"Amazing grace! How sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me. I once was lost, but now am found, 
was blind but now I see." ~ "Amazing Grace" by John Newton

When we allow sin or the cares of this life to dominate our thoughts, we become spiritually blind to the love, blessings, favor, and breakthrough ideas that God has already provided to us. However, when God's LOVE dominates our thoughts, our eyes are opened to the beauty, possibilities, and opportunities that surround us every day. When fear dominates our thinking, it is extremely difficult to receive new revelation and insight from God to take your life or business to the next level. However, when His LOVE completely consumes your mental focus, creative concepts flow freely to you and from you.

If God desires to give you every good thing (Psalm 84:11), has lavished you with every spiritual blessing (Ephesians 1:3), and has given you everything as it relates to life in godliness (2 Peter 1:3), why is it that people still walk around feeling confused, anxious, fearful, and bitter? It's because their thoughts are not dominated by His LOVE. His perfect LOVE casts out all fear (1 John 4:18). When you realize and fully embrace the truth that God loves you passionately and you can't do anything to change that, all thoughts of fear, doubt, hopelessness, and any other forms of unhealthy thinking are separated far from your mind. When your mind is freed from that junk, your blindness is cured and your thoughts become a clean canvas for God to paint some extravagant ideas. 

As your eyes are opened you are now able to see the amazing things God has already given to you that were previously hidden from you by all the things that were clogging your mental pores. I know this to be true, because until recently I struggled with self-condemnation and fear for a long time due to some business and financial failures. But when I finally got the picture that God wasn't punishing me for my failings - so I needed to stop doing that too and forgive myself - I was able to see His vision for Kingdom Business University. Actually, the idea had been sitting in front of me for a long time, but I couldn't see it because I was consumed with those unprofitable thought patterns. 

It wasn't an overnight process. But I can definitely say that once I allowed God to correct my thinking, my eyes were opened and my mind has been blown away with all that He wants to do through this new entrepreneurial Kingdom venture (trust me, our web site doesn't even come close to fully describing all that God has shown me that KBU will become). New ideas are coming every day, people are catching the vision, doors of opportunity are flying open, and resources are coming quickly. I am more excited than I have been in a looooooooong time, because I am able to see again!

Allow God's LOVE to dominate your thinking. The benefits are amazing and the results will be miraculous. You will begin to see life like never before, and fully experience the practical power of His LOVE.

***Reminder: The Open House for Kingdom Business University is this Saturday, March 31st at 10 am in Atlanta. Click here for more info.

Join us Saturday, March 31st from 10 am to 12 pm in Atlanta for an exciting Open House for Kingdom Business University. Learn how we are equipping Christians to develop the entrepreneurial mind of Christ so they can lead more effectively in the marketplace as Kingdom entrepreneurs. We will show you how KBU blends Biblical principles with business best practices to help you develop, launch, and grow your business - from concept to expansion. We are also presenting our solution for churches and community groups that can help alleviate the unemployment problem across the country.

Event Details:
Date: Saturday, March 31st
Time: 10 am - 12 pm
Location: 1669 Phoenix Parkway, Suite 100, Atlanta, GA 30349

To learn more about Kingdom Business University, click here. 

Derrion Albert.
Martel Barlett.
Luis Garcia.
Cynthia Cole.
Adolfo Guijardo-Soria.
Salvador Sanchez.
Aniya Crockett.

These are just a few of the 74 young people who were murdered in Chicago in the 11 months between September 2009 and August 2010 (more than 78% by gunshot). [Source: www.truestaris.com]

Also in Chicago, more than 530 people under the age of 21 have been killed since 2008 and many more have been shot or have otherwise suffered violence—often at the hands of their peers and particularly in the city’s African-American and Latino communities. Nearly 80 percent of youth homicides occurred in 22 black or Latino communities on the city’s South, Southwest and West sides—even though just one-third of the city’s population resided in those communities. [Source: The Chicago Reporter]. 

I wonder is God any more angry, hurt, or vengeful when violence against one of His children happens at the hands of someone who looks like them versus someone who doesn't. I wonder is He any more outraged when someone from the same culture or ethnicity murders an innocent teen versus someone from a different culture or ethnicity.

It's interesting the things we as Christians have selective outrage about. I know a lot of local outrage was expressed in several cities where it seems like violence has gotten out of control over the past few years. But the national outrage was nowhere close to what it has been for Trayvon. I'm not saying it shouldn't be there for him, but what about all the other victims who preceded him.

This may not be a popular stance I'm about to present, but the tragic death of Trayvon Martin and the hundreds of other senseless deaths of our youth (and adults) highlight a much deeper and widespread problem than racism or poverty or injustice. It really highlights the sin culture in this country as our core problem. Everything else are just symptoms of this central root. 

