Category Archives: Personal Growth

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Jiminy Cricket And The Holy Spirit

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One of my favorite Disney characters, Jiminy Cricket, said, “Let your conscience be your guide.” While basis for this may be true to an extent, when we become believers in Jesus Christ, we learn that this “conscience” is actually another way to describe the Holy Spirit working in our heart.

Holy Spirit

We Want Help!

As Christian business leaders, we certainly want the Holy Spirit guiding us in the way we run our businesses. I don’t think anyone would argue with that. At the same time, there may be differences of opinion as to exactly what that looks like. There will also be differences according to our maturity in Christ.

The simplest and most common evidence we will see of the Holy Spirit working in us is in convicting us when we step out of line. The problem with this is that we will all experience differing levels of conviction in our business operations. Add the fact that our industries are often very different and you can see why it is hard to quantify the role of the Holy Spirit in our businesses for the purpose of discussion among believers.

Holy Spirit Seldom Discussed

I think this difficulty is one of the reasons we do not discuss the role of the Holy Spirit in our businesses as often as we probably should. In an effort to counter that trend, I would like to offer a very simple way of assessing your own position.

What I am going to describe is NOT easily measurable. It is an imperfect model, but at least it will serve to help you determine (to a degree) your level of maturity in your Christian walk. Hopefully, as you read this you will understand what I mean and not over-analyze it!

First Level

The first level of maturity, as reflected by conviction of the Holy Spirit, is revealed when we do something really bad. I am not going to specify any particular action or behavior here. I will leave that up to you. Just think of something you have done in your past that you consider to be “really bad.”

In this situation, a less mature Christian will certainly feel terrible about committing this act. We will have feelings of guilt and remorse. In this case, it is the Holy Spirit bringing this sin to our attention and helping us to recognize it for what it is.

Second Level

As we mature over time, this feeling of conviction begins to happen even when the act is not as “bad” as the one considered above. The degree of the sin decreases as our maturity grows. However, the conviction from the Holy Spirit will likely still be as strong.

We will likely even notice the difference. “I used to feel this way when I did something much worse than I did this time. Now, I cannot even get away with ____ without recognizing it as sin!”

As we mature, we are becoming more aware of our actions and behaviors. We are more sensitive to the conviction of the Holy Spirit as well. This is a good sign of growth!

Third Level

Over time, if we continue to grow in our maturity, there is a reversal of sorts. Instead of only feeling the conviction of the Holy Spirit when we do something bad, we begin to feel His conviction when we fail to do something good!

Think about it. The more mature in Christ we get, the more we begin to notice opportunities for good deeds and the more we feel guilty when we fail to act. It is very likely you have noticed this to one degree or another.

Sign Of Drifting?

This trend may even be a good indication of where we are in our current walk with Jesus. As we notice our instances of conviction by the Holy Spirit weakening over a period of time, maybe we need to take this as a sign that we are drifting from God.

Like I said, this is not a perfect model of assessment, but I do believe there is some merit to it. A great way to measure this may be through a personal journal. Again, there is no easy way to quantify this. Just let your conscience lead you!

How would you apply this to a past business situation?

Do you see the work of the Holy Spirit progressing as you mature?

What evidence have you seen of the Holy Spirit’s work in you?

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What Does A Participant Look Like?

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Football is a great sport and I love being a spectator in the stands of a close game. There is excitement and energy in the air if all the conditions are right. However, you can multiply that feeling times ten if you can actually get out on the field as a participant!

participant

Exciting To Be A Participant

Before you let your mind wander, I am not referring to running out on the field in your birthday suit! While it might be electric, that is a long way from the picture I am trying to paint!

What I mean is that it is much more fun and fulfilling to actually get out on the field and play IN the sport than it is to watch it. If you have ever played a sport, then you know what I mean. There simply is no comparison between being a spectator and a participant.

Participant Or Spectator?

The same is true of our faith. I mentioned in my last post that too many Christians feel they have fulfilled their obligations when they financially support the ministry of the church. However, they are no different than the person who paid for tickets, parking pass, and refreshments at the game. They have both financially supported the team, but they are still just spectators.

So what does it look like to be a participant rather than a spectator when it comes to our faith? What are the various roles we can play?

Various Participant Roles

Obviously, not everyone can be a quarterback or star linebacker. Fortunately, there are many more opportunities to be a participant than this. Let’s look at a few potential positions for a participant – and their counterpart in the business world.

