Eternity perspective…The Loaf of Time

How significant is what you do today?

I think of daily time like daily bread. Each one of us has a "loaf" of time, if you will. Each day consumes one slice, and the loaf becomes smaller as time passes. We eventually realize this, to our dismay, and it becomes so very important to use our given time wisely-to make our lives count for something meaningful.

"What we do in life echoes in eternity!"

That's what KingdomNomics is all about: knowing and experiencing the benefits of joyfully trading earthly, temporary gratification for something that will last forever.

The movie Gladiator opens with a scene in which the Roman General Maximus is getting his troops excited before they go into battle against barbarians in Germany. He rides his horse back and forth at the head of the line, and he shouts so that all his troops can hear him, "What we do in life echoes in eternity!"

This statement is true on every battlefield, whether in a deep forest with the Roman army or in the ordinary decisions you make in the course of each day. What happens here has eternal repercussions.

We must choose where we invest ourselves.

There are so many implications to what that means for you and me. However, for now, let's focus on the fact that when we realize the truth of these things, we know we must choose where we invest ourselves. Every day is filled with choices. And it's not just about the decisions you make, but why you make them.

As a result, we must live each day asking ourselves, "What if today were my last day? How would I want to spend it? What would my kingdom investment portfolio look like?" We can't afford to take our eyes off the Lord and his Word. And we can't afford to delay in acting upon our convictions.

Are you focusing your time, talent, and treasure on what matters to God?

The Strategic Few

Are you among the few who make the greatest difference for Christ within your sphere of influence?

Many people choose what is easy. Few people champion the kind of principles we're discussing with Kingdom Nomics. Fewer still are those who will live them out. Being intentional about the use of our time, talent, and treasure is difficult. So we may not be surrounded by a great crowd of enthusiastic adherents to these ideas. But they are still true. They actually work in this life, bringing great joy and contentment.

In most churches, it's probably true that 80% of the giving and 80% of the hands on ministry is done by only 20% of the people.

The real question is this: "Am I going to aspire to be one of the few strategic Christians in this world who lives out the incredible truths of KingdomNomics, rather than simply talking about them  or will I take the easy way that leads to unprofitable results?"

Will you look back from the vantage point of eternity and know you've made the right choices?

It's true that KingdomNomics principles have incredible benefits here and now-but they also require discipline, wisdom, and sacrifice. We live in an instant gratification world in which people want easy fixes and simple solutions.

But our focus is not on today's easy pleasure; it's on eternal significance. Our ultimate joy is deferred to that "someday" life. Each of us must choose what matters most.

Every day I see people living out the well-known parable of Jesus, in which various people are entrusted with certain sums of money (see Matthew 25:14-30). Some people simply hide their resources. Some consume every dollar they have, as well as dollars they don't have (leading them into debt). Others invest a little, yet still consume more than necessary. But others earn incredible dividends by investing wisely and sacrificially. From a purely financial perspective, disciplined investment is wise. However, from a kingdom perspective, the implications are exponentially profound. It is the path of the narrow road.

KingdomNomics dictates that my checkbook speaks of a life consumed by eternal realities.

Paul said of kingdom-based people that "we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal" (2 Corinthians 4:18). The idea is so simple, yet so challenging.

I have to ask myself from time to time, "Does my check book truly reflect that I have my eyes fixed on the unseen and eternal things that are important to God?" That's the leading indicator of my heart and soul. It demonstrates what matters to me, regardless of what I say matters. I know that KingdomNomics dictates that my checkbook speaks of a life consumed by eternal realities. Kingdom-based individuals will have very different priorities from most

Three Kinds of Believers

Are you spending completely on things that pass away like a vaporÔÇôor are you investing significantly in the things of God, which do not?

I'm something of a student of human behavior, and I've come to some conclusions about how most people in the world relate to God and his gifts. With regard to those who do make some kind of attempt to serve God, I've observed that there are basically three kinds of believers in this world.

They've compartmentalized the sphere of all their resources, whether time, talent, or treasure, and haven't brought these under the Lordship of Christ.

…1. Earthly-minded Believers

The first category of people I've identified is a large one, perhaps because it requires the least thought. These believers accept what God has given them and use their resources for their own comfort, pleasure, and personal gratification.

The Earthly-minded Believer sees money the way nearly everyone else does. He wants to keep as much of it as possible, and use it for his own personal enjoyment of life.

