Principles of Biblical

Entrepreneurship:
Lessons from Matthew
6:33

Principles of Biblical Entrepreneurship: Lessons

from Matthew 6:33
Entrepreneurship is a tough assignment. There are many challenges
that business owners face daily. Through our “Principles of Biblical
Entrepreneurship” letters, I hope that you are encouraged to find
God’s peace as He walks alongside you throughout the process.
Today we are going to be looking at some principles of Biblical
entrepreneurship straight from the Scriptures. This simple analysis
of one passage in the Bible will help you to set your heart on the
right path to follow Christ throughout the endeavor of Biblical
entrepreneurship.
Seek First the Kingdom!
In Matthew chapter six, Jesus actually lays out a few solid principles
for Biblical entrepreneurship, but the specific Scripture we will be
examining today is this one:
“But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all
these things shall be added to you.” (Matthew 6:33).
We’re going to walk through this passage piece by piece and break
it down for more entrepreneurial application.
Prioritize: “But seek first…”
First, we examine again an element from last week: worship. When
Jesus says, “seek first”, what He is saying is, “make this your
priority”. So, the first of our principles of Biblical entrepreneurship is
this: prioritize. God is the source of all that you can do &
accomplish in business. God is the one who will have His will
accomplished in the end. So, your best bet for success is to
cooperate with Him. Seems logical, right? Why not take what God
has given you and return it back to Him in greater measure? Oh, we
could totally put a handful of Scriptures onto that question, but we
will keep to Matthew 6 for now.
According to this Scripture, when we put our pursuit of God first, i.e.,
worship, everything else just kind of falls into place. That doesn’t
mean that we get to take our hands off the business after we open
the doors, but it does mean that when we run our daily lives &
business operations under the anointing that comes from following
the will of God, our steps will be ordered & blessed by the Lord
(Psalm 37:23). Who wouldn’t want that for their business?
There will come a time in your journey as a Biblical entrepreneur
that you will have the opportunity to accept or decline some ungodly
propositions, whether in business or in your personal life. But just
imagine if you got to model what Christlike character was in a world
where there was a severe lack of it, and then God rewarded you for
it. That’s pretty neat, chief.

Integrity: “…the kingdom of God…”

The second of our principles of Biblical entrepreneurship according
to this passage is this: integrity. Simple, right? One would think.
Yet, there are many businesses out there that tend to lean towards
some more distasteful ways of procuring profit.
One of my favorite Theology professors shared with me that when
we read “kingdom of God” in the Bible, we think “justice”. The
kingdom of God is a new system of government; it is a new ruling
authority that is put in place over the world. Things are now to run
according to this active kingdom government since Jesus came
incarnate.

When you think “integrity”, think “operating in justice”. Think godly

business deals, proper partnership, or allegiances. Think taking time
to stay with your spouse & your kids. Think fair wages,
mental/emotional health for your staff, fair production practices, and
not walking all over anyone else in the name of unholy success. Of
course, that doesn’t mean just “roll over & die” when your
competition comes along, but it means that just because someone
else is doing something immoral to give themselves a competitive
edge in the market doesn’t mean that you need to do the same.
We’re called to be different – to lead different.
Holiness: “… and His righteousness…”
According to Noah Webster’s 1828 dictionary, “righteousness”,
when applied to God, is “the perfection or holiness of His nature”.
While that’s not exactly something we can mimic with perfection in
& of ourselves, the third slice of our Biblical entrepreneurship pie is
just that: holiness. That can be tough to chew on in a world that
constantly stuffs your face with sexed-up ads and debatably moral
business decisions, but it’s something that God calls each of us to,
and Biblical entrepreneurship no exception.
Peter writes in his first epistle,
“… but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your
conduct, since it is written, ‘You shall be holy, for I am holy.’” (1
Peter 1:15-16).
You’re saying be holy in ALL my conduct? Man, come on. Some days
I’m barely saved!
Our conduct ought to reveal what kind of God we worship. Am I
right? That means our behavior should be a representation of Christ,
so all our actions reflect Him. We operate in a spiritual system that
puts responsibility in our hands, not one that takes our hands off.
Without getting too deep into the holiness matter (because we could
be here all day discussing the implications of “be ye holy”), when we
talk holiness, we’re talking about true purity in our conduct, our
words, and our actions. For example, we don’t speak poorly of
others, we don’t gossip, and we don’t verbally attack others just
because we may not get along with them. That’s part of being holy.
Holiness is not just an attitude, it’s a practice of life. It’s not just an
established fact in our spiritual walk, but it is a constantly
walked out way to live. We are to “keep ourselves unstained from
the world” as James writes in his epistle. That isn’t just an old school
Pentecostal expression for saying we must get ourselves removed
from the world, but it’s a way to express that we don’t conform to
the ungodly patters we see around us (Romans 12:2). We let
ourselves be transformed by a passion for loving Christ, and our
behavior follows that. Holiness is an attitude, but it is also a way to
live life. Speak holy, think holy, and be holy. Because God is holy.

