A Special Challenge to Us All
March 27th, 2007 | Michael Pink
“For as a man thinks in his heart, so is he.” (Prov 23:7) I want to issue a challenge of sorts to you which I will join you on. For the next 5 business days, let’s set aside an hour a day, on average, to fill our mind with positive input. We can get that input from Scripture, a good book, magazine articles, CD’s, DVD’s, etc. It should be in addition to whatever your normal routine is now. The point is to be deliberate about this.
Make an appointment in your calendar and keep it as if it were important, because it is. This is not about earning “brownie points” with God. It’s about choosing a good habit and seeing what comes of it. I think we will all be surprised! For the purpose of this experiment, the topic needs to be something that will help us succeed in our business pursuits. Choose something inspiring, uplifting and motivating.
Then share the best part of what you got with the rest of us on the blog, if you feel so inclined. As we have seen, God is taking us all through some things and we can corporately encourage and inspire each other. Remember, this exercise is not a form of slacking off - it is a deliberate way of investing in you and making yourself more fruitful and productive. Care to join me?
Special Note: Now when you post a comment on this email in our blog, you can choose to receive an email telling you when someone else has added their comments. You will only be notified of other postings for the days that you post a response and select that option. This will increase dialog and a growing sense of community between members.
Digg This Share This
March 28th, 2007 at 6:02 am
Hi there from South Africa, Yes lets go for it. It is much needed. Thank you for the idea.
God Bless you
March 28th, 2007 at 7:18 am
Hi Sharlene;
Excellent! I hope you will share later what you chose to enrich your mind with. It might help us all! Blessings.
March 28th, 2007 at 7:22 am
Hi Mike. Met you many years ago at an FCCI conference. I am challenged to get through the balance of the DVD’s in your fine series on an orderly basis. Thanks for the nudge.
March 28th, 2007 at 7:56 am
At our business watch prayer meeting in Jerusalem, we discussed the importance of attitude. Here is the quote we used in our discussion -
The importance of attitude is best communicated in the following quote by Charles Swindol:
“The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude, to me is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failure, than successes, than what people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness, or skill. It will make or break a company, a family, a church, a home. The remarkable thing is we have a choice everyday regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play the on the one string we have, and that is our attitude. I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it. And so it is with you%u2026we are in charge of our attitudes.”
March 28th, 2007 at 8:24 am
Hi Mike,
Funny how I was just thinking yesterday that I need to spend more time discovering the inspiration and thoughts of so many wonderful servants of Christ out there, recording the things I learn from them.
So your suggestion is very timely, and that means also finishing your books and tapes for a start.
Getting that one hour is going to be a challenge. But then anything worth while is a challenge. Thanks for your faithfulness.
March 28th, 2007 at 8:46 am
Hey Mike; I usually don’t blog but I wanted to jump into the pool on this one. This past winter dealing with health issues has tested me to the breaking point however Father God has proven once again that He is faithful and is keeping me. I LOVE the rain forest series, I wanna go some day.
Thanks bro.
Ken Neill Col: 1;27
March 28th, 2007 at 8:55 am
This is such an excellent idea. It is just so easy and natural to fill our minds with negative thoughts. I will to do this and will share it with friends. i AM SURE gOD WILL ENABLE US TO BECOME POSITIVE THINKERS.
March 28th, 2007 at 8:56 am
Does anyone have suggestions for uplifting, inspiring material, books…?
March 28th, 2007 at 8:57 am
%u201CI hope the desire to please you God, does in fact please you, and I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing today. I trust you always Abba God, even when I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death, I will not fear, for you are ever with me, and you will never leave me to face my perils alone.%u201D
This is my adaptation of a prayer by Thomas Merton, from his writing entitled %u201CThoughts in Solitude%u201D
Thanks everyone !!!
March 28th, 2007 at 9:11 am
your book selling among wolves really bless me. thank you
March 28th, 2007 at 9:19 am
Every day I can see this quote on my mouse pad next to my computer.
“The greatest discovery of any generation is that a human being can alter his life by altering his attitude.” William James
I should look at this quote more often.
March 28th, 2007 at 10:17 am
Mike, first-timer here…timely suggestion for me…extra time with God is needed now…prayer toward taking ACTION is my emphasis…genuine motive, Godly principles…frees one to STEP forward as Christ did.
March 28th, 2007 at 10:46 am
I like your idea and will join in with you to focus on positive input for the next 5 business days… Thanks for Proverbs 23:17
Ray from North Carolina
March 28th, 2007 at 11:14 am
Mike, I’m in. It’ll be challenging as we’re taking off for a week Sat. and it’s hectic… But I do have to drive 20 minutes oer day. I’ve got your CD’s, Bible on CD’s and worship music.
A great little book is Thomas A Kempis “Imitation of Christ”. “Reece Howells Intercessor” by Norman Grubb will change for life forever if you let God get ahold of you in it.
March 28th, 2007 at 3:28 pm
Thank you for this challenge. I just had the blessed opportunity to spend the last 90 minutes listening to a live audio conference by Dr. Ken Blanchard on his book “Leading at a Higher Level”. Alot of great thoughts were shared, I’ll share two. First, “Its not about you”. Its about how you treat people (customers, employees, partners, family, freinds, everyone in your presence)…always build them up…always accent the positive…always look to motivate and excite…every time you are with someone it is a moment of truth to apply this concept. It is a key principal of great leadership (even more than vision). Secondly, in the moment of truth, listen and ask better and deeper questions to understand people you serve…don’t ask “how’s everything?” (which gets you the same data “fine”), but instead ask, “Is there one thing that we could do differently to make it a better experience?” (which gets you started on really understanding how to improve). Always be getting better every day….it is a premium blessing that God has given us…the ability to improve. Blessings to all.
