As we look at our economic challenge around the country and most of all in the city of Detroit I am reminded of a saying, "These are the worst of time and these are the best of times and if we ever needed the Lord we sure do need him now right now." Today we all need advice from professionals in the financial and economic field. That is not always possible and could be very expensive. So, I thought I would bring the professionals to you. Hopefully they can provide some insight as to what should be done in this hour of economic challenge.
Let's start with the Spiritual first because you can't leave home without it; it is the forerunner of financial success. Now, don't tune out yet because the young lady that is giving the 411 on spiritual success is also a former Banking Vice President and still functions in an executive role in finances.
Rose Grant, a graduate of Word of Faith Bible Training Center under the auspices of Bishop Keith A. Butler, travels throughout the country speaking in churches, seminars, conferences and fortune 500 companies (UAW General Motors, UAW Daimler Chrysler, Visteon Corporation, Delphi Automotive, Comerica Bank, Cornerstone University, Wayne State University, Westin Hotel, to name a few). She brings a versatile, commanding and effective approach to reaching her audiences with the Word of truth, which leads to victorious living. As a former Bank Vice President and Business Consultant, the Rev. Grant uses her financial and spiritual background to inspire and encourage personal growth.leading you from defeat to victory, from lack into God's abundance, thereby, experiencing the unprecedented glory of spiritual and financial wholeness. This led her to write the book: "God's Way to Possessing Wealth."
Ortheia: Why did you write a book showing how the spiritual relates to the financial?
Rose: There were a number of things that inspired me to write this book. The Word teaches us that God wants you to be wealthy. He wants you to prosper, to be physically, mentally and spiritually wealthy. After church services sometimes I would leave thinking, how I can apply these teachings to my life. So, out of that desire to apply and see the manifestation of what I was being taught, I started writing the book. It also stemmed from the fact of being in the financial realm for 25 years and working with very wealthy people and observing how they were able to amass their wealth. I combined the natural wisdom and knowledge and came up with the premise for the book.
The first lesson I learned was, a lot of people who have great wealth may not go to church or read the Word of God but they are applying God's principles; and because they're working God's principle it's working for them. God's principles will work for whoever works them; that's why I say in the beginning of the book: "God reigns on the just and unjust." There are biblical principles that govern one being able to live in a wealthy place. I also wrote the book to help people to come out of sickness, lack and poverty. There are people that really love the Lord yet they still have sickness, lack and poverty in their life and I remember God saying to me: "You see them in church but you don't know what they are doing at home; and if their only hearers and not doers of the word then we are only deceiving ourselves.
Ortheia: Many believe that this economic pandemic is only for the layperson and not the believer. What do you say to that?
Rose: The Bible says: "That He reigns on the just and the un-just"; so whatever is happening, it impacts believers and unbelievers. To the believers this is time that should give us hope to be the light that is needed in this dark hour. If you have the hope and confidence that something good can happen even in this terrible time; then it can, and that's what as believers we have to hold on to.
Ortheia: In your Book "God's Way of Possessing Prosperity" you talk about the Market began a down turn in the year 2000 when many lost life savings due to market and corporate scandals. How and where do we start investing our dollars?"
Rose: In the year 2000 I took my money out of the market and invested in something people would say "Oh that's so crazy"; but I invested in work of the Lord. Now, I know that sounds spiritual but my putting it into the Lords work gave me such a great return that money can't buy. Money can't buy children who are God fearing (respectful). I would say to people in general now is not the time to throw money into the market; you should do things that are more conservative. Many have put their savings into certificates of deposit account where you lock in a certain dollar amount for a certain time and get a certain guaranteed rate of return; or regular savings account and money market account; and use these for a short term of time until you see what the market is doing. Some people are projecting in the next six months or so we may see a turn around in the market. Yet, I say to big investors and also to little investors, you should give a percentage of your income that's available to the work of the Lord and you should put a percentage away for savings. There are different types of financial investment vehicles using $100 to $100,000.
Ortheia: Your book talks about learning to respect money.
Rose: I think people confuse the importance of money and tend to love or idolize money and put it above everything. But money is a powerful tool and definitely yes you do have to respect what money can do; it's a medium of exchange. I know once you and I were collecting some monies and notice how some people ball up their money and have their money situated any kind of way in their purses and wallets. The scripture talks about "When you give a fool money, it makes them more foolish," so you have to respect the power of money simply because of what it can do to an individual. The scripture talks about "wealth gotten by vanity shall soon disappear." A lot of times when it's easy come, it's easy gone; people don't understand how to preserve or make the money grow.
