As you know, I am a strong advocate of faith-based investing.   I believe it is essential that individuals invest with their convictions.  Your values should be at the center of your financial plan so why wouldn’t you also want to invest according to your values?

Eventide Gilead Fund continues to use values-based investing as a powerful means of outperformance. In fact, values-based screening–both negative and positive–is one of the five pillars of Eventide’s portfolio strategy for generating alpha. In 2009, this strategy led to a 46.1% return (95th percentile in alpha) while maintaining low volatility and low market correlation. Other components of our portfolio management process include dynamic fundamental analysis, technical analysis, a masters’ select strategy, and CAPM risk mitigation.

There has been considerable research that shows companies focused on creating real value by serving the needs of the customer, employee, and society — instead of profit at all cost perform better in the long term.

1. Research by Fred Reicheld of Bain Consulting concluded that ethically admirable companies have more sustained growth and are, therefore, better long-term investments. This research demonstrates the relationship of business ethics to business success: companies that seek first to create value for their customers rather than seeking profits at all costs are more profitable in the long run. (See the attached document titles Eventide_NPS).

2. Evidence of how ethics translate into positive financial performance can be seen in the Domini 400 socially-responsible index, which has outperformed the S&P500 by 0.73% annually over approximately 19 years. Launched in May 1990, the Domini 400 is the first benchmark index constructed using environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors. It is a widely recognized benchmark for measuring the impact of social and environmental screening on investment portfolios. The index is designed to reflect the way social investors select companies.Normally, about half the S&P 500 companies (250 stocks) are also constituents in the Domini 400. From May 1, 1990 to March 31, 2009, the Domini 400 has outperformed the S&P 500 by 0.73% annualized (7.74% compared to 7.01%).

3. Another evidence can be seen in the Credit Suisse Most Admired Portfolio, which examines the alpha-generating characteristics of a strategy based on Fortune magazine’s yearly Most Admired Companies list. Fortune has published its Top 10 list of most admired companies annually since 1983. Investing in these companies has offered a performance advantage over the S&P 100 benchmark. The strategy uses the past five Most Admired Companies lists to construct the current portfolio. Companies are assigned 2% of the current portfolio for each appearance in the Top 10 list over the past five years. In dollar terms, the most admired companies strategy produced over twice the return of the S&P 100 from 1983-2009. An investment of $100 in the portfolio would have grown to $2,544 versus $1,153 in the S&P 100. The strategy’s annualized return was 3.3% greater than that of the S&P 100.

“Does the song you sing have enough meaning? Inspire us to sing along? Does the song you sing keep echoing?  Inspire us to sing the song you sing?”

- From “The Song You Sing” from Creed

I was listening to this song the other day and the words grabbed my attention. It spoke to me because very few people sing a song worth singing… They hold back from living their ideal lives and miss the abundant blessings God had in store for them.

I talk with hundreds of people each week. Yet few are living their ideal life. Few people inspire me. I see a lot of people going through the motions – living for the moment yet no passion, no purpose, and no plan. I hear a lot of negativity, a ton of excuses, and a whole lot of reasons why it’s too difficult to succeed financially.

God wired each of us for a specific purpose as part of His plan. If you are still alive, God is not finished with you yet. He has a big plan for your life. Are you obediently waiting for your next mission? Or are you too busy living for yourself?

What is important to you?

What you invest your time, talent, and treasure in reflect your true priorities and what you truly deem important. I say show me a man’s checkbook and calendar and I can immediately see where his heart is. God said “where your treasure lies you heart lies also”. Are you building Kingdom wealth that will have eternal value or are you investing in earthly riches that “rust and moths will destroy”?

It all begins with a life theme. A mission that is so compelling that you will stop at nothing to succeed. Today, what is your life theme song? Have you found true meaning and purpose? Are you living it out each day inspiring others to buy into your vision? If not, what’s holding you back?

Depression? A lack of excitement? A safe job? Hopelessness? A lack of direction? Something is most likely getting in the way.

