I just had a rather painful experience with Getty Images. They are a clearing house of sorts for pictures to be used for promotional purposes. We have purchased images from them in the past, but we used one picture on a secondary page of our website that, although we understood it to be “royalty free,” apparently did not mean we could use it free of charge.

It was an honest mistake on our part, but yesterday, we received a letter from their license compliance department making a “Settlement Demand” to the tune of $1,000 and in order to continue using the image, we would have to essentially rent it for hundreds of dollars more per year. Though it had only been on our site for a few months they felt violated. Well, I can certainly understand the need for copyrights and I support the artist’s right to charge for use of their images, songs or messages and I called them to make things right.

What I am warning you about is the heavy handed response I received from Getty Images. After explaining we were one of their paying customers who thought we had downloaded a “royalty free” image, I offered to pay up front for 2 years usage ($600) and even backdate the agreement to the month we first used the image. They wouldn’t consider it. They didn’t allow us to make it right. They wanted to ding us for $1,000 and then still ask for our business. Guess again. I did settle payment with them because I was in error, but I can’t imagine treating my customers like that. Can you? We removed the image from our website – and their name from our Rolodex.

It reminded me of a buffet my wife and I ate at recently. When I walked into the restaurant, I saw the nice spread of food and asked the price for the buffet. I was told $29 which seemed reasonable for what was offered and we never even looked at the menu. When our check came it was for an extra $8 for two desserts. When I questioned the extra charge for the two desserts, which were with the other food on the buffet, I was told they weren’t included in the price and if I had read the small print on the menu, I would have known that. I paid the $8, but have not bought another meal there. I just don’t get their thinking. It seems so short sighted!

To me, Getty Images is just another reminder of wolf-like business practices we need to be aware of so we can be forewarned, wise as serpents and harmless as doves being preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

A month ago, I told you that I expected to see more of the Kingdom of Heaven in 2007. Well, we began the year off working for an awesome company who traveled to Florida for sales training. They were all believers, but God moved so powerfully during the 3 days of training that when it was over Friday at 5:00, no one left. In fact, we ordered dinner to the meeting room and stayed until midnight where God brought freedom and deliverance and great liberty. It was amazing!

Then, we were off to a destination outside the States to train a group of about 45 insurance sales reps. According to the president, the company consisted of about 1/3 believers. He was happy to let me give a prayer of invitation at the end of the meeting. The day of training was mighty. Someone opened up in prayer and it felt like Heaven just filled the room! At the end of the day, I talked about God’s Spirit working on the inside and invited folks to experience that. The whole team thronged the front of the room. Everyone present waited for prayer, some up to an hour or more. Even the cameraman asked for prayer! There was repentance, renewal and great joy expressed through weeping and laughter. It was truly awesome. The president just sat on the front row and wept! This wasn’t business as usual! (more…)

God lives in unending abundance and desires that we, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work. How does this abundance come to us? It comes through grace (2 Cor 9:8). Grace is God’s ability, His influence, working in and through us, accomplishing what we could never do on our own.

To whom does He give this grace? God gives grace to the humble (James 4:6). Humility is the passport to grace. Like my friend Dave Buehring says, “Humility is being willing to be known for who you really are.” When we humble ourselves in the sight of God, He will lift us up. In fact, Proverbs 22:4 says, “By humility and the fear of the LORD are riches, and honor, and life.”

However, if we reject the grace - if we reject “the divine influence upon the heart” as Strong’s Concordance defines grace, we will never have the heart of God, we will never have the mind of Christ and we will never experience fullness in any area of life, including the realm of supply. So let’s humble ourselves at the start of this year. Let’s pray and seek His face. Let’s turn from our wicked ways. Let’s get our hearts right before God, our mind thinking like God thinks and watch what He will do in and through us in 2007!

So how does God feel about wealth? And how are we to feel about it as His children? Does He say one thing, but do another? How does a good father prepare his child to receive an inheritance? Doesn’t he train the child in managing the wealth he will someday inherit? Doesn’t he educate him on the pitfalls that come with wealth? I would certainly hope so, though we know all too well that it’s rare.

Passing on the inheritance without passing on the inheritance of the heart is dangerous, reckless and quite frankly, loveless. God does not do that. He has much written in to His testament which we can access, but He wants us to have His heart. And without His heart, His possessions mean nothing.

Yes, God wants to pass on His wealth to us. But as a good father who knows how to give good gifts, He invites us to have His heart first - A new heart. (Ezekiel 11:19) When we truly carry His heart within us and when our mind is renewed to think like God thinks; wealth and riches are no longer an issue. They become like water. When I need water, I simply get some. I don’t worry about it. I don’t wonder if it will be there. I just access it when I need it, where I need it, without much thought. And if my brother needs a glass of water, I give it.

I saw a book the other day in the Christian bookstore entitled, “Think Like a Billionaire”. I picked it up and flipped through the pages, stopping to read a bit here and there. The premise of the book and what I perceive of the intent the author has is good. Think the way a billionaire thinks and you will act the way a billionaire acts and more likely become a billionaire. Of course, you have to be very comfortable with wealth to think like that.

The billionaires I have read about, however, do not impress me. Sure, they have tremendous financial resources, but really how much do you really want to be like them? Do you know any whose eternal destiny you would want to share, whose life you would want to emulate?

Let’s up the ante. Let’s learn this year to think like … GOD. You know… Have the mind of Christ - In all things. That includes wealth. God is very comfortable with wealth (He owns it all). If owning lots of stuff was a sin, that would make God the biggest sinner of all.

