Apicontent

“Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” (2 Corinthians 9:7, ESV)

Each person has a different financial situation. In many parts of the world people have very little in the way of financial resources. It is important for all of us to remember that God loves the cheerful giver. God is more interested in the attitude we have about our giving than in the amount we give. All that we have has been given to us by God. Are we joyfully allowing him to use it to bless those around us? Are people welcome in your home? Do you share what you do have without being self-conscious that others may have more or less than you do? Are you willing to share what you have without being concerned about receiving a “thank you” in return? Do you consider the eternal ramifications of your giving?

My goal is to be a grace giver, empowered by the Holy Spirit. Grace-giving is the result of a God-given and God-driven desire to give following three basic principles: he who sows bountifully will reap bountifully, what is reasonable to give to a particular project considering your current life circumstances, and how much can be given to this project cheerfully? The Bible tells us that when we sow bountifully, we will reap bountifully (see 2 Corinthians 9:6). God gives us the choice of sowing sparingly or bountifully. In Luke 21:1–4 we read about the poor widow who “out of her poverty put in all she had to live on” as a freewill offering into the temple treasury, which amounted to two small copper coins. This was all that she had and yet she sowed it bountifully. Hers was a gift of sacrifice; nevertheless, she gave it generously and sacrificially. This was low-profile giving at its best! The value of what we give to God’s work is not determined by its amount, but by the spirit in which we give it. God will surely bless whatever we give to him with a heart of gratitude, generosity, and expectancy that he will use it to further his kingdom. When it comes to giving, I often use the acronym GIVE to remind myself of the important principles that need to guide my giving:

G Grace-giving is the result of my God-given, God-driven desire to give.

I I desire to give because my giving is a major gateway for God to work in my life.

V Victory over self; my desire to invest in the imperishable trumps my desire to invest in the perishable.

E Eyes are fixed on the unseen and eternal rewards.

Giving is the major gateway by which God gets involved in the life of the believer. We will increasingly see “the finger of God” at work in our circumstances and otherwise when we practice giving our treasure to the interests of God’s kingdom.

In what ways would your converterlating become more effective if I were to make the study of God’s Word more important in your life?

Converterlators invest their treasure in the interests of God’s kingdom.

“My point is this: The person who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the person who sows generously will also reap generously. Each one of you should give just as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, because God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace overflow to you so that because you have enough of everything in every way at all times, you will overflow in every good work.”
— 2 Corinthians 9:6–8

In my first book (KingdomNomics: Enjoy a Life that Will Echo into Eternity), I shared how I went through a conversion process. My relationship with Jesus Christ set me on the road to becoming a Converterlator. This is a journey for each one of us and God teaches us and leads us in many different ways. However, the one thing I do know is that each one of us is called to converterlate our time, talent, and treasure. Now that my life is directed by God, I have a different view of all of my earthly treasure including my money and I use it in a different way than I did before I met Christ. My goal is to be investing in eternity.

I love the story of Zacchaeus in the New Testament. In Luke 19 we read, “And when Jesus came to that place, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down quickly, because I must stay at your house today.” So he came down quickly and welcomed Jesus joyfully. ”
—Luke 19:5–6

Zacchaeus was a “money guy” who was hated by his own people because he was a tax collector for the notorious Roman government. He was a self-starter, and he really did not care what other people thought of him. But here we find him wanting to see Jesus! He found a tree that would put him above the crowd and he waited. When Jesus called him, he responded immediately.

In verse 8 we read the rest of the story:

“But Zacchaeus stopped and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord, half of my possessions I now give to the poor, and if I have cheated anyone of anything, I am paying back four times as much!” The life of Zacchaeus was changed! His encounter with Jesus transformed the view he had of his wealth and of his fellow man. The Spirit enlightened his heart and moved him to follow through with his new insight. By giving away a large portion of his personal wealth he became a strategic kingdom investor. He finally understood that his money was to be used for the advancement of God’s kingdom, not his own, and he responded! When his perspective changed, so did his behavior.

In what ways are you using your material blessings to bless other people?

