Contrasting a good eye with a bad eye, Jesus taught that seeking contentment apart from God led to discontentment (Matthew 6:22-23). Today, we use “good eye” to commend a batter for letting a bad pitch go by.

Contentment is satisfied in the peace of the Restorer. By trusting in godliness rather than our giftedness, we can be free from micromanaging profitable outcomes. The Apostle Paul summed it up when he spoke against those who used godliness as a means to financial gain, “But godliness with contentment is great gain” (1 Timothy).

What would happen if you were generous with your time, talent, and treasure? Would you be content enough in Christ to give to someone in need? Would you spend extra time with your spouse or children, allowing them to set the agenda? Would you invest your talent into a coworker? Would you give some of your treasure to a neighbor who’s struggling?

Imagine if you let life’s bad pitches go by and lived content in the peace of God in Christ, the focal point of the eyes of your heart. This is yet another step you can take as you travel Restoration Road to lived restored to authenticity.

When life is centered in Christ, we discover that His peace is greater than our desire for contentment.

For more, watch:
Episode 10: Restoring Our Four Desires (Significance & Contentment)
Episode 11: Restoring Our Four Desires (Control & Security) with Tony Dungy
Episode 27-30: God’s Ins, Outs, Ups, and Downs of Resources (Part 1-4)

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Episode 93: Joy Amidst Suffering with Karen and Joel Pfister from mitchkrusetv on Vimeo.

Solomon, the wealthiest person on earth, reflected, “Whoever loves money never has money enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income. This too is meaningless” (Ecclesiastes 5:10). Money will never satisfy.

During a trip through Germany I discovered a proverbial hidden treasure. It was a Horch twelve-cylinder special roadster built in the 1930′s, now stored in a small garage across from the owner’s flat in a gorgeous German village. As the owner and I were looking at the restored twelve-cylinder power plant under the hood, he shared his philosophy about contentment and money. He was most likely describing why he valued this multimillion-dollar car, yet lived in a modest home.

In his German accented English, he reflected: “You know, there are two ways to live life. One is to make a lot of money in hopes that you will someday be able to enjoy it. The other is to enjoy it as you go. I’ve chosen the latter.” His wisdom got my workaholic attention.

What about you? Have you given your life to earning as much as you can in hopes that you will someday be able to enjoy it? If so, surrender that discontented desire to the Restorer who will give you peace.

For more, watch:
Episode 10: Restoring Our Four Desires (Significance & Contentment)
Episode 11: Restoring Our Four Desires (Control & Security) with Tony Dungy
Episode 27-30: God’s Ins, Outs, Ups, and Downs of Resources (Part 1-4)

To share this devotional visit our email archive.

Episode 92: Leadership & Marketing, Part 4: Promotion from mitchkrusetv on Vimeo.

The desire for contentment comes from being blessed by God to be fruitful, multiply, and subdue (bring contentment to) the earth (Genesis 1:28).

Pride seeks contentment from money. Jesus taught, “But if your eyes are bad, your whole body will be full of darkness” (Matthew 6:23). Two thousand years ago, a “bad eye” was a greedy one. It desired something more or different than the time, talent, and treasure given by God.

The result is the darkness of discontentment. Jesus continued, “If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness” (Matthew 6:23).

Contrastingly, humility seeks generosity. “The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light” (Matthew 6:22). Two thousand years ago, saying that a person had a good eye meant that he was generous, content, and focused. Today, we use the term “good eye” when a batter lets a bad pitch go by. The batter is content enough to let the foolish opportunity pass.

Will you be content enough to allow life’s bad pitches to go by and become generous with our time, talent, and treasure? The result will be the peace of God in Christ (Ephesians 2:14).

For more, watch:
Episode 10: Restoring Our Four Desires (Significance & Contentment)
Episode 11: Restoring Our Four Desires (Control & Security) with Tony Dungy
Episode 27-30: God’s Ins, Outs, Ups, and Downs of Resources (Part 1-4)

To share this devotional visit our email archive.

Episode 91: Leadership & Marketing, Part 3: Placement from mitchkrusetv on Vimeo.

Episode 90: Leadership & Marketing, Part 2: Product from mitchkrusetv on Vimeo.

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Community is something that money can never buy.

When you discover the satisfaction of your desire for significance in the love of Christ, you take that love to others. You initiate conversations with your customers, prospects, friends, and family. You get to know them, ask questions and listen, rather than attempt to work those relationships for your benefit. You do it just for the sake of relationships — storing up treasures in heaven rather than storing up stuff on earth (Matthew 6:19-21).

When your spouse, family, friends, associates, and those in need connect relationally through the way you serve them, then you will find satisfaction. You will be significant. You will be loved.

Seek intimacy with your customers, vendors, employees, employers, family, or friends as you pursue intimacy with God. Read a chapter in Proverbs each day corresponding to the date of the month, applying this wisdom to your tasks and relationships, including your finances.

When life is centered in Christ, as we become clay in His hands, we discover that His love is greater than our desire for significance.

For more, watch:
Episode 10: Restoring Our Four Desires (Significance & Contentment)
Episode 11: Restoring Our Four Desires (Control & Security) with Tony Dungy
Episode 27-30: God’s Ins, Outs, Ups, and Downs of Resources (Part 1-4)

To share this devotional visit our email archive.

