0400713 Business thinking.

For some strange reason (maybe sin?) we seem to make a distinction between our "religious" life and our "business" life.  Well, that's a serious error.  In fact, the Puritans considered one who made such a distinction and potentially unsaved and fooling themselves.

Levi the tax collector in Matthew 2 and Zaccheus in Luke 19 make that point very clearly. Not only that but even a cursory reading of Isaiah and the other Prophets make is clear that God judges not only our "religious" attitudes and actions but our commercial ones as well - and His wrath is kindled against them.

It's a matter of humility.  Humility?

Yes.

Biblical humility is fighting the hard and grueling battle to be and stay submitted to the call of God upon our lives.  It's the acceptance that no where except at the foot of His throne, beseeching His provision will we ever have a hope of bringing glory to His name in anything we attempt.  It is truly and viscerally a dieing to "self."   A mortification of the flesh.  A life lived in full awareness of the the cost of even the smallsts of our sins (if any can be called small).

To put is in plain and main talk:


He has told you, O man, what is good; And what does the LORD require of you But to do justice, to love kindness, And to walk humbly with your God? (Mic 6:8)

Justice, kindness (mercy) and humility before God.  do you really know what these call for?  Or are they just really need words that simple "inspire" and then "expire?"

Here are three "key core values" worth digging into  - worth any and all the time and effort it takes you to live for His names sake.  These are three lenses through which the light of the truth - the light of the world - shines through us to His honor and glory.

Oh - don't fool yourselves.  These are NOT just religious values.  If they don't or can't apply to your business then your business is in real trouble - eve if it's Christian business (whatever that is).

Think about this.  There is no such thing as a "christian" company,business, endeavor, organization, cause, even, etc.  There may be Christians involved and indeed it may be done for the glory of Christ but ONLY redeemed human beings can claim the denomination "Christian."  Adding "christian" as an adjective is meaningless - maybe as an adverb it has some meaning but ONLY PEOPLE - REDEEMED PEOPLE are Christian.

Your business, church, organization, etc can never be any more Christian than the newest, even weakest believer who is a part of it.

We do business to "gain" something - provision.  We live for Christ and in Christ because of what we have already gained - which only He provides.  Can you see the difference?

Just some food for thought --- I pray it provokes you to turn to His Word and humbly in prayer cry out:


Examine me, O LORD, and try me; Test my mind and my heart.   (Psa 26:2)

Wait for the answer and follow!

Leadersheep -Examine your heart and get His help!

We began with a tough subject, money - covetousness.  But it is not as simple as that.  It it is more a matter of the heart than the wallet or wants.

As one who leads - or desires to lead the critical thing is to examine your heart.

Jesus tells us:


For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person." 
(Mar 7:21-23)

Pretty tough stuff.  

Two things any leadersheep should pray and follow through on:

Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!   (Psa 139:23-24)

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer.   (Psa 19:14)

We need God to show us our hearts and whatever wickedness yet resides there.  We need Him to shine His light in all the cracks and crevices so we may find and sweep out the smallest dusty-bunny of sin.  We need to seek His Spirit's help in discerning our weaknesses and needs and the same for the remedy.

We, as believers, have His Spirit and His Spirit produces fruit.  We all know the old passage: 

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.   (Gal 5:22-23)

Here is a criteria by which we and the Spirit can effectively examine our hearts.  This fruit ( and "fruit" in this passage is in the singular - it's all one) is not just the demonstration to us that we are in Him.  Rather it is the characteristic that should be evidence of His presence to us and all those we serve and care for - or, actually just come into contact with.

I began my "official:" career as a consultant working with a process that sought to develop "whole hearted leadership."  It was (and is) a great  process!  There is just one problem - that is the nature of that heart one is leading from.

As leaders we don't just need a 360 degree assessment - we need a 720.  We don't just need the feed-back of those around us but we need the feed-back of He who indwells us. We are sinful and flawed and weak - so what kind of assessment can we really give (or get).  It is His loving and true assessment we need so that we may know our hearts.