There's nothing wrong with enjoying the financial fruits of our labor. God wants us to do so. The important question is this: Are you spending completely on things that pass away like a vapor-or are you investing significantly in the things of God, which do not?

…2. Christian Philanthropists

The next category of believers is one that gives more attention to giving. These are believers who have come to the conviction that God has blessed them, and they should give back a portion of what they've received to help support ministry and missions. For them, this is somewhat of a duty, an obligation to fulfill, like paying taxes. There's an "oughtness" that guides them. They write a check or volunteer in some way, but there is no joy or purpose in it.

Perhaps it's the way they were taught by their parents. Perhaps it is motivated by the sense of duty so that the church can fund some project overseas, or pay its budget, or provide some program. Perhaps it's giving out of guilt. The important distinction is that it is "doing what I have to." As a result, it's not something particularly pleasant or enjoyable.

Kingdom investors are motivated by the rewards that the Bible promises.

…3. Kingdom Investors

There is one other kind of Christian giver and, as you might predict, this one is harder to find among us. The Kingdom Investors are people who grow in Christ, who dig deeply into his Word, and who come to see their resources in a brand new way.

Kingdom Investors see all that they have and all that they own as their sacred trust, theirs to use strategically for the advancement of Christ and his eternal purposes. Their time, talent and treasure is no longer an end in itself, but a medium, a palette to be used in the beautiful art of serving God.

Who are these people? You'll find them across the spectrum. The Kingdom Investors deploy whatever time, talent, and treasure they have available, and it's a pleasing truth that while not everyone can invest great sums of financial wealth, everyone can give their time and their personal talents. These are all things that God has given so that we might find the unique joy of giving them back.

Do you merely see your giving as an obligation or duty, or does it give you joy?

…Echo into Eternity

What would you be willing to sacrifice for a season, so you could enjoy something far greater, forever?

Jesus talks about a man who finds a treasure buried in a field. This man goes out and sells everything he has in order to raise funds to buy that field. He believes he has nothing that isn't expendable toward gaining the precious treasure he has glimpsed. (See Matthew 13:44.)

When God is glorified, that's when the Kingdom Investor is energized.

That's how it is for the Kingdom Investor. He has caught a glimpse of a treasure nothing on earth can match-an eternal treasure. All that he has must be invested toward that treasure.

Jesus also told stories about masters who gave their servants sums to invest. The workers were held accountable not for using their resources and not for preserving them, but for multiplying them. (See Matthew 25 and Luke 19.)

The master, of course, is Christ. And why does he take time to give us sums to invest? His work is the work we were made to do! Christ wants us know the unique thrill of bearing fruit in his name; taking what he has given us, and giving it back in multiplied amounts.

Those who obey Christ can look forward to wonderful things in eternity.

Kingdom Investors are motivated by the rewards that the Bible promises. The New Testament often speaks of rewards given to believers in heaven, based upon the right kind of behavior in this life. Jesus often said that hypocrites and those with empty religion have already received their rewards. It is constantly taught that those who obey Christ can look forward to wonderful things in eternity.

That's the adventure of this life. Kingdom Investors see it as a matter of sowing and reaping, which is a simple principle that is true in every aspect of life in this world:

Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. (2 Corinthians 9:6ÔÇô8)

Resources are the tools God has given us to get us involved in the great story of what he is doing. Purposed for this world alone, time is simply a commodity, talent is often used for personal recognition, and money is mere paper or fine metal. But when invested for God's purposes, it can be so much more-it can be a touchstone to the eternal world.

What difference are you making for Christ's kingdom with what he has entrusted to you?

…Kingdom Focus

Whatever controls your mind-whether it's God or money or something else-controls you. Once we begin to follow Christ seriously, all the targets change for us. We're walking a new road, and therefore we look for different landmarks. And as we are changed by the Holy Spirit, our goals change too.

The greatest target change of all, of course, is whom we live to please. In our human nature, we believe that life is all about self-help and self-emphasis; everything is me oriented. The choice to serve God and God alone means that we live to please him rather than ourselves. There's no way to overstate how great a leap in perspective that is. Our flawed, sinful human nature keeps pointing us toward the self-driven life at every turn: "Look out for number one!" "You have to toot your own horn." "You have to do what's best for you."

But Christ beckons to us, saying, "Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me" (Luke 9:23).

