| I love the Olympics! Every 4 years the world stops and focuses on the pinnacle of athletic ability. In particular, I enjoy the track and field sprints with my favorite race being the 100m dash. I find it interesting that all the runners have pretty much the same form when it comes to racing. They all have the form of a winner. And although winning with money is NOT a sprint (it is actually a marathon that biblically comes over years of making wise decisions), there is a lesson that can be learned from sprinters.
Have you ever noticed that at the sound of the gun, when each runner comes out of their starting block, their head is down? Each runner is focused on their initial steps, driving as hard as they can to build up as much momentum as possible. In short, they are focusing on the immediacy of the race; focused on the now! If you are going to win with money, you have to focus on your current situation first! I know so many people that have big hearts and want to help others financially, but you have to take care of you first. You have to get yourself in position. This is the same reason why the flight attendant says, “If you are traveling with a child or someone who requires assistance, secure your mask first, and then assist the other person.” It’s not selfish, it’s prudent. You want to be in a position of strength to help someone financially; otherwise, you run the risk of being in the same place as the person or people you are helping. As the 100m runners are running, they begin to lift their head slowly as they tend to look at the ground they are about to conquer. They look at their next few steps, in other words, their short-term goals. What are your short term financial goals? Do you want to pay off some of those credit cards? Or do you have a savings goal? What do you want to do within the next 5 years? A good financial plan has small milestones that need to be celebrated and are used to measure progress toward the bigger goal. Short term monetary goals allow you to fine tune your financial strategy as you enter full stride, but can only be addressed after your present situation is secured. About 40-50 meters into the race, the runners have lifted their heads as they are now looking at the finish line. They are at full stride and running with all their intensity. Their form has held perfectly and their breathing is controlled, as they sprint toward their goal. At this stage, financially, although you may have done everything right, you are the most efficient, effective, and are covering as much ground as possible. Your short-term goals are flying by you as you gain full speed and the excitement of financial progress creates an intangible, but very real, momentum which allows you to press harder toward your goal even faster. People are starting to notice there is something different about you. And although they might not know the details of your finances, they realize that your financial mentality, spending habits, and money language is different. You are a hitting on all cylinders! But be careful, this is the worst time to get distracted and lose focus. As the runners cross the finish line, they begin to coast and enjoy the fruits of their labor, training, and discipline. They here the roar of the crowd and now their attention shifts from themselves to those around them; especially their family and friends that were cheering them on. During the race, if you want to win, you must be focused to win. But when you obtain financial peace, this is the time to be even more generous and you are strong enough to help others. To win with money, you must have a plan for your finances and your plan should prioritize the immediate needs of your family first. Then you can begin to look at your future, and as you prosper your capacity to help others will grow also. But until that moment, you must say “no” to some things and some people. Quoting Dave Ramsey, “Your financial focus should be Now, Then, Us, and [then] Them.” The bible tells us that one who does not provide for his family has denied the faith and is worse than an infidel (1 Tim 5:8). God takes the family first approach seriously. So, don’t try to do too much too soon! Remember building a legacy is not an overnight affair and it will require sacrifices. The only question is, ‘are you willing to make the sacrifice long enough to win?’ |
It is a time of New Beginnings and things are beginning to change. We have the powerful ability to choose. We can even choose how we make choices – or not. Sometimes we choose things automatically, either by our emotions or by our perception of truth. In this season the Holy Spirit shall guide you into all truth. These tools are vital to you living intentional.
- Forget about what happened to you in your last season. Isaiah 43:18
- Release yourself from moments you aborted from misunderstanding the season. 1 Chronicles 12:32
- Accept that God agrees with you being successful. Proverbs 16:3
- Stop allowing mistakes from old seasons to be present strongholds. Isaiah 54:4
Mature in your perception about your life and start preparing for promotion. God is up to something great and it includes you. Spiritual growth requires effort on our part, but spiritual stagnation, procrastination and decline requires nothing at all…Ephesians 5:15
Consider the power of intentional living. What would your day be like if you could get through it with fewer distractions and efforts aligned with your personal strengths and priorities with crystal-clear focus.
