Greetings!

We enjoy talking about money each week in The Entrusted Steward. In this section, though, we focus on the big picture and really what underlies hopefully everything that we're doing out there with the money that God has entrusted to our care. Today as we've talked a little bit about money in this newsletter, I want to step back and focus on, "what really is THE BIG PICTURE?"

So many of us believe in Jesus. Believing in Jesus is not enough. Even the demons believe in Jesus (James 2:19). All of us need Jesus. There may be no other time in history where there has been a country that these verses applied more to than the United States of America where surveys show that 90% of us think that we're Christians. Jesus Christ is telling us that's not the case. The door is narrow is what God says. In Matthew 7:21-23 Jesus says, "Not everyone who says to me Lord will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my father who is in heaven will enter. Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord Lord did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name cast out demons, and in your name perform many miracles?' And then I will declare to them 'I never knew you depart from me you who practice lawlessness.'"

Jesus is telling us that so many of us are out there doing great things [in our minds] and we think we're going to get to heaven because of these wonderful deeds and we're going to say "God I did this, I did that let me in" and Jesus is going to say "I never knew you depart from me". The Bible says that we are all sinners. We are all born bad people. We are all born evil. However you want to put it. The word "sinners" has been turned into a religious term that seems to turn people off. So you could say the Bible says we're all born evil. We all are born that way and Christ is the answer. We cannot earn God's favor through deeds and we don't need to because Christ did it for us.

It's fun to talk about finances. Jesus talked about money, but remember even the Pharisees tithed. Even the Pharisees gave 10% of their gross income. Any Pharisee can tithe. In other words, even if you and I are following Biblical principles with our finances, it does not mean we are children of God or are going to inherit eternal life or are following Jesus. God is looking for humility. The Pharisees weren't humble. They did not know God. They are spending eternity separated from God. They spend eternity in hell. You can read Matthew 23 to confirm that is truth.

Do not be deceived into believing that you just appeared on earth and that you formed from goo over billions of years. Don't believe the lies. If you don't know Christ - examine yourself. Come to the realization of who you are (a sinner) and that you need Christ. Everyone needs to trust Christ. Don't just "believe in Jesus". Don't just call yourself a Christian. Trust Jesus Christ. Let God's grace save you. Have faith in Jesus Christ. Don't just confess with your mouth but also believe in your heart that Jesus Chris is Lord.

On the other hand, if you are a follower of Jesus Christ and you're reading this newsletter, remember that we are in a spiritual battle every day and it's going on all around us. Don't be deceived by the cares of this world. Use the money that God gives you to do the things that He says to do, so you don't have to focus on money. Get yourself out of debt. Diversify the money that He gives you so you don't have to worry about all the news articles and all the things that are trying to distract you from following Jesus Christ. That's why God set up all these principles and all this advice; to make it where you can have a better relationship with Him, shine brighter to those that don't know Him (glorify God), and to make it where you can better do the works He has prepared for you and me. God's work does require suffering. God is watching all of us. He loves all of us and He is just. We are going to be accountable for our actions one day before God. For some of us it could be in a day. For others of us it could be in 50 or 60 years, but it's going to be in a very short time. Live every day with that in mind.

Let's go back and read what Jesus said at the end of Matthew chapter 7 and ask ourselves the question: "Am I the wise or foolish person?" I pray that each of us would be compared to the wise man. In this Big Picture, I wanted to step back and look at what is most important in this life. I will be writing directly about what God says about finances in the Big Picture of the next edition of The Entrusted Steward.