Things you must know now!
welcome Features
Dear Friend,
Ministry Update
Since late last year, we’ve been really concerned about the direction our nation has been going. In January, we kicked off special Financial Alert episodes of Fixing the Money Thing in order to address some important financial events that were taking place in our nation and in the world— issues that many people seemed too distracted to see.
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Financial Alert by Gary Keesee page 3
Things to Come by Kirk Elliott page 7
The Time to Change Is Now! by Phil Cooke page 9
It’s Time to Rise... Especially In Your Finances by Drenda Keesee page 11
Your Money or Your Marriage by Diana M. Morgan, Ph.D. page 15
Letters From You page 17
Welcome to this special edition of Faith Life Now News.
Since then, we’ve covered many important topics on Fixing the Money Thing and on the Financial Alert page on garykeesee.com, like the decline of the value of the U.S. Dollar, debt and spending, economic conditions, and much more. We plan to continue to cover more critical topics on upcoming episodes as well, because we know that the current financial crisis has likely affected your life in some way, whether in your finances, your family, your job, how you shop, or how you do business. We also believe that there are several things you need to know and do now in order to protect yourself and your family. That’s why we’ve put together this special edition of Faith Life Now News. In it you’ll find some of the same features you’re used to seeing, like the Ministry Update, and Letters from You, but you’ll also notice that this issue has been designed to give you information you need to help you and your family in the area of finances. In addition, we’re offering an amazing package—The Financial Foundations Toolkit—which has hours of additional information, teaching, and scriptures that we wish we could have fit in this issue. Every day, we receive dozens of emails and messages from people who are hurting, desperate, and afraid—people who need answers. Maybe you’re one of them. If so, we believe this issue will give you the answers you need, and some you didn’t even know you needed. Once you get it for yourself, please pass this important information on to everyone you can. We’d love to hear from you. Please visit us at faithlifenow.com and let us know what’s going on in your life. As always, more information about the ministry, television shows, and events can be also be found at GaryKeesee.com
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Drenda.com
Ministry UPDATE
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A few days later, he went back to the doctor and insisted that the same test be run again. When the results came back, Steve was NOT diabetic, and his numbers were BETTER than they could have possibly expected! His doctor was amazed. Prior to the call from the nurse, Steve and Lisa had been listening to Gary’s Now Revolution teaching and reading his book Faith Hunt. They say they were discovering pertinent truths that apply to daily life. They were learning what Gary calls the “Kingdom Principles”—the way the Kingdom of God operates. “I really believe these teachings are birthing a movement. They’re a NOW message for the Body of Christ,” Steve said. His wife Lisa also witnessed the power of the Kingdom principles in her own life. After losing some weight, Lisa found she literally didn’t have anything to wear in her new size. Putting what she had learned about sowing into practice, she gave a dress away to a woman she knew had been admiring it. After sowing that seed, she headed out to an upscale resale shop near her home believing God for a few bargains. Shortly after Lisa arrived, a sales clerk asked her if she would like to see a new bin of clothing that had just come in. The items just so happened to be high-end items in great condition, in her new size! That day, Lisa walked away with nearly $3,000 worth of clothing for less than $300! The teachings from Gary on the principles of the Kingdom have also reinforced principles the couple already knew and had acted on. Several years ago when in Cuba for a mission trip, Steve felt led to give many things including clothing and shoes. He looked down one day at his watch, which had been a gift
from his wife, and felt led to give it away, too—to another pastor there in Cuba. So he did. When Steve told his wife about it, she was happy he had followed God. Some time later, a good friend asked Steve to meet him at a jewelry store. When Steve arrived, the friend insisted he choose one of the three Rolex watches lying on the counter before him! A few years later, God spoke clearly to Steve, telling him to give that Rolex to a struggling pastor from the New Orleans area that was heavily involved in the ministry efforts there after the hurricane. Steve obeyed. “I believe no one can out-give God,” he said.
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When Pastor Steve Collins got a call from his doctor’s office informing him that he had diabetes and needed to come in and see the physician immediately, he knew there was one thing he had to do. After he calmed the nurse who had called (who attended his church) and told her that he would come in and be retested, (but not immediately, despite both the nurse and doctor’s urging), he and his wife Lisa joined together in prayer, refusing diabetes in any form. Then, together, they sowed a seed, believing that the re-test would show for certain that he didn’t have diabetes.
