaire Mindset Conferences that I have attended.
Your business is no one else’s business but yours and God’s. At the end of the day, you can make all sorts of excuses of why this or any business will not work for you and that is your choice.
It pains me to see anyone who literally quits on their dreams. Don’t let anyone steal your dream and if you do nothing to build the business right now, focus on improving your Mindset first. Focus on wisdom BEFORE you focus on resources. Work on YOU first. We are all growing and your business and income will grow as you grow and transform from the inside out.
Please remember that we all have the same seconds in a minute, minutes in an hour, and hours in a day. Let’s make the most of that precious time we have. One recent saying that I have and it probably drives my wife, Stephanie nuts, is when she is working on something for our ministry, I will say, is it a good thing to do or the right thing to do? Is what you are doing going to make a difference in someone’s life? That is an easy question to ask of someone else, but we all need to ask that of ourselves as we are trading our days. We can fill our days with good things and some of them can even be for the Kingdom, but we need to seek His face and ask for the wisdom to focus on the right things to do. Go from Good to Great.
Have a blessed week and let’s do great things, exuding His power and giving Him all the glory, amen.
In Service,
Jack Weinzierl
http://JackWeinzierl.com
Private Reply to Jack Weinzierl | | Jan 18, 2007 4:04 pm | | re: Wisdom first, wealth second | # | 
Debbie Davis | | Wow, this was great! Thank you so much for reminding us about the importance of increasing our wisdom in the area of business and finance. I started my home business about a year and half ago and I haven't seen what I know I can see in growth. I will be putting these principles that you taught into practice!
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