Today I invite you to enjoy this great testimonial from a Crown radio listener whose marriage God strengthened through debt-free living via the Crown Money Map. FYI, the audio comes from the Crown How to Manage Your Money broadcast.
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
God Teaches Crown Friend to Trust and Obey...Even in the Small Things - Crown Financial Ministries Stories Blog
"The area that I was most dealt with during the CROWN small group study was the area of my motivation. When I came up against certain situations, I was really tested.
My wife and I travel a lot, coordinating seminars and training leaders of the Ancient Paths ministry. We are often hosted in the homes of Christians. My wife, always very careful, would pack my personal hygiene items, including shampoo and conditioner.
But my heart motivation was twisted and I was caught by it: I would go into the bathroom to take a shower and suddenly I would be faced with a situation that some might think normal, but it wasn’t for me. I would look at my little bottle of shampoo, looked at our host’s shampoo... and you guessed it...I would leave my simple shampoo aside and use my host’s “imported” shampoo!
Normal thing to do, right? But for me it was an area that God dealt with. I realized that when I did that, with such a small thing, I was annulling God’s role as my Provider and I remembered the word in Matthew 25:23, “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things: I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’ ”
I believe the Lord can use a big debt or even a simple bottle of shampoo to deal with our motivations. Today, because of the revelation of God through the study of his word, I am completely healed in this area of my life and in other areas where I was deficient.
My life and the lives of my wife and children have been restored day by day to the Glory of God the Father."
Monday, March 17, 2008
Crown Co-Founder Finds Spiritual and Financial Freedom - Crown Financial Ministries Stories Blog
Today's Crown Financial Ministries story features Crown co-founder Howard Dayton.
Click here to enjoy a 3-minute audio clip from the Crown Money Matters Show, in which Howard shares how God put everything in his life in order, after Howard placed his faith in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. Blessings...
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
New Jersey Crown Financial Ministries Friend Shares Crown at Home and Abroad - Crown Financial Ministries Stories Blog
Greetings all! Enjoy this great letter to Crown Ministries from a friend who learned to live debt free and bless others in the United States and beyond through Christian Financial Concepts (which merged with Crown Ministries in 2000).
"About seven and a half years ago I started to study about Christian Financial Concepts from a book written by Ron Blue (Master Your Money). This book came with the study guide produced by CBN entitled 'Finances by the book'. These materials totally changed the way I live!
In 1997, I became a certified Counselor and Teacher by CFC. Then I started teaching this material in churches. I have traveled to New Jersey (were I live), New York, Connecticut, Ohio, Maryland, Florida, Virginia, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic and Venezuela.
During these years, many people have come to me to tell me what a life transformation the teachings have worked in them. Our Associate Pastor B. Matias, told me about 3 years ago that after 20 years of marriage they went on their first vacation debt-free. Our Senior Pastor is committed to become debt-free, so both he and his wife can go full time into ministry.
The Lord Jesus Christ has continued to show His Love and Grace upon us. Through the years we have chosen to live debt-free. We are committed to our church and over ten other ministries with our financial support.
Thanks to your Ministry we have developed “Mayordomia Financiera Cristiana,” a bilingual ministry that is under the leadership and guidance of Woodbridge Christian Center and its Pastoral Staff.
Thanks for your ministry; we will continue to teach others as you teach us.
All Glory be given to Jesus Christ, the author and finisher of our faith!
In His Grip,
Nelson & Magali RuizServants of Our Lord Jesus Christ!
* This letter has been edited for length and English grammar. Click here to read the original.
Monday, March 10, 2008
Indian Crown Friend Discovers Crown is for More Than Just "Big Shots" - Crown Financial Ministries Stories Blog
Blessings to everyone visiting Crown Stories from around the world. We continue to receive traffic from Hong Kong, Europe, and beyond. We pray for God's incredible will for all of you. Please be sure to email us with any prayer requests, feedback, and especially if you would like to know more about a personal relationship with Jesus Christ - the Savior of all men who truly owns everything.
Today's story comes from a Crown friend in India, who learned that the biblical principles taught by Crown do indeed apply to all of us, regardless of our financial situation. Enjoy. . .
Introducing myself, I am C Stephen David, from the state of Andhra Pradesh, India. It was a JOY to hear God’s message through you in the Crown Financial Conference, which was held recently in Viceroy Hotel, Secunderabad.
When I first came to know about the conference, I was not interested to come. I was assuming this is for big-shots and for big-ministries. I thought I am a small minister of God and this does not help me. However, one brother called me up and told that he will pay the registration fee and encouraged me to come. Therefore, I with my co-worker (I am not with any organization but the Lord has blessed me with five wonderful co-workers in Christ) attended the conference.
