All posts by frank andres

TrafficMate Product Review

Without traffic to your website, you have no online business. In other words, you have a store but no customers! No wonder traffic is considered the lifeblood of your websites. However, the price of converting website traffic into sales is more vital than just quantity. The quality of your website traffic matters too. Let’s face it, no one wants a bunch of looky-loos inside their stores who aren’t going to buy something.

You need to produce quality traffic to your websites. Introducing TrafficMate!

trafficmate

Nowadays, you can discover plenty of tools that help you to get even more traffic, but most of them include a low conversion rate.

Luckily Mike Mckay has actually released a brand-new tool that provides you with 3 superior ways to get more top-quality website traffic. It is called TrafficMate.

What Is TrafficMate?

TrafficMate is an amazing new SEO/Traffic app that delivers viral traffic via social traffic / SEO traffic + article content generator! This powerful cloud-based tool provides you with three distinct ways to generate traffic for your website. To be more specific, the tool allows you to create backlinks, make unique content, and find the keyword in any niche. Therefore, the SEO optimization process for your sites would be much more simple and more effective. On top of that, the tool is newbie-friendly, so you can easily use it without any special technical skills.

3 Way Traffic

Social Media Traffic Generation

This feature of built-in-one-click social media traffic generation also allows you to leverage some top social sites for driving amounts of free traffic into your website. TrafficMate will generate quality traffic for you through social media sites that can easily be converted into sales.

Content Creation

You do not need to spend hours creating content unless you want to. TrafficMate provides some great features to create unique video, text, and image content in seconds. It also allows you to post your content on WordPress sites quickly.

Backlink Creation

TrafficMate also helps you to build effective backlink campaigns that improve your site’s ranking on Google. In short, TrafficMate will give you the ability to convert your traffic into sales, thus enhancing the profits of your sites with the least amount of effort.

Your Bonuses When You Purchase Through My Link Below

Bonus

bonus

CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE TRAFFICMATE NOW!

You can watch a quick demo video on how TrafficMate works below.



 

Aweber Review and Video

Introduction

There’s absolutely no denying the fact that if you wish to be highly profitable online, you MUST build an email list. Selling to warm leads and existing customers is far easier than trying to convert cold visitors (prospects).
This is why you see marketers constantly parroting the quote, “The money is in the list!”
That’s definitely true. However, let’s not forget a crucial component in all of this. The money may be in the list – but where you keep the list matters greatly too.

The best way to build your list will be to use a reputable autoresponder. Since this is a very profitable online business model, there are many large companies offering email marketing services.

So which will you choose?
They’re all not made equal. Some are infinitely better than others. So you have to pick an autoresponder carefully.

Do NOT do this!
Avoid using self-hosted autoresponders! They’re usually created by ‘smaller’ marketers and lack the features and automation that the managed services provide.
Very often, the self-hosted autoresponders only have one thing going for them – a low one-time fee. But you always get what you pay for. If you have deliverability issues, etc. you’ll have to sort them out yourself.
Not to mention, most self-hosted autoresponders do not have as many integrations and customization features as the ‘big guns’. So it’s best to pick a managed solution even if it means forking out a monthly or yearly fee.
Mention autoresponders and you’ll always see a few big names being mentioned.
Very often, the name AWeber will make an appearance and you’ll see marketers raving about it. But does it live up to the hype?
Let’s look at the pros and cons of AWeber…

The Pros
* Stable
If autoresponders were animals, AWeber would be a dinosaur. It’s probably the oldest autoresponder of the lot and was around when online marketing began.
That probably attests to the fact as to why it’s still popular even though it’s nowhere as sleek or user-friendly as the latest email marketing software such as ConvertKit or Active Campaign.
Nevertheless, AWeber is still a goliath in this email marketing scene and is a solid, proven, and trusted autoresponder.

* Affordable
Marketers on a tighter budget will be able to afford AWeber which costs less than $20 a month, unlike other more expensive solutions.

* Wide selection of forms and email templates
You have a lot of flexibility when it comes to creating forms and emails with AWeber. There are more than 700 email templates to choose with the usual customization options.

* Free up to 500 subscribers
You can sign up for AWeber for free and test it out up to a limit of 500 subscribers. That’s an excellent way for you to get a feel for the software. You may wish to try out the free trials at other autoresponder companies too. This will allow you to get a better idea of which one is suitable for you.

