Tag Archives: searching for answers

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What Can We Learn From A Deception?

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Have you ever had a stretch of time when you just knew that God was teaching you things, one after another? Have you ever been through extremely difficult challenges, but you were actually able to embrace them because you knew that God was using them to prepare you for something great in the future?

deception

New Series

Well, I am going through one of those times right now. I have been alluding to this for weeks now and I have already written several posts directly from my recent experiences. Today, I want to start a series that comes from Scripture I have been reading during my morning quiet times. I believe there are some clear lessons that can be applied to Christian business.

My Renewed Quiet Time

Back at the beginning of June, I began to sense a change coming. I was not sure how long before it would take place, but I knew it was coming. I decided to mix up my quiet time and jump into a book of the Bible. My plan was to slowly progress through the book at whatever pace was comfortable.

Knowing I was likely headed into a storm, I chose the book of Joshua. For some reason, the words, “Be strong and courageous” were ringing in my mind and I knew these words were repeated often in the beginning of Joshua. So that is where I started. I also chose to read a mini-commentary on the book of Joshua called, Be Strong (Wiersbe, W).

Storm, Lessons Came Quickly

Very quickly, things began to happen at work and I knew the storm was already upon me. The cool thing was that I began to see clear lessons coming almost immediately from my time spent going through Joshua.

Gibeonite Deception

The story I want to focus on in this series is called the Gibeonite Deception. This particular story is told in Joshua 9:1 – 10:15. If you want to get the full effect from this story, I strongly recommend you read it first. Today, I will give you a little background on the story. I will also give you some questions to ponder until the next post.

Background

We pick up the story with Joshua leading the Israelites in the conquest of the Promised Land. Moses has already led them out of Egypt and through the wilderness for 40 years. Moses turned over his authority to Joshua right before he died. Since then, Joshua and the Israelites have conquered Jericho and, in a second effort, the city of Ai.

After the second battle of Ai, Joshua and the Israelites built an altar to the Lord. They were fresh off of victory and it appears their head was in the game – especially after the disaster they brought on themselves immediately after Jericho with the sin of Achan (Joshua 6:18-19; 7:1-26).

Deception Is Birthed

As we start reading in Joshua 9, word is getting around about how God is with the Israelites. Other kings are beginning to realize that their cities are in serious danger. Many are melting in fear. However, the Gibeonites were not cowering. They were resourceful.

They put together a team of men from the city and went to great lengths to disguise the fact that they were local. They wore dirty, old clothes and patched sandals. They carried moldy bread and cracked wineskins. Acting as if they were a delegation from a distant country, they approached Joshua and asked for a peace treaty.

Deception is Successful

Joshua and the Israelites questioned the Gibeonites, but finally decided they were genuine. Joshua agreed to the peace treaty and ratified it by an oath.

It was only three days later when someone in the Israelite camp heard that the Gibeonites were in fact living nearby. When questioned about why they had deceived the Israelites, the Gibeonites responded that they had acted out of fear. They said they knew God was with the Israelites and was planning to wipe them out like the other cities.

Knowing he had no choice but to honor the treaty, Joshua let them live and did not allow the Israelites to attack their city. In addition, when called on soon after, Joshua and the Israelites came to the defense of the Gibeonites. This was a valid response to their treaty.

Multiple Lessons

That is the basic story. Over the next several posts, I am going to pull out lessons that I believe apply to us today as we attempt to run businesses as platforms for Christian ministry. I expect that you will see how we can take the actions of Joshua, the Israelites, and the Gibeonites, and learn timeless truths that are meaningful today.

Read back over the story and then ponder the following questions. Each one will help you to better understand the lessons we will pull from this story.

Questions To Consider

1. Why is the timing of this story significant to the actions of Joshua and the Israelites?

2. How did the Gibeonites’ approach differ from that of the five kings later in Joshua?

3. Why did the Gibeonites return to their cities without fear after the treaty?

4. What did Joshua do wrong when questioning the claims of the Gibeonites?

5. What was Joshua’s main mistake in agreeing to the peace treaty?

6. Why is this mistake significant at this time in his leadership?

7. What redeeming action(s) did Joshua take after the mistake of the treaty?

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What Does Victory Look Like In Christian Business?

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Picture someone right now in the business world, or in your industry, that you respect and admire. This needs to be someone that you see as successful – someone who has seen their share of victory. Maybe it is even someone that you wish you could switch places with (at times). Do you have that person in mind?

Make A List

Okay, now that you have someone in mind, I want you to write down the reasons that you have for seeing them in this light. What is it about them that you wish you could have or experience? How do you measure their success? When you say they have seen their share of victory, what do you mean? Be specific with your list. Don’t leave anything out.

victory

Our Look At Victory

For the last week, we have taken some time to look at victory and come to some conclusions.

