Last week, I explained how God gave me a prophetic dream where I was standing in a river. Opportunities were floating toward me in the form of gifts. In this […]
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Good is the Enemy of Best
Did you know that good is the enemy of best? When we experience blessings and opportunities, it’s crucial that we learn how to choose what’s superior.
I discovered this truth in a prophetic dream many years ago. In it, I was standing in a river. As the current flowed, opportunities from God came toward me in the form of gifts.
Some of these gifts were big, some small. In the vision, I selfishly grabbed as many as I could, but soon realized I couldn’t carry them all. I had to decide which gifts to keep and which ones to let pass by.
The challenging part was that all these gifts were from God, but not all were His best for me. The Lord was showing me that He provides the opportunities, all of them good, but some are better.
As we learn the skill of practicing dominion, let’s partner with the Lord and choose His superior way. There aren’t any wrong answers here, just options He is inviting us to steward.
Don't miss our live session this afternoon
We’re meeting today at 3:30 PM (CA time). Bring your questions! I’ll see you there.
Stephen’s podcast appearance is here.
Different Types of Wealth
Did you know not all types of wealth are equal? Some carry more weight than others.
For instance, someone may be wealthy in the worldly sense but lack other riches that hold eternal significance like:
Identity
True Riches
Character
Platform
These are all categories of wealth mentioned in Scripture. God prioritizes some over others, but which ones?
Jesus gives us a clue when He asks:
“So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches?” — Luke 16:11
He also warns against overemphasizing worldly wealth:
“But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.” — Matthew 6:20
Jesus encourage us to center our hearts on treasures that truly matter. But how do we adjust our thinking?
At the end of the day, we must identify where our focus lies. If we’re too invested in one area, we may miss out on others.
Let’s talk about our wealth priorities this afternoon, and pursue a well-rounded definition of riches that pleases God.
Don't miss our live session this afternoon
We’re meeting today at 3:30 PM (CA time). Bring questions! Download your free handouts here and here.
Wealth Map
Jeremiah 29
A command to thrive.
Continue readingLeaving a Financial Legacy
One of my younger clients recently set up a living trust. They may not have many assets now, but over time, they can add possessions to this basket.
It’s rare for young people to plan ahead. But it’s even rarer for Americans to plan at all. According to official stats:
- Only 33% of Americans have a will or estate plan, which means…
- 67% of Americans have no estate plan, leaving their assets potentially unprotected.
Thinking about death and legacy is never fun. But it’s important to consider if we are to protect our wealth for future generations.
As I pointed out several weeks ago, a great transfer of wealth is coming. Baby Boomers are passing on, and billions of dollars are expected to change hands. Over the next 20 years:
- $72 trillion is expected to pass down to Gen X, Millennials, and Gen Z.
- $12 trillion is anticipated for charities, taxes, and estate costs.
What ramifications will this have for the economy? Will younger generations be prepared? And how can older generations ensure their money goes where they want it?
The Importance of Planning
These questions make me ponder the tragic passing of Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa Hackman. I’m sure you’ve heard about it in the news.
Overall, their case shows the vulnerability of isolation in old age. But it also shows the importance of crystal-clear estate planning.
Apparently, there’s some confusion around who gets the $80 million estate. Mr. Hackman created his will in the 1990s. But there’s no mention of his kids. It does, however, designate his wife, Betsy, as the sole beneficiary.
But here’s where it gets tricky: Betsy’s will reserves all her money to charity. However, since she died first, attorneys are asking: Does the money still go to charity? Or do Mr. Hackman’s kids get some of it?
It’s a tangled legal mess.
Get Your Plans in Order
The stress around the Hackman estate shows that we must be clear in our legacy planning.
If you don’t have anything established yet, ask God to show you where to begin.
Taking action now could spare your loved ones a massive headache.
The Transfer of Wealth
I’ve spoken before about the coming transfer of wealth. It’s a shift that Scripture refers to in Proverbs:
“A good person leaves an inheritance for their children’s children, but a sinner’s wealth is stored up for the righteous.” — Proverbs 13:22
But today, I’d like to discuss another, more immediate transfer. In fact, it’s already here.
It’s not prophetic. It’s demographic.
The Wealthiest Generation
For decades, the Baby Boomer generation (born 1946–1964) has been the wealthiest group in history. Arguably, it’s the wealthiest generation to ever exist on the planet.