I saw a study recently that showed that if someone were to I saw a study recently that showed that if someone were to win the lottery, the likelihood that this person would continue working the same job was about 10 percent. Really? That low? Too many people are in it only for the money.

Yet 10 percent of the population loved what they do and would continue doing what they do despite having more than enough money. Are you in the 90 or 10 percent?

Maybe you have Stockholm Syndrome?

According to Wikipedia:

“The Stockholm syndrome is a term used to describe a paradoxical psychological phenomenon wherein hostages express adulation and have positive feelings towards their captors that appear irrational in light of the danger or risk endured by the victims.”

Are you lulled in by the dullness of your life? Have you allowed safety to become your top priority? What appears safe is often the riskiest thing you could do.

Being complacent you often miss God’s greatest blessings. Being too conservative with your investments you often lose purchasing power (inflation) and pay too much in taxes. Staying in a safe job often limits your God-given potential. Failing to live out your faith limits the opportunities God sends your way.

The Stockholm syndrome was named after a famous bank robbery that took place in Stockholm in August of 1973. The bank robbers held a host of bank employees hostage for six days. The victims then became emotionally attached to their captors. The hostages even refused to testify against the robbers and defended their illegal actions!

What is holding you captive? Are you justifying, making excuses for your lack of success? God does not want you to be poor. It does not make you more faithful. Wealth and success are morally neutral. It is your attitude that determines your motivations with money and success.

If you lack money and success you may not be singing a song with enough meaning. Chances are you are not inspiring others to sing along.

Keep seeking to develop your God given talents and gifts. Find a way to find more purpose and passion with everything you do: where you earn money, where you spend it, what causes you support, and where you invest.

Christ-follower involves risk.  It is the only way to grow. Get out of your comfort zone – get out of the boat and walk on water! Take that leap of faith God has been calling you to. Stop waiting! Seek to be a leader and help improve our world. You can make a difference!

At www.jayperoni.com,  www.faithbasedinvestor.com, and www.valuesfirstadvisors.com, we have the HUGE challenge of trying to stand out in the crowded financial services space.  How many ads do you see for financial services?  Between the mutual fund industry, big brokerage firms, banking, mortgages, financial planning, and insurance companies with million or even billion dollar advertising budgets, how can the small guy compete?  Right?  Why even try…

How did we respond to this challenge?
My partners and I talk about what we are most passionate about:  money, faith, and investing in companies we believe in!   Our bold, unapologetic message of “get closer to God through your finances and don’t support investments that oppose your values”  is catching steam!

We have very busy schedules, people calling and emailing us every single day, requesting appointments and help from us!  The past few months we have seen the impact of touching lives.  God is opening mighty doors so we can help more of His people!
1.  We have seen a huge rise in traffic to www.jayperoni.com and launched our new wealth training program.  We  will be running this program each month to train and equip individuals to grow closer to God and learn the keys to building wealth that will make an eternal difference.

2.  We have seen an increase in subscribers to our investment newsletter at www.faithbasedinvestor.com
Check out a review of our service here from one of our subscribers:
http://www.household-budget-made-easy.com/learn-to-invest-money.html

3. We have seen a HUGE influx of new clients and prospective clients seeking Biblical advice on
financial planning and investment services at www.valuesfirstadvisors.com

So why the success?

Here are five reasons I see:

1) God is blessing us!  By following His will He is opening the flood gates to reach more of His people.
2) We took a risk so big it only could only work if God was involved.
3) Our message is different from all the other competition.  Who else is talking about faith, money, supporting investments in line with morals?
4) The market is looking for what we have to offer but have not been aware that exists
5) We stand out in the crowd.  We have created marketing messages that tell people who we are and what we do. We know exactly who we are, who are ideal client is, and how to reach them.

So I ask you: how are you different?

As an entrepreneur, I see people coming to me for ideas every single day. I hear a whole lot of ideas but very few that inspire me.   If you are just like everyone else, why would anyone want to do business with you?