* Has most of the features you’ll need
For quite a long time, AWeber was lagging behind in some of the more recent features that its competitors were offering such as tagging, etc.
However, AWeber seems to have caught up, and are they’re trying to be competitive now rather than relying on old customer habits to stay with them. Automations, tagging, segmenting, split testing, etc. are all available in AWeber now.

* Generally easy to use
The AWeber interface is clean and relatively uncomplicated. While it does seem clunkier than GetResponse and ConvertKit, once you’re familiar with the layout, you’ll be able to use AWeber easily. It’s a lot less complicated than Infusionsoft or Mailchimp.

* Detailed reporting and analytics
This is one area where AWeber truly shines. They even have an app that you can download to analyze your stats. Wow! This dinosaur is really picking up the pace here.
We’re not going into the specific tracking features. Just know that it’s detailed enough to track sales, subscriber actions, and so on.

* Integrates like a beast!
Since it has been in the business for so long, AWeber integrates with hundreds of third-party solutions ranging from PayPal to Zapier. You can see the list on the official website.
Generally, if you have a tool that doesn’t integrate with other autoresponders, you’ll want to check if it works with AWeber. In most cases, it just might.

* Can use Canva
This is something interesting that we didn’t see with the other autoresponders. You can actually use Canva within your AWeber interface to create images and so on. This is brilliant. Good ol’ T-Rex AWeber is definitely beautifying its emails.

* Good support
Just like all the popular autoresponder companies, AWeber has great 24/7 prompt customer support too.

* Account migration
If you’re with another autoresponder and would like to move your lists, tags, subscribers, etc. – all you need to do is fill out a form and AWeber will move your lists and stuff for you. Easy peasy!

* Knowledgebase and tutorials
Don’t panic. If you have no idea how to use AWeber, they have tons of articles and video tutorials to guide you. You’ll have no problem figuring out this platform.

* Good deliverability rate
Despite being on the scene for so long, AWeber still manages to get its members’ emails into the subscribers’ inboxes without fail (for the most part). The litmus test of any autoresponder is its deliverability rate – and Aweber does a good job here.

The Cons
Despite the fact that AWeber has done a lot to catch up with the newer autoresponders, its interface still needs a better look.
It also charges users for subscribers who are on the subscribed and unsubscribed lists. This isn’t really fair, and while the onus is on the user to delete their ‘unsubs’, it’s still a hassle and AWeber has been in the business long enough to have created a solution for this.

Should You Get It?
We recommend signing up for the free trial and testing it out for yourself… and also trying out the other popular autoresponders.
This is a very competitive industry and most autoresponders have similar features with some focusing on a few strengths. However, what really matters is that you like using the tool and feel at ease with it.
While some people swear by AWeber, many have switched to GetResponse or Mailchimp because they felt it was a better solution for them.
You need to see if AWeber is suitable for you. So give it a try and decide for yourself. As far as autoresponders go, AWeber is just as strong a contender as any.

>> Click Here To Get AWeber

Aweber

 

Free Copywriting Checklist

FREE Report! Download the 100K Copywriting Formula and Checklist (start selling anything you like online)

Whenever I coach newbies online, one of the first things I get them to do is start putting together good offers, write sales pages and work on their copywriting. Why?… Because if you can’t convince people to click on your ad, click on an affiliate link, refer a friend, sign up to a mailing list, or place an order then you will not make any money online.

Whilst traffic, web design, graphics, and other elements play an important role, copywriting is what gets your visitors to take action. Afterall,
there’s no point getting traffic if your site doesn’t convert.

This is why today’s newsletter is solely focused on writing not good, but GREAT sales copy.

Inside the free report below you’ll discover…

* What is Copywriting & Why Is It So Important?
* The Basics of Copywriting
* Focusing On Your Target Market
* Creating A USP Unique Selling Prosition
* Selling The Features
* Selling The Benefits To Sell The Features
* Summarizing Ideas With Bullets
* Capture The Visitor With Headlines
* Getting Visitors To Read With Subheadlines
* Social Proofing With Testimonials
* Making The Sale With A Call To Action
* Creating An Irresistible Offer

* Tips for Writing Great Copy
* Speak to Your Audience
* Avoid Excessive Adjectives
* Be Specific
* Don’t Worry So Much about Grammar
* Keep it Simple
* Keep Layouts Simple
* Be Succinct & Edit
* Sense of Urgency – Get Them to Buy Now
* Close the Deal – Call-to-Action
* Putting it All Together

You can download 100K CopywritingFormula directly from the link below along with other cool freebies: https://affiliatenews.org/your-digital-grab-bag

To Your Success!
Terry – Your Online Teacher.