Star Player – This one is fairly obvious. This player is actually in the game running plays and scoring or defending. Star players get most of the publicity and recognition. They have the skills and talent necessary to perform physically at levels many of us cannot perform.

In the business world, this person may be someone with a leadership position that appears to have more opportunity for influence than the rest of us. They know all the right people and they are exercising their faith at levels most of us believe are above our potential. We all probably aspire to get to this level, but many of us will not get there – at least not on our own!

Background Players – These players make up the majority of those on the field. They are not stars, but without them the stars would not succeed. With solid basics of “blocking and tackling,” these players advance the progress of their team. They are also “making plays” of their own, but these don’t often get the attention of anyone but the opposing coaches!

Anyone actively trying to exercise their faith in the business world falls into this category. Maybe they are not in the spotlight, but they are participants all the same. The seemingly small contributions they make on a daily basis are certainly effective at advancing the cause of the team!

Support Personnel – These individuals include the 2nd string and scout team players who are usually sitting on the bench or standing on the sidelines during the game. They may be working just as hard at practice as the rest of the players, but for whatever reasons do not have the skills or experience necessary to get out on the field for a game.

Maybe they are support personnel that manage the equipment or wrap twisted ankles between plays. They could even be the ones who serve the pre-game or post-game meals or drive the team bus. Again, they are not the stars, but they perform crucial roles as a part of the overall team!

The parallel positions in the workplace might be those who are not yet comfortable sharing their faith with a colleague. They are working hard to learn how, but they still need training.

Maybe they are members of a small group that help to ask crucial accountability questions of those in categories above. They could be serving in the church nursery or providing childcare for small groups during the week. They could even be the ones providing janitorial services for a business that is on the front lines of Christian ministry.

Coaches – It is not hard to spot coaches on the sideline of a football game. They are holding the clipboards and wearing headphones. They are calling out the plays and giving constant instruction to the players. What may not be obvious is the countless hours they put in around the clock in order to provide the necessary strategy and instruction that leads to more hours of leading practices!

While there can certainly be glory in this position, more often than not these participants give more than anyone notices. If you don’t believe me, just ask their spouses!

In the business setting, these people are the leaders of leaders. These are the people that probably “played” on the field at one time and now spend much of their time teaching others how to do it. They are the disciple-makers that can truly see the big picture.

Parallels For You

While I recognize this analogy is not perfect, I hope you can see the parallels. I also hope you can see where you fit into the picture as a participant. The cool thing is that in many cases, you can advance through these various positions. At the same time, that is not necessarily the goal.

If it were the goal, then Paul would not have explained that all parts of the body are necessary and deserving of praise. Sure, some positions get more recognition than others, but that is not the end goal.

The End Goal

The end goal is to fill the position to which God has called you. It may be that He designed you to be on the support staff for the duration of your time on earth. If so, embrace it! You are doing His will.

It also may be true that He wants you to progress through the positions. This is not better or worse than anyone else. You are not more or less valuable than anyone else that remains in one position. All are worthy of hearing, “Well done!”

What you cannot do is to decide to remain in support staff if God has called you to be a star player. Just as in the parable of the talents, you are going to be held accountable according to what He has given you.

Get Out Of The Stands!

The worst you can do is to remain in the stands as a spectator. You are called to be a participant. Accept this call and climb down out of the stands. There is a uniform waiting for you!

Do you feel you know your role as a participant?

What steps do you need to take to be a participant?

When are you going to start?

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Are You A Spectator Or Participant?

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Football season is here again and I am excited! I love watching my favorite college and pro teams play each weekend. Even more exciting for me is that this year my son is playing for the local high school. I am not sure if there is anything more fun than being a spectator when your own kid is on the field.

spectator

Spectator Costs

If you will bear with me, I want to describe how it looks on a normal Friday night. First, we have already paid for the season tickets and the parking pass. Next, we will walk into the stadium carrying the stadium seat that bears the logo of the team. We purchased this from the school, along with various articles. Finally, we will likely spend a little on the various refreshments they sell at the concession stand.

All of this money spent is part of the experience and is acceptable because we know it goes to support the team, right? As spectators, it gives us a sense of pride that we can do our part to financially support the efforts of the local team. After all, we cannot very well go out on the field and contribute by playing, can we?!?

Football vs. Christian Faith

Before you think this post is about how expensive it can be to be a spectator at a football game, let me make the connection. The problem that I want to highlight here is that many Christians operate in this same way with their faith.

