Inspired Stewardship

Helping you live out your calling by teaching you to use your time, talent, and treasures for God's Glory.

Episode 530: Discontent is a Thief

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Join us today for an episode about the way that discontent steals from you...

Today's episode is focused on how contentment is the secret to great gain...

In today’s episode about developing your influence through stewarding your treasures, I talk with you about why contentment is a key to great gain.  I also talk with you about why contentment doesn’t mean passivity but action.  I also share with you how to focus on drive and contentment at the same time.

Join in on the Chat below.

00:00:00 Thanks for joining me on Episode five 30 of the inspired stewardship podcast I'm Joe, some from Soul Patch Hippo Success coaching. I want a surgery journey to be the next version of you to be inspired to become the most authentic. You listen to this. The inspired stewardship podcast by my friend Scott made her every day can help you keep the focus that you need. And because of that, things flow my way, and it's out of that contentment that comes my drive. My drive is not for me to get Maur.
00:00:44 My drive is for me to be able to help more people, and some of that ends up causing more to follow my directions. Welcome and thank you for joining us on the inspired stewardship podcast. If you truly desire to become the person who God wants you to be, then you must learn to use your time, your talent and your treasures for your true calling in. The inspired Searchie podcast will learn to invest in yourself, invest in others and develop your influence so that you can impact the world in today's episode about developing your influence through stewarding your treasures.
00:01:32 I talk with you about why contentment is the key to gain and why contentment doesn't mean passivity and how to focus on Dr and contentment at the same time as we talk about stewarding your treasures.
00:01:49 Wouldn't it be great if you could support this podcast and do it without costing yourself an extra dime? It turns out you can.
00:01:57 All you have to do is use inspired stewardship dot com slash amazon when you're ready to make a purchase via Amazon,
00:02:06 and a small commission will come back to support the show. If you enjoy the show when you're ready to buy from Amazon,
00:02:12 just use inspired stewardship dot com slash amazon. One of those things that I hear people talk about all the time is this idea of contentment,
00:02:25 and a lot of times, what they're confusing it with is being passive. The truth is, these are not the same thing,
00:02:34 and at the end of the day there's an expression. Contentment is the key to great gain, and I really believe that that is true,
00:02:44 that the truth is to get gaining in your life. Whether that's financial gain or whether that's other types of gain requires developing the ability to be content at the same time that you're driven.
00:03:01 You know what happens? A lot of times is we think that the only way to get Maur, the only way to get what we want the only way to gain in life is for someone else.
00:03:12 Toe lose out. We have this competitive nature that puts us forward as someone that you know we have to win,
00:03:19 which means others have toe lose. And that that kind of driven mindset is not what I'm talking about when I say driven here,
00:03:29 contentment is about having peace with where you are. It's about looking at what you've got and being happy and satisfied with that.
00:03:40 It's about looking at what's around you and being happy and satisfied by that. It's looking at what other people have and being pleased,
00:03:51 whatever they succeed, being pleased whenever they have things, even if those are things that you don't have,
00:03:59 it's sort of the absence of jealousy, and it's the absence of a sense that you have tohave Maur,
00:04:07 that you have to gain everything. It's kind of moving out of this grasping mode and ironically, as you get out of the mode of holding on and grabbing everything with both fists and striving to get a hold of it and make it happen.
00:04:26 As you begin to develop a sense of peace and contentment. That's when things actually often begin toe flow your way.
00:04:37 Now don't confuse this with being passive. I'm not saying you sit back and you wait for the world to come your way and you wait for everything to happen.