Episode 90: Leadership & Marketing, Part 2: Product from mitchkrusetv on Vimeo.

However, pride seeks significance from money. Jesus said, “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth” (Matthew 6:19). We store up treasures on earth to find significance, which is “expressed meaning, purpose, importance, or value.” Notice that the first four letters of significance comprise the word “sign” which says, “Look at me.”

The result is insignificance. Jesus continued, “…where moth and rust destroy and thieves break in and steal” (Matthew 6:19). The more we pursue stuff on earth as the satisfaction of our desires, the more we thirst for more. The result is a never-ending cycle of dissatisfaction.

Contrastingly, humility stores up relationships. Jesus said, “Store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal” (Matthew 6:20). Relationships are the only treasure that we can store up in heaven because they are eternal.

Our treasures reveal the object of our desires. Jesus said, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:21). Valuing relationships over remuneration is what God designed for our lives. Whereas a proud heart searches for significance from money, a humble heart discovers significance in a relationship with the Restorer and shares that relationship with others.

The result is the love of God in Christ (John 3:16).

For more, watch:
Episode 10: Restoring Our Four Desires (Significance & Contentment)
Episode 11: Restoring Our Four Desires (Control & Security) with Tony Dungy
Episode 27-30: God’s Ins, Outs, Ups, and Downs of Resources (Part 1-4)

To share this devotional visit our email archive.

Episode 89: Leadership & Marketing, Part 1: Price from mitchkrusetv on Vimeo.

Adam and Eve were created with humble hearts. The focal point of their satisfaction was God. In their pride, they hardheartedly desired significance, contentment, control and security apart from Him. With temptation from the serpent, they convinced themselves they were making the right decisions. The result was the first sin recorded in Scripture.

Today, we experience the same dilemma. The more we pursue significance apart from God, the more insignificant we become. The more we seek contentment apart from God, the more discontent we become. The more we attempt to find control apart from God, the more out of control we become. The more we desire security apart from God, the more insecure we become.

The solution is Christ. Jesus said, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). Today, find the restoration in the only One who can satisfy your desires, soften your hard heart, and make you new.

For more, watch:
Episode 10: Restoring Our Four Desires (Significance & Contentment)
Episode 11: Restoring Our Four Desires (Control & Security) with Tony Dungy
Episode 27-30: God’s Ins, Outs, Ups, and Downs of Resources (Part 1-4)

To share this devotional visit our email archive.

Episode 88: The Passion of Jesus with Brian Lee from mitchkrusetv on Vimeo.

Ironically, we don’t really desire money. We desire something much deeper.

What we really desire is Christ. He is “gentle and humble in heart” (Matthew11:29) and the “wisdom of God” (1 Corinthians 1:24). Humility toward Christ is the beginning of His wisdom in our lives. Solomon noted, “When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom” (Proverbs 11:2).

Attempting to satisfy our desires by gaining wealth measured by money will never be enough to satisfy us. It will always leave us dissatisfied. Wisdom not only satisfies our desires, but it also leads to our restoration.

Today, surrender your pride to Christ and ask for His humble and wise heart. He will make you new.

For more, watch:
Episode 10: Restoring Our Four Desires (Significance & Contentment)
Episode 11: Restoring Our Four Desires (Control & Security) with Tony Dungy
Episode 27-30: God’s Ins, Outs, Ups, and Downs of Resources (Part 1-4)

To share this devotional visit our email archive.

Determined with Joe Odhiambo from mitchkrusetv on Vimeo.

King David described the process of knowing God’s will in a psalm: “Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart” (Psalm 37:4). “Delight,” anag in Hebrew, means “to make one’s heart pliable.” In essence, it is a surrendered heart that is humble toward God, like clay in the Potter’s hands. “Give” is translated from nathan in Hebrew, meaning “to orchestrate.” Thus, when our hearts become malleable in God’s hands, He makes our desires to be like His. This is how we experience God’s will in our lives.

Today, offer your heart to God, like clay in the Potter’s hands. He will shape your desires to be like His, and you will begin to experience His will for your life.

For more, watch:
Episode 14: Restoring Living Hope: Jim & Linda Pearson (Part 1)
Episode 49: Finding God’s Vision with George Del Canto
Episode 50: The Kingdom Racing Story with George Del Canto

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Episode 86: Evangelism with Bay Forrest from mitchkrusetv on Vimeo.

The first primary God-given desire is significance, which comes from being created in God’s image (Genesis 1:27). The second desire is contentment from being blessed by God to be fruitful, multiply, and subdue (to bring contentment to) the earth (Genesis 1:28). The third desire is control from being empowered by God to rule over the earth (Genesis 1:28). The fourth desire is security from being provided with every seed-bearing plant and fruit-bearing tree (Genesis 1:29-30).

God has given us these desires for a purpose: to be satisfied in Him and to bring a saving knowledge of that satisfaction to others. Too often, we pursue the satisfaction of these desires apart from God, leaving us dissatisfied.

Today, ask God to show you any insignificance, discontentment, lack of control, or insecurity from pursuing life apart from Him and surrender it to the Restorer.

For more, watch:
Episode 10: Restoring Our Four Desires (Significance & Contentment)
Episode 11: Restoring Our Four Desires (Control & Security) with Tony Dungy

To share this devotional please visit our email archive.