I really believe [the Now Revolution] teachings are birthing a movement. They’re a NOW message for the Body of Christ. During that time, Steve and Lisa had been heavily in prayer for their preteen son, knowing that he needed a touch from God. Two weeks after Steve had sown the Rolex, God clearly spoke to him. “He said, ‘You know that watch you gave? I just want you to know that I have your children’s backs.’ That was enough said! ” Steve said, “What would you give to hear God say, ‘I’ve got your kid’s back?’” Armed with the powerful principles of the Kingdom and encouraging testimonies, Steve continues to lead his family and his church in victory after victory for Christ. He looks forward to sharing more testimonies from Texas. For more information about Pastor Steve Collins and his church, The Harvest, please visit harvestnow.com.
We want to thank our partners for helping us share the messages of faith, family, and financial restoration around the world! Partnership allows the ministries of Faith Life Now to continue spreading the life-changing message of God’s Kingdom. For more information on the benefits of becoming a partner, please visit FAITHLIFENOW.com 2
About Your Thinking “G
ary, would you y a please pray r p e for supernatur s a e l p al mo “Gary, finances.” in so much debney. I am t.” “Gary, I’ for our m believing God
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for supernatural debt cancellation.”
Every day, I receive hundreds of emails from people who have real financial issues and want to see change. I appreciate their questions and emails and I read each and every one of them and try to answer them personally, as well. Sometimes I will read one and direct a team member to give my response, but I answer or give direction on each one. I take the mandate that God gave me very seriously. That is exactly why Drenda and I have a television program.
are very common in the emails that I get each day, and they all reveal a faulty mindset, which will hinder anyone from receiving from God. So, let me address the problem with those statements and, if you’re someone who says those things, how you should be retraining your mind to think Kingdom thoughts instead. First, we need to understand one basic fact: God doesn’t have any money! Money is printed by an earthly government and is used for commerce. So first, to find money, you will have to look in the earth realm.
Things you must know now!
We are personally out of debt ourselves, and we want people everywhere to know what we discovered years ago—the Kingdom of God. It was only through the Kingdom that we were able to become debt free. I want to remind you that you have access to the same Kingdom. Although we were believers for years and had legal access to the Kingdom, we really didn’t have a clue how to tap into it and bring into our lives everything the Bible said was ours. This is the issue I usually see with the people that write me. They are believers, too, but in their emails I can see very quickly that they have had wrong teaching or no teaching concerning money, and how God helps us obtain the money that we need in life. The three quotes at the top of this page
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Second, God will usually show you how to create or capture money when you ask Him about money. Most Christians, though, have what I call a “mailbox mentality”. Unfortunately, much of Christian TV has helped people with this impression because they tend to focus on the giving and not the harvest, which is the part where so many people need help.
First, we need to understand one basic fact: God doesn’t have any money!
The prevailing mindset is, “I give money to God, so God will bring me money.” But, as I’ve said before, since God has no money, He can’t bring you money, but He will move in the earth realm and help YOU create or capture the money you need. Of course, sometimes He will put it on someone’s heart to give you the money you need, but we should never, ever have the mindset that our answer will be found by looking to people to give us money. Although God will move on people to help at times, that’s only a temporary event and not a lifestyle. We’re destined to be the ones doing the giving. Deuteronomy 28:12 says, “You will lend to many nations but will borrow from none.” Someone giving us a gift may take care of today’s needs, but it doesn’t usually change our overall financial position, or our financial prosperity. We must understand what Paul was teaching in 2 Corinthians 9:6-8, “Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make ALL GRACE abound to YOU, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.” See, grace means God’s empowerment or His ability being available to you. So by having ALL grace, you have God’s ability for inspiration, concepts, ideas, direction, and wisdom that you may prosper. That’s exactly what happened to Drenda and I. We were in severe debt when God spoke to me about His Kingdom and told me that I didn’t know how it worked. At that point, Drenda and I began to really study how the Kingdom worked and were so surprised that much of the religious teaching we had learned over the years wasn’t really how things worked. Then, God gave me a dream to start a business, which I did in great fear and intimidation. I had no idea how to start a business! But, that business began to grow, and
I learned more about how to run it as time went on. That business is where the money came from that enabled Drenda and I to be completely debt free in 2.5 years. That was more than twenty years ago. You see, it was God’s grace that enabled me to prosper with ideas and direction. That is how you will prosper also.
