David understood one of the essential qualities of a leader, as we see in 2 Samuel 23:3. Anyone who wants to lead well must fear the Lord. When we talk about fearing God, we are not talking about a wrong kind of fear. We are talking about the reverential fear that causes us to bow in His presence and even to prostrate ourselves before Him and say, “My God, there is none like You; Whom shall I fear? If You are for me, what can man do to me?’

The apostle Paul wrote something in Galatians 1:10, He said, “Now am I trying to win the favor of men, or of God? Do I seek to please men? If I were still seeking popularity with men, I should not be a bond servant of Christ (the Messiah).”

We know Satan firsthand uses rejection to prevent us from going forward with the call of God on our our lives. Have you ever been attacked with rejection? The devil uses this very effective tool to keep us from making progress.

How many of you have gone to the bank to get a loan for your business and were turned down? Wanted more money to expand? Wanted to hire a few more people? How many people were skeptical when you told them you were starting a business, or joining a partnership with someone, or told you all of the reasons why they failed in business and why you would too? It’s very difficult to go on when you are being rejected by someone you love and care about or others who have the power and ability to help but do not buy into your vision. I know what that feels like when you take the leap of faith and do what you believe you have been called to do. I shudder to think what I might have sacrificed had I bowed down to the pressure and the weight of rejection. Everywhere I went for help they told me no, or I didn’t qualify, but thank God I didn’t give up.

Have you ever been in a situation when the devil leveled an attack against you at the same time when God was trying to promote you into the next level of what he has for your life?

Anyone who is going to do the will of God must have more fear of God than of man. We all want acceptance and for others to support our dreams. It takes courage to live your dreams. And you have to be willing to lose everything to do it. What does that mean? The trials and storms of life will come. They must. Do you stay and fight for the dream and the desire that you believe God has placed on the inside of you, or do you turn in defeat because it’s just too hard?

Anyone who is going to do God’s will must remember what Jesus told His disciples: “A servant is not greater than his master…If they persecuted Me, they will also persecut you” (John 15:20). He was saying, “If they reject you, in effect they are rejecting Me.” I believe the Lord takes it personally when people reject you because you are trying to do the right thing. He knows how you feel about being rejected, because He felt the same thing. He is your Vindicator; your reward comes from Him, and you must reverentially fear and honor Him more than anything or anyone else.

As you have made the decision, for God I live, and for God I die, know that God is equally commited to the promise as well. Romans 8:31,32 “What then shall we say to [all] this? If God is for us, who [can be] against us? [Who can be our foe, if God is on our side?] [Ps. 118:6]

32 He who did not withhold or spare [even] His own Son but gave Him up for us all, will He not also with Him freely and graciously give us all [other] things?

God approved of you before anybody else ever got a chance to disapprove. Do not spend your time playing it safe in the illusion of a down economy (because millionaries are being made everyday, banks are still giving corporate execs million dollar bonuses) don’t buy into the hype! Safety is very comfortable, but it may keep you from God’s perfect plan for your life.  If we want to continue to succeed in this environment, our focus must be customer focus coupled with outstanding customer service. Not because it will keep your customer and repeat business, but if you never see them again, the honor and privilege is in being in a position to serve.

Trust His Word and keep your heart willing and ready to obey. Be willing to try new things, especially if it is something you have never done before. You will find throughout your life that God regularly calls us out of our comfort zones and into new places of faith and growth in Him.

On the way to your destination, enjoy the journey.

Linda Dillard

Founder/CEO & Relationship Strategist for Power In Progress, LLC & Creator of the “CEO Method”

Week 4: Ecclesiastes 2: 4-9

4 I undertook great projects: I built houses for myself and planted vineyards.

5 I made gardens and parks and planted all kinds of fruit trees in them.

6 I made reservoirs to water groves of flourishing trees.

7 I bought male and female slaves and had other slaves who were born in my house. I also owned more herds and
flocks than anyone in Jerusalem before me.

8 I amassed silver and gold for myself, and the treasure of kings and provinces. I acquired men and women singers,
and a harem as well—the delights of the heart of man.

