“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.