It was really wonderful and I believe the Lord has led us to the meetings. The messages were practical, Scriptural and well-balanced. Especially, your sermon moved our hearts. It is true that the servants of God must first excel in the grace of giving and model ourselves before exhorting the believers to give. You know, Uncle (as a young man, I address you as Uncle, because, according to our custom it is disrespectful to call an elder with name), after few days, I shared with my co-workers, even your life example, and we all together bowed before God and made a commitment before the Lord and before each other that we give tithe (not maximum but minimum) out of all we receive.
I am sharing this as a note of thanks and to let know that you have been a blessing to us.
Uncle, if there are any study materials or videos you can send to help us learn more and to teach others, we will be glad to receive, learn and teach others. I am a young minister of God in full time ministry. If there is anything we can do for you, kindly feel comfortable to use our humble service in Christ Jesus.
May continue to bless your life and ministry abundantly in Christ Jesus. Amen.
With you in HIS service,C. Stephen David
Friday, March 7, 2008
God Works Miracles in Life of Italian Crown Friend - Crown Financial Ministries Stories Blog
Today's Crown True Financial Freedom Story comes from an Italian Crown friend whom the Lord taught to be content in all things and teach his children the same. Enjoy...
"My name is Waldinei, my wife is Luciany and we have 3 children: Isabela, Letícia and Gabriel. We moved to Pompéia in January of 2002, up to our ears in debt that we had had for many years.
God really worked miracles in our lives. We were unemployed and when we arrived in Pompéia, I was invited to work in shipping at the National Office of the Nova Shalom Association and Luciany was invited to teach at the school. We heard about the Crown course but we thought we would only be able to take it the following year. But God knew our needs. We were invited to be in the first group.
We have lived on the basis of post dated checks, loans and investing in deals that never worked out. The verse that says “I have learned to be content in every situation, I know how to be honored and humiliated,” was never a reality in my life. I was dominated by ambition because the desire to become rich was very strong in my life. I never planned anything, did whatever I felt like doing without considering the consequences and without accepting advice.
After studying the Biblical principles presented in the CROWN small group study, my mind and heart were opened for the beginning of a transformation. For the first time in our lives, we decided to get out of debt and never charge anything. We are paying off all of our debts one by one.
We had a car that had been financed and we decided to return the car to the place we bought it. The funny thing was that no one wanted to take it back because they all thought it strange that someone would decide to take the loss of all the payments already made in order to get out of the remaining debt.
Without the car, my wife began to go to work by bicycle (borrowed) and one dark morning, on the way to work in the cold, the Lord spoke to her heart that in the midst of all her difficulties, He wanted to teach her as he had the apostle Paul who wrote, I have learned to be content in each and every situation...”
God taught us that he supplies all of our needs, but our dreams and the acquisition of superfluous things will come about if it is His will. And this demonstrates how much the Lord Jesus wants us to trust in and depend on him.
We have taught our children to depend on God, praying for the needs to be met and we are teaching them to manage their money according to God’s patterns. They are learning to give, save and spend.
The lesson that impacted my life the most was the one on Eternity. I discovered that being rich and getting everything that I wanted would get me nowhere because this life is so very short!"
Monday, March 3, 2008
God Helps Crown Couple Dig Out & Help Others - Crown Financial Ministries Stories Blog
One of the major biblical principles taught by Crown Financial Ministries is that managing money God's way enables us to bless others, for His glory! To see this principle in action, check out the Crown story below...
"In January 2006 my wife and I decided it was time to take control of our finances after listening to your radio show. We purchased the Money Map Coach training material, read it, and started following the Money Map. God surely has been faithful on this journey!
In November this year (23 months), we paid off 2 cars, 1 small credit card loan, and paid down on a student loan all to the tune of just over $28,000. In addition we were able to save $5000.
Prior to starting this journey, we had virtually no savings and felt as if we were living paycheck to paycheck. In addition to all of this we also paid for a wedding and helped our son pay for some of the expenses in bringing his bride to the USA from Peru.
It gets even better! One of our children had a premature, 1 lb 4 oz baby 6 months ago. At the time this happened God had freed up enough monthly cash-flow so we could help pay for some of the medical expenses. A very stressful situation but none of it caused by a lack of finances!
Had we not decided to follow the Money Map two years ago, we really don't know where we'd be financially today. Our next goal is to have the remaining $13,000 in school loans paid within 18 months, and pay cash this summer to replace two 40-year-old furnaces and one old water heater.
Oh yeah!! In the last two years we've also been able to contribute $14,000 to our 401(k) and Roth IRAs.
God is great and Thank YOU for setting us on the course to true financial freedom!"
Jeff and Suzy , Montgomery, PA
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