P.S. Want to start producing content really fast and easy? You can check out the demo video on the grab bag download page.

5 Step List Building Process

Fail-proof methods that work…

Here’s a question for you… Are you ‘storing’ your traffic?

Why work so hard to promote a website only to have a fraction of them actually buy anything?

It can take as much as 100 people to see your website before anyone buys your offer… and that’s on the optimistic side.

This is why list building is SO important and why ‘storing’ your traffic is crucial to your long-term success.

So today we’ll look into 5 fail-proof ways you can use to get traffic to your squeeze page in order to build your list.

Download the free report from the link below:
https://affiliatenews.org/5-steps-to-list-building-download

Enjoy!

 

When Conscience and Conduct Collide

It’s tricky learning how to maneuver doing business through worldly wisdom when your objective is to “Do God’s Will”. Here’s an example of what I mean. The following is a message taken from Joel Olsteen’s website:
 
“Redeem The Time”: You’re a person of destiny. God is counting on you to make a difference in this world and fulfill your purpose. With this gift of life comes a responsibility to develop your talents, pursue your dreams, and become what God has created you to be. Ephesians 5:15-17 says, “Make the most of every opportunity. Don’t be vague and thoughtless, but live accurately and purposefully.” Let this message teach you how to reach your highest potential and grow in excellence. Get ready to reevaluate and refocus your life so you can run every step with purpose!
 
At first, the message above seems positive and innocent enough, until I actually looked up the Bible Verse Ephesians 5:15-17. 15 Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.
 
I’m not sure which translation Joel’s using, but here’s a link to some popular translations that I’ve found for Ephesians 5:15-17
 
As far as I know, “the will of the Lord” is NOT to “fulfill your purpose” as Joel tries to tell us, we are commissioned to fulfill God’s purpose, not our own. So, why am I bothering to tell you this as an online marketer? Simple, I have a conscience!
 
Contrary to popular belief, my objective as an affiliate marketer is not just to have you click on one of my links and buy stuff. I know it’s hard to believe, but I’m not just in it for the money.
 
Romans 12:2 – And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
 
Spirit Versus Flesh
 
I’ll admit it, I’m a terrible online marketer, I really missed my calling as an evangelist, only my flesh got in the way😁  Romans 7:15“For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do.”
 
 
There are really only 3 choices of which you can do when you’re at war with yourself and they are:
 
1) Self Improvement – Try to force conscience to control conduct by sheer willpower (this is what the world teaches us).
2) Self Indulgence – Try to drown out your conscience through lawlessness (your sinful conduct no longer bothers you).
3) Spirit Indwelling – Trust God’s grace in Christ to forgive you and depend on the Spirit’s power to battle your fleshly desires.
 
Secular Marketing and Spiritual Marketing
 
The first two choices above (Secular Marketing) is all about the self and unfortunately, it’s just the way most of us are taught living in the world. 2 Timothy 3:2 – People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy.
 
Christians can be infected by secular worldviews not only in our beliefs but also in our marketing practices, and I’ll be the first one to admit my own shortcomings as a “Christian entrepreneur”.
 
In “Secular Marketing” anything can be marketed as “Christian” in order to target that particular audience. And, indeed that was my line of thinking when I first started online in picking a niche. I had good intentions but sadly it was very tainted and self-serving.
 
The third choice, also known as “Spiritual Marketing” actually helps to fulfill God’s command found in Matthew 28:19-20 “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” 
 
Meet People Where They Are At
 
Technology has made the world smaller, which makes the internet the perfect place to reach people with the message of Jesus Christ!  Jesus went to where He knew there would be a person in need.
 
As both a Christian and an online marketer I know God wants to use me to fulfill His purpose. This is where the hard part comes in, I need to let Him by dying to my flesh. And because of the indwelling Holy Spirit, I don’t have to face that challenge alone.
 
2 Corinthians 5:17 – Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!
 

Your Spirituality Should Be The Foundation of Your Life

I tackle extremely few obstacles without initially consulting my spiritual compass. Having that center of reason and also understanding provides me the confidence needed to make the difficult decisions in my life.

As scary as it is to trust in our spiritual guide (which would be the Holy Spirit if you’re a Christian) at times, it helps to strengthen our relationship with God too when we do.

