I AM 4 @ivmarsh - Tumblr Blog

Posts

Is it possible to be an Alpha Male without being a butthole? Alpha Male is actually a term we have stolen from the animal kingdom. It is a term used to describe the fastest, strongest, smartest and fittest male in the pack. This male eats first, mates first and gets what he wants because the rest of the males recognise his superiority within the pack. The Alpha Male keeps this by regularly threatening / intimidating, or just plain old kicking the other male’s butt. Inside humanity we often picture a guy who earns a big pay check or drives a fast car. He takes command in every meeting and is the life of every party. In this way, he is much like the top dog in that he enjoys elevated status without a formal ranking system. How does a man maintain “Alpha Male” status you might ask. Well, most maintain this status, by being a butthole. He is overly AGGRESSIVE. However, he typically does this with people he perceives to be weaker. He stays away from challenging other males that he believes are “better” than him. In short, he is nothing more than a “BULLY” He never lets anyone DISRESPECT him. In short; He doesn’t take $&!@ from anyone! If anyone steps on his toes or even comes remotely close to making him look like a fool, he destroys them. He will tear them down with a snide, sarcastic remark or wait and humiliate them publicly or find a way to sabotage their cause. This Male doesn’t want to earn respect; he wants to demand what he doesn’t give or model. He must be FEARLESS. However, he perpetuates a fearless persona by not trying anything that he knows he cannot do. True risk scares the crap out of him. He will not take any real risk because he is a scared little boy. He must DOMINATE everything. Superiority is a relative thing. He raises himself higher by beating down everyone in his path. His throne is built on a mound of crushed emotions and his powerful reputation precedes him. But he knows it’s all a facade. While this behavior may win him a momentary position of power, it won’t last. If you want to be a true man; a man worth following, trusting and emulating: Be ASSERTIVE! A true Man understands assertiveness is confidence with an ability to communicate without intimidation. Show HONOR! If you truly know your value you can appreciate the value that others posses regardless of socioeconomic status. By showing honor to everyone a Man earns respect and trust. Embrace RISK! Risk is a huge part of anyone becoming the best version of themselves. It also involves vulnerability. Whether engaging in a conversation with someone new or investing a $100 million in a start up failure is a real outcome. A true Man knows that failure is an event not a person. Learn to EMPOWER others! The true Man isn’t just on the lookout for opportunities for himself. He also keeps an eye out for opportunities for others. Power and opportunity are like the loaves and fish that fed the multitude. When opportunity is divided and given away to the right people, it multiplies. He understands that no one needs to “lose” for him to win. He realises the opposite is true. If I empower you we both win. Can you be a true Alpha Male without being a butthole? I am not sure when or why we started using a term for animals when we are clearly more intelligent and advanced. Because of this, humans can be at the top of the food chain. You can be a true Man without being a butthole. And buttholes are full of useless crap, stink and everything that comes out of them is flushed immediately. So don’t be a butthole - be a Man.

Bad Checks

The use of checks are a thing of the past. The first use of checks is found in the 1500's. But in the years following WW II check writing was the preferred way to do business. With that came the shock that people would write "bad checks". Simply meaning that they did not have sufficient funds to support the check that was being written. There was no cash to back the promise. Alabama law has a term for writing a bad check. It's called "Negotiating a worthless negotiable object". As people began to not make good on their promises people strayed away from the use of "promise notes" or what you know as a check. The number one preferred way to exchange payment for goods is still cash. Cash is still king! Most of us have allowed this human reality to slip into our relationship with God. We don't trust and we don't have faith. You see faith is not believing God can do something. Faith is not hoping he will do something. Faith is thanking God in advance. In Mark 11:24 Jesus said, “When you pray and you ask for something, believe that you have received it and you will be given what you asked for” You say, “Wait a minute! I’ve got to thank God in advance before I get it in order to get it?” Yes. If you thank God after you’ve got it, that’s gratitude. Most of us have no issues with being grateful. If you give me something I will say "thank you" because what you promised was delivered. But in God's economy exchange happens when you thank him in advance; that's called faith. I want you to know God never negotiates He only delivers! God's promises are not worthless they are yes and amen in Jesus. God said it, He will do it! We must be people of faith in order to access God's promises. Jesus said "believe you have received it" notice that statement is past tense. Even if in present circumstances you don't see it thank God as if it is already happened and that causes it to happen! Challenge: What do you need to start thanking God for even though you don't see it so that you will see it?

