Introduction

Is money evil? Should Christians be rich? What does the Bible really say about wealth?
Many believers struggle with finances due to mixed messages. But Scripture provides clear wisdom about money management. In this post, discover 6 Biblical money foundations that help you enjoy wealth without guilt and handle finances God’s way. This will help you in Faith and finances. You will learn about Godly wealth principles and Christian money tips. It covers managing money God’s way as well as spiritual and financial freedom. You will also explore Biblical investing, tithing, and blessings.

Watch the full video breakdown on our Faith & Fortune Finance YouTube channel [embedded below].

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1. God Owns Everything—We Are Just Stewards

Psalm 24:1 – “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it.”

God owns it all—your money, house, gifts, even your ideas.
You’re not the owner. You’re the steward.

Action Steps:

• Shift from ownership to stewardship
• Ask God how to manage what He’s entrusted to you
• Use wealth to glorify God, not just yourself

Quote:

“When we see money as God’s, we handle it differently—with purpose, peace, and power.”

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2. Diligence and Hard Work Bring Prosperity

Proverbs 10:4 – “Lazy hands make for poverty, but diligent hands bring wealth.”

Financial laziness is mental, physical, and spiritual.
Avoid laziness in planning, learning, and building wealth.

Example: Oprah Winfrey built a global empire through diligence—not luck.
Biblical Application: Psalms 1:3 – “Whatever he does prospers.”

Faith + Action = Prosperity

Action Steps:

• Show up early. Learn. Network. Execute.
• Serve God in your work, not just in church.
• Work is worship when done with purpose.

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3. Avoid Debt and Live Within Your Means

Proverbs 22:7 – “The borrower is slave to the lender.”

Debt leads to anxiety, stress, and missed opportunities.
God’s people are called to financial freedom.

Real-World Example:
Chris Hogan teaches the power of debt-free living in Everyday Millionaires. These everyday millionaires became wealthy by saving. They also budget carefully and avoid debt.

Action Steps:

• Budget with a plan, not emotion
• Buy only what you can afford
• Practice the “banana principle”: Don’t chase what’s ripe today but rotten tomorrow.

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4. Tithing and Generosity Invite God’s Blessing

Malachi 3:10 – “Bring the whole tithe… see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven.”

Generosity invites God into your finances.

Real-World Example:
Bill Gates’ philanthropy helped eradicate diseases and feed nations. He gave to bless, and the blessing multiplied.

Action Steps:

• Tithe as an act of faith
• Give beyond money—give time, wisdom, love
• Be a blessing to others

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5. Invest and Multiply What God Gives You

Matthew 25:14–30 – Parable of the Talents

God expects you to grow what He gives you. Don’t bury your potential.

Real-World Examples:

• Warren Buffet invests long-term with wisdom and restraint
• Ray Dalio succeeds through planning, research, and principles

Action Steps:

• Start small—just start
• Learn to invest: stocks, skills, businesses
• Multiply resources for Kingdom impact

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6. Practice Contentment—Avoid the Love of Money

1 Timothy 6:10 – “The love of money is the root of all evil.”

Wealth is a tool, not a goal.

Real-World Example:
Dave Ramsey lives and teaches contentment after rebounding from financial failure. He preaches peace over pressure.

Action Steps:

• Be content with what you have
• Avoid comparison and consumerism
• Focus on eternal rewards over earthly riches

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🎯 How to Apply These Biblical Money Foundations Today

✅ Recognize that God owns everything
✅ Be diligent and hardworking
✅ Avoid debt and impulse purchases
✅ Tithe and give generously
✅ Invest wisely
✅ Practice contentment daily

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Watch Full Teaching on YouTube

👇Watch this full video breakdown with real-life case studies and extra teaching only on Faith & Fortune Finance:

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Conclusion

God’s financial principles aren’t just spiritual—they’re practical. Apply them and you’ll see peace, purpose, and prosperity flow into every area of your life.

By Babs Olugbemi

One of my concerns for leaders is their capacity to be ambidextrous. Regardless of years of experience, knowledge, and leadership capacity, the lack of a clear distinction between managing and leading on the one hand, leading and building institutions on the second layer, and ultimately focussing on sustainability is a significant threat to successful leadership change.

