It has been my experience that when most people say they have faith, it's connected to some type of improvement in their lives. Whether it's believing God for a new car, bigger house, better job, or a situation that needs to change, I am comfortable in saying that the typical person connects their faith with some type of improvement, enhancement, or advancement.
Interestingly, when I look at the life of the one that we are supposed to be emulating, Jesus Christ, I have to conclude that his faith drove him to his death. His faith took him to Jerusalem for Passover instead of staying out of harm's way. His faith caused him to keep his mouth shut when he had every right to defend his innocence. His faith caused him to be tortured when he should have been celebrated. His faith permitted him to be humiliated when he should have been honored. His faith allowed him to be beaten mercilessly with a whip that most likely contained pieces of metal and bone by the very people that he created. His faith kept him on the cross when he could have called 10,000 legions of angels to rescue him. His faith kept believing in his Father even when He turned His back on him. His faith positioned him to be wounded for our transgressions, bruised for our iniquities; to bear the chastisement of our peace upon himself; and to trust that his stripes would heal us. Our faith is usually directed towards making our lives more convenient, but he used his faith to take him to the place of ultimate inconvenience - death. His faith carried him to the cross. RELATED: How Would Jesus Lead Your Business? Jesus shows us that true faith is not about getting what we want to make our lives go more smoothly. Real faith is believing God for the strength to lay down our lives for his will; to die to anything that we want if it's not what He wants for us. This may not necessarily take you to the point of a physical death, but it will certainly take you to the place of inconvenience, submission, sacrifice, and potentially looking foolish in the eyes of other people. The beauty is that on the other side of that kind of faith is a refreshing life that is free from the mundane cycles of mediocrity that most people experience. On the other side of that kind of faith is a radical relationship with God that causes you to be in situations where you regularly experience exceeding and abundant expressions of God's love. On the other side of that kind of faith are amazing miracles that bless you and others. On the other side of that kind of faith is a life far beyond anything that you can ask, think, or imagine. Are you willing to die to your will for that kind of faith? Jesus did. Leave your comments below... “I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” Genesis 12:2-3 In the Kingdom of God private preparation positions you for public promotion. God told Abraham "I will make your name great," and He gave similar proclamations to others, including Moses, Joshua, David, and Solomon. That promise is for you too.
And just like Abraham - the father of our faith spiritually and financially - we can apply Biblically-based business principles that position us to be used by God in the marketplace to bring our greatness into manifestation. Join us at Kingdom Business University for this powerful Bible study for business leaders that I will host beginning Monday, April 21st. We will journey through the Word of God to understand how He uses grace in our transformational process to become who He created us to be. Even if you can't attend in person there's even a way for you to engage with us online through KBU Online. God has greatness planned for you. Now is the time to embrace who you are and the life He planned for you. We look forward to seeing you there! It’s very interesting how early experiences as children can shape our thinking and perceptions well into adulthood. This especially relates to money. I’m sure you can clearly remember a time or two when your parents responded to one of your requests for something that you didn’t realize the value of with a resounding, “Money doesn’t grow on trees!”
And while they surely meant well with their retort, the long-term implications for many is that you still think it’s hard to make money, money in large amounts is only available for a certain groups of people, money is evil, or other unhealthy perspectives. Even if it’s only subconsciously, many Christians have brought these and other mindsets into their relationship with Jesus and thereby operate from an adversarial relationship toward money. And if you have an adversarial relationship with money more than likely you won’t keep very much of it for very long. This may sound a little strange, but stay with me. Click here to read my full article Yes, Money Grows on Trees in Brotha Magazine I look forward to your feedback... "A man's heart plans his way: but the LORD directs his steps.." Proverbs 16:9 Today is the day we are celebrating the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. And as is often the case on this holiday, in reflecting and commenting on his life many people are going to reference what he so eloquently articulated as his dream. This of course is a great thing. You know what else is great? When you discover God's dream for you and you live on purpose to accomplish it. However, I wonder how many people have chosen to live for something that is an alternative pathway compared to what God has intentionally designed for you? I suspect it's far, far greater than what most people would like to admit. "For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." - Jeremiah 29:11 Many people live in pursuit of a dream that's different or far smaller in scope than what God has planned for them. His plans and expectations for us are so far beyond what we see for ourselves, but, unfortunately, many people settle for what they can see not what God has for them. Fortunately, we have a wonderful example in Dr. King of living a B.I.G. dream based on God's purpose for his life.