Sometimes I don’t feel like being nice to my wife and kids. I don’t feel like doing the unselfish things. Sometimes I don't feel like praying or reading my Bible. Sometimes I would like to just lie on the couch and watch TV. I don’t want to do one more thing today. I don’t want to handle another problem. But just because I don’t feel like it doesn’t mean I shouldn’t do it. So I make the decision to do it. I’ve found that if the only time I do what is best for me is when I feel like it, life will make sure I NEVER feel like it. Maturity is when you live your life by your disciplines not by your feelings. The difference between successful people and unsuccessful people is that successful people are willing to do what unsuccessful people don’t feel like doing. They develop discipline. They stay committed. Discipline is your ability to do things you don't feel like doing. You don’t get to the championship because you feel like it. You get to the championship by hours and hours of training that you didn’t feel like doing. In the same way, if you long to have it all, be successful, you don’t get there by simply doing what you feel like doing. You must choose to stop focusing on the championship and focus on living a champion's lifestyle. Nothing in life "just happens". We must choose to make it happen by submitting to the process. There are no elevators to your desired life. There are only staircases and they must be climbed one step at a time - even when you don't feel like it! What are you not doing that you should be doing even though you don't feel like? Exercise the power of a decision and choose to start the climb to becoming the best version of you today - one step at a time.

Why can't you get there?

In 1950, at the start of the Korean War, Wernher von Braun and his team were sent to Huntsville, AL where he led the Army's rocket development team at Redstone Arsenal, resulting in the Redstone Rocket that was used for the first live nuclear ballistic missile tests conducted by the United States. Wernher von Braun, the father of the nuclear movement, said, “There has never been any great accomplishment in history without faith.” Faith is visualizing the future. It’s believing it before you see it. Hebrews 11:1 says, “Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see” A lot of people say, “I’ll believe it when I see it!” God says the exact opposite is true: “You will see it when you first believe it.” There are many things in life that have to be believed before they can be seen. It is faith that causes an architect to design a building because, first, he believes it can be done. It is faith that causes an athlete to practice and go to the game because he/she believes he/she can WIN. It is faith that causes a sculptor or an artist to believe that they can paint a picture or mole clay into a beautiful piece. It is faith that causes the scientist to believe that we can put a man on the moon. Someone has to believe it before you see it. It is a universal principle of life. What are you not seeing in your life that you desperately want? First, believe God loves you and has great things in store for. Now see it even though it is not happening right now - knowing that it will become a reality.

I love ______ !

What is it that you say you love? Do you say you love God? Do you say you love your spouse? Do you say you love your kids? The point is, it’s not about what you say. Here’s how you know what’s really important to people: Look at their calendar, and look at their bank statement. In a human's life the two things that will always tell the truth about our hearts is our time and our money. The way we spend our time and the way we spend our money says what’s really important to us - it tells a true love story. You can say, “This is really important to me,” but if you don’t spend time on it and you don’t spend money on it, your heart isn’t really there. Challenge: Look at your calendar and your bank statement. Maybe you have allowed some things to steal your love that really don't deserve it. Take some time to realign your priorities. Matthew 6:21 For where your treasure is there your heart will be also.

5 keys to a powerful day I want to give you 5 things to do before you start your day to help you achieve optimum effectiveness and success. 1) check your attitude - Be positive about your day, meeting or event. You must first win in your mind. "do or do not there is no try" Yoda 2) avoid distractions - Know your assignment. Clear your mind of time waisting thoughts & FOCUS on what you have to do today or in this moment. 3) visualize the events - See yourself having a successful & positive day responding correctly at every level & performing excellent in everything you do. 4) review your goals - Commit to your goals & remember there is no try, we do or do not. Commitment is the key to success. Never say; "whatever happens today happens" No - you make it happen - nothing ever just happens. 5) anchor your performance state -See yourself perform at your highest level you've ever performed & know you are capable of 20X that. See yourself performing at 20X your absolute best - then as you visualize, incorporate through your minds eye sounds, smells & feelings. Put yourself there, see yourself doing it - NOW go do it! I do this every morning before my day stars and I do it before every meeting or event I will be involved in. It works! Phil. 4:8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things.

