Issue15 Kingdom Finance

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BE A LIGHT IN THE MARKETPLACE

GOD'S ORDER

OR WORLD ORDER?

Activate God's FAVOUR Financing

the next frontier of MISSIONS

PROSPERING THROUGH HARD TIMES

TheEconomy:A barometer of your Marriage

you were BORN for such

a TIME as this

Ladies

The Global Wealth EquationKingdom Finance

is produced by:Tracey Olivier - Editor [email protected] Peck - Admin [email protected] Young - Sub-Editor [email protected] Plowman - Art Director [email protected] Sales: 084 548 4720 [email protected] Joubert - Ad Design [email protected] printed by: DNA Print (Pty) Ltd. [email protected]

CONTENTSis available at

the following locations:Amanzimtoti

Sweetwaters Full Gospel Church Kingsway Church, Life Church

Durban North Living Waters Church KingsNet Ministries

Empangeni Christian Family Church

Hillcrest GraceHill Church, Hillside Church,

Focus On The Family Bookshop Christ Church Hillcrest

Kloof/Gillitts Kloof Harvest Church

Sarepta Church Kloof Baptist Church

St. Agnes Church Kloof Methodist

Morningside The Olive Tree

Lambert Road Baptist ChurchMusgrave/Glenwood

Full Gospel Tabernacle Scripture Union St Olav’s Church

His People ChurchPinetown/Westmead Highway Christian Community

Pinetown Baptist Church Doxa Deo NG Kerk

Fourways SparPietermaritzburg

African Enterprise The Coffeeberry Cafe

All Saints ChurchUmhlanga

Umhlanga Harvest Umhlanga Christ Church

Waterfall Waterfall Baptist Church

Westville Church on Route 5

Westville Methodist Church Westville Baptist Church

Westville Presbyterian ChurchPlease let us know if you

wish to distribute CONNECT magazine in your church

or business.

www.connectmagazine.co.za | 3

VOICE OF THE PROPHET Financing the next Frontier of Missions 6 Activating the Favour of God 11

HEART OF THE PASTOR God's order versus World's order 13

HAND OF THE HARVESTER Born for such a time as this 16 Prospering through hard times 20 Investing on the Right Side of the Global Wealth Equation 24 The Economy is a barometer for your marriage 28

IN EVERY ISSUE Where to find CONNECT 3 Letter from the Editor 5 The Rest is HIStory 30

PRODUCTS & SERVICES Business consulting 2 Business systems, electrician, life coach, accounting services, Missions training 8 Real estate, accounting services, IT services, business insurance 9 Office technologies, printing 10 Graphic design, copy writing, networking systems 12 Staff development 19 Financial planning, business networking, counselling, short term insurance, graphic design 22 Insurance consulting, labour consulting, health, social media marketing, civil & structural engineering, real estate 23 Audiologist 26 Business information services, life coaching, financial planning, photography, health, painting 27 Building contractor 29 Kingdom Business Networking (KBN) 32

I have always had a love-hate relationship

with Finance. I’ve tried the Scarlett O’Hara approach – you know, where you put the back of your hand dramatically to your forehead and say “I’ll not think of that today” – but Finance will not be ignored. No matter what work we do, money is part of doing business. And no matter how naïve or afraid we are, God can empower us to be good stewards of His finances.

When I started KBN and CONNECT, I didn’t set out to ‘start a business’. It was a burning passion to meet people’s needs that spurred me on, not making money. That was a great thing (I wasn’t expecting to get rich!) but it was also a problem. I have learned that passion is a great starter, and it keeps you doing your thing whether the money comes in or not… but passion doesn’t make a sustainable business. And God wants our businesses to be sustainable so that we can keep sowing into His Kingdom – financially and through our witness to people in the marketplace.

I am so grateful for the opportunity to meet my friends Patrick, Patrice and Ben through the Biblical Entrepreneurship programme. These precious men have become my mentors and I am now in the process of completing my third and final Biblical Entrepreneurship module. This course has taught me that we are to trade our Assets (Talents, Abilities, Gifts and Skills) to create a profit and that it is for the Kingdom’s advancement. I am merely a steward. As I steward my assets well, reward will follow – in the form of increased responsibility and/or financial blessing. That’s the favour of our God!

Our attitude toward money is built in our

beliefs. Depending on what you believe, you will use or treat it differently. One of the revelations I had was that in ignoring finances (because I didn’t understand it and believed it ‘wasn’t in my gift set’), I was actually being a bad steward of what God had given me.

When we realise that we are stewards of our businesses and not owners, we suddenly have a whole new set of priorities. We realise that we have to face our ‘fear of finance’ head on and not only be accountable, but be profitable. That’s what the Master expects in the parable of the talents in Matthew 2:14-31. We need to invest what the Master has entrusted to us in order to fulfil His covenant. We are no longer just servants; we are children of the King and we have been given an inheritance to steward. It’s time for marketplace Christians to rise up and fulfil that mandate.