In total, baby boomers own over $84 trillion in U.S. wealth. The next generation, Gen X, owns just 37 trillion.
This prosperity isn’t by accident. Boomers entered the workforce at the perfect time:
- By the 1980s, many boomers were in their 20s and 30s, buying homes, starting families, and entering the workforce just as the economy surged.
- By the 1990s, many were in their 30s to 50s, reaching peak earning potential, assuming leadership roles, and accumulating massive wealth.
- By the 2000s, boomers were in executive positions with investments in real estate, stocks, and retirement accounts.
Cheap housing, post-WWII prosperity, and a stock market that saw historic long-term gains, positioned them for unimaginable growth.
Today, the oldest Boomers are entering their 80s and the youngest are nearing retirement. This means a massive wealth transfer is upon us.
The Great Wealth Transfer (2025-2040)
Over the next 20 years (2025-2040):
- $72 trillion will pass down to Gen X, Millennials, and Gen Z.
- $12 trillion will go to charities, taxes, and estate costs.
This wealth transfer isn’t just an opportunity—it’s a test.
We often quote Proverbs 13:22 about wealth being stored up for the righteous. But here’s the question:
- What happens when wealth moves into the hands of people who aren’t prepared for it?
Many have heard the 3rd-generation curse—that 90% of family wealth is lost by the third generation. The reason? Wealth without wisdom destroys.
Gen X, Millennials, and Gen Z have an unparalleled opportunity to inherit billions, even trillions—but without the character, discipline, and financial wisdom to handle such wealth, it won’t save them. It will crush them.
How to Prepare for the Coming Wealth Transfer
If you’re in Gen X, Millennial, or Gen Z, here’s how to position yourself wisely:
- Master Financial Stewardship – Learn how money works before it comes to you.
- Break Generational Poverty Mindsets – Wealth is a tool, not a god. Get rid of fear, greed, and scarcity thinking.
- Create a Kingdom Legacy Plan – Don’t just inherit. Build a plan that lasts.
- Develop Wise Investing Strategies – Learn how to multiply money instead of consuming it.
- Seek God’s Wisdom on Wealth – Ask what He wants you to do with financial increase.
Will you be ready?
We’re entering a historic wealth transfer. The question isn’t if the money will change hands. The question is:
- Will it live on through the generations?
- Or will it be destroyed by mismanagement, consumerism, and foolish decisions?
Plan ahead now, so that when your inheritance arrives, you can steward it… not squander it.
Have We Entered A Golden Age?
Last week, I was chatting with a friend who said, “We’re entering a Golden Age of Wealth, but the trick is… will we hold on to it?”
I’ve talked about this before, but the Test of Wealth is not for the faint of heart.
The Test of Wealth happens when we experience unexpected increase. The amount doesn’t have to be massive, but it is unexpected. For instance…
… Someone living on bread crumbs could see $1,000 as a life-changing windfall.
The test is: How do we handle these blessings? Do we squander God’s gifts, or do we steward them well?
I’ve mentioned this before: 70% of one generation’s wealth is lost between the first and second generations. That number jumps to 90% in the hands of the third generation.
Knowing this, how will you increase what God gives you? Will you hand anything to the next generation? And the one after that?
Joseph as an Example
As I write this, I can’t help but think of Joseph. For those unfamiliar, Joseph was a Hebrew who became second-in-command of Egypt, serving directly under Pharaoh.
Through a vision God gave him, Joseph knew a famine was coming. He even had the timeline:
seven years of abundance followed by seven years of famine.
Joseph had seven years to steward the nation’s wealth and prepare for survival. He immediately set to work, collecting grain from all the Egyptians.
What happened? Joseph saved so much grain that he not only preserved Egypt but also most of the known world, including the Hebrew people.
Now, let’s assume these next four years are Golden. That’s exciting! But…
… what will you do to steward like Joseph?
- How much will you save?
- Who will you pour into?
- Where will you invest?
It’s possible we’re heading into a season of prosperity. But it’s also plausible we face some shakeups in the economy.
I’m not predicting doom and gloom, but I am saying:
Keep your eyes open. Stay alert.
God is opening up a new season of possibility. But will we increase what He gives us?
That’s the Test of Wealth.
I pray that ALL OF US pass it.
Can a rich person go to heaven?
Of course!
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