By having ALL grace, you have God’s ability for inspiration, concepts, ideas, direction, and wisdom that you may prosper. Many times I get an email where someone says they’re believing for their house, or a large debt, to be paid off in 30 days. Of course God can do that, but that’s not how He usually works. Remember, money is in the earth realm, so the money to pay off the house will have to be captured from the earth realm. If you’re believing God for something like that, you need to first ask yourself if you have nets capable of catching that much money in 30 days. Do you have a business or a means that can bring in that much money in that period of time? If not, then God must first work with you to move you into a position with the capability to catch that kind of money. So, if you work at a mini-mart making $8 an hour and you want to believe God to pay off your $200,000 mortgage, God is going to have to move you out of that job (your net) because it doesn’t have the capacity to catch that much money. Changing your capacity would be the first thing that God would bring about. That means you either need a better job or a business idea to reposition you to harvest the money you need. See, it’s right to release our faith to have our houses paid off, but adding the 30-day requirement would fall under presumption unless you had nets capable of catching the needed money or felt a very strong
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Watch Gary weekly on Fixing the Money Thing! Get the complete broadcast schedule at GARYKEESEE.com
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About Your Thinking unction to believe God for the 30-day window. If you’re in real estate, for example, even though you might have a history of closing two houses a month, you know that real estate has huge potential. If you could increase your sales, or sell a few higher-priced listings, you would have the capability of bringing in the money you need. So, your net (real estate) does have the capacity to catch the money needed, but you need God to help you with marketing ideas and concepts to move you to the next level. You have the capacity to catch the money to pay off your house or debt in 30 days but you need GRACE (God’s ability available to you) to make it happen. Plenty of people email me asking for prayer for “supernatural debt cancelation”. I see it all the time. I’m all about supernatural debt cancellation, but not in the way they think. My definition of supernatural debt cancellation = PAY IT OFF! God can give us favor with our lenders—I’ve seen plenty of lenders willing to take less to settle a debt— but God wants His name to be honored. His name isn’t honored when His people can’t pay their bills. And, unfortunately, the mindset behind the phrase “supernatural debt cancellation” is “get me out of my debt mess without me having to do any of the work!” People are looking for a way out of their debt instead of paying off their debt. That’s the opposite of having the faith to pay it off!
You have to be involved in the process. YOU are the one that needs to capture the money you need! I respond to those people agreeing that I’ll believe with them for supernatural debt cancellation, but I clarify that I believe that means they will tap into the grace to prosper and pay off that debt. If the debt amount can be negotiated along the road, fine, but let us be above reproach and operate in integrity and truth so that God’s name is honored. The same goes with the request for me to pray for someone’s finances. I don’t have authority over anyone else’s finances! My prayer won’t cause your debt to just vanish. You have to be involved in the process. YOU are the one that needs to capture the money! It will be God’s grace working with you and in your situation that will enable you to harvest the money you need. If you’ve used one of these phrases, or even emailed me, be encouraged! I want to help you! Keep asking me questions. That’s why I do what I do. Remember, you and God together can do all things! It will require change, and courage, but God will empower you to prosper and walk debt free!
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PLUS
Get Dr. Kirk Elliott’s Monetary Madness DVD and Gary’s 2011 Financial Alert 2-CD Set
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About Your Nation
Things to come By Kirk Elliott, Ph.D.
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There are certain turning points in our lives where we have to take a stand for what is right. We need to make our voices known. We may not be popular, and we may even be putting our security and comfort levels at risk, but the implications for not acting may be the death of a culture, the death of a people group, the death of an economy, or the death of a civilization. As I write this, the U.S. markets are quiet, but the rest of the world isn’t. Gold is over $1,600 an ounce because of the risk of a recession in the U.S., the German Euro Risk, and WikiLeaks China Gold Cables, not to mention the very poor employment figure has led to stock markets in Asia and Europe experiencing quite large downturns.