00:04:46 Good for you. I'm asking if instead you don't sit down and and just sit back. But out of that sense of contentment,
00:04:58 you recognize that you can grow your gifts, you can serve more people. You can reach out to more people.
00:05:07 You can help Maur people, and what will happen out of that is you can begin to gain, but not out of a sense of forcing others to have less.
00:05:20 Not out of a sense of grabbing ahold of everything, but instead out of a sense of just being able to serve Maur and doom or for others,
00:05:32 you can focus on being driven by focusing first on serving others and only second on what comes out of yourself.
00:05:43 What you gain out of it. It's interesting. You know, I I sit down with people often and I try toe pour into other people and help them start a business or career.
00:05:55 And even though this is what I do for a business, I don't look at every exchange where I do that and immediately think to myself,
00:06:02 Am I gonna get paid for this? But out of that ends up coming business where if I had this mindset of,
00:06:10 I have toe yo charge for every cup of coffee that doesn't work now that being said, that doesn't mean that anyone can get on my calendar at any time.
00:06:20 And my time is filled up with these free meetings and cups of coffee and a chance to pick your brain,
00:06:28 There has to be some sort of balance there. There has to be boundaries there, But within those boundaries,
00:06:36 I look at it is okay, I can talk to you. I can work with you. And out of that many people end up hiring me as a coach,
00:06:46 and I think some of that is because I'm not desperate. I don't come across as I have to get you as a client.
00:06:53 You have to sign up today. I'm not a high pressure guy. I don't browbeat people in deciding up for coaching.
00:07:01 I know all the psychological tricks. I know how to do sales in those ways. I know all of the manipulative tactics that people use today in marketing and advertising to get people to do what they want.
00:07:14 But I choose not to use them. Instead, I choose to just have an open heart and an open hand,
00:07:21 and because of that, things flow my way. And it's out of that contentment that comes my drive.
00:07:29 My drive is not for me to get Maur. My drive is for me to be able to help more people,
00:07:36 and some of that ends up causing more to flow my direction. Your job, 2020 says, because he knew no quiet within him.
00:07:49 He does not retain anything he desires, And to me, that's a description of a lack of contentment because no matter what you get,
00:07:59 you always have to try to get Maur because no matter what happens, you're always looking at the next thing.
00:08:04 You're always never happy, never satisfied and out of that. Eventually, that house of cards falls. What's interesting is the people that get ahead.
00:08:15 The furthest are the people who are the most generous. Their study after study that shows that generosity over the long haul succeeds the cutthroat mentality that we think of.
00:08:26 That's the the movie TV ideal of the guy who's getting ahead by just cutting everyone else off at the knees.
00:08:33 That may work in the short term, but in the long term it never does. That's the reality of the world that we live in.
00:08:42 But we forget that because we hear about the story of the guy who unethically got ahead. But we forget about the fact that the reason we heard the story because eventually that house of cards fell in around him.
00:08:55 So I ask you, toe, look to your heart. Are you content with what you have today and out of that contentment?
00:09:03 Is there a sense of dr to grow that so that you can serve Maur and help encourage and grow the kingdom of God?
00:09:13 Today, thanks for listening. Thanks so much for listening to the inspired stewardship Podcast. As a subscriber and listener,
00:09:26 we challenge you to not just sit back and passively listen, but act on what you've heard and find a way toe.
00:09:34 Live your calling. If you like this episode on the stewardship of treasures, you can sign up for our treasures tips by going to inspired stewardship dot com slash treasures or text in the U.
00:09:52 S. 44222 Treasures tips and we'll send you five weeks of our best tips on stewarding your treasures until next time investor time,
00:10:06 your talent and your treasures develop your influence and impact world.