Let us be ready to hear our Father’s will concerning our finances. Let’s not be afraid to make a profit – that way we can fulfil the covenant to feed the hungry, to clothe the naked, to house the stranger, to visit the sick and those in prison. To do this we need to anchor ourselves in what the Word teaches, look for wise counsel from fellow Christians and – above all – ask the Holy Spirit to guide us. This issue is full of practical wisdom on how to achieve that – enjoy the read!

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The TRUTH aboutFINANCES

Everyone would agree that the way we used to do things ten years ago is massively different from the way we do

things today. There is no guarantee that what worked with a previous generation will be as effective with a new one. This is especially true in a missions context. Being involved with missions for the last fifteen years, I have seen some very interesting ways in which people are raising funds for the causes they believe in. I can still recall the first day I realised that my life was going to be different from that of a traditional missionary, and I had to walk away from the norm into the unknown. Financial security was not a given, and the possibility of entering a new month without any finances was a huge possibility. After seeking counsel, reading numerous books and talking to many veteran missionaries, my journey started. I used my

best writing skills, gathered the greatest photos available, and designed a newsletter explaining what I was about to do. I requested various forms of support from different people. Because many people knew about

the importance of sending the gospel to all, and because they already had busy schedules, it was easier for them to give and to allow me to do the witnessing on their behalf.

As time went by and the Matthew 28 message made it clear that we were all to be involved in preaching the gospel, even in our workplaces, things started to change. A new generation was emerging. Significantly this generation realised that we have to move

beyond talking, and be the change. No longer was it about ‘me doing it and them funding it’. Today, mission opportunities are emerging daily and young people are way more interested in being part of the experience

FINANCINGthe next frontier

of MISSIONS‘SMALL’ IS THE NEW ‘BIG’

VOICE OF THE PROPHET

6 | www.connectmagazine.co.za

A new generation was emerging.

Significantly this generation realised

that we have to move beyond

talking, and be the change.


than in funding a traditional missionary to do it.

For missions organisations this presents a huge challenge. Many such organisations have over the years developed complex structures to ensure they have the ‘big boat to shoot the cannon from’. Our own organisation used to think that we needed to increase in size if we wanted to do more (of course, with that came the responsibility of securing sufficient office space as well as the required financial support). We had what we thought were some of the best worked out plans and execution strategies… but no-one was interested in committing financially to them. We quickly discovered that there were many young people interested in making a difference, but very few willing to contribute financially to it. They all agreed that the need exists and that something needs to be done, but the difference was that they wanted to do it, and not ‘pay’ us to it.

That realisation led us to get involved in a project which would reshape our entire way of thinking about missions. Instead of being the one ‘doing’, our organisation became a platform from which it can ‘be done’. Suddenly we saw a huge increase in commitment, and where we once thought there was little to no money left for missions, even students were by themselves able find

the resources needed. The key lies in giving them the opportunity and platform to move from.

In a nutshell, what is actually happening today is that ‘small has become the new big’.

As I write, we have seen more than 2000 young people making use of the various platforms from within Focus Team Leadership Training (FTLT) – and although we have physically seen very little of it coming through our financial books, millions of rands have been raised for missions.

I have no doubt that the traditional way of financing and raising support for missions has changed and will

probably undergo more changes in the years to come. What we have realised is that people are no longer looking for the big boats; instead they are searching for the harbours in which to park their own.

Suddenly we saw a huge increase in commitment, and

where we once thought there was little to no money left for missions,

even students were by themselves able find the resources needed. The key

lies in giving them the opportunity and platform to

move from.

Adriaan AdamFocus Team Leadership

[email protected]


Tracey OlivierA life purpose Coach with a passion for Marketplace Businesses

084 548 [email protected]

Opening up your unique purpose, potential and possibilities through coaching


HAND OF THE HARVESTER

Specialising in:•SystemAdministration•DataManagement•NetworkingDesign•TroubleShooting•ADSL&Wireless Connections•Affordablerates•VirusRemoval &Protection•Website&MailHosting•Hardware &SoftwareSales

“Daniel resolved to not defile himself with the royal food and wine, and he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself this way. Now God had caused the official to show favour and sympathy to Daniel.” – Daniel 1:8-9

For those that may not know the story, Daniel, along with a few of his royal Jewish friends, had been drafted into

Babylonian royal service after Nebuchadnezzar had defeated and captured Israel. These Jewish royals were destined to become great advisors and leaders in Babylon. Nebuchadnezzar had great plans for them. As those of elite Israeli nobility, they were seen as assets to Babylon, and thus trained as such.

These Jewish nobles didn’t have a problem with that. They did as they were told and submitted to the requirements placed on them by the Babylonian rulers – as long as these requirements didn’t compromise their faith in the one True God. He was their number one priority, always. When the Babylonian requirements conflicted with their Godly standards, they stood their ground.

