“And when Pharaoh drew near, the children of Israel lifted up their eyes, and, behold, the Egyptians marched after them; and they were greatly afraid: and the children of Israel cried out unto the LORD. And they said unto Moses, Because there were no graves in Egypt, have you taken us away to die in the wilderness? why have you dealt thus with us, to carry us forth out of Egypt? Is not this the word that we did tell you in Egypt, saying, Let us alone, that we may serve the Egyptians? For it had been better for us to serve the Egyptians, than that we should die in the wilderness.” Ex 14:10-12

They had spent their entire life living under an oppressive regime, one that had ordered their midwives to kill all newborn males. For the next forty years, they complained and yearned for the good old days back in Egypt when they ate fish and leeks and other vegetables. They seemed to forget the fact that they were also slaves and were brutally treated.

It seems so strange to us that this oppressed people would prefer to go back to Egypt instead of seizing their new opportunities in the Promised Land. As a result of their unbelief, everyone over the age of twenty perished in the wilderness except Joshua and Caleb. Only the young could go in to the new thing.

When I visited some former Soviet bloc countries a few years back, I marveled at the fact that just like the Israelites of old, so many of the older folks yearned for the good old days when communism was in force and everyone had a job working for the government (slavery) but they had enough food to live on. Now that they were transitioning to a free market economy they had to become productive to enjoy the benefits of freedom and they were unwilling to do so. Not true with the young people - while the older ones who yearn for communism wither and die in the land, the young people are rising up and entering their promised land.

Nowhere is this is more evident to me than in Ukraine with Pastor Sunday’s church. Young people are rising up to seize the new and are quickly prospering. 200 new millionaires in the last 18 months in that church alone! I met some of them and they have a heart for their nation and for impacting the world! Money is only a tool to that end. It is not the only tool, but it is a very helpful tool. If you haven’t heard Friday’s podcast on this topic, I urge you to check it out now and consider subscribing to it too. We will be sharing details on that program to help you do similar things.

Have a great week!

Hello friends,

In honor of April 15th, I thought I’d pass along the message I just got from Jeremy over at ChristianBusinessDaily.com.  In light of today’s topic of conversation on the blog, you may particularly enjoy it.  The video is one of me on a similar rant from a few years back…

Blessings,

Michael

Dear Michael,

Happy Tax Day!

I’ll make this quick, because I still need to go wait in line at the post office.

If you’re a small business owner like me, I’m sure this is one of your least favorite days of the year.

By the time I leave the post office today, I will have mailed a 2007 income tax payment, a monthly payroll tax payment, and my 2008 first quarter estimates.  Tax day is now a monthly event for business leaders like you and I, but we all get hit especially hard on April 15.

While I wait in line, I’ll try not to think about how much more productive my small business could be with that money than the government.  In fact, given the way tax dollars are wasted, I think my tax payments would bring a more valuable return if the checks were cashed, shredded, and used as bedding for an animal…

Sorry.  Let me end my tax day rant right here.

Despite the fortunes that we deliver to the IRS each year, only to watch them get wasted… we are NOT helpless victims.

I don’t need to tell you that, because you are a small business leader.  You’ve already taken leadership into your own hands - starting your business with a vision of doing something different. Something great. Something that makes a difference on your industry, and the people you serve.

As Christian business leaders, our calling is especially important — and unique.

If you are a Christian business leader, you have been called to expand the Kingdom of God through the marketplace - whether you know it or not.

We can no longer separate the secular from the sacred.  Our business practices must shine the light of Christ in a very dark place.

We need to leverage our influence in our local communities to begin to take back the gates of commerce, and make an impact for Christ that cannot be ignored.

Friends, the battle to impact the culture with the Kingdom of God is heating up fast.  The stakes have never been higher!

Today… Tax Day 2008… We’ve set up a free video to encourage you in your work, and to help expand your vision of what God can do through Christian business people.

Click here to watch a free video from a remarkable event that you missed in Ft. Lauderdale, FL.  Then read the article to find out how we can make a lasting impact on our small towns, our cities, our states and our nations - through the potential influence we have in business.