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In today's episode, I talk with you about:

  • Why contentment is a key to gain...
  • Why contentment doesn’t mean passivity...
  • How to focus on drive and contentment at the same time...
  • and more.....

Godliness with contentment is great gain - 1 Timothy 6:6

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Some of the Resources recommended in this episode:

I make a commission for purchases made through the following link.

Let Me Know What you Think Below....

Episode 529: Different Works But One Purpose

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Join us today for an episode about the reason your calling is worthy even if it is different...

Today's episode is focused on identifying and following your purpose...

In today’s episode about developing your influence through stewarding your talent, I talk with you about why different doesn’t mean bad when it comes to your gifts.  I also talk about how you can work and let it be for the lord if it does no harm.  I also share what this means to you and me as Christians.

Join in on the Chat below.

00:00:00 Welcome Thio Episode 5 29 of the Inspired Stewardship Podcast This is Wendy Gentry from Baker University. I encourage you to live your life from the inside out in one way to be inspired. To do that is to listen to this the inspired stewardship podcast with my friend Scott made her. You don't have a single thing like this. And on the side either is a volunteer is a side business. You go out and begin to do the thing that you're really passionate about, that you're called to do. That lies within your special gifting,
00:00:43 and you do that to serve others. And whether or not you get paid just becomes part of figuring out what you want to do with your business. It isn't welcome and thank you for joining us on the inspired stewardship podcast. If you truly desire to become the person who God wants you to be, then you must learn to use your time, your talent and your treasures for your true calling in the inspired stewardship podcast who learn to invest in yourself, invest in others and develop your influence so that you can impact the world.
00:01:24 In today's episode about developing your influence through stewarding your talent. I talk with you about why different doesn't mean bad, how you can work and let it be for the Lord. If it does no harm and what this can mean for us. As Christians, you've heard me talk about developing your talent, and one of the best ways to do that is through books. But if you're like most people today,
00:01:50 it's hard to find the time to read. And that's why today's podcast is brought to you by audible.
00:01:57 Go to inspired stewardship dot com slash audible to sign up, and you can get a 30 day free trial.
00:02:04 There's over 100 and 80,000 titles to choose from, and you can pick one and listen your way to developing your talents via audible.
00:02:15 That's inspired stewardship dot com slash audible to get your free trial and listen to great books the same way you're listening to this podcast.
00:02:25 First Corinthians Chapter 12 versus five through six says there are different kinds of service, but the same lord.
00:02:33 There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone, it is the same God at work.
00:02:41 You know. Here's what's interesting to me about this passage. I've had several conversations in the last week or so with folks where they've come to me.
00:02:51 And part of what we've been talking about is what are their gift ings. What is it that they're being called to do?
00:02:57 What are the things that they are able to do that is uniquely powerful and something that they are made to do?
00:03:05 And often as I talk to about it, a couple of things happen. One is first off, and we've talked about this before on the podcast were really bad at seeing the things that we're good at and recognizing that their gift ings.
00:03:20 This is why asking some people from outside is such a good technique. But the second part and and why I want to talk a little bit about this today is we often look at our gift ings and then compare ourselves toe others gift ings.
00:03:37 And because they're different, we immediately devalue our own. We look to things being different and immediately assume that means somehow they're worse.
00:03:49 They're not as good, they're not as strong. I don't have the gift ings that you do and I wish that I did.
00:03:56 We fall into the comparison trap of looking at the work that we do, looking at the things that we're good at and just recognizing that what we have is different than others.
00:04:09 But we turn that difference into a value judgment where we stern that difference into saying different means lesser, different means bad and the truth is,
00:04:22 go back to the passage. There are different kinds of service, but the same lord. There are different kinds of working,