Victory In Business?

Today, I want us to take a hard look at what victory actually looks like in a Christian business. While this may sound simple at first, it really is critical. See, if we do not have a crystal clear picture of what it looks like in our business or on our job, then how do we really expect to strive for it or experience it? How can we expect to recognize it when it comes?

Your List

Let’s get back to the person you look up to in the business world.

Take a look at your list and tell me what you see.

Are your observations related to his financial success in his business? Do you connect his acquisition of other businesses to your view of his success? Do you like the fact that he has a reputation within the business world for being shrewd and able to generate strong returns on his investments?

What other items are on your list? Did you mention anything about her involvement in industry associations? Did you list some awards she may have won as a result of her hard work or creative solutions to workplace challenges? Maybe you considered her life-long tenure at the same company as worthy of your respect.

Your View Of Victory In Business

Whatever the case, your list is a rough picture of the way you define victory in business.

The tough question is this…does our list match up well with Scripture? Does it fit with the definition the Bible gives us for victory? Can you make a case for a direct connection between your list and the life and example of Jesus? Are you working toward living a life that does the same?

If you can, congratulations!

If not, there is work to do.

Examples Of Victory In Business

In an effort to help you see this picture with a little more clarity, I have put together a list of actual examples that do match up with the Bible’s definition of victory in business (and life). Take a look and let me know what you think about this list in the comment section at the bottom of the post.

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    – The CEO of a national company is accused of discrimination because his company supports the Bible’s definition of marriage. As a result, at least one major city government is moving to block the company’s expansion into their city. (Read about it here.)

    – The owner of a young construction business chooses to take a risk and hire someone he truly cannot afford for a non-revenue-producing position. He decides hiring a chaplain for his employees is too important to pass up.

    – A company chooses not to match the operating hours of the rest of their competition, forfeiting a huge opportunity for revenue. Instead, they close on Sundays. (Read about it here.)

    – An operations director decides that his call to ministry in the workplace is more important than keeping a job where that is frowned upon. He is fired for his decision and is now on his own to start a business that will glorify God.

    – A corporate manager decides to pursue an online degree in apologetics so that he can be prepared to answer the tough questions he will receive from his clients as he makes more of an effort to share with them the reason for his faith in Jesus.

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Eternal Perspective

If you look closely, you will notice that each of these examples reflect an eternal perspective. While victory may not seem evident right now, each item on the list will still be having a ripple effect 1,000 years from now. This is usually the best indicator of true victory.

The other thing you will notice is that these examples would likely be looked upon as silly or even foolish in most pure business circles. Review this list at any of the nations top business schools and you will likely receive laughter or even be mocked.

God’s View

The truth is that God does not define victory as the world does. In fact, Scripture says that He chooses the foolish things of this world to shame the wise and the weak things of the world to shame the strong (1 Corinthians 1:27). The experts may not agree with my list, but I am not so concerned with what they think. I hope you see it the same way.

How does your list look to you in hindsight?

Would this list have been different for you 5 years ago? Why?

What do you need to do to change your list?

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Great Leadership Advice From My Dad

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My Dad’s advice is still coming in handy after all these years! You likely remember similar words of advice in your life, whether it was from your father, a teacher, or even an Andy Griffith show! Even after many years, some advice continues to apply in our everyday lives.

advice

Dad’s Advice

I still remember it like it was yesterday. I was heading out on a date in high school and Dad wanted to give me some final advice. His wise words still ring in my head some 25 years later.

Son, make your decision about what you will and won’t do right now. Whether is it drugs, alcohol, or sex, you cannot wait until the heat of the moment to decide. It will then be too late.

Of course, then I was too cool to let him know that I was listening! Fortunately, I was listening and made (mostly) wise decisions during those years. I knew he was wise then, but I had no idea I would still be following (and giving!) that advice these many years later!

Good Advice?

What makes this advice so good?

Well, in my mind it is ALL about timing. If we go through life waiting to make decisions until we face certain circumstances, then, as my Dad said, it will be too late. The emotions of the circumstances will override our logic and cause us to lean toward immediate gratification rather than deferred gratification. Making these decisions ahead of time allows us to think more clearly and to consider all consequences.

Example Situations

I think the picture was fairly clear in the high school example. Let me give you some examples of situations we may face as adult Christian business owners and leaders to illustrate what I am talking about.