Remember there are 3 types of people:
- Those who make things happen
- Those who watch things happen
- Those who wonder what happened.
Living Intentional yields benefits beyond simple achievement -less stress, fulfillment, and a sense of accomplishment. Being intentional is essential to creating your personal future. Understanding the three keys to making good choices is also important.
1. You must realize there are options from which to choose.
2. You must realize your choices impact others.
3. You must understand that you are responsible for the choices you make and their consequences.
“Remember, you want to be direct and aim towards specific goals, not just react throughout life.” Even though being intentional and congruent is quite simple, it does take concentrated effort at least from the standpoint of awareness and commitment. Once you have become aware, conquer the process and commit to your future. The journey to your future is a process and is filled with uncertainties, but in this season, you will walk with endurance and finish strong. Ecclesiastes 9:11 “Greatness is springing forth.”
Pastor Clinton House
The heart is smart. It regulates our emotions, desires, thoughts and intents. The Bible says, “… for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7).
This is a spiritual saying; however, it can also be applied physically
| Physically, the heart is the engine that keeps the body alive. When not taken care of properly, the heart can develop several types of heart conditions called “heart disease.” The most common type of heart disease in the United States is coronary artery disease (CAD), which affects the blood flow to the heart.
Decreased blood flow can cause a heart attack, which is often the first sign of heart disease. What causes CAD is plaque buildup (deposits of cholesterol and other substances) on the walls of the arteries. The arteries supply blood to the heart and other parts of the body. Plaque buildup causes the inside of the arteries to narrow over time, which could partially or totally block the blood flow. This process is called atherosclerosis. When your heart muscle doesn’t get enough blood, you may have chest pain or discomfort, called angina. Over time, CAD can weaken the heart muscle. This may lead to heart failure, causing the heart to not be able to pump blood the way it should. An irregular heartbeat, or arrhythmia, also can develop CAD. To find out your risk of CAD, your health professional may measure your blood pressure, cholesterol, and sugar levels. Several other medical conditions and lifestyle choices can also put people at a higher risk for heart disease, including:
If God looks at the heart, we should too. Heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women. The staggering statistics show that about half of Americans (49%) have at least one of the three key heart disease risk factors: high blood pressure, high LDL cholesterol, and smoking. About 610,000 Americans die from heart disease each year – that’s 1 in every 4 deaths. In the United States, someone has a heart attack every 42 seconds; and each minute, someone in the U.S. dies from a heart-related event.[1] In order to take away the risk of CAD, we must make better lifestyle choices: live stress-free, control weight – fight obesity, eat healthy, put fitness into the schedule, stop smoking, reduce/no alcohol intake, and break the family curse! It’s time to think smart about how we take care of our heart…“for out of it are the issues of LIFE.” (Proverbs 4:23) Tracy Byrd, Certified Fitness Instructor [1] Information taken from www.cdc.gov/heartdisease/facts |
Numerous times a day I see it…People driving and texting or driving and talking on their phone (while holding their phone). If you are not aware, the Nevada Legislature passed a law that prohibits and/or limits a person from using a cell phone while driving.
The law applies to a person operating a motor vehicle on a highway in the State of Nevada. The term highway means any road, street, freeway, etc. that the public has access to. Arguably, this could apply to driving in parking lots. To be clear, the law prohibits the use of texting, searching the internet, reading email, instant messaging, etc. while operating a vehicle. So technically even if you are stopped at a light you would be breaking the law if you were reading your emails or texting. As such, there is no reading or typing while operating a vehicle.
