By Chuck Bentley

There’s good news for the college class of 2015, according to a recent article in Yahoo Finance: The odds that you will land a job after graduation are looking pretty solid. Unemployment is down and graduates are getting hired. In less than a decade from now, millennials will make up nearly three-quarters of the American workforce.

Workplace consultant and career coach, Alexandra Levit, offers some practical advice in the article.

“Just because you have a passion doesn’t necessarily mean you can or should make a living at it. Find a job you like well enough. You’re not going to love every minute of every day, but you want to genuinely get some satisfaction out of it. And then leave time for other things in life that are important, like your personal life, hobby, friends and family.” I agree with that!

Her answer to what is the biggest mistake young workers make early in their careers:

“They try to see their first job as the end-all, be-all of their career satisfaction. They get paralyzed because they think they should know what they want to do with the rest of their lives when they are only 21 or 22 years old. They need to realize that’s not realistic. Take the intelligent first step—get a job, even if it means settling, where you are able to get transferable skills. Those are skills that no matter where you choose to go in the future, you know those skills will be relevant.”

In summary–Get a job. Ask yourself what your organization needs. How can you use your unique skills and talents to provide it? Then learn as much as you can to add value toward your next career step.

I’m passionate about helping young people really know their gifts and talents. We developed an outstanding assessment over 20 years ago called Career Direct. You can take the assessment online or hire one of our trained consultants. Learn more at crown.org.

Originally posted 3/30/2015.

By Chuck Bentley

Having just returned from a conference in Zimbabwe, I had the opportunity to get to know many who are living in poverty and great lack. In addition to very few jobs, very low income, limited access to comforts and what we consider the basic necessities, even enduring unspeakable hardships under the cruel dictatorship of Robert Mugabe, I found people full of faith, hope, and joy.

Certainly, I am not wishing material poverty on anyone and I do my very best to help people escape the trap of poverty and learn to thrive. We are partnering with Foundations for Farming, an organization that teaches wonderful skills in conservation agriculture that is profoundly working! Crop yields are increasing from 200 percent even up to 1000 percent. We help these families manage their resources and finances. But in many ways, I noticed people who are actually rich in their souls.

Let me share with you from James 2:5, “Listen, my beloved brothers, has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom, which he has promised to those who love him?”

I met so many people who love God, who rely upon Him for their daily bread, water, health, and joy. Their mouths overflow with worship. Their singing is infectious and causes even me to want to dance along with them as they sway, clap, and shout for joy as they praise God for His kindness. I want to be careful that we don’t get poverty backwards, like the Rich Man in Luke 16 who lived in luxury but went to hell because he was not rich toward God.

The Bible asks us what does it profit a man to gain the whole world but lose his soul? What does it really mean to be poor? I think material poverty is painful, but poverty of the soul is the ultimate definition of what it means to be poor.

Originally posted 3/26/2015.

By Chuck Bentley

A recent poll by the Ventura, California-based Barna Group found 4 in 10 Americans—and 77 percent of evangelical Christians—believe the “world is now living in the biblical end times.”

With the rise of ISIS, America’s tepid support of Israel, the moral decay of our nation and most of Western society, and threats of economic collapse, there are many reasons to be fully alert to the possibility.

Of course, nobody knows the time or date that Christ will return and certainly I do not. I do know this: Christ will return and we always need to live in a state of readiness but remain focused on the long term.

Wayne Grudem, the author of Systematic Theology gives this practical advice:

“Certainly we should commit ourselves to long term activities. It is precisely for this reason that Jesus does not allow us to know the actual time of His return; He wants us to be engaged in obedience to Him, no matter what our walk of life, up until the very moment of His return. To ‘be ready’ for Christ’s return (Matt 24:44) is to be faithfully obeying Him in the present, actively engaged in whatever work He has called us to.”  

I like that advice. But I am also concerned with how we prepare our hearts for the great delusion—a time when even some of the elect will be deceived.

It is important that we get rid of our love for position, power, and possessions. To be ready to meet Christ is to be dead to the world…As Paul said, “to be crucified to the world.”

I’m watchful, I’m staying ready, and while I remain focused on my long-term calling, my heart says with yours, “Come Lord Jesus, Come Quickly!”

Originally posted 3/25/2015.

By Chuck Bentley

Jealousy is a terrible thing. In fact, it reaps devastation on others and ourselves. I recently returned from Africa where jealousy is a major problem. If someone seems to have more than someone else, the response can range from rejection to vicious attacks and demonic curses. This attitude does not allow anyone to make upward progress, including the people who are jealous. Often we don’t even realize that we are jealous of someone’s new car, their clothes, the house they live in, or the promotion they received. We not only are unable to rejoice with them, we are angry inside and miserable with what we have.