Go back to my description of a typical Friday night – change it to a typical Sunday morning. We go to church. We have paid our tithes and feel good about that. We watch the show and pay a little for the coffee in the cafe if our church has one. We may even add a little to the offering plate for the upcoming youth mission trip.

All in all, we feel good about our contribution because we know our money is put to good use. We know that we are supporting the ministry of the church when we do this, right?

Still A Spectator!

The problem with this is that we are still only spectators in this case. While we might get arrested if we attempted to suit up and run out onto the field of a high school football game, this is not the case with our faith!

Called To Participate!

Instead, we are actually CALLED out onto the field! With the Great Commission, we are COMMANDED to go out and be participants, not spectators! There is no limitation here, no security guards keeping us in the stands!

There is actually a Coach out on the field calling out our names and beckoning us to join Him. So, what is our response?

Don’t Stop There!

Before you get upset, I am not saying that financial support of the church is not critical. It is absolutely necessary. The only problem is that too many Christians stop here and think they have done something. In fact, many think they have fully met their responsibilities.

This is simply not right. Jesus is sending us ALL out to be participants. We are to step out of the stands and onto the field. We are to join the battle that is going on and we are to do so with a very clear objective.

For some, what you do as a participant will look different from the next person. Not everyone will have the same role. There will not be hundreds of quarterbacks out on the field. Each person’s talents and gifts are different and therefore their contribution will look different.

Spectator No More!

The bottom line is that there must be an active contribution. Simply sitting in the stands holding up the foam #1 sign is not enough. It may be all we can do in high school football, but more is expected of us when it comes to our faith.

So, what does this look like? How do we apply this idea to business?

I am glad you asked! I will try to take this analogy further in my next post by describing what some of the various levels of participation may look like and where we might fit in. I hope you will stay tuned!

Would you consider yourself a participant or a spectator?

What should you change to be more of a participant?

What are the risks of being more of a participant?

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How Do I Discern God’s Direction?

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If you have been a Christian for any length of time, you have tried to seek God’s direction at some point. Whether it is a business decision, family situation, or personal question, we have all desperately wanted God to lead us in the right direction. The problem is that we often fail to get the direction we seek and end up frustrated or confused.

direction

Direction Exercise

In my last post, I described this kind of situation. I then went through an exercise in an effort to illustrate what may be part of our problem. While this exercise may be an oversimplification of the process of seeking God’s direction in our lives, I think you will understand the main point when we are done.

Compass Competition

To recap the details of the exercise, you are on a team in an outdoor scouting competition. The goal of the competition is to use a compass to quickly navigate a series of directions and to arrive at a designated location for your team. The first team to arrive at their designated location wins.

The twist is that many of the teams have also been given a magnet that is to be attached to the side of the compass and to remain there throughout the competition.

Because compasses rely on an attraction to the earth’s magnetic north pole, the additional magnet plays havoc on the compass needle. As a result, these compasses are rendered virtually useless and only serve to frustrate and confuse the teams using them.

Parallels

Now that you are caught up, lets move on to the parallels.

Assume for the purpose of the exercise that the direction we seek from God is represented by the magnetic north pole. For this analogy, this magnetic north is the truth, the leading we need.

Imagine the compass represents our efforts to discern God’s direction through the study of His Word, seeking advice from godly mentors, and prayer. Without any other interference, these efforts can often help us to find the direction from God that we seek.

Outside Influences

The problems arise when outside influences begin to affect these efforts. These influences are represented by the magnets we added to the compass. I can initially think of three categories into which these influences fall:

1. Desires – selfishness, greed, fame, wealth, respect, acceptance, power, independence

2. Busyness – work, social activities, children, ministry

3. Fear – loss of respect, physical harm, alienation, mockery, poverty, dependence

The more you think about the various influences we bring with us as we seek to gain direction from God, the more some of them may blur from one category to another. The fact remains that it is clear these influences can dramatically affect how we hear direction from God.

The more of these influences we bring with us as we come before God, the less likely it is that we will ever be able to hear His still small voice!

Example Of Influences

For example, imagine my work schedule is killing me and my wife is telling me I have to do something about it. I know she is probably right, but if I change jobs I will probably have to get rid of some of the expensive toys I have purchased lately because I won’t be able to afford them.

