Fear or a lack of cash will keep many from taking advantage of some great buying opportunity. I understand that fear can seize a person who's not versed in the Word of God, when they see their retirement or savings dwindle. An important part of future investing will depend on your ability to understand financial statements or get a broker that understands or has a consistent method of investing and not a broker who just invests in what his superiors or firm recommends. Many brokers are lazy and do not do the research that’s necessary to make sound investments. Ed Cole says you should not invest unless you know something about the CEO or CFO of a company.
Back to the issue of cash. “Cash will be King.” Be sure to keep yourself in liquid cash. If you need extra money to live on, ask God for another wealth stream. Some people are making the mistake of taking money out of their retirement. That will prove to be a very costly mistake both now [penalties and taxes] and at the age of retirement. Also, some are selling their assets for cash. This can be a mistake if their assets are income producing; however, if they are just lying around and taking up space, then we should get the cash for them and invest in hard assets.
We have to realize that at some point we need things of value for bargaining power, because in order for all these bailouts that are taking place the government keeps printing more money which has no backing, which will cause our dollar to lose value.
As the people of God we must attack lack in our lives in two ways.
The first way would be to look for other streams of income. Too many times we keep doing the same thing but expecting a different result, which is called insanity. In the garden in Genesis 1 there were four streams that went through the garden providing life and abundance. Abundance really is a choice, and we have to realize that everything that you have, don’t have, and ever will have in life is all because of the choices you make.
Every choice has consequences, both benefits and costs. You are never without the ability to choose in life. So when one stream dries up, there are other streams available because God will never abandon his people.
The second way to attack lack in our lives is by giving. We give what we can’t afford in order to receive what we can’t afford. "Money may leave your hand but never leaves your life"--Oral Roberts
You have to be able to give what you can’t afford to get what you can’t afford. If you have not been faithful in sowing seed, you can not expect much of a harvest. Seeds that we sow are of giving [tithes, offerings, the poor, etc.] and seeds of investing [stock market, CD’s, real estate, etc.] The Bible says that God blesses seed sown.
The area of giving [sowing seed] involves risk.
If we do a study of great men and women of God, it took more than prayer. It took a risk. In order for great success to occur, risk is always involved: David--Giant, Gideon–-only 300 men, Rahab--hiding the spies, Esther--before the King. So it takes more than prayer. Without taking a risk you are not heard of or remembered.
Luke 9:12-17--The disciples looked at what was available then looked at the crowd and saw lack and wanted to send the people home. Notice that the disciples were speaking lack while Jesus was preparing to feed the people.
Never look at what you have to determine what to do but decide what to do and start with what you have.
It’s in the giving that you enlarge your capacity to receive. Lack is an enemy. Say no to lack as you would any other temptation. Display it in your attitude, words, and actions.
So in this time of financial uncertainty let's work out of an opposite spirit and put our faith into action, believing that we serve an abundant God who is ready at all times to show us areas of blessings and provision that we have not yet seen.
Gene Strite is CEO of L&S Stone and a pioneer founder of World Harvest Outreach. Visit his website at www.whoc.org/
