Category: Christian

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Jesus Anointed by a Sinful Woman

By Felix A. Montelara

Author & Host of The Potential Millionaire

Luke 7:36-50 / New International Version (NIV)

In the last episode of Potential Millionaire, I talked to you about changing your paradigm which means changing the way you see the world.  A paradigm is world view, and sometimes we need to modify what we see in life, so that we can change our bad behaviors into good ones.  There is a saying that you can’t teach an old dog new tricks- but I think you can, if you are willing to see the world in a different way.  Change is difficult, especially when a person has developed a behavior that has become habitual.  Can people change?  Yes, but it can be a difficult process, and it means constantly working to behave differently.   A paradigm shift may be as drastic as radically altering how we live and act, such as cutting up credit cards so you can’t spend money you don’t have-or it can be as minor as seeing things differently.  For example, do you need to view money as your servant, instead of being a slave to the almighty dollar?  Either way, a paradigm shift goes right along with New Year’s Resolutions- for how can your resolution to do things differently ever succeed, unless you are willing to change how you see the world, unless you are willing to prioritize differently, and unless you are willing to change what is important to you?

 There are many interesting passages in the Bible about paradigm shifts, or in other words, about people making drastic changes to their lives.  After all, many Bible stories are about sinners who find redemption, and resolve to continue their lives in a new direction.  In addition, there are many Bible stories about debt- because Jesus often compared debt, or owing a person money, to sin, which is making a bad choice when you know it is wrong.  In Luke 7:36-50, we are told the story of when Jesus has his feet washed by a sinful woman. 20130724_112110  Jesus had been invited to the home of Simon, who was a Pharisee, and encountered what was probably a prostitute.  The woman wept and wet Jesus’ feet with her tears, dried them with her hair, and anointed his feet with perfume.  The Pharisee was astounded, and doubted Jesus, thinking that “If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is—that she is a sinner.”  Jesus seemed to read his mind, and told the Pharisee a parable about two people who had their debts (one large and one small) forgiven for free by the lender, because neither debtor had the money to repay the debts.  Jesus asked the Pharisee, “Now which of them will love him more?”  The Pharisee told Jesus, “I suppose the one who had the bigger debt forgiven.”  Jesus agreed, but then made an important point about the sinful woman.  Jesus told the Pharisee that he was a person who had sinned little, but he also loved only a little, because the Pharisee did not wash Jesus’ feet, or perfume his body.  Jesus then said that the woman, although very sinful, had washed and perfumed him, showing much love to Jesus.  Jesus said, Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—as her great love has shown. But whoever has been forgiven little loves little.”  Jesus then said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”  We are then left to assume that the woman’s life has forever changed- because Jesus not only forgave her sins, but he did so in front of a crowd of important people.  She now had the opportunity for a paradigm shift- her whole world had changed.  She had the opportunity to leave behind her old, sinful life of prostitution and begin a new life.  Would it be easy?  No, I don’t think so.  But it is important to remember that Jesus gave her the opportunity to change- and she had to make it happen.

We are likewise given opportunities to change the way we see the world, but it is up to us implement these changes, to stay the course, to commit to the changes.  We all make mistakes, but these mistakes can be forgiven.  But like the woman in the Bible, we must return love to God when we are given forgiveness- we must act on our opportunities and show that we have changed.

In this New Year, do you need to forgive yourself for some past money mistakes?  Do you need to see things differently?  Do you need to take advantage of opportunities and prove that you have seen the errors of your ways?  It is possible for everyone to learn about money, to make it work for them, to become wealthy, to become debt free.  In order to do these things, we need to change how we view money, spending, and debt.  We need to seize the opportunities that God puts before us- if you are learning how to manage your money and live debt free- will repay God with love and be dedicated enough to do it?

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Rich Man and Lazarus- Parable Interpretation

The parable in Luke 16:19–31

Interpretation by: Felix A. Montelara

Rich Man and Lazarus- Parable Interpretation

Is not about money or rich versus poor, in my opinion is about insensitivity. Yes, not caring for others, can be an indiscretion of omission. Lazarus Ask yourself will my action or lack of action torment me? In the parable, Jesus is telling us that our indiscretions will ultimate affect us. the parable does no say that the rich man was a bad man or gained his riches illicitly and it does not say if Lazarus was a great man in society. It talks about the indifference by the rich man Therefore, you should make careful decisions!