A big part of my spirituality is connected to the biblical values that I live by. This guides me unfailingly, so I depend on them as my compass in telling me the direction I must take.

spirituality

Whenever I choose to follow the source of my direction, I am comforted. Even feelings of sadness drift away as I know that my choice comes from a positive place with positive intention. Before beginning each day, I show my gratitude and asking the Holy Spirit to lead me and guide me. Connecting with my spiritual center energizes me and gives me hope.

Even the hardest situations become manageable because I know that I am led by the power of the Holy Spirit. I trust in its ability to protect me when I am in danger. It uplifts me when I am down. I am truly thankful for my spiritual foundation and guide.

Today, it is a blessing to be a follower in something a lot more powerful than my humankind. I notice my spiritual support at work in my life, so I am courageous. I can get over any obstacle as a result of my dependence on God and the Holy Spirit as the spiritual guide He has for me.

Self-Reflection Questions:

1. Just how does my spirituality show itself in difficult work situations?
2.What are some of the most important values that I aim to live by?
3. What component does spiritual awareness play in my end-of-day reflection?

 

 

Phonics and Reading for Toddlers

What is Phonics?

Before we can discuss why it is important for toddlers to learn about phonics, we need to learn what exactly phonics is. Phonics is understanding that audios and also letters have a collaboration; also known as it is the link in between what we say as well as what we can read and create. Phonics is the initial strategy that young readers will certainly need to sound out words.

In preschool or nursery school, children start to develop their paying attention abilities so that they can listen to the different sounds that words make, laying the structure to discover the names of things and how they sound.

The next phase occurs in primary school, where kids find out the letters of the alphabet in an established order, and the sound of each letter. As soon as they learn this, kids can start to sound out and read simple, basic words.

For example, kids find out that the letter C has the sound of a “c” as in “cat” and also will then discover how to blend the following letters and their sounds, as in “c-a-t”, to articulate the word.

As the saying goes, practice makes perfect. After working with short and simple words and sounds, your kids’ confidence will grow. They’ll soon be able to make the connection of letter sounds to more complex words.  They’ll actually gain a love for reading without them even realizing it. Below is a list of “buzzwords” to help you on your way to teach your little ones to read.

Phonics: using the sound made by a letter and groups of letters to read words.

Decoding: using the knowledge of phonics to sound out and read words.

Grapheme: a written single letter or group of letters, like “s”, “a”, or “she”.

Diagraph: two letters that make one sound together, for example, “sh”.

Phoneme: the sound a letter or group of letters makes. An example is the word “mat”, which has 3 phonemes, “m”, “a”, and “t”.

Sounding Out: using your phonic knowledge to help you say the sounds within a word; e.g., “r-e-d”, pronouncing each phoneme.

Blending: reading the sounds in the word altogether to read the whole word; e.g., “r-e-d, red” or “m-o-m, mom”.

High-Frequency Words: also known as “common exception words”, we use these common words often but aren’t always decodable using phonics. Examples of high-frequency words are, “the”, “one”, and “where”; children are taught to recognize these words on sight.

In school, teachers give their children plenty of time and practice when working with phonics. Working with phonics in the classroom, children will read short, easy books, containing a particular letter sound or words they are working on, allowing them to build knowledge and confidence towards learning phonics.

As parents, however, it can be a bit of a challenge trying to work out the best ways to support your kids in their early stages of learning to read, especially since teaching methods are always changing, and are sure to have changed since we were in school!

Learning with phonics does not have to be within the confines of a classroom. As a teacher, I have come up with several ways to work on phonics with your child from the comfort of your own home. Some of those ways are:

  • Form a partnership with the teacher- Ask your child’s teacher how you can highlight reading and phonics inside the home and feel free to express any concerns you may have.
  • Listen to your child read- If you notice when reading with your child that they stumble on a word, encourage them to use phonics to sound it out. If they are still unsure after sounding the word out, don’t be discouraged, provide the word and some encouragement to your child to get the next one right!
  • Boost comprehension- When reading with your child, take breaks from the story to ask questions like, “What do you think will happen next?” or “Can you make up a different ending to the story?”
  • Reread familiar books- If you notice your child wants to reread their favorite book, that’s okay! In fact, it’s beneficial as it shows a desire to read, builds fluency, and builds confidence in your child as they can demonstrate reading on their own with little to no assistance.
  • Read aloud- When choosing a book to read, choose a book that excites your child and their interests, and if you can, use different voices for each character!
  • Spread the joy of reading- Keeping plenty of books and/or magazines around the home will show your child how valuable reading is while cultivating a lifelong love of reading.