Friends, I want to encourage you today, and with this series study through Daniel, that it is possible to work in and for a secular environment, and yet still honour God. And when you do, Grace will flow beyond what you thought was possible. Christians face this challenge daily - trying their best to remain faithful to the call of God while living in a secular world filled with dishonouring decisions and selfish choices. It’s not an easy challenge to overcome, but it’s necessary if we are to fulfil our commission... to make disciples of all nations.

In order to make disciples of all nations and establish the Kingdom of God on Earth, we must

impact all areas of society. In order to impact all areas of society, we must immerse ourselves in those areas, get to know the leaders within them, and hopefully ourselves become the leaders in order to pioneer the way of God’s design: a culture of honour and love.

The key to successfully overcoming this challenge is to make God the first priority in our lives. (It may sound a bit legalistic to you, but trust me, when you realise how good God is, and let His Love into your life, it is easier than you think! Not to mention His Power that will flow through you!) If, like Daniel, God has first priority in your life, you will find yourself standing your ground where others around you are succumbing to dishonouring choices. And when you make those “quality decisions”, the favour of God – which is already there because of Jesus - will be activated in your life.

For example, just by making the decision that you want to honour God with your finances, you will activate the favour of God! You will attract God’s favour to take you further than you ever imagined! You will find yourself with better business deals than before, you will find yourself promoted to better positions, you will get meetings you wouldn’t normally get. All while your colleagues and competitors look on in bewilderment. All because your choices and actions reflected what you believe.

Friends, when you act on your faith - that God is the one who looks after you, provides for you and promotes you - you will be raised up into positions of influence you never before imagined! Rise up! Take your place as princes and princesses of the Most High God! And invade Babylon like Kingdom covert agents.

James [email protected]

VOICE OF THE PROPHET

Activating the FAVOUR of God


Being a light in the marketplace – PART 1

graphic design

brand development (logos & stationery)

publication design (magazines, books & brochures)

typographic art

passion for creating beautiful things

Ruth PlowmanDESIGNER

084 88 22 110 [email protected]


In Matthew 16:19–21 Jesus says, “I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be

bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Then he strictly charged the disciples to tell no one that he was the Christ. From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.”

For many Christians, religion can be a mask that Satan uses to cripple us and our testimony. One of hypocrisy’s most common and fatal symptoms is worldly-mindedness. It is important for us to understand that there is a World Order and there is God’s Order. When the Holy Spirit revealed this to me some time ago, I realised how deceived I was. I needed at that moment in time to allow myself to be aligned by the Word of God again.

In Hosea 4:6 God says “my people are destroyed from lack of knowledge”. Immediately I realised that any knowledge we gain without a revelation of the Holy Spirit is mere information. Information is a very dangerous concept because if we don’t fully understand the impact of the given information, we might find ourselves in a worldly or a ‘religious’ environment.

Proverbs 10:22 tells us that “The blessing of the LORD makes rich, and he adds no sorrow with it”. Once we start to understand the Word’s blessing, it becomes clear that everything we need is in the Word.

Before we look at the revelation on the World’s Order versus God’s Order, it is important that you understand that we are children of the King of Kings – which means that a kingdom (earth) was left for us to rule over. If you look at the word “king” you will find it means a ruler over a domain (“dom”) – from which we get the word “kingdom”. When we look at daily examples we will find that we each have domains to rule over. These might include being a husband of a household (king of the house) or a steward

over our finances (which are a blessing from the Lord). In the World’s Order you will quickly find that if your domain becomes bigger than your ability to rule over it (e.g. your capacity to pay debt back), you will lose your ability to rule and also compromise your stewardship. Proverbs 13:11 reminds us that “Dishonest money dwindles away, but whoever gathers money little by little makes it grow.” Verse 22 goes on to say that “A good person leaves an inheritance for their children’s children, but a sinner’s wealth is stored up for the righteous.”

HEART OF THE PASTOR

In the World’s Order you will

quickly find that if your domain becomes bigger

than your ability to rule over it (e.g. your capacity to pay debt back),

you will lose your ability to rule and also compromise

your stewardship.

GOD’S ORDERvs

WORLD’S ORDER

Let’s start by looking at the World’s Order:

1 KNOWLEDGE: When the world (cosmos), meaning “ungodly multitude”

(John 1:10) has enough information and knowledge about you, it can use this information to have control over you and force you into worldly situations. For example, when you sign a bank contract, you have to provide every detail about yourself – your history, your experience, your credibility. From this information a decision is made regarding what you are worth and how you can pay it back. This leads to:

2 CONTROL: With the necessary knowledge and measures in place, your

entire being is now controlled by a worldly contract, institution (bank), etc.