I attempt to read the Bible for answers on what to do, but I simply cannot stay awake. So I go to a godly mentor and ask for his advice. As I describe the situation to him, I leave some of the facts out because I don’t want him looking down on me.

He gives me advice to consider, but it is not as severe as it would have been if I had told him everything. Even what he tells me to do seems a little dramatic to me, so I tone it down before I implement it.

I then pray to God that He will bless this slightly new direction and thank Him for speaking to me through my friend. I head into the next day feeling pretty good.

Results?

What do you think happens?

Exactly. Not much in the way of improvement.

After weeks of getting the same feedback from my wife, I am so frustrated. I did exactly what my pastor told me to do. I read the Bible, got advice from a godly mentor, and prayed about it. What more can a guy do, right? My “compass” should be working fine, but something is wrong!

Looking back over this example, can you see all of the outside influences (magnets) I brought into the picture? It is no wonder my “compass” is not working!

What Are Your Magnets?

So the key question for you is this – what are your magnets?

When you begin to seek God’s direction for your life, are you coming with a pure heart? Are you coming to Him with ALL of your heart committed to Him and Him alone?

Are you willing to get rid of the influences? Are you willing to focus always and only on His voice, forsaking the rest of those around you?

Are you willing to hear what He tells you and then do it, regardless of the potential cost?

Scriptures To Ponder

I am going to leave you with the following Scriptures to read and meditate on. Notice that all of these promises from God are dependent on your full commitment to Him. No magnets allowed!

He rewards those who earnestly seek him.
Hebrews 11:6

For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to Him.
2 Chronicles 16:9

You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.
Jeremiah 29:13

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Want To Know The Will of God?

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I am sure you have heard it said before from a friend, spouse, or any other Christian you may know. In fact, I would bet you have said it yourself…recently! The statement, “I just want to know the will of God!” is a common one among Christians.

know the will of God

We Want To Know The Will Of God!

As Christian business owners and leaders, we are constantly coming upon situations in which we need to know the will of God about something. We want to know what direction He wants us to take, which job or applicant to choose, or how long to wait on an answer before moving ahead!

We pray, we ask mentors, and we read the Bible – all in an effort to know the will of God in our lives.

Something Missing

Yet, in many cases, there seems to be something wrong. We don’t always get the answer we seek. Sometimes we get what we think are conflicting answers. Then there are times we do not seem to get any answer at all!

We end up pulling our hair out in frustration because we think we are doing all we can do to know the will of God, but we do not feel we are making any progress. We feel stuck, confused, and exhausted – and without the answer we seek.

Similar Feeling?

In an effort to recreate this feeling, I want you to try to imagine you are in an outdoor scouting competition. In order to win the competition, you have to follow the instructions given to you and your team as they lead you to the specific location designated for your team.

Your instructions look like this – From the starting line, take 25 steps North, 30 steps West, 24 steps North, and then 18 steps East. In addition to these instructions, your team is given a compass. All of the other teams have been given a compass and similar instructions to a different designated location.

Given clear weather and no other obstacles, how do you think you would do? While most people have never been trained how to use a compass in survival situations, I think most have a general idea of how a compass works, right? Could you manage this exercise?

Here’s A Twist

Now, to throw in a twist, let’s assume your team was given additional instructions along with a magnet the size of a nickel. The additional instructions indicate that your team is to attach the magnet to the side of your compass with the tape provided.

You are instructed to attach the magnet before your team uses the compass to determine any direction. Once attached, the magnet is to remain in place until the competition is completed.

Confused?

Now, if you know anything about how a compass operates, you are likely confused. Why would anyone instruct you to attach a magnet to the compass? That makes no sense, right?

I agree. However, just for the sake of the illustration, let’s play it out.

Because a compass operates on an attraction to the earth’s magnetic north pole, attaching another magnet is only going to alter the direction of the compass needle. In this case, you would never find the correct location designated for your team.

Frustration Ensues

Instead, you would find yourself in full blown frustration while the altered compass led you in circles as the needle reacted to the additional influence of the attached magnet!

If your team was the only one given the additional instructions for the attached magnet, then your team would clearly lose the competition. However, can you picture the scene if nearly all of the other teams had magnets attached to their compasses? Chaos, right?

Only the team(s) who were allowed to seek their designated location without the influence of an additional magnet would have a chance to win. To them, your wandering would seem silly.

To Be Continued

Because I am out of space (ha!), I am going to wait until my next post to clarify the points I am trying to make in regards to how we can know the will of God…remember, that is where we started!

