Faith Based Investing

With the 2008 stimulus checks floating around, did this relief help your wallet?  The economic stimulus package didn’t reduce oil prices and didn’t solve the credit crunch, but it certainly tuned up the engine of the U.S. economy – consumer spending. According to CBS News, personal spending went up by 0.8% in May, the largest gain in six months.

Want to hear something more impressive? Disposable income shot up 5.7% in May – the biggest monthly increase in 33 years. Additionally, overall income increased 1.9%, and the personal savings rate for May hit 5%, the highest rate since May 1995.

Clearly, the stimulus was a great economic aid at a point when gas prices and food prices were threatening the quality of life for the average American. It gave the consumer a break; it lifted morale. Even if the effect was “psychological”, let’s not forget how much psychology drives consumer purchases and the stock market.

Do I hear a second stimulus? Some politicians want to see it happen, and it could happen, though it might not in 2008. As early as February, U.S. governors pressed President George W. Bush for a second stimulus package that would boost funding for state infrastructure repair and thereby create new jobs and build state economies.

The Bush administration has stated that it wants to see the full effects of this stimulus package play out before considering any further action. On June 6, President Bush called on Congress to follow through on other types of measures that might help the economy, such as permitting the expansion of oil exploration in the U.S. and making tax cuts passed during his presidency permanent. With the Bush administration ending in January, the time horizon for any stimulus proposal originating from the White House is quite short. While calls for another stimulus have occurred since winter, the economy will likely dictate whether another package is needed.

Did the stimulous package help you?

What did you do with the money?

I’d love to hear your story…

Pact or no pact?  The world media this week has been obsessed with a high school in Gloucester, Massachusetts.  The high school has seen 17 girls get pregnant this year (more than 4 times the normal average).  The Principal claims that these girls formed a pact to get pregnant.  The media has had a field day as they explore all of the different angles – everything from criticizing the school for not handing out birth control to suggesting that the school needs to do a better job of sex education.  I say: what happened to the abstinence education?

To me, this story hits on a more alarming trend:  the acceptance of having babies out of wedlock.   God intended child birth to be a part of marriage between a man and a woman.  We look to our culture and the fact that having a baby as a single mother is now “the cool thing” to do.  Movies, TV, Hollywood, musicians, and sports stars are all in on the action.  Gossip magazines show which celebrity/single mom looks the cutest and who’s having the best baby shower.  The glamour and fun side of pregnancy should not be the primary message to young hormone engaged teenagers.

Unfortunately high-school students are getting the wrong message about pregnancy.  My mom had me when she was 17.  She can attest to the difficulties of having a child early on in life – the sacrifices, the challenges, and the struggles of being a young mom.  It is not all fun and games.  Don’t get me wrong – having a baby as a teenager is a far better alternative than abortion, but shouldn’t teenagers be getting a stronger message:  wait until marriage for sex or that teen pregnancy is difficult, think before you play!  Don’t leave it up to Hollywood or the school.  Parents need to get involved: Educate their Children!

You can do your part too!  If you want to see changes in society, boycott the stocks of companies opposed to your values.  You can avoid companies that are involved in spreading anti-family messages.  There are two categories of companies:

Anti-Family Entertainment

1) Producers: Those companies that are producing video, audio, print, or live entertainment that is violent, vulgar, sexually explicit/suggestive, glorifying rape or abuse, or mocking Judeo-Christian traditions or

beliefs.

2) Advertisers & Promoters:  Those companies that are sponsoring or promoting programs with anti-family values on prime-time television through advertisements.

Don’t let your morals be compromised.  Find out where you are investing and change the direction of your portfolio to align your faith and finances.  You can make a difference!

Last night I saw the movie The Bucket List, which is now on DVD. It was a nice reminder of how important it is to put principles before profits. Money is only temporary, but the relationships we have in Heaven and here on earth are priceless. Though the movie was not necessarily a Christian movie, it did ask a lot of deep, meaningful spiritual questions. I really enjoyed it!