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  • If you have not decided ahead of time how much money you will give or how you will give it, then what do you think you will do when the profits start rolling in or your income increases?
  • If you have not decided what you will do in advance, what do you think you will do if shown a “grey area” loop hole by your financial planner that he describes as “commonly used” by others?
  • If you have not made up your mind beforehand, what will your response be when offered a chance to go alone to a business lunch with a very attractive rep from one of your vendors?
  • If you have never planned your response to an opportunity to tell a little white lie to cover up a mistake you made, what do you think you will say?

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As you read through these examples, one or two of them probably stood out to you. You may have already faced these circumstances. If so, whether you made the right choice or not, you know what I am talking about. You also know that the likelihood of a good decision without advance planning is very low.

Applying The Advice

So how do you make the right decisions in advance?

You may be thinking that you cannot possibly be expected to anticipate EVERY potential circumstance when you would have to make such decisions. If so, you are right. I do not expect you to do that at all. In fact, that would be ridiculous.

No, I have a few simple thoughts that should put you on the right track. Take a look at these and see what you think.

1. Ask God to search your heart and show you where you are vulnerable. (Psalm 139:23-24)

    It is very likely that you are stronger in some areas of your walk and weaker in others. If you will ask God to point these weaker areas out to you, He will be faithful to do so (Psalm 145:18-19). It is these areas where you need to focus your attention.

    You do not need to worry about EVERY possible scenario in these areas. Take the most likely decisions you could face in each area and start with those.

2. Take these weaker areas and plan out your responses. (Proverbs 12:5)

    Take these weaker areas that God reveals to you and think about potential pitfalls. What kinds of decisions could you face that might throw you off your game? What decisions would you want to make in each area if you could write the script? Now begin doing exactly that!

    Make the decisions in these areas NOW so that you do not have to try to think about it when it is too late and you are under pressure (Proverbs 1:10-19)!

3. Use Scripture as the strong foundation for these decisions. (Psalm 119:11)

    If your vulnerable decision is about giving more money even when the temptation is there to spend more on yourself, try 1 Timothy 6:17-19 or Luke 6:38. If your weakness is maintaining your integrity when preparing your taxes, then use Psalm 119:36 or Proverbs 11:3.

    You get the idea. The point is to use an easy-to-remember verse from which to rally when put in a tough spot. Memorize the appropriate Scripture and call on it when challenged.

Do you remember similar advice from years back?

How does this advice apply to your work today?

What advice would you give to someone else today?

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Obedience From A Weak Position!

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If you have been in business long, you have likely found yourself in a weak position from time to time. Maybe key personnel left for other opportunities or a new competitor came onto the scene. Whatever the case, you knew your organization was vulnerable. What if God asked you to do something right then that could potentially wreck your fragile situation? Would obedience be easy for you?

obedience

Fragile Situation

Not too long ago, I had a key, long-term member of our company’s executive leadership team come to me and resign. His reasons were valid and I supported his decision though I did not want him to leave.

While there could have been worse times for this to happen, it was certain to cause massive change within the organization. I was seriously concerned about the ripple effect it would have on others in the company. I knew I had to tread lightly through the transition to minimize collateral damage.

A Choice To Make

Unfortunately, within days of this news I had to face another, more significant issue which violated one of our core values. This issue, if addressed, had the potential to do tremendous damage to the entire organization – especially in its weakened position! If ignored, there was a good possibility that nothing more would come of it – at least in the near term.

I prayed about the decision. I sought godly counsel. I wrestled with it from every angle. God’s answer became clear.

The problem was that certain circumstances muddied the picture. Whenever I looked at all that was involved in this picture, I got confused. It was easy to rationalize actually sweeping the whole thing under the rug without many people even knowing it ever happened. That was certainly the easiest thing to do.

Obedience?

I had the choice between obedience and ignoring the problem altogether.

Based on the feedback I received from godly counsel, the answer was simple. I must address the issue and face it head on. I had sought godly advice and received it. I had prayed about it. The only step remaining was obedience.

Similar Circumstances For Joshua

While the circumstances are not exactly the same, take a look at Joshua 5. The Israelites have just entered the land God had promised them. Unfortunately, it was still enemy territory. They were just miles from Jericho and everyone in that town knew they were coming to attack.

It was at this point that God told Joshua to have ALL the men circumcised! If Joshua followed God’s direction, his army would be incapacitated and completely vulnerable to attack (see Genesis 34). This condition would last for several days. How could he even consider doing this?

Just like me, Joshua found himself in an extremely vulnerable position. God gave him clear instructions. He had the choice between obedience and rebellion.

Choosing Obedience

Joshua chose obedience. God honored that choice.

In my situation, I chose obedience as well.

I truly hated the decision I had to make, but I hated the alternative of ignoring God even more.