I Like the Stuff: “… and all these things shall be

added to you.”
Finally, ending our miniature dive into Matthew 6:33, we will close
with every western Bible reader’s favorite part of this verse: “and all
these things shall be added to you”. Ahh, yes. Stuff. We love our
stuff. And that truly is the final closing part of our short list of
principles of Biblical entrepreneurship: the stuff. In the context of
this verse, Jesus had just finished a small dissertation on how well
God knows all of our needs (Matthew 6:32). He reminded us how
well God takes care of the things that are seemingly “less
important” than us, like the lilies and the sparrows. The conclusion
of this verse, “and all these things shall be added to you”, is an
exhortation to us that speaks of the benefits of keeping our heads
up and seeking God’s righteousness. We need to be keeping in step
with the Holy Spirit daily; and without our attention being tuned into
His guidance, there is no way we will get anywhere, and there will
be no “stuff” at the end of the rainbow.
These “things” that Jesus refers to are some of our basic needs; He
mentions clothes & food specifically. Jesus reminds us not to be
anxious about how we are going to provide for ourselves and our
families because God knows how to do that, and He is both willing &
able to do it above & beyond what we may ask (Ephesians 3:20).
This is really the resting point. Take solace in knowing that the God
of the universe has got you. He says, “you do your thing, and I’ll do
mine.” Your thing is seeking God and operating a Christlike business
– His thing is working out the rest.

Conclusion
 Here is our official list of Principles of Biblical Entrepreneurship from
Matthew 6:33:
1. Prioritize
2. Operate with Integrity
3. Be Ye Holy
4. Get the Stuff

Ten Principles to Help you Become a Millionaire.

Ten Commandments for Potential Millionaires

Commandment 1: Though Shall not Have Negative

Thoughts
This is because what you think is what you will become.
What you think is what happens to you. As the man thinketh so
is he, says the Bible.
The thoughts you think creates atmosphere around you.
So think only positive thoughts.
Think solutions instead of problems. Think possibilities instead
of impossibilities.
Until you change your thought life, your physical situation will
not change. Thoughts have life

Commandment 2: Though Shall not doubt God or Thyself.

When you see a pot, you know it was made by a potter. In like
manner, when you look at the earth, you know it was created by
a loving creator. Belive in God that he loves you and he cares
for you. That he has good plans for you, he says in Jeremiah
29:11 “I know the plans I have towards you. Plans of good and
not of evil.
Believe in yourself and God’s given abilities that you can make
it, that you you have what it takes to succeed. That since you
were created in the image of the infallible God, you have the
genes of God in you, the genes of success, of greatness of
accomplishment. Believe in God that even unfavorable
circumstances will turn out in your favour.

Commandment 3: Though Shall not have wrong opinion

about Money.
Bible says money is a diffence, ecclesias 7:12. It says also that
money answers it all things, that poverty is what destroys the
poor. God says that he wishes above all things that you prosper
even as your soul prospers. 3rd John Verse 2.
It takes money to accomplish anything worthwhile in life.
Money is not the root of evil as some people have foolishly
quoted, however the love of it may lead to evil. Money is not
sinful but your attitude can make it sinful for you.
Learn to control money and never let money control you. Our
God, the creator of heaven and earth is rich. The streets of
heaven according to the bible are made of Gold. All those who
follow God and operated in his divine were wealthy, Abraham
was rich and influential, so was Isaac, Jacob, Job, Joseph, David,
Solomon and so on. Every good and perfect gift come from God
but you must mind you attitude lest you make money your God
and God your enemy. Live the life of integrity so that you can
cultivate the respect of other people.

Commandment 4: Though Shall not speak negative things.