The Bucket List stars Morgan Freeman as Carter Chambers, a car mechanic and loving family man with a knack for Jeopardy-style trivia. It also co-stars Jack Nicholson as Edward Coles; a billionaire who is full of life when it comes to riches and worldly pleasures but empty on personal relationships. The two end up sharing a hospital room as they become terminally ill and expect to live a few more months.

The unlikely duo forms a friendship that takes an interesting look at life and death. Recalling an assignment from college, Carter begins to write a “bucket list”, things he would like to do before he dies. Wealthy Edward also facing mortality decides to add to the “list”. Now with a combined list, the two embark on a journey to fulfill their dreams before they die. As viewers, we are able to see the humorous and dramatic experiences that both men live out as they combat the clock of time.

I love the way this movie makes you ask the big questions: What is truly important in life? Is there life after death? How do you want to be remembered? If you only had a few months to live, what would you do with your remaining time?

These questions transcend to your finances. What is the point of money? How do you want to be remembered? What are some important things that you can do with your money to change the world? If you only had a few months to live, how would you spend your money?

It truly all comes back to God. As we reflect on our mortality and that we are on earth such a short time, shouldn’t we think more about God’s will for us and prepare more for eternity? Life is truly meaningful when God is first in your life, you have an abundance of loving relationship here on earth with family and friends, and you work hard to help those less fortunate than you. May you live a long and prosperous life full of deep and meaningful relationships!

We vote every day – where we work, where we spend, where we donate, even where we invest.  On November 2^nd of this year we will elect a new President.  For some, this is a welcome change. For others, the change is unwelcome because of the uncertainty and lack of a presidential candidate who is strong on pro-family issues.  Even James Dobson of Focus on the Family said that this year’s election has the worst choices he has seen in his lifetime.   I couldn’t agree more.  When it comes to family values and traditional Christian values, the voter is left to choose between the lesser of two evils.

I am not a huge fan of John McCain. His silence on family issues is quite troubling and concerning to me.  As a Republican, John has strayed from traditional Republican principles time and time again over his 30+ years of political experience.  Barack Obama, on the other hand, is the most liberal candidate we have ever seen.  He has been quite vocal on his views on sanctity of life.

Sen. Barack Obama is not only pro-abortion, he is the most anti-life presidential candidate to run since Roe v. Wade was decided over 30 years ago.  Obama is in favor of taxpayer funding of abortion.  This leads to a huge increase in the number of dead babies. He is against parental notification – a parent’s right to know about their minor child having an abortion.

He also supports cloning human embryos and is a co-sponsor of the “Freedom of Choice Act” which will take pro-abortion laws to a whole new level.  If this were not bad enough, Obama goes even further in his views.  He is for allowing partial-birth abortion “procedures” at any stage of pregnancy (even full-term).  He believes in neglecting infants who survive abortions so they will be left to die.  This shows his true character – he has no respect for life!

As a Christian who believes that life begins at conception, Obama is as far from my beliefs as you can get.  Yet, many Christians are rallying behind him without knowing what Obama truly stands for.  I’m not a McCain lover, but I’ll take him any day over someone so focused on devaluing life.  Where do you stand on the issue?  Will you stand for what you believe in or allow America’s morals to go by the way side? To me, the choice for President is a pretty easy one to make given the alternatives.

I normally don’t share other people’s material, but I saw this during the week and God put it on my heart to share it with you. As a Dad and husband, this message by John Piper is a gentle reminder of where I need to be  as a man – strong for my family. Without strong fathers and husbands, our country will crumble.  We need real men to set up to the plate and defend the family institution.  Strong families, strong values, strong finances and we can change the world!  Please enjoy:

“Four Areas in Which the Husband Should Lead”

I’ll focus on four things in which the husband should take the lead.

1. His Personal Relationship with God

The first is the pursuit of his own personal relation with God. No man will be a spiritual leader in his home if he is not going deep with God in his own private life.