In the meantime, I would like you to think through this exercise and its implications. Get a magnet and compass if you need to – play with them and pray that God will reveal to you how this applies to you and your relationship with Him!

Can you connect the exercise to trying to know the will of God?

If so, what is your personal magnet?

How does Proverbs 4:10-11 fit this exercise?

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How Do You Pray?

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Recently, I have been working harder at getting back to basics in my relationship with God. As I mentioned in an earlier post, I had hit a dry spell because my times with Him had gone stale. In an effort to draw closer to Jesus again, I have renewed my efforts to pray, read His Word, and memorize it.

pray

My Prayer

Just last week, I was praying and trying to communicate the best I could that I wanted to get rid of any plans or desires in my heart. I was trying to tell Jesus that I wanted ONLY what He wanted for me. As I struggled with the words (it happens often!), the following thoughts came to mind. I want to share them in case they can help you do the same thing.

I wanted to tell Him that I was open to anything that He would ask of me and here is how my prayer flowed [and looking back, how I see it applies to business]:

Jesus, please give me…

    Open Hands – that I would be prepared to accept and use whatever it is You want me to have, but nothing else. I am not reaching, but receiving. Let these hands also be giving of whatever is in them.
    [Give me the resources You know I need to effectively run Your business. Help me not to seek more than You give and to be faithful to share whenever You send me opportunities to do so.]
    Open Eyes – that I would be able to see whatever it is You want me to see relating to where You want me to go or what You want me to do. I do not want to miss anything You are trying to show me. Make it clear to me where there are opportunities to act. Show me weak areas in me and help me to improve.
    [Give me insights into business opportunities, understanding the risks, but trusting Your leading. Help me to see through my leadership blind spots and to work to correct them.]
    Open Ears – that I would always be listening for that still, small voice. I want to hear all instruction from You. I want to be aware of all going on around me that You want me to notice.
    [Show me how to be still and listen to you, despite the noise during the work day. Give me the patience to wait on Your instructions, coming to You for my decisions.]
    Open Mind – that I would be willing to accept anything You ask of me, regardless of whether I understand it, agree with it, fear it, or feel equipped to do it.
    [My business mind is trained to think from a temporal perspective. Help me to mentally step away from my paradigms and to trust Your ultimate business knowledge.]
    Open Heart – that I would always be sensitive to Your leading and instruction to me regardless of my desires. I only want to seek Your will and renown, not my own.
    [Help me to beware of my own motives when it comes to business decisions. Remind me that You own this business and that I am only part of Your story, not the other way around.]
    Open Mouth – that I would speak any and all words You give me to speak. I always want to trust You to give me the words to say in all situations and want to hold my tongue until You do.
    [Please give me wise words to use when dealing with others at work. Give me the boldness to share the reasons for my faith in You and the awareness to know the right timing. Speak through me.]

Simply A Thought Starter

I do not share this as a comprehensive solution to your prayer life. I do not even share it as an example to follow with repetition over time. I am simply sharing this prayer as a thought starter for you.

Hopefully, it will cause you to see something you are doing (or need to do) from a different perspective. It is full of thoughts that I plan to pore over for a while. I want to take the time to hear from God in each case – hopefully gaining clarity and wisdom in the process.

What are your thoughts?

What would you add to this prayer?

Do you pray something similar at times?

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Are You Facing Giants?

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Have you ever watched a football game and wondered why none of the players on the offensive team’s sidelines appear worried about getting hit by one of the giants that are playing for the defensive team? In many cases, they are talking, laughing, even have their backs turned to the game on the field. Why are they not thinking about the possibility of getting hit at any given moment?

giants

No Danger On The Sidelines

Well, if you think about it, I am not asking a difficult question. The reason they are not worried or thinking about it is that they are not IN the game. When on the sidelines, they are not an active threat to the game that is being played out on the field. They are, at that point, harmless to the cause and efforts of the defensive team.

Recent Devotion

As I mentioned in my last post, I have been reading from Streams in the Desert lately and it has been good for me. While this is not replacing my time in the Bible, I am really getting some good insights from these short devotions. Here is a recent quote from this book:

We encounter giants only when we are serving God and following Him. It was when Israel was going forward that the giants appeared, for when they turned back into the wilderness, they found none (Numbers 13-14).

Many people believe that the power of God in a person’s life should keep him from all trials and conflicts. However, the power of God actually brings conflict and struggles.