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Recently, gold rose to $1,903.00/oz as the dollar and all currencies fell against gold in early European trading. Risk aversion has returned due to concerns about the U.S. and global economy and Eurozone contagion. Silver isn’t slacking either as it rose to $40.50 per ounce. The bull market trends in precious metals are in full force. What does this tell us? It tells us the world is on the brink. Confidence is wavering. Trust in the well-established systems and strategies of yesterday is fading into the twilight of a global monetary system that once was. This monetary system has lasted since 1944. We have two generations of people AROUND THE GLOBE who have become so used to the old system that when it starts showing signs of collapse, they don’t know what to do. Thus, the tried and true method of running for the
hills comes into play. In the financial world, this means a reallocation into things that have perceived value. Tangible assets like gold and silver are that escape route. You should expect huge gains in the precious metals markets in the weeks, months, and years to come.
The world is on the brink. Confidence is wavering. Trust in the wellestablished systems and strategies of yesterday is fading. Possibly the worst bill since the Federal Reserve Act in 1913, the raising of the debt ceiling added $2.3 TRILLION to the U.S. debt ceiling. This bill will actually destroy the U.S. Dollar, not save the economy as marketed. Demand for the U.S. Dollar is already diminishing rapidly. China has dumped 97% of its U.S. Treasury Bills and, after the debt-ceiling vote, there was an obvious chasm in the demand for the U.S. Dollar. Foreign money has been going primarily into German Bonds and gold and domestic money (led by large investment bank purchases) has been going into U.S. Treasuries. How stupid! It has taken 235 years to accumulate $14.5 trillion in debt. With very little demand for the U.S. Dollar by foreigners, this debt ceiling will need to be funded by printing—simply monetizing the debt. Our level of debt will increase by at least $2.3 trillion by the end of 2012. We should prepare for at least a $16.8 trillion debt by the end of 2012. And, that is WITHOUT any other excess spending occurring over the next 16 months! Fat chance! QE3 should be right around the corner. The Federal Reserve may not call it QE3, as people are now aware that quantitative easing is code for printing tons of money out of thin air, or just another stimulus package. So, whether it’s labeled QE3, a “jobs bill”, or “twisting,” (a failed policy of the 1960’s where the Federal Reserve exchanges short-term treasuries for long-term treasuries in an attempt to stimulate lending and the mortgage markets by
raising short-term interest rates and reducing longterm interest rates), the result will be the same. MASSIVE AMOUNTS OF NEW PRINTING, RAISING TAXES, OR BOTH are coming! We are nowhere near the end of the monetary madness. So, what should we do when we’ve come unglued politically, geopolitically, economically, morally, socially, and spiritually? We must, and without hesitation, reallocate our assets and make sure we have an adequate paper to tangible asset ratio to hedge ourselves against the inevitable collapse that’s coming. The times we are living in will bring us to our knees. Ironically, this is exactly where God wants us, and where we should have been all along. We need to be 100%, completely dependent on Him because in our weakness He is made strong. James 1:5 states, “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.” That’s exactly what we need right now—wisdom. We need wisdom to navigate this minefield of an economy that we are living in, but the Lord will give us creative ideas to not just survive, but thrive, even during the worst of economic times!
We must, and without hesitation, reallocate our assets and make sure we have an adequate paper to tangible asset ratio to hedge ourselves against the inevitable collapse that’s coming. We must remember that God is our source. 2 Timothy 1:7 tells us that God didn’t give us a spirit of fear, but a spirit of peace, love, and a sound mind. I John 4:18 also tells us that perfect love casts out all fear. It’s time for us to take a stand for truth, make our voices heard, and be lights in the darkness. This generation and future generations will be impacted by what we do now. Now is the time to let our light shine! You were born for such a time as this!
Kirk Elliott is an investment advisor with the McAlvany Financial Group in Durango, Colorado. He earned his Ph.D. in Public Policy and Administration, his Master of Arts in International Studies, and his B.S. in Business Administration. Kirk is passionate about educating and equipping his clients with the information they need to safeguard their hard-earned assets. For more information about Kirk, please visit kirkelliottphd.com
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About Your Dreams
The TiMe tO CHaNge Is NoW! let the revolution begin! By Phil Cooke, Ph.D.
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I never realized how important the “now” of living was until I was fired from my job when I was thirty-six. I had been working for a number of years at a media ministry in the Midwest, when the president decided it was time for me to move on. I had been thinking about leaving for some time and had even booked a ticket to Los Angeles to see about the possibilities on the West Coast, but being fired always takes you by surprise. It was quick, clean, and efficient. I’ll never forget telling my wife, Kathleen. We had been married about twelve years, and although we had always dreamed about moving to Los Angeles and working in the media and entertainment industries there, it’s amazing how you buy a home, have a couple of kids, get locked into your friends, and before long the dream has been replaced by the reality of everyday living. The older you get, the harder change becomes.
