Hey everybody, welcome to the podcast, I’m Nick and it’s an honor to be here with you today.
Today is September 15.
Each day, we follow a simple rhythm: Slow Down, Read, Notice, Reread, Meditate, Respond, and Exercise.
Let’s begin.

Slow Down

Jesus is here. He’s sitting in your favorite spot, waiting for you to join Him.
You may have a million things on your mind, but for these few moments, set them aside. Relax. Calm your body.
Close your eyes. Take a deep breath in, then slowly release it.
As you inhale, whisper: “Jesus, help me to be faithful.”
As you exhale, pray: “With the resources I have.”
Do this three times, then rest in His presence.

Read

He also said to the disciples, “There was a rich man who had a manager, and charges were brought to him that this man was wasting his possessions. And he called him and said to him, ‘What is this that I hear about you? Turn in the account of your management, for you can no longer be manager.’ And the manager said to himself, ‘What shall I do, since my master is taking the management away from me? I am not strong enough to dig, and I am ashamed to beg. I have decided what to do, so that when I am removed from management, people may receive me into their houses.’ So, summoning his master’s debtors one by one, he said to the first, ‘How much do you owe my master?’ He said, ‘A hundred measures of oil.’ He said to him, ‘Take your bill, and sit down quickly and write fifty.’ Then he said to another, ‘And how much do you owe?’ He said, ‘A hundred measures of wheat.’ He said to him, ‘Take your bill, and write eighty.’ The master commended the dishonest manager for his shrewdness. For the sons of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own generation than the sons of light. And I tell you, make friends for yourselves by means of unrighteous wealth, so that when it fails they may receive you into the eternal dwellings. “One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much. If then you have not been faithful in the unrighteous wealth, who will entrust to you the true riches? And if you have not been faithful in that which is another’s, who will give you that which is your own? No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.”
(Luke 16:1–13, NLT)

Notice

What hits you most?
Is there a phrase that jumps out to you?
Hold that phrase gently before the Lord.

Reread

Hear this passage again and pay attention to the contrast between unrighteous wealth and true riches.

Meditate

This is one of Jesus's most confusing parables. He tells the story of a dishonest manager who's about to be fired, so he quickly reduces his master's debtors' bills to make friends for himself. And then—shockingly—the master commends him for his shrewdness.
Jesus isn't endorsing the manager's dishonesty. He's challenging us to have that same intentionality—but directed toward eternal things instead of temporal ones.
Here's the reality: people who live for money are strategic, creative, and intentional about securing their future. They plan. They sacrifice. They make hard choices. They stay focused on growth.
Meanwhile, followers of Jesus often drift along, passive and uncommitted about spiritual matters.
What if you pursued spiritual growth the way the world pursues wealth? What would that actually look like?
Strategic about prayer means you protect time for it. You don't pray when you feel like it—you pray because it's non-negotiable. Like a business meeting you won't miss.
Intentional about Scripture means you don't casually flip through a verse. You study it. You wrestle with it. You let it change you. You're disciplined about understanding God's Word.
Disciplined about your spiritual development means you're not passive. You're reading books about faith. You're in community. You're being challenged to grow. You're investing in mentorship and accountability.
Making sacrifices for your faith means you're willing to say no to other things. You cut back on time-wasters. You redirect resources. You prioritize what matters most.
Then He drives it home: "You cannot serve God and money." Not "You shouldn't." Not "It's hard to." You cannot. It's impossible. One will be your master. One will lose.
The question isn't whether you can balance both. The question is: Who is actually winning in your life?
Take a few moments to sit with these questions:
Where am I drifting passively instead of being intentional about spiritual growth?
What would it look like for me to be strategic about prayer, intentional about Scripture, disciplined about my development?
Who is actually my master right now—God or money?

Respond

Jesus, I'm all in. I'm done being passive. I'm ready to sacrifice, to be strategic, to stay focused on what matters most. Make me someone who pursues You with the same intensity and intentionality that others pursue wealth. Help me grow.

Exercise

The rush of life will meet you again when you leave this sacred place—but you can carry this moment into your day by forming new habits.
Habit: Invest in Growth
Today's habit is an act of intentional spiritual investment.
The world invests in financial growth with strategy and sacrifice. Jesus is calling you to invest in spiritual growth the same way.
Spend 15 minutes on this exercise:
Part 1: Assess Your Investment: How much time, energy, and resources are you currently investing in your spiritual growth? Be honest. Prayer? Scripture reading? Community? Serving others? Spiritual direction?
Write down what you're actually doing—not what you wish you were doing.
Part 2: Identify One Growth Area: Now ask yourself: Where do I want to grow spiritually? Maybe it's deeper prayer. Maybe it's understanding Scripture better. Maybe it's serving with more intentionality. Maybe it's building authentic community.
Choose one specific area.
Part 3: Make the Investment: Finally, commit to one strategic, intentional action this week that will move you forward in that area. It could be:

• Waking up 15 minutes earlier for prayer
• Reading one book about faith
• Joining a small group or Bible study
• Volunteering with a cause that matters to God
• Finding a spiritual mentor Before you commit, pray: "Jesus, I'm choosing to invest in my spiritual growth the way the world invests in money. I'm being strategic. I'm making sacrifices. I'm staying focused on You. Help me follow through." Spiritual growth doesn't happen by accident. It happens by intention. By sacrifice. By staying focused on what matters most.

I have two asks of you before you go, could you please share this podcast with one person today and check out the review of this podcast on Elevate Society?
That’s your two minutes with Jesus for today.
Now, take what you’ve heard…share it and live it.
Until next time, keep slowing down, keep listening, and keep walking with Jesus.