Giants On The Battle Field

Just like the football players on the sidelines, we Christians are not in any danger of facing giants (trials, conflicts, etc.) when we are sitting on the sidelines of the spiritual war going on around us. When in this position, we simply are not a threat to the opposition.

However, if we step out onto the field of battle and begin fighting for God’s glory and the eternal salvation of those around us, we should expect to face giants! We become a threat to the enemy and he will react accordingly.

The Enemy Is Real

I am not one of those people who run around all the time blaming satan for everything happening to me. I do not give him credit (or blame) for my sins and I recognize that many of the situations I face are simply consequences of my prior poor decisions or misdirected desires.

At the same time, I AM one of those people that believes the Bible. I do believe it is God’s Word of instruction AND WARNING to us. I take what it says to be the truth and I try to live accordingly.

Scriptures To Heed

The following verses paint a picture that I believe we need to recognize as being real:

After they (Paul and Barnabas) had evangelized that town and made many disciples, they returned to Lystra, to Iconium, and to Antioch, strengthening the disciples by encouraging them to continue in the faith and by telling them, “It is necessary to pass through many troubles on our way into the kingdom of God.”
Acts 14:22-23

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
John 16:33

You will be hated by everyone because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.
Matthew 10:22

Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me.
Matthew 24:9

“If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. They will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know the one who sent me.
John 15:18-21

Do not be surprised, my brothers and sisters, if the world hates you.
1 John 3:13

Is that enough Scripture to give you a clear picture? If not, then let me add one more…

Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.
1 Peter 5:8

Are You Facing Giants?

Hopefully, this makes it very clear that there are giants for us to face if we are out on the field of battle. The Bible is very clear about this and we should not ignore what is said about these giants.

So now the question is this – are you facing giants?

Are you seeing the opposition of the enemy as you go about trying to do business from an eternal perspective? Are you seeing evidence of the spiritual battle going on around you?

Confused?

Or does this post confuse you? Instead, do you feel everything is going along pretty easily? Has it been awhile since you last faced giants opposing you in your efforts at Christian ministry?

I certainly cannot (nor intend to) judge your circumstances or your own situation. All I want to do is raise the questions and let you prayerfully seek God’s face on this issue.

If you are not seeing giants coming at you in opposition to your Christian ministry efforts, then you at least need to consider that you are not on the battlefield. It is at least a possibility that you are instead on the sidelines, no longer a threat to the enemy.

Don’t Lose Heart

If you ARE facing giants on a daily basis, do not lose heart! You are not on the wrong path simply because it is so hard. The opposite may very well be true.

You also need to prayerfully seek God to make sure you are still headed in the right direction, but you do need to know that the giants you face are to be expected if you are out on the battlefield! I leave you with this encouragement:

Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
2 Corinthians 4:16-18

What do your giants look like?

How do you maintain your faith in the shadow of the giants?

If you are not facing giants, why do you think that is?

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3 Keys To Eliminate Sorrow

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Business is hard. Christian business is at least as hard, maybe even harder. I don’t know about you, but I find myself riding a roller coaster of emotions as we attempt to run our family business with an eternal perspective. Of course, it is only when I am down or depressed that I need help dealing. The highs usually take care of themselves. We need to be more intentional with the sorrow.

sorrow

Multiple Causes Of Sorrow

If you are anything like me, you face times when you feel a loss of hope. Maybe it is frustration at decisions we have made in the past. It could happen when we are not seeing the results we think we should be seeing from the work we are doing. There are also those times we think there is no hope of breakthrough in the future.

A good friend of mine referred me to a great daily devotional book (Streams in the Desert) that I have been using more and more lately. It was a simple quote from this book that gives us the three keys to eliminating this sorrow we experience:

I suspect that the source of every bit of sorrow in my life can be traced to simple unbelief. If I truly believe the past is totally forgiven, the present is supplied with power, and the future is bright with hope, how could I be anything but completely happy?

Three Keys To Eliminate Sorrow

When we break this quote down into its three parts, and combine it with Scripture, we truly have three keys that will help us minimize the sorrow that we can experience while trying to run our businesses as platforms for Christian ministry.

Let’s take a look at each key:

Key #1: Past Is Totally Forgiven!