Sail

Attitude is the sail we set that determines the course of our life. - Keith Craft The Bible says in John 3:8, The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit. Can you imagine a sail boat without a sail? It would be directionless. You can't always determine the direction of the wind, but you can determine the set of your sail. No matter if the winds of life are blowing hard or soft, north or south, you can set your sail to get you where you want to go. Successful people use the winds of life to get to where they want to go. Never allow the wind to blow you away, but rather use the wind to take you where you want to go. Our attitude stems from our mind where our thought processes are developed. When we nurture wrong thoughts, we will develop wrong attitudes that lead to wrong actions. When we nurture positive thoughts, we will develop positive attitudes that lead to wise actions. Your thoughts do not have to be subservient to your circumstances. Circumstances and situations, especially the ones we cannot control, are like the wind that blows where it wishes. The bottom line is you cannot determine where circumstances come from but if you set your sails of positivity you can go where ever you want. As adverse circumstances come your way - take your thoughts captive and allow the Spirit in you to determine your attitude so the sails of positivity will take you where you wanna go!

Don't be a garbage truck!

One day I hopped in a taxi and we took off for the airport. We were driving in the right lane when suddenly a black car jumped out of a parking space right in front of us. My taxi driver slammed on his brakes, skidded, and missed the other car by just inches! The driver of the other car whipped his head around and started yelling at us. My taxi driver just smiled and waved at the guy. And I mean, he was really friendly. So I asked, ‘Why did you just do that? This guy almost ruined your car and sent us to the hospital!’ This is when my taxi driver taught me what I now call, ‘The Law of the Garbage Truck.’ He explained that many people are like garbage trucks. They run around full of garbage, full of frustration, full of anger, and full of disappointment. As their garbage piles up, they need a place to dump it and sometimes they’ll dump it on you. Don’t take it personally. Just smile, wave, wish them well, and move on. Don’t take their garbage and spread it to other people at work, at home, or on the streets. The bottom line is that successful people do not let garbage trucks take over their day. Life’s too short to wake up in the morning with regrets, so … Do life with those in your tribe and Pray for the ones who have made the choice not to be. Life is ten percent what you make it and ninety percent how you take it! Have a garbage-free day!

Success for sale

We’ve all heard the saying; “No Pain No Gain” and all of want that to NOT be true but fortunately and unfortunately it is – more than we believe. All of us want things out of life and we categorize them in words and phrases like; success, achievement, winning, being the best me, having financial security, getting a promotion, receiving a degree but to sum it up in one phrase “we all want to be successful”. Whatever phrase you use I can promise you this; to possess any level of success there are only two forms of currency the universe recognizes in exchange for success. There is nothing else that can be used to barter for success; only these two things; sacrifice and pain. But here is the sad dichotomy; just any sacrifice won’t get you the success you want. Just any ole pain won’t bring you the results you’re looking for. Too many of us know this truth because we have sacrificed and we have gone through a lot of pain and we’re still not at the level of success we want. It must be: 1) Strategic Sacrifice – a well thought out decision to do without so I can have later. To put it simply “Short term sacrifice for long term gain.” 2) Pain with a purpose – a decision to endure the momentary discomfort and sometimes down right pain that is necessary to deal with a problem or obstacle to bring you desired results. To put it simply, life is going to be painful so make sure the pain is taking you somewhere. If you deal in these two currencies and invest them wisely the return is astronomical. So – do you have something you want? What strategic sacrifices are you willing to make to get it? What pain are you willing to endure to achieve it? Everyone around you can tell how bad you really want it by what you are willing to do to get it.

Too many people are "beach bums" but don't live at the beach. Their lives, no matter where they live, are set on "the coast". They have obtained a certain level, earned their degrees, bought their dream homes, and then they just coast. Winners don’t coast through life relying on what they have already learned and achieved. On the the inside of you are gifts, talents, and potential that were put in you by the Creator of the universe. But those gifts will not automatically come out. They must be developed. You must be willing to take responsibility for your own growth and development. Growth doesn't just happen. What steps are you taking to improve? Are you reading books or listening to podcasts or watching videos? Are you taking internet courses or going to conferences? Do you have mentors? Are you mentoring others? Are you catching information from people who know more than you? None of the above "just happens". You must be intentional about becoming the best version of you. The world needs it and your family deserves it.