From the perspective of his life, here are five key characteristics to assess whether you are living your dream or God's:
So do you need to reevaluate your dream? I look forward to your comments below... "For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline." 2 Timothy 1:7 You should be tired of playing it safe and seeing others accomplish great things. You should be done with standing on the sidelines cheering for others while inside you know you should be out there playing too. You should be finished with pushing others to the front while standing in their shadows neglecting your God-given talents, ideas, and solutions. "God can do anything, you know—far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does it not by pushing us around but by working within us, his Spirit deeply and gently within us." ~ Ephesians 3:20 (MSG) This is your season to live fearlessly. It's your season to step out in faith and into your dream. This is your season where scriptures becomes more than words, they come to life! Fearless does not mean reckless. It means that you are going to obey God like never before, trust God like never before, and live like never before! Check out this excerpt from my book Dream B.I.G in 3D: How to Pursue a Bold, Innovative, God-Inspired Life… "We were created in our Father’s image, so we should not shy away from being courageously bold, extraordinarily spectacular, amazingly awe-inspiring, and innovatively brilliant as we reflect His marvelous power and glory in the earth… God desires to show His greatness to the world through the thriving lives of His children. So, you actually do the world a disservice when you dismiss or discount the creative application of your talents, abilities, and ideas." If you're going to live fearlessly in 2014, you need to change W.A.T. you do everyday. What is "W.A.T."? It's your words, actions, and thoughts. Your daily habits connected to the thoughts you think, words you speak, and actions you do will determine your direction and destiny in life. It's imperative that you make conscious choices about W.A.T. you do everyday. Your thoughts, words, and actions should be godly, positive, focused, intentional, and directly connected to the dreams, plans, and goals that God has for you. "There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love." ~ 1 John 4:18 Fearless living is not just for daredevils or risk takers. It's for every person who recognizes they are passionately and unconditionally loved by God and that love compels them to live in a way that is exceedingly and abundantly far beyond all they can ask, think, or imagine. On the other side of the captivity of fear is a life of amazement and wonder that cannot even be dreamed. "When the Lord brought back the captivity of Zion, we were like those who dream." ~ Psalm 126:1 God is waiting on you to live fearlessly. And so is the world. Are you ready? Let's go!
What fear have you overcome for this year? Leave your comments below... I love it when I have the opportunity to interview people who are diverse in their talents and using them in unique ways that glorify God. This Thursday on Passion in Action TV I have the privilege to interview Dr. Mark Williams, a board-certified ear, nose, and throat physician. In addition to his establishing his private surgical practice on the campus of Southern Hills Medical Center, he is also an adjunct assistant professor at Meharry Medical College and founded the Voice Care Center of Nashville, where he specializes in treating and preventing voice problems in Christian and Gospel music artists. As an independent gospel recording artist himself, Dr. Williams has a keen insight to not only the medical and surgical implications of voice disturbances, but also the many spiritual impacts. You can learn more about this dynamic man of God and how he uses his talents in business and ministry this Thursday at 7 PM EST at www.passioninaction.tv. Don't forget to invite your friends. See you Thursday! In church we hear a lot about using our spiritual gifts in the context of church services, ministries, and programs. However it's rare that I hear people discuss the use of spiritual gifts in business or the marketplace. In his article, Seven Reasons the Gifts of the Spirit Matter for our Work, Dr. Art Lindsey breaks down the connection between your spiritual gifts and life calling to reveal several ways to use them in the marketplace. According to Dr. Lindsey: "The work of the Holy Spirit in the world has several implications for Christians and their work. Whether working in creation or regeneration, the Spirit constantly empowers us to carry out the callings Go`d places on our lives. Last week we explored the many stories throughout the Old Testament of the Spirit bestowing gifts of leadership, strength, skill, and speech to God’s people." Read the entire article here: http://blog.tifwe.org/seven-reasons-the-the-holy-spirit-matter-for-our-work/ How do you use your spiritual gifts in your work life? Leave your comments below... |
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