Adding a Zero
"Money/possessions" is the second most referenced topic in the Bible, mentioned over 800 times. (The first-most is the topic of Jesus Himself, mentioned 1,310 times).
Jesus indicates that money is a test of our faith. In Luke 16:11, Jesus asks, “So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches?” I believe true riches are those with eternal significance that will last for all eternity.
In 1986, oil prices dropped to less than $10 per barrel, causing the Houston economy to crash along with our substantial net worth built up in real estate. We were on the verge of bankruptcy and personally liable for several million dollars on commercial developments that were almost empty. It was at this time that God used Bill Bright, the founder of Campus Crusade for Christ, to impress upon Wanda's and my hearts the importance of the Great Commission. We were presented with an opportunity where money could be leveraged, with $1 reaching 6 people with the Gospel, and at least 1 accepting Christ. The challenge was to pledge $1 million over our lifetimes to support the Great Commission alongside other History’s Handful members. God strongly impressed upon Wanda's and my hearts that we needed to do this. You must realize that one year prior, we could have written a $1 million check, but then we wouldn't have needed to involve God directly, and we would have received the glory. When you have nothing and are personally liable for several million dollars, it's impossible without God. If this pledge were to be fulfilled, it would not be fulfilled by me — it would be of the Lord, and He would get all the glory.
When we stepped out in faith to make that Faith Promise commitment, God opened a door that led to the most exciting adventure of our lives. Faith is simply believing and trusting in God; it is involving Him and depending on Him for the results.
In Matthew 14:29-31, Peter, upon seeing Jesus walking on water, climbed out of the boat to do something supernatural with Jesus. The other disciples witnessed the supernatural but were fearful of the surrounding circumstances and stayed in the boat. As long as Peter kept his eyes on Jesus, he performed the supernatural. When he looked at the storm, he sank.
In John 14:12, Jesus made this profound statement: “I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in Me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these because I am going to the Father.” Jesus made this statement the night before He was crucified. After making this exciting but hard-to-believe statement, Jesus went on to teach about the Holy Spirit and His indwelling role in John 14, 15, and 16. Essentially, we are to yield control of our lives to the Holy Spirit; we are to trust Him and make Him the President of our lives, not just a resident.
I want to focus on the one area that business owners and executives share: making money. It has become obvious to me that the Holy Spirit desires to be President of that area of my life too. God has uniquely made each one of us. I used to feel guilty for thinking about money so much. God gave me freedom when He made me realize that He had uniquely made me that way. He wanted me to think about money and how to make more money, but with one major focus – to do it for His glory and His pleasure. (Eric Liddle - Chariots of Fire - "God made me fast, and when I run, I feel His pleasure").
Matthew 6:19-21 states, “Stop storing up treasures for yourselves on earth, where moths and rust destroy, and thieves break in and steal. Instead, store up treasures for yourselves in heaven, where moths and rust don’t destroy, and thieves don’t break in and steal. Your heart will be where your treasure is.” To understand this scripture better, you must accept certain FACTS:
God owns everything (1 Chronicles 29:11-13, Psalms 24:1). I am just His money and asset manager. We always need to check with the Owner on how He wants His money used.
Your heart follows your stored treasures (Colossians 3:1-2). Temporal stored treasures will disappear; eternal stored treasures will last forever. J. Vernon McGee stated the obvious truth, “I have never seen a U-Haul behind a hearse; you are not taking anything with you.” You must send it ahead of time to Heaven. I interpret “store up treasures for yourselves in heaven” to mean – use God’s money for eternal things (the souls of people) (Luke 16:9).
Heaven is our eternal home. Hebrews 11:16 states that we are citizens of a better country—a heavenly one. All earthly decisions that do not pertain to our eternal home will only be temporal. We are only ambassadors on this earth for a very brief time; our life is just a quick breath. Our choices and decisions must be made with an eternal perspective.
God is interested in your heart, not your treasure (1 Samuel 16:7, Mark 12:41-44). God created everything and has need of nothing. His pleasure comes from His children who have made an eternal heart decision to accept Christ as their Redeemer and then follow their hearts to bring Him glory by using their treasures to spread God’s love to others.
The question to business owners and executives becomes, “How much is enough?” I attended a Generous Giving Conference in Atlanta, and one business couple who owned several banks and businesses shared their testimony. They thought for years that tithing was God’s standard for giving until they heard that God owns it all. This led them to reevaluate their giving; they tripled their 10% giving to 30%. However, within a year, God put it on their hearts to increase it to 50%. The following year, God asked them this question, “How much is enough?” The next year, they lived on $200,000 and gave $3.2 million to the Kingdom.
God truly wants you and me to climb out of the boat and allow Him to use our LIFE (leadership, influence, finances, and expertise) for His glory. I have personally decided to give it my all for Christ in the remaining years I have. I encourage you to do the same if you haven't made that decision to turn temporal success into eternal significance for your remaining time.
I have become an entrepreneur for God. At my elderly age, God has made it evident to me that He wants me to continue being involved in business for His glory.
God is asking us to step out in faith and to include Him in our goals, knowing that unless He joins us, our efforts will certainly fail. This stepping out in faith challenge, which God has confronted me and seems to confront others in the marketplace, is to add a "zero" to our LIFE goal. If it is to plant 10 churches, add a zero and make it 100. If it is to plant 100 churches, add a zero and make it 1000. If it is to give a certain amount of money, add a zero. When I first encountered this challenge, my initial reaction was to tell God, "NO, don’t ask me to do that! Wanda and I had already committed to give $1 million over the remainder of our lives, and I cannot possibly add a zero to that." But God quickly reminded me that through His power, He had already provided that first million dollars for the Great Commission. Would I allow Him to use me through His power to do exceedingly abundantly beyond anything I could ask or imagine? My answer had to be, “YES!” God has had Wanda (until she went “Home” to Heaven) and me on that journey, and He has provided us the privilege and joy of having traveled with Him over 70% of the way in the challenge. I look forward to seeing what God, through His power, does for the rest of the journey.
Each of us knows that only God knows the end of our individual LIFE journey stories. God wants to challenge you to allow Him to use you in supernatural ways. May each of us get out of the boat and be stretched in our faith to do something supernatural with God in our giving. For some of you, that may even mean ADDING A ZERO. "With man, this is impossible, but with God, all things are possible." Matthew 19:26.