This is the first step we must take to eliminate the sorrow that can plague us. We must truly believe that our past is totally and completely forgiven. I think my favorite verse that communicates this idea is the following:

As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.
Psalm 103:12

Folks, once we have repented and asked forgiveness for our sins, it is not God who continues to throw them back in our face or whisper them in our ear. It is our enemy that attempts to incapacitate us with guilt. God forgives and forgets. The enemy is called the accuser (Revelation 12:10).

Once we accept this truth and continue to remember it, we eliminate a huge source of our sorrow. Without this reappearing guilt, our lives could be so much more peaceful and stress-free!

Key #2: Present Is Supplied With Power!

The second step we must take is to recognize that our present is supplied with power. While many of us do not always operate in or with this power, it is there and waiting for us to step up and use it!

Here are a couple of verses that I think do the best job of communicating this:

For God did not give us a Spirit of fear but of power and love and self-control.
2 Timothy 1:7

But he said to me, “My grace is enough for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” So then, I will boast most gladly about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may reside in me.
2 Corinthians 12:9

When we stop trying to strive in our own power and instead allow His power to operate in and through us, then we will have gone far to eliminate another significant source of sorrow in our lives.

When we repeatedly ignore what the Scripture says about the power of Christ in us, we are saying we think we can do all of what is expected of us – on our own! This is madness. Jesus say we can do nothing apart from Him (John 15:5). We need to accept this and embrace His power IN us!

Key #3: Future Is Bright With Hope!

Finally, the third step we need to take is to see the future filled with hope. Rather than staring into the darkness that is a symptom of our temporal perspectives, we must embrace the hope that Christ gives us when we maintain our eternal perspective.

The following verses serve as examples of this hope for the future:

For I know the plans I have for you”—this is the Lord’s declaration—“plans for your welfare, not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.
Jeremiah 29:11

Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you believe in Him so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Romans 15:13

Sure, there will be times that we fail to see this bright future. There will be times we feel there is nothing but sorrow ahead. But if we can recall these promises from the Scripture, and hide them in our heart, the hope we need will come back into view.

In doing so, we are eliminating the remaining traces of the sorrow surrounding us.

Summary

The bottom line is this – you will experience sorrow as you attempt to run you business from an eternal perspective. That is inevitable. At the same time, if you will follow the three simple keys outlined above, you can eliminate this sorrow before it goes too far.

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Which Relationship Is More Important?

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Have you ever known what you should do, but decided against it because it would affect a relationship you have with someone else? Have your relationships ever led you away from God, when hindsight would later show you the error of your path? Maybe you knew of a change you should make in your business, but it would cost you a relationship so you passed on it?

relationship

Nehemiah’s Situation

I have been studying Nehemiah in my quiet times and came across a similar situation to this. In this story, Nehemiah has come back to a Jerusalem that is in shambles. The city walls (crucial to a city’s well-being at that time) were completely destroyed and useless for protection. Nehemiah has come to lead the Israelites to rebuild the wall and begin to reestablish Jerusalem as the city God intended.

As he strives to complete this monumental task, he faces many obstacles. He certainly faced those who completely opposed the Israelites and any rebuilding they might attempt. This was to be expected.

Unexpected Opposition

At the same time, he also faced opposition from within the people of Israel! Some of the Israelite people actually turned on him and fed information about the project to a man named Tobiah, a leader of the opposition!

During those days, the nobles of Judah sent many letters to Tobiah, and Tobiah’s letters came to them. These nobles kept mentioning Tobiah’s good deeds to me, and they reported my words to him. And Tobiah sent letters to intimidate me.
Nehemiah 6:17,19

Treasonous Behavior?

When we read about this from our perspective, their behavior seems incredibly treasonous. At first glance, I cannot imagine what they were thinking when they chose to undermine the work that Nehemiah was leading – work that was clearly God-ordained!

But when we read further, Nehemiah explains their rationale.

For many in Judah were bound by oath to him (Tobiah), since he was a son-in-law of Shecaniah son of Arah, and his son Jehohanan had married the daughter of Meshullam son of Berechiah.
Nehemiah 6:18

Relationship Confusion?

Their reasoning for their alliance with Tobiah was that they knew him, were related to him, or wanted to be known by him. Their relationship with Tobiah, whatever the basis for it, was more important to them than the work God was doing.

Of course, it is easy for us to sit here in judgment. It is not difficult for us to question their faith and criticize their behavior as weak. The problem is that these very words can come right back and be applied to us many times.

I Am Guilty, Too!