God Is Faithful

Now that I am on the other side of the decision, I promise you that God is faithful when we choose obedience. None of the fears I had ever materialized. In fact, I found out my team is even stronger than I imagined.

What I really found out (again) is that God honors our faith in Him when we choose obedience. I cannot guarantee I will always choose the right path, but I know I will remember this particular situation for years to come. I encourage you to do the same and see how faithful our God truly is.

I recently read the following quote in Wiersbe’s study on the book of Joshua, called Be Strong.

It has been well said that faith is not believing in spite of evidence but obeying in spite of consequence.

How do you see this quote applying to your situation?

What does it say to you?

Where do you need to choose obedience despite the consequences?

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Where Is Your Dependence?

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As I continue to deal with storms at work, I keep going back to the Bible for guidance. What is funny is how certain verses or passages pop up in unusual places to give me the encouragement I need. Just a few minutes ago, as I was scrolling through my notes for future posts, I came across the some verses (Psalm 33:13-22) that remind me where my dependence should be.

dependence

For context, let’s look at verses 13-15 first.

13 The Lord looks down from heaven;
He observes everyone.
14 He gazes on all the inhabitants of the earth
from His dwelling place.
15 He alone shapes their hearts;
He considers all their works.

Here The Lord is looking down from heaven and it is clear He is complete and total control. He is observing us and considering our works.

Then come the key verses (16-19) for us…

16 A king is not saved by a large army;
a warrior will not be delivered by great strength.
17 The horse is a false hope for safety;
it provides no escape by its great power.
18 Now the eye of the LORD is on those who fear Him—
those who depend on His faithful love
19 to deliver them from death
and to keep them alive in famine.

Let’s break that down a little so we do not miss a single morsel of value from it!

1. A king is not saved by a large army.

    There are numerous accounts throughout Scripture and other historical accounts of kings being soundly defeated despite having the advantage of a larger army.

    The lesson here is that we cannot depend on the apparent strength of our company to save us in tough times (or good ones!). If we place our dependence on the strength of our company, we risk failure.

2. A warrior will not be delivered by great strength.

    Just like above, too often the strong warrior has gone down despite appearing invincible. Just consider at Goliath. God is clearly telling us here that we are not to rely on our own strength to win the day.

    We may be brilliant in business or in our specific field, but we are not God. There are too many factors that are out of our control. We should not place our dependence on our own strength.

3. The horse is a false hope for safety.

    The horse was a great advantage in battle for centuries. If you were on a horse, it was much less likely that you would be killed. Unfortunately, even this advantage is not enough to guarantee safety.

    What is your horse? Do you have a can’t-miss product or service that you feel can carry the day and keep you out of financial trouble for years to come? Maybe your horse is a portfolio of “solid” real estate investments from 5-10 years ago? If so, I am sorry, but I think you get the message. Do not place your dependence there!

4. (The horse) provides no escape by its great power.

    Though we addressed the horse above, this line actually takes the advice a step further. Not only does the horse not provide safety, now we are told it provides NO escape.

    This is kind of like an exclamation point on the previous line. Just in case we did not get a clear enough picture in the first line, the second line comes along to blow away all the smoke. Obviously, our “horse” is not where we want our dependence!

Rest of the Picture

So, what is the rest of the picture? Other than telling us what NOT to do, what is the author saying?

I think the next two verses (18-19) will answer your question!

18 Now the eye of the Lord is on those who fear Him—
those who depend on His faithful love
19 to deliver them from death
and to keep them alive in famine.

He Wants Dependence On Him

These verses give us a picture of what God is looking for. God is seeking out those who fear Him – who place their entire dependence on Him and His provision. God wants us to seek Him for deliverance from death and provision in famine.

A similar verse (also one of my favorites) is found in 2 Chronicles 16:9…

For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him.

He Wants Dependence In ALL Areas

A consistent theme throughout my blog is that we must be FULLY committed to God. Our FULL dependence must be on Him. We cannot say that we are committed to him and only include him in our church life.

He must be our focus throughout every segment of our lives. Obviously, my passion is about teaching others how to do just that in the marketplace. I hope you are inspired to begin this very journey.

He may ask you to get your feet wet from time to time, but I promise you it is worth it!

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Are You Getting Your Feet Wet In Following God?

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As I have mentioned several times in my posts lately, I am going through some storms at work. I am sincere in my efforts in following God and His lead so I am redoubling my commitment to spend more time in His Word and in prayer. It is amazing the insights He gives me when I do this!

following God

Be Strong!

Just this morning, I was reading in Joshua. I started here because I remembered God’s charge to Joshua to “Be Strong!” I felt I needed a little of that kind of encouragement!