I have followed events and people at C-suites, coached some, and developed frameworks for leadership development. Based on the personalities and styles of the new leaders, I have confirmed my fears about leadership sustainability in most African organisations.

“Successful leaders can aptly differentiate themselves and their roles without necessarily seeing activities as performance, focussing on what is required of them with appropriate tenacity and influence.”

The challenge for leaders is how to lead for the present and future without losing sight of the stakeholders’ immediate performance expectations. Successful leaders can aptly differentiate themselves and their roles without necessarily seeing activities as performance, focussing on what is required of them with appropriate tenacity and influence.

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In my walk as a leadership coach, I have keenly observed leaders who are managing rather than leading. Managing involves ensuring that processes achieve their intended outcomes. Leaders are above managing and should focus on creating an enabling environment for innovation, inventions, and team collaboration. The primary role in leading is not to monitor process outcomes, though critical to the company’s overall objectives, but to align corporate values with the people’s aspirations to create an engaged and ownership-thinking mindset ready to take on challenges and explore opportunities. An alignment of corporate and personal goals will not only deliver the present performance expectations. Still, it will also incubate innovations to adapt to future market demands and the sustainability of the business.

Unfortunately, the capacity for ambidexterity is rare and often marked by leaders’ exposure, approach and styles, perception, and perspective of their roles in the organisation. A leader with a wrong foundation in these areas is set for failure and awaits unfavourable decisions from the board of directors. A top-level leader might manage their teams instead of leading them. Not all leaders can combine leading for the present with building institutions. However, anyone able to submit themselves to an institution-building mechanism can champion sustainability. Aside from being a leadership coach, I help leaders achieve sustainability.

Mathematically, creating an ambidextrous organisation is beyond leading. It is to lead and build an institution that focuses on sustainability in all aspects of the organisation—employee fulfilment, customer retention, strategy effectiveness, performance evaluation, stakeholder management, process improvement, and goal congruence.

In a nutshell, the role of successful leaders in ambidextrous organisations is striking a balance between exploiting current assets and capabilities to ensure short-term success and allocating enough energy and resources to exploration to ensure future viability. The two primary tasks of a top-level leader are to exploit and explore the organisation with people for now and in the future. The two seemingly contradictory aspects—exploitation and exploration—encompass different strategies and processes and have different targets and outcomes (March 1991; O’Reilly & Tushman, 2004; O’Reilly & Tushman, 2013).

O’Reilly and Tushman described the two concepts as follows:

• Exploiting: Exploiting involves building on an organisation’s achievements and maximising returns on previous investments. It focuses on responding to current business demands to remain efficient and competitive within an established market niche, as well as on maintaining an existing customer base and stakeholder relationships. Examples of exploiting are activities focused on continuous improvement, benchmarking, and redesigning business processes.
• Exploring: Exploring focuses on expanding an organisation’s knowledge and capabilities, pioneering new products and services, and discovering and venturing into untapped markets.

The common area of practical bottlenecks in exploiting and exploring in organisations is a need for foundational trust and cohesion among the resources, especially the human capital, which are often treated as costs rather than assets to the organisations. Among all the factors of production, only humans can be ambidextrous with the capacity to think about changes in economic parameters and adjust their behaviours to match the time, content, and contextual requirements.

While organisations might have the resources to deploy in fighting competition, technology to obtain first-mover advantages, and production capacity to maximise output from input, none is compared with the potential of an engaged workforce.

Therefore, for leaders to be successful, they must refrain from operating in the realm of managing. They should operate in the capacity of institution builders, with the mindset of creating sustainable leadership and growth with people first and other factors of production second.

Consequently, only the leaders who prioritise their people over profits, pride, and organisational arrogance will be successful in the long term.

Jessica Fialkovich, an entrepreneur leadership network contributor, has listed three important non-financial factors that could impact business value.

In a business publication on Entrepreneur, Fialkovich revealed that, to come up with the true value of a company or business, “we also look at factors like the level of owner involvement, company goals and growth opportunities.”

She explained that, “Determining a business’ value is not all about adding up revenue and subtracting expenses. While an important piece, these hard numbers are only half the equation for computing what a company is worth. To come up with the true value, we also look at factors like the level of owner involvement, company goals and growth opportunities. When we use the complete equation, we get a comprehensive picture of a business and can better understand the story of its past, present and future.”

