I made it through high school barely ever reading a book. My version of reading was skimming through “cliff notes” to digest summarized narratives of books I was assigned to read in class. 

I honestly thought I would never be a “reader” let alone love books. 

Now, I devour books. 

I’ve learned more from the authors I read than I could’ve ever imagined in my earlier years. Kris Vallotton is a thought-provoking, paradigm-stretching author. I’ve learned a ton from reading several of his books. If you have not checked out his collection of writings, blog or podcast, I’d highly recommend you check him out. 

His latest work, “Poverty, Riches & Wealth” did not disappoint. 

I took it with me on a cruise vacation with my wife this past June and was encouraged, challenged and educated-all at the same time! 

Here’s a snap shot of what stirred me: 

#1 “Although Jesus left heaven, heaven never left Jesus, because Kingdom prosperity always begins from the inside out. You can put Jesus in a manger, but you can’t put a manger in Jesus.” 

Jesus had no problem relating to the poor or the rich. He is the Architect of Heaven and the Creator of Earth. 

The “Prosperity” Gospel has certainly been distorted and hurt many. Yet so has the “Poverty” mindset. Poverty is a mindset impregnated with hopelessness. It is a mindset dominated by “meager” possibilities and produces a victim mentality. 

Poverty thinking causes people to feel trapped in a life without any options. Nothing could be less Kingdom. 

As sons & daughters, though we won’t live trial-proof lives, we can live with the conviction that we always have options. This is because nothing is impossible. 

He was rich,yet for your sake He becamepoor, so that you through his poverty might become rich. (2 Corinthians 8:9, italics & emphasis added) 

#2 “If you need money, don’t ask for money: ask why you need money.” -KV

Kris makes the case out of 3 John 2 that our inner health directly influences our outer wealth. 

 “If you put people in an environment around them that they perceive to be better than the environment within them, then they will reduce the environment around them to match the environment they believe they have within them.” –KV

#3 Poverty vs. Legacy (pages 60-61): 

·     Poverty finds a problem in every opportunity, while wealth finds an opportunity in every problem. 

·     Poverty feels entitled, while wealth feels empowered. 

·     Poverty asks, “What are you going to do for me?” Wealth asks, “Who is worthy of my investment?” 

·     Poverty lives for today, but wealth leaves a legacy. 

·     Poverty fears the future, yet wealth makes history. 

#4 Rich vs. Wealthy (pg. 61)

·     Rich people often get their identity from what they own, while wealthy people gain their identity from who they are. 

·     Rich people work for money while wealthy people’s money works for them. 

·     Rich people think of their assets, but wealthy people dream of legacy. 

·     Rich people give to people. Wealthy people invest in people. 

·     Rich people step on others to move up. Wealthy people measure success by the people they help up. 

 #5 “All Prosperity begins with give, which means that everybody in the world has the capacity for wealth.” -KV

 One of the most beautiful truths in the Kingdom of God is the principle of stewardship. Prosperity and wealth is all about giving above getting. Sowing causing reaping. 

We are never stuck with what we start with.   –Steven Furtick

#6 We are always eating last year’s crop. 

“Wealth is not determined by what you have; it is predicated on what you give away.”-KV

A seed of nothing produces a season of nothing. –Dr. Mike Murdock

God won’t be mocked. A person reaps what they sow. (Galatians 6:7-10) 

#7 All of Chapter 5 “The Legacy of Prosperity” is GOLD. 

Kris talks about how to leave an inheritance for our children and grand children without creating within them an entitlement mentality that could sabotage their stewardship. 

We can’t just leave money to our children, we have to impart mindsets to our descendants! 

“An attitude of thanksgiving is the only effective inoculation against entitlement and pride.” –KV

#8 Wealth and wisdom are best friends. 

In fact, in the life of Solomon we see his wealth clearly marked by four factors: supernatural wisdom, favor, excellence and creativity. 

The Queen of Sheba sailed a great distance to see the many facets of Solomon’s renowned wealth.  

