Or even a billionaire?
Are you ready to sacrifice whatever it takes to make that happen?
Are you prepared to make this financial goal your “magnificent obsession” as Napoleon Hill popularized in his best-selling Think and Grow Rich book, before he finished his life in a bread line dependent on the mercy of others? (You probably didn’t know that did you?)
If so, I can help you… By first of all re-orienting your thinking.
You see, if wealth is your magnificent obsession, your driving goal in life, and if you’re successful at achieving that goal, and do become fabulously wealthy and have need of nothing, don’t be surprised to hear Jesus say as He did to the church of Laodicea in Revelation 3:17… “Do you not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked?”
Don’t become that person!
Wealth and riches should never be your singular goal in life. They are nothing more than a temporary tool that you will definitely leave behind. Most people are chasing the tools (money) in life, but few are chasing the dream of what those tools (riches) can do of eternal value, aligning with God’s purposes.
I beseech you to let God emblazon on your heart, His dream for your life (see Jeremiah 29:11) and go after that with all your heart (Colossians 3:23), daily relying on Him to show you the way, (Isaiah 48:17) tell you what’s coming (John 16:13) and give you favor in the sight of God and man (Proverbs 3:3-4).
Of course, that will require you seeking God and His righteousness (Matthew 6:33) but everything you need will be “added to you, laid beside you, annexed for you and given to you”.
Take for example, my friend and mentor Dr. Peter J. Daniels…
He was an illiterate bricklayer at age 26 when he committed his life to the Lord in 1959. He was sick and tired of being broke! Once he taught himself to read and write, he went on a learning rampage, acquiring the knowledge he would need to fulfill his magnificent obsession, which was to see how much money, one man could give away in his life.
(Notice the difference?)
For him, it wasn’t about amassing wealth... it was about creating wealth to advance God’s kingdom. Peter Daniels’ generosity is legendary, the beneficiaries are legion and the impact is beyond measure, having funded countless churches, Bible schools, missionary endeavors and even singlehandedly funding the largest Billy Graham crusade ever to come to Australia, while living a very comfortable life and taking great care of his family!
If you want to drink from that fountain of wisdom that turned this illiterate blue-collar worker into a very wealthy man with five honorary doctorates and three ambassadorships, you need to watch this amazing interview I did with him, along with a panel of guests including Dr. Joseph Peck, Myron Golden, Os Hillman, the Benham Brothers, Shane Sams and Patrice Tsague.
We all know we need provision to fund the vision, but what most folks do is pursue the provision so they can see the vision realized, but Solomon said when you chase riches, they somehow “grow wings and fly away” (Proverbs 23:5)... sort of like a dog chasing seagulls on the beach.
It seems we’re too afraid to chase God. But He wants to be caught and will lavish His love and wisdom on you, should you take up the chase! (Jeremiah 29:13-14)
Pursue His kingdom, His agenda, His purpose and then take the necessary actions that He lays out in front of you.
Don’t assume His plan for you is somewhere in the official five-fold ministry. It may be to open a bakery in town, and be a witness there.
Make no mistake. I want you to do very well in business and so does God, but you becoming a millionaire or billionaire is not high on His “to do” list.
He has His agenda and the sooner you discover your role in His plan and step into it, the better! And your success won’t be measured in Heaven with dollar signs.
Take it from me... In 1986 I moved from Canada to Nashville. While driving through town on I-40, dreaming of making my life count for God in some big way, He pointed out a building to my right side and told me “That’s where you’re going to work”.
It was the one job I knew I didn’t want... selling copiers!
It seemed upside down to me that God would want me in the business arena selling copiers when I was offering to do something, (anything) more important.
But here’s the kicker... I applied for and got the job, and then made it my goal to do exceedingly well in that role. What was my driving motivation? Was it the contests? The trips? The bonuses?
No!
I wanted to do well, so I could have a platform of accomplishment from which I could credibly share the gospel. (You don’t have to be successful in life to be a witness for Jesus Christ, but when you are, people pay closer attention, and you can often have a bigger impact.)
In just under 12 months, after setting records and achieving goals no one thought possible, I was given a platform in the form of a promotion. From that platform, I led some to Christ, one of which went on to Bible school and into full-time ministry.
How did I go from a struggling, mediocre salesman in Canada to the top producer from day one in Nashville? And why had I struggled so much prior to that?
Well, as it turns out, the answer is found in Hosea 4:6 which says, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.” But it’s not just any kind of knowledge. It’s a special, very critical form of knowledge, which I will share more about tomorrow.
When I discovered that, I was able to accomplish far more, work less, make more money and be a witness on the job and in the marketplace.
Now, today I had a meeting today with my wife about God’s intention for the Jesus School of Business, and what He intends to accomplish through that school and in your life (if you allow it) will blow your mind, enlarge your heart and set you upon a path or trajectory from which you will never want to turn back! (I'll share more about that in future blogs as well.)
I’ve got so much more that I now feel released to share and I will be doing so much more frequently in the days ahead. BTW, if you haven’t already received your 4-volume set of God’s Best Kept Secrets, I encourage you to get yours HERE now.
Tune in tomorrow as I tell you more about the kind of knowledge that God’s people are lacking, which once you have it, everything changes!
Blessings, Michael
P.S. I've got a few free books for you on this special page, just for being part of my email list. No strings attached!
Powerful teaching looking forward to more tomorrow
Hi William… Thank you for your comment. Drop me a line and let me know how things are going for you in Bonnie Scotland.
My magnificent obsession is Jesus Himself! The more I allow Him to have His way, the more I thrive. The more what the world has to offer seems bleak and of no value. It may be hard at times, but so worth it!
Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:2