Converterlators embrace the call to use all of their time, talent, and treasure to advance God’s kingdom.

“I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb. Before you were born I set you apart.” (Jeremiah 1:5, NLT).

God has created each one of us for a unique mission and he has equipped us with the exact abilities and talents to accomplish that mission. We can use the acronym SPECIAL to consider the talents and abilities God has given each one of us.

Spiritual Gifts

As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.

—1 Peter 4:10, NASB

At the time that we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, the Holy Spirit gives each of us one or more spiritual gifts. It is the Holy Spirit who determines which gift or gifts we receive. These spiritual gifts are different from the natural abilities a person already possesses at the time of their spiritual birth. These gifts equip us for special service within the body of Christ. The Holy Spirit has spiritually gifted you for a unique role and mission.

Personality Traits

When the time came for her to give birth, there were twin boys in her womb … The boys grew up, and Esau became a skillful hunter, a man of the open country, while Jacob was content to stay at home.

—Genesis 25:24, 27, NIV

We are born with different personalities. These personal qualities affect how we think, what we value, and what we do. There are many traits that are blended into various personality combinations. While the world may value certain personality types more than others, God has designed each and every person with their own personality, and he can use those personalities in a powerful way.

Extraordinary Background

A person’s steps are directed by the Lord. How then can anyone understand their own way?

—Proverbs 20:24, NIV

Our family roots, educational opportunities, vocational history, friendships and acquaintances, and major life events all combine to give us a totally unique background. God orchestrates the events and circumstances of our lives so we will have the knowledge, relationships, and experiences necessary to fulfill our individual missions in life.

Central Motivation

I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.

—Philippians 3:13–14, NLT

There are many different motivations that drive us. However, in each person there are one or two primary drives that exceed all the others. A central motivation is a God-given drive that he built into you. Your central motivation includes your abilities, your interests, the circumstances in which you are most productive, the relationships that bring out the best in you, and what kind of end result brings you the most joy. All of these factors fit together to give you a motivational pattern. As we discern what our motivation is, each one of us needs to focus that drive toward God’s eternal purposes.

Inherited Abilities

All who are skilled among you are to come and make everything the Lord has commanded.

—Exodus 35:10, NIV

Different people have different inherited abilities. These natural abilities enable us to do certain things well. The abilities that you have were not randomly assigned. God has given you inherited abilities so you can better serve him and his kingdom.

Approved Adversity

Do you find it hard to believe that God was instrumental in putting you in your circumstances?

As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man who had been blind from birth. “Rabbi,” his disciples asked him, “why was this man born blind? Was it because of his own sins or his parents’ sins?”

“It was not because of his sins or his parents’ sins,” Jesus answered. “This happened so the power of God could be seen in him.”

—John 9:1–3, NLT

God has intentionally made each one of us for a special purpose! However, that doesn’t mean that all things will be easy. Adversity is one of the tools used by God to shape us. Sometimes God allows trials into our lives to build our character and enable us to minister to others who face similar difficulties.

Lifelong Mission

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

—Ephesians 2:10, ESV

God has given you a special design because he has assigned you a special mission. There are certain things that God has chosen you to do and he has custom designed you so you can do them better than anyone else. God wants you to participate in the plan that he has crafted for your life, but it’s up to you as to whether or not you will do them.

These are the various facets of your SPECIAL design. You are totally unique. There is no one like you. And that didn’t happen by chance; it happened by the ingenious design of our Creator.

In what ways are you SPECIAL?

Converterlators embrace the unique abilities and talents that God has given them and participate in his plan to use them.

Link to Chapter 12 of Converterlator “Converterlating Your Talent” and/or article “Converterlating Your Talent” under Supernatural Impact

“Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.” (1 Peter 4:10, NIV)

A paper weight on my desk has the inscription, “Don’t wait for your ship to come in. Swim out to it!” As we practice KingdomNomics, we aggressively look for ways to converterlate our talents for the advancement of the kingdom of God. People often make the mistake of waiting for their ship to come in, hoping for something to come their way. Waiting and wishing with good intentions will not accomplish any worthwhile objective. If it feels like not much is happening in your life, perhaps the Lord is saying, “Stop waiting for your ship; start swimming!”

