It was early in the morning, and I had been praying, studying, and reading. My study topic that week was what God says about money. Suddenly, in the stillness the Lord whispered into my spirit: “Find five Christian billionaires to learn from.”
My spirit leaped at the thought, because …
You will become like the people you learn from.
It’s a principle that works every time:
- Study Jesus and learn from Him, and you will become like Jesus.
- Study a demonized rocker and learn from him/her, and you will become demonized.
- Study from an excellent professor of history, and you will become an excellent student of history. (Notice I said “study from,” not “sleep in class from.”) 🙂
Studies also show that you even become like your friends. If you hang out with negative friends, you will become negative. Hang out with positive friends, and you will become positive. Hang out with rich friends, and you will become wealthier.
So when God told me to find 5 Christian billionaires to learn from, I knew He had something in mind that would bless me.
Obviously, billionaires must know something about money, business, and work that the rest of us don’t know. So I knew I was supposed to examine these people’s lives and find out what they know.
For example:
- Which of God’s financial principles are they practicing that I’m not? Whatever it is, I should start.
- What does good stewardship look like for a billionaire? Whatever it is, I should practice the same thing in miniature.
- What does a billionaire know about Biblical success principles–e.g. writing goals, reading, and exercise? I should make a point of doing those things.
I also knew that I would need to study these people’s habits through a very cautious, Scriptural lens.
Just because someone gets one thing right doesn’t mean everything they do is a model of virtue. We need to learn from people who are better at something than we are. However, that doesn’t release us from the obligation to pass everything we see through the tests of Scripture, in order to determine right from wrong.
Therefore, I will carefully examine the principles to which these billionaires adhere(d). Then, I will eat the “meat”–but spit out the “bones.”
So here are the Christian billionaires whose habits I am studying:
- David Green, founder of the Hobby Lobby chain of retail craft stores;
- Truett Cathy, the late founder of Chick-Fil-A restaurants;
- Mary Kay Ash, the late founder of the Mary Kay cosmetics company;
- Pat Robertson, founder of the CBN Christian television network; and
- Sir John Templeton, founder of the Templeton family of mutual funds (and definitely an opportunity to eat the meat and spit out the bones, for he had some really bad theology mixed in with his Christian beliefs).
I may add additional people to this list, and may also study the habits of some Christian millionaires. Christian millionaires whose lives I am interested in include:
- Dave Ramsey, of DaveRamsey.com;
- Dr. Michael Chitwood, motivational speaker and founder of Chitwood & Chitwood, the nation’s largest financial management firm for ministries;
- evangelist Jesse Duplantis; and
- Colonel Sanders, founder of Kentucky Fried Chicken.
Again, I may add others over time.
So the first Billionaire By-Law I have learned is from David Green, founder of the Hobby Lobby chain of retail stores.
I watched some videos by Mr. Green recently (found on RightNow Media), and I was incredibly impressed with what this man and his family members said. The prevailing message they were discussing was this:
They are acutely aware that God owns it all.
They really pay attention to the fact that God owns everything in the world. I mean, they really pay attention to that.
The Green family has a very hands-off approach to their fortune. They believe they are only managing it for God, based on His instructions, and for His glory.
In fact …
They believe that God owns their business SO strongly that they actually had legal papers drawn up to give ownership of their entire Hobby Lobby business to God. Legally and formally.
In these videos, Mr. Green said that they actually had to have 3 generations of family members sign legal papers renouncing all claim to the Hobby Lobby business and fortune. That was the only way their attorneys would draw up the papers to transfer ownership of the company to God!
Can you imagine being SO aware of the fact that God owns your business, that you actually have legal papers enacted so there would never be any doubt? I was floored by that.
What does this Billionaire By-Law mean to you and to me?
God entrusted the Green family with a really big amount of money to steward. God did not call you and me to help steward it, so we must have something to learn from what they do! And what I see for myself, right away, is:
I have not been nearly as acutely aware of God’s ownership as the Greens are.
As I wrote about recently in Do You Need to Plea Bargain with God?, if I were constantly aware of that fact, I’d never leave a Taco Bell bag in the car. I would make sure the floors in my house were vacuumed and swept at all times. And I wouldn’t leave things sitting around.
If I really were aware of how God owns all the stuff around me, I would take much better care of it.