Step Out In Faith

So anyway, I was reading in Joshua 3 when I came across what I think is a critical passage for us as Christian business owners and leaders. No matter who you are or where you work, there are going to be times in your relationship with God that He asks you to step out in faith. Following God will sometimes require that you step out before you know what you are stepping into!

That is where the faith comes in!

Crossing The Jordan River

Take a moment to read this short passage (Joshua 3:9-17).

Joshua is instructing the Israelites in how they are going to cross the Jordan River to finally enter the Promised Land.

Major Miracle

Now keep in mind that the Jordan River is typically 100 feet wide for most of the year. However, at the time of this passage, the Bible says it was at the spring season flood stage. That means it was swollen to as much as a mile wide!

They have no boats and yet they are being told to prepare to cross this mile-wide river. This is not just a few people either. The Bible said there were 600,000 fighting men that crossed at this time. Based on that, and including other men, women, and children. scholars estimate the total number of Israelites that crossed the Jordan at roughly 2.5 million!

This was no small miracle, but it was not like the similar crossing of the Red Sea. In this case, the priests had to step out into the water before God acted to stop the flow.

Big Deal with God

You may not see that as a big deal, but I think it IS a big deal with God. He does not always do it the same way. Sometimes he just moves (like with the Red Sea) and then we know what to do next – it is clear.

Other times when following God, He asks us to move first.

Examples with Abraham

Consider a couple of situations when Abraham was following God. God asked Abraham to leave his home to go to a place to be named later. Abraham had no clue where he was going, but he was obedient. Later, God asked him to sacrifice his son Isaac. Again, Abraham was obedient without knowing what the outcome would be.

Stepping Out of the Boat

Even more appropriate, look at Peter. In the boat with the other disciples, he is called out by Jesus to step out and walk on water! Peter likely could not envision exactly how it would work or what it would look like. Plus, he was in the middle of a storm!

As we all know, Peter took the steps of obedience and was given the thrill of walking on water! Of course, it did not last long because he quickly lost his focus and went down. But Jesus was right there to pull him out. That is another whole lesson in itself!

Following God

Folks, when you are truly following God and seeking His guidance in your business, or any other part of your walk with Him, you need to be ready to get your feet wet. Pray that He would give you the boldness and faith you need to step out and trust His lead.

You will not regret it!

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Solomon’s 8 Steps to Discovering God’s Will

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Recently, I have had an avalanche of fairly significant issues overtake me. Fortunately, God gave me (a little) advance warning that the storm was coming! As a result, I have been able to prepare myself by refocusing on my morning quiet times and devoting more energy to my prayer life! My ultimate goal is to allow God’s will to direct my decisions as I navigate this minefield.

God's will

Proverbs’ Advice

In thinking about this, I remembered some applicable advice in Proverbs 2 that addresses seeking God’s will. Starting in the first four verses of Proverbs 2, Solomon gives us eight directives. Read these verses slowly and pick them out.

1 My son, if you accept my words
and store up my commands within you,
2 listening closely to wisdom
and directing your heart to understanding;
3 furthermore, if you call out to insight
and lift your voice to understanding,
4 if you seek it like silver
and search for it like hidden treasure,…

Solomon’s Eight Steps

If we are truly looking to align our lives with Scripture, then this passage is ripe with opportunity. Like a machine gun, Solomon quickly rattles off eight action words or phrases. If you are not paying close attention, then you could miss one or more of them. Each of these phrases is a directive to the reader.

1. Accept my words

    I have to first accept that the words given here are absolutely true, not up for discussion. If I am unsure of this, then there is no need to read on.

2. Store up my commands within you

    I have to memorize these words (along with other Scripture) for the purpose of recall when needed.

3. Listen closely to wisdom

    When it is offered or available, I must listen to (Godly) wisdom and be prepared to apply it. There should never be a time that I ignore it.

4. Direct your heart to understanding

    I need to point my heart in the direction of understanding. It also means to “stretch out” toward understanding. The path of my heart needs to be headed toward understanding.

5. Call out to insight

    I need to actively call out (prayer) for insight. Waiting on it to be downloaded into me is not enough. I need to be vocal to God!

6. Lift your voice to understanding

    I need to increase the intensity of my voice as I cry out for understanding from above.

7. Seek (understanding) like silver

    I do not need to just sit still and call out for understanding. I also need to be active in going to where I will find it! Whether by reading Scripture, seeking wise counsel from other believers, meditating, etc., I must not be content without it.

8. Search for (understanding) like hidden treasure

    Sometimes understanding will not be in obvious places. I must not allow that to stop me. I must look with intensity as though I am searching for something hidden (that I am confident actually exists!).