9 I became greater by far than anyone in Jerusalem before me. In all this my wisdom stayed with me.

Let’s be honest, reading about all the stuff the Teacher had is without a doubt impressive; however, the words that jump beyond the page for me are “In all this my wisdom stayed with me.” My immediate response upon reading this was, what does wisdom mean in this context? Furthermore, does wisdom actually have a context or have I misinterpreted it’s meaning all together? Before I traveled down that rabbit hole something occurred to me; the Teacher knew the difference between the road signs and his destination.

How many times have you driven somewhere you’ve never been and got excited when you saw a road sign that told you how many miles you had left until you reach your destination? If you’re anything like me, you get a little smile on your face knowing that you’re heading in the right direction. My smile usually serves dual purposes because it also means I get to tell my lovely wife “I told you I knew where I was going”. Both responses are fairly common and also reasonable. The foolish thing to do would be to park on the side of the road, take all of our luggage out of the trunk, and set up for vacation under the road sign. The sign is exactly what the name implies; it is simply a sign. To say my point in plain language, the Teachers life style was simply a sign of success. He knew his calling was much bigger than his accomplishments, so no matter how great of a ruler he had become or wealth he had amassed, he kept in mind that an attachment to his worldly possessions (which ironically can only move in one direction….into the ground) would only hinder his upward journey into the holiness of God.

If you’ve entered into the mission of entrepreneurship with an eye full of riches and a heart hungry for fame, you’ve sadly mistaken the road sign as your destination, and your wisdom has not stayed with you. If you’ve purchased new homes, new cars, new clothes, new retirement accounts, new friends, new husbands, new wives, etcetera, but have not remained humble, charitable, and righteous, you have also sadly mistaken the road signs for your true destination because your wisdom has not stayed with you (Proverbs 10: 1-7, Matthew 5: 1-20).

The creation story (Genesis 1: 1-31) is a perfect example of what it means to move beyond the road signs. Prior to creation nothing existed. Most Christians are enamored by God’s ability to simply speak things into existence. While this is all well and good, it’s not what he said that proved his wisdom and power, it was the words that were never written that is truly impressive. Take for instance the flower (generally speaking). When God spoke plants into existence he didn’t create just one, he created many; however, he didn’t stop there. He also the complex cell structure of every species of flower and the ability for those cell structures to feed on sunlight through photosynthesis. For photosynthesis to work correctly he also had to create the processes it needed, which fundamentally works by converting sunlight into energy. When he created light he also had to create the atoms, protons, and electrons necessary to bring it into tangible existence. He also had to create heat to excite the protons so that they would bounce off electrons to kick start the “light-making” process. As the light fed the plants, the plants fed the humans. In order for mankind to identify the plants, God had to create individual markings and designs to differentiate the types of plants that were available to eat. I could continue down this path to show you the depths of God’s wisdom, but I’ll assume you get the point. God doesn’t stop at the road signs, he continues until he has reached his destination (Philippians 1:6)

The secular world is trying to wrap it’s brain around the idea of destination versus road sign with a fairly new and fashionable business term, Conscious Capitalism. This is the an excerpt from consciouscapitalism.com:

“For several decades, companies emerging out of the culture of the 60s have been cultivating a new genre of Capitalism. This is a Capitalism that recognizes the power of purpose and the principle of interdependence. It is a Capitalism the sees leaders as stewards and facilitators. And it is a Capitalism that embraces the cocreative, generative nature of business, and is directed towards fulfilling the potential of business and the marketplace to be a powerful force for positive change. This is a Conscious Capitalism, embodied by Conscious Capitalists.”

This is the worlds attempt to keep their wisdom with them, and it’s “working”. John Mackey, CEO of industry giant, Whole Foods, and many other powerful voices are making Conscious Capitalism a household name. Why aren’t we, the keepers of the Truth and representatives of the Creator of our universe, speaking up (Colossians 2: 8-23)? While we dance and shout all over our churches for the brand new house we WANT to buy, these people are changing the world. While we try to impress sister so-and-so or brother so-and-so with how busy we want them to THINK we are, these people are shaping the minds of our children. While we play “look at me on my blackberry and laptop” games in the local coffeehouse , these people are recruiting the leaders of today and tomorrow at our colleges. Stop celebrating the road signs! We still have many, many miles ahead of us.