The law does allow for a person to use a cellphone while operating a vehicle if they are using an accessory that allows the use of the phone to be hands-free. Therefore, any Bluetooth device or earpiece will allow you to follow the law and talk. The law specifically states that a person is allowed to use the phone “to activate, deactivate or initiate a feature or function on the device.” You may ask what about holding the cell phone and using the speaker function while driving? This would not meet the definition of hands-free and therefore would be illegal.
Drivers who use their phones as a GPS are advised to program the location prior to taking the wheel and then never to touch the phone during the trip. Picking up the device or programming information into the device while driving is a crime in Nevada. Last, if playing music on a cell phone requires the phone to be in the driver’s hand at any time, then it is technically illegal. Nevada police have been advised to assume that any driver who is holding or touching a cell phone is violating NRS 484B.
The Statute requires the following fine schedule:
a. First offense within 7 years is $50, and is not considered a moving violation.
b. Second offense within 7 years is $100, moving violation
c. Third offense within 7 years is $250, moving violation
Tanika M. Capers, Esq.
When was the last time you spent intimate time with God and requested your true heart’s desires, and included His will?
Mark 11:24 says, “Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.”
God is exceedingly able to grant us the desires of our hearts, according to His will. When we ask, we must also remember to ask Him, what He desires of us. The blessings of God are transactional. What we bring to Him in Jesus name, according to His will, He blesses; including our prayers.
As you ask Him for what you desire, be sure to ask Him, what He desires of you.
You want the blessings of His will over your life.
Everything goes better with Jesus!
Minister Rashieda Shabazz
When it comes to retirement, we all have dreams. We all have thoughts about the days of when we no longer have to get up to go to our place of employment. What do your retirement plans look like? Whether our retirement dreams look like us continuing to work at a job we enjoy (but at our own pace), or if they consist of just lying on a beach in Tahiti, they all have one thing in common; the future. But how do we get that dream future? How do we retire with dignity? When should we start thinking about retirement?
Besides Social Security, there are other federal approved retirement plans that allow you to prepare for retirement and it would be wise to take advantage of them; some of the most commonly known plans are 401ks, 403bs, and IRAs. 401k and 403b plans are investment vehicles sponsored by your employer but are administered by investment firms such as Fidelity, Merrill Lynch, Prudential, etc. Not all employers offer such plans, but when available, they should be used because they are excellent plans for building wealth and the preparing for retirement.
401ks, 403bs, and IRAs are savings and investment accounts, but they come with restrictions on withdrawing the money. Why would the government put limitations on the access to YOUR money? That’s easy, because YOU get tax benefits for taking advantage of these great plans. And if there are two certainties in your life, they are death and taxes. These retirement accounts are NOT to be treated as “piggy banks’ for you to withdraw money whenever you feel like you need it. The money is supposed to be for retirement; for example, below are three main reasons as to why taking money out of your 401k is a bad idea.
1. First, it is extremely expensive in the short term. Typically, the administrator of your 401k is required to withhold 20% for the money you want to withdraw and send it to directly to the IRS for any taxes (federal and state) that are due on the money. And to compound the issue, there is a 10% penalty for early withdrawals! That is money just lost. But it gets worse!!!
2. Secondly, it is extremely expensive in the long term. Money taken out of a person’s 401k misses out on the greatest passive wealth building phenomenon known to man; compound interest.
3. Thirdly, taking money out of a retirement plan may actually create debt. Some retirement plans allow you to withdraw your funds but require you (by garnishing your paycheck) to pay the money back with interest. But we are trying to live debt free (remember the affirmation we say before offering time at every service!). And even though you are “paying yourself interest” you still end up losing the opportunity to do something more important with that money.
So, for example, if you are under 591/2 yrs old and pulled $5,000 from your retirement savings to give, after taxes and fees, your $5,000 is only $3,500! And that $5,000 you removed from your account cannot gain compound interest which over 30 years, using a conservative interest rate of 7%, could have cost you over $57,500 at retirement when you need to money the most! Is the $3,500 gift now worth more than your $57,500 sacrifice? Probably not! There usually is a better answer.