Ortheia: One of the things that is challenging to a lot of people is when they hear: "It is better to give than receive." What is your take on that?
Rose: I use this metaphor, "If your hand or fist is closed, nothing can get in your hand. The moment you open your hand, you can receive. My thing is that for people that struggle with that "Better to give than receive" when you give it is promised that it's going to be given back to you more so than you give. That's how I live my life. I grew up in a household by the same principle. My parents were huge givers and gave of themselves. Not that they had a lot of money but they were very kind and giving people. They gave whatever they had; therefore we ended up with the best of everything growing up.
Ortheia: Is it better to save or invest?
Rose: The rule of thumb is to have at least six months of your monthly expenses set aside in some kind of savings account. In the event of an emergency, you will have enough to keep going for six months until something else comes along. Keep in mind, this works if you don't have any debt. Once you have done the savings then whatever extras and surplus you have then you can start looking at investing.
I used to think investing in Real Estate was a very secure investment. But we can see that, once again, the love of money, greed, over inflating property values and problem mortgages has made investment in Real Estate is risky.
Ortheia: There's a chapter in your book that deals with becoming an entrepreneur; what is your advice.
Rose: There are still opportunities. There are a lot of businesses that are recession proof. No matter what happens we are always going to need: health care works, farmers, etc. My advice would be to establish a business that solves problems. Our life expectancy has expanded. So, I advice entrepreneurs to look at business opportunities that provide products or services that can create or deliver quality of life benefits for seniors. We have to allow God to direct us instead of just jumping into something that may not last. Also, you must have an awesome business plan to succeed.
Ortheia: One of your chapters that hits home for me is: "Your gifts are tied to your Wealth." Talk with me about that.
Rose: God says that He has given us all gifts and talents. Ortheia you discovered your gift. Your gift is your ministry through song. You have cultivated that gift and the universe has made room for you. So, each of us has some kind of God given gift. It is up to us find it and cultivate it. But let me ask you Ortheia, "Would you sing for free?"
Ortheia: Certainly, I have and will do it again and again
Rose: So, I ask people to identify that thing that they love so much that they would be willing to do it for free. When you find the answer -- more than likely, that's your gift. So, if you tap into the gift and market the gift then that can lead you to financial wealth.
Ortheia: "Where do we stand in the banking arena?"
Rose: From a personal perspective my husband I were talking about how God is not mocked and how that relates to the banking system. Over the years we know that banks charge high interest rates. On a 30 year mortgage you end up paying three times the market value for the mortgage. When God originally created the world and the monetary system, His original plan was that there would be no interest charged -- period -- when you get a loan. I know that some will say that is the Old Testament. But fast forward that thought and here we are in modern society and I believe that the financial system and banks are getting back what they have sown in terms of excessive interest charges and so on. The system has eroded because of greed. In terms of will it correct itself; I don't think that it will ever be the way it was before. I believe that as you see the shrinking and selling of banks and continued failure of banks it is the result of the spiritual law "You reap what you sow". It sounds really harsh and it sounds doom and gloom but I am not the one that created that law; that's God's law. In Chapter One of the book it really address greed and reaping what you sow God has set up principles and laws for us to follow and when we don't follow them, God has listed what will happen. God puts life and death in front of you; choose life
Ortheia: In this hour of economic challenge it reminds me of years ago how African Americans families had to move in with each other, feed each other and support each other. I remember as a little girl my parents taking a little and making much, which many in the last 30-40 years have not had to do, so in many instances it is a more challenging hour for some.
Rose: We as a people have already had tuff times and may still have some coming but for those of us that can see the promises and prophecies of God being fulfilled; these are exciting and victorious times. These times let's us know that God is in charge.
Ortheia: Thank you Rose for this interview; are there any last words for our readers?
Rose: In all things honor, acknowledge and trust God to navigate you through the storms of life
To purchase "God's Way to Possessing Wealth" by the Rev. Rose Grant cut and paste this link:
http://www.rosegrantministries.com/modules... or e-mail her at: RoseGrant1@aol.com
For speaking engagements: (313) 622-4219 or fax (313) 387-4712
Posted By: The SISTAHS Ministry
Monday, January 5th 2009 at 10:12AM
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