Have you ever noticed how we automatically and subconsciously put up our walls when a person comes across in a prideful or arrogant way? Just the opposite seems to be true when a powerful force comes across in a humble package.
I am beginning to think that this thing about being created in the image of God may also include carrying some of His preferences. I know we are fallen people, redeemed by Christ. I know we have a sinful nature, but I also think that we still have built in us, at least the potential to appreciate and value and be drawn to the virtues God values. Even if we don’t know the Lord. There is something in most, if not all of us, that wants the character of God. There’s a hunger for His authenticity. The video link I sent you last week of Paul Potts was a great picture of that truth as the audience was enthralled with an authenticity that lacked glitz but carried power.
As if you needed further evidence of the pure touching even the heart of the most calloused, take a look at this 6 year old hitting the national stage in Britain.
To me it speaks of how much people at some level want something pure, something good, something wholesome. It’s another picture of what happens when you combine talent with humility. Something wonderful happens. Let’s humble ourselves while mastering our gifts and watch where God takes us!
Important Note: This is the last day for you to get in on the Spring Training with David Johnson for marketing and growing your business. If you missed the teleseminar, you can listen online or download it here. Call 877-254-3047 or email appointment@sellingamongwolves.com with any questions.
“As for me, I will behold your face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with your likeness.” (Psalm 17:15)
When I read this verse afresh just yesterday, I laughed and smiled. Here’s David, a former shepherd boy, now the King and very prosperous. He has risen from poverty to royalty and yet he says he will only be satisfied when he awakes and sees himself in the likeness of God. In other words, until he sees himself conformed to the likeness of God, not just in some sort of physical resemblance, but truly resembling the image, character and qualities of God, he will not be satisfied. What a goal!
What does that look like and how do we get there? We have a greater volume of Scripture to learn from plus the revelation and teachings of Jesus Christ. We know about the fruit of the Spirit. We can read the Beatitudes. We can study and emulate the life of Christ. We know His image far better.
For me however, it is less about perfecting a check list of known “God qualities” and more about spending time with the Father. Remember Moses? He spent time with God and his very visage was transformed so much he had to wear a veil! Reading David’s words gave me a new goal, one I know I won’t live long enough on earth to achieve. I won’t be satisfied until I awake with His likeness. And everyday between now and then, it will be my supreme pleasure and high honor to pursue God and revel in His presence, all the while being changed in subtle ways I may not notice until one day… that day… when I awake and truly possess His likeness through and through. Care to join me?
“Thus says the LORD to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have held, to subdue nations before him; and I will loose the armor of kings, to open before him the two-leaved gates; and the gates shall not be shut; I will go before you, and make the crooked places straight: I will break in pieces the gates of bronze, and cut asunder the bars of iron: And I will give you the treasures of darkness, and hidden riches of secret places, that you may know that I, the LORD, who call you by your name, am the God of Israel.” (Isa 45:1-3)
Did you know that God has riches hidden in secret places? And these are riches He is eager for you to possess. Am I saying that God wants you rich? I don’t know what God wants for you with respect to tangible riches. I don’t know your character, your calling or your capabilities. What I do know is that there are great riches hidden in secret places and the kind of riches I am speaking of cannot be seen with the eye.
Take for example the rainforest. People with limited vision see only with their natural eye and cut it down to obtain temporal, tangible riches. They sell the timber and create pasture land for cows. But people with great vision who have spent time in the secret place of God know that God made the systems that make the rainforest the most productive and fruitful system on the planet producing tremendous abundance out of relative scarcity.
In spending time with the Father, they learn the systems. They discover the ways of God. They obtain great wealth of wisdom as they inherit His heart for the created order and in the process they can be trusted with the power that wisdom gives them. It is the unseen riches that produce the visible riches. Most folks chase the visible, corruptible, temporal riches. Wise ones chase the unseen eternal riches and in apprehending them, have everything else they need.
Contentment is good. In fact, very good. However there is also a problem with the concept people attach to contentment. It seems to me that too many people are content leading lives of little accomplishment, small thinking and mediocrity. They say they are content with their meager lives, preferring instead a life of spiritual pursuit or at least the form thereof.
I think spiritual pursuit is good, but without a material, physical, tangible impact, the benefit is often quite limited. In other words, unless the spiritual pursuit results in meaningful, observable change, has it really been a worthwhile pursuit? James said that our faith, if it has no works, is dead. Works can be seen. God is Spirit, but he loved us so much that the Spirit became flesh and dwelt among us and did stuff. Lots of stuff.
While spiritual pursuit can result in tangible benefits like a solid marriage, strong character, good work ethic, etc., all of which are good, where are the warriors among us who want more than basic godly living which is our reasonable service? I for one am weary of low living, small thinking, and average accomplishment. I think we can do better. And I am not speaking of how much “stuff” we can accumulate. That is small thinking! I want us to impact nations, direct policy, own the media, build and staff the universities, control vast financial reserves and use them for good. How about you?
On a related note, I know most of you received the information we sent out last week with a special offer for the first 500 people to order the Christian Wealth Building seminar we did with Rich Church — Poor Church author, John Muratori. Click here for details. We are already getting back raving reviews of the life-changing content so I urge you to take advantage of the offer before we run through those first 500. Look at the blog comments from Kara Harris if you need a little fire starter!