Will you have enough money to achieve your retirement dreams? When we reach retirement, we all want our lives to be good testimonies for God as we look back over our lives and say, “Look at how God has prospered me!” But we hinder the work of God by being impetuous, impulsive, and impatient. Putting away money to retire with dignity is not only a good idea, it’s a biblical idea. So, let’s exercise some patience and only use the retirement savings if it is absolutely necessary. And as we show discipline, God will reward our faithfulness in the fullness of time. God bless!
Please join us, starting April 1, for our next sessions of Financial Peace University (FPU). Registration is now open in the MFM Bookstore. The investment is only $100 total for your entire household. See the entire schedule below. If you are unable to attend a particular class, no worries, you will not miss out on any information. Ask us how.
Alfred King, Financial Consultant
Today Is a Day of New Beginnings!
We are about to enter into a new season. We are in a new time change and a new process of time. I believe God has been preparing us for the winter season, to embrace another level of faith in Him.
Do you believe God is challenging you? Is He stretching you to trust Him, like never before? I truly believe that God is up to something GREAT, and it includes us! I feel the Spirit of Increase in the atmosphere, and God is not only shifting you into purpose, but favor has been multiplied upon the saints. (I Kings 17)
I Kings 17 represents a transition of faith; both for the prophet and the widow woman. I want to encourage you that God has no respect of person. When you give out of obedience, God will always cover you and bless you. God is directing you to your place of abundance. His blessings also come with instructions.
God gave Elijah three instructions:
1. “Get thee hence”. Your next blessing will require movement, God will challenge you to leave some comfort zones.
2. “Go Eastward”. God is going to give you Divine Direction to your opportunity.
3. “Hide thyself by the brook”. There are times when isolation is only a temporary place for God to build your faith. God will hide you, so that you will not take the wrong people into your next place of greatness.
These 3 minor steps challenged the prophet. Through his obedience, we can glean that our perception of God must be greater than our circumstances. God is challenging you to Believe in His Word.
The Prophet would drink from a brook, but God would provide food from ravens. This is so encouraging when you see God and man working together. God is going to supply your needs through unfamiliar channels. I believe that even in your tight places, God is commanding resources to come to you. The brook and the ravens represent temporary provision. In this season of trusting God, do not allow yourself to become comfortable or make a temporary place of sustainability stunt your expectation for greater. After that season was over, Elijah had to be shifted again to leave and go find a widow woman, who God had already instructed to bless him.
In this next season of your life, people, places, and connections have already been assigned to you. This is not a season that you have to fight to be blessed. God is rewarding your faith and how you trusted Him in tough times. Tough times do not outlast tough individuals! This is a season that the momentum of believing God and the Word that He spoke to you is coming to pass; suddenly! God is connecting you to bring you into a lifetime of favor. Not only will your blessing increase, but the avenues that bless you will also experience the Hand of God. We are entering a realm of blessings that we’ve not experienced before.
Amos 9:13 declares, “Behold, the days come, saith The Lord , that the plowman shall overtake the reaper, and the treader of grapes him that soweth seed; and the mountains shall drop sweet wine, and all the hills shall melt.”
Rebuild your faith, regain your expectation, do not get stuck in your transition, and see and confess that things are turning in your favor. My prayer for you is that you will not be moved by what you see, neither by what you feel, but only by what you Believe.
We Believe God!
Pastor Clinton House
Although September is recognized as Sickle Cell Awareness Month; MFM shines light upon Sickle Cell Anemia (specifically the sickle cell trait) in recognition of Black History Month. Sickle cell trait is an inherited blood disorder that affects between 90,000 – 100,000 Americans and approximately 8-10 percent of African Americans. About 1 in 13 African American babies is born with the sickle cell trait. Sickle cell trait can also affect Hispanics, South Asians, Caucasians from southern Europe, and people from Middle Eastern countries. More than 100 million people worldwide have sickle cell trait.