As it turns out, the way of self-absorption-attractive as it initially is-leads only to brokenness and despair, while the way of following Christ leads to deep joy and fulfillment. This is why Jesus said, in the very next verse following his statement about denying oneself, that "whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it" (Luke 9:24). You find yourself by giving yourself away.

I know-it takes a while to wrap your mind around that one. It's counterintuitive. It seems like a paradox. But I've found it to be true-the more you try to please yourself, the less you'll be pleased. The more you focus on Christ, the more pleasing life becomes. We need to be "givers," not "takers."

The natural human tendency is to take. We don't see ourselves as selfish, or think of ourselves as takers. But our fallen human nature causes us to "look out for number one." And when we live in a world of countless people all looking out for themselves, all competing for the same things, all wanting to take, then the world is full of conflict. It becomes an ugly place.

But what happens when people begin to see themselves as serving a common goal? What happens when we serve not ourselves, but Christ, and as a result, others? The world is transformed.

Jesus said, "It is more blessed to give than to receive" (Acts 20:35). The word blessed has the connotation of happy, of being favored in life. It's not just that God is pleased when we give; we're pleased, too. It's fun to be a giver. Giving pleases God, and it pleases us, too. It sets into motion principles of kingdom giving, kingdom logistics, kingdom investment, and a whole world of joy that comes out of doing exactly what God created us to do.

…Kingdom Power

If you can understand and apply to your life the following sentence, then you'll be among the wisest and best informed of Christians:

All of our spiritual power comes from the Holy Spirit.

Simple enough, right? And yet somehow a great many believers do not understand this. As a matter of fact, they don't even grasp who the Holy Spirit is!

The Holy Spirit is Christ living within us. He offers us guidance and just the right words when we face various crises. He comforts us. He strengthens us. He administers the special gifts given to us for ministry. It is through him that we live as new creations in Christ. On the day you began to believe in Jesus, his Spirit took residence within you. And he began the great work that will continue until either you die or Christ returns to earth-the power of transforming you into the living image of Christ.

All of the KingdomNomics principles are wonderful and supernatural  and they're not our work. They come through the power of God, dispensed by the Holy Spirit. Otherwise, we might as well be flashlights without batteries. That is an image of your life apart from the process of soaking, sowing, and flowing that comes through the Holy Spirit. It doesn't matter how much you want to be a "good Christian," or how many times you attend church, how much money you contribute, or how many good deeds you do-you will be as empty a vessel as the battery-less flashlight apart from the living Word of God flowing through you and empowering you by the Holy Spirit.

God wants each of us to shine in a dark world. He has told us we're the light of the world (Matthew 5:14). What a tragedy when the light of the world has no batteries! With a power source, that flashlight can light the way through a dark tunnel; without that source, it's a useless piece of plastic.

If you're a follower of Jesus Christ, you need not do anything special to invite the Holy Spirit into your life-he is there, just as sure as your heart was pumping blood through your body long before you learned about it in school. As you experience his presence, you can learn to cooperate with him, through reading the Word of God and asking him to illuminate it for you; by asking him to give you the right words during important conversations; and by relying on him to show you how to serve God as you go about the day. In time, you'll be more and more aware of the Spirit and how he works in your life. When you stumble, you'll feel his very gentle whisper of admonishment; when you are worried, you'll feel his word of encouragement; and when you're mourning, you'll feel his comfort. The Holy Spirit is more than just a power source; he is a friend in every need.

…Kingdom Transformation

Over the years, I've developed an understanding of the process by which we are changed by the Holy Spirit. I think of it this way: We soak, we sow, and the Spirit flows.

First comes soaking our hearts and minds in the Word of God. There's no substitute for this, no shortcut. We need to immerse ourselves in the Word of God until as much of it as possible is engraved on our hearts.

The Holy Spirit within us reveals its truth. He interprets and he applies the message of God to our thoughts and our issues. If you've ever struggled to stick with Bible study, hang in there. Ask God to bring the words to life for you. Every verse you memorize gives the Spirit a ready tool to use just when you need it. Soon, he can do some major work on your insides!

The heart is stirred when we look deeply into Scripture and meditate on it. So much power is contained in these heaven-sent lines. Nothing expresses the great issues and principles of life the way the Word of God does. Think of a sponge as a word picture for this, with its absorbency, filling up with living water.

