How can we express our love for Christ in our daily lives?

Ralph
00:00:00

Let me ask you this. Are you tired of feeling like your faith takes a backseat when it comes to money decisions? Maybe you've caught yourself choosing between a church tithe and paying bills or wondering if God really cares about your financial success. Let me assure you you're not alone in this. Many Christians struggle with this daily battle between wallet and worship. Today I'm going to share a powerful story about how I discovered that expressing love for Christ isn't separate from managing money.

It's actually the key to financial freedom. So stay tuned as we explore how one unexpected encounter on a business trip completely transformed my approach to faith and finances, and how it can do the same for you. Today's question comes from a listener just like you asked, "How can we express our love for Christ in our daily financial decisions?"

Podcast Announcer
00:00:57

Welcome to the Ask Ralph Podcast, where listening to an experienced financial professional with over 30 years of experience can help you make sense of confusing questions, current headlines and industry trends about taxes, small business, financial decision making, investment strategies, and even the art of proper budgeting. Ask Ralph makes the complex simple by sharing his real world knowledge from a Christian perspective with all things financial.

Now here's your Host, Ralph Estep Jr.

Ralph
00:01:26

Thank you for joining me today. If you missed yesterday's show, we talked about finding financial harmony with your partner. That's an important one. So if you missed that episode, I'm going to encourage you to go back and listen. We covered some crucial strategies for getting on the same page financially with your spouse, which is truly the fundamental thing for building wealth together.

Now this question today comes from Mindy in New York, and this is an emotional one. She says this. "Hello Ralph, I've been struggling with something that's keeping me up at night. Every time I look at my growing business account, there's this gnawing guilt in my heart. You see, I started a small online boutique two years ago, and while it's becoming successful, I feel like I'm failing God. Last Sunday, I sat in church barely able to focus on the sermon because I was thinking about inventory orders and profit margins. When I pray, my mind wanders to business strategies. I make good money, but I feel spiritually bankrupt.

My husband tells me I'm being too hard on myself, but I can't shake this feeling that pursuing wealth is somehow wrong in God's eyes. Just yesterday, I had to choose between attending a prayer meeting and a meeting with a potential big client. I chose the client meeting and have felt horrible ever since. I want to honor God with my business, but I don't know how to balance my drive for success with my desire to express my love for Christ. Some of my Christian friends have even suggested that focusing too much on business success means I'm not putting God's kingdom first. Ralph, I need help. How can I build a successful business without compromising my faith? How do I express my love for Christ while still pursuing financial goals? I want my business to make a positive impact, but right now, I feel lost in the tension between wealth and worship."

Well Mindy, thank you so much for your question. Listen, I felt this same spiritual struggle. And you're right. It truly is this tension between wealth and worship. And you're right. This is a daily conflict and it's tough balancing those profits and faith. It's an internal conflict. But here's the great part of this thing today. I've got a biblical answers for you. Well, let me start by asking you a question. Are you struggling to balance your money and faith?

Listen, I get it. Sometimes it feels like you're the only one trying to make Godly financial decisions in a world that pulls you in so many different directions. And that's why I decided to do a live show every Tuesday night at 7:00 PM Eastern time, because I want you to know you're not alone in the journey. You want to know what makes my heart sing?

When I see members of the community having those aha moments during our live shows. When someone finally breaks free from debt or understands how to invest while continuing to honor God or more importantly, finds peace in their financial decisions. Those are the moments that matter. Every week I hear stories that could be your story. Like this one, "Ralph, I was drowning in debt until I found your show." Or this one, "I never thought I could invest and stay true to my faith." And I absolutely love this when it says, "Your advice helped save my marriage from financial stress." And here's what makes our Tuesday nights special.

I talk real talk. Real talk about money and faith. There's no sugarcoating it. And yes, I answer your questions live. I'll help you with your specific situation, but the best part of it is you get a supportive family of believers who are going through the same things you're going through. And I do give away a hundred dollars Amazon gift card every single week.

And that brings some people in. But the real magic happens in the community. When you join us, you'll see others facing the exact same challenge you're facing, but they're winning. Their victories become your inspiration. So here's what I want you to do. I want you to do it right now. Take out your phone and add, askralphpodcast.com/live to your calendar for Tuesday at 7:00 PM Eastern time. Make this commitment to yourself and to your financial future. Don't let another week go by feeling stuck or feeling alone. Join me and join our incredible community this Tuesday night. And together we'll build a strong financial future while keeping faith at the center. Listen, I'll be looking for you in the chat. And hey, you might just walk away with that Amazon gift card. So see you on Tuesday at 7:00 PM Eastern time. Again, that's askralphpodcast.com/live. askralphpodcast.com/live.

You know Mindy, I always like to start by grounding us in scripture. And I found this verse from Matthew, which perfectly addresses this balance between faith and finances. And it's in Matthew 22:37-39. It tells us this. "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: love your neighbor as yourself."

