Our Work is Really Cut Out For Us Now!
November 5th, 2008 | Michael Q. Pink
The most watched election in history is finally over, but
for believers, our hardest work is still ahead. The outcome
left nearly half of this country very disappointed while the
other half are celebrating. Regardless of which group you
are in, change has come and now we must pull together and
deal with the new reality. As Seth Adkins wisely told me,
“Even though we’ve had a leadership change, GOD’S leadership
has NOT changed.”
He is still calling us to high places of key influence in
the culture. He is still expecting us to be salt and light.
The major mind molders of our culture (many of which played
a huge role in the outcome of this election) are still
woefully lacking in righteous influence. For example, the
government we choose as a nation is affected significantly
by the information fed us by the media. The media shapes our
opinion not so much by what it says but by who and what it
excludes. Many important issues never saw the light of day
in this election because the media organs didn’t want those
issues on the table.
It is my conviction that we need more righteous men and
women succeeding in business, getting financially strong,
then leveraging that strength to assume even greater roles
of responsibility, be that in media, government, etc. and
thereby have a righteous influence on our culture. Four
years ago with this in mind, I invited 11 top Christian
business leaders to pass on their most important lessons for
succeeding in business to help us all take back the
mountains of influence in our culture.
Now, in light of yesterday’s drama and tomorrow’s challenges
I feel an urgency to get their message into as many hands as
possible. When the CD’s and DVD’s first came out, they were
sold for $166. Now while supplies last, you can save over
75% and get both sets for only $39. It’s that important!
Click here for details and a short video clip.
November 5th, 2008 at 10:09 am
This post expresses my exact thoughts very eloquently and concisely. I could not have said it better myself. We HAVE to make manifest the Kingdom of God in every sphere of influence-including media, politics, economics, etc. With the exception of his non-kingdom views I have nothing personal against the new president-elect, but the bias in most of our major media outlets was very obvious, to say the least, and they knew exactly what they did and did not want to convey to the American public in order stimulate people’s emotions to influence them to vote a certain way. The Bible says, “The Kingdom of Heaven suffers violence; the violent TAKE IT BY FORCE.” We’ve got to rise up and take back our rightful place of authority in the marketplace for Jesus Christ.
November 5th, 2008 at 10:59 am
Good morning,
your title Of this email took the words right out of my mouth.
This election reveals the plan of the enemy and Mike I say you are correct in the fact God is calling some of us to the doorway to commerce.We have been dealt lemons and this morning upon arising I found myself desiring to make lemon aid.Certainly a definate change in feelings for me. Because last eve I felt as though the bottom had given way. It feels good to be radically full of the desire to partner with the Lord and His Kingdom.
Please let me make a comment on your new book! Thank you for your hour upon hour of dedication to the things of God.
Thus far I have just been able to read 3 chapters.
As I read chap 2 Breaking the code I found myself aligning the 7 ways of God or the 7 manifastations of God to each point
An example for you on page 16,
The seed, Lines up perfectly with the Spirit of Judgement and Burning(to let go of our ways and judge them useless taking on
gods ways) Jehoveh Shalom. Sabaoth The Rehema word.
From the lords prayer Kingdom power and Glory.
The seed is Evangelistic in nature as well.
Soil, Life supply and prophesy Thy Kingdom come.
All the rest fit as well.
This is so very exciting for me.
Then after reading through all of the stages and beginning to apply them to my thinking in business.
I was in prayer and I began to realize that I am the seed of the Lord.
What is this seed able to accomplish? What kind of growth did the Lord create in me to manifast.
I tell you your Rain Forest Stratagy comes in the Nik of time.
Is the desire of God for mankind to be liken to the Rain Forest? Quite a thought provoking thought.
Thank you again and again
Judy Holm
November 5th, 2008 at 11:35 am
I was one of those that cried myself to sleep last night. I should have not been surprised. Half the Body of Christ voted based on money, not on life and family issues. Considering how broke most of them are, it should have not surprised me.
However, I believe you are right on target. Perhaps for those of us who are in business this is the push we needed to pray more, discern more, and act more on the dreams and promises God has made to us personally. As we go higher and higher into the realms of our destiny, dominating our own markets, we can then use that influence to point them to Jesus.
