I’ve been thinking about some of the basic truths of God’s word dealing with money. One of the most important is simply this: The Lord requires us to be faithful regardless of how much money He has entrusted to us.  The parable of the talents illustrates this. 

“For it is just like a man about to go on a journey, who called his own slaves, and entrusted his possessions to them.  And to one he gave five talents, to another, two, and to another, one, each according to his own ability” (Matthew 25:14-15).

When the master returned, he held each slave accountable for faithfully managing his possessions.  Read the master’s commendation of the faithful slave who received the five talents: “Well done, good and faithful slave; you were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things, enter into the joy of your master” (Matthew 25:21).  Interestingly, the slave who had been given two talents received the identical reward as the slave who had been given the five talents (see Matthew 25:23).  The Lord rewards faithfulness, regardless of the amount over which we are responsible.

We are required to be faithful whether we have a lot or a little.  As someone once said, “It’s not what I would do if $1 million were my lot; it’s what I am doing with the ten dollars I’ve got.”

Here’s the question we all have to answer today: Are we being faithful with what the Lord has given us?

Warmly in Christ,
Howard Dayton

In February, I attended a conference in Berlin with the European Compass country leaders. I had the opportunity to sit next to Sasko for two meals and was drawn two him because of his obvious love for Christ and his passion to help his fellow followers of Jesus in Serbia learn God’s way of handling money.

Sasko is a very humble man whose sweet love for Christ and people is infectious. He and his family now really need our prayers!

Earlier this week a robber armed with a knife broke into Sasko’s home at a night. The robber threatened to murder Sasko, his wife and young daughter. A life and death struggle ensued and the robber lost his life.

I would ask you to join us in praying for two things for Sasko and his family. There is a new law in Serbia that regardless of the circumstances, when an intruder loses his life, the person protecting his family is sentenced to between 15 and 30 years in prison. Please pray for The Lord to allow Sasko to go free.

Second, he is devastated over taking another’s life and is not eating. Please pray that the Lord would allow him to understand this was purely self defense in protection of his family.

Praying for God’s people in prison pleases The Lord! thank you so very much!

Love in Christ,
Howard Dayton

On the MoneyWise radio program, I mentioned that the Bible contains 41 “one anothers” in the New Testament. I’ve listed them for you below. They reveal how the Lord wants us to relate best to each other. Although these principles don’t apply exclusively to marriage, they do apply to it.

I recommend that husband and wife choose a different one another each week and really focus on making it a reality in their marriage. Bev and I have done this, and it improved our marriage sooooo much. Memorize a verse each week and ask the Lord to give you creative ways to practice it.

If your husband or wife do not know Christ or are not following Him, still practice a one another each week. You’ll be amazed at what happens in your life and the life of your mate!

Let me know how it goes!

Love in Christ,
Howard Dayton

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The One Anothers

Be at peace with one another. (Mark 9:50)

A new commandment I [Jesus Christ] give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all men will know hat you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.  (John 13:34-35)

This is my commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you. (John 15:12)

This I command you: that you love one another. (John 15:17)

Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. (Romans 12:10)

Live in harmony with one another. (Romans 12:16)

Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law. (Romans 13:8)

Let us stop passing judgment on one another. (Romans 14:13)

So then let us pursue the things which make for peace the building up of one another. (Romans 14:19)

Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you. (Romans 15:7)

All the brothers here send you their greetings. Greet one another with a holy kiss. (! Corinthians 16:20).

Serve one another in love. (Galatians 5:13)

Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. (Galatians 6:2)

Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. (Ephesians 4:2)

Laying aside falsehood, speak truth, each one of you, with his neighbor, for we are members of one another. (Ephesians 4:25)

Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. (Ephesians 4:32)

Speak to one another with Psalms, hymns and spiritual songs… (Ephesians 5:19)

Submit to one another…. (Ephesians 5:21)

Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit; but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. (Philippians 2:3-4, NASB)

Do not lie to one another…. (Colossians 3:9, NASB)

May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other… (1 Thessalonians 3:12)

For you yourselves have been taught by God to love each other. (1 Thessalonians 4:9)

Comfort one another with these words. (1 Thessalonians 4:18)

Encourage one another and build each other up… (1 Thessalonians 5:11)

Live in peace with each other. (1 Thessalonians 5:13)

Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always try to be kind to each other… (1 Thessalonians 5:15)

But encourage one another daily… (Hebrews 3:13)

Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. (Hebrews 10:24)

Encourage one another… (Hebrews 10:25)

Brothers, do not slander one another.  (James 4:11)

Don’t grumble against each other, brothers, or you will be judged. (James 5:9)

Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other that you may be healed. (James 5:16)

Love one another deeply from the heart (1 Peter 1:21)

Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers a multitude of sins. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in various forms. (1 Peter 4:8-10)

All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because; God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. (1 Peter 5:5)

But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. (1 John 1:7)

And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us. (1 John 3:23)

Dear friends, let us love one another, for loves comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. (1 John 4:7)

Dear friends since God so loved us we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen Gog; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. (1 John 4:11-12)

I am not writing you a new command but one we have had from the beginning. I ask that we love one another. (2 John 1:15)

One of my favorite Bible verses is 1 Chronicles 29:11, which says in part, “We adore you [Lord] as being in control of everything.” And the times we need to recognize His control most is when something unexpectedly happens that messes up our plans.