“Elon Musk is rich, but he does not think big because he is rich; he got rich because he thinks big.” -KV

We need to think bigger. We need to adopt the mindset of a wise steward and competent investor who multiplies what we have been entrusted with for the glory of God. 

Africa is one of the resource-rich continents in the world, yet so many are still impoverished. The problem is not money, but rather mindsets. 

God is doing so many beautiful things in the mindsets of those living in Africa. 

Many are dreaming again. More and more are beginning to lay aside a lack mentality for a Kingdom value system. Several of my friends are doing micro enterprise endeavors that are truly offering a hand-up instead of a hand-out. Motivation matters. Creating wealth is work! 

This doesn’t happen overnight, but overtime. 

Nevertheless, the Gospel of the Kingdom works in every corner of the globe and touches more than just the bank account of a person. The Gospel is so beautifully potent, that it brings health and wealth on multiple levels. 

"Beloved, I pray you to prosper concerning all things and to be in good health, just as your soul prospers." (3 John 1:2)

#9 Begin with the end in mind.

 “We were all taught to live for eternity, but no one seemed to understand that we were supposed to live from eternity.” -KV

Many believers born into the Baby Boomer generation were saved during the Jesus Movement. It was an amazing time with unprecedented spiritual fruit.

Teachings of the Second Coming of Christ were wildly popular in that season of time. 

The Second Coming is real. It will happen. I’ll be ready for it. 

Yet, this pendulum swinging focus on getting “out of here” also created a great vacuum as to what it is we are do while we are still here!

“Occupy til I come.” We need both revelations. 

·     “Occupy”=live, build, invest from eternity’s revelation and resources. 

·     “Til I come”=live with an urgency for seeing the Great Commission become the Great Completion. 

“If we can figure out how to create a healthy ecosystem where money makes money, then you should have authority over cities.” –KV (Luke 19:12-26)

 We need both prosperity and urgency to see Jesus’ Kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven. 

#10 A culture of prosperity is rooted in trust that is built on consistency. 

Business is built on trust.

Trust means that you create expectations that you fulfill consistently. 

“Your repetition becomes your reputation.” -KV

#11 Five Takeaways from Solomon’s wisdom on investments (Eccl. 11:1-5): 

(This was one of my absolute favorite portions of this book, pages 162-163)

1.   Cast your bread on the water, and it will come back to you sometime in the future. 

Point: Make long-term investments that will pay dividends well into the future. “Poor people live for today, middle-class people live for their retirement, but wealthy people live to leave a legacy.”  

2.   Cast your portions to seven or eight because of misfortune. 

Point: Spread your money into various places with multiple streams of income to protect your assets from calamities you cannot foresee. 

3.   Clouds pour rain when they are full. 

Point: An investment will come to maturity in due time, so be patient. 

4.   A tree falls to the north or south; wherever it falls, it lies there. 

Point: Don’t gamble on which way the tree is going to fall. Bet on the fact that it will fall. Invest in the inevitable. 

5.   He who watches the wind and rain will not sow, and he who watches the clouds won’t reap. You don’t know how bones form in a pregnant woman, nor do you understand the activities of God. 

Point: If you wait for the perfect conditions to do business, you will never invest. But if you entrust your investments to God, He will make them flourish in mysterious and sometimes miraculous ways. 

Wow. That is good stuff right there! 

Clearly, I thought the book was a great read. 

I get why people sometimes don't like to talk about money. But we still need to. And probably much more! 

If this post bothered you in some way, it may be that you greatly need to digest this content.

Often the anointing we resist the strongest, is the very same revelation we need the most!

Don’t take my word for it. 

Please don't just use this post as your “cliff notes” or “spark notes” on wealth management. 

It is far too easy to take my comments about Kris’ quotes out of context without reading the entire book. 

Grab or download your own copy of the book. 

You will be making a strategic investment into your redemptive potential and financial legacy. 

Bless you friends. 

May you prosper even as your souls prosper!

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