There are two coffee shops that recently opened in my new town.  One called “Perk Up”.  The coffee is mediocre, they offer Krispy Kreme Donuts, and a “Starbucks-ish” environment. Nothing exciting! No unique spin.  Their brand image is well…bland.  Unless I happen to be near that location and desperately need coffee, I won’t go out of my way to stop in.

“Joey Bag of Donuts”, on the other hand, has a “gangster” theme with a flashback to the “Sopranos”.  They look, feel, and act the part!  They have great coffee, about 50 kinds of ‘specialty donuts ranging from Cocoa Pebbles and cookies n’ cream donuts to your traditional donuts. I would go out of my way to come here.   My kids like an occasional “treat”

Who do you think will survive?  Who do think just created “buzz” – literally (beyond the buzz from their coffee)?

Want business?  Gain wisdom!

For those who are considering starting a business or already run one, if you missed my recent post on 12 characteristics of an ideal business, check them out!   They contain so much wisdom.  I have personally applied these to businesses and seen much success!

Go here to read

For those who are considering starting a business, I wanted to share something that has helped me immensely! These 12 characteristics of an ideal business contain so much wisdom!  I have personally applied these to businesses and seen much success!  They are from Richard Russell.  For those who don’t know Russell:  he began publishing Dow Theory Letters in 1958, and he has been writing the Letters ever since (never once having skipped a Letter). Dow Theory Letters is the oldest service continuously written by one person in the business.

Russell gained wide recognition via a series of over 30 Dow Theory and technical articles that he wrote for Barron’s during the late-’50s through the ’90s. Through Barron’s and via word of mouth, he gained a wide following. Russell was the first (in 1960) to recommend gold stocks. He called the top of the 1949-’66 bull market. And almost to the day he called the bottom of the great 1972-’74 bear market, and the beginning of the great bull market which started in December 1974.

12 Characteristics of an Ideal Business

(1) The ideal business sells the world, rather than a single neighborhood or even a single city or state. In other words, it has an unlimited global market (and today this is more important than ever, since world markets have now opened up to an extent unparalleled in my lifetime). By the way, how many times have you seen a retail store that has been doing well for years — then another bigger and better retail store moves nearby, and it’s kaput for the first store.

(2) The ideal business offers a product which enjoys an “inelastic” demand. Inelastic refers to a product that people need or desire — almost regardless of price.

(3) The ideal business sells a product which cannot be easily substituted or copied. This means that the product is an original or at least it’s something that can be copyrighted or patented.

(4) The ideal business has minimal labor requirements (the fewer personnel, the better). Today’s example of this is the much-talked about “virtual corporation.” The virtual corporation may consist of an office with three executives, where literally all manufacturing and services are farmed out to other companies.

(5) The ideal business enjoys low overhead. It does not need an expensive location; it does not need large amounts of electricity, advertising, legal advice, high-priced employees, large inventory, etc.

(6) The ideal business does not require big cash outlays or major investments in equipment. In other words, it does not tie up your capital (incidentally, one of the major reasons for new-business failure is under-capitalization).

(7) The ideal business enjoys cash billings. In other words, it does not tie up your capital with lengthy or complex credit terms.

(8) The ideal business is relatively free of all kinds of government and industry regulations and strictures (and if you’re now in your own business, you most definitely know what I mean with this one).

(9) The ideal business is portable or easily moveable. This means that you can take your business (and yourself) anywhere you want — Nevada, Florida, Texas, Washington, S. Dakota (none have state income taxes) or hey, maybe even Monte Carlo or Switzerland or the south of France.

(10) Here’s a crucial one that’s often overlooked; the ideal business satisfies your intellectual (and often emotional) needs. There’s nothing like being fascinated with what you’re doing. When that happens, you’re not working, you’re having fun.

(11) The ideal business leaves you with free time. In other words, it doesn’t require your labor and attention 12, 16 or 18 hours a day (my lawyer wife, who leaves the house at 6:30 AM and comes home at 6:30 PM and often later, has been well aware of this one).