You buy a home, have a couple of kids, get locked into your friends, and before long the dream has been replaced by the reality of everyday living.
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We kept putting the dream on the shelf, intoxicated by the drug of a regular paycheck and a mortgage. But now, that life was over. And the slow, thoughtful transition that I had planned for moving to Los Angeles was replaced by a real jolt—the need to make a decision now. Looking back, it was the best thing that could have possibly happened to me. I had been lulled into thinking that perhaps this was my future and that perhaps “settling” for less than my dream was the right thing to do. There’s a wonderful scene in the Jason Reitman movie Up in the Air, starring George Clooney. Clooney plays Ryan Bingham, whose unusual job is to fire people from theirs. He’s hired by major corporations to handle big layoffs. Although he’s become brilliant at the task, the anguish, hostility, and despair of the job has left him empty, falsely compassionate, and yet—strangely— loving every second of it. In a powerful scene where he and a new assistant are firing an aging middle manager, Clooney notices on the manager’s resume that he had been trained as a French chef. As the manager despairs over losing his job and having to face his wife and kids, Clooney reminds him of his original dream. He asks a remarkable question, the essence of which is,
“Back when you started, how much did it take to buy you away from your dream?” It is a compelling scene as the middle manager thinks back to the time he exchanged a steady paycheck for what he really wanted to do with his life. Now, decades later, he realizes the devastating impact of settling for second best.
what was next, and it was the beginning of one of the most exhilarating experiences of our lives. First, we began to scale down. We knew if we were to move to Los Angeles, we’d need to be lean and mean, so we had an immediate garage sale, gave some things away, and got our entire world down to a rental truck and trailer.
Have you ever rationalized settling for second best? It’s amazing how you can make it sound as if it’s the right thing to do, even when your innermost being is crying out for you to follow your heart and discover your real potential.
Back when you started, how much did it take to buy you away from your dream?
It’s a good job . . . We have good benefits . . . The kids are in good schools . . . I can’t take a risk with my family right now . . . All our friends are here . . . We’re close to where our family lives . . . People tell me I’d be foolish to pack up and move away now . . . I have a lot invested in our retirement account . . . There are a million reasons and ways to rationalize keeping your life exactly the same, and I knew them all. I was slowly exchanging a dream for security and giving away my future for what I had convinced myself was the right thing to do. But fortunately I had the benefit of a serious jolt— getting tossed out on the street. What I couldn’t do for myself, someone else helped me do, and I will be forever grateful. I didn’t realize it at the time, but my life as a change agent was just beginning. I had always been creative, hated monotony, and loved change, but now it would become the single most important part of my life. After Kathleen and I sat on the bed, cried a little, and realized that we were leaving our life in the Midwest behind, we immediately began focusing on
Next, we started networking. I knew that I had limited severance pay and would need all of that to help us move, so I needed some work and needed it quick. I started phoning everyone I knew in the industry, started e-mailing friends, widening the net. And it worked. An old friend at a major energy company gave me my first freelance assignment, and it began building from there. We changed our priorities, our focus, our habits, and our thinking, and were able to take a difficult situation and turn it from tragedy into triumph. When asked about his secret for fabulous wealth, billionaire H. L. Hunt described it in a four-step formula: 1. Decide what you want. 2. Decide what you are willing to give up to get it. 3. Set your priorities accordingly. 4. Be about it! How much did it take to buy you away from your dream? Whatever it was, the time to change is now. Make a commitment, take a stand, and be about it! This article is an excerpt from Phil Cooke’s new book: “Jolt! Get the Jump on a World That’s Constantly Changing” by Thomas Nelson Publishers, now available anywhere books are sold. Phil Cooke, Ph.D. is a media producer, speaker, and author of the new book: “Jolt! Get the Jump on a World That’s Constantly Changing.” He lives in Los Angeles. Find out more at philcooke.com.