It took God 40 yrs. to reeducate Moses as Israel's deliverer. Moses found out the hard way that the most difficult job in the world is the reeducation and reconstruction of potential deliverers, freedom fighters and leaders. The isolation and pain you feel is nothing more than God reeducating and reconstructing you into the leader He wants you to be. People typically run from adversity assuming there is something wrong with the direction they are going. Actually adversity is a gift, like a strong wind. It erodes away from us all but the things that cannot be taken away, so that we see ourselves as we really are. When we turn from adversity we never see the beauty that lies just beneath the surface that is covered by years of dirt and unnecessary baggage that hinders us being who we truly are. There are two types of adversity we will encounter if we desire to become the best version of ourselves: Physical and Emotional. Moses faced the hard work and heat of desert living for forty years. I promise to become the best version of you it will take heat and hard work. For most physical adversity is easy. But, when it comes in the form of personal attacks that wound us emotionally we often second guess our direction and even our belief system. When you show yourself to the world and display your talents, you naturally stir all kinds of resentment, envy, and other manifestations of insecurity in those around you. You cannot spend your life worrying about the petty feelings of others. If you live your life to make others happy, the irony is you will not make anyone happy, you will not help anyone, and you will be miserable. You can be physically tough and emotionally weak and you WILL quit. The key is to be both physically tough and emotionally strong. Emotional Strength is not what happens to you. It’s how you respond to, and recover from what happens to you. Learn to focus on reality not feelings - Often our feelings attempt to control us causing us to make irrational decisions. Mentally pull yourself out of the situation to see what is really going on. Breathe - If you will take 5-6 deep breathes it will give you the ability to slow your heart rate, and focus. Learn to recognise mental distortions - It's not as bad as you "think" is really true. Humans have an ability to isolate and elevate their problems. Stay calm, stay grounded and make wise decisions. Use visualisation - See yourself handling each situation with confidence and power. Talk to yourself - Don't listen to yourself. Have and use power statements like; I got this, I am powerful, I am wise, This will pass, I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me, I am more than a conqueror in Christ - it's not just motivational self talk it's TRUE. Physical, mental and emotional strength go hand in hand. While this is about emotional strength, I encourage you to develop all three. One without the other is a recipe for disaster.