00:04:30 but in all of them and in everyone, it is the same God at work. And I think it's interesting that in the first part it talks about service.
00:04:39 In the second, it talks about working because the truth is that the work that we do can be serving others,
00:04:49 or the work that we can do can be serving no one but ourselves, serving to make ourselves into something above other serving,
00:04:58 to make ourselves into better or above or the hierarchy. It's about competition and holding everyone else down are is your work focused on building others up?
00:05:11 If you're truly doing work that is service oriented and if it does, no harm. It doesn't hurt.
00:05:17 Others are tear them down or or pull them back down. Then that work can be given over to the Lord is a form of worship.
00:05:27 The truth is, by the way, working to serve others can be in almost any job. See,
00:05:36 the funny thing is, I think a lot of times, if you're if you're a line worker and you work for a major company and you said a cubicle all day and you just kind of produce data or do certain information are you process financial records,
00:05:51 And that's all you do all day long. That work is still in service toe others. There's still a larger impact of that work,
00:06:01 and identifying it getting tuned into it is often what gives us purpose. It gives us a feeling of worth in our work is one of the things I don't like about a lot of major corporations.
00:06:13 They don't do a good job of letting people know how the piece that they're doing fits into the larger hole and what the mission and the purpose is.
00:06:24 And because of that over time, a lot of times companies began to slip into one purpose and one purpose only to make money,
00:06:31 and that ends up being the result of serving others, not the reason to do the business. But if we turn that around and we start making the chasing of money to be what we're after,
00:06:44 instead of the result of what we're after, then we've begun to lose that spirit of serving, and that's what gets us all twisted up.
00:06:53 So how do you serve others? And what are your gift? Ings? Make lists, Think about it,
00:06:59 pray about it, talk to others about it, asked that question of yourself and ask that question of the people closest to you.
00:07:07 And then when you begin to identify those things than as a Christian, you're called to use those gift ings.
00:07:15 You're called to go out into the world and do those things so that you can help other people. You can serve other people.
00:07:22 You can lift other people up. That's what we're supposed to do. That's part of our job of spreading The gospel is living it by doing it.
00:07:33 And the funny thing is, as you begin to do that, you will become connected to that work.
00:07:41 It will begin to fill you up and give you purpose. And by the way, notice in here.
00:07:45 Never did I talk about the work that you're getting paid for. You could work a career where you don't have a single thing like this.
00:07:53 And on the side either is a volunteer is a side business. You go out and begin to do the thing that you're really passionate about,
00:08:00 that you're called to do. That lies within your special gifting. And you do that to serve others.
00:08:06 And whether or not you get paid just becomes part of figuring out what you want to do with your business.
00:08:13 It isn't the be all end all it becomes the results, not what you're chasing. This lets you keep money in the right place.
00:08:25 This allows you to keep your own pride in the right place because it allows you to put others first and put God first and only look to yourself last.
00:08:35 And as you do that strangely, what ends up happening is you get more of what you want, Zig Ziglar said.
00:08:42 If you help enough people get what they want, then you're certainly going to get what you want. and this is a version of that.
00:08:51 So remember, as you look to your own gift ings that different doesn't mean bad and that the work you do has purpose and your job is to find it and connect to that and then do it to the best of your ability to build up the kingdom.
00:09:09 Thanks for listening. Thanks so much for listening to the inspired stewardship Podcast. As a subscriber and listener,
00:09:20 we challenge you to not just sit back and passively listen. But act on what you've heard and find a way toe.
00:09:29 Live your calling. If you like this episode on the stewardship of talent, you can go over to inspired stewardship dot com slash talent and sign up for our five weeks Siris on the stewardship of talent or if you're in the U.
00:09:46 S. You can text 44222 Talent tips. That's talent tips tau 442 to 2 and get those tips until next time.
00:09:59 Investor time, your talent and your treasures develop your influence and impact world way