Tell me what you think about this parable and remember we are all Potencial Millionaires,

Felix A. Montelara

— Luke 16:19–31, World English Bible
Now there was a certain rich man, and he was clothed in purple and fine linen, living in luxury every day. A certain beggar, named Lazarus, was laid at his gate, full of sores, and desiring to be fed with the crumbs that fell from the rich man’s table. Yes, even the dogs came and licked his sores. It happened that the beggar died, and that he was carried away by the angels to Abraham’s bosom. The rich man also died, and was buried. In Hades, he lifted up his eyes, being in torment, and saw Abraham far off, and Lazarus at his bosom.20130724_112110 He cried and said, “Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue! For I am in anguish in this flame.” But Abraham said, “Son, remember that you, in your lifetime, received your good things, and Lazarus, in the same way, bad things. But now here he is comforted and you are in anguish. Besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, that those who want to pass from here to you are not able, and that none may cross over from there to us.” He said, “I ask you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father’s house; for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, so they won’t also come into this place of torment.” But Abraham said to him, “They have Moses and the prophets. Let them listen to them.” He said, “No, father Abraham, but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.” He said to him, “If they don’t listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded if one rises from the dead.”

Rich Man and Lazarus- Parable Interpretation

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Are You Feeling Rejected? If so, Never Give Up

By: Felix A. Montelara, Author: Bulletproof Finances & Potencial Millonario

Never Give Up!

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My Daughter Anya

I want to talk to you about rejection.  All of us have felt rejection before.  It can come into our lives in many different forms, such as when you don’t get the grade you want, the job you want, or even the girlfriend or boyfriend you want.  Many of the clients I talk to feel rejection with respect to money.  They feel that rejection when they try to get a loan, a mortgage, a credit report.  They feel rejection when they don’t have money for their bills, or when they can’t buy the things they want.  Rejection can often lead people to feel depressed, sad, or even hopeless.  I want to tell you about a few people who have been rejected in their lives.  Abraham Lincoln was one of the great presidents of the United States.  He actually ran for public office and was defeated seven times before he was elected president.   Think about the rejection he must have felt in each of those elections, after all the time and effort put into campaigning- just to lose again.  But Lincoln didn’t quit.  He was defeated, he was rejected, but he didn’t give up.  He kept going and he finally one.  Let me tell you about a person who was a reject from society. Abhram Lincoln  Let’s see if you can guess his name.  This guy was a teacher and preacher, but he was poor and never made much of a living at his work.  He had a small following and a group of close friends, but many of them abandoned him and rejected him when he needed them the most.  And then, worst of all, he was sent to help a nation of people, but they rejected him and called for him to be executed.  The very people he was trying to save chose to free a convicted criminal rather than him when they had the chance to free him.  After disparaging him, lying about him, selling his belongings, scattering his friends, and humiliating him, they finally watched him be killed when a court of law admitted that he had done no wrong.  Talk about the ultimate in rejection, the ultimate injustice.  Who was this man?  My friends, it was Jesus.  But even after all of this, even after being crucified on the cross, even after all of his suffering- did he give up?  Did he quit his mission?  Did he abandon all hope?  No, my friends, he didn’t.  He came back.  He was resurrected and came back victorious.  He finished teaching his disciples; he empowered them and sent them into the world to teach others.  And now we think of him as being the most influential man who ever lived.

So friends, when we are feeling rejected, let’s be rejects the way Abraham Lincoln and Jesus Christ were rejects.  Let’s be rejects who never give up.  Let’s be rejects who persevere and emerge victorious.

Never give Up.

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Good Parenting is Hard (Parenthood)

Good Parenting is Hard

By: Felix A. Montelara, The Potentialmillionaire.net

I want to spend a few minutes talking about parenthood.  I refer you to the parable of the Prodigal Son, Luke 15:11-32.  You all know the story: a young man requests his inheritance from his father and strikes out on his own, living a life of excess until he squanders every cent.  He sells himself into servitude, yet even then he doesn’t even eat as well as the pigs he cares for.  In the cold, hard world, no one helps him.  Amonzon Book coverFinally, he decides to go and repent to his father, and ask that he become one of his servants.  When the father sees him, he rejoices and commands that a giant feast be held in his honor, and he dresses him in find clothes.  The father, according to Luke 15:24 says, 24 “’for this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’”  Can you imagine how hard it was for this father to say that?  I wonder to myself, would I have said that?  Or would I have slipped in an, “I told you so” or an “I knew this would happen?”  Let’s be honest- parenting is hard, and we parents are as imperfect as our kids.  We raise our children the best we can, but they grow up and make their own decisions and mistakes.  The real lesson about parenthood here is this:  the father in this story did a good job with this young man, because at the end of all of his failure he knew enough to be humble and go home to where the love was.  And what a strong man was the father, to recognize that the lesson was already learned- and the moment called for acceptance, not admonishment.  If only all parents and children would spend a little more time contemplating this story, which is as pertinent today as ever.  Maybe by doing so we could have a few less mistakes, and a few more happy endings.  I think Jesus was making the point that God the Ultimate Father treats us in the same way- when we go to him with our mistakes he welcomes, accepts, and forgives us.  Shouldn’t we try to do the same?  This reminds me of when Jesus stopped the stoning of the woman by saying, “Let he who is without sin cast the first stone.”  We parents have made our fair share of mistakes.  Let’s rejoice when our kids actually come to us for forgiveness. It means that we did something right.