If it smells bad don't eat it! When something smells bad we instinctively know it's not good. I have been a Christ follower for 18 years. Prior to that many people would attempt to "witness" to me but my thought process was so far from God that religious words and phrases had little to no impact on me. 20 years ago I worked in an environment where my job was to serve and protect the people of a city. During my time there I was able to interact with people on a level most never get to. Often times I would find myself trying to help people who were in very difficult circumstances. They were great people trying to care for their families, make ends meet and live life but it would seem the world was stacked against them. Some may look at them and label them as "poor". Many of these people were religious and could quote more Bible verses than I knew existed at that time. They would even "witness" to me inviting me to know God and embrace Jesus as my savior. This was difficult for me because what they were saying they believed appeared to have zero affect on the life they were living. On one hand they would quote the Scriptures about how God loved them, was providing for them, how they were victorious, how He was their strength and joy but on the other hand they had no joy, they constantly were the victim in their situation, and they were usually completely distraught over something when I was talking with them. Then it happened. I met a family that lived in, what is known as government housing, and they were all together different. I arrived because some money of theirs had been taken. Money they were needing to pay rent and without this money they stood the chance of losing their home. Both parents worked and they had two kids who were both in elementary school. The conversation was the same as with most of these calls. You get the facts first to do your report and almost always the conversation turned religious. Now, I was expecting the same attitude as most. Lots of Scripture quoting with lots of contradictory phrases after. This was different. They did quote Scripture but I had already noticed a difference when I pulled up. The yard was clean and well kept. I walked in the house and it was spotless and it smelled really good! They had this "air" about them. They seemed happy and confident. All the Scripture they were quoting seemed to make a practical difference. There was no complaining about the loss of money. There was more of an attitude of joy to be able to see what God was going to do. That family did not lose their house. As a matter of fact that family moved out of government housing and moved into a very nice rental. After that encounter I began to notice something I had never noticed before, SMELLS! The people I interacted with that, even though they quoted Scripture, had a victim mentality and had no joy there was a distinct smell that was on them and in their homes. Shortly after I met the "different" family I embraced Jesus as my forgiver and leader. It was not until later on that I became convinced the scent that was so prevalent in some of those homes was and is related to the spirit of poverty. Demons are referred to in the Bible as foul and unclean spirits. The definition of foul is "to be putrid, offensive and impure." Today, I can detect the same odor that was in those homes in many other homes and on people. My wife and I share the belief that there is a distinct odor that accompanies a spirit of poverty. Clutter A person does not need a spiritual gift to detect the traits of the spirit of poverty. For example, in some places, it is common to live in clutter and filth. Christians do not have to call down fire or speak in tongues to get their yard or their house clean - just clean! Some have been offended when I talk about this. However, I know from experience that the devil will trick a persons mind to make him or her think living in a cluttered, messy house is normal. I talk often on spiritually and physically cleaning house, a few people felt as if I was picking on them about something they could not help. I understand where they were coming from but I want to let them know they do not have to stay where they are. Many people who have lived in impoverished environments and survived on welfare were never taught there is more to life. The spirit of poverty will make you settle for less. I know the signs, and they all add up to what I call "poverty complacency." Staying on top of everyday issues, such as cleaning house, personal grooming, being on time, maintaining a good driving record, having auto insurance and changing the oil in their cars is not common in the lives of some people. No one ever took the time to teach them that these are priorities in life. They are use to hustling. And when people conform to the environment they have always been exposed to and no one shares or shows them a new way to live their potential for transformation is destroyed. Without transformation of the mind, there will be no transition to the next level. Numbers 14:24 says that Caleb and Joshua had "another spirit," one that was different from that of the others who were wandering in the wilderness. The word spirit in this passage is ruwach. One of the meanings of this Hebrew word is "mind." Joshua and Caleb did not focus on what they were up against in life. They said, "Not only are we able, but we are well able!" (See Numbers 13:30) They went forward to possess what God had promised them. The other people in the wilderness, even though they had been physically delivered by the same God, had no hope of transition because of their "mind"set. After God saves us, we must get a new attitude in order to enter into the fullness of salvation. Joshua and Caleb saw OPPORTUNITY while the others on saw OPPOSITION. I understand that people will have challenges in life, but we must consider the vicious cycle of the spirit of poverty and what it robs from us everyday. Finances A sure sign of the poverty spirit is a lot of bills with no provision to pay them. God promises that when He calls you to do something He will provide for it! The problem is people with a poverty mindset will often try to manufacture their own miracle and accumulate things God never said that He would pay for. These financial curses must be recognized and then done away with. Heart of Cain Because Cain's heart was one of greed and rebellion he withheld his best offering from God and killed his brother. When we hold back on God, we end up destroying our lives and the lives of others. The goal is to have a heart of faith where we put God first, giving Him our whole life. He then, blesses us to be a blessing to others. Tithing Malachi 3:10-11 tells us to bring all the tithes into the storehouse. When we obey this principle, God promises to open the windows of heaven over our heads and rebuke the hand of the devourer on our behalf. The Bible says in Proverbs that many people ruin their lives because of their foolishness and blame God. People with a poverty mentality don't honor God in their tithes and offerings nor do they obey His teachings about life and get mad at God when life feels like it's falling apart. ALL that God teaches about life is holy to Him. Some make the mistake of not obeying God out of love. They only do what God says out of obligation. Often times because of this people do not release their tithes or their lives in their minds. Mentally, they follow the money to the offering room, the bank and even the board meeting, worrying about how it is spent. The word holy means "separated to God." Our tithe, our lives are not pleasing to God until we have the right attitude about it; one of faith. The Scripture says to give with joy and the only way to please God is by faith. Faith and joy cannot co-exist with the spirits of fear and poverty. Generational poverty Exodus 20:5 explains that the sins of the fathers can affect as many as four generations. If the fathers do not listen to the voice of God to do His commandments, the spirit of poverty is one of the things that will be a sign on their children. Deuteronomy 28:46 says, "And they shall be upon you for a sign and for a wonder, and upon your seed forever." It is of vital importance that we as parents stop the cycle of poverty. And, let me be clear, poverty is not a checking account number it is a mindset. Freedom from Poverty Freedom from poverty is available to every one of us who is willing to do what God tells us in His Word. If you will start being faithful in your tithes and offerings; if you will honor God's instructions concerning life, honor His house and seek to pass on a Godly inheritance to the next generation, then you can begin to reverse the curses mentioned and, with God's help, break their power over your life. As a leader I feel that my mandate is helping people live life to the fullest. I believe it is a sin to live below the standard that God has given us. Jesus died so that we would not have to suffer from poverty. When He came to set the captives free, He took the chains off our minds so we would never be slaves to a poverty mindset again.