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- Click to collapse


In today's episode, I talk with you about:

  • Why different doesn’t mean bad...
  • How you can work and let it be for the lord if it does no harm...
  • What this means for us as Christians...
  • and more.....

You can have everything in life that you want if you will just help enough other people get what they want. - Zig Ziglar

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Some of the Resources recommended in this episode:

I make a commission for purchases made through the following link.

Let Me Know What you Think Below....

Episode 528: Is Time Using You?

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Join us today for an episode about way time wasting may not be what you believe...

Today's episode is focused on using your time with intentionality...

In today’s episode about developing your influence by stewarding your time, I talk with you about intentionality in our use of time.  I also share why what you say is wasting time may not be but only if you really are intentional in your time and reflection.  I also share how to know if how you use time is wasteful or worship.

Join in on the Chat below.

00:00:00 Thanks for joining me on Episode 5 28 of the inspired Stewardship podcast. I'm Scott Brookins from scott brookins dot com. I encourage you to find the way to be inspired to start your dream business and find freedom. And one way to do that is to be inspired by this. The inspired stewardship podcast with my friend Scott made her. I know that about myself. I know that I need some time where I could be inside my own head in a positive way, because I'm also of the personality that I can go inside of my own head in a very negative way.
00:00:41 And so for me that time wasting activity that to someone else from the outside looking in they go. That's completely non productive. Time that doesn't do anything beneficial is incredibly beneficial. Welcome and thank you for joining us on the inspired stewardship. Podcasts. If you truly desire to become the person who God wants you to be, then you must learn to use your time, your talent and your treasures for your true calling in. The inspired sturgeon podcast will learn to invest in herself, invest in others and develop your influence so that you can impact the way in today's episode about developing your influence by stewarding your time.
00:01:28 I talk with you about intentionality when it comes to the use of our time. Why what you say is wasting time may not actually be,
00:01:38 and how to know if it's wasteful or worshipful with your time as we talk about stewarding your time. Wouldn't it be great if you could support this podcast and do it without just taking too long?
00:01:52 It turns out you can't. All you have to do is use inspired stewardship dot com slash amazon when you're ready to make a purchase via Amazon,
00:02:01 and a small commission will come back to support the show just that quick. If you enjoy the show when you are ready to buy from Amazon,
00:02:09 just use inspired stewardship dot com slash amazon. Time is one of those things that as human beings, which have been worried about well,
00:02:20 probably for all time, I mean in the Bible. Ephesians Chapter five verses, 15 through 17 says Look carefully,
00:02:29 then how you walk not is unwise, but is wise making the best use of the time because the days are evil.
00:02:38 Therefore, do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. I mean, this passage and there's several others is actually about using our time wisely.
00:02:50 There's dozens of of different examples from Christianity from other philosophies where we talk about measuring or time and using our time.
00:03:01 Well, this is an area where I worked with a lot of folks because I think as human beings we often have this instinct that we're not using our time as well as we could that we could do better at this where we're wasting time.
00:03:17 We're not using our timeto to grow ourselves to serve others. We look up and an hour has gone by and we've spent all of that time thumbing our way through Facebook or watching the black latest next Netflix show.
00:03:32 And we'd look up and we just feel like we have nothing to show for the time that we've spent,
00:03:38 we haven't gotten anything done. We haven't been productive. Maybe we've said all of the goals we've done all our planning.
00:03:45 We've done all of the things right that we talk about, and still things just aren't happening. We're not using our time to its best.
00:03:57 We're not able to look up at the end of the day and say My time has been well spent and I feel that it is a worthy offering unto the Lord and the work that I'm supposed to be doing.
00:04:08 Instead, we find ourselves tired, frustrated and angry at ourselves, vowing to do better the next day.
00:04:18 The truth is, when it comes to time, it is about being intentional. It is about setting the right things and the right intentions in place so that you can use your time well doing all of these things that we talk about setting a plan,