2. Shaping the Family’s Moral and Spiritual Vision

The second area in which the husband should take the lead is in shaping the moral and spiritual vision of the family. A leader is someone who takes the time and initiative to think about priorities and goals. You can’t lead anyone anywhere until you have thought about where you want to go.

3. Gathering the Family for Prayer, Scripture, Worship

The third act of leadership comes out of the second. You might say it is a specific part of it. As the head the husband should take the lead in gathering the family for prayer and Scripture reading and worship. When a husband fails here and the wife has to constantly remind him or call the kids by herself, the soul of the marriage is in jeopardy.

4. Reconciliation

There is one last dimension of leadership I want to charge you men with. You should take the lead in reconciliation. I do not mean that wives should never say they are sorry. But in the relation between Christ and his church, who took the initiative to make all things new? Who left the comfort and security of his throne of justice to put mercy to work at Calvary? Who

came back to Peter first after three denials? Who has returned to you again and again forgiving you and offering his fellowship afresh? So husbands, your headship means: Go ahead. Take the lead.

By John Piper. ©Desiring God. Website:desiringGod.org

This week the first openly homosexual Episcopal bishop and his partner were united in a private civil union. The Rt. Rev. V. Gene Robinson was legally joined to Mark Andrew,  in a civil ceremony. Unfortunately, civil unions became legal in New Hampshire this year. The next step is changing traditional marriage in NH.

The union was performed five years to the day after New Hampshire Episcopalians elected him as their bishop. The civil and a following religious service of thanksgiving were both held at St. Paul’s Church in Concord. Robinson and Andrew decided to enter the union to ensure they have legal protections New Hampshire’s civil union law gives homosexual couples. The law bestows all the rights and responsibilities of marriage, which includes inheritance and other rights enjoyed by married couples.

This, to me raises some moral questions:

* Is it acceptable to have a church leader who is openly homosexual?

* If a church leader was openly committing another sin such as adultery, idol worship, or murder would the leader be allowed to continue a leadership role?

* Why is it now acceptable for church leaders to openly live a sinful lifestyle and not seek refuge from sin?

* Are you concerned about the direction of our country, the state of our churches, and Christian principles?

Jesus was the only One to live a sinless life.  We are all full of sin, but most of us are trying to flee from sin.  That is the difference!  Why are we embracing a sinful lifestyle and disguisng it as a diversity?  I believe we should treat homosexuals with respect, dignity, and love.  However, we should not give up religious freedoms to cater to the homosexual movement.

The repercussions of the homosexual movement across the globe are spreading like wildfire. Churches are being forced to perform homosexual ceremonies, pastors are being fined and arrested for preaching God’s Word about homosexuality, and Catholic charities were forced to discontinue adoption services because they do not want to allow homosexual adoptions, just to name a few. You think this battle is just about providing rights to a small segment of the population, think again. This is about freedom of speech and protecting God’s Word. Do you want it to be a hate crime to speak God’s word? It’s coming to America if we do not speak out!

How can you take a stand? Find out where you are investing. Are your investment dollars working to advance the pro-homosexual movement within the U.S.? Does your portfolio contain companies that are glorifying homosexuality? Would you like to have your portfolio more in line with the principles of your faith? Take the steps to discover where you are investing and send Wall Street the message that it is not OK to advance this agenda! Put your money where your morals are.

I had the wonderful privilege of meeting Lila Rose today. She is an incredibly passionate and talented young lady with a heart of gold.  She provides a great example that we as individuals and collectively can change the world if we are willing to take a stand for what we say we believe in. Are your values worth fighting for?

Who is Lila Rose? In case you haven’t seen Lila on YouTube, Fox News, or Bill O’Reilly, she is a 19-year-old sophomore at UCLA.  Last year, she decided that she had had enough of Planned Parenthood’s deception so she decided to take matters into her own hands. Unfortunately, many people, Christians included, think of Planned Parenthood merely as a friendly resource for those wanting information about birth control, family planning, sexuality, and unplanned pregnancies. However, Lila knew better and had the courage and passion to go “undercover” to expose the largest facilitator of abortions.