Prosperity Gospel is a religious belief, among some Christians, who hold that financial blessing and physical well-being are always the will of God for them, that faith, positive speech, and giving to religious causes will increase one's material wealth. Prosperity teaching views the Bible as a contract between God and humans that if humans have faith in God, he will deliver security and prosperity. This teaching emphasizes the importance of personal empowerment proposing that it is God's will for his people to be happy. Poverty Gospel is a religious belief held by some Christians who teach that God's blessing is found when you are sick and poor. If you are healthy or wealthy, it is because you do not have enough faith to be used by God and/or you are in disobedience to God. These Christians teach that only through sickness do you learn to obey God and only through the refusal of material things can you stay pure in your pursuit of God. True holiness is found in those who constantly struggle. Let me be clear, in no way do I believe that the prosperity or poverty gospels presented above are biblical. Entire false belief systems have been built on single verses of Scripture taken out of context for hundreds of years. Does God sometimes use sickness and/or poverty to teach us? Yes. Are there Scriptures that state the importance of suffering and being in need? Yes. Is it sometimes God's will for us to go through difficult life circumstances so we can learn from Him? Yes! Does God get pleasure out of blessing His children and seeing them prosper? Absolutley! Are there Scriptures that promise blessing if we obey God? Yes. Does He use blessing to teach us His faithfulness and goodness? Yes! But, is it always God's desire that we be sick and poor? Absolutely not. Will we never encounter sickness and lack? Absolutely not! It is, however, God's desire that we trust Him, obey Him, and rely on Him no matter the circumstances in our lives. So what does Epic teach concerning these two view points? 3 John 1:2 "Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health just as your soul prospers." Prosper- 2137 euodóō - properly, to go on a prosperous journey; to be on the right (profitable) path, leading to real success (good fortune) to do well in all areas of life. We strive to teach the whole Gospel! Does the Bible teach "prosperity"? YES! It does not however teach "poverty". Before you cut me off let me clarify. The Bible is concerned with your soul and your spirit. Your soul is your mind, will and emotions. 3 John 1:2 desire is that you prosper as your soul prospers. That every area of your life would do well as your mind, will and emotions do well. John 10:10 "I have come that you may have life and live it to the fullest." Perverted poverty and perverted prosperity are both prevalent in the church and both are spirits that want to destroy your faith and ultimately your soul (mind, will & emotions). If the enemy can get you to believe that God only finds favor with those who are sick and without an ability to financially take care of themselves, their families and His house eventually you will be an ineffective Christ follower, because that is NOT Biblically true. Likewise if the enemy can get you to believe that a sign of His favor is only those who are never sick and those who have an abundance of finances then eventually you will believe God has forsaken you because life is often difficult. And, that is NOT Biblically true. What is true is the prosperity of your soul. That no matter what circumstances you find yourself in you are content ( Philippians 4:11 ). That you have joy in hardships ( James 1:2 ) If you obey God He will bless you ( Deuteronomy 5:33 ). You can actually prosper in suffering and lack just as you can prosper in abundance and health. The key is to know that no matter what, God is working all these things for your good (Romans 8:28) and God is blessing you and those around you. Prosperity is an attitude from a mindset. But, so is poverty. Prosperity has nothing to do with a bank account just as poverty has nothing to do with a bank account. I know several monetarily rich people who have a poverty mentality. Likewise, I know several people who do not have an abundance of financial resources but have a prosperity mind set. People who struggle with a prosperity view of the Bible do so because of three underlying spirits. Yes, these spirits are under everything you do lying to you. The spirit of fear keeps you from taking risks and causes you to play it safe. It is impossible to experience all that God has for you if you are afraid. The spirit of guilt causes a person to become sinfully self- deprecating. This comes off as extreme humility but produces ineffectiveness in God's Kingdom and you will apologize for God's blessing in your life. The spirit of poverty blinds a person from seeing opportunities and causes them to play a victim in their circumstances leaving them in a personal prison. Jesus came to set the captives free! I encourage you to examine your faith and see where you land. If you believe a "perverted" Gospel whether it's one of poverty or one of prosperity you are not free. The prison you are in is only found in your mind. My prayer is that this blog causes you to prosper in your soul. If your soul prospers so will every other part of your life.