March 28th, 2007 at 3:30 pm
AGREED!!! To take our %u201Cthought life%u201D one step further, I%u2019d like to add the idea that we also need to watch the words that mindlessly escape our lips because of the din we hear on radio, TV and other exposure, because this affects our thoughts and attitudes whether we realize it or not.
Several years ago, I had an ephipany about the words we speak. Everywhere I went and everything I read, even secular, was jumping out at me saying the same thing. There are real earthly benefits (resulting from the good and nurturning things we say) as well as consequences and repercussions associated with the negative words we speak, even if they are just a common phrase like, %u201CThat meal was to die for.%u201D or %u201CSticks and stones will break my bones, but WORDS will never hurt me.%u201D It%u2019s a damaging and misleading concept to believe there%u2019s no association.
Proverbs 18:20
A man’s [moral] self shall be filled with the fruit of his mouth; and with the consequence of his words he must be satisfied [whether good or evil].
James 3:10
Out of the same mouth come forth blessing and cursing. These things, my brethren, ought not to be so.
Romans 3:13& 14
13Their throat is a yawning grave; they use their tongues to deceive (to mislead and to deal treacherously). The venom of asps is beneath their lips.
14Their mouth is full of cursing and bitterness
Matthew 12:34
You offspring of vipers! How can you speak good things when you are evil (wicked)? For out of the fullness (the overflow, the [Alexander Souter, Pocket Lexicon.] superabundance) of the heart the mouth speaks.
Matthew 15:18
But whatever comes out of the mouth comes from the heart, and this is what makes a man unclean and defiles [him].
I%u2019m looking forward to hearing others%u2019 comments.
March 28th, 2007 at 11:12 pm
One of the habits I’m trying break is watching too much TV. I’m so much more productive and I really don’t miss it. Try giving up something that is really hindering you from spending time with God and getting things done. It will “hurt” at first, but God makes it a blessing in the long run!
March 28th, 2007 at 11:14 pm
A good source of positive information is www.joelosteen.com - get daily devotions to help you start your day. And, of course, check out Selling Among Wolves for great resources!
March 28th, 2007 at 11:18 pm
Let’s take it a step further. God is inviting us to spend time with Him. He has already made the appointment. Anytime of the day or night. Am I going to the appointment He has made for me? Am I expecting to listen and enjoy the richness of His desire to commune with me? God’s desire is to be with each of us. His input will transform us if we are open to be with Him.
March 29th, 2007 at 5:14 am
Sovereignly timed challenge for me, Michael - thanks.
Might be interesting to obtain feedback from each respondent of all that comes to pass?
March 29th, 2007 at 7:22 am
Attitude- Positive Input
It doesn%u2019t have to be perfect, just get going. Embrace your failures! I am embracing all of mine and throwing them into the crucible for God to use as He wills. I have been blessed with a strong will to please God. I am sooo thankful! You can make the same effort!!!
March 29th, 2007 at 11:48 am
I have been facing some serious health issues and spend an INCREDIBLE amount of time in doctor offices…waiting…sometimes not so patiently. Someone suggested last week that I use that time to pray. So Monday I had the opportunity to try this out. I prayed for every one in that waiting area, the doctors, the staff, everyone in the hospital, and then my prayer list and every one else I could thing of. My combined “waiting” time Monday was 3 hours and I do not feel like one minute of it was wasted!
March 29th, 2007 at 12:37 pm
What a wonderful stewardship of time devoted to prayer! Thank you Belinda, that was a blessing to hear how God inspired to use that time wisely.
Today I spent approximately 2 hours in a business workshop.. Although it was a “business workshop” there were many underlying biblical principles mentioned.. it was certainly a positive input about how to serve your customer.. it reinforced what Michael is providing but with so much more substance when we know we can integrate the Lord’s thoughts about doing business “his way”
This afternoon I will be spending an hour doing exercise… Wow,, today i will have devoted 3 full hours to something positive… what a blessing… until later.
Ray
March 29th, 2007 at 1:16 pm
Dan,, thanks for your comments,, so true!
March 30th, 2007 at 1:42 pm
I may be late on your challenge but I am jumping in to be a part of it now. This is a great idea. I’ve scheduled it into my Outlook. (This is my first blog.)
March 30th, 2007 at 2:46 pm
Thank you Victor for sharing (Its not about you)quote. I cut and pasted this on my wall in front of my computer. I am looking forward to your future postings on ways to improve. Thanks again!
March 31st, 2007 at 8:57 am
I have a special request. I know that you likely have certain guidelines on how you share information so I understand if you are restricted in helping send out a request.
I received news today that Doug Odom has stage 4 lung cancer. Doug is the principal broker for the EXIT Realty franchise that I am owner of in Maumelle, Arkansas (just outside of Little Rock). My partner, Chip James, called and gave me the news this morning. Doug has been treated for pneumonia several times over the last several months without him getting any better. Today they received the results of his lung biopsy. He is in the hospital and will be there over the weekend until the oncologist comes to see him on Monday.
I am praying for his healing. (I am praying for chocolate milk%u2026 you will know what I mean by that when you read the message I sent out to my community group recently.)
If you can assist in requesting prayer for both Doug and his wife Shannon it would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks for you ministry!
Blessings and Favor,
Marty
April 3rd, 2007 at 9:11 pm
This is something I’ll be looking forward every night, special thanks to Lynn T.
Matthew 15:18
But whatever comes out of the mouth comes from the heart, and this is what makes a man unclean and defiles
April 4th, 2007 at 8:46 am
Have been reading a book by Max Lucado,,”it’s not about me” very enjoyable and inspiring