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About Your Finances
It’s TIME to RISE... Especially In Your Finances! by Drenda Keesee
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Arise, shine for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you. See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness over the peoples, but the Lord rises upon you and his glory appears over you. (Isaiah 60:1) In this time, when housing values are projected to drop another 30 to 40%, unemployment has risen to almost 10%, 60% of the population receives some type of government assistance, and our government is facing paying $7 trillion in treasury debt in the next 36 months to avoid default, the picture looks bleak for anyone to find prosperity. Will anyone prosper in this time? If so, where will our prosperity come from? Psalm 4:6 holds a key to our answer. “Many Lord are asking, ‘Who will bring us prosperity?’ Let the light of your face shine on us.” (Psalm 4:6) God’s light shining on you and I in this time will bring us into a place of goodness and abundance so that even with gross darkness covering the earth, the Lord’s glory shines so brightly on us that we rise! The word glory is “Chabod” which means substantial weightiness, glory, wealth, honor, riches, and excellency; to be renowned. Chabod is God’s glory—HIS honor, renown, authority, majesty and visible splendor such as filled Solomon’s temple. Yes, glory can actually fill a temple or household with riches!
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Now, many of us have experienced this glory as we worship God in church services or special meetings, but this glory is far more than the one we experience while singing and praising God under a corporate anointing. This glory will cause you to be renowned in life. When we give and act on the spoken Word of our God, it is an act of worship, and the Lord of Glory responds to our gift of worship. Jesus said, “Where your treasure is, there will your heart also be.” One of the greatest ways we can invite the glory of God to shine on us and bring prosperity into our lives is to first ask (and believe) Him for it, and then give as a gift of worship. Before you get all bothered and start thinking ministries are just after your money, think about this: giving is not the end, but the beginning, because your heart begins to treasure that which you give to. When I treasure HIM, I act on it by giving (worshipping). Then His glory is able to come on the scene and open the windows of heaven to my life so I can receive. If you and I want the glory of God to shine into our lives and cause people to see His mighty hand on us—yes, in our finances too—we must treasure Him, above money and this world’s ways, above its darkness, systems, and bleak financial reports.
Our story is remarkable. God took a couple that was so desperate financially, we had no place to go but up. We owed everyone— loans, back taxes, family, and doctors, even the drycleaners! It looked impossible for us to ever rise above life, but God’s glory turned our lack into abundance—business success, favor, blessings, ministry, and overflow in every area of our family. The simultaneous giving of our hearts and our finances changed what we treasured, and brought His glory on the scene. As we gave of our time, finances, and talents (abilities) to God, we grew more and more in love with Him.
Quick Tips for Improving Your Finances: 1. Seek God and His Kingdom ways first. 2. List your debts in order by highest interest to lowest interest. 3. Pay off the largest interest debts first, or debts that can be quickly eliminated based on amount. 4. Begin to funnel any extra cash flow into the next debt on your list. 5. Sell any items you aren’t using to pay toward your debt. 6. Use guaranteed principle investments and hedge investments with silver/gold in your portfolio. 7. Give generously to God’s Kingdom work and trust Him to give to your household.
What You Can Most Likely Expect to See in the Economy: • Declines in real estate by as much as 40%. • Rising interest rates on loans. • Rising inflation, perhaps hyperinflation. • Rising food costs. Consider food storage. • Rising oil, gas, and energy prices. Seek alternative methods if possible. • More instability in the stock market. Use guaranteed principle investments and hedge investments with silver/gold in your portfolio. • Increased fear. Spend time in God’s Word. Give to His work like Isaac, who sowed in famine and reaped 100-fold.
His glory was poured out on us in response to our heart’s invitation to Him to take over our lives, coupled by our financial giving. You honestly can’t do one without the other. Jesus said, “Why do you say you love me, and don’t do the things I tell you?” How profound! If I really love Him, He is my treasure. My money becomes just one of the ways I worship Him as my purpose toward His Kingdom. It’s not that He will ask you to give all your money away, but He WILL ask you to give all of your heart to Him, which means your money is at His disposal as well. Remember, He asked the rich young ruler for ALL because the young man had become possessed by what he had, rather than God possessing his whole heart. He had troubles of a different kind—heart trouble. Double-minded men can expect to receive nothing from God.
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We can live above the negative financial conditions of our world by rising, rising by the weight of His glory. The reason the world’s economy is in a mess is because men and women have worshipped or treasured the wrong things. They’ve driven God out of government, economics, education, media, arts, family, and even churches in our world. God can’t intervene where men and women shut Him out. It’s always our choice. We can ask God to come back and inhabit these areas, and especially our personal finances. In 1988, Gary and I did just that.