(12) Super-important: the ideal business is one in which your income is not limited by your personal output (lawyers and doctors have this problem). No, in the ideal business you can sell 10,000 customers as easily as you sell one (publishing is an example).

Use these 12 characteristics to see if you are operating an ideal business or about to start one!  How did you do?

Why do so many people struggle with money?  Why is it so difficult to get ahead in a time of such prosperity?  Why do the rich keep getting richer while the poor and middle class seem to continually struggle?

You see every day you make money choices that affect all areas of your life. Try going a full 24 hours without doing something that involves spending, receiving, giving, or investing money.  The truth remains so many people today, even with the 2008-9 economic collapse spend more than they make.  They live paycheck to paycheck and could be one missed payment from financial disaster.  This could be you.

Whether your finances are in dire straight or you just want a little fine tune up, I want to fatten your wallet so you can improve the quality of your life and have the time and money to help others. In order to do this, you need to win the battle.  What do I mean by battle?  This is the battle for your money. Retail stores, mortgage companies, credit card companies, auto loan companies, insurance companies, and investment firms (to name a few) are in the battle for every single one of your dollars. Overspend and they will take every dollar you earn and more…

You’ve sunk my battleship

In the game of Battleship, the object of the game is to sink your opponent’s entire fleet without him sinking your fleet first.  It is the same with the money game.  You either sink or swim.  With there being no shortage of companies fighting to win your money, only the warrior prepared for battle can win at the money game.  The credit card companies, banks, mortgage companies, insurance companies, and others all have one task at hand to win as much of your money as possible for as long as possible.  Read that line again “to win as much of your money as possible for as long as possible”.  They offer 0% financing, buy now pay later, extended payment terms, basically anything possible to get you to spend as much as you can and pay it back as slow as possible. My task is to give you the weapons and game strategies you need so the opponent doesn’t sink your battleship.

Let us not forget either, the other enemy: advertisers.  They want to create dissatisfaction in your life.  They solely aim to get you to upgrade, switch, and change, try their product, and capture your business for as long as humanly possible.  The average American is bombarded with thousands of advertisements every single day.  From billboards, Newspaper, magazine, TV and radio advertisements, online banners, email solicitations, the list goes on…  They all have one focus: capture your attention, create or solidify your perceived needs, and get you to pony up your hard-earned money.

Never show up to a gunfight with a knife

There’s an old saying, “Never show up to a gunfight with a knife.”  Your financial goals will require time and discipline.  There is no shortcut to success.  Getting in financial shape is a fight.  Gaining financial freedom is a battle.  While a fight may only be 12-15 rounds, it will be based on your desire to win.  You can get in better financial standing in as little as 12-15 months, but you should focus more on the long-term battle at hand: obtaining financial freedom.  This battle is a “must win” that will last years.  Of course your financial goal and current financial position will determine whether you are facing a fight or a battle.

Take a look at your current financial situation.  Is your outflow exceeding your inflow?  Do you have more assets (things you own) or more liabilities (things you owe)? How large the gap is between the two?  This will give you some indication as to whether you need boxing gloves or a machine gun.

If you are going to battle, would you march off without a battle plan?  How many wars have been won without a plan?  Unfortunately, many fly by the seat of their pants when it comes to financial planning.  They are more reactive than proactive.  It’s hard to gain position when you are constantly fighting an uphill battle.  The most important thing is to have a plan.  You must be prepared.  Part of that planning is recognizing or predicting in advance the obstacles and challenges you are very likely to face along the way.  Then create a strategy to offset the potential obstacles.  Though you will never alleviate or predict every challenge, you will however, be better prepared for unexpected bumps along the way. Start the fight today so you can fatten your wallet!

“No man is so foolish but he may sometimes give another good counsel, and no man so wise that he may not easily err if he takes no other counsel than his own. He that is taught only by himself has a fool for a master.”   —  Hunter S. Thompson

“He who represents himself has a fool for a client and an idiot for a lawyer.” – Old Legal Saying:

Are you a do-it yourselfer?