The Bible talks openly and plainly about dealing with our own jealousies of others. In James 3 it says, “Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom.”

“But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic.”(Catch that? Jealousy is actually demonic. I have seen this first hand on my recent trip to Zimbabwe.)

Let me continue with James 3—“For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice. But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.”

Want to overcome your jealousy? Ask God to give you the wisdom from above with a pure heart. Be gentle, open to reason and impartial. Sincerely be grateful for what God has provided you and others. Sow peace, not jealousy and discord. You will be amazed at the harvest of righteousness you will experience.

Originally posted 3/24/2015.

By Chuck Bentley

Two weeks ago I was in Zimbabwe speaking at a conference. I can’t help but come away from those trips with a much better perspective on many topics, including how I share biblical financial principles, our nation’s spiritual, moral, and political direction, as well as my own heart for “the least of these.”

While I was there, a young man asked me a very sincere question. He asked if I could give him my very best biblical financial advice in one sentence that he would never forget. Although I found it quite a challenge, I appreciated his excitement so I responded immediately.

Financial issues are caused by and must be resolved by matters within our heart. 

That was it. Full stop.

I could tell he was wrestling with my reply by the way he paused. He was expecting a totally different answer. He looked at me with a quizzed look on his face and said, “You mean, even if I cannot pay my bills, that is an issue of the heart?”

I said, “Yes. While paying the bills is a practical issue, it is likely that the reason you cannot pay them is caused by what you believe about money. I’m not trying to say that you committed a sin, which caused the problem you are facing; I am only trying to say we must always examine the root issue. The Bible gives far more emphasis to our heart than our wallet.”

So what about you? Have you ever asked yourself why? I encourage you to be honest with yourself and go before the Lord and ask Him, “Why am I facing the money problem that I have?” Allow Him to examine your heart. He will show you the root cause and the way out.

Originally posted 3/23/2015.

I will never forget Russ and Kandy Hildebrandt’s story. I first saw it on national news and was later able to speak to them in person. Russ had accumulated a total of $126,000 in consumer debt, which came as a shock to Kandy. This was two times the annual income Russ earned as a chemist. It took five years, but they avoided bankruptcy and paid back every penny, including interest, that they owed.

Their remarkable story continues to receive national news even now, several years after they were able to pay off this mountain of debt. But here are some facts you won’t read about in the papers.

1. Russ took on a part-time janitor job at night to earn the extra money they needed to pay off the debt. He slept in his car five nights a week for 4 ½ years between his day job and night job. He did that even during the harsh Minnesota winters. Russ told me that he feared his debt had ruined more than his credit—that it ruined his testimony too. Little did he know that his credit would be fully restored and God would allow his testimony to be shared to encourage thousands of people.

2. During their debt repayment time, Russ and Kandy continued to give 10 percent of their income to their church plus support other missions. They also had a surprise baby. This is important to remember because most people will tell you that these two factors would have made it impossible for them to escape their crushing debt load.

So how about you? Do you have too much debt? Want to do something about it? Here is what I learned from Russ and Kandy:

Cut your expenses to the bare bones.
Increase your income with a part-time job.
Dedicate your effort to God’s glory.
Get started and don’t give up.
Continue to give and honor the Lord and seek His help along the way.

Originally posted 3/19/2015.

If you are like me, it’s often hard to determine whether to hire a CPA to do my taxes for me or to do them myself using an online service. A great article I found on Investopedia.com provides guidelines to help with that choice.

There’s no single answer for every taxpayer. Choose the tax preparation method that suits your situation. Here are some of the factors to consider in making your choice.

1. First, determine the complexity of your tax situation. As a general rule, the more complex your tax situation, the more compelling it is for you to bring in a tax professional.

If you own a business, including a sideline business, had a major life event this year, or had extensive securities transactions, you will want to itemize.

2. Second, determine your tax proficiency. For some people, the very idea of numbers, taxes, and the process of preparing and filing a return seems daunting. For others, taxes have become a routine chore that needs to be done each year. You don’t have to be a tax expert to use an online preparation software because you’ll be prompted to supply needed information to complete your return.

3. Third, check your schedule. Time is always an important factor in deciding whether to do your return yourself or hire a preparer. Either way, you’ll spend the same amount of time gathering the documentation needed to prepare the return.