It would have made it then all worth it.
Thank you for such a great post!
November 5th, 2008 at 12:06 pm
Well said Michael. I’m in the half that are upset about this. I do firmly believe we must be in positions of leadership and influence in our culture, much like our founding fathers were. At the same time, I’m also realizing that what our country really needs is a great awakening. For instance, if we had this, there would not be pregnancies resulting in choices for abortion. That market would dry up! If there is righteousness, and no one goes to have an abortion, that means people are coming to Christ and the abortion providers, regardless of what the law says, go out of business.
There’s a fine line here. His kingdom is not of this world which is good because His kingdom can manifest no matter who is in office. Truth be told, it is in the more difficult times, historically and Biblically, that people press into God like never before. Yes, we do need both to pursue our calling and become the shapers and molders; that is like, in a sense, a new wineskin. However, without revival and a great awakening, we will not have the wine to fill that wineskin.
It’s said you can’t legislate morality, which I disagree with. Murder is immoral. Abortion is immoral, yet it is legislated. You can legislate morality, but you can’t change the heart of a person to be moral and righteous and follow God’s laws, only God can. Therein lies our true hope, and no election or candidate can ever steal that from us!
Blessings,
Dennis
November 5th, 2008 at 12:12 pm
We have been called to action. We must become Champions for Truth because the purveyors of LIES will abound and the tragedy of the financial and political illiteracy of our vast majority of our citizens makes them slaves to the LIES.
May we all invest a little time and effort each day to build the American Champions Network to prepare and support real spiritual leaders for election to Congress in 2010 and 2012. The barbarians are storming the gates but we have God on our side of the wall.
November 5th, 2008 at 12:14 pm
I think you are practicing the redistribution of wealth a little early. You should have raised the price.
November 5th, 2008 at 12:29 pm
I truly appreciate the insight you provide in your writings, but must there always be a hawking to sell something at the end? I am so tired of being sold - especially from Christians - that I tend to discount even a good message if it is lumped in with a sales pitch.
November 5th, 2008 at 12:45 pm
The Lord works in mysterious ways sometimes and perhaps he is now working in ways to save this great country. I was a McCain supporter but had doubts about his longivety and his running mate but still supported their candidacy. Being an independent, it appears that our new President elect has drastically move toward the center. Lets see who he surrounds himself with before we get too carried away. Certainly he will make better choicesfor key government positions than President Bush made. The people around Pres. Bush destoyed his presidency.
So my position today is lets give our President elect a chance. As for as distribution of wealth he has only proposed to discon continue the Bush cuts that were in the 35 and 39.5 brackets. It is not going to hurt me to see all the 100 million dollar ball players in all sports, the multimillion dollar Ceo, wall street crowd, Warren Buffetts, Bill Gates, Te Turners, etc pay more to the government inincome and SC taxes. I think both McCain and Obama positions were to strengthen the middle class. Obama just had the better plan.
He did not get my vote although he got most others, now he is everyone’s President. IMO support is in order. This division in politics over the past several yeares has hurt everyone and particularly our international standing.
November 5th, 2008 at 12:54 pm
Many Christians I have talked to last night and today are saying “We prayed, and prayed hard. We don’t understand this!” God never overrides free will. And as many said here, too many supposed Christians voted their pocketbooks, or race. The scene in Grant Park was as if a savior appeared on earth, so many deluded people. But, we have to keep on keeping on, though we are paying the price of those who are blinded and ignorant.
By the way, Michael, I agree fully with Darryl Malcolm above. The sales pitch at the end of so many posts is aggravating, and prevents me from leading others here. All they see is marketing no different than the world. I understand the need to charge (I have 7 websites and blogs that make money), but sometimes you should do that in separate entries. Just my 2 cents.
November 5th, 2008 at 1:55 pm
I believe God has orchestrated this whole thing to give proud godlless liberal humanists majority governmental power so they will experience firsthand the impossibily of ruling or doing anything successfully without first acknowledging Him and His kingdom ways and means. The first chapter of Romans talks about such godless men who who do not like to have God in their consciousness. But when their attemps to run the country leaning to their own finite understanding get so messed up they will turn to God for help and they will learn that all God requires of man is to do justly love mercy and to walk hmbly with God. Moreover they will learn they they cannot do justly and love mercy without waalking humbly with God. After closely reading barack obama’ s book, “The audacity of Hope” I was struct by the fact that nowhere in the book did he give God any glory or speak about raising his two dayghter in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.