Many times we try to do things ourselves.    We either think we have enough skills or expertise to tackle daunting tasks or we don’t want to spend the money.  Whatever the reason, some things are best left to a professional.

Me, for example, I have discovered what I am good at and what requires professional assistance.  Take, household improvements or repairs, I learned very early on, that this is an area that requires help immediately.  After several “experiences” of making bigger problems out of small routine repairs, it is quite obvious this is an area where I lack gifts.  I can make a mountain out of a mole hill!  What starts out as a simple task to most turns into a big mess for me.  Believe me, it is not fun paying someone to not only fix the original problem, but also the new problems I have created.   Sometimes, even when we have the expertise, knowledge, or skills, we still need a sounding board to bounce ideas and receive wise counsel.

Smart in finances, needs help managing

Bill came into my office.   A middle aged CFO with over 25 years of financial experience, an MBA from a good school, and decades of investment experience.  The thorn in his side was his investment portfolio?   Himself!  Despite the schooling and book knowledge, Bill’s portfolio was a mess and nearly impossible to keep track of.  Like the weeds that took over the garden, Bill left his portfolio untamed.   Bill had “over diversified” his holdings.  He owned hundreds of stocks, mutual funds, and bonds. It would make a full-time job tracking, analyzing, and monitoring all of his positions.   Bill thought he knew what he was doing, but his results confirmed otherwise.  Like the surgeon is prohibited from performing surgery on family members, due to the emotional conflicts, Bill should have outsourced his own portfolio.

The biggest mistakes, most investors make is a lack of understanding risk.  Most investors who handle their own portfolios are too conservative or too aggressive.  Very rarely do they have the right mix.   The average do-it yourself investor experiences returns significantly lower than the markets and falls way short of the returns achieved by financial professionals.   A recent study showed that an average investor can trail an index by as much as 8% per year!

Questions to ponder:

What areas of your finances could you turn over to a professional?

Would God be proud of the way you are handling your portfolio?

What other areas of your life could you use wise counsel?

Two Proverbs:

Proverbs 15:22: “Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed.”

Proverbs 11:14: ^“For lack of guidance a nation falls, but many advisers make victory sure.”

God spoke pretty clearly when He said “where our treasures lie, our hearts lie also”.  We read it, but do we live it?  I mean how can he expect us to follow Him completely, right?  Yet tht is exactly what He is asking.  We, instead, put our trust in things that have no eternal value…  (money, material possessions, fame, etc.).  God wants our minds, hearts, and wallets to pursue His righteousness, yet too many of us pursue the wrong things.  We care too much about the amount of the profits we make rather than the source of those profits. 

Where Values and Profits Collide

Many corporate leaders are faced with decisions in which values and profit collide. This is why it is valuable for you, the investor, to set your priorities. Let your principles and values guide you in accomplishing this task. To start, think long and hard about your answer to this important question:   Would I abandon my principles in favor of choosing a path of profit?

Biblical values are many times pitted against bottom line demands. Larry Julian wrote about this in God Is My CEO. Larry is a successful consultant and speaker who specializes in biblically based leadership development and strategic planning. His mission is to help businesspeople integrate their work and faith, transform their adversities into their destinies, and revolutionize their lives into their legacies. There is a great moment in God Is My CEO where he shares,

“We usually want to do the right thing but often succumb to the short-term, bottom-line demands of daily business life. While we are encouraged to follow God on Sunday, we are not supposed to make the right ethical decisions in the trenches on Monday through Friday. 

This paradigm has demanded that we operate in two separate worlds: a deeply personal, private, spiritual world and a very public, demanding, competitive business world. For the most part, these two worlds clash in their values, beliefs, and principles and we are caught in the middle.”

 Dishonesty Has a Way of Catching Up With You

Taking part in an activity that is unethical, immoral, or dishonest to make a financial gain is wrong no matter how you try to justify it. Throughout history great men have fallen because they neglected to maintain moral integrity.  From those who participated in the slave trade to those involved in Nazi concentration camps to the Wall Street meltdown of 2008, in which we watched companies that had been around for more than one hundred years collapse. One common theme recurs: greed, deceit, and a “culture of corporate corruption.”