Luke 15:11-32

Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE)

The Parable of the Prodigal and His Brother

11 And he said, “There was a man who had two sons; 12 and the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of property that falls to me.’ And he divided his living between them. 13 Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took his journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in loose living. 14 And when he had spent everything, a great famine arose in that country, and he began to be in want. 15 So he went and joined himself to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed swine. 16 And he would gladly have fed on[a] the pods that the swine ate; and no one gave him anything. 17 But when he came to himself he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have bread enough and to spare, but I perish here with hunger! 18 I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me as one of your hired servants.”’ 20 And he arose and came to his father. But while he was yet at a distance, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. 21 And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’[b] 22 But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet; 23 and bring the fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and make merry; 24 for this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to make merry.

25 “Now his elder son was in the field; and as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 And he called one of the servants and asked what this meant. 27 And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fatted calf, because he has received him safe and sound.’ 28 But he was angry and refused to go in. His father came out and entreated him, 29 but he answered his father, ‘Lo, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command; yet you never gave me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends. 30 But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your living with harlots, you killed for him the fatted calf!’ 31 And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. 32 It was fitting to make merry and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.’”

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10 Money Scams Aimed at Senior Citizens

10 Money Scams Aimed at Senior Citizens (via www.mybanktracker.com)

The older people get, the more vulnerable they become to fraud. According to the Federal Bureau Investigation, people who grew up in the ‘30s, ‘40s and ‘50s were generally raised to be polite and trusting — making them appealing targets for…

Continue reading “10 Money Scams Aimed at Senior Citizens”

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Fun Friday Links: Financial Spring Cleaning, Innovation and Easter Eggs, and What Successful People Do on the Weekend

Fun Friday Links: Financial Spring Cleaning, Innovation and Easter Eggs, and What Successful People Do on the Weekend (via blog.mindjet.com)

Welcome to Conspire’s Super Happy Fun Friday Link Time, a weekly collection of cool discoveries from around the Web. Most times the goal is to get you thinking differently about communication, collaboration, culture, and life in general. Other times…

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Is Money Creating Anxiety & Separating You From God?

It is often too easy to let the cares of the world consume our day.  We become entangled in ropes of anxiety, and the more we struggle, the more tied up we become.  This can happen to anyone, young or old, rich or poor, male or female.  The source of the anxiety will differ among people, but the results are the same: distraction, frustration, nervousness, loss of focus, and loss of motivation. Anxiety is a form of temptation.  It is a way of making us lose focus on what needs to be done.  There are many forms that temptation can take.  It is anything that takes our mind and spirit away from God.  When Jesus said, “No one can serve two masters,” he meant many things.  One interpretation is that he meant that you cannot serve anything else if you want to truly serve God.  This means that if anything consumes an unhealthy amount of your time, then it separates you from God.  If worry and anxiety consume you, then they have become a wall between you and God.  They will cause you to be unsuccessful, frustrated, and depressed.  As we contemplate these things, let’s remember Matthew 6: 21-34.  This is where Jesus gives us advice about how to approach our worries.  According to Matthew, Jesus said, “So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”  Therefore, when we find ourselves in the clutches of anxiety, let’s do our best to turn our worries over to God.  We must try to break down the walls that separate us from Him, and in so doing we will strengthen ourselves on our way to financial freedom.

 

Matthew 6: 31-34

31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”

 

 

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Welcome to your Financial Epiphany

By Felix A. Montelara

Author & Host – The Potential Millionaire

Last week’s episode was a special one, as we prepared to celebrate Christmas Day.  I hope that all my listeners and readers had a wonderful Christmas with their families.  In the last episode, I discussed the real reason to celebrate at Christmas, which is the birth of Jesus.  I also talked about the origin of the Christmas tradition of gift giving, which probably started in the fourth century with the generosity of Saint Nicholas.  I also talked about carefully choosing gifts- to find gifts that are truly meaningful, to give at Christmas.  Remember, as we think about these things, we must always keep in mind that God and family are the most important things in our lives.  I encouraged you to take time with your families to start new Christmas traditions- to get away from the ‘normal’ commercialized spending spree that Christmas has become, and to focus on meaningful, lasting gifts.  Sometimes these gifts are hand-made, or sometimes they are acts of love, or giving of one’s time to another.  Imagine the good that spending 30 extra minutes playing with your kids each day could do in their lives- what a lasting effect that would have- far outlasting the brief joy that a toy or game would bring.  Its hard to have the courage to try these new ideas- just like its hard to make and keep a budget, or hard to save for an emergency when we have expenses today.  But friends, whoever said that doing the right thing, would be easy?