Once your child has learned to read words with the most common letter-sound combinations, they will move on to learn other, harder combinations. With daily practice, your child will be well on their way to reading pretty much any familiar word in the English language!

Teaching children is not a simple task, and if after reading these steps you’re left feeling a little overwhelmed, no need to worry, I have a solution for that too! Click the link below to see how Sarah Shepard, a fellow teacher who has taught over 35,000 children (and counting) how to read with her home program called Reading Head Start!

10 Habits of Successful Online Marketers

What Are Habits?

Habits are behaviors we perform daily and with little or no thought to the process. It’s almost as if some of our daily habits are done automatically. We often classify habits as either being good or bad. There are also everyday habits that allow us to carry out essential activities, most of us have, that are simply our routines or what we do every day.

Everyone has habits. From what time we go to sleep or wake up in the morning, to what time we eat our meals or even tie our shoes – these are all actions we perform daily without even thinking about them. Good habits are categorized as behaviors that benefit our lives. Eating right, getting enough sleep, being financially responsible, and staying active daily are some habits that are generally considered good.

Alternatively, bad habits are behaviors that don’t enrich our lives or no longer work for us. Some examples of bad habits are fingernail biting, the overindulgence of food or alcohol, and drug use. These are learned behaviors that don’t benefit our lives. Then, there are daily routines that become habits too. Like the coffee, you always buy from the same coffee shop on the way to work, or what time your body wakes up naturally every day, or even the way you put your clothes on in the morning.

There are several reasons why we use habits and why they are important. We use habits to make our lives easier. For instance, think about the simple task of brushing your teeth. You don’t have to concentrate on how to brush your teeth every day; you just do it out of habit.

 

So What Are The Best Habits of Successful Online Marketers? Here Are The Top 10

1. Create a plan – An ancient philosopher said: “When a man doesn’t know what harbor he is making for, no wind is the right wind.” Any successful online marketer needs to be organized, know his budget, know the next goal, and what the next job is. Planning is one of the most important habits to be successful in online marketing.

2. Take action Successful marketers learn and then put that learning into action.

3. Don’t fall for the hype – Successful marketers are realistic; they don’t fall for the overhyped pipe dreams of overnight riches. They work hard to set realistic goals using genuine and effective marketing methods.

4. Not afraid to work and be self-motivated – Success online comes from learning, work, and action, and successful marketers are not afraid of that work. They are self-motivated, and self-starters who are dedicated to the work and learning process needed to succeed.

5. Take risks – Risk-taking is an essential aspect of online marketing, it takes faith, dedication, and guts to delve in and risk failure in order to find success.

6. Staying organized – Another essential skill when working for yourself and from home is to be highly organized, which includes setting goals and outlining the necessary tasks to achieve them.

7. Discipline – Discipline is essential when working for yourself and running a home business. Successful marketers do not let at-home distractions, such as the phone, family, television, or any others divert their focus from putting in the work and hours needed to succeed online.

8. Commitment and dedication – Commitment manifests itself in not only sticking with and being dedicated to the business plan but in knowing and believing that nothing will get in the way of success. While the route may change along the way, the commitment and dedication towards that end goal of success always remain the anchors.

9. Passionate about the business – Successful marketers are very passionate about their business, making it a priority in their life and something they simply love to do.

10. Belief in oneself – Successful marketers believe in themselves and their ability to succeed as much as the business.

Eliminate These 3 Time ⌛ Suckers 🍭🍭

Here are 3 “time suckers” to avoid so I can enjoy more of what you love.

 

#1 Unnecessary Interruptions

Most people are not able to switch quickly from task to task, yet interruptions are common problems we encounter when trying to improve our productivity.
Remember, multitasking is counter-productive, so remove all the distractions/disruptions from your day. Create and stick to a schedule for each thing that you need to do.
Ensure that you inform those around you not to interrupt you during specific times of the day or if you have to, put up a “do not disturb” sign. Believe it or not, they do work but only if you enforce it.