 Integrity is critical not only in our personal lives, but in daily business activities. If you are like many, when you hear words like integrity and character, you may think about morals and ethics, but do you think of profit potential? If a corporation and its leaders lack integrity or offer products and services that harm people physically, mentally, financially, or spiritually, who pays the price?

 The character of God is based on love, faithfulness, and trust among many other traits. But when we allow our character flaws to interfere with our relationship with God, we ultimately pay the price. Look at anyone who has fallen in Hollywood; look at the number of sports stars whose careers have come crashing down. Look at church leaders who have been plagued by scandal. Look at top business and governmental figures who have gone to jail over fraudulent activities. All these stories typically begin with a breakdown in character.

 We Need to Rebuild America!

When we allow huge moral and ethical lapses to occur, over time they eventually cause some major losses of not only individual careers, but entire companies and even confidence in the markets themselves. But the biggest price of all is the separation from God. Though God never leaves His own, many choose to run from Him. God is the cornerstone of our laws, liberty, and government in America. Now more than ever we need to strengthen America.  Are you doing your part?  Are you investing in corporations that support your values and promote faith, hope, and love?  Are you screening out companies that are destroying our culture?   One investor at a time, we can unite to rebuild America and make attractive profits in the process.

Do your values reflect the world’s priorities?

Let me ask you an important question: How do you feel about the moral direction of our country? Are you saddened by any of the items on the following list?

• The rising number of abortion clinics and facilities

• The increased activity of “pro-abortion” activist groups

• The shady, deceptive practices being used by the pornography industry

• The number of deaths caused by the tobacco industry

• The number of families being torn apart by addictions ranging from alcohol and drugs to gambling

• The promotion of homosexuality

If any of these issues deeply sadden you, think of how God must view His creation being destroyed by these issues. It breaks His heart. If Jesus were an investor today, would He place money in any company involved in those areas? Would He choose to start a business of His own that was involved in any of these areas?

The answer to both questions is an emphatic no, but you may be unknowingly profiting from these industries.  God has entrusted you with His resources, and it is your duty to be a wise and faithful manager of the assets He has provided you. In order to do this, you will need to follow biblical principles. As a Christian and an investor, it is more important how you make your money than how much money you make.

There is no doubt that sinful activities can be extremely profitable, but if you can invest in a manner that avoids industries that blatantly oppose God’s Word and still make a good profit, why would you choose any other way? Do you think God is more concerned about the amount of money you earn or the manner in which you earn it? How we invest money is a true measure of the values we hold dearly. If we stray from God’s values should we really be surprised when things fall apart?

The World vs. the Word

You may be confused as to how to manage your money simply because you have taken the world’s advice. You may have formed your financial habits from the actions and advice of your parents, friends, school, and the media. How successful has that been for you? For many, the approach is simply not working. Why are so many failing?

When we have an educational system in America that does very little to teach people the basics of financial management, a church that shies away from financial discussions, and an abundance of confusing, contradictory messages from the media and so-called experts, it is no surprise the average Christian is confused about where to turn for advice!

Choosing the world’s way of handling finances over God’s way is a recipe for disaster. Fear and greed are the motivating advice being sold by much of Wall Street. This advice can lead to financial ruin. Many become so confused that they choose to go it alone and rely on the banks to tell them what they can and cannot afford. They may choose to make financial decisions based on the latest advice in Money magazine, on the radio or TV, or their coworkers’ suggestions.

Rather than knowing for themselves where they stand financially, they listen to bad advice. Hosea 4:6 reads, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge” (NIV). The majority of people have no financial plan or have built their plan on the ways of the world. If what we’ve been doing so far it isn’t working, we need to change direction. Change begins with looking at God’s Word.