Since the Lord began dealing with me about this, I’ve started taking little steps to improve in this area. I want to do all things as to the Lord, not unto men! I want to clean my house as to the Lord, clean up the car as to the Lord, and take care of everything around me as to the Lord.
It’s not that I didn’t know God owns everything. I did. But it’s the acute awareness of this fact that changes our behavior.
So I’m trying to meditate on this truth–that God owns everything around me–as I walk through my day.
Those dirty dishes in the kitchen? God owns them. I’d better put them in the dishwasher.
Those dirty clothes in a pile on the floor? I need to hurry up and get those in the washer, rather than letting them wait for days. They’re God’s!
That drink bottle in the car? It’s empty. I need to dispose of it properly, not leave it sitting in the car. That car is God’s, and I ought not to junk it up.
Staying acutely aware of God’s ownership is a different way to think.
It requires us to take our minds off ourselves during the day and think about God instead. It requires us to meditate constantly on Jesus.
But, after all, isn’t that what we’re supposed to do? Isn’t that the point–to take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ?
Yes. It is.
So I’m going to keep trying. After all, the commandments God has given us–even the ones about meditating on Him constantly–are not too hard.
What about you? Are you acutely aware that God owns everything around you?
I don’t just mean “Do you know it?”; I mean, “Are you urgently and acutely aware of it, every moment of every day?”
If not, are you willing to start taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ with me?
It’s God’s Word. These Christian billionaires obey it. Maybe that’s one reason God has entrusted more to them to manage than He has me.
I think I have something to learn. Don’t you?
What is God saying to you about managing His stuff? Are you constantly aware that you’re working unto the Lord? Leave your thoughts in the comments below!
Praise the Lord for the timely message Sis Jamie,I knew that I am not a good steward of what God provide for me.It challenges me and I thank God n need God to help me through this..I believe I can do it n I have to do it.I will start now Lord,,help me my Dad
You know I really believe God has been talking to me about this very thing! I kept remembering “you are born in this world with nothing and you leave this world with nothing.” It truly is all God’s. I too have always known it all belongs to God but not acutely aware! I am with you & need to become acutely aware because the Truth is It really is God’s!!! I was praying to God and I know the Holy Spirit was helping me~I know that the heavens and the earth were created by God and belongs to God! I was very aware we need to pray God’s kingdom come & His will be done on earth as it is in Heaven. It doesn’t belong to us but to God and He created us to be His stewards. We need to take better care of God’s things!! Thanks for sharing!! Love & Blessings to you & your family
This is an awesome revelation. May God continue to guide you. Thanks
YES and mine is time. Thanks so much for hitting the nails on the head.One right after the other. Jamie I CAN’T BEGIN TO TELL YOU HOW MANY BREAK THROUGHS HAVE COME . SCREAMING THANK YOU ??? ?? JESUS,HOLY SPIRIT, JAMIE OMGOSH.AMIENS!!!!
AMEN JAMIE YOU ARE SO CORRECT GOD TOLD ME A FEW YEARS AGO THAT I COULD NOT GET MY OWN HOUSE UNTIL I STARTED TO TAKE CARE OF THE ONE I HAVE NOW. I LEAVE DISHES, TRASH, CLOTHES ETC UNDONE BECAUSE I AM TIRED. BUT I WANT TO BE ALL HE WANTS AND TO HAVE ALL HE WISHES TO GIVE. SO I WILL BECOME MORE ACUTELY AWARE THAT NOTHING IS MINE. EVEN AT WORK THE PEOPLE WHO COME IN BELONG TO GOD THEIR HEARTS, MINDS, BEINGS AND I HAVE TO TREAT THEM AS IF I AM ENTERTAINING ANGELS BECAUSE I COULD BE AND UNAWARE OF IT. THANK YOU FOR ALWAYS AN ON TIME WORD!!!!
Amen Jamie, amen!!!