Well Mindy, I want to share a deeply personal story with you that forever changed how I view this relationship between faith and finances. I guess it was about 10 years ago. I was that entrepreneur who thought success meant sacrificing everything else. Throw it all away, including my relationship with God. Didn't matter. I wanted to be that entrepreneur, that sacrifice it.

I worked 80 hours a week. Looking back, I miss precious moments with my family. I was skipping church services. Didn't even really take time to pray. And of course my bank account was growing. It was growing great. The business was taking off and I was putting everything I had into it. Looking back now,

I see my soul was withering. And Mindy, I felt exactly like you do. I was trapped between two worlds. I had this guilt about every business decision, and I felt spiritually drained. I can still remember, particularly one dark night in my office. I was staring at a spreadsheet and listen; the profits were impressive. But I felt completely empty inside. Yeah, the money was there, but the joy wasn't. The success was there, but the peace was elusive. It wasn't there.

And then God intervened in the most unexpected way, which he tends to do. I never forget I was at a conference. And it was a break, and I met this guy named James. Now James was a Christian entrepreneur. And when I met James, this dude just redid something that just seemed interesting to me. And I desperately wanted it. I could see that he was a man that had genuine peace. And I certainly didn't have that at that point. I felt like my life was in chaos. And this dude seemed to flow with purpose. So we're sitting there. We were having a croissant during this break in this conference and he says, Ralph, guess what? I figured out how to integrate my faith into every business decision I make.

And what he said next, it stopped me dead in my tracks. He said this Ralph, he said, Ralph, God doesn't want you to choose between serving him and being successful. He wants your success to be a testimony of his faithfulness. Think about that. Think what he just said, I'm going to repeat it. He said, God doesn't want you to choose between serving him and being successful. He wants your success to be a testimony of his faithfulness.

And to be honest with you, as I speak this today, looking back at it even today, what he said was so very transformational for me. The conversation transform me. And it also transformed my understanding of faith-based entrepreneurship. James showed me his morning routine. He started each day with prayer before you even touched a single email. He dedicated his first fruits of every transaction at God and treat his employees with Christ-like compassion. His business wasn't just profitable. It was purposeful.

Here's what I want you to understand Mindy, that knowing guilt you're feeling? That's not from God. That's not God putting that guilt on you. That tension between wealth and worship. Mindy, it's not necessary. God wants to be the foundation of your success. Not an obstacle to it. So Mindy, let me share with you how you too can transform your business into a testimony of faith. So just like James, number one, make prayer your business strategy. It says in James 1:5, it says if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God who gives generously to all without reproach. And it will be given him. So think about that for a second.

Start each day by inviting God into your business decisions. I began doing this and guess what it did. It shifted my entire perspective. You got to ask yourself the question, how can I make more money? That's the question you think you need to ask, but that's not the right question to ask. You need to say, how can I serve your purpose through this business? It's not about just making money. Sure. Secular wise, I can show you how to be a very wealthy scoundrel. But that's not what we're talking about here.

We're talking about changing that to that question of how can I serve your purpose through this business? And if you think about it, that aligns perfectly with seeking first his kingdom and his righteousness. So that's number one, make prayer your business strategy. Number 2. Build your business on biblical principles.

I wrote a book about this. It's called the gospel of entrepreneurship, and you can find it by going to askralphpodcast.com and just click on the store. You can get a copy of it. But what does it say in Colossians? In Colossians 3:23 it says this. "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters." Think about that for a second. Working for the Lord, not for human masters. So, how do you implement this? Well, you can practice radical honesty in all your dealings. Create pricing structures that serve your community. And as James did, treat employees as valuable creations of God. And last but not least, let integrity guide every single decision.

Remember this. We're called to be righteous even in business. And knowing that though we may fail, we will rise again. I talk about a whole chapter of this in my book, and I'm going to encourage you to go get it's called the gospel entrepreneurship. And like I say, you can get it right at askralphpodcast.com. So that's number two, build your business on a biblical principles.

You don't have to check your Christianity at the door. So many businesspeople lose sight of this. It's who you are, it's your character. God wants you to be successful. And I'm not one of these prosperity preachers. That's not what I'm saying. But do those things, build your business on biblical principles. And then number three, what I want you to do is use your success as a ministry. 1 Timothy 6:17 says this. "Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain. But to put their hope in God who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Cause like I said, a few minutes ago, your business isn't just about profits. It's about creating a kingdom centered approach. That serves others selflessly. And this gives me purpose in what I do. Its reason I do this podcast show.

It's reason. I turn this microphone on. Turn this camera on. Because I want my success to be seen as a ministry. I want to reach out there and touch people and help them. I was doing an interview last night. This guy's doing these conversations called 12-minute conversations, and I don't know how many he's done, but he's doing the thousands of these. And he said to me, he said, Ralph, what is your goal?

I said, listen, my goal is like the parable of the shepherd. Here's the shepherd. He's got 99 sheep in front of, but he lost one. So he goes out, leaves the rest behind and goes looking for the one. And that's very much what I, the way I look at my ministry and I look at this podcast show. If I can reach one person today that will help them get closer to their walk with God, then I've done my job for today. So that's number three, user success is a ministry it's there.