Unlike sickle cell disease, in which patients have two genes that cause the production of abnormal hemoglobin (the substance in red blood cells that helps carry oxygen), individuals with sickle cell trait carry only one defective gene and typically live normal lives without health problems related to sickle cell. Sickle cell trait is not a disease; it means that he or she carries or has inherited a single copy of the gene that causes sickle cell disease.
It is very important for couples desiring to have children to make sure they ask each other important health questions; including, but not limited to, do you have sickle cell or the sickle cell trait? For me this is a personal testimony, as I was already married and did not ask my spouse any health questions. I was pregnant when our doctor asked my husband and I did we have any form of sickle cell. I vaguely remembered as a little girl my mother telling me I had sickle cell trait but I never understood what it meant until I became pregnant. I never asked my husband if he had any form of sickle cell nor did I tell him I had the trait. If my husband and I both had sickle cell trait, it was possible that our child would have sickle cell. Upon testing, he did not have any form of sickle cell.
Sickle cell anemia symptoms can begin by four months of age; early diagnosis is critical. All newborns in the United States are now tested for the disease.
It is important for you to talk to your doctor, especially if you believe you may have sickle cell anemia. If you carry the sickle cell trait, make sure you tell your doctor before getting pregnant as well.
Information taken from: http://www.hematology.org/Patients/Anemia/Sickle-Cell.
Bankruptcy is the legal process that gives a debtor acting in good faith a “fresh financial start” by eliminating most of the debtor’s debts, and repays creditors in an orderly manner to the extent the debtor has available property.
The filing of a bankruptcy petition triggers an “automatic stay” that prevents creditors from collecting debts. Most creditors cannot take any action during the course of an open bankruptcy without permission of the court. Notably, filing bankruptcy will:
* Stop bill collectors from calling.
* Stop wages from being garnished.
* Stop most pending civil court proceedings.
* Temporarily stop foreclosures and possibly delay evictions.
Once a bankruptcy is successfully completed, most of a person’s debt is permanently erased (“discharged”). This means creditors cannot collect on the discharged debt. Once you’ve decided that bankruptcy is the right solution for your financial situation, you will need to decide which type of bankruptcy if most beneficial. If you are an individual or small business owner, then your most obvious choices are Chapter 7 “liquidation’ bankruptcy or Chapter 13 “wage earners” or “reorganization” bankruptcy.
A Chapter 7 bankruptcy is often referred to as a “liquidation” bankruptcy. This type of bankruptcy cancels most ordinary consumer debt and allows the debtor to keep certain “exempt” property. However, you may have to surrender some property. A bankruptcy trustee may collect and sell your nonexempt money and assets, and then use the proceeds to pay your creditors. Any remaining balances owed to those creditors are discharged. People who file Chapter 7 are usually low income earners with few assets to protect. Chapter 7 is designed primarily to help eliminate overwhelming debt. Chapter 7 will not permanently stop a pending foreclosure or car repossession. To keep a car or house in Chapter 7, you must be able to keep making the regular payment. Chapter 7 can be helpful for car owners who want to stop paying a car loan and surrender the car. It also helps homeowners by eliminating the balance due on their mortgages after foreclosure.
A Chapter 13 bankruptcy provides a “reorganization” of debts by allowing the debtor to either partially or fully repay debts through a three- to five-year repayment plan. Chapter 13 allows you to keep some or all of your property. In exchange, you must pay the trustee all of your monthly disposable income for three to five years, and the trustee in turn pays your creditors. Upon successful completion of a Chapter 13, your remaining dischargeable debts are eliminated. The total of payments over the three to five years must be enough to pay at least the full amount of all mortgage arrears, back taxes, payments for retained secured items, child support and spousal support arrears, and a trustee fee.
Tanika M. Capers, Esq.