Thank you Jamie .. Awesome message!!??♀️
Yes I am aware of it. Especially learned it when I no longer had a paycheck. It wasn’t something I planned. I went to Bible School and that week I got ill. And then I got laid off two jobs that same week. And although God has kept me through odd jobs etc, I never got another full time job although I tried. But God has kept me. I do work: I am a chaplain but I work for riches from above and I lean on Him full heartedly for all my provision. I guess that means I live by faith. I am praying for a position but there is much I need to do and I am not from this World although in it. I worked always 3 jobs when I was single at one time. God did provide for my needs but it was hard. When I got married, it is a partnership but also it is work because I work unto the Lord no matter what I do. I basically budget my money after tithe, then pay my vows, sow my financial seeds as lead and I do not buy anything unless money is put into my hands by the grace or generousity of another. Sometimes it is a friend or my husband, but I do not live by accumulating but being content with what I have. I call it living in my investment clothing and shopping from my closet. My priority is to live as a faithful steward of what God gives me. Sometimes I ache for something new, then God will grace me with sometimes just $5 – $10 and I will go to Ross store or Goodwill or some other wise place to shop and I feel rich. This is a miracle since I used to buy from high end stores. Now I am like a kid when I buy something. My desires are mostly paper: for notes and for art, Or stamps for sending cards to encourage others. So I have gone simple so I can simply give to others. This is my lifestyle. Because I have a vision for finishing my education and for having my ministry come true and don’t feel led to go out to work just to buy stuff. No condemnation to those who do, we all live in a season and this is my season. I am trusting God for breakthrough for more but not to hoard on my self but to do His will and to see Him be glorified and if it is His will have a gate and a fence and blinds for my windows, but until then I will be content in the state I am and blessed in my low state and blessed in a higher state in whatever state I am blessed and content. Bless you all I hope this helped someone.
Amen! Am lost for words. Thank God, He has blessed you so much to save all souls that has been snatched by the devil. You are blessing to all human race on this planet. I have been going through a hard time through finance, marriage etc…
I have been praying all the prayers on you website and the Lord has answered hundred 100%.
Jamie, You are blessing to all human race. I pray that Our good Lord will continue to bless you as you preach and foretold all HIS WONDERS through your web site.
Reading 1, First Kings 17:7-16
7 But after a while the stream dried up, for the country had had no rain.
8 And then the word of Yahweh came to him,
9 ‘Up and go to Zarephath in Sidonia, and stay there. I have ordered a widow there to give you food.’
10 So he went off to Sidon. And when he reached the city gate, there was a widow gathering sticks. Addressing her he said, ‘Please bring a little water in a pitcher for me to drink.’
11 She was on her way to fetch it when he called after her. ‘Please’, he said, ‘bring me a scrap of bread in your hand.’
12 ‘As Yahweh your God lives,’ she replied, ‘I have no baked bread, but only a handful of meal in a jar and a little oil in a jug; I am just gathering a stick or two to go and prepare this for myself and my son to eat, and then we shall die.’
13 But Elijah said to her, ‘Do not be afraid, go and do as you have said; but first make a little scone of it for me and bring it to me, and then make some for yourself and for your son.
14 For Yahweh, God of Israel, says this: Jar of meal shall not be spent, jug of oil shall not be emptied, before the day when Yahweh sends rain on the face of the earth.’
15 The woman went and did as Elijah told her and they ate the food, she, himself and her son.
16 The jar of meal was not spent nor the jug of oil emptied, just as Yahweh had foretold through Elijah.
Psalm, Psalms 4:2-3, 4-5, 7-8
2 Children of men, how long will you be heavy of heart, why love what is vain and chase after illusions?
3 Realise that Yahweh performs wonders for his faithful, Yahweh listens when I call to him.
4 Be careful not to sin, speak in your hearts, and on your beds keep silence.
5 Loyally offer sacrifices, and trust in Yahweh.
7 to my heart you are a richer joy than all their corn and new wine.
8 In peace I lie down and at once fall asleep, for it is you and none other, Yahweh, who make me rest secure.
Gospel, Matthew 5:13-16
13 ‘You are salt for the earth. But if salt loses its taste, what can make it salty again? It is good for nothing, and can only be thrown out to be trampled under people’s feet.
14 ‘You are light for the world. A city built on a hill-top cannot be hidden.
15 No one lights a lamp to put it under a tub; they put it on the lamp-stand where it shines for everyone in the house.
16 In the same way your light must shine in people’s sight, so that, seeing your good works, they may give praise to your Father in heaven.
Wow what a great revelation you will become who you study.
Yes save my name and email address
Timely word of God.i love my sister for that great revelation. U.have realy helped me to grow..in.faith.ima in kenya,i would like u to mentor me in ministry that i may be able to share the word of God.u can reach me through +254710361655.