Sincerely,

Jeremy Harrison
ChristianBusinessDaily.com

P.S. This free video will only be available through the end of the week.  Click here to view it now.

Congratulations my friend,

You’re on the short list.

You’re among an exclusive group of leaders with a free pass to see a conversation that will change the way you look at your life.

Undoubtedly, you’ve heard of the guy we’re talking to. His name is Zig Ziglar.

There’s a good chance you might be among the millions of people who have seen Zig speak. If not, you’ve probably read one of his many best-selling books, or read his syndicated articles. However, our interview with Ziglar isn’t about promoting conferences or selling books or CDs.

It’s about life.

Few people have a more unique or inspiring view on life than Zig Ziglar. At 81 years of age, Zig Ziglar has a joyful perspective about life that’s contagious - even in times of difficulty.

Last year, Zig had a terrible accident that left his family wondering if he’d make it. Tumbling down a steep flight of stairs, he hit his head on the marble floor below. Since his fall, he’s had to endure daily physical therapy, and has dealt with ongoing struggles both with his balance and his memory.

The circumstances have changed for Ziglar, but his wisdom and heart haven’t. In fact, since his accident, he returned to his speaking tour. His presentation is dramatically different, but the reaction has been astounding. Thousands of people have expressed gratitude for the opportunity to learn from the wisdom that Ziglar is sharing. People who have seen him speak before AND after his accident have remarked that there’s something different - something extra special - about what he has to say.

Not long ago, I was privileged to have the honor of being invited to visit the Ziglar headquarters and lead the morning devotions for the team. Afterward, I spent the morning chatting with Zig Ziglar and his son Tom Ziglar - the CEO of the Ziglar corporation. We had an intimate conversation, and I was able to ask some very specific questions. Questions about business life and family life. Success and failure. Questions about his faith. Zig’s answers were directed specifically to us, the Christian Business community, and Zig and Tom shared insights that you won’t hear on the podium.

This is a special interview that you don’t want to miss. It will be 1 PM EST next Thursday, February 21. Click here to get your free pass!

Sincerely,

Michael Q. Pink, Founder
Selling Among Wolves, LLC

We have been talking about how the rainforest is so incredibly productive. How does it stay so focused on the most important tasks it has like breathing in CO2 and exhaling fresh Oxygen for us to breathe? For the last two weeks we talked about the first two laws… Eliminate the Unnecessary and Automate the Mundane. These two laws, when properly applied, will create a vacation for you in every working day! But there’s more…

Once you eliminate the unnecessary and automate the mundane, it’s time to Delegate the Tactical. Don’t make the mistake of delegating to others the things you should have eliminated or automated. If you do, you’re just wasting their time and indirectly, yours. In the rainforest, there are many pests that consume the productivity of plants. While many plants have devised their own way of dealing with those pests, on some occasions, plants actually delegate the defense of their leaves to others. They hire ants by paying them with nectar. The ants get hooked on the income (the nectar) and ward off all potential intruders like caterpillars, grasshoppers, grubs, etc.

Read the rest of this entry »

Hello Friend,

Quick update. (Keep reading to learn about how you can receive up to $600 worth of training!)

There has been some exciting stuff happening over the past 10 days that you need to be aware of:

In its first WEEK alone - the newly-launched ChristianBusinessDaily.com had more page views than it has ever experienced in any MONTH of the website’s history.

Leaders from every corner of the world are coming together and laying the foundation for a powerful online network for Christians in business — one that has the power to make a lasting impact on our culture.

If you hadn’t heard, the new ChristianBusinessDaily (CBD) is a powerful place where people are…

Read the rest of this entry »

Hello Friend,

The ChristianBusinessDaily.com Teleseminar series is now in full swing. I would hate for you to miss tonight’s event with Harvey Hook. Harvey is the Executive Director of “The Gathering,” an organization that addresses the moral, spiritual, ethical, leadership and character development needs of businesspeople.

Harvey has just written a brand-new book entitled, The Power of an Ordinary Life. As a believer functioning in the business world, you’ll be challenged, strengthened, and encouraged by what he has to share with us on tonight’s live event.

Check out all the details here.

Blessings,

Michael