“Calculations may vary depending on the company, but in a healthy one, there is about a 50/50 split between the quantitative (financial) and qualitative (non-financial) sides of performance. If the business isn’t profitable, it’s more important to focus on the quantitative side and fix the numbers first. Many owners don’t want to hear that, but if they’re not hitting their numbers, it may mean the business is not working. They must fix the quantitative issues before moving to the qualitative side” she added.

The first factor is what is called:

The owner’s Goal

We’ve found significant research showing that if an owner has defined goals and plans for the future that are in line with market expectations for their company’s value, they’re going to have a much stronger exit. What is the owner’s defined goal for exiting the business — to get the most money, to take care of their employees and to ensure a legacy? You must then get to the “why” behind the goals and devise a plan of action. It almost doesn’t matter what the answers to the questions are; having achievable goals and a strategy for reaching them can increase the company’s value because it keeps the owner focused on improving the other areas of the business.

The second factor is called:

The owner’s role

The extent of the owner’s involvement is a critical indicator, but perhaps not for the reason you think. The more involved the owner is in day-to-day operations, the more central they are to the business, the less the business will be worth down the road. If the owner is the linchpin that holds everything together, what will happen to the company when they leave? Evaluating operations is more about the system and the structure of the team. Look at the organizational chart and who’s on it – are they good employees or bad employees? Examine the company’s processes and procedures and how new team members are trained and onboarded. The owner sets the vision, but it’s the team that increases company value by carrying out the vision.

The third factor is called:

Growth opportunities

Nobody wants to buy a business and keep it exactly as it is. They want to see potential for growth in the future, especially the potential for return on their investment as a buyer. Whether it’s a simple price increase or new locations, whoever buys the business is going to ask about growth opportunities. Indicators like product or service diversification in both the company and the industry it’s in give a good sense of whether the company is moving forward or standing still (and at risk of going backward). The more potential you can show, the more upside there will be for the next owner — adding up to greater value.

Popular Nigerian columnist, philanthropist, writer, publisher and founder of Genevieve magazine, Betty Irabor has taken to social media to speak on the increasing rate of suicide in Nigeria.

Irabor who is a former columnist with Black & Beauty magazine UK in her post disclosed that she has attempted suicide in the past while also revealing that no one should be judged for taking such actions.

According to her, no one understands what the victims had been passing through, then they shouldn’t make assumptions on how they should have acted.

She wrote,

“suicide!!! don’t label or judge what you do not understand. if you haven’t walked in a man’s or woman’s shoes you cannot make assumptions about what they do or why they do it.

at the time i attempted suicide, i was sick and in pain. there was a volcano somewhere inside of me that needed to erupt and suicide seemed like an option to avoid the eruption. don’t trivialize anyone’s pain just because it’s not physical and you cannot see it.”

Irabor is also the founder of a foundation that promotes breast cancer awareness, early detection and treatment.

Vision cannot be achieved without certain measures of challenges and oppositions. Do not be scared of challenges and oppositions that you jettison your vision. You have all it takes to achieve your vision, overcome challenges and oppositions.

“Challenges and oppositions are processes of learning and mastery” – Maxwell Ekene Nnawuihe.

You don’t have the exclusive power to completely decide what kind of challenges and oppositions crosses your paths as you ride towards achieving your vision, just like the sailor cannot decide for the waves and storms on the sea. But you have immense power on the inside of you to overcome challenges and fulfill your vision, nonetheless proportionate or disproportionate oppositions.

I am not ignorant that challenges and oppositions can be depleting, discouraging and sickening. But to jettison your vision is not the solution just as suicide is not solution to depression or frustration. With God on your side, vision in your head, commitment and time, you emerge a great achiever.

Permit me to oil your soul and lubricate your life’s drive – your vision.

“Gleaning and learning from those who have surmounted challenges and oppositions to achieve their vision is a great reward of history” – Maxwell Ekene Nnawuihe

Taking action to overcome challenges and oppositions is taking action to fulfill a vision. I agree with Joel Barker, “Vision without action is merely a dream. Action without vision just passes the time. Vision with action can change the world” – Joel A. Barker.

Herb Caen said, “A city is not gauged by its length and width, but by the broadness of its vision and the height of its dreams.”

“Where vision leads mission succeeds” – Maxwell Ekene Nnawuihe.