During her undercover sting, she posed as a pregnant 15-year-old who told staff that her 23 year old boyfriend impregnated her.  In the course of the conversation with a manager at Planned Parenthood, Lila was told to lie about her age so she could obtain an abortion as quickly as possible. She had this conversation videotaped and uploaded it to YouTube. Planned Parenthood was enraged! They threatened to take legal action against the teenager.  Lila stood firm and continues to expose Planned Parenthood for some of the evil things they do including:

• Covering up  sexual abuse
• Encouraging minors to lie about their age
• Accept donations designated to pay for abortions for minorities (racism)
• Strongly advocating abortion as the only option, instead of adoption or keeping the baby.

This brings to light some very interesting issues. Questions for thought:  Should you do all you can to fight evil? Planned Parenthood is obviously a strong advocate for mothers choosing to kill their babies, should you avoid supporting companies that donate to this organization?  And if you knew you had investment dollars supporting the abortion industry, would you want to do something about it?  If you answered yes to any of these questions, The Faith-Based Millionaire is a great resource to help you incorporate your values into your financial life.  Like Lila, take a stand for what you believe in!

STORY UPDATE: You called, emailed, and voiced your concerns…well changed happened!  Hallelujah. Praise be to God. The planned deal between Habitat for Humanity and Planned Parenthood is dead in the water. Tuesday night, the board of directors for Habitat’s Sarasota branch voted to “dissociate” itself from the project one week after the proposal became public. To those of you who contacted Habitat, thank you! Your voice may have helped to save the lives of hundreds of unborn babies in Sarasota. Send a note of gratitude to Habitat for Humanity’s national office at: www.habitat.org/cd/contact/general.aspx. Their leaders deserve to be applauded for doing the right thing!

Many people know about the store J.C. Penney, but very few know the story of James Cash Penney, the American businessman who founded the store.  In 1907, James Cash (J.C.) purchased full interest in three department stores.  He quickly expanded operations and by 1912, he had 34 stores in the Rocky Mountain States.  In 1913, the company was incorporated under the new name, J. C. Penney Company. During the 1920s, the Penney stores expanded nationwide, with 120 stores in 1920 (mostly still in the west) and 1400 stores by 1929.

By 1924, Penney was earning an income of more than $1.5 million dollars annually. The large income allowed Penney to be heavily involved in many philanthropic causes during the 1920s. Most of this work was halted when the stock market crashed in 1929 and the Great Depression came along.

By 1932, J.C. had to sell almost all of his holdings to satisfy creditors. Penney was dead broke, spirit crushed, and his health was now suddenly failing him.  In addition to his financial collapse, he became a widower – twice!   With his back against the ropes, wounded and tired – the equivalent of a knock out, did he pack it in?  He easily could have given up.  Instead, he checked himself into a Battle Creek, Michigan sanitarium. After hearing the hymn “God Will Take Care of You” being sung in the hospital’s church chapel, J.C. Penney became a born-again Christian.

He left the hospital shortly thereafter and became a changed man with a renewed passion for life.   His health and spirit were energized and be started his comeback.   By 1951 there was a J.C. Penney store in every state, and for the first time sales surpassed $1 billion a year. This success can be traced to God’s wonderful mercy.

Do you find yourself  with your back against the ropes with no answers in sight?  Do you need some hope and encouragement?  Turn to God!  He is the only one that can deliver you from your situation.  Not in a bad situation? Still, He can provide you with the contentment and strength you need to endure life.  Deepen your relationship with God and trust Him for the outcome of your circumstances.

The world tells us that success in finances means being wealthy or attaining a certain status or living a specific lifestyle, or even having power to influence. However, Jesus influenced not from power, but from weakness.  If your back is up against the ropes, He can help you start your comeback!  Give it all to Him.