Each one of us needs to ask ourselves this question: Am I available? If we are really honest, oftentimes, we are unavailable.

This was also true in Bible times. Moses didn’t want to go to Egypt to be the spokesman for leading the people out of the Egyptian captivity. He offered all kinds of excuses. Gideon questioned why God would choose him to head up the army that would free God’s people from their oppressors. Jonah ran away from the responsibility God called him to. John Mark deserted Paul and Barnabas on a missionary journey.

God is looking for available people to do his work. Jesus said, “The harvest is great, but the workers are few” (Matthew 9:37, NLT). When it comes to investing your talent, are you willing to allow God to use all of your abilities and gifts for his purposes, no matter what that may be?

The prophet Isaiah said, “Then I heard the Lord asking, ‘Whom should I send as a messenger to this people? Who will go for us?’ I said, ‘Here I am. Send me’” (Isaiah 6:8, NLT). What opportunities is God giving you to use your talent to serve him? The Holy Spirit has empowered us to accomplish great things. Second Corinthians 5:5 encourages us with these words, “He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit” (ESV). You may have many talents or only one, but with the Holy Spirit’s power working through you, you can make a difference that will last for all eternity.

We need to be alert to areas in which the Holy Spirit is moving us and blessing the efforts we are making on his behalf. Then we have to “swim” out to those places and join the forward movement with the rest of the team.

In what ways are you currently using your talent(s) to make a difference for eternity? What opportunities are being presented to you that you are afraid to take advantage of?

Converterlators utilize the opportunities that God gives them to use their talents.

“Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans.” (Proverbs 16:3, NIV)

There is a difference between using time for refreshment and renewal, which all of us need from time to time, and wasting time on pleasure. There are many ways to relax and enjoy life, however there needs to be balance in this area. We need refreshment; however, we need to carefully exercise discernment in order to make sure we are not just being a consumerlator instead of a Converterlator.

I say this because when I was younger, for me the epitome of “living” was to be on the golf course. I would grab every moment I could to be there. I loved everything about that lifestyle. However, my desire for that way of life from a time standpoint began to fade as I exposed myself more and more to the truth of God’s Word. As my desire to spend more time in the Word grew, I began to see my excessive time on the golf course as purely selfish. As I spent more time studying the Bible and learning how to soak, sow, and flow with the Spirit, I was impressed with the need to converterlate my time for the achievement of eternal purposes. This included preparation time for teaching Sunday school classes, which actually also benefitted me so much personally. I began to think about how I could use the secular talents that God has given to me for eternal purposes.

When we start thinking this way, our goals and motivations begin to change as God calls us to move in different directions in our new life with him. I began to aspire to be on the King’s team, and to really be an impact player for helping to fulfill the Great Commission. My time on the golf course began to have less allure. Our world has a lot of perishable distractions to offer us! Sometimes those perishable distractions are actually “good” things: sports, work, relationships, hobbies. We need these things, but we also need to be careful in how we use our time. The question always remains: Where is your focus?

The world says “indulge”; God says “do my will.” We must set our sights beyond the deceptions of our culture. We need to experience relaxation and pleasure in the way God intends. In the book of Ecclesiastes, we discover that King Solomon used his time to pursue many good things, but because his focus was outside of God’s purpose, all of those pursuits became meaningless to him. We must always keep in mind that we will only find joy and purpose in our relationships and accomplishments within the context of God’s purpose for our lives. And it is only within the context of a future eternity that all of these things make sense.

We find true fulfillment when we discover what we have been designed for and then use our time in conformance to that design. This does not mean that we need to be busier. It means that we need to carefully and intentionally use the specific time that God has given us. Ask the Holy Spirit to open your heart and mind to God’s direction in this area of your life, and then act on what he shows you!

What opportunities has God recently given you to use your time for him?