You must not say negative things about yourself, your children,
your business or about others. Avoid all negative utterances.
God spoke the word and everthing in it into existence. In the
face of darkness God said let there be light and there was light.
What God said God saw. You were created in the image of God.
There is power in your tongue, so what you say, you will see.
When we speak certain spiritual agents we cannot see with our
physical eyes are standing-by to carry out our instructions
whether they are negative or positive. This is why the Bible says
death and life are in the power of the tongue, Proverbs 18 : 21.
The Bibles also says let the weak say I am strong. God told the
children of Israel in Numbers 14:28, “As you have spocken in
my ears, So will I do to you. Your words are as important,
sometimes more important than your actions. Even where the
situation looks negative, confess positive, and do so until the
situation changes. By all means avoid murmuring, complaining
and cursing. Don’t emphasize the negative but rather professy
the positive.

Commandment 5: Though Shall not live a Visionless Life.

Vision talks about divine plans for your life that unfolds
gradually step by step, stage by stage as you follow divine
direction.
People without a vision are people without a future. People
without a vision will live in confusion. You must see a bright
future for yourself. This entails looking beyond present visible
tangible realities and visualizing what the creator is about to
perform in your life, in the near future. Always visualize good
health instead of death, wealth instead od debt, boom instead of
doom, achievement instead of bereavement. Your vision is what
sets you apart. Where there is no vision people perish.

Commandment 6: Shall not be Lazy.

He, becomes poor that deals with a slacker, says the Bible, but
the hand of the diligent makes rich. Laziness attracts poverty
just like magnet attracts metal. When your hands are lazy
poverty becomes your heritage. Labor is pathway to increase.
Avoid living a lazy uninspired life and becareful to what I call
busyness. That is getting busy witout achieving any worthwhile
results.
Someone says it is not working hard ut working smart that
guarantees wealth. Be result oriented. Be Goal’s driven. Avoid
goalless, aimless activity that never brings any good return.
Remember what the Bible says, “The labor of the foolish
wheelets everyone of them for he knows not how to go to the
city.”
There is mental laziness as well avoid these by all means. Cease
opprotunities as they come, for someone said, opportinities
multiply when they are ceased but die as they are neglected.
Learn to take risks and never allow fear to debar your progress.

Commandment 7: Though Shall avoid wrong association.

He that walks with the wise shall be wise but the companion of
fools shall be destroyed says the Bible. Light attracts light just
like magnet attracts metal. If you want to be a success then
move with successful people. Study the life of the successful
people, read books by the successful and listen to the tapes by
the successful. Bishop Oyedepo said ‘”If you do what I do, you
will get what I get,” Someone said if we are able to see further,
it is by standing on the shoulders of those who are ahead of us.
A man sitting on the shoulder of a giant will see further than the
giant himself. By all means avoid wrong association. The Bible
says evil communication corrupts good manners, that is wrong
association will pull you down. You become like the people you
associate with because man is a gregarious being, that is man
likes to move with people who behaves like himself. Matthew
Asmolowo said there is anointing in association. If you move
with a thief, you will become a thief, and if you move with a
lazy you will become lazy. If you love the company of the rich
and successful you will receive the unction for success and you
will prosper in life. Remember what the Bible says, Iron
sharpens Iron so a man sharpens the containers of his friends,
prov27:17.
Commandment 8: Though shall not live Above your means.
Avoid living a life of pretense or bossy. Live within your means
and you will not need to borrow, kill or steal for money just to
impress others. The spendthrift is always in want, so cult your
gold according to your cloth. Like David Oyedepo said, life is in
phases and men are in sizes. Live your size per time if you will
be successful in life.

Commandment 9: Though Shall not Spend Carelessly.

The way a man spends the money that comes to him will tell
you more than everything where he will end in life. When the
prodigal son started spending carelessly, we knew he will not
end well. Eventually his good weather friends neglected him and
he became poor and friendless. If you live the life of a
spendthrift you will always be in want and in lack. The rich are
those who save what they make and invest for future returns but
the poor man’s bank is his stomach. Some people have built
houses in their stomach, they have bought cars in their stomach.

Commandment 10: Though Shall not Quit

Hose who fail in life are often those who give up at the slightest
sign of difficult. Those who always win are those who never
quit. And those who quit are those people who will never win.
Never quit until you win for you will win. Remember you were
born to win.
Do not put a faith in man because man is imperfect by nature
and will fail you. And if you put your faith in him he is bound to
disappoint you. Have faith in God because God ever fails. Faith,
that absolute trust in God and what his word has revealed in the
Bible is a master key to a life of victory and success. The writer
of Hebrews says that faith is the substance of things we hope
for, the evidence of things we do not see. Your faith will keep
you in touch with the supernatural and open up the way to
unbounded and limitless power.