This week marks another important Christian holiday.  The twelve days after Christmas are a time called Christmastide.  Christmastide ends with the Epiphany, which many call Three Kings Day.  Epiphany is a Greek word that means ‘to show, or to reveal’.  The Epiphany was first celebrated in the fourth century, and originally was a celebration of four important events: the baptism of Jesus, the first miracle of Jesus, (which was changing water to wine at the wedding at Cana), the Nativity of Christ, and the visitation of the three wise men. Felix bench thinking  These four events were celebrated together, because they were each a time when Jesus was revealed to the world.  Over time, the events began to be celebrated separately, and now we think of the Epiphany as a remembrance of the long journey of the three Magi, as they followed the star to Bethlehem and worshipped Jesus.  In many cultures, gifts are given on the Epiphany, to commemorate the gifts that the three wise men brought to Jesus.

As we continue to celebrate Christmas and look forward to the Epiphany, let’s remember that this is a time when we should focus on what we need to show others or reveal in our lives.  In terms of your personal finances, this would be a great time to discuss where you are at with your family, so that you can begin the New Year together with a plan to improve your situation.  It may be a difficult conversation, but revealing the truth will in the end allow you and your family to make progress.  It is also a time to be honest with yourself, to show yourself that you have the courage to take control of your financial situation.  Reveal to yourself how you are spending your money, find your weaknesses, and be determined to get control of your finances.  Create a budget, stop wasting money, begin a savings account, and pay off your debts.  These are steps that I can help you with, with this radio program, my book, and my website potencialmillonario.com.  Let yourself have a personal finance epiphany- and begin your journey to financial freedom.  Allow this season of joy and celebration encourages you to have the courage to do the tough things- knowing that they are the right things to do.  Let the promise of financial freedom, the relief of having no more debt, the security of having savings, the freedom of having your own money to spend- let these things be your guiding star that lights your way throughout the New Year.  Friends, just like the journey of the Three Kings was difficult, your journey may be difficult as well.  But the Three Kings persisted, they carried on, and they accomplished their mission of revealing baby Jesus to the world.  And they didn’t do this alone- they had the guidance of the Christmas star sent by God.  You too, have guidance, and you too, have God.  I hope you will take this opportunity to set off on a journey to reveal your millionaire potential.

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Two Masters, Really?

By Felix A. Montelara

Author & Host of the Potential Millionaire

Matthew 6:24

English Standard Version (ESV)

24 “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.

 

In the last episode of Potencial Millonario, I talked to you about the strange taboo that exists about money- in that money is a topic that many people will avoid discussing until they are really in trouble with it.  Most financial problems could be solved early on with appropriate planning and budgeting, but because of the money taboo, many people will not ask for advice and will make dangerous decisions, such as taking out title loans, skipping payments, or hiding the problem from their family.  It is often only when a person becomes desperate that they will finally ask for help, and usually I find that most of the problems could have been avoided if they had asked sooner.  These financial problems can bring ruin to a marriage and destroy a family, causing people to lie to each other, hide the issues, and bring huge amounts of stress onto relationships.  Debt is a terrible master, and serving debt is like signing yourself over to servitude.  So I ask you, is money the problem, or is it the fact that people won’t talk about money, and therefore don’t understand money, that is the problem?  Friends, that is exactly why I began this radio program and website, this is why I wrote the book Potencial Millonario:  to help you understand your money and make it work for you!

In Matthew 6:24, it states, “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.”  Let me make something clear: Money is not your master.  When you take my advice or follow my golden rules, or when you decide that you want to be financially free, or that you want to start saving money, or that you want to become wealthy, you are NOT serving your money.  You are NOT making money your master.

Potencial Millonario
Stop Worrying and Start Living

On the contrary, when you decide to have a responsible lifestyle in which you have a budget, an emergency fund, a savings account, when you save for what you want to buy instead of using credit, when you discuss money with your family and involve them in this process, when you do these things you are NOT serving money.  You are making your money serve you.  You are making your money work for you.  You are being a good steward of God’s bountiful gifts, you are taking the opportunities the God sets before you.  You are following God’s word as written in the over 100 verses in the Bible that deal with money.  So, my friends, when you are financially free you can serve God.

If you are in terrible financial trouble, if you are worrying day in and day out, if you are lying to your family, if you feel guilty because you cannot get a handle on these things- you need to ask yourself if you are serving money or serving God.  Is there time in your day, amidst your money worries and stress, to give time, thanks, and devotion to God?  Or do you instead find your discussion with God always starts with, “Why me?”  Friends, as Matthew 6:24 states, “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.”  Be the boss of your money, make your money work for you, so that you can do God’s work.  You will love the financial freedom, you will love the relaxation that comes from knowing that you have control of your money.  This will free you to do the wonderful things that you are capable of with your God-given gifts and talents.

Footnotes: Matthew 6:24 Greek mammon, a Semitic word for money or possessions

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