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So So Service to God


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#1 Alan M Ross

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Posted 13 November 2010 - 05:45 AM

Same old…Same old! Sometimes it appears that is what all of us are waiting for; things to return to normal, back to where things were predictable and to a large extent certain. God must detest that kind of certainty given the number of times His people lost focus during times of prosperity and certainty. This is God’s wake up call to us and it is a wakeup call to action, not fear and business as usual. If we do the same things the same way we will likely get the same poor results. This Great Disruption as it can be termed is nothing more than God getting my attention. I am listening. Now I must act.

Lest you think I am comfortable with the current state of politics, let me set the record straight; I vehemently disagree with most of everything congress and the president is doing. However, ours is not a political battle but a spiritual one and I can see no biblical precedence for solving spiritual battles through political means. Please don’t forward me any more emails “against” the current occupant of the White House. I am sick and tired of our negative, often dishonest and anti-anything approach to life. Let’s begin to uplift one another, to encourage one another and to refocus our own spiritual energies to where God would have us focus.

For me, that focus must be on business; the marketplace; the circle of influence He has given me and on the gifts, skills and experiences I woke up with on this brand new day. As a Kingdom Company member, is that where God is focusing you?

In times of great disruption, both economically and spiritually, there are also great opportunities if we will take the time to find them and to act on our only certainty; that if God is for us, who can be against us. And God is for us. Are we being tested? Yes! Are we facing trials of many kinds? Yes again! Are we defeated? Never! But how do we start looking for and taking advantage of positive opportunities when we are dealing with so much negative fall-out from lack of revenue, credit tightening and greater costs to stay in business? Consider three strategies for success and survival during times like this:
1. Be about His business first. What does it mean to “seek first the kingdom”? It means seeing every relationship opportunity as a divine appointment. Divine. Arranged by God. There are no coincidences in the kingdom of God. And every appointment is not necessarily arranged that you might “lead them to salvation” but that you would be a player in a much larger process. Try this. Act as if everyone you meet already knows God and act as if your walk with God is as natural and normal as anything else you do today. Let your life be your witness and if necessary speak. I believe it was St. Augustine who said that. Look for God in every contact. Slow down. Seek Him in the day to day interactions and watch what happens.
2. Preserve the core of your business. Most of us have spread ourselves too thin; financially and strategically. Re-examine your profit centers, clients, customers and suppliers. Who and what should be pared back. Focus, focus and focus some more on the products, services and activities that you know are your core. This may also be a time to cut back on personnel, so please don’t presume upon God that he will allow us to continue to be the enablers of poor performers and employees with less commitment to excellence that is needed during these tough times. Sound harsh? It is, only because we have allowed waste, excess and a lot of “just enough” and if this is God’s company, what right do I have to waste what He has given me to steward. Often, when we cut back, the upside potential becomes that much greater and more rapidly achieved.
3. Use the mind of Christ, the one you were given at conversion, to see tomorrow. This is the biggest hurdle we will have to overcome to avoid SO SO thinking. Christ was a man on the move and His Holy Spirit is not languishing in some cathedral in Rome. No, he is alive and on the move and willing to share what He sees with those committed to His work. It is Jesus who will add “all these things”; things like customers, clients, new product and service ideas, and a certainty that we are on the right track because we are on His track. He knows what we need. He can supply it.

I have been doing it on my own, with a form of Godliness but without the power thereof. Now I want the power of Christ to rule and reign through my role as a CEO and business owner. What glorious and exciting times, that the creator of the universe will allow us to be His representatives here and now. Let’s get on with it. Alan.

#2 Brian Rushfeldt

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Posted 13 November 2010 - 08:49 AM

Alan,

You are right that politics is not our battle but government affects our moral culture. I so often believe the lack of prayer and church influence in our community has led to the moral decline in every segment of society (including government and politics, education etc).

It seems to me that we are mandated to be salt and light in every part of culture. Yet we avoid many areas. Men failing to be leaders in family, business, church and elsewhere leads to a decline of the Kingdom and its principles.

I am Canadian but watch closely what occurs in your nation - and am convinced that when the unrighteous rule the people groan. We have a lot of groaning up here too.

What concerns me is when government legislates immorality and ungodliness ( as it has here with marriage and sexuality issues). That is where faith and government intersect.

Oh that the church body would pray, that God fearing leaders would arise and that we would hear from heaven and our land would be healed.

#3 Mark Wood

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Posted 13 November 2010 - 07:40 PM

Alan, I appreciate your thoughts but also struggle with the thought that politics is not our battle as Christians. In making this statement I agree with you and deplore the current state in which the church is being twisted to obtain votes and support. However over and against this I see people like my hero William Wilberforce who was driven by a God entranced imagination of the Gospel, the ability to see what could be through the power of Christ. He fought for the rights of people and the humane treatment of animals specifically because of his understanding of the Kingdom and Gospel. Are we beyond this? No I do not think so but it is not for everyone.
The disciples error in thought was that the Kingdom Jesus was ushering in was a political one, one that lead to disappointment and misunderstanding. The church still engages in this same error believing that the church in America will prosper or fail by who holds the oval office. However on the opposite side I think we must also remember that the church has a role in holding the government to account to its duties of authority as given by God. It can be easy to forget the great freedom that all Americans enjoy of being able to speak to their government in protest without reprisal.