I really don’t want to end this on a negative note, so I won’t (or at least I hope I won’t). Trying to figure out where to go in this last paragraph, I’m reminded of a rapper that had a song that said “I’m stuntin’ (showing off) like my daddy”. I want to be clear that I’m not trying to say that creating a comfortable life for yourself and your family is wrong because it’s not. God created an empire by his own power, for his own glory and being created in his image and likeness explains our need to amass things in order to build an empire of our own. However, sin has polluted our desire to honor him with obedience (i.e. rule over all things on the Earth. We are conversely ruled by things). We now, like the Israelites, seek to build our own tower of babel to draw all men unto us (Genesis 11: 1-9). In our case, the unified language we speak is the dollar bill. If the unfortunate collapse of our economy is viewed through the omniscient eyes of our Father, one can not help but to see his gracious hand saving us from utter destruction yet again. This isn’t the way most people see things, so they are fighting, clawing and defending every ounce of worldly success they can find. Very little thought is given to the fact that God is working ALL things out for the good of them that love him and are called according to his purpose (Romans 8:28).

Do me a favor, the next time your driving and you see a road sign that says you have x-amount of miles left, take a look around you then hit the accelerator just a little bit. When you do that, thank God that he’s still taking you where you need to go. After you’ve done that, thank him for where you’ve been. Finally, thank him that your not traveling alone. We’re all headed somewhere, but without the wisdom of God we’re unpacking our cars hundreds of miles away from the glory and comfort of God’s purpose.

How many of you are just like me, Class A+ Procrastinators?

Did you know having good intentions can still be a form of disobedience? Procrastination is very deceptive and Proverbs 3:27,28 instructs us not to do it. Often, we do not see putting things off as disobedience because we intend to obey God; it is just that we are going to do it when–when we have more money, when we are not so busy, as soon as Christmas is over, after we get the kids in school/college, when we return from vacation, after the snow is gone, etc. Remember, the best intentions do not produce results. Ask God to help you take action in a timely manner in every situtation.

So, what are some strategic solutions to helping Class A+ Procrastinators; Proverbs 4:5 instructs us to get “skillful and godly Wisdom,” and here are some of the results that you can expect as you apply wisdom in your life.

Wisdom will always lead you to God’s best. Wisdom teaches that you will not keep friends if you try to control and dominate everything that goes on in your life and theirs. You will not keep friends if you talk about them behind their backs or tell their secrets. Wisdom says, “Do not say things about others that you would not want people saying about you.”

Wisdom will guide you in money matters. You will not get into debt if you do not spend more money than you make. A lot of people never have fruitful ministries because they think they can run a ministry without good business principles. The Holy Spirit does not need to speak in an audible voice to tell us that we cannot have more money going out than we have coming in. Wisdom tells us that we will get in trouble if we do that.

Wisdom will not let us get overextended in our commitments if we listen to her. No matter how anxious we may be to accomplish things, wisdom says we need to take time and wait on God to give us peace about what we are to do and not do. It has been very difficult for me over the years to learn to say no to certain speaking opportunities, but I have learned that it is not wise to wear myself out trying do to so much that I end up not doing a quality job.

To God, quality is more important than quantity. Many times wisdom leads us to say no to things we would like to say yes to. Wisdom may also lead us to say yes to something to which we would like to say no. Having an opportunity that will stretch you outside of your comfort zone may cause you to say no, because you are afraid you might fail. But Wisdom may be telling you that you can do all things through Christ that strengthens you, and although you may have never done this or that, or tried this or that, doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t try. How do you ever grow beyond what you are capable of if you never put yourself in a situation where you know exactly what you are made of. Feel the fear and do it anyway.

Wisdom is our friend; it helps us not to live in regret. I think one of the saddest things in the world would be to reach old age and look back at your life and feel nothing but regret about what you did or did not do. So many people are playing it safe. In case you haven’t noticed, “You can’t get out of life ALIVE!” It’s always more fun on the field than it is in the stands. Failure is merely feedback. The sorrow is not in the falling down, the tragedy is in never having tried in the first place. Wisdom helps us make choices now that we will be happy with later.

A word of advice to all my soon to be reformed Class A+ Procrastinators, don’t put off for tomorrow what you can to today, maximize your moment!

