Have you ever been to a potluck dinner?

In North Carolina, where I was raised. . .potluck meals were often referred to as “Sunday dinner on the grounds” where everybody brought their favorite dish or dishes.  It was like a church-wide picnic.

The food was generally so good it would make your tongue slap your tonsils.  Please notice that I said generally. . .that was not always the case.

I can remember on numerous occasions where I sampled a particular dish and then prayed for the family that had to eat/endure that kind of cooking.

Bottom line. . .at potluck gatherings. . .you always dine on what others are serving. . .whether the food is nutritious, delicious or just plain awful. At least you get to choose.

Now, there’s a difference when you know the background of this dish.  It was great when you knew the cook fixed up one of the best dishes of chicken and dumplings in the entire county.  Then again, there were other dishes where you not only didn’t know who fixed it but it was a little questionable about what was in it.

Sadly, too many believers have a potluck mentality where they are willing to  feed on whatever thoughts others are serving to them.

In today’s economy, you’ve got the gloom and doomers.

These folks believe the world is going to hell in a hand basket and it’s God’s judgment upon this wicked nation and world.

By the way, if someone tells you the world is going to hell in a hand basket…tell them you’ve chosen not to go so they can go ahead and keep your ticket since they’re so excited about the journey.

This group includes:  the folks more concerned about going up in the rapture than growing up in Jesus.

10.  Never stereotype anyone based on their net worth or the lack thereof.

  9.  How a person responds to having money will reveal their true character…who they really are.  Money is just a reflection of us.

  8.  Your potential isn’t limited by your actions but rather your beliefs.  Mark 9:23.

  7.  You have something special to achieve in your life because God made sure you were born…you are not an accident.  Jeremiah 1:5

  6.  Never let what you can’t do…keep you from doing what you can do…today.

Here are the Top 5 Rich Thoughts Nuggets of the week.

  5.  Delay is a favorite deceptive and tactical weapon of the enemy.  It fuels the doubts he seeks to create.

  4. It’s the character of a person’s heart and not the balance in their checkbook or lack thereof that determines who they are.

  3.  Our destiny is determined by choice not by chance.

  2.  Never be moved by your circumstances or the opinions of others...base your decisions on the Word of God and nothing else.

And the # 1 Rich Thoughts Nugget you selected is:

1. The fastest way to get into financial trouble is to compare yourself to others and what they have or don’t have.

A couple of weeks ago, I felt impressed to write a teaching entitled “7 Ways to Meet A King Or Be One.”

God immediately gave me the seven ways. . .and I started writing this teaching but then I felt led to put it down.

Recently, I received a Facebook direct message from a lady that read:

“Can You PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE Tell Me Where I Can Study "Wealth Management" (without charge).  Many Times Our Great MENTOR Has Referred To A GOD-WOMAN, A True Queen, A PROVERBS 31 WOMAN, Understanding WEALTH MANAGEMENT and since I Do NOT Really know What That Means, I TRULY DESIRE With ALL My Being To Acquire KNOWLEDGE Of That Which I Will NEED. Because One of These GLORIOUS DAYS My Heavenly Father Will Divinely SPIRIT-CONNECT Me To The GOD-MAN GOD, A True Proverbs 31 MAN, A True King, That In Eternity Past He Created Me For. I TRULY Need To Understand ALL That Is Embraced Within The Principals Of WEALTH MANGEMENT...”

As I read and re-read this message. . .I immediately realized three things.

One of my favorite Easter songs is “He’s Alive” by Ray Boltz. It’s a powerful narrative of the Resurrection and it always gives me glory bumps.

The chorus says:

He's alive, He's alive

He's alive and I'm forgiven

Heaven's gates are open wide

Can somebody say Hallelujah!!!

1 Corinthians 15:20-22 says:

Have you ever met someone who was educated beyond their intelligence?  People who think they know more than they do. . .or that they always have the right answers, no matter what.

I’ve met my share of Christians who feel they’re more spiritually mature. . .advanced beyond us ordinary Christians.  I suspect that somewhere in the Bible there is a verse or twoconcerning self-gratification or spiritual pride.

At one point I had a brief conversation with someone who said: “I heard you talking about focus but you need to know that word is not in the King James Bible.”

My first mental response was less than a spiritual one, but I fortunatelyregained my spiritual focus before saying that the word focus is in the Amplified Version (1);  God’s Word Translation (28); Message Bible (28) and the New Living Translation (4). 

He quickly said that may be true but it’s not in the King James Bible.