Of course - we do have such an assessment:

The LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.   (Gen 6:5)

That's where we start.  Our hearts we birthed, weened and raise that way.  In Him we are made new - but it's a new we are utterly unfamiliar with - so, having been birthed in Him we must be weened and raised in Him as well.  Unfortunately pride all too often prevents us from accepting our need for the pure milk of the word - we're big people - we need meat.  And yet we have no spiritual teach with which to chew and so not only do we gag on the meat we gain little nutrition from it.

For any of you who seriously desire to examine your hearts I suggest you get a copy of:

Keeping the Heart by John Flavel.  Flavel was a 17th century Puritan and his works are magnificent.  Keep in mind the times and circumstances in which he wrote - they were unsettled and tough.  But if you will work through this book with your Bible alongside I know you will be challenged and blessed.

What are we working for? Beginning

But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.   (Mat 6:33)

We all know this verse and we have heard countless sermons about it.  For Leadersheep this is the place to start, the first step.

It's not a hard thing to grasp, we, as His people, need to seek after Him and His will first and foremost.  

The word "kingdom" in the passage can be legitimately translated as "kingshipb" without doing violence to the text.  And doing so can be a very great help to us in keeping Him in focus.  

What is a hard thing to do is to faithfully submit to that Kingship.  It is especially hard when we are surrounded (in business or leisure) by so many to whom this idea is alien and/or offensive.  "Bending," the rules, even breaking then has become common, the key being to not get caught.

Being in such an environment is a great trial and challenge to our faith and faithfulness.  But if we consider that there is no sin so small that Christ did not have to die for it - perhaps we can be better motivated to submit to His will in all our undertakings.

It begins when He calls us to Himself and makes us His.  The Spirit is given as His seal and His helper and we begin to follow Him.  Old thoughts, views and habits are challenged and perhaps it is at this point we really begin to see the depth and breadth of our need for His grace.

But we, with His provision, must commit to submit to His Kingship - which is more than just an acknowledgement of it - it is a daily living of it.

So, let me ask you, how well do you know Him - not how much do you know about Him but how well you know Him?  In our earthly relationships we have all ha those  moments when we have commented concerning someone we thought we knew well, "I never would have thought they'd......"  

If, in our earthly relationships we assume much and we assume wrongly can we not do the same in our relationship with Him?  Of course we can - and have - and do.

I am not encouraging you to some massive change in your life.  I don't think we normally need an epiphany or revelation.  I do think we need to make a choice, a plan and then follow through.

Simple beginnings are usually best so let me encourage you to consider:
1.  At least two times of prayer a day.  Praise Him, seek His provision and lift up those you know are in need.  If prayer seems difficult them select a Psalm and simply read it as your prayer - that's not cheating and you'll be amazed at how it builds your appreciation and focus in prayer.
2.  Get into the Word and the Word into you - daily.  Maybe you'll just start reading a Gospel or Proverbs.  Maybe you'll take advantage of websites like Truth For Life or Sermon Audio.  But as God builds us He uses the "mud" we bring and the straw of the Word to build the bricks we need.  This isn't magic - you've done a very similar thing as you prepared for your career and as you advanced in it.  
3.  Be as gracious to yourself in your beginning as He is always.  Richard Baxter, a wonderful 17th century preacher wrote concerning our growth in our Christian "duties,"
"Doing it as you can is the way to be able to do it better."

Recommended memory verse:

Remember your word to your servant, in which you have made me hope. This is my comfort in my affliction, that your promise gives me life.   (Psa 119:49-50)

Recommended Bible reading:
Luke and then on to Acts

Recommended audio:
Truth for Life; Alistair Begg (Also found on Sermon Audio site)

Recommended extra-biblical reading:
A Christian's Directory by Christopher Love

Please do not hesitate to contact me with questions, insights, - what ever - I hope to serve you well but you'll have to help me do that.