Be Encouraged. [Excerpts from Joyce Meyer Amplified Bible] 

Linda Dillard

Founder/CEO & Relationship Strategist for Power In Progress, LLC

In a society where misery and sorrow lurks on every corner…I’m grateful for
the message God put down on the inside of me to share his peace that
surpasses all understanding. Obediently I picked up the phone to call
someone not even knowing what I was going to say. I got their answering
machine. While the message played I still had no idea what to say. I was
hurting and dealing with a lot of things…beep! The answering machine
stopped my thoughts. I began to sing a song. I continued, as I closed my
eyes I began to leave them a prayer. I was amazed at what they Holy Spirit
was speaking through me. When the spirit finished speaking I ended the
call. I hung up the phone, placed it in its cradle and collapsed in the floor
into tears. As I lay on my bathroom floor my face drenched with tears, my
throat in knots, talking to God with a froggy voice, the Holy Spirit spoke to
me that was for you too! The spirit must have its way. Don’t be
downtrodden as you go through test and trials. Keep your head up, don’t
regress, just trust in the Lord. His word says come unto me all who are
weary and burdened and I shall give you rest.

During a time when the key to restoring our nation and renewing the global economy are entrepreneurs, here is a message to encourage the heart of every believer who has had to whether a storm during a very difficult and trying year.

The Bible Wants you to Live Great

Many people think that what’s written in the Bible has mostly to do with getting people into heaven – getting right with God, saving eternal souls. And all those are a part of the Bible, however, equally important that the Bible is concerned with is living here on this earth – living well, living with enthusiastic sanity.

Wisdom is the art of living skillfully in whatever actual conditions we find ourselves in. In Proverbs 3:26 (Message), “No need to panic over alarms or surprises, or predictions that doomsday’s just around the corner, Because God will be right there with you; he’ll keep you safe and sound.” “For the Lord shall be your confidence, firm and strong, and shall keep your foot from being caught [in a trap or some hidden danger]. (Prov. 3:26, Amp).

You Can Succeed in Any Business

I just wanted to remind you that no matter what business your in or service you provide, Jesus says in John 14:12-13, “I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, if anyone steadfastly believes in Me, he will himself be able to do the things that I do; and he will do even greater things than these, because I go to the Father. And I will do [I myself will grant] whatever you ask in My Name [as presenting all that I AM], so that the Father may be glorified and and extolled in (through) the Son. [Exod. 3:14] We know that trials and tribulations must come, and we should welcome them. In our weakness, He is made strong. I believe because of the lack and suffering that many are feeling right now it is creating an opportunity for God to do his best work.

God Promises Us that He’ll Keep us from Danger

I want all of you to know that no matter what you are facing in your business today, what difficult decisions you may have to make, that God has not forsaken you, and when we continuously put our trust in Him because he cares for us, He keeps his promises. He has promised each one of us that he would keep our foot from being caught in a trap or some hidden danger. Knowledge is something you know, Wisdom is something you own! When your confidence, firm and strong is in Him, he will keep you from falling.

Set Your New Year’s Goal for 2010

Trust that every setback is a setup. 10 symbolizes totality or all inclusiveness. For all that we have endured in ‘09, it’s time to get excited because in 2010, it all comes together. It is your time, it is your season. When God is for you, it’s better than the whole world against.

Always Seek Wisdom

Be encouraged my brothers and my sisters, “Above all and before all, do this: Get Wisdom! Write this at the top of your list: Get Understanding! (Prov. 3:6 Message) What the enemy meant for evil, God will use for good. Let us return to childlike faith, that if he said it, then it will come to pass. Rejoice, this is the day that the Lord hath made, we will rejoice and be glad in it. (Psalm 118:24)

Linda Dillard
Founder/CEO Power In Progress, LLC
Tap Into the Power, Walk Into the Light

Suggested Reading:

Your Road Map for Success

John C. Maxwell. Thomas Nelson 2006, Paperback, 256 pages, $5.99

Spiritual Steps on the Road to Success

Linda Seger. Monarch Books 2009, Paperback, 188 pages, $11.49

Many of us know and believe that God has a plan for our lives. A plan to prosper you and not harm you. Plans to give you a hope and a future. But how many of us know that in verse 13 there is an awesome promise? “Then you will seek Me, inquire for, and require Me [as a vital necessity] and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.” Jeremiah 29:13 Amplified

Notice that we are to require God “as a vital necessity.” In other words, the wonderful life Jesus died for us to have depends on our relationship with God. Just as we need food, water, and the air we breathe. How many of you realize that when you spend time with God, everyone knows. You handle conflict better, you are easier to get along with, you are less likely to make emotional decisions, your patience increases, wisdom is manifested through you, and even your creative abilities are in a heightened state of awareness because you are more sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit.

