Archive for October, 2008
Turning The Other Cheek
October 16th, 2008 Categories: Christian Business Blog
My pastor taught a brilliant lesson yesterday about turning the other cheek, going the second mile, etc. It was timely, and I purposed in my heart to apply it to my life immediately. Wouldn’t you know, today I had an employee begin to slander me unjustly in the workplace.
Now, I have authority over this person. I could have fired them, made life miserable, or at the very least given them a stern talking-to. Instead, I walked back to my office and spent a half hour in prayer. I can’t honestly say that I wasn’t angry, but I didn’t retaliate, even though it was my right to do so according to the laws of man that govern the workplace.
The problem is this: Paul said, “Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. (1 Corinthians 9:19)”
Although the world may say that I have the right to fire the person, make their life miserable, etc., the bible tells me that I am to default to the higher calling of love at all times. Slaves have no rights. You know who else has no rights? Dead people.
“For if we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall also be in the likeness of His resurrection, (Romans 6:5)”
The thing about Christ’s death is that it was voluntary. He had the authority, power, and every right to retalliate against those who were nailing him to the cross, but he didn’t. He had already committed himself to death on my behalf, and dead people have no rights.
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Refining Fire
October 12th, 2008 Categories: Christian Business Blog
“6) In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials,
7) so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ;” (1 Peter 1:6-7)
This scripture is a tack-on to our discussion from yesterday. I said that if you don’t like the shaking, you really won’t like the consuming fire. Of course, the reality is that the consuming fire is meant to be a refining force that will perfect your character and faith in God.
Don’t be mad at God if your portfolio has decreased. Don’t lose faith. Don’t be so easily shaken. Your relationship with God is more precious than gold. We’ve been saying it all along. Now it’s time to see who really believes it.
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The Unshaken Kingdom
October 10th, 2008 Categories: Christian Business Blog
25) See to it that you do not refuse Him who is speaking For if those did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, much less will we escape who turn away from Him who warns from heaven.
26) And His voice shook the earth then, but now He has promised, saying, “YET ONCE MORE I WILL SHAKE NOT ONLY THE EARTH, BUT ALSO THE HEAVEN.”
27) This expression, “Yet once more,” denotes the removing of those things which can be shaken, as of created things, so that those things which cannot be shaken may remain.
28) Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude, by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe;
29) for our God is a consuming fire. (Hebrews 12:25-29)
Have you been wondering what in the world is going on with the economy, the financial markets, and the country in general? The scripture above tells us that everything that can be shaken will be shaken. It begs the question, is your dependance resting upon the systems of man, or upon faith in the Lord?
It’s about time that the high and mighty things of this world begin to come tumbling down around us. Not that I’m some sort of dooms day prophet or anything, but I just see the eventuality of the whole system coming to its natural point of termination. If you’re not comfortable with a little shaking (stock market fluctuation, falling dollar, etc), then you’re really not going to like the part about the consuming fire. Just a thought.
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You’re Too Busy NOT to Pray!
October 7th, 2008 Categories: Christian Business Blog
I’m a busy guy. My church is a full hour’s drive from my house, and my job requires a lot of me, and I spend many more hours a week engaged in the affairs of business than I would like. If I’m honest, I’ve often said to myself, “I don’t have time to pray today.” My schedule sometimes seems unending, and it’s a logical train of thought to assume that I can leverage my time better by not spending an hour in prayer in the early morning. The problem is, most kingdom principles defy logic.
“Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.” (Mark 1:35)
Jesus was perhaps one of the busiest men in recorded history. He engaged the sick, broken-hearted, lost, and religious all day every day. If he had a blackberry, I’m sure it would never cease popping up appointment after appointment. Still, Jesus took the time to escape from the throng of onlookers and spend time in prayer.
Perhaps Jesus had a supernatural level of energy that allowed him to rise early in the morning and devote himself to prayer. I’d like to offer that perhaps his rising early for prayer provided him with the supernatural energy that he needed in order to sustain his tremendous ministry schedule.
Prayer is not a hinderance to productivity. Prayer is productivity.
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