I will not accuse you, but I am certainly guilty of allowing personal or business relationships to cloud my vision or even alter my behavior at times. There are times I have wanted to broach a spiritual topic with a friend or family member, but decided against it in fear of ruining a relationship.

Other times, I have failed to speak up in a meeting here or there about something I felt God was leading me to say, simply because I was too concerned about what the others in the meeting might think.

I am sure there are even times I cannot remember or was not even aware of due to a blind spot where I disobeyed God or opposed His work in favor of another relationship. Maybe you feel the same way.

Jesus On Relationships

Folks, we need to remember the words of Jesus when it comes to situations like this. While we should not “hate” in the traditional sense, I think the message is clear…our relationship with Him comes first.

If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his own father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, and even his own life—he cannot be My disciple.
Luke 14:26

Are you guilty of placing other relationships ahead of Jesus?

What evidence do you see in your life, job, or business?

What do you think would be different if you chose Him instead?

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Have You Hit A Dry Spell?

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I am a couple months shy of my two year mark for this blog and for the most part, have yet to struggle for content ideas. For some reason, God has continued to provide thoughts, insights, and ideas on a regular basis that have turned into an average of three posts per week for almost 100 weeks so far! Unfortunately, I have now hit a dry spell and I am having a hard time writing posts!

dry spell

Dry Spell

Some of you noticed the frequency of my posts declining and have mentioned it to me. Others of you may have noticed, but have not said anything…maybe you see it as a break! Regardless, the dry spell has been going on for several weeks now and it has been bothering me. I have not yet said anything about it in a post, but it has been eating at me and I could not figure it out.

Reasons For The Dry Spell?

My first thought was that business was taking up too much of my energy and that I needed to work to correct that imbalance. While that may be somewhat true, I have come to realize that is not the main culprit.

Next, I thought that maybe I was in a dry spell because the blog has just run its course. Maybe it was only for a season and now it was coming to an end. While I was not excited about that thought, I had to consider it. Nothing is sacred if it is no longer something God wants me doing.

Finally, I began to think I just wasn’t trying hard enough. Maybe I was not drinking enough coffee before sitting down to write. It could even be that I needed to change my surroundings when I write. The more I thought about it, the more frustrated I got.

The Truth!

Just when I was about to give up, I came all the way back to the truth – where I started in the beginning. In fact, if you are having a dry spell in your own situation, you need to come back to this very same place.

As I said at the beginning of this post, God was giving me the material for this blog. If you have ever commented to me about the impact these posts have had on you, then you have heard me clearly state that I am not the one to take the credit. In fact, I have done my best to just stay out of God’s way as I write.

The truth is that God has been giving me this material AS I HAVE SOUGHT HIM. During my quiet times, periods of study and Bible reading, and my intake of other spiritual books and articles, God has pricked my heart and allowed me to see how certain situations can be used for material in this blog.

Seeking Him

Sure, many of my posts come right out of my experiences in our business. At the same time, these experiences have only been converted into posts because I have seen them through the lens of seeking Him!

When the posts have flowed most easily, it has been because I have been in a time of spiritual growth or reflection due to hearing from God through something I have read or heard. When I have even slightly struggled, it has been because my eyes or ears were not entirely tuned into His voice.

Root Cause Is Me!

So I say all that to say this…my dry spell is directly due to my lack of spiritual focus recently. I have not abandoned my quiet times lately, but they have not been sacred. I have allowed other things to interfere or distract me during the time I have allotted to spending time with God. I have not been learning. I have not been focused on feeding myself on the Word – and it shows.

I am assuming you have likely experienced this yourself. I also bet that, like me, you have gone through a list of other possible causes before you finally came back to the truth. Our dry spell experiences normally arise out of a lack of intimacy with Jesus, even though we often want to place the blame on something (or someone) else. The truth is that we are the ones at fault.

When Peter took his eyes off of Jesus, he got all wet!

The opposite is true for us…we get dry!

Fortunately, God is willing to rehydrate us! (Isaiah 44:3)

Ending The Dry Spell

While I am frustrated at myself for allowing this to happen, I am determined not to allow it to continue any longer. I know I will likely not jump right back into the depths with Him tomorrow – it will probably take a while. At the same time, I am willing to stick it out until I find that close communication again.

Blog or no blog, I simply cannot live without it!

What about your dry spells? Do you see the cause?

What methods have you used to end your dry spells?

What advice would you give someone to help avoid this?