The book was clearly written by a group of godless liberal humanists who correographed the book to make Barack look ready to be president when he is not. But God can and will change him and his cohorts so he and they can bring God’ s change to restore His kingdom on earth.
David Thompson
david thompson
November 5th, 2008 at 3:41 pm
I received this very encouragin email thismorning from a friend. What Linda has done, many of us now must do, that we may go forward as do as Mike indicated in today’s blog.
My Dearest Friends,
Today, I know that some of you may be sad and disappointed in the outcome of the election. I am not! I haven’t been as excited and hopeful since John Kennedy was elected. But my hope and joy has nothing to do with who won. It has to do with the fact that I grew closer to GOD because of this. I am so grateful to both candidates because this campaign changed me.
I’m not sad I know who sits on the throne! My faith and trust isn’t in the Democrats or Republicans. I turned the outcome over to GOD from the start. I fasted, prayed, watched all the debates, read many articles and took everything to GOD in prayer. GOD instructed me to walk in love and to listen in love. He instructed me not to listen to anything negative about either candidate and party and to use love, integrity and the way the campaign was being conducted regardless of the issues…and HE promised me I would know who to cast my vote for based on that alone.
I never responded to anything anyone sent me. I only read those things GOD directed me to read and I took everything my flesh reacted to…to HIM in prayer. My flesh and emotions tried to control and engage but the FATHER put an end to that pretty quickly. Every time I reacted HE instructed me to look at it and to learn from it and I didn’t always like what I uncovered, fears, insecurities, lack of faith and trust and GOD never left me alone until peace and trust and faith and love ruled in my heart and mind.
I kept pledging my allegiance to GOD and my determination to support in prayer whoever was elected, as I have always done. Jesus died for both candidates and loves both parties. The answer isn’t in man. It’s in the gospel of Jesus Christ.
I am not sad nor am I over joyed because the man I voted for won… I am thrilled because I learned a lot and heard the Voice of GOD and knew that no matter who won HE is my only HOPE….to GOD I pledge my faith and trust. I am grateful that this election woke a lot of us up. I was proud of both men last night!!! We are so blessed to live in a nation where we have the freedom to vote, to disagree and to come together knowing that GOD is in control!!! The results of the election are no surprise to HIM!!!
I love you all so much! Take heart! The real work is just beginning!!!!
Keep looking up, our redemption is nigh!
Blessings and Hope,
Linda
November 5th, 2008 at 3:59 pm
Michael,
Christ came to save the world not to judge and that is what He did. On His way back home He said to His Father in heaven: Father, the work you have given Me I have accomplished. As you have sent Me I am sending the ones you have given Me into all the world … to the ends of it. From the cross in a loud voice He said: It is finished! His disciples work was cut out for them from that moment on! The words preceeding His final cry in yet abother loud voice on the cross was: Father, forgive them they do not what they do!
Don’t we know what we are supposed to do? I think He has punished us who know Him, not the world that does not know Him. But rather us who know what He has done for the world in His love. What have we done for the little ones He loved so much and said: Let the little ones come to Me. For years we allowed them to be killed! Today we teach kids that we came from monkey’s! We allowed the little ones born in good environment now to enter hostile environment against them and God! What we did, we allowed evil to creep in … think!
Let us roll up our sleeves and get into a fight for what we know is right! The challange is a little bit bigger today, but we know who is bigger! We know Christ already judged the evil one! With Christ on our side I believe we can overcome! What do you think? He guarantied us victoy! The only thing we have to do is get into the arena and tear up the lion apart, shut his mouth and get the lambs out of his grip. David did! He slew a gient too didn’t he? Yes, he did! This is why he was a man of Gods own heart! Do we have a real one for glorious and victorious King of Kings and Lord of Lords? He is seating on a throne of God with all the auithority of heaven and the earth given to Him by God His Father, He was with before foundation of this world, and today His God is our God and Father!