Converterlators find joy and purpose in their relationships and accomplishments within the context of God’s purpose for their lives.

“If you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday. The Lord will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail.” (Isaiah 58:10–11, NIV).

At the very most, Satan wants to use our time for his benefit, and at the very least, he wants to keep us from using our time in the way in which God wants us to. The Chief Consumerlator will use whatever means he has available to keep us from doing God’s will. We must remember that time is a currency that needs to be invested in the right things.

I have found that many people attempt to find fulfillment in life in the wrong ways and in the wrong places as they follow wrong pursuits. They think that the pleasure of this world, whether it is found in relationships, work, recreation, or pastimes, will provide the meaning in life that they so desperately wish to experience. Often, time used in this way simply results in disappointment, disillusionment, regret, depression, or even despair.

One of the priorities we often fail to make time for is our relationships. Time invested in people will always reap dividends. However, many people make the mistake of investing their time in things that offer an immediate sense of satisfaction, but that in the long-term damage their relationships with those who should be the closest to them. We need God’s wisdom to avoid falling prey to Satan’s subtle deceit.

When I think of a “well-watered garden” or a “spring whose waters never fail,” (two phrases found in the verses at the beginning of this devotional), I think of something with vitality and creativity and beauty. If I apply this metaphor to a person, I think of someone who is energetic, and focused, and alive. Are you that person? Or are you a sun-scorched garden or a spring that has gone dry. I encounter a lot of people who are tired. They are busy. They are weary. And they are frustrated that their lives are not producing anything of substance, let alone something that will last for all eternity. Satan has confused their priorities. The Chief Consumerlator will make you too busy and will find a way to rob you of your joy and life if you are not careful.

The important thing to remember here is that there is not a formula for using our time. It is critical that we evaluate on a regular basis how we are using our time, but we also must know that God leads each one of us differently in each chapter (or season) of our lives according to how he designed us individually. How do we balance our time between our various responsibilities? We seek God’s wisdom and guidance and rely on our relationship with him!

In what ways are you conscientiously using your time for God’s purposes?

Converterlators rely on their relationship with God to help them determine their time commitments.

 “Teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.” (Psalm 90:12, ESV).

We know that time in this world is a perishable commodity. It is going to run out for each one of us at some point. Our time will have no real meaning in the eternal world, but what we do with it now does have an impact on eternity. In the 1960s, Charles Hummel wrote a book entitled, Tyranny of the Urgent. The basic premise of this book is that the most urgent task is not always the most important. The tyranny of the urgent lies in its distortion of priorities. We must evaluate the use of our time not by what is most urgent, but by what is most important. We need discernment to converterlate our perishable time into something imperishable. And we will only have the wisdom that we need for that evaluation if we depend on God and his Word to guide us.

It has become increasingly clear to me that the only two things that will survive the perishable world are the Word of God, which endures forever, and the souls of people, who will live in one of two places for all of eternity. Jesus Christ came into this world to save sinners. When he left this world physically, he left us, his followers, to reach our respective generations with the good news of salvation. One of our responsibilities as believers is to be ambassadors for Christ. The apostle Paul made it clear when he said, “We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us” (2 Corinthians 5:20, NIV). Each one of us is an ambassador for Christ in one way or another. Our mission is to introduce people to the person of Jesus Christ! How are you using your time to make this happen?

We all know, at least on an intellectual level, that this present world is passing away with all of its attractions. However, why is it that we often don’t embrace this reality until we experience a personal crisis? For me, I came face to face with the shortness of my days when I was diagnosed with cancer. It forced me to evaluate the priorities in my life regarding the use of my time. I needed to reconsider my commitments in light of the perishable and imperishable, the temporary and eternal.

In many ways I was using my time to pursue my own kingdom. But as I studied God’s Word, I began to see the opportunities before me to make a difference in God’s kingdom. I discovered that I needed to use my time to invest in the things God desires.

As our relationship with God develops and we soak in his Word, he reveals more of himself and his plans for us. As we flow with the Holy Spirit, he empowers us to accomplish his purposes. God is the one who knows how we should use our time and what will bring us joy.