BIBLICAL WISDOM ON INVESTING

On diversifying: “Give a portion to seven, or even to eight, for you know not what

di­saster may happen on earth” (Ecclesiastes 11:2 ESV).

On seeking advice: “Without counsel plans fail, but with many advisers they succeed” (Proverbs 15:22 ESV).

On being steady, patient, diligent, and faithful: “The plans of the diligent lead sure­ly to abundance, but everyone who is hasty comes only to poverty” (Proverbs 21:5 ESV); and “A faithful man will abound with bless­ings, but whoever hastens to be rich will not go unpunished” (Proverbs 28:20 ESV).

On screening your investments: “You must not bring the earnings of a female prostitute or of a male prostitute into the house of the LORD your God to pay any vow, because the LORD your God detests them both” (Deuteronomy 23:18 NIV).

I wanted to share some analysis from our friends at www.stewardshippartners.com:

Time Warner  (Ticker TWC) – Porn, Homosexuality and Anti-Family Activity

“Things that cause people to sin are bound to come, but woe to that person through who they come.” Luke 17:1 (NIV)

Time Warner is perhaps best known today for its disastrous acquisition of America Online, viewed by many as one of the worst decisions by a corporate management team in history. While this purchase of one of the Internet’s early icons has severely hurt shareholders, we are more concerned by the moral pollution Time Warner is now spewing throughout our society as its negative societal impact goes well beyond just the company’s shareholders. While this company certainly has some worthwhile attributes, these are easily offset by the sizable quantity of disturbing activities for which it is responsible.

In addition to advertising in porn magazines, Time Warner’s AOL.com derives revenue from ad placements and/or links to porn websites. Clearly, as Christian investors we seek to avoid ownership of companies involved in activities that are harmful to those both producing and consuming the pornography.

Time Warner has also been identified by the Biblically Responsible Investing Institute as one of the foremost supporters of homosexual­ity. The Bible clearly indicates that homosexuality is a sinful behavior and using shareholder resources to promote homosexuality is at odds with Christian investors’ beliefs.

Via Time Warner’s Home Box Office unit, its movie production units and its broadcast TV unit, the company produces a massive quantity of programming which undermines healthy family values. Violence, drug use, sexual content and obscene language are frequently found in the company’s programs.

Excluding Time Warner from our list of potential investments is not a difficult decision. There are few admirable aspects to this company. As BRI investors seeking to please and honor our Lord, we naturally look elsewhere to achieve investment success as we do not want to be associated with a company using shareholder resources in a manner which have a negative impact on individuals and society in general.

Jay’s Take:

Not a place where I would feel comfortable investing the money God entrusts to me.  According to Morningstar (as of 2-20-10), the top ten funds that own Time Warner are as follows:

1. American Funds Growth Fund of Amer A
2. Dodge & Cox Stock
3. American Funds NVIT Growth-Income II
4. Dodge & Cox Balanced
5. Vanguard Total Stock Mkt Idx
6. Vanguard 500 Index Investor
7. SPDR S&P 500
8. American Funds Invmt Co of Amer A
9. Vanguard Institutional Index
10. Van Kampen Comstock A

Too many people paint God into a corner.  God please answer my prayer this way… Yet God has other plans in mind.  We serve a God who delivers mercy, grace, and unlimited opportunities.  Yet so many of us succumb to doubt, worry, and fear.

You may think, I cannot succeed financially; there are too many obstacles. You may not be able to succeed on your own, but with God by your side, anything is possible. He can make things happen that seem impossible. He can open doors that you never thought could be opened. Do you have faith that the Creator of life can supernaturally turn your financial life around? He can make a way for you even when the odds are stacked against you and there appears to be no way. Don’t see God as a small-sized God but rather a God who can help you ac­complish anything.

Do you know people who are always negative? Even if something good happens to them, they still find something to complain about. You know the type: poor me, nothing good ever happens to me, this is just my luck, etc. It is hard to be blessed when you cannot recognize a blessing when it comes. Turn your negative thoughts into positive re­sponses. Things can always be worse. With God by your side, you can get through whatever you face.