3FINANCES: Out of this worldly knowledge and control over you, the only

reward that you can have is money. Finances become like the golden calf (an idol). The love

of money becomes the binding problem according to Luke 12:15. Let us now look at God’s Order to help us to get out of this situation.

God’s Order (1 Tim 6:1-16)

1REVELATION KNOWLEDGE: When we realise that

everything we need is in the Word and guided by the Holy Spirit, we will immediately have better discernment about which information about ourselves to give out. We need to understand that the World’s Order, which I referred to the ‘sales technique’ around us, is the false teacher which the Word talks about in 1 Timothy 6. Rather let us be content.

2RULE: Genesis 1:28 speaks about how God gave Adam and Eve dominion over

the earth. Since this earth was given to us to rule over – to be good stewards of, to make godly decisions about, and to be content in – we need to focus on a living relationship with Him and He will guide us on how to rule and not to be controlled by the world.

KnowledgeFinances

Control

3RICHES: It is of utmost importance to understand

that God-given wealth culminates in:

• Relationship: When we have a Holy Spirit relationship with God, we will find blessings which culminate in good health (a healthy mind houses a healthy body). How many times have we heard the expression, “take all my money but just give me my health back”?

• Health: With our health and good relationship in God, it is now easy for us to reflect on the fact that He wants to bless us with finances, etc. Scripture also teaches us that we can use the world’s money to build the Kingdom.

• Finances: When we start to see that money is seed, we

will have a good harvest in all spheres because what we sow we will reap. Now our mindset is changed to God’s Order and not the World’s Order.

May God bless you abundantly in realising that we need to realign ourselves to God’s Order.

Since this earth was given to us to rule over – to be good stewards of, to make godly decisions about,

and to be content in – we need to focus on a living relationship with Him and He will guide us on how to rule and not to be controlled by

the world.


Revelation Knowledge

RichesProvision

Relationship

Health

Rule

Mario Steyn Senior pastor:

Lewendewoord, Pretoria Founder: MBA - Marketplace

Baton Associationcongregation@

lewendewoord.co.za



BORNfor sucha Timeas This

We are in an incredible hour in history which is especially significant for women! In this

hour women will find favour and have great influence in arenas such as the corporate, governmental, business and entrepreneurial marketplace. This is the era in which God is visiting women with freshness and empowering them for new assignments. Women were created to be unique carriers of God's Presence and influence wherever they are – at home, at church or in the marketplace. Since the beginning of time women have had the ability to attract people and resources in any given sphere so as

to release God’s Kingdom. Although in modern times they are often overlooked,

women have always been the most powerful component of every

revival, transformation or reformation.

Throughout history we can see how women

have been the catalyst for financial and ethnic

rescue of many nations; how they have improved the economic strength of nations, and increased resources and trade. Yet they still remain a largely unrecognised entity. If we look at the statistics today, we see a great need for a reformation in the marketplace for women. Australian women hold only 8% of key executive management positions. South African women occupy 21% of executive positions, but only 3% of women in both countries are CEOs or in corporate leadership. Israel leads with 5% of women as CEOs, and a huge 30% of the 47% women in the workplace are in executive positions!

If we look back at history in the Renaissance and the Protestant Reformations, we see that it was the women who took advantage of the newfound political and religious freedom. As they became aware that Europe needed an alternative economy to replace feudalism, they created a new one through capitalism and trade. It was the Jewish women in this era whose economic power sparked the reformatory change.

Martin Luther, who is largely hailed as the leader of the Reformation, preached that women should be uneducated and in the home. But the Jewish women who had listened to their fathers read the Torah every night, knew the story of Zelophehad’s daughters who had argued the law of inheritance for women if there was no male heir. They also knew of Deborah, Esther, Junia and others – and therefore could see no religious reason

why they couldn’t trade and do business. These Jewish women became

astute in their dealings, and they began to loan their Christian women counterparts money for businesses, real estate and trade. As a result of the increase in these business activities, Jewish women

became educated and held a strong presence in the legal

system. Seeing that women had less access than men to

productive resources, services and opportunities, Jewish women

also became Europe’s strongest moneylenders in the feminine economy. When we look at the statistics of women

in the marketplace today, we have to ask: is there something

we’ve missed? While we have majored on the religious side of the Reformation, have we overlooked the

huge influence of women on Europe’s economy and trade at that time? Does the Bible hold the key to the true place of women in politics, trade and societal

change? I believe it does. Perhaps in our quest to find the ‘spiritual’ side of the stories in the Bible, we’ve missed how women and men not only understood their assignments, but also shaped spheres of influence and brought societal transformation!

By seeing Deborah as just a prophetess, we’ve missed the

fact that Barak (not the coward he was made out to be) inducted

her into the army and the political sphere and then she fought alongside

him. As a prophetess she had no legal ground to fight in the army, therefore she submitted to Barak as her general.