If you want to create an environment that is enjoyable to work in, if you want more productivity from self and others, if we want to capitalize on innovation by creating a cooperative spirit filled with collaboration in the workplace, then search for God with all your heart and be the example that you want your employees to emulate.

As with any friend, the more time you spend with God, the more you become like Him. Be the example because everyone will know it. Make it a priority. Your life depends on it because He is your vital necessity.

Suggested Reading:

Lead by Example

John Baldoni. AMACOM 2008, Hardcover, 240 pages, $10.14

Leading with Kindness

William F. Baker. AMACOM 2008, Hardcover, 256 pages, $4.49

When you are a young adult, you more than likely have not experienced many of life’s difficult trials but you can be assured that you will get your chance. Too many, when they are hit by these trials, seek some sort of quick fix. When the Christian is hit by life’s trials, he or she seeks help from God but many times seeks instantaneous help only to find that it does not happen that way. But the Christian should learn that God is not someone that you can punch a few buttons and hit some sort of jackpot. Christians need to ask God for the most important thing: Wisdom. Getting wisdom is the thing that God will give you when you ask for it and it is an important tool in dealing with life’s trials.

What is Wisdom?

Wisdom is the ability to make the right decision and because of discernment. It can also be equated with common sense. If you have the trait of wisdom as a filter for making decision you have something that is very valuable. God placed wisdom as something so valuable that an entire book of the Bible was written on it: The Book of Proverbs. It is the one trait that God will give you if you ask:

James 1:5 – If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

Wisdom Gives you Discernment

I find that when I am faced with an impossible situation or I am trying to make a decision but not sure which way to go, wisdom helps me make a decision more quickly and be at more peace with it. Let’s put this in perspective a little.

For example, if I make a decision based on desperation, I end up not making the wisest choice but the first choice that comes along. This happens many times to those looking for someone to marry. They will choose the first person who comes along because of desperation instead of carefully analyzing if this person is right for you. Wisdom gives you the ability to discern what is right and wrong in choosing this person as a mate and to have thorough understanding of the potential consequences of your decision. Desperation does not produce this kind of discerning decision making.

So the next time you are faced with a difficult situation or decision, ask God to give you wisdom before anything else.

Suggested Reading:

The Leadership Wisdom of Jesus

Charles C Manz PH.D.. Berrett-Koehler Publishers 2005, Paperback, 190 pages, $4.77

God’s Wisdom For Your Every Need

Jack Countryman. Thomas Nelson 2009, Paperback, 272 pages, $1.96

Many business owners and entrepreneurs, like you, find that their business revolves around them and that it just would not be the same without them at the helm. True. As a start up business it is normally the owner of the business that does all the sales, marketing, project work, administration, finance and so on. The light soon comes on upstairs when they realize that they can’t do everything on their own and they need to employ staff or outsource to do the many jobs needed. After all if you were good at making widgets before you started your business and now focus on marketing or human resources more than making widgets – is this right? You went in to business because you were good at making widgets, and widgets you should make!

The only real way to succeed in business is to treat the business as if it is an entity in its own right – let it become a business that you are serving in rather than a business all about you! As a Christian I firmly believe in the Bible as the true Word of God and feel that acting in this way, giving the business over to God has led to our success in Creative Rush “Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed.” Prov 16:3 (NIV).

In doing this, handing the business over to the Lord, then not telling anyone – are we are hiding the answer from the world? If Christ can beat sin and death – a recession, credit crunch or downturn is relative small fry!

Keeping our life as Christians hidden from our business life it just not cricket! We should be seeking to build our business on biblical foundations just as we do for the rest our lives. Then in turn should we not live this out in the public domain, showing others how and why we do what we do?

Should we not display the fact that we have built our business, and continue to run our business, on the Word of God and act in many circumstances with faith more than human action or decision first?

In the fast-paced modern-world of business, it is especially important to realize that God’s Word should be, and remain, the cornerstone of your personal life and that of business. God’s Word gives all the insight into how we should run our businesses and with that comes wisdom. (Prov. 2:6).

Christians in business – ensure your life values and business values are entwined with each other and the practices of both mirror these values. Hand your business over today in your prayers and see that the ultimate provider and creator is near at hand.