The assertion of John C. Maxwell is correct, “Teamwork makes the dream work, but a vision becomes a nightmare when the leader has a big dream and a bad team” – John C. Maxwell. Even if you have a bad team, bad economy, bad circumstances at the moment, don’t loose focus on your vision.

“Vision passes through the gates of discouragements before great achievements” – Maxwell Ekene Nnawuihe.

“I think that the greatest gift God ever gave man is not the gift of sight but the gift of vision. Sight is a function of the eyes but vision is a function of the heart” – Dr. Myles Munroe.

You can look at what others look at and see what they cannot see because not all that looks sees and not all that sees perceives. “Vision transcends what other people see” – Maxwell Ekene Nnawuihe.

Helen Keler beautifully puts it this way, “The only thing worse than being blind is having sight but no vision.”

Shiv Kheran says, “Have a vision. It is the ability to see the invisible. If you can see the invisible you can achieve the impossible.”

“Your vision will become clear only when you can look into your own heart. Who looks outside dreams; who looks inside awakes” – Carl Jung. May I quickly add, “Most distractions of vision is on the outside and best directions of vision is on the inside” – Maxwell Ekene Nnawuihe.

“You were created to drive life and not life drive you. But you cannot drive life when you don’t have a drive for life. Your vision is your engine that drives your life” – Maxwell Ekene Nnawuihe.

“A strong team can take any crazy vision and turn it into reality” – John Carmack.

“If you allow life drive you it will drop you off to unknown destination. If you drive life you arrive at you desired destination. But you need a map. Your vision is the map” – Maxwell Ekene Nnawuihe.

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A New Year doesn’t make you a new person without your delibrate positive actions and eagerness to become a better you, in order to have new attainments and achievements in the new year.

“New year New life” slogans becomes meaningless without being deliberate to make it a reality.

Here are 5 resolutions and how to achieve them:

1. Get a new job

Looking for a change of pace in your career? Switching companies (or even careers) can be a rough road to walk. But brushing up on your professional skills, learning about emerging technologies, or even practicing your interview skills can give you a leg up on the competition.

Students like Mohamad Alaloush have launched completely new careers just by taking Udemy courses. Though he had no prior experience, Mohamad was able to get a job as a software engineer in just eight months.

2. Boost your financial health

Trying to pay off student loans or that pesky old credit card bill that’s been hanging over your head? The start of the new year is a great time to evaluate your finances and create a plan to eliminate debt and save more money. But, combing through the hoards of conflicting information on the web is tedious.

In order to develop healthy financial habits that last a lifetime, try taking a comprehensive financial wellness course. This will allow you to get a firm grasp on your current financial situation and learn how to develop positive financial behavior for the future.

3. Get in shape

With the months of holiday eating that lead up to each new year, it’s no surprise that getting in shape is one of the most common resolutions. The thing is, starting a healthy lifestyle is a bit trickier than just stocking your freezer with low-calorie, microwavable foods. Learning nutrition basics can help you understand how your body works and how to best take care of it.

Of course, exercise is also a key component to building a healthier you in the new year. But that doesn’t mean you have to force yourself into a monotonous treadmill routine. Developing exercise habits you actually enjoy is the best way to make sure your New Year’s resolution turns into a lifelong commitment. For instance, try learning to dance, or balancing fitness and mental wellbeing through meditative yoga.

4. Learn a new hobby

When work and life get busy, it can be easy to slide into a rut. That’s why it’s important to make time to indulge in a little creativity. Exploring your creative side can help you feel more fulfilled, broaden your perspective, and even increase productivity in your professional life.

Whether you want to brush up on an existing hobby or learn something completely new, the new year is the perfect time to commit to a more creative you. Want to be more musical? Try learning guitar or piano. Want to capture the beautiful moments in life? Try your hand in photography. You can even take a stab at writing the next great American novel with a course in creative writing.

5. Reduce stress

While adding more than one goal to your 2019 to-do list is a good thing, it’s also important to remember not to tack on extra stress. So, whether it’s your only resolution or in addition to another, learning stress management could help you be more successful in your objectives.

Courses in meditation or mindfulness can also help you relax and be present and attentive in your tasks, which will allow you to learn better and faster. Additionally, you may want to consider a time-management course to help you prioritize tasks and ensure you never take on too much. Udemy.com