Whose Kingdom Are You Building In Matthew 6 Jesus instructs His followers how to pray. The first statement Jesus makes is one we don't spend too much time on. "Pray, then, in this way: 'Our Father who is in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. 'Your kingdom come. Your will be done, On earth as it is in heaven.” Matthew 6:9-10 NASB What would the organization you lead look like if it was a manifestation of the Kingdom of God on earth? I have the opportunity and privilege, along with my wife, to lead a local church and two other businesses. My wife and I strive to see our lives and our leadership bring God's Kingdom into the earth. If you choose to lead your organization with this belief then it should not only affect the day to day operations, but also the way you care for the spiritual journey of your staff and everyone God allows you to have influence with. I’ve listed a few examples of how our lives and leadership best reflect a "Your Kingdom Come" mentality. These are easily transferable no matter what or where you are in leadership. * Lead the family God has graced you with first, they should hear your heart before the organization does. * Ensure the organization as a whole has a positive impact on the world. * Excellence in everything! * Pay all staff fairly and appreciate volunteers. * Give everyone an opportunity to learn and progress, even if that means moving to different positions within the organization- no one "owns" a seat on the bus. * Show compassion and mercy to everyone when they suffer difficult circumstances in their personal lives by caring for them emotionally and physically. * Ensure a positive and healthy work environment – physically as well as emotionally. * Always do what is right ahead of what is profitable. * Be humble and grounded no matter the level of success. * Always market with integrity; don't promise what you can't deliver. * Avoid a workaholic culture, manage burnout by valuing family and personal time. How does your leadership measure up? For my wife and I, doing all that we can to show the Kingdom of God in our lives and leadership is a daily pursuit. We have to continually pray, "Your Kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth ( in my life, my leadership ) as it is in Heaven."