4. Finally, cost. According to the National Society of Accountants, the average fee charged this year for a return that does not include itemized deductions is $159, or $273 for a return with itemized deductions. You can do your own return for little or nothing, If your adjusted gross income is less than $62,000, you can use FreeFile,which is the IRS’s free service to prepare your return online and submit it electronically at no cost.

By Chuck Bentley

Are you spending too much money? According to an article in investopedia.com, here are 10 signs you’re spending too much money.

1. You carry credit card debt. If you’re not completely paying off the balance on your credit card every month, you’re probably spending too much.

2. You have no retirement savings. If this is the case, you will have to work later in life.

3. You don’t have enough saved for retirement. “Most financial planners agree that you have to save 10% to 15% of your income each year starting in your 20s. That’s hard to do but it’s essential.”

4. You have too much house.  If you’re paying more than 28 percent of your income for housing, you’re paying too much.

5. You have too much car. It is better not to pay more than 15 percent of your budget on transportation.

6. You are not saving for your children’s college education.

7. You don’t have health insurance. This is now required by law.

8. You eat out too much.

9. You don’t have an emergency fund. If you don’t have anything put aside for unexpected expenses, begin saving NOW. We recommend working toward three to six months’ income in a savings account for unexpected expenses.

10. You don’t follow the 50/20/30 rule. Half for essentials, 20 percent for debt or savings and 30 percent for lifestyle choices.

Sound like any of these describe you? You can change that, you know. For almost 40 years we have helped individuals and families achieve their financial goals by providing biblical counseling and tools that set you on the path to financial freedom. Our goal is to help you do well now with your finances so that you can one day stand before the Lord and hear those words, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”

Originally posted 3/16/2015.

By Chuck Bentley

A bright orange ATM is popping up around Moscow, Russia at railway stations and shopping malls. This strange kind of ATM looks like a regular cash machine, but it’s designed to accept loan applications and dole out money on the spot.

The loan ATM is a product of Oleg Boyko, a Russian billionaire who made his fortune running slot machine halls. He now has about 20 automated loan machines installed throughout Moscow. They allow customers to request as much as $241 that must be paid back in 20 days or less.

The interest rate is 2 percent a day, which works out to 730 percent on an annualized basis. That may seem insane, but some Russians have been willing to embrace the technology to make ends meet between paychecks. For many Russians, it’s the only way to borrow. It is hard to imagine that people are willing to pay 2 percent per day interest, but so far it seems to be working.

Photographer: Andrey Rudakov/Bloomberg

Essentially it is a payday loan available via your ATM.

Want to know how to avoid ever borrowing money at such a ridiculous rate? Save $1000, put it in an emergency savings account, and you have your own money to fall back on during a shortfall. Imagine paying yourself back at these rates for one year. If you borrowed $1000 from your account and paid back 2 percent per day for the entire year, you would have $7300 in your account. Better your account than a Russian billionaire’s.

With bank deposits earning almost zero on your savings, it would be a shame to borrow money at such an outrageous cost. But apparently it is working, for now.

Originally posted 3/12/2015.

By Chuck Bentley

New research by RealtyTrac indicates that fewer people are getting low down payment mortgages than in previous years. The percentage of new mortgages with a 3 percent down payment was the lowest in 2014 of the previous 10 years, at 25 percent of all home purchases.

In other words, only 25 percent of home buyers taking out residential house loans (conventional or Federal Housing Administration loans) put less than 3% down when purchasing a home, versus 27 percent in 2013, according to new analysis by real estate data firm RealtyTrac of nearly 20 million loans for single-family homes and condos nationwide over the last 10 years. That’s the lowest level in a decade. First-time buyers are among the most likely candidates for these loans.

“It may seem like a lot but the average over the past 11 years has been 33%,” says Daren Blomquist, vice president at RealtyTrac. He went on to explain, “The government has been promoting these low down payment loans in an effort to encourage more first-time buyers [to] get a leg on the property market. The FHA has offered a 3.5% down payment loan, and many can be below 3% due to down payment assistance programs.” The government-backed lending enterprises Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac recently introduced the 3 percent down payment loan program, and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development also lowered the insurance premiums that low down payment borrowers have to pay.

Although it make take a number of years to save for a larger down payment, I recommend that you save at least 20 percent for a down payment before making a home purchase. The government is attempting to stimulate an economic recovery with these 3 percent programs, but these are some of the very same policies that caused the financial crisis of 2008. It is better to be conservative when buying a house than to get into the stress of an upside down mortgage should prices drop after you have made your purchase.

Originally posted 3/11/2015.