God took a couple that was so desperate financially, we had no place to go but up. God’s Word tells us we have been given all things that pertain to life and godliness in Christ Jesus. But how do you get this glory—this prosperity in your life— and where will it come from? As you make all that you are and all that you have available to Him, He can make all He is and possesses available to you.
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We definitely get the best end of the arrangement! You and I will have favor, business doors opened, opportunities, promotions, investment strategies, and ideas for success. It all flows out of the glory of the Lord rising upon us. And we will have the ability to persevere to see His process come to pass if we stay focused on Him.
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Do a spiritual check-up: Look at your investments and you will see your heart. People tell me all the time how much they love God, then they want to give nothing from their finances. They rationalize all kinds of reasons to justify not giving: “I don’t think tithing is for today.” “The church just wants my money.” “I give as the Lord leads me.” My observation is that they rarely feel “led” to do much of anything except tip God. Then they wonder why they have the same problems—some worse than unbelievers. They have an adversary, but they’ve never stepped into the glory that brings all things. They’re willing to offer God little to nothing as worship, and therefore He isn’t able to bless them with His presence in their lives, or
in their finances. Do a spiritual check-up: Look at your investments and you will see your heart. In this world, we will see more greed and financial calamity as people scramble to fix their money problems and nations war against one another. We’re in a power struggle of global proportions, with ever-increasing natural disasters. In an hour where many people, even believers, will be drawn away because of fear, the lust for things, and the deceitfulness of going after money, you and I need to make a firm commitment that our hearts will treasure God and His Kingdom above this world’s chaos. As we do, our prosperity will come. It will make you and I shine in a dark world. So arise and shine! The glory is yours if you make God your treasure. With it comes everything you need. To read more about Gary and Drenda’s story, see Chapter 7 of Drenda’s book, She Gets IT: The 11 Lies that Hold Women Hostage, available everywhere books are sold.
Watch Drenda weekly on ABC Family! Get the complete broadcast schedule at Drenda.com
About Your Relationships
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by Diana M. Morgan, Ph.D.
All couples and families face stress at some point in time. Often, that stress is of a financial nature. A 2008 poll conducted by Booth Research stated that the number one source of stress for couples was personal financial concerns. Stressors such as financial strain, though external, can lead to both physical and emotional issues. If the event is stressful enough, it can have a negative impact on both individuals and on relationships as well. This impact can cause physical symptoms like tenseness, digestive problems, headaches, backaches, or insomnia. It can also lead to other problems such as anger, fear and anxiety.
time, they are more likely to look at their relationship in a negative way. Stress adversely affects the way couples look at their marriage and can cause a marital breakdown.
A 2009 study by Neff and Karney looked at the impact of high levels of stress on marriages. Their study concluded that when couples are under a high amount of stress, the little things in marriage are perceived more intensely. And, when couples are under a high level of stress over a prolonged period of
individuals and relationships.
Financial distress spills over into many areas of relational functioning and can result in insecurities, resentment, changes in emotional and/or sexual intimacy, even lifestyle changes. Often, financial strain is listed amongst the top reasons for divorce, which only adds to a couple’s financial crisis! Fears can also arise during financial stress. The fear of never having enough provision, never having enough income, that a spouse will leave, and others are all evils that are designed to hold people in bondage, and destroy
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Financial stress doesn’t have to affect your marriage and family.
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Financial stress can come from a number of sources, such as low levels of income, credit card debt, a high debt-income ratio, poor money management, unexpected crises, job loss, medical expenses or educational expenses. Spiritually, it can come from areas such as intergenerational patterns of functioning, but it can also result from not tithing. Malachi 3:10-11 (KJV) says:
You don’t have to let financial stress burden your marriage or family.
10 Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it. 11And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the LORD of hosts.
• Tithe.
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The fear of never having enough provision, never having enough income, that a spouse will leave, and others are all evils that are designed to hold people in bondage, and destroy individuals and relationships.
Do your best to avoid it by following some basic prevention and intervention steps:
Prevention strategies: • Stay out of debt. • Get professional support to learn how to manage money. • Develop and live on a budget. • Do not live beyond your present means. • Develop skills to communicate effectively in your home so that external factors like financial concerns don’t cause undue stress on your relationships. • Spend time strengthening your relationships by learning how to work together to effectively manage family finances. Don’t wait until a crisis happens!