God is also very generous, Very loving and Very giving. So how does He think? What is His perspective on wealth? To start, I suggest you set aside some time and pursue Him. Find His heart. Bask in His presence and ask Him to instruct you in these things. We will continue this…

More than ever I am convinced that our biggest hindrance in the pursuit of our goals is the way we think. After reading the blog postings from last week, it is evident that many of you, like me, have struggled being in an environment where success is measured by dollars, while having a heart that knows it is so much more. In fact, most of us are more comfortable with the “so much more” aspect than the financial side. Yet we need the financial side to not only provide for our family, but also to support the great works we believe in.

This year, we are going to get comfortable with the financial side. I did not say we are going to pursue riches. I did not say we are going to make an idol of finances. I said we are going to get comfortable with finances. You need to get comfortable with the notion of wealth if you are working in a field where the top levels of that field experience wealth as part of the prize for succeeding there. I am not saying that as a librarian who wants to be a Godly influence in the library system, you will experience financial wealth or that you should expect too.

I am saying that if you are working in a field where the top rung realizes substantial financial benefit and you want to excel in that field, get comfortable with the notion of wealth or you will never experience it. The top guy in real estate or the higher echelon in financial planning consistently earn far more than the top sales guys in the copier business or the piano business or many others I could name.

When you are conflicted about the prize for succeeding in your chosen field of endeavor, you will not achieve the level of success you desire. In future blogs, we will develop this theme and bring more Scripture into it.

In John chapter five, Jesus is offering up what is referred to as a four-fold witness. He is faced with skeptics in a world of con artists and religious hypocrites and so He offers four witnesses. Understanding what these witnesses represent and applying the lessons learned can help you establish credibility in the midst of a skeptical marketplace.

The last witness Jesus offered was… “Search the scriptures; for in them you think you have eternal life: and they are they which testify of Me.” So how do we apply that to business? What printed publication or publications do your clients revere? It could be the Journal of American Medicine or Consumer Reports. It might be Success Magazine or a popular newsletter. It doesn’t matter so much what it is as long as the prospect trusts the content and respects the publication.

Get your product, service or company reviewed by that publication. Perhaps advertise in it. Maybe even write an article for them. Being in that publication will carry more weight. For some reason, people assume you have more authority if you are either written about or write in a publication they esteem. It gives you instant credibility.

When you put all four witnesses together: a respected testimonial, the quality of your work, the accepted final authority and a trusted publication, you have a powerful combination for building credibility. Go out and make 2007 your best year ever!

Jesus is not unnerved by His critics. He is not stressed about the skeptics. In John chapter 5, he provides an incredibly effective model for establishing credibility and overcoming doubt in the minds of the seekers of truth. You see, if your prospects are only looking for a way to count you out, they will always be able to find an excuse. But if they are looking for a solution and have natural doubts about you, your company or what it is you are offering, you have good reason to hope.

Jesus told His critics that although He could testify on His own behalf, He knew they wouldn’t accept it. Isn’t it interesting how many sales people expect prospects to accept their claims just because they know they are telling the truth? They even get upset or their feelings hurt when a prospect has legitimate doubt. Why wouldn’t they? There are plenty of scams running 24/7. (If you don’t believe me try reading all the spam in your inbox!)

So Jesus offers four witnesses, the third of which… “And the Father Himself, who has sent Me, has borne witness of Me. You have neither heard His voice at any time, nor seen His form…” He offers God, the final authority as the recognized or accepted authority as a witness. So who do your clients or prospects recognize as the highest authority in your industry. If you sell tax shelters, it could be argued that the IRS is the final authority on that product. Whoever is the accepted final authority in the mind of your prospects makes for a great witness for you. What authority would they consider to be “the end of the matter”? That’s who you need to vouch for you!

My dream this year is to help as many folks as possible break out of spiritual complacency, financial mediocrity and limited thinking. We must change the way we think or we will continue experiencing the same result. Self imposed limits are the biggest hindrance we have. This year, the iron bands of limitations are coming off! In fact, I can hear the Jaws of Life cutting through them even as I write you now.

As ambassadors of the King of Kings, we must no longer accept mediocrity and that includes the realm of the financial. Does your vision exceed your provision? It probably does and that’s a good thing. It means you have a vision that stretches you. But don’t accept the lack of provision. Expect and know that if God placed the vision in you, He has appropriated the provision for you. It is only accessible, however, by faith.

Why faith? Because the relationship and trust with the Father you must have to activate your faith and see the miraculous is exactly the kind of relationship and trust you will need to steward those resources and keep yourself from being snared by them. In other words, you cannot be spiritually complacent and experience the supernatural as part of your normal experience.

This year, we will form some kind of an online mastermind group where we will cultivate a culture of success grounded in spiritual Truth. If you want to break through barriers this year, and really hit some new levels in your personal, spiritual and professional growth, you will be invited to join in. Details to follow in a few weeks.

I believe God has deposited a lot of vision in your hearts. I know He has in mine. I also suspect that many of you haven’t discerned those dreams as being from Him. Many of you aren’t sure if it’s okay to dream that big. If it’s okay to prosper. If it’s okay to really excel. You want to. You try to. But deep down inside, you’re not sure if it’s okay. It seems that in the church, poverty or at least a continual condition of lack is somehow spiritual or admirable or holy. Hogwash! (Not that riches = spiritual maturity either)

I know whereof I speak. For years, I was conflicted on this matter. On an intellectual level, I believed it was a good thing to prosper and be in health even as my soul prospered (3 John 2) but at a heart level, at an imperceptible, subconscious level, I was uncomfortable with the notion of personal wealth. Don’t misunderstand me. I was very comfortable helping you get wealthy; I just wasn’t sure it was okay for me.

It is precisely that conflict which kept me from realizing my dreams. And I know many of you have a similar struggle. You believe one thing at an intellectual level, but believe something else deep within. Care to join me this year as we together remove every last vestige of doubt and finally come into agreement with the vision God has for our lives? I promise you it will be an exciting journey!