I am in and with you! Can we start today? I think I just did! What response do I get?
November 5th, 2008 at 5:59 pm
Dear Daryrl;
Thanks for posting. Not sure if you have any idea what it costs to maintain this site with programming assistance and office staff to answer inquiries, etc, but it is expensive and yet, here we are continuing to labor on your behalf (and others) to provide the kind of content you complimented me for free. Despite what you may have heard, my staff wants paid, so does the landlord for our office and so does that nerdy tech guy who does all my website maintenance.
Rather than bill everyone on the list or ask everyone to pay a few dollars per month, we simply create something of high value and offer it for sale. If it doesn’t interest you, ignore it, much like you an ad in a magazine. It’s commerce and to stay in business and keep the good information coming, we choose to offer high value products at fair prices. There is nothing wrong with that model. Christians shouldn’t be always expected to give their product or service away day after day for free. That expectation is unChristian in my opinion.
With respect,
Michael
November 5th, 2008 at 6:05 pm
Our church’s worship leader very wisely selected Twila Paris’s “God is in Control” last Sunday (before the election). I was going to grab a few good lines, but then realized all the lyrics are definitely a good reminder for us to hear:
Read the Lyrics…
These are the selected lines that keep resonating with me:
He has never let you down
Why start to worry now?
…
Watching over you, watching over me
Every little sparrow, every little king
oh, every little king
…
There is no power above or beside Him, we know ohh
God is in control, oh God is in control
November 5th, 2008 at 6:21 pm
Thank you Michael for responding so quickly to the election results. I agree with all you said but in light of that very thing where are all those people in the church and kingdom that capitalized on this election until now that it is over. Many of us in the church feel as we are left out in the cold to grieve alone. I am a strong Christian and know I am never never alone no matter what happens on this earth and God is still on the throne but I feel sad and grieving and wish there was a stronger voice in the church as a whole to bring us together with some understanding at this crucial time. I also felt sad that the worlds prognosticators of fortune telling were out front so much and where were the prophets of God? People are hungry for such . We are to go directly to God but after seeing fortune tellers reaching out to people on T.V. I wanted to call forth the church and or the prophets of God.
Thank you again for being a voice and for reaching out so quickly.
God Bless
November 5th, 2008 at 6:41 pm
AMEN, I AGREE.
REMEMBER THAT,
WE ARE CALLED TO BE FISHERMEN TO THE KINGDOM OF GOD, REGARDLESS OUR ECONOMY STATUS.
SPIRITUAL RICHES ARE THE BASIS FOR A HEALTHY–NOT NECESSARY ALWAYS A WEALTHY– ECONOMY.
OUR ECONOMY WILL BE HEALTHY AND/OR WEALTHY AS OUR SPIRIT IS HEALTHY.
GOD SAID TROUGH THE APOSTLE PAUL, THAT HE WANTED US TO BE PROSPERED IN EVERYTHING AS WE PROSPER IN OUR, SOUL; THAT IS, AS WE UNDERSTAND AND APLY THE SOUND DOCTRINE PRINCIPLES IN OUR WHOLE LIVING LIFE STYLE AND ECONOMY.
WITH TRUE LOVE IN HIM, JESUS,
EMILIO
November 7th, 2008 at 2:21 am
Hi Michael,
I don’t know how much you believe in God speaking to His people today and the Word of the Lord through prophecy, but God has been speaking and He has spoken concerning the very time we live in (including the elections).
Kim Clement, one of the prophetic voices in this nation, has been sharing what God has been saying to our nation. Over many years we have watched those words come to pass. What God said about the outcome of the election came to pass. What is so amazing, is that even Kim didn’t realize what God was saying until it happened. Some of us saw it very clearly, but maybe didn’t understand why. So many Christians were “hurt” because they presupposed it would go one way and, well, it didn’t, but as the Lord gave to Kim, this is something to rejoice about because of what God is going to do — because He’s God and He can. I want to share this broadcast with you. It was watched by Christians from around the world and it is very encouraging, especially for those with the “after election blues.”