Intervention Strategies:
When couples tithe, God will keep the enemy from eating up the rest of their provision.
• Come into agreement as a couple and/or family that things must change.
I once met a couple that had survived a natural disaster with just the clothes on their backs and their family of seven was otherwise unscathed. One lesson they learned was to look at money and possessions differently. They no longer believe they need to have it all. They believe there is nothing more valuable than human life, and they have also vowed to never let money and their quest for things dominate their lives again.
• Forgive one another for the roles you each played in the problem. • Don’t get caught up in blaming. Support one another’s shortcomings. • Work through anger or resentment. • Make a plan and get out of debt. • Focus more on solutions than on the problem. • Learn how to communicate effectively about finances.
Diana M. Morgan, Ph.D. is the CEO of DLM Consulting Group, LLC, which provides counseling and consulting services. She’s the Founder and CEO of Original Design International, a ministry whose mission is to restore Genesis 1 & 2 truths to the earth and relationships. Dr. Morgan is featured on the Drenda program and teaches Biblical Counseling Classes at Life Leadership College. For more information, please contact DLMconsultinggroup@sbcglobal. net.
• Hold couple or family meetings to discuss necessary changes that are imperative to the financial health of the family. • Get help if needed. • Find inexpensive ways to still have some much-needed fun on a regular basis.
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LETTERS FROM YOU
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“You came to Hamilton, New Zealand in March 2011 and your teaching has revolutionized my life. You did a finance seminar, but it was your teaching on dominion, wonderfully illustrated by what you brought out about the way Jesus transferred the loaves and fishes from the earth-cursed system to the dominion of God that impacted my spirit. I’ve been a Christian for 30 years and have taught, led, and pastored but something in your teaching switched a light on and I haven’t been the same since! The fire that God started at that seminar has continued to increase. My daily journal is blank from January to the time of your seminar, but most days since then contain inspiration and revelation from the Word of God. I’m so thankful to God for allowing me to hear your revelation at just the right time for me. It has truly been a foundation and a springboard for all that God has done in my life since then. God bless you both in your ministry—as I see fruit in my life this year and onward, please know that God has used you in that process.” — Alan, New Zealand
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About 10 days into praying together and sowing seeds, it started. The blessings were overwhelming! Dealers were calling to buy vehicles and I went like I normally do to search for certain criteria and it was like God’s car factory opened up from heaven! I bought 32 cars in a week! We have never done that before, or even come close! The Kingdom of God really works and we are looking forward to our future. Thank you!” — Dennis, TX
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“We began watching your program earlier this year. We learned about Fixing the Money Thing and began applying the principles of the kingdom. My husband was displeased with his job due to the high stress and relatively low pay. He desired a different role, but none existed in the company. He felt impressed to sow for the position he desired in Continuous Improvement/Process Improvements. We sowed a seed into your ministry and the NEXT DAY a position opened up that had not existed previously. After a round of interviews, he was offered the position doing exactly what he loves to do (fix business problems)! He received higher pay, a better job, and has a great boss as well! Plus, the hours are more flexible and he is able to work from home occasionally. This answer to prayer has been a great blessing to our family. Thank you for your ministry and for all that you do!” — Carrie, GA
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God is so good and faithful to His Word. He wants us to rely on Him and not on the earth-cursed system of debt. Thank you for your ministry and for sharing such practical teaching.” — Jeanne, CA
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“I have been in the car business for 28 years. I buy vehicles for a company that has five car lots—four in Houston and one in San Antonio. For the last six months, I have bought an average of 6-10 cars a week. My wife and I started using your principles and applied them to our life. We wanted to stop living paycheck to paycheck.
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“I ordered the Now Revolution CD set [after seeing you] on Sid Roth’s broadcast and have been applying the principles to our finances. My children attend a private Christian school and the tuition is steep, but God provided a way for us to get a scholarship for both of my boys this year. One received a 60% discount and the other received a 50% discount. This translates into thousands of dollars in savings for our family!
Share YOUR story with us! Contact us at garykeesee.com
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Thursday at 6:00pm EST on Daystar Television Network Please check GaryKeesee.com for other listings and show times. Visit garykeesee.com to: - Watch the show - Order resources - Get important Financial Alert updates from Gary.
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