Throughout history we can see

how women have been

the catalyst for financial and ethnic

rescue of many nations; how they have improved the economic strength

of nations, and increased

resources and trade.

This is the era in which God is visiting women with freshness

and empowering them for new assignments.


Esther, a young orphan, entered the palace and was able to influence the king in saving the Jews and inheriting part of the Kingdom. All these women – Zelophehad’s daughters, Deborah, Esther and others – did not just pray for change. Instead they understood an amazing principle: that to penetrate a sphere of influence you have to have a position in that sphere, and be authorised to rule in that sphere.

God has given us the ability and the anointing to deal with problems, but we must have the position to apply both. David understood this. He didn’t take out Goliath as either a shepherd boy or a king, but as a newly inducted soldier in Saul’s army!

He was authorised by Saul to enter the governmental sphere. He could have used his slingshot on Goliath when he was delivering sandwiches to his brothers, but to have power you need the authority of position. Proximity is power, and the power to access can become the power to influence.

Deborah had to ask Barak to go with her because he was

the general and she needed to be inducted into the army – and

under the authority of the army’s general, she had the power to

influence. When the enemy met Deborah, Esther and David, he met

God in a suit or a dress. You cannot bind the strongman from around the corner –

you have to go into the strongman’s house to plunder his goods and divide his armour. It

is a spiritual law that the lesser authority must yield to the greater authority.

However, until the greater authority shows up and presses the issue, the lesser authority

will dominate. The Jewish women in the Reformation understood this principle

and knew if they wanted to change the nation then they had to be on the front

line of government and business, not where religion and culture had tried to keep them locked in.

A Christianised city or nation doesn’t necessarily mean a transformed nation. If

you were to take the key indicators of sociological change, i.e. divorce rate, alcoholism, juvenile delinquency, the ability of the poor to get into the

middle class etc., it tells you that the church is not utilising its power to

transform the city at this point, and certainly the women are not

being unleashed.The leverage to change the

world isn’t in the church. It’s potentially in the church, but it doesn’t show up unless

They understood an

amazing principle: that to penetrate a sphere of influence you have to have a position in that

sphere, and be authorised to rule in that

sphere.

The leverage to change the world isn’t

in the church. It’s potentially in the church, but it doesn’t

show up unless the church is

unleashed in all the spheres of influence.

the church is unleashed in all the spheres of influence. The Deborahs, Esthers and Davids need to engage the enemy in the spheres where God has ordained an assignment for them, and the only way to do this is to have the power of proximity within them.

The question today is not ‘Can we as women rise up and transform our economies?’ but ‘Will we?’ Will we accept the assignment God has given us and break through the barriers set upon us? Like Deborah, like Esther and like Zelophehad’s daughters, we too can access God’s agenda, strategy, and authority to administrate more territory and release His Kingdom wherever we are.

Amanda WellsPassion to Product Strategist & Coach

[email protected] www.amandawellsministries.com

www.gemwomen.comAs a life coach and international

speaker, Amanda is a dynamic, powerful visionary and

humanitarian whose passion is for people to engage their

spheres of influence to bring about transformation. Together with

Caroline Marsh she has created GEM WOMEN, a company dedicated to

inspiring, educating, and empowering aspiring women entrepreneurs.

Equipping People for SUCCESS with• INSPIRATION • SKILLS •

• TEAM BUILDING •STAFF WHO:

More Productive Staff More Productive Company

Know how to do their work (Skills

Development)

Work well with

colleagues (Team Building)

Are inspired to give their best (Inspirational

Speaking)

COMPANY SUCCESS


PROSPERINGTHROUGHHARDTIMES

Are you stuck in a difficult situation? Do you believe God can work it together for your good? Are you ready to do something shrewd, risky or new when God directs you?“Let me pass through all your flock today, removing from there all the speckled and spotted sheep, and all the brown ones among the lambs, and the spotted and speckled among the goats; and these shall be my wages.” – Genesis 30:32

Does the Lord provide guidelines to His children

on how to build wealth in the midst of a difficult situation? Of course, the answer is, "Yes!" Bad times are nothing new to God. He specialises in helping us make good out of bad situations. What the devil

means for evil, God always utilises for our good (Romans 8:28).

In Genesis we find Jacob, the grandson of a wealthy businessman named Isaac. He has experience working with sheep. His grandfather and his father both had a sheep and cattle business. Jacob is sent to his uncle, Laban, to get a wife. Laban is also an entrepreneur in the sheep and cattle business. Jacob makes an agreement with his uncle to work for him for seven years

in exchange for his younger daughter, Rachel. Laban tricks him into working for fourteen years for both Rachel and Leah,

Bad times are nothing new to God.

He specialises in helping us make good out of bad

situations.


her older sister, though Jacob is interested only in Rachel. While he works for his uncle, the Lord prospers his uncle's business.