Today is the last in our series of entries from our special guest, John Muratori. Read through to the end to find out how you can hear more from John…
12 Biblical Laws of Wealth Creation
Like the law of gravity, The Twelve Biblical Laws of Wealth Creation just exist. They are the most universal set of directives on prosperity — trans-cultural, trans-generational, not bound by economics. Regardless of your age, environment, or financial situation, these 12 laws will stop the lack and shape your financial destiny. While I did not make up these 12 laws, I did spend a lifetime discovering them. It has been a journey of difficulty, trial, success and failure.
In “Rich Church Poor Church,” I devote a full one-third of my book to the study of these 12 laws. There isn’t space here for even an executive summary so I will share with you just one law — the most critical to your future wealth and well-being. It is the Law of the Brand. It is the foundation on which the other eleven laws are firmly established. It’s also the linchpin that holds them all together.
Businesspeople will recognize the brand as a company name or product name. Corporations spend millions of dollars defining themselves through their names, symbols and identities, then even more keeping that brand name in front of the public.
Your name is your brand and you should give priority to establishing a good name for yourself. Most people will never get to know you intimately, so your character is only known by the name and reputation that precedes you.
“A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favor rather than silver and gold.” (Proverbs 22:1 KJV)
A good name carries with it a high perceived value. If you have a reputation of honesty and integrity, you’ll find more doors opened to you, more acceptance into circles of influence and more resources given to you. If you have a reputation of getting the job done, of cutting costs or producing wealth, you are worth more in compensation to an employer or client. But it’s not just about business.
Your family relations weigh heavily on your good name. Do you keep the promises you make with your spouse and children? Or do you repeatedly miss that little league game, the piano recital or the chance to just hang out together? When our names no longer symbolize integrity and justice, businesspeople will no longer trust us with their resources and family members will no longer trust us with the secrets in their hearts.
“…[Jesus] increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.” (Luke 2:52)
Even in his youth, Jesus had a good name before many. Ultimately, the religious and political establishments would come to despise that name as many do to this day. But to the hurting, sick, and needy, His name is matchless in its ability to bring comfort and hope. What does your name say about you?
Coming This Thursday: Details on How You Can Receive Your FREE Copy of John Muratori’s Best Selling Book, Rich Church, Poor Church
This 300 + page hardback book is crammed with insight and revelation that can revolutionize your world. John Muratori demystifies spirituality and prosperity so you can be wealthy - God’s Way. John blends decades of business experience, intensive research and proven leadership to present you with the specific laws that govern the entire spectrum of wealth generation. As a subscriber here at Selling Among Wolves, you’ll have an advance opportunity to take advantage of this special opportunity. Check your inbox tomorrow for a limited offer you won’t want to miss.
The Tabernacle of Moses reveals three distinct levels of Christian living and those three levels are easily relatable to business. Cooperating with them and knowing how to flow with each level will dramatically impact your business.
The Outer Court is Level 1 and is about practices. It is the place where character and competence are formed. It is the place of preparation. It’s about functioning based on what you see, what you observe, what you can grasp based on your own acquired skills. I call it the place of the 30-fold increase. We have spoken a lot lately about outer court concepts. They include processes, systems, common sense practices and they are essential. Most people never progress past this level.
The Inner Court is Level 2 and is about principles. It is the place of strategy, where God opens His Word and by His Spirit reveals His Way of doing things. These are not natural strategies deduced with natural wisdom, but rather God inspired strategies derived from Godly wisdom. (See James 3:17 for details). Think 60-fold increase.
The Holy of Holies is the third level. It is about the POWER of God working on your behalf to accomplish what you could never do on your own, with any amount of wisdom. Accessing this power is possible, but it is not a game, nor is it something to be taken lightly. Think 100-fold increase. We need to operate on all three levels. Stay tuned as we develop this a little further during the week.
“A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favor rather than silver and gold.” (Proverbs 22:1) Yesterday, I discussed the Arthur Andersen accounting scandal and the impact a conviction for obstruction of justice had on Andersen Consulting, which until 2000 was under the umbrella of Andersen Worldwide. One reader wanted to clarify that Andersen Consulting had broken off from Andersen Worldwide before the scandal broke and had nothing to do with it. That is correct and my thanks for clarifying that.
That only goes to show, however, that even being associated with someone or some company who chooses riches over reputation will not only hurt them in the long term, but potentially irrevocably hurt you. Proverbs 13:20 warns, “He that walks with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed.” Paul warns us in 2 Corinthians to “have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.”
“A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favor rather than silver and gold.” (Proverbs 22:1) A person with a good name is a person of character with a good reputation. A strong reputation will get you more opportunities than money will — and that’s saying something! And when you choose riches over character, the results can be devastating.
Case Study: The firm of Arthur Andersen was founded in 1913. Andersen was known for an unwavering faith in education as the basis upon which the new profession of accounting should be developed. He was a generous man of good reputation who headed the firm until his death in 1947. He once refused to sign off on flawed accounts of a local rail utility even, “…for all the money in America.” Andersen’s motto was “Think straight, talk straight” and everyone knew his reputation.
We’ve begun to consider What the 7 Days of Creation Teach us about Business and to lay a foundation for this study. Consider this: “For the invisible things of Him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and deity.” (Rom 1:20)
Do you get that? Paul says that we can learn a lot about God, His nature and His power by simply studying the things He made. If you want to learn about a carpenter, look at some of the cabinets or furniture he has made and you will learn much about his capability, character, commitment to quality, etc. The same is true with God… Look at His heavens and you will see His glory; examine the firmament and you will see His handiwork (Psalm 19:1)
Coming This Thursday: Details on How You Can Receive Your FREE Copy of John Muratori’s Best Selling Book, Rich Church, Poor Church