00:04:34 executing on that plan, reviewing it, revising it, setting good goals and breaking them down into very specific task.
00:04:41 Those are important things to do when it comes to using our time with intentionality. But the other half of that is Thio actually execute on that to do things that we're supposed to be doing to do the things that we want to be doing to do the things that were called to be doing.
00:05:08 And here's some funniness about that. Some strangeness about that see, oftentimes things that we consider wasteful of our time aren't wasting time there.
00:05:23 There are time at the beginning of this when I I used the example of sitting down and bingeing on Netflix for several hours.
00:05:31 The funny thing is, that could be a good use of your time. It could be some timeto shift your brain down and recharge your batteries and get reset for a new day or a new set of task.
00:05:44 And that also could be a complete and total time wasting activity where you've sat down and you've wasted hours into the evening into the night and you have a hard time getting up the next day and being productive and doing things and you're angry at yourself and your regretful of the time you spent.
00:06:02 It's not watching Netflix by itself. That would be evil are wasteful. In that situation, it's the intentionality.
00:06:11 Behind it was this time that you intentionally set aside for recharging your batteries. Yeah, I'm a big video game player,
00:06:22 and it would be really easy for me to look at any time I spend playing. Video games is complete and total waste of time.
00:06:29 I've spent money on them, and when I play them, I don't get anything out of them other than relax ation entertainment and the ability sometimes to just disappear for a little while into a fantasy world that allows me to come back out of it and interact with people in a way that's healthier.
00:06:49 And that allows me to be friendly and kind and serve others well and see, I know that about myself.
00:06:57 I know that I need some time where I could be inside my own head in a positive way, because I'm also of the personality that I can go inside of my own head in a very negative way.
00:07:08 And so for me that time wasting activity that to someone else from the outside looking in they go. That's completely non productive.
00:07:16 Time that doesn't do anything beneficial is incredibly beneficial. But you'll notice I reflected on it. I know the benefits that I get.
00:07:27 I also know the dangers that I could easily get sucked into that world and use that world is a distraction that keeps me from coming out and interacting with others.
00:07:37 That keeps me from doing the job that I'm supposed to be do that that becomes the easy way out.
00:07:44 Instead of doing the hard work. That's why just because someone else looks at your activity and says that's a complete waste of time doesn't necessarily mean that it is.
00:07:56 But it also doesn't mean that it's not. You have to take a step back. You have to be intentional in your reflection on your use of time.
00:08:06 That's one of the reasons that one of the things I teach is keeping records of how you're spending your time so that you have that data to be able to reflect on it and come back in and know what it is that you're actually doing and know why you're doing it and then begin to build the systems and the processes in the habits to do the things that you intentionally want to do and to carve out those things that you don't want to do.
00:08:40 It's the intention behind it that creates whether or not that time and that use of that time is wasteful.
00:08:48 Our weather using that time becomes one more example of worshipful use of your time, of sending the time up as something that is valuable for others,
00:09:03 valuable for yourself and even valuable for God. sake. I don't think God wants us to work 24 7 I don't think God wants us tow only do the hard things.
00:09:14 I think God also wants us to enjoy our life. God also wants us to be able to look back and be recharged and be reset.
00:09:24 That's one of the reasons that were supposed to take a Sabbath a day where we do not work. And yet even that day becomes work unto the Lord.
00:09:33 But the work there is the work of intentionally resting and recharging your batteries. So I ask you to look at the time that you're using and not just assume that it's wasteful,
00:09:45 but also to set some intentionality behind how you use your time and use it well, thanks for listening.
00:09:55 Thanks so much for listening to the inspired stewardship Podcast. As a subscriber and listener, we challenge you to not just sit back and passively listen.
00:10:10 But act on what you've heard and find a way toe Live your calling. If you like this episode on the stewardship of time,
00:10:19 be sure to sign up for our stewardship of time tips. Siri's by going to inspired stewardship dot com slash time or texting 44222 time tips and that'll get you our best tips on stewarding your time until next time investor time,
00:10:45 your talent and your treasures develop your influence and impact world.