Now with a growing family, Jacob requests permission from his uncle to leave and go back to his country and to make provision for his own household. His uncle refuses to let him go, recognising that his business has increased tremendously in revenue since Jacob has been working for him. For that reason, he requests that Jacob name his wages. "How much will it take for you to stay?" he asks. Jacob does not name a salary, but rather asks for equity partnership in the business.

Equity partnership is an exchange of money or work for a percentage of shares in the business. This approach increases Jacob's risk, but also increases his chances of becoming wealthy. He understands his value and recognises that no amount of money offered by Laban could be enough to pay him what he is worth, since he is the one with the expertise.

Therefore, he exchanges his expertise not for salaries and benefits, but for an equity stake in the business. As a result of this shrewd business transaction by Jacob, the Lord gives him clever ideas and further prospers the works of his hands. Jacob becomes exceedingly prosperous and has male and female servants, large flocks, camels

and donkeys (Genesis 30:43). Whether you work for

someone else or operate your own business, allow Jacob's story to encourage you and give you insight into the ways of God. God rewards faithfulness and also permits you to look out for your own interests and the interests of your family. Although Jacob accumulated great wealth working with Laban, the time came for them to part ways and for Jacob to put his immediate family's interests first. Eventually God told Jacob to move on and return to his home country (Genesis 31).

My prayer for you this week is that the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob will give you insight and prosper the works of your hands in order that you and those who depend on you may experience the fullness of what God has in store. His plans are always for our good (Jeremiah 29:11), and His kindness is everlasting (Isaiah 54:8).

Copyright © 2012 Patrice Tsague

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Whether you work for someone else or operate your own business,

allow Jacob's story to encourage you

and give you insight into the ways of God.

What were the keys to Jacob building his wealth?1. He obeyed his father (Genesis 28:1-5).

2. He believed the promises of God (Genesis 28:12-19).

3. He trusted God for his provision (Genesis 28:20).

4. He committed to tithing (Genesis 28:22).

5. He was faithful over another man's business (Genesis 30:27).

6. He recognised his value (Genesis 30:30).

7. He was committed to providing for his family (Genesis 30:30c).

8. He was as "wise as a serpent and as gentle as a dove" (Genesis 30:31-32, Matthew 10:16).

9. He was not afraid to take risks (Genesis 30:31-33).

10. He was diligent in business (Genesis 30:35-43).


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What we see in the world is

two groups trying to seek dominion over the works of

God’s hand.

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“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1) and he created them with all

the resources required to sustain His beloved creation (us) until eternity. After God had created human beings in His own image, He then told Adam and Eve to be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth and govern it (Genesis 1:28). This is God’s instruction to humans to procreate and also to set up an economic system to ensure that the resources of the earth are managed in a way that will ensure that all people are sufficiently provided for. God also gives Adam and Eve clear instructions on what resources they can use and those they can’t (Genesis 2:15).

Unfortunately humans decided to violate God’s instructions and consumed a resource that God had told them not to consume (Genesis 3:6). From this point onwards what we see in the world is two groups trying to seek dominion over the works of God’s hand (the resources of the earth). They are those who reject God and continue to walk in disobedience to God, and those who have repented of their sins and have returned to God.

In the area of wealth we therefore have a situation that we can summarise in a simple equation:

Total Global Wealth = Wealth held in the Kingdom of God + Wealth held in the kingdom of the devil

The ‘Wealth held in the Kingdom of God’ refers to assets and financial resources that are in the hands of stewards who are using them for the purposes of furthering God’s economic system. This economic system is focused

on seeing the establishment of His Kingdom on earth and fulfilling the manifestation of His will on earth as it is in heaven.

The ‘Wealth held in the kingdom of the devil’ refers to assets and financial resources that are in the hands of men (both non-Christians and Christians) who are using them for the purposes of their own desires and therefore furthering the economic system of the enemy. This economic system is based on materialism, greed and the accumulation of riches outside the guidelines of God’s economic, financial and business principles.

Defining the ‘wealth options’ in these two very distinct areas

without any middle ground seems quite harsh and

can invite a lot of controversy. But I do so in the understanding that Jesus clearly gives us two choices in Matthew 6:24 when

he says, “No one can serve two masters. For

you will hate the one and love the other, you will be

devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and mammon.” So whatever wealth is not being used to further God’s interests is therefore furthering the interests of the devil since Jesus says, “Anyone who isn’t with me opposes me, and anyone who isn’t working with me is actually working against me” (Luke 11:23). With Jesus there is no middle ground.

The ideal situation should read ‘Total Global Wealth = Wealth held in the Kingdom of God’ because this will mean that all of the resources on earth are being used to honour the Lord. But unfortunately even in our nation which claims to be 72% Christian,

Whatever wealth is not

being used to further God’s interests is

therefore furthering the interests of

the devil.

we still see the equation showing that ‘Wealth held in the kingdom of the devil’ > (is greater than) ‘Wealth held in the Kingdom of God’. The levels of crime, corruption, materialism, greed and poverty are clear evidence of this fact − and so is the declining rate of giving in churches and the constant lack of resources in mission and ministry organisations.