Additional Emphasis

Notice how Solomon knows that not everyone will heed his words here so he begins by saying, “if you…” three times – typical in Jewish teachers for emphasis and effect. Let’s make sure this effort is not in vain!

Sincere About Seeking God’s Will?

If we are sincere about seeking God’s will for our lives, our businesses, then we must not ignore the advice Solomon gives. We must heed his words and follow with action! I encourage you to apply this advice to the situation in which you most desire to know God’s will for you.

Rest Of The Story

Now that you understand what you are to do, I will let you in on the rest of the story! This is my favorite part of this chapter! The cool part is what follows in verses 2:5-22, when Solomon describes the results of taking this action. Like before, read this section slowly and think about how nice it would be to see all of these results in your business!

5 then you will understand the fear of the Lord
and discover the knowledge of God.
6 For the Lord gives wisdom;
from His mouth come knowledge and understanding.
7 He stores up success for the upright;
He is a shield for those who live with integrity
8 so that He may guard the paths of justice
and protect the way of His loyal followers.
9 Then you will understand righteousness, justice,
and integrity—every good path.
10 For wisdom will enter your mind,
and knowledge will delight your heart.
11 Discretion will watch over you,
and understanding will guard you,
12 rescuing you from the way of evil—
from the one who says perverse things,
13 from those who abandon the right paths
to walk in ways of darkness,
14 from those who enjoy doing evil
and celebrate perversion,
15 whose paths are crooked,
and whose ways are devious.
16 It will rescue you from a forbidden woman,
from a stranger with her flattering talk,
17 who abandons the companion of her youth
and forgets the covenant of her God;
18 for her house sinks down to death
and her ways to the land of the departed spirits.
19 None return who go to her;
none reach the paths of life.
20 So follow the way of good people,
and keep to the paths of the righteous.
21 For the upright will inhabit the land,
and those of integrity will remain in it;
22 but the wicked will be cut off from the land,
and the treacherous uprooted from it.

Source Of Energy

I don’t know about you, but these results of seeking God’s will with intensity excite me! I know I have a long way to go and many storms to face, but at least I have instructions on how to proceed. I hope you get the same energy as I do after reading this chapter!

Does this chapter excite you as much as it does me?

In what situation could you seek God’s will like Solomon advises?

Who else do you know that could use this advice right now?

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What is Marketplace Ministry?

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marketplace ministry

This post about defining marketplace ministry and why it is critical is part of a series of posts that come from the material I recently used to teach a small group of Christian business owners and leaders in Chandigarh, India.

The focus of this material is also the focus of this blog – God’s call for us to run our businesses as a platform for Christian ministry. Hopefully, after reading this series, you will agree that it is God’s will that we run His businesses as stewards with an eternal perspective. You should also have a better understanding of what this looks like in today’s marketplace.

My Story

As I began teaching the group in India about exactly what marketplace ministry looks like, I thought it would be helpful to start with my own story as an example. Hopefully, through reading about my experience, you will get a better picture of what I mean when I talk about marketplace ministry or Christian business.

As the oldest of three sons, I grew up working in the family’s automobile business. I always expected to eventually take over my father’s business, along with my brothers. About 12 years ago, I was in that very role – running the family business. I was enjoying what I was doing and could easily see it being my lifelong career.

My Awakening

That is precisely when I had a spiritual awakening. Through Bible study and prayer, I began to realize that I was only giving God 1.5 days a week. I was spending the rest of my time thinking about business, profit, and family.

Convicted, I went to my father and explained that I wanted to leave the family business to pursue work that would allow me to give God more of my time in actively living out my faith.

My Desires

I sincerely wanted to bring others to know Jesus, help others in need, teach what I was learning in my Bible studies, and to generally be a great disciple of Jesus. I just felt like I could not accomplish that while giving so much time to the business. So I began praying about how God would establish me in a career that would give me the flexibility to accomplish all He had put in my heart.

His Answer!

The crazy thing? It took nearly two years, but He showed me exactly where I was to accomplish all of this…in the very family business I was trying to give up!

In a brief period of time, God showed me how all of my desires for ministry could be achieved through the business I was already running. I just had to approach this business through His eyes, not the ones I had been using.

My Decision To Stay

I went back to my father and explained my revelation. He fully supported my request to stay in the business and apply this new vision. From that point until now, I have been giving my all to running a Christian business from an eternal perspective. My goal is to accomplish all God laid on my heart, but to do it through our family business.

What IS Marketplace Ministry?

One website defined marketplace ministry as, “The directing of evangelism and other Christian activities toward the secular marketplace.” I think the simplest definition is to be a disciple and witness for Christ in and through your work or business. A similar approach is having the attitude of being a full time minister in the workplace.