Here’s the url: http://www.christian.tv/channels/details/video/21/mediapage/6964
Blessings to you — Kim
November 7th, 2008 at 8:09 am
Dear Michael,
Thank you so much for your gracious gift, I truly appreciate your generous heart in making this TBTG material availible to us. With this you truly invest into our growth by sharing this conference with all of us who could not attend this powerful event.
With regards to the election - looking form the outside I can see so many wonderful opportunities for us to infiltrate and influence the Mountain of Government with righteousness. Let us ask of God the strategies of moving forward within the elected Government and how to bring about change that will reveal His Glory!
Praying with you,
Wilhelmien
November 7th, 2008 at 4:56 pm
Hi Tina;
Thanks for your 2 cents. I cannot understand your logic but respect your choice to not lead others to this site because they might get a link to a resource that could change their life for good as it has for so many thousands of others.
As you can see, others feel quite differently as the comment from Wilhelmien just above mine makes clear. I could understand if we were promoting something crass or offensive, but godly resources to help folks? Nevertheless your comments are always welcome.
November 7th, 2008 at 8:17 pm
Michael
I’ve been a subscriber for years. I have referred many people to you!
However, recently, when I refer people here several have commented “oh, not another Christian pushing products to get $” in one way or another.
I can’t help it if it is a prevalent thought pattern. With televangelists, churches and ministries hawking their wares on the the airwaves, many are turned off.
I, too, have a ministry, and 7+ blogs and websites. I never evey push my products in the body of the posts. There are other just as effective ways to sell your wares - esp in a blog. If something turns people off, who would otherwise reap from the message - and there is another way to market the product, I am not sure why one would continue to lose a possible audience? Then again, others could say “they weren’t the audience I was looking for”.
I was only telling you, as a concerned sister in the Lord, what I had found to be prevalent. You have to do what you feel the Lord is leading you to do.
Keep the faith!
November 10th, 2008 at 2:53 am
Dear Michael,
Thank you immensely for making this generous offer–I’m excited and thrilled to be able to access this wonderful conference.
A favor though–could you please have your “nerdy tech guy” look at the order form for the offer? It’s not displaying correctly in Internet Explorer–the fields and boxes are running together so it cannot be read. Thanks much!
November 10th, 2008 at 2:55 am
Update–I just checked the form one more time and now it is perfectly fine. Not sure what happened, but I’m glad it’s now working.
Blessings!
November 10th, 2008 at 8:33 am
Hey Tina…
I sincerely appreciate your concern and care in passing on your comments. I receive them in the caring spirit with which they are given and do not question your motives. Thank you.
Selling Among Wolves, LLC is a for profit business. We are not a 501 (c) 3. We are a business which happens to operate as best as we can by a Biblical worldview. If I attributed my success to Dale Carnegie and sold his products at the end of my blogs, people would not take issue.
But when a Christian business person offers Biblically based teaching or resources, they had better be free or at the very least, offered for sale in a completely different environment. I will not let that wrong spirit push me into that corner. I have never said I am a ministry, but of course, ministry flows out of me because Christ lives in me and flows out of me. I have no issue being a Christian man doing business by the book so to speak and offering my resources for sale. I am sure that if I obscured my testimony and offered Tony Robbins for example, I would have no flack from anyone. (Not that you are giving me flack, but others do)
I am on my post doing what I feel I should to help folks as best I can. Some are turned off and others are greatly helped. The ones who are turned off may very well be my market and I wish they would open their minds a bit and consider the resources and the writings. But I live to help those who can receive the word God has given me.
Blessings, Michael
November 10th, 2008 at 8:25 pm
Hello Michael!
I, too, have been a subscriber for quite some time. I want to encourage you to hold fast to your way of doing business. Many other Christians fail to realize that it takes money to move ministry. Not only does it take FAITH to make things happen, but WORKS are to accompany FAITH as well.
I am so sick of people who willingly and without question give their money to the things of the world, but when it comes to the KINGDOM, people want something either free or at low cost. What do they think; that everything with a spiritual theme does not require money? Well, it does.
People have no problem spending money on things that are destructive, but when it comes to building your spirit man or your finances in a biblica fashion, then all of a sudden there is a problem.
We as believers have got to get our priorities in order if we expect to get the body of Christ in shape to receive the second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.