Next, we begin to read or recite these verses back to God. We sow them to the Spirit, and he begins to flow through our being, so that we feel the power and presence of God. I've enjoyed this dynamic experience countless times. We come to the Word of God anxious, and he gives us peace. We come with anger about someone, and he gives us love and patience. We come dry, and he fills us to bursting with the refreshment of his goodness. It's a daily reality check with a sweet fragrance.

This is one of the primary ways that kingdom attitudes begin to grow within us. Crisis by crisis, worry by worry, relationship by relationship, the Spirit of God, speaking to us through his Word and his personal guidance, transforms us into the people he has always intended for us to be.

A genuine "spiritual chemical reaction" takes place when we soak our hearts and minds in the Scriptures, and let the Spirit flow freely through us. Life, health, power, and hope surge through us like medicine from heaven itself.

So we soak, we sow-reciting our verses, and the Spirit flows. Soon, we'll need to repeat this process. The sponge (heart and mind) can be filled over and over, and we can't let it become dry and brittle. It's a repeat process.

…Kingdom Attitudes

As we begin to make intentional decisions about our time, talent, and treasure, our attitudes about life begin to change as well. When we reflect upon the Scriptures, it's not long before we recognize that we see the world in a way that contrasts sharply from those who do not have God's view.

This is incredibly important because attitudes determine thoughts; thoughts govern feelings; and feelings guide actions. Those actions, of course, reinforce our attitudes, so that what we have in KingdomNomics is the opportunity to break negative cycles of behavior and begin positive ones.

People, of course, try to do this every day, but it's simply not possible through the limits of human effort. One of the greatest insights of the Scriptures is validated through our simple observation of this world: No matter how hard we try, we fall into the same ruts. We make the same mistakes. We can't break the cycle of human sin-unless we allow Christ to break it for us.

So we're talking about a new set of attitudes, but attitudes that don't originate in our best intentions. They must come from the Spirit of God, living within us as believers. Each one of us who accepts Christ as Savior will find that the Holy Spirit is now within us, and is working each day to reinforce these kingdom attitudes.

As we soak, sow and flow, we will begin to understand and integrate these attitudes into our lives. Here is just one that I've found to be foundational to living a life that echoes into eternity:

Submission and Yielding to God: Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God-this is your true and proper worship. (Romans 12:1)

A sacrifice is something costly that is offered fully and without reservation. In the time of Paul, who wrote these words, animals were presented for sacrifice to God. But God had come in the flesh, through Jesus, to present himself as a living sacrifice for people. And in response, we present ourselves to him. This means that no longer are we slaves to legalistic, obligatory sacrifices. We are free to be joyful givers for the sake of righteousness. We don't make empty gifts with our hands, but full and loving gifts with our hearts in an "I want to obey" attitude toward God (Romans 6:17). It's the end of empty religion and the beginning of loving relationship.

There are many more attitudes, all outlined in the Scriptures. The life of KingdomNomics is a life of daily faith that something wonderful is just around the corner. With God, this is always true. He "is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us" (Ephesians 3:20).

…Today and Eternity

There is a tension that accompanies the life of any follower of Jesus Christ. We are made of flesh and blood, placed in bodies that will last a few decades before returning to dust. But we are unique among all living creatures in that we are spiritual beings as well. We have souls; we are made for eternity; and we survive the death of the body. Paul writes that "our citizenship is in heaven" (Philippians 3:20).

We hear a lot of talk about citizens and aliens these days. The truth is that we ourselves are citizens of another world, and even ambassadors of that world while we are here (2 Corinthians 5:20). This world is not the "main event" for us. Our true destination is an eternal one. Therefore we're never totally "at home" in this world; all human beings have an intuitive sense that there is another world, one that is greater-our heavenly home.

On the other hand, we don't sit waiting for heaven to begin. God has work for us to do here and now. We are here to bring glory to his name and people into his kingdom. The needs that we see in those people are spiritual needs, but there are physical ones, too. Jesus preached salvation, but he also healed the sick. He comforted the suffering and brought hope to people in despair. He brought heaven and earth, spirit and body, together in perfect harmony.

A fantastic KingdomNomics principle then is to be heavenly minded and earthly sensitive. This precept guides my investment mission. I set my mind on eternal things, but I live and work in the world around me based on perspectives from that heavenly world. The effect is that it gives me a richer experience in my present life, because the light of heaven brightens my physical world, and I can bring the needs of my physical world before God on his throne in heaven. Kingdom living makes me feel truly alive, in spirit and in body.