In a recent post, one of my readers sent me a comment that said my description of a Christian business sounded just like a description of the daily life of a normal Christian. I told him he was right…taking your faith to work should look exactly like what you do with your faith when you are in church or trying to reach others for Jesus outside of work.

Location is the only difference.

Why Is It Critical?

Folks, there are many reasons why marketplace ministry is critical. First of all, in the secular marketplace, the majority of the people you work with are lost and need Jesus. You will interact with many who will never darken the door of a church. Because they are on their own turf in the marketplace, they are relaxed and not spiritually on guard like they would be if you forced them into a church setting.

Not only are they more comfortable, but due to your relationship with them, you can have more influence on them than your pastor can. They trust you. They feel it is his “job” to push them toward God. With you, it is different in their eyes.

So What?

My prayer is that you recognize where God has placed you in business and what He expects as a result of your efforts there. He is not going to grade you on your business success as the world does. Instead, God is looking for the eternal impact you will have as a Christian business owner or leader.

Commit right now to run your business with an eternal perspective. Commit to making an eternal impact on everyone you meet through your business dealings. Commit that you will no longer attempt to separate your business life from your spiritual life – instead acknowledging they are one and the same!

What is your view of marketplace ministry and Christian business?

Do you see the opportunity for your eternal impact in the marketplace?

Where are you on the path toward marketplace ministry?

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Warning: Your Foundation May Be Defective!

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Imagine you are the owner of a future hotel and condo highrise building in downtown Las Vegas – The Harmon Tower (shown below – tall blue tower on right). You have committed to investing almost $300 million in its construction and eagerly await its opening. Construction is virtually completed on the foundation and exterior of the beautiful building. The interior is moving along quickly.

foundation

Defects in Foundation

Now imagine that inspectors have told you that due to defects in the foundation, the original plan for close to 50 floors will need to be revised to include less than 30. After further investigation, it is determined that the building is not safe at all – even with the reduction in size. In fact, though nearly complete, it will most likely have to be destroyed – never to be occupied!

What Are The Consequences?

This is a true story and the legal battle is still going on in court. It is not yet clear exactly who is at fault. All that is clear is that hundreds of millions of dollars have been wasted, several companies may be bankrupted, and the Harmon Tower will likely never open.

Could this have been avoided? Was it poor foundation design or sloppy construction? Who should pay the price for the failure? Will anyone come out unscathed?

Turn The Tables?

Folks, these questions are important to ask in this particular case, but they are also appropriate to consider in our own situations. Let’s turn the tables and see how these circumstances may apply to the foundation of our Christian businesses.

First of all, I think it is clear to all of us that a strong foundation is required when building anything – especially something that we expect to stand the test of time. Why would it be any different with our efforts to integrate our Christian faith into our businesses?

A couple of weeks ago, I wrote a series of posts from material I had used in teaching a small group in India. This series addressed four truths on which we all must agree if we are to have a strong foundation for our Christian business. Let’s review these truths (for more detail on each truth, read the associated post via the links):

Foundation Truths

1. We must have an eternal perspective! (read post)

2. God owns everything – including us! (read post)

3. God commands us to love Him with our all! (read post)

4. God commands us to go and make disciples! (read post)

Defective Foundation?

Sticking with the building analogy, each of these four truths must be a solid part of your Christian faith foundation as you work to integrate that faith into your business.

If you leave any of these truths out of the mix – either through doubt, fear of loss, greed, complacency, or any other reason – your foundation will be defective. As a result, your eternal impact will most likely not reach the heights you may initially have in mind. It will most certainly not reach the heights God has planned for it!

Omit “Eternal Perspective”

Take any one of these truths and omit it from your Christian business foundation and see what happens. For example, leave out an eternal perspective. That can’t be too dangerous, can it?

Well, test it out. Without an eternal perspective, on what time frames will you base your every decision? Will it be 30 days? A quarter? Even a year? Why not 1,000 years? How big can your impact really be when you are only considering the immediate short-term?

In this case, short-term thinking may not cause death and harm to thousands like the collapse of a building. Or could it? If you are only thinking short term, how many potential souls could miss out on the gospel message that might otherwise hear it if you were thinking from an eternal perspective? What fulfillment will you miss due to this short-term thinking?

Omit “God Owns Everything”

What about Truth #2 – God owns everything? If you left out this truth when building your foundation, what would be the big deal?

For starters, if you do not truly believe that God owns everything, then you will fall for the lie that you DO own something. You will then likely fall for the similar lie that says you deserve comfort and luxury and should spend your hard-earned profits on yourself.