Our society drinks the blood of excessive violence, sex, and debauchery everyday through personal indulgences, movies, music, TV, and video games, but then we are surprised / shocked / outraged when we see reality perpetuating entertainment perpetuating reality. This sick cycle won't stop until we stop it!

The root of racism is hatred, which is birthed from sin. Therefore, racism is really a sin thing, much more than it is a skin thing (satan will use any scheme to divide us: racism, sexism, classism, ageism, etc. Don't get tricked into participating with his schemes). It would then lead to the truth that Christians need to be focused on grace-based solutions, not just race-based solutions. Simply changing laws, rules, and regulations will only produce short-term, peripheral change. Laws may provide a deterrent before and punishment after the fact, but they can't prevent murder. The only thing that can prevent murder is the love of God, i.e. people who understand how much God loves them, which then compels them to love everyone else no matter what they look like. (oh, and every murder is a "hate crime" if we're using God's laws to judge the action versus just our own, but I digress...)

It's interesting that the Civil Rights movement was led by men and women of God who were looking to transform the soul of America, not just laws and bathroom signs. They understood the spiritual foundation had to precede social action, otherwise social action lacks sustainable change and lasting effectiveness. Jesus came to bring complete heart transformation, not just behavior modification or racial understanding (Galatians 3:26-28).

The Bible clearly spells out for Christians how we can collectively transform the culture into one that is healthy and viable versus broken and hurting. 2 Chronicles 7:14 is speaking to Kingdom citizens, not unbelievers: "If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land." 

You might read that Scripture and be thinking that we can't spend all our time praying without going and doing something against oppression or injustice. Well, the beautiful thing about seeking God's face through prayer is that He reveals His will and provides answers to our problems. He will tell us what we need to do to strategically and systematically change the systems of oppression and injustice. Without His input man-made ideas and solutions will have minimal impact.

Many people are angry at Mr. Zimmerman and want justice served against him. He will have his day in court (before a judge or public opinion). However, God's judgment starts with the family of God (1 Peter 4:17). And part of His judgment against the church for the condition of this country and the world will be how much we prayed versus how much we protested (or did other things to distract us from the most important things). If you protest more than you pray, your efforts will be limited in the grand scheme of things.

It's OK to protest, but you better pray in advance, during, and after, so that when the protests are over, people slip back into normalcy, and the media has all gone home (until the next news making event), you will have some divine answers that will transform hearts and minds, not just man-made solutions that have little long-term effect.

I pray for Trayvon's family that God will bring healing, peace, and restoration.

I pray for all the family's across this country that have needlessly and senselessly lost a young person.

And I pray for God's church to wake up the responsibility we have to this country and the world to seek His face for His answers and stop making up our own as we go along.

Listen to my interview on The Financial Breeze Radio Show on Praise House Radio from Wednesday, March 14th. I talk about different aspects of kingdom entrepreneurship, living on purpose, and pursuing your dreams.

What are your thoughts? I look forward to your feedback.

Join us March 21st for a free preview session of Kingdom Business University. You will have an opportunity to learn more about KBU, ask questions, and experience some of the content. The early bird price of only $59 also ends that day. You can register at http://kbuatlanta.eventbrite.com. Please contact us today if you have any questions. We look forward to seeing you there!

Bishop T.D. Jakes preaches about the power of one thought or one idea away to take your life to the next level. Powerful stuff!

“No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other..." ~ Matthew 6:24

Stop living like your only purpose is to survive your problems. 

Stop living like your only reason to live is problem management.

Stop devoting the best of your time, talent, money, and mental energy to your problems.

Stop allowing your problems to dominate your thoughts and emotions. 

Stop thinking that your problems are all-powerful.

Stop ascribing more power to your problems than they really have.

Stop magnifying your problems and minimizing God's power to dominate them.

Stop magnifying your problems and minimizing the power God gave you to dominate them.

Acknowledge your problems, but don't submit to them. Your problems don't deserve the quality and amount of your attention that should be given to God. That's called worship. Don't worship your problems.

That is all.

Daree Allen was my guest yesterday on Passion in Action. She is an authorpreneur, young adult esteem advocate, speaker, and goal-getter in Atlanta, GA. She has published articles on a variety of topics as a freelance writer and blogger, and is the author of the new teen mentoring book series entitled, "What's Wrong With Me?" in which she discusses her own childhood dealing with self-esteem, premarital sex, family and personal relationships, and gives advice to teens on the same. Find out more about her work at www.dareesinsights.wordpress.com and www.DareeAllen.com.

Click here to watch yesterday's Passion in Action episode.