It's a win/win situation-what Paul meant as he wrote his letter to the Philippians. He was under house arrest by the Romans at the time; aging and facing increasing health problems. He was eager to be traveling and preaching, yet he couldn't leave the premises. And how did he respond? With a letter of incredible joy. For one thing, he was experiencing God's presence. No chains could limit that. For another, he was ministering to people through letters, and even to the Roman guards. He knew that if he was in prison, then it was somehow part of God's purpose for him, so he never lost his hope. And here's what he said: "For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain" (Philippians 1:21).

To live, for him, was to experience Christ; to die was to go and be with Christ. Paul was a citizen of heaven, and therefore joyful on earth regardless of his circumstances.

…Eternal Significance

Author and theologian Frederick Buechner has said that God calls you to that place where your deep gladness meets the world's deep need. This is how we're wired. In the beginning, we discover that we have a God-shaped hole in our hearts-nothing fills it but him. Then, as we accept his lordship, we find a new empty place. This one is in the shape of the people he loves. It will be filled and galvanized by the mission he has given us.

So we don't pursue impact for the ordinary reasons of fame or impressing someone. We don't pursue it out of sense of obligation. We're chasing that deep gladness that comes when we address the needs God has set before us. Everywhere on earth, from mansions to slums, from deserts to cities, there are people suffering. They may be hungry; they may be sick; they simply may not have heard the saving truth about Jesus. These people are God's children. If you're a parent, think of how you feel about your kids. When they're in pain, you're in pain. You would do anything, pay any price, to alleviate their suffering. You would even take their pain upon yourself if you could.

That's what God has done for us in Christ. He provided a way out of our suffering. And it is what he does through you and through me, to make that way available to all of his children.

So impact is important to us. God has a process for preparing us for impact. It's best told in the Parable of the Talents (to use the term of the NIV84) in Matthew 25. A talent, in the language of those times, was a unit of weight for measuring money-like saying "a pound of gold," for example. In the parable, three servants were given money based on their abilities, and rewarded based on their investments. The master says to the most effective of the investors, "Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!" (Matthew 25:21).

Deep gladness is the sharing of the Master's happiness that comes from using our resources for the things God intended. One of the servants was given just a little bit, and he played it safe; he buried his talents in the ground. This is not God's desire. He wants us to take what we have and multiply it. If you have people-related talents-network. If you have financial resources-invest. If you have creative talents-expand them so that, in some way, the most possible people have an opportunity to become fEternal Investments

Plan and purpose are concepts that flow beautifully through the entire Bible. There is nothing random or spontaneous about our God and his works. He is purposeful in all things.

God's kingdom is increased by men and women who tap into the purpose that God has for them. They understand that their story is part of a much bigger story, his story, and this great insight becomes their guiding light.

Perhaps the greatest verse in the Bible on the subject of God's will is this one: "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future" (Jeremiah 29:11).

Consider what that one verse means for your life:

God has a plan perfectly formulated with your name on it.

It's a good plan. He didn't create you to be miserable, but to be fruitful.

God has reserved for you a future filled with hope.

Further, we can venture certain conclusions from this plan:

God's plan was written long before you were born. (Jeremiah 1:5)

God's plan for you is bound up with his plans for others. (Romans 8:28)

God's plan is built upon your gifts and talents. (Ephesians 2:10)

God's eternal purpose brings together your plan with those of others. (Proverbs 16:9)

God will guide you as you attempt to follow his will. (Proverbs 16:3)

John Wesley, founder of the Methodist Church, had a favorite sermon he loved to preach over the years. Its basic message was:

Gain all you can.

Save all you can.

Give all you can.

Wesley began a frugal life style as a young man. As he grew older, his income began to increase quickly as his fame grew, but he maintained humble standards of living so that he could give more away. Even so, he realized that many of his followers who were devoted to business would have opportunities to make much more money. He wanted them to realize that, as long as they did it honestly, Jesus would approve their business acumen.

Therefore I try to stay as close to the Lord as I can, immersing myself in his Word and the flow of the Holy Spirit every day. I focus on his purposes, and ask him what he wants me to do. In the course of the day, I continue to pray about opportunities to serve him in some way.