Ed is a close friend, godly man and avid runner. He participated in the Boston Marathon a few weeks ago and was on track to finish at the same time the bombs were detonated.

Only a few minutes from the finish line, suddenly he was hit on the head, face and chest with a LARGE bowel movement from a bird flying overhead.  Most regular runners have experience being hit with a just a little white “bird poop”, but this was giant! So much so, that Ed was stunned and stopped. An onlooker rushed over and poured his drink on Ed’s head and face so he could see.

The cleanup took a couple of minutes. Ed is competitive and had been training hard for the marathon to finish in four hours or less. That was his goal. He found himself disappointed and a little angry.

He resumed his running and only had taken a few steps before the bomb exploded at the finish line. 

Ed later reflected, “God, in His mercy singled me out, by sending a bird with a case of diarrhea, to preserve me. I feel awful that so many others were badly hurt.”

In a new way, Ed realizes that God is in control of every event. When circumstances don’t go as planned, we can actually rejoice, knowing that our Lord has our best interests at heart.

Warmly in Christ,
Howard 

I just finished leading my 61^st small group financial study. I am always the one that benefits the most from these groups, and this one was very special.

It was a pilot group for the Compass Business God’s Way small group study, and the makeup of the group was unique: Dads who owned the business and sons who worked in the business and were being groomed as successors. They had a lot in common with one another and the discussions were robust and very transparent. You got the sense they knew the group was a safe place to share what was really going on in their lives—the good, the bad and the ugly.

Business God’s Way is an 8-week study and in the last chapter one of the items we address is when you are going through a crisis, how to you handle it God’s way. It was so interesting to see a common thread. Everyone of the dad’s had experienced success in business. Everyone of the dad’s had experienced a crisis in business (two were still in one). Everyone of the dad’s had someone in their leadership they had trusted completely, betray them.

They were deeply hurt by the betrayal, but they didn’t allow it to distract them from God’s call of their life as godly businessmen. As Paul wrote in Philippians 3:13-14, “But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”

I don’t know if you’ve been betrayed and deeply hurt before. I have. Jesus certainly was. Let’s take to heart the way Paul remained focused on fulfilling his calling and focus on fulfilling ours.

Warmly in Christ,
Howard

I trust that you enjoyed a wonderful Easter. Celebrating the most important day in human history, when our Savior was raised from the dead after willingly giving his life on the brutal cross “Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:2).

During our church service this morning, I kept thinking about Philippians 2:10, “At the name of Jesus every knee will bow . . . and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

Those who know Him will say that Jesus Christ is Lord out of a heart of adoration, worship, and eternal gratitude. Our hearts will be bursting with joy over the prospect of being with Him forever in an unimaginably wonderful place called heaven.

However, those who do not know Him as Savior will acknowledge Him as Lord grudgingly out of a massive sense of defeat, hopelessness, and regret. Their hearts will be overcome with a sense of loneliness and terror.

By God’s grace, may you and I recommit ourselves to spend our time, money and opportunities to live for Christ and influence as many others as possible to come to know Christ and grow close to Him. May we be a part of increasing the population of those who look forward to the day that every knee shall bow and every tongue confess Jesus Christ is Lord.

Love in the risen Christ,
Howard Dayton

Sometimes doesn’t it seem as if every time you turn around, you’re facing another challenging situation? Then, other times, God’s kind blessings are apparent.

Last week was a week filled with the Lord’s gracious encouragement and blessings.

So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches? Luke 16:11 (Chinese)

First of all, the leaders of Compass from South America, Asia, Europe, India and North America met together for three days. I kept pinching myself over the privilege of just being in the same room with these godly, capable leaders. We spent chunks of time in prayer, and the Spirit of God had unusual freedom to shape our time and reveal His plan going forward.

When the leader of our Service Center in Orlando, shared, I was surprised to learn from Kelly Laughridge that we are receiving about 2,000 calls—a month! Many of the callers are from our radio audience asking for advice or wanting to be connected to one of our volunteer online Compass Coaches to receive assistance getting on a budget of getting out of debt.

Our Compass Coaches don’t receive any compensation for serving; they simply have a passion to help others learn and apply God’s way of handling money.

I’ve never done this before in a blog, but I wanted you to be aware of the cost to Compass for providing this service. We just added a third employee who answers these calls and helps connect the callers with the coaches. The salaries and other expenses at the Compass Service Center are met primarily by contributions. If you sense the Lord would have you help us continue to serve a growing number of these people in need, I would be very grateful if would pray about supporting this effort.