Disclaimer: This information is provided for general purposes only and is not meant to constitute legal advice. Legal advice is dependent upon the specific circumstances of each situation and provides an analysis of the last commensurate with the facts of the situation. MFM accepts no liability for the consequences of any actions taken on the basis of the information provided herein.
J.D. Rockefeller, one of the wealthiest men that every lived, once said, “I believe that every right implies a responsibility; every opportunity, an obligation; every possession, a duty.”
This is how we need to look at money; with purpose, with possibility, and with function. Money has three basic roles. We should use it to save, invest, and everybody’s favorite, to spend. Spending money is fun and there is nothing wrong with having fun spending money……..as long as it is healthy spending! And a person that has healthy spending habits stays within their means and knows what they really can afford. Do you know what you can afford? What does it really mean when people say, “…I can afford it!”
A lot of times, when we say or hear the words, “I can afford it,” what they really mean is, “I can make the payments.” But the two things are not the same! In fact, they are in opposition. First of all, when one chooses to make payments, they are creating an obligation for themselves. Or in other words, a debt is created! How can you become debt-free if you keep accumulating debt? You can’t! Secondly, most of the time people choose to make payments because they can’t afford to make the purchase with cash. Next time you’re faced with the option, test yourself and ask, “If I can really afford it, why do I need to make payments? Why don’t I just pay cash for it and own it?” The ugly truth is we have come to believe that if we can make the payments we can afford it (whatever “it” is) and the world of marketing does everything in its power to reinforce this false belief. For example, have you ever been to a car dealership and regardless of what you tell the salesman about how much you intend to spend you were asked, “What kind of payments are you looking for?” There is a reason for this. It is because when you opt to make payments, you will pay for that “convenience”. And how much you pay for the “convenience” of making payments, many times, shows up in the interest rates and the terms on the financing. That is how finance companies make a profit; by conveniently selling you debt! Isn’t that so nice of them?!
I know what some of you are thinking. “But what if I can make payments at 0% interest?” I have two responses for you. First, you are probably over paying for the item! That is why you can buy a brand new car and get financing at a 0% interest rate. It is because depreciation and obsolescence have not taken affect and eroded the value of the car (nor the profits for the seller). The profit from selling a car reduces as the car ages. That’s why you can’t buy a used car at 0% interest! Since money is not made from initial pricing, it has to be made from the financing and fees. Secondly, if your 0% interest rate is for a limited time, financiers know that the chances are the balance will not be cleared in time and the borrower will be charged interest. Otherwise, it wouldn’t be profitable and they would be losing money. And they are not in the business to lose money!
Biblically speaking, wealth is gained by working hard over time (Proverbs 10:4), and we work too hard for our money to spend it unwisely or frivolously. And over paying for items and exercising poor spending habits work against our ability to build wealth. We really can’t afford to be unwise with our money! The wealthy and wise are careful not to overspend, and avoid payments even if it looks like they can “afford the payments.” Dave Ramsey once said, “If you exercise rich people habits long enough, you will eventually build wealth like rich people.” So why don’t we start doing the same and watch our net worth accumulate?
LOCATION
2845 Lindell Rd
Las Vegas NV 89146
SUNDAYS
A Time of Prayer 9:00 am (on campus) 1st Sundays (Feb-Oct) Worship Service On-Campus & Online 10 am PST
WEDNESDAYS
Bible Study with Pastor Clinton HouseConcluded for 2024 Check schedule for special services
CONTACT
Phone: (702) 367-1636
Fax: (702) 367-4008
LOCATION
2845 Lindell Rd
Las Vegas NV 89146
CONTACT
Phone: (702) 367-1636
Fax: (702) 367-4008
SUNDAYS
A Time of Prayer 9:00 am (on campus) 1st Sundays (Feb-Oct)
Worship Service On-Campus & Online 10 am PST
WEDNESDAYS
Bible Study with Pastor Clinton House
Concluded for 2024 Check schedule for special services
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