The sad reality is that most of us in the body of Christ have placed our wealth on the enemy’s side of the equation and hence are actually working against the Kingdom of God. We have continued to operate our economic affairs according the principles that the world has taught us and we have been ignorant of what God says about His Kingdom economic system. Most of our investments are therefore sitting on the enemy’s side of the equation and hence the Lord cannot use them for His purposes because we have kept them from Him. Why? Because we have taken up the position of ownership instead of stewardship.

God’s economic framework is very different to the world’s framework and hence the investment and reward principles are typically in opposition.

God says that His people are destroyed because of lack of knowledge (Hosea 4:6). We are now in a critical season where we as believers of Jesus Christ need to seriously take stock of where our financial and economic allegiance lies – on God’s side or the enemy’s. If our assets/resources/wealth are not surrendered to the Lord and linked to a Kingdom purpose, then we need to realise that we are building on the

wrong side and hence furthering the interests of the devil on earth.

So the question every believer of Jesus Christ

needs to be asking is – which side of

the equation have I invested in? If we have invested on the wrong side we need to bring this

before the Lord and repent and reinvest

in the Kingdom economy that has the

potential to give a 100-fold return in our lifetime,

but also gives a 100% guaranteed eternal return.

We are now in a critical

season where we as believers of Jesus Christ

need to seriously take stock of where our financial and economic allegiance lies –

on God’s side or the enemy’s.

Patrick KuwanaCrossover Transformation

[email protected]

[email protected]

Tracey

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Since 2008 everyone has been worried about the economy. Many have lost their jobs and people are having a rough

time in South Africa and worldwide. And like it or not, the economy affects relationships. In fact, the economy can be seen as a gauge or measurement tool for the health of your marriage (or relationship)! Why?

If you’re stressed about money, guess what? You can tell how well your marriage is doing by how well you withstand financial stress. This means that if you are in a situation where your marriage is being torn apart by finances, you were probably going to experience stress in your marriage even if the economy was fine. In other words if the foundation of your relationship is sound, you can withstand any financial storm. In fact, if you have a strong foundation, your relationship can withstand any of the storms of life.

When you and your partner have a real, soul-deep connection, you experience that connection right down to your very cells. Remember when you first fell in love?

You could just sit on the phone and say nothing. I know for some of us it’s been a long while since that happened to us. Most couples have been reduced to two people living in the same house with absolutely no other connection.

But today’s world is about money. Like it or not, money is important in our time. It’s right up there in the hierarchy of needs. When you don’t have money, you really feel it. Not surprisingly, money is the leading cause of relationship breakdowns and divorce. Yet most of us are ignorant about money. Not only that, but we also don’t even bother to take time to understand money. Because we are not sure about money, it is very difficult for most couples to talk about it.

The famous Biblical statement, “the love of money is the root of all evil” remains true. (And boy has it been proven true in this age.) Yet money itself is not evil. So how should we relate to money?

1You need to understand your relationship with money

That is where the challenge lies. We all have

The Economy is a BAROMETER

of your marriage

a ‘money mindset’ that defines our relationship with money. As a couple you will do well to understand each other’s money mindset. No assumptions. Have a candid discussion with your partner about his or her views and priorities regarding money.

2 Don’t sabotage yourself Do you manage your money well or do

you mismanage it? It’s no accident that the rich manage money better than the poor. Successful people know that knowledge is power, and when you know where your money is going (expenditure tracking) and how to make it work for you (investment knowledge), then you are empowered to manage your money well – even if you don’t have much.

3 Men and woman react differently to money stress

Money stress brings out the worst fears in both of you. And each gender’s insecurities tend to exacerbate the other’s. She feels like

the homeless, vulnerable woman and he feels like a complete failure. Then the drama starts. The man can’t find a job and the woman keeps nagging him to try a, b and c. He feels like a complete failure when reminded over and over again by his wife or partner that he needs to ‘do something’. The woman keeps nagging him because she feels utterly vulnerable and worried about not being able to survive.

Financial stress affects both men and women and is painful for both of you. If you are in financial stress, you need to realise that you are both afraid and anxious and that you express it in different ways. You need try and walk in each other’s shoes and understand what your partner is going through. Most importantly, get help!

Max [email protected]


The rest is

For many years Clive Thompson dreamed of working from his

own photographic studio at home. His dream was challenged when

circumstances dealt a wicked blow but he chose to exercise his faith in God.

“Take up your cross and follow Me,” says Jesus. That in itself indicates there will be some tough times along life’s journey. How we respond to them is all important.

I saw Diane Cooper playing the grand piano at a church in Durban North and I knew that I would marry her one day. That was twenty-four years ago. We’re still in love and have faithfully served in the praise and worship team for over twenty-five years now, and we are still very active in that area of ministry.