Rock Bottom

Ron was at rock bottom, in his late forties and about to lose every­thing: his family, his business, and his millions. The 1980s real-estate market downturn left Ron with highly leveraged real estate and wiped out his net worth in an instant. A “paper millionaire” no longer, he now owed more than his properties were worth. To top it off, he was three months behind on his personal residence mortgage payments and about to lose that as well. Here Ron was, bankrupt, a failing marriage, and considering ending his life. It was painful for him to wake up each day. This went on for months, then years. He hung in there, and his family stuck around despite his behavior.

Finally, a friend leveled with Ron. “I know you have been down in the dumps and keep focusing on the life you lost, but think about the living you still have left to do. God loves you and can still use you for His good. Focus on the good in your life and forget the bad.” His friend then challenged him, “Ron, don’t you think God wants you to do more than you are doing? Don’t you think He has better things in store for you? You need to stop being so negative!”

Ron took the advice to heart and began waking each day with a new mind-set. He concentrated on the good things in his life and worked hard to turn things around. He leaned on God and fought his way out of depression into a life full of hope, promise, and a brighter future. He concentrated on restoring his broken relationships, building back his finances, and honoring God with his attitude.

When Ron turned to God, he found joy, a fresh vision, and a new sense of purpose. Life is a precious gift—every second, each breath, and the start of every new day. You may never get another opportu­nity to do the things that matter most. You may be so busy that life can pass you by. When you realize what’s important, and create a plan to make it happen, you will reap the greatest rewards. Having a plan is important, but you also need to have a personal connection—some­thing that will keep you motivated. There needs to be fuel to light a fire under you.

Without Purpose, Goals Have Little Meaning

Without knowing what is truly important to you, goals have little meaning. Like the dieter who says, “Yeah, I’d like to lose the love han­dles,” as he eats two more doughnuts, chugs two beers, and watches another episode of Jerry Springer. His motivation is at zero. Now add some meaning to your goals and it’s a different ball game all together. Take, for example, a woman who has a burning desire to lose her post-pregnancy pounds and fit back into her pre-pregnancy wardrobe. She wakes at 6:00 a.m. every morning, does sixty minutes of cardio, and has been keeping track of her calories. Who do you think is more likely to stick with a diet: the Doughnut Dude or the Motivated Mama?

A lack of vision sometimes leads to mediocrity. If you don’t have a vision of where you are heading, how will you know when you get there? Do you remember the story of Alice in Wonderland? Here is an excerpt from the childhood classic, which highlights what I’m writing about:

“Cheshire Puss . . . would you tell me please, which way I ought to go from here?”

“That depends on where you want to get to,” said the Cat.

“I don’t much care where—,” said Alice.

“Then it doesn’t matter which way you go,” said the Cat.

“So long as I get SOMEWHERE,” Alice added as an explanation.

“Oh, you’re sure to do that,” said the Cat. “If you only walk long enough.”

Great Things Often Come to Those Who Plan

People who achieve great things often do so because they have a good idea of where they want to be. Think of some of the most suc­cessful people you know. Did they get where they are today because of luck? Or because of hard work and knowing what they wanted and where they wanted to go?

Many people have a dream life that they would love to see come to fruition, but often they sell themselves short. They have preconceived notions that to get what they want in life will be too hard and too much work. Have you ever looked at someone who emulated what you wanted for yourself and thought it could never happen to you? If there were no constraints and you could simply make it happen overnight, you would most likely do what it takes to make it happen.

Your goals must be compelling and motivating enough to get you excited about achieving them. They must be powerful enough that you think about them constantly. This includes trying to live your ideal life: where you work or volunteer, what activities you participate in, what charities you support, and any other personal goals. These goals should be specific and easily defined. They should be tangible so you can feel, touch, see, smell, and hear them. They should excite all of your senses and drive you toward success.

In order to create the vision, you will need to uncover exactly what excites you. This involves a self-assessment. By examining how God designed you, it is easier to look around at all the opportunities that are right in front of you.