Practically everyday I receive junk mail trying to interest me in this or that financial investment opportunity. While wise financial investing is the smart thing to do, I've noticed that many people who plan how they'll invest their income have never considered planning how they'll invest their lives. At the end of your life how will YOU determine if your life was worthwhile? What criteria are you planning to use? How are you investing your life? What return are you expecting? You have 3 options when you consider what to do with the rest of your life:

1. You can WASTE it. There are plenty of ways to do this. Just look around. Many people do absolutely nothing with their lives. They simply exist - taking up space and using up air. They make no contribution with their lives.

2. You can SPEND it. Give yourself to a career...a hobby...an experience...travel ... etc. Again, there are many ways to spend away your life. If you are an average American, you'll spend approximately 29,962 days on this earth.

3. You can INVEST it. The Bible teaches that the best use of life is to invest it in something that will outlast it!

1. OWNERSHIP: Everything I have really belongs to God. It's just on loan to me for the 80 or so years I'm on this earth.

2. ALLOCATION: God strategically gave me certain talents and abilities at birth.

3. ACCOUNTABILITY: God expects me to use the talents He's given me. One day, I'll give an account to Him of what I did with what He gave me.

4. UTILIZATION: Using my talents to their fullest involves risk so faith is required.

5. MOTIVATION: What prevents me from developing my talents is Fear.

6. APPLICATION: If I don't USE my talents, I will LOSE them.

7. COMPENSATION: If I use my talents the way God intends, He will reward me.