Meanwhile, I continue to be a good businessman, just as I always was. I try to gain all I can and save all I can, so that I can give all I can. I know in doing so that I'm walking the straight path that he set out for me. It's amazing just how many questions and puzzles and problems drain away from everyday existence when we know exactly what we're setting out to accomplish. I want consistently to do whatever honors God and pleases him.

…Eternal Treasure

Most people don't understand the Bible's view of eternity. They understand that there is a physical world, the one in which we live and age and finally die. And they realize there is the eternal world that follows, bound by heaven and hell, but not physical locations or the passing of time. They see it as a "someday" place, something not really real until we get there.

Yes, there really is a physical heaven, where God is and where we will see him. Paul says that "for now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known" (1 Corinthians 13:12). So we know that heaven will be wonderful, and there will be no more mysteries.

However, it's important to understand that eternal reality isn't confined to being a someday thing. It is also a now thing. Paul's letter to the Ephesians speaks of the "heavenly realms." He means the eternal reality, the true nature of things that our human eyes cannot see.

Here are some key facts, as revealed in that letter:

Our spiritual blessings are in the heavenly realms. (Ephesians 1:3)

Christ rules there. (Ephesians 1:20)

God has raised believers to sit beside Christ there. (Ephesians 2:6)

The work of the church occurs there. (Ephesians 3:10)

There are dark forces at work there, too-spiritual warfare. (Ephesians 6:12)

While Ephesians gives us the most detailed information on this subject, virtually every page of the New Testament echoes the wisdom that what we do here is bound up in eternity. Eternity is real; eternity is now; and what we do here makes a difference there.

This world is not all there is; what we see before us is genuine and it's very important, but it's not the ultimate reality! It's not even the lasting reality. All that we see will pass away, but we happen to be eternal creatures; heaven is our true destiny.

When we do things for the kingdom, which is invisible, our reward is in heaven. The real blessings, the real rewards, are not of this world. They are eternal; they are invisible. You might ask, "Well, why would I want to do anything for invisible rewards? Isn't that like being paid in imaginary money?" I would turn the question back in your direction-why do anything for rewards that are fleeting?

The things we do for God and his kingdom are everlasting. You've probably heard the phrase that "integrity is who you are when no one's looking." The fact is that there is never such a time. God is always looking. When you do some act of evil, and you think it has gone unnoticed, it has not. When you quietly commit an act of kindness, or make an anonymous donation, it's not anonymous to God.

God is in a position to see everything that is done. Therefore we must stop living for the opinions of others, and begin living for the opinion of heaven, where the heart is known for what truly lies inside it.

…Your Investment Portfolio

All of us are "in process" and are "on the way" to eternity. As we practice soaking our heart in the Word of God, sowing to the Spirit, and flowing with the Spirit as he changes our attitudes and thinking, we will be transformed and consumed with the desire to want more of what the God of provision has for us. The following questions may help you discover changes God wants to bring about in your life through the power of his indwelling Spirit.

Am I sufficiently committed to the Word of God? What changes in my schedule do I need to make so that I can spend an appropriate amount of time in it? Who can I ask to hold me accountable to doing this? What specific daily reading plan will I use?

Am I sufficiently committed to spending time with God, soaking my mind and heart in his goodness? When will I do this every day? Where? Who can hold me accountable? What strategy for prayer will I use?

To what extent is greed an issue in my life? What is my relationship to money and possessions? Having come to some conclusions on those questions, what changes do I need to make? What are the action steps for making those changes?

Who's the "boss" in my life? If I'm completely honest, who or what is more important than any other consideration? If I don't like the answer, what will it take to change it? Who can help me with this?

Having reviewed the chapters describing kingdom attitudes and principles, which one is the biggest challenge for me? How will I trust God to direct my heart in that area? How will I know when I've changed? Who can pray with me about this?

What does my kingdom investment portfolio look like right now? How would Jesus evaluate my use of the resources that he has entrusted to me, if he were to return today? What obstacles are keeping me from being a more effective manager of what he has given me? How will I attack those obstacles?

What principles will guide me in the future as I look upon myself as a kingdom investor? How does God want me to begin? What's the plan? When will I start, who will I tell, and what will be my goals?

None of us can look at where we've been and feel totally satisfied. Not one of us can think deeply about where we are without seeing the need for improvement. This is no time for guilt, which only enhances negative feelings and a "can't do" attitude. Instead, trust God, whose tender mercies are new every morning. He is concerned with your future, not your past. 