+ Click to view entire transcript
- Click to collapse


In today's episode, I talk with you about:

  • Intentionality in our use of time...
  • Why what you say is wasting time may not be...
  • How to know if it’s wasteful or worship…
  • and more.....

Guard your time fiercely; be generous with it, but be intentional about it.  - David Duchemin

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Some of the Resources recommended in this episode:

I make a commission for purchases made through the following link.

Let Me Know What you Think Below....

Episode 527: Deny or Provide for Your Family?

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Join us today for an episode about the chicken and egg of action and belief...

Today's episode is focused on Romans 12:2 and how transformation of our minds can come from both within and without.  How sometimes you act on your belief but how it is often more useful to believe because you acted...

In today’s spiritual foundation episode about developing your influence, I talk with you about being Intentional in our focus on God first.  I talk about the conflict that seems to be between 1 Timothy 5:8 and Matthew 10:34-37.  I share why not focusing on God can lead to a wrong focus and issues.  I also talk about what this means to our family.

Join in on the Chat below.

00:00:00 Thanks for joining me on Episode 5 20 seven of the inspired Stewardship podcast. I'm David Smith, author of Who's Got Your Back Making In Keeping Great Friendships among Men, I encourage you to invest in others, Develop your influence an impact the world by using your time, your talents and your treasures to live out your calling. Having the ability to build riel lasting friendships as a man is vital to doing this. And one way to be inspired to do that is to listen to this. The inspired stewardship podcast with the leadership provided by Scott Mayor Thing is what this can mean to our family and to ourselves see one of the things we do a lot of times as many as we put ourselves in this role of,
00:00:58 we have to be the protector. We have to be the provider. We have to do everything right. We hold ourselves to an impossible standard. I think women do it as well, too, in a different way. But men way struggle with this at times. Welcome and thank you for joining us on the inspired stewardship podcasts. If you truly desire to become the person who God wants you to be, Then you must learn to use your time, your talent and your treasures for your true calling in the inspired Searchie podcast will learn to invest in yourself,
00:01:34 invest in others and develop your influence so that you can impact the way and today spiritually Foundation episode about developing your influence.
00:01:48 I talk with you about how we should have intentionality in our focus on God. First, why not?
00:01:56 Focusing in this way can often lead to a wrong focused on wrong action and what this can mean when it comes toe family.
00:02:06 You know Two different passages have been bouncing around in my head this week, and the 1st 1 is from First Timothy.
00:02:13 Chapter five. Verse eight is one of my favorite passages, and it says. But if anyone does not provide for his relatives,
00:02:20 and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith in his worse than an unbeliever. You know that resonates with me this idea of how I,
00:02:31 as a man should provide for my family, and I've had a whole series of coaching calls in the last couple of weeks where I've been working with men who are struggling in this area because,
00:02:42 you know, things have happened. They've had difficult times, they've had problems, they've had challenges and they're not feeling the full worth of themselves as a provider.
00:02:53 And then the other passage that came it came to my attention has been bouncing around is for Matthew. Chapter 10 versus 34.
00:03:02 Through his 37 I had ah, church member come up to me and asked me about this passage and kind of how I interpreted it.
00:03:12 What did I think it was talking about last Sunday? And it's kind of been bouncing around in my head ever since.
00:03:18 And that passage says, Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the Earth. I have not come to bring peace but a sword,
00:03:25 for I've come to set a man against his father and a daughter against her mother and a daughter in law against her mother in law and a person's enemies will be those of his own household.
00:03:36 Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me. And whoever love son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me,
00:03:48 you know? And these two passages at first glance seem like they're contradictory. One is telling us to take care of our family,
00:03:54 and the other one is telling us that our family is going to become our enemies, that out of our family will come.
00:04:01 Problems and hatred and and warfare, at least at first glance. And what I began to think about him was talking with this Paris trainers.
00:04:11 We were bouncing it around and trying to think about. Well, what does this mean to us? How can we interpret this?
00:04:17 What? What What am I supposed to do with this kind of passage? Is I pointed out that I think part of what's going on here is we're talking about intentionality of focus in one passage.
00:04:31 I think we're talking about when we focus first on our family or exclusively on our family, and then the other were putting it where we focus first on God and out of that focus on God comes and flows,
00:04:46 taking care of our family, taking care of other serving, others having a servant heart. But the funny thing is,
00:04:52 if we focus first on our family and taking care of ourselves and providing for our family and being a good provider and all of these sorts of things,
00:04:59 then that incorrect focus tends to lead us astray and often causes problems within our family and and friction and struggle and strain.
00:05:10 It's this very indirect focus and lack of intentionality on putting God first. That often creates the very problems that we then blame on God.
00:05:24 When in reality it's because of this. This in focus, this unfocused and un intensive and unintentional life not focusing first on God can lead to this indirect problems that we have.
00:05:40 This is what this can mean to our family and to ourselves see one of the things we do a lot of times as many as we put ourselves in this role of,
00:05:49 we have to be the protector. We have to be the provider. We have to do everything right.
00:05:54 We hold ourselves to an impossible standard. I think women do it as well, too, in a different way.
00:06:01 But men we struggle with this at times, and when we do it, it ends up devaluing the very thing that were there to provide our family.
00:06:13 We begin to measure our worth by our paycheck when our worth is so much Maur than that. Providing for your family doesn't just mean how much you make.
00:06:24 Providing your for your family has to do with being there. Providing for your family sometimes mean making the hard decisions and telling somebody in your family no for their own good,
00:06:36 as hard as that can be. And you can only do that when you keep your focus on God first.
00:06:44 When you look at the wider kingdom, when you realize that it's out of that faith, at least for me,
00:06:50 this is where it comes from, its out of that faith and following what I feel God is calling me to do that gives me the strength to do the things,
00:07:00 even the hard things, and do it without a hard heart. Do it without it, it being held against somebody,
00:07:07 Do it without it, creating fear and friction down the road. Do it in a way where I can forgive and move on both myself as well as others,
00:07:19 and I will tell you I struggle with this. This is an area where I have struggled for years and continue to struggle.
00:07:27 I think a lot of us do. And yet it's also an area where each and every day I pray and remind myself that my job is to look to God and do what I'm being called to do today,
00:07:42 and that's it. That's my only job. And if I do that and I take that intentionality and I do that with purpose and with clarity,
00:07:53 with prayer and with worship that everything else will fall into place. Thanks for listening. Thanks so much for listening to the inspired stewardship Podcast.
00:08:11 As a subscriber and listener, we challenge you to not just sit back and passively listen. But act on what you've heard and find a way toe live your calling.
00:08:24 If you enjoy this episode, do me a favor. Go overto facebook dot com slash inspired stewardship and like our Facebook page and market that you'd like to get notifications from us so that we can connect with you on Facebook and make sure that we're serving you to the best of our abilities with time and tips there until next time investor time,
00:08:53 your talent and your treasures develop your influence and impact world

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In today's episode, I talk with you about:

  • Intentionality in our focus on God first...
  • Why not focusing on that can lead to a wrong focus... 
  • What this means to our family...
  • and more.....

And But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever. - 1 Timothy 5:8

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