God wants to use you. He wants you to use your success to reach other people. So number four, And this one is sometimes tough. And that is you got to trust God's timing. The book of Proverbs 3:5-6. Say "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; In all your way, submit to him and he will make your path straight. So, how do we make that? How do we put that into practice?

Listen, when you're facing challenges and we all face challenges and obstacles. Remember the simplicity of that. Remember that God works all things together for good. For those who love him. So focus on personal growth during those setbacks learning from those setbacks. Don't be discouraged by them. So that's what I said.

That was not easy all the time. Trust God's timing. I deal with that myself and I'm trying to make this show grow an there are days and I'm like, I just wish I could reach more people. And then I just go back to trust God's timing. Don't lean on my own understanding. Well, let's look at number five.

And that's create a legacy of faith. This comes right to us from Matthew 6:33. And it says, "But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." See, because here's a very truthful statement. Your business can be more than a source of income. Let me be bolder than that.

It's got to be more than a source of income. It must be a testimony of God's faithfulness. So stop worrying about tomorrow's profits. Instead, trust. Trust that when you prioritize God's kingdom, he will provide abundantly. Remember what Jesus taught us in Matthew 6:31-33. "Therefore do not be anxious, saying, 'What shall we eat?' Or 'What shall we drink?' Or 'What shall we wear?' But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you." I know I've dropped a lot on you.

I'm going to share some concrete action steps that you can take in a few moments. But first, let me ask you this. After listening today, are you looking for a community to support you in your faith and financial journey? Are you drowning in debt and financial stress? Do you feel like you live in paycheck to paycheck? Are you struggling to align your finances with your faith?

You're feeling alone. And your financial journey. Well, let me tell you, first of all, you are not alone. And thousands of people have walked this path before you and found their way to financial freedom. So, let me tell you about the Ask Ralph show insiders group. I created this group about six months ago, and I'm going to encourage you to join a supportive community of like-minded believers. It'll give you access to proven financial solutions.

You're going to learn some faith-based money management strategies. And best of all, you can connect with others who understand your journey. And here's the greatest part of it all. Transform that financial stress into peace of mind. Because listen, your breakthrough is waiting. I've already got members who are breaking free from dead.

They're building lasting wealth. They're living their financial dreams and they're finding peace in their finances. So why don't you take that first step towards financial freedom? Just go to askralphpodcast.com/group. It's a quick questionnaire. And then join our thriving community today. Don't let another day pass and financial uncertainty. Your future self will
thank you. Again, go to askraphpodcast.com/group and join our community that Ask Ralph Insiders Group. Now I promised you some action items and here they are. Here's those action steps. Number one. Start each Workday with prayer and scripture. Just do it, make that the center. I did it this morning. I was on my way over here to the office. Driving in my little Kubota in my off-road vehicle. We'll Rove past the cows. And I was just saying, I got to say, thank you for this day, Lord. And I asked them to give me the words to speak to you today. And as I go about my day, as I meet with clients and help them. You know, I started with that prayer, and I got in the scripture. Number two thing.

I'm going to encourage you to do. Set aside a percentage of your income for charitable giving. That's what it's all about. It's creating that kingdom purpose. You got to do that. You got to be tithing and tithing pluses. What I say. Number three. Review your business practices monthly and make sure they're aligned with Christian values.

It's easy to slide away from that. But have that monthly meeting. You know a lot of us had board meetings if we're on a board of directors or something like that. Well, maybe you have to have this monthly Christian values meeting. And look at your business and be honest. Ask people questions. Do your practices align with your faith? Number four.

One of the things I encourage everybody to do is create a gratitude journal. And list your financial blessings, trust all, all your blessings, but list are financial blessings as well. And you will be amazed at what God has already providing for you. And number five last but not least. This is where you give back mentor others in faith-based financial management. And you've got these tools once you like James did for me. I didn't know, James from Adam. We're at this conference. I give us a tax conference. He's sitting next to me and introduces himself. He's a gregarious guy. But he shared something to me that impacted me. And it's impacting you today as you listen.

So today we've explored how to express our love for Christ to our financial journey. Remember, it's not about choosing between faith and finances. You don't have to choose. It's about letting your faith guide those financial decisions. Now tomorrow, I'm going to change this topic completely. We're going to, ask us, we're going to answer a simple question and that's Ralph, why should I choose a credit union over traditional bank?

You don't want to miss it. I've got some experience in that regard. If you listen to the show, you know, I used to do that. That was a different hat I used to wear. So I'm going to bring it to you tomorrow. I should remember this. My passion is to help you achieve financial success. I want to see a live out your dreams, and I want to see you grow in your faith. And I know together. We can master your finances from a Christian perspective. So say that prayer today. Pray for God to bless your business. But more importantly, use your business as a ministry. So stay financially savvy out there and may God bless you.

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00:21:18

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