How many people in need would then miss out on the blessings God had in mind for them through your generous giving from HIS profits? What blessings will you miss by not experiencing the generous giving yourself?

You can take the other two foundation truths and apply the same questions. I think you get the idea.

Original Questions

Now go back to the original questions we asked regarding the Harmon Tower disaster. Can you see how these might apply to you and your business if your faith foundation is found defective?

Could this have been avoided? Was it poor foundation design or sloppy construction? Who should pay the price for the failure? Will anyone come out unscathed?

Think through these questions slowly and ask God to give you the answers that are specific to your situation. Go back and read each of the posts on the truths listed above. Especially read over the Scripture given in each of the posts and pray expectantly for His guidance in building the right foundation for your business.

Are all four foundation truths present in your business?

Are all of these truths rock solid and without weak areas?

If not, what is your plan for correcting the problem?

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Crisis – An Advisory Board In Action

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advisory boardAs Christian business owners and leaders, we are virtually guaranteed to face a crisis in the course of doing business. In fact, the odds are we will face more than one.

Are You Prepared?

Depending on your experience, you may or not be prepared for it when it hits. If it is big enough, even your years of experience may not help. This is where the combined godly wisdom of a good advisory board is critical.

Advisory Board in Action

In a recent C12 advisory board meeting, one of the members shared the crisis he is currently facing in his business. His crisis was actually a conglomeration of several difficult issues involving family, business, and faith. To protect the innocent, I will not go into details!

The Crisis Defined

I will tell you that in all my years of business, I have not faced anything like this business owner is facing. It quickly became clear in the group that the same was true for the rest of the members. This situation was a doozy and had more hair on it than Bigfoot! Quite simply, there was no clear and easy solution.

It took the member 30-45 minutes to finally get all of the pertinent facts onto the table because he was so distraught over the situation. He bounced from issue to issue, trying to describe all the details. We were asking clarifying questions the whole time because he was so scattered in his thoughts and words. It was a painful effort just getting a clear picture of the whole situation.

Action Plan Established

From there, it was amazing to watch the minds of eight godly, Christian business owners jump into action. In a flurry of more questions, debate, and brainstorming, our advisory board group came up with a solid action plan for the member to execute.

Here are some of the advisory board contributions:

    1. Detailed the timeline for his action plan.

    2. Debated the best approach to each step of the plan.

    3. Outlined possible break downs in the plan and how to respond to them.

    4. Discussed the potential pitfalls to shortcutting various steps in the plan.

    5. Gave advice relating to legal issues he will need to further investigate.

    6. Tested our recommendations against Scripture throughout the process.

    7. Questioned him on various decisions he had made up to this point.

    8. Gave him contact info for key people that could meet various needs.

    9. Prayed over him and the whole situation – asking for wisdom, peace, strength, mercy, forgiveness, peace, and reconciliation for all parties involved.

Now Fully Prepared

At the end of the meeting, it was clear that the member was in better spirits and fully equipped to face the crisis head on. While, the tough time was still in front of him, he knew he was on the right path and had a solid game plan. He also knew that we would continue to pray for him through the process. That does a lot for one’s confidence.

Advisory Board Structure

I encourage you to contact C12 if you are interested in visiting a group meeting to get a feel for how it works. Of course, the C12 Advisory Board structure is not the only way to accomplish this process. In my conversation with Mark Cress a couple of weeks ago, he explained how his advisory board consisted of a unique blend of personalities and experience. This board is the actual Board of Directors for Corporate Chaplains of America (CCA).

Though there are some significant differences in the responsibilities of his board when compared to the C12 advisory board, the benefits discussed in this post are the same. An example of this is how the CCA board has played a critical role in creating Mark’s succession plan over the next several years. Their combined wisdom will ensure a smooth transition of leadership over CCA, as well as position the organization for significant growth in the future.

You Need An Advisory Board

The bottom line is that regardless of the size of your business, you need an advisory board. There are too many potential problems you could face that will require more wisdom and experience than you have. Whether you seek a paid advisory board or one that volunteers their time, you cannot afford to go it alone.

Consider these verses from Proverbs as your encouragement to get started:

Without guidance, people fall, but with many counselors there is deliverance.
-Proverbs 11:14

Plans fail when there is no counsel, but with many advisors they succeed.
-Proverbs 15:22

Finalize plans with counsel, and wage war with sound guidance.
-Proverbs 20:18

…wage war with sound guidance – victory comes with many counselors.
-Proverbs 24:6

Do you have similar access to the godly wisdom an advisory board offers?

What are some other benefits you have seen?

If not, when are you going to get started?