You can make your tax-deductible gift in one of three ways:

(1) by calling the toll free number 800-525-7000;
(2) by visiting www.compass1.org and clicking the donate button
(3) by using snail mail and sending it to 217 N. Westmonte Drive, Suite 2014, Altamonte Springs, FL 32714.

Thank you so much for allowing me to share this need.

Warmly in Christ,
Howard Dayton 

If anyone was not a candidate, for what turned out to be quintuple by-pass, it was Steve Moore. Steve often rides his bicycle more than 25 miles a day and is lean and in great shape.  For the past 22 years, Steve has been the extraordinarily talented co-host of this program—first with Larry Burkett and then with me. He is not only extraordinarily gifted at his profession, he is an ardent follower of Jesus Christ . . . and did I mention Steve is a hoot to work with. He is so much fun!

Today was his first day back on the job, and we were a pair! Steve, recovering from his major surgery, and me from my week-long bout of laryngitis.

Steve often bikes with a group of riders, some of whom do not yet know Christ as their savior. He has shared with them how they can come to know Jesus as their personal savior, and several of them have responded, “That’s fine, but I’ll think about it later. I’ve got plenty of time to make that decision.”

Steve told me that once the pain in his heart went from mild discomfort to serious pain, he didn’t have the ability to do anything. He was so overwhelmed with pain and the struggle to survive that he couldn’t even tell his wife Marcia at his side that he loved her. There would no opportunity for any of his unbelieving biker friends to even think about asking Christ into their lives.

If you are reading this blog, and you are unsure you have a relationship with Christ; if you are not certain you will spend eternity in heaven with the Lord, I want to encourage you to settle that right now. No, that’s not strong enough. I challenge you not to reject Jesus Christ, rather, to ask Him to come into your heart as your savior right now.

You can by praying a prayer similar to the one I prayed 42 years ago. “Dear God, I need you. I ask Jesus Christ to come into my life and forgive me of my sins. Thank you for loving me, and thank you for the gift of your Son. Amen”

If you have prayed that prayer, it’s the most important decision you will ever make. Welcome to the family of God. Let a follower of Christ know of your decision and become connected with a vibrant Bible teaching church.

The great news for Steve, is that his doctor has given him at least another 20 years! The plumbing in his heart is in really good shape, and he will start biking (slowly) tomorrow.

Please join me in thanking the Lord for Steve and praying for his complete recovery.

Warmly in Christ,
Howard Dayton

I thought I’d made it through the flu season without even so much as a sniffle, and then . . . last week got a nasty bug. And with the bug came the unexpected—laryngitis! I still have it!

This week I missed recording our MoneyWise radio program and will miss speaking in Mexico at a Compass conference led by our Latin American Director, Andres Panasiuk. Around the home it’s much quieter with me speaking to Bev in a faint whisper and using sign language. I think she’s enjoying this.

Despite these inconveniences and not just being able to pick up the phone and call a friend, the Lord is using this for good. It has forced me to be quiet. Today, I am finally began to realize how fast paced my life has been during the past couple of months . . . too hectic! The Lord is kindly using this to get my undivided attention. He is telling me to slow down. Rest more. Pray more. Just enjoy His presence more.

Be more grateful for the many gifts He has given, including the gift of speech and hearing. I feel a little like a monk that practices silence in a monastery. And, guess what, this has helped re-calibrate my priorities, and I am thankful.

How about you? How are you doing, really doing, in your walk with Christ?

Love in Jesus,
Howard Dayton 

Last week I met with the Compass USA field team, and the meeting was amazing. One of the reasons may have been that we met in warm Orlando, Florida, and some of the team left the freezing temperatures of Wisconsin and New England to join us!

But, I’ve never been in a meeting where Philippians 2:2-4 became more alive. Here’s what it says: “Make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose. Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind let each of you regard one another as more important than himself; do not merely look after your own personal interests, but also the interests of others.”

Granted, the Compass USA field team is a motley crew if there ever was one: different ages, genders, backgrounds, and skin colors. The team lives in different parts of the country from New England to Texas, and none of them are shy about sharing their opinions. They love to laugh and have fun with one another! They are people of prayer and to a person are courageous and know they are called by Christ to help others learn God’s way of handling money.

So, what is the recipe for this kind of fellowship and genuine care for one another? It all starts with a godly humble leader who understands the needed ingredients—and Dan Schilling from Ohio is just that. Add regularly praying for one another and challenging each other to be faithful to practice the spiritual discipline of daily reading and studying the Bible. Put in a cup of having fun and enjoying each other’s company. Then allow each member of the team to exercise their particular gifts for the benefit of the group.

Finally, make the commitment that we will “grow old together, and see what the Lord will do in our lives and through our lives.” And then bake in the oven of life, rejoicing at one another’s blessings and walking together closely through the challenges.

As Philippians 2:2 tells us, this is the way to  “Make my joy complete . . .”

Joyfully in Christ,
Howard Dayton