How much of your time are you investing in perishable pursuits? How much of your time are you investing in God’s kingdom?

Converterlators embrace the fact that they have a limited amount of time to make an impact on this world and the world to come.

“Carefully determine what pleases the Lord.” (Ephesians 5:10, NLT)

While we are living in this world, each one of us has twenty-four hours each day. That doesn’t seem like so much until you break it down and discover it represents 1,440 minutes! That’s a lot of minutes … and we all have the same amount to use. We may have different talents, and the amount of treasure varies from person to person, but we all have the same amount of time. And the basic question I have for you here is: In what ways are you using the time God has given to you in this world? Think about that for a few of your valuable minutes. Really! What are you presently using your time for? Are you frantically trying to cram in all of your commitments? Are you spending too much time on frivolous things? Are the things you are pursuing bringing you joy—or exhaustion? And if you are honest, how much of your time are you using up on perishable pursuits, and how much are you investing in God’s kingdom for eternal purposes?

Longevity of life is not really the issue here. Some people live very long lives and never accomplish anything of significance, while others accomplish a great deal in a very short amount of time. What is important is that we accomplish what we are supposed to in the amount of time we are given.

In many ways, time is like money. I didn’t say time is money, I said time is like money. It is a resource, a valuable one at that, and it is available to us to use in whatever way we choose.

With money, we all have fixed expenditures: housing, utilities, food, clothing, transportation. Many of us choose a standard of living that uses our money. We don’t often think about it in this way, but it’s true. After we pay for our fixed expenditures, whatever is left, what I call “discretionary,” we use on entertainment, eating out, vacations, and hopefully, ministry. All of this requires decisions.

The same is true of our time. We all have fixed “expenditures” with our time: a certain amount of sleep, regular work, eating, including whatever preparation is needed, and obligations to our families. The time we have left we see as discretionary, we can “spend” it on whatever we choose. However, one important factor to consider is that the lifestyle standard that we currently have for our “fixed” expenditures, whether that expenditure is money or time, directly affects what we have “left over.”

If I have a lifestyle that requires a lot of money, there isn’t much left over for anything else. If I have a lifestyle that requires a lot of my time, either for work or even a lot of “stuff” to maintain, I won’t have a lot of time for other important things. So we see that our discretionary time is also directly affected by the choices we make regarding our fixed commitments. We often feel like we don’t have any choices, but we always do.

What possibilities has God put in front of you to use your time for him??

Converterlators are thoughtful, disciplined, and intentional with the use of their time.

“Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.” (Ephesians 3:20–21, ESV).

Each one of us needs to answer the question: What is God’s purpose for me? Once we have the answer to that question, we need to figure out how we can successfully fulfill that purpose. After all, each one of us will stand before the Judgment Seat of Christ someday to render an accounting. There is no way to avoid that appointment. That is a sobering thought to me; what I do matters, and it actually matters to others as well. We want to be about our Father’s business

With the passing of time, the significance of what we have done will be revealed. Will we have used our resources for the perishable or imperishable? We can do things that others value. We can have an impact on their lives by meeting urgent needs. We can affect people’s lives for a long time. We can even receive praise and applause for what we do. Ultimately, however, the impact of what we have done will be revealed in eternity: “Everyone’s work will be put through the fire so that all can see whether or not it keeps its value, and what was really accomplished. Then every workman who has built on the foundation with the right materials, and whose work still stands, will get his pay. But if the house he has built burns up, he will have a great loss”
(1 Corinthians 3:13–15, TLB).

Only God can give us true significance. We have individual significance because we belong to him and he has created us to do a special work for him. Are you embracing the specific responsibilities that he has given you? There are things we will not know or even understand until eternity, but we do know this: “I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit–fruit that will last” (John 15:16, NIV). Don’t settle for an illusion of significance. Stake your self-worth on the promises of God’s Word.

In what ways would your converterlating become more effective if I were to make the study of God’s Word more important in your life?

Converterlators focus on participating in the advancement of God’s kingdom.