 

#2 Lack of Planning

When you don’t plan something out, you are just winging it. That’s never good (according to the wife😁). When you sit down and write out a plan, it gives you an opportunity to test the waters and to anticipate roadblocks, bottlenecks, and other issues that cause time management issues throughout your day.
Every day you should save some time from your day to engage in short-term, medium-term, and long-term planning. Whether it’s losing weight, getting your home organized, or starting and running a business, plans made with SMART goals will always perform better than going by the seat of your pants.

 

#3 Thinking You Have to Do It All Yourself

It doesn’t matter who you are, but you really don’t have to do everything yourself. If you’re like me (the stay-at-home dad), raising kids, starting a business, running a business, running a household, and caretaker, there are people to help.
You can engage your spouse, your kids, other family members, or simply pay someone to do the things you don’t want to do (it’s called outsourcing 😉). Plus, believe it or not, someone else might do the task much better than you can do it.

 

Use Technology to Boost Your Productivity

As a side note, some activities may require you to invest your time upfront but the payoff, in the long run, is priceless! “Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe.” Abraham Lincoln

 

Don’t forget to use technology to boost your productivity and gain more time in your day. For example, if you automate your bill-paying or use savings and investments like Acorns, you can remove hours of work each month from your schedule.

As an affiliate marketer, I’m always on the lookout for time-saving tools for my marketing and if you haven’t heard of or used Commission Gorilla yet, I invite you to take a look.

Once you stop these time⏲️ wasters 🗑️, you’ll start seeing a massive difference in your productivity and income. The benefits will be less stress while also getting more of what’s needed to be done.

What Does The Bible Say About Time Management?

 

Time management is important because of the brevity of our lives. Our earthly sojourn is significantly shorter than we are inclined to think. As David so aptly points out, “You have made my days a mere handbreadth; the span of my years is as nothing before you. Each man’s life is but a breath” Psalm 39:4–5.

The apostle James echoes this: “You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes” James 4:14. Indeed, our time on earth is fleeting—in fact, it is infinitesimally small compared to eternity. To live as God would have us live, it is essential we make the best possible use of our allotted time (source: gotquestions.org)

Celebrate Independence Day

What Does the Bible Say about Freedom?

“Biblical freedom has a theological component which sets it apart. In the Bible, people are made free for a specific purpose: to serve God.”

It would seem like “serving God” is the last thing on our minds in today’s society. No matter who you are or what you are in life, most of us just want to be free and live life according to our own terms. And for most people, that means having financial freedom.

Being an affiliate marketer I often think about making money online and how it all fits into my personal walk with God. This brings me to the matter of Stewardship and Community.

It’s kind of ironic though, the Bible tells us that, spiritually speaking, no one is free (financially or spiritually). In Romans 6, Paul explains that we are all slaves. We are either slaves to sin or slaves to righteousness. Those who are slaves to sin cannot free themselves from it, but once we are freed from the penalty and power of sin through the cross, we become a different kind of slave, and in that slavery, we find complete peace and true freedom in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!

“If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” – Matthew 19:21.

How’s that for financial freedom?

In the Bible, the “greater good” often overrides the rights or best interest of the individual. Examples include Jesus commanding His followers to give all of their possessions to the poor and Old Testament priests sacrificing their animals on an altar. The greatest example would be God sacrificing His only Son on the cross to offer us salvation. It is clear that the Gospel is inherently sacrificial.

This relates to stewardship because when we reflect on how we can manage our resources, we often think of preserving them rather than sharing them or giving them away. But true biblical stewardship holds that Christians have a responsibility to our groups, families, communities, and humanity as a whole. We must steward, or manage our people for the collective good and lead others in an honorable direction.

Galatians 6:2 says “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way, you will fulfill the law of Christ.” In other words, love looks like a sacrifice and the way we treat others matters. As trustees of our time and talents as well as of the culture and values in the society around us, it’s a good idea to occasionally ask ourselves if we are actively seeking to carry the burdens of our brothers and sisters in Christ and to lead our fellow man in the right direction.

One way to do this is by sharing the gospel. In Matthew 28:16-20, Jesus commanded His followers to baptize all nations in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. This charge is known as the great commission, and it is one of the major responsibilities that God gave His followers. Another way is by caring about the physical plight of our fellow man, from our next-door neighbor to our brothers and sisters living in other nations with different backgrounds and beliefs. When we share our resources as biblical stewards, the focus is on serving God rather than self. Giving our money to the poor makes more sense when we realize it was not our money in the first place, we are mere stewards.

Here’s a couple of free gifts for you:
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