We decided to move into Diane’s mom’s home and “adopt” her as she was a widow. I looked many times at the little garage at the back of the property, wondering if perhaps one day it could be converted into a photographic studio from where I could work and earn a living. When Mrs Cooper lost her husband in 1976 she made arrangements with the Durban Corporation to defer the rates until a later date. She forgot one year so the house went up for auction. For us to keep the house the outstanding rates of R55,000 had to paid within the following two weeks so I had to apply for a bond of R350,000, buy the house and settle the outstanding rates.

On the 15 December 2006, eighty-eight-year-old Mrs Cooper was mugged outside our front gate and pushed to the ground. The thief ran off with her handbag. She incurred a broken hip and was admitted to Entabeni Hospital for an operation. On the Monday the hospital called

asking us to come in and see them. To our horror, we found out that Mrs Cooper had resigned from her Medical Aid in September 2006 without saying a word to us. I was held liable for the settlement of R62, 000 in medical bills.

I cried out to the Lord in anguish. Right then and there He delivered me from the fear of not having money and told me to look to Him. Three weeks later our maid was attacked in our kitchen and stabbed several times. We believe it was the same person who had snatched Mrs Cooper’s bag. Praise the Lord, our maid survived. More medical bills!

Our financial status grew worse. We borrowed more money from the bank and maxed out our credit cards trying to survive with all this extra debt. I took great comfort in listening to the encouraging words of our Lord which state “My God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus” – Philippians 4:19. When Jesus performed miracles in His ministry on earth, He used people in nearly all of them so they would be witnesses to such events. Watching Angus Buchan and how he placed his faith in the Word of God encouraged me as well. I began the journey of living by faith, no matter what, and continue on that road still today.

My sister decided to move to Durban and was willing to use her savings to build a garden cottage and workshop for her arts and crafts – plus a studio, right where the little garage was standing! God, is this You answering my prayer?

We scanned the newspaper advertisements and finally settled on a builder who seemed to know what he was doing. The problem was, we didn’t. He insisted on a 50% deposit to get started. He squeezed her for the balance owing, claiming that he had to buy this and that

HISTORYPensioner's nightmare

turned to FAITH


before the job could be completed. Each day the builder brought a different team and then suddenly all building stopped – leaving three walls with huge spaces for windows and doors. He just walked off with all her money! So it was to the lawyers we wenT... After one year of trying everything possible we decided not to waste our dwindling finances. My sister had lost her life’s savings of approximately R160, 000.

So we faced a ‘Red Sea’ situation and by faith I trusted for an early retirement. I was told three times over that I would never get a package and three times over I told my boss that it was not up to the company to decide that, but up to my God. I testified in church one Sunday that Diane and I had reached our limit, our ‘Red Sea,’ stating in faith that God would part the waters for us. In three days He did just that! The company granted me the package with immediate effect. I fell on my knees and wept! Diane was thankful that I would be at home to help her mom, who was now ninety years old and needed constant supervision. What a mighty God we serve!

A man I know, who had heard of our predicament, approached me at a large Christian rally held in Durban recently and told me that he would pay for the cottage to be completed. Hallelujah! Building plans were now drawn up (which we never received before, even though the lawyer ordered the cunning con-artist builder to furnish them) and submitted the plans to the corporation. As the main house was older than sixty years, special permission was needed – and was granted, allowing us to continue. We hired another builder and when I asked my friend for money for building materials and wages, he suggested that I use my pension payout

instead. “By the time the project is completed, the cash will be available,” he promised. I had to dig deep into my pocket and after five gruelling months of tiresome effort, the cottage was completed – as well as my dreams of a studio. I approached my friend yet again for the promised R200,000 which it had now cost us, but to no avail. My sister’s money was finished, my pension money finished! It looked as though my dream was also finished.

We are facing yet another ‘Red Sea’ situation and have to exercise the faith I have been living by which states “Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” – Hebrews 11:1. There is nowhere else to turn but to the Word of God. Yes, we have completed the cottage, the craft workshop

and the dreamed of photographic studio, but have gone into Debt Review as we could not keep up the steep monthly payments on our accounts. I realised that this was not the time to start doubting the Word of God. This is where I need to exercise my faith even more than before... and I have found that the more I exercise my

faith, the more it increases! God is blessing us but we still have a long journey ahead of us.

At the time of going to press, this is where we stand…firmly on the Word of God! As yet I don’t have the final answer, but I know the One who does – His name is Jesus and I am letting Him straighten out our crooked paths and restore what has been stolen from us.

Clive Thompson [email protected]

“Faith is the assurance of

things hoped for, the evidence of

things not seen” – Hebrews 11:1.

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Issue15 Kingdom Finance

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Transcript of Issue15 Kingdom Finance