Corporate Philanthropy

I love people who are willing to risk it all! In Luke 10:29-37 Jesus tells a famous story about a “good Samaritan”. At the conclusion of the story, Jesus asks the question, “which of the three had mercy on the man?” Most of us know He is referring to the Samaritan, but have you ever considered the Jewish businessman running the hotel on the Jericho Road? It’s easy to miss the innkeeper. However, he made a decision to care for the injured man and engage with the Samaritan in a way that clearly was not good business. For the same reasons it was dangerous for the Samaritan to care for the Jew it was even more detrimental for a Jewish businessman to make a deal, “to do business with” a Samaritan. Jews and Samaritans did not coexist in life nor in business, Jews considered Samaritans “half breeds.” If people learned of what the innkeeper did, he’d develop a reputation that he and his inn welcomed “those hated people.” Certainly, his business would have gone down the drain. But something motivated this business owner to use his business as a platform for mercy and justice. It is time that beliefs and practices about business revert back to what the innkeeper in Jesus’ parable knew. Traditionally, businesses have seen their sole purpose in existing to be “making money”—the more the better. That narrow focus forms the actions of most corporations, restricting them to focusing on maximizing short-term profits. Their decisions are expressed solely in financial terms. What the innkeeper and great companies of today understand about success is fundamentally different. It is a belief that business is a vital part of society, just as is, family, government, and religion. Business has been one of society’s building blocks since the industrial era. Yes, great companies work to make money, but in their decisions of how to make that money, they think about building a legacy. They invest in the future while being aware of the need to build people and society. It is a view called Corporate Philanthropy If this idea is inspiring you I want to give you a few benefits to this practice: It fosters a positive workplace environment – Bad moral is the number one killer to employee productivity. When your business is about more than the bottom line employees are happy to “do their job” because their productivity is seen as a way to change lives. Increased employee engagement – Lack of creativity and input rob businesses of their next level. At some point all business owners know they need more input from the “bottom” up. It is a concept known as “leading up”. Because when moral is high, creativity is high and employees feel free to share ideas from a perspective the CEO may or may not have thought of. A better public image with more media coverage – It is not true that even bad publicity is good publicity. A negative image for your business will cause a drop in your revenue. A business who is seen to care about the city and world will have higher revenue and studies have shown people are willing to pay a higher price if they know the profit is being used for the “greater good”. Giving back is good for you and your company - Proverbs 11:24 “One person gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty.” Giving with the right motives is always blessed by God. I want to challenge you with this. Many companies attempt to put programs of corporate philanthropy into their budgets. It is not enough to “throw” money at a cause in hopes of achieving the above. The innkeeper to a huge risk because he was more concerned about making a difference than he was publicity, employee moral or even his bottom line. Many companies today “support” safe causes but never make a real difference. Remember, when you partner with any organization you are not partnering with the cause but you are investing in the leader of that cause. Before you venture out and invest in any organization I encourage you to ask a few questions: What are their core values? What is their vision? Does the leader live out the above in his own personal life? What is their success rate? The innkeeper in Jesus’ story invested, not only in the injured man, but in the Good Samaritan as well. At some point the innkeeper knew he could trust him to make good on his promises; “I’ll pay you when I return”. Challenge: Proverbs 11:10 When the righteous prosper the city rejoices Is the city your business is located in rejoicing because you are there? Do they even know you exist? Are you taking risks to ensure lives are being saved and changed? If not what are you willing to do to make sure this happens?

God could use some more "hustlers" in His Kingdom. In Luke ch. 16 Jesus tells a story about a manager who is about to be fired because he is mishandling the company resources. When the manager is brought on the carpet he develops a plan and jumps into action, finding a way to collect the past due debts, causing a revenue stimulation! Jesus then praises the man for being "shrewd" (practical, wise and sensible) in dealing with wealth. Jesus also encourages His followers to do the same. This parable was always confusing to me. Most people who read this focus on the actions of the manager that deserve his termination, wasting company resources. At first, one would think this parable is about stealing or laziness. But, at further study, it's about the wisdom of using wealth and position to stimulate the economy and God's Kingdom. The manager restructured everyone's loans freeing them and giving them the opportunity to do more business. The company he worked for realised an immediate effect on the bottom line! And, the manager won the loyalty of the existing customers, no doubt created word of mouth "buz" and impressed his boss. From a Kingdom view, Jesus is pointing us to the power of the marketplace in building the Kingdom of God. Proverbs 11:10-11 says the wise and good investor benefits the whole city. I want to challenge each us, you and me both, to examine our lives to see if we are leveraging the resources God has given us or are we waisting them? Are we using all of the resources available to us to have a positive impact on our family, friends, and city?Are we intentional about directing our resources for the use of building God's Kingdom? My desire is that every Christ follower would live in a way that funnels resources to the local church, where together, we can invite those in physical and spiritual prisons to experience freedom. I long for business owners to learn the value in, what some would see as "hustling" but Jesus calls "shrewd" business for the practical and wise dealings in the marketplace that would finance God's Kingdom in this earth!

#hustle

IAM4 is a Biblical teaching where honor is restored to manhood by men learning who they were created to be and living with honor. Once men learn they don't have to be something they are not but they are released to be who God made them to be it's as if a weight is lifted and they thrive. All men are created to be Prophet ( mentor/teacher) Priest ( servant to people and God's house) King ( manager of resources to care for your house and God's Kingdom) Warrior (protector of all that God has entrusted you with) Go www.iam4.tv for more info or join us at any IAM4 event to get connected to a tribe of unique men who are dedicated to living unique lives in a unique brotherhood in the pursuit of having it all; a tribe of men who do life together, business together, collectively moving God's Kingdom forward at a rate that most men will never see in their lifetime. A tribe known as IAM4.

#IAM4

Trending Blogs

Recently Viewed Blogs

I AM 4