Doing Business God's Way

Love Your Business, But Love God More!

When we do what we love, we love what we do. Sounds like the same thing and it is mostly. But what happens when we love what we do more than we love God?

If God is the foundation of our business, then without Him our business will fail!   There are many businesses that can claim worldly success, but without the foundation of the Word a business will not thrive God's way and it will not allow the Word to work through it for others. 

A successful business begins from the heart before the intellect as we seek God's guidance for what we should do.  We need to learn and practice the Christian ethic in order to have a well-rounded success in life and business.  We need to let God guide us or we'll let the business lead us in a direction away from God rather than toward Him. 

I was very honest when I first started my home business and great with customer service, but as I continued growing in the Word, I learned more about the places in my heart that needed fine tuning with God.  He was trying to show me the power of owning a business through Christ, and I kept looking at it as something I loved so much that I let it rule my time.

"My time!"  Nothing was mine, not even time, and until I saw the truth, I never seemed to have enough of it.  I came to realize that God's timing blesses us, while my anxiety over it was creating fear that I would never have enough time to make my business grow. There are so many messages in my actions about who I was at that time, but I grew with God and learned how to be at peace while God lights the way for success.  

I won't deny that there are many unscrupulous people who have highly successful businesses, but while they have a show of apparent wealth, they are bankrupt from within.   They are void of true happiness, joy, and enthusiasm for all the simplicity that life has to offer, such as time spent with our families or sharing salvation with the lost.

Business owners who only care about "numbers" and making larger sums of money for personal consumption and power do not achieve true, well-rounded success.  They are rich in money. but even though the world classifies financial wealth alone as success, it's not enough to live a fulfilling life where one can enjoy a sense of self-worth.

Business owners whose lives revolve around themselves, money and business 24/7, have temporary happiness that needs to be replenished with more and more money, Yet their thirst for money and power is never quenched.  We need to keep  our businesses centered upon God's Word in order to find the kind of success that makes us a blessing to God, not just ourselves. But in the process, we'll be greatly blessed!

Keep Your Life In Balance With God

We need the mind of Christ to keep our business lives in balance with God's Word.  If we don't, we risk having the kind of mentality that puts one's life out of balance and separates us from the values and integrity that brings true Godly wealth and success while creating in us an attitude of good stewardship. 

As a Christian business owner or employee, it’s important that you center upon Kingdom Living before all things.   If you don't, you'll obsess over everything about business instead of resting in Christ.   You'll also live with the fear of losing what you have.    

So don't let yourself become anxious about being on the leading edge of your business product or service, having the right products for transition, or hiring the best employees.  Trust God by spending time with Him and He will show you the way.

 Good News Christian Business Entrepreneurs! 

 

 

The Key To Christian Business Success

Many Christians say they love the Lord and tell everyone how they've made the commitment to put God first in their business practices.  From my experiences, I have to say that many whom I've done business with have greatly fallen short.  In fact I'm sure that many Christians have no idea what a commitment to putting God first in the center of anything means.

I've dealt with so many Christians in business who have lied to me, who have done everything they could to cheat me out of money, and who deceived me at every turn in order to trick me into giving them free work.  And they do it all without guilt because they say that they are "doing God's work." They lie and cheat in the name of the Lord!  How I cringe when I see this happening.

God's Guidance and Benefits To Those Who Obey The Word

 

Honest Christians are usually the one's preyed upon by those who claim to be Christians, but who lie and cheat. However, those filled with God's integrity don't have to be taken in and cheated.  If you keep God at the center of your life and business, God will reveal the truth about persons who approach you for business collaborations, and He will uncover their lies.  Over the years I have come to understand their tactics quickly in order to avoid living through a business commitment that turns into a nightmare.  But if I should lack the wisdom, I know that God will give me the guidance to avoid doing business with a specific person as a seller or a buyer. He will do the same for you if you keep honest business dealings and put God first over money.

 Use This Scenario To Avoid Dishonest People In A Service Business

 

Phase I of their communication begins with them saying very little about what they want.  However, they expound on the fact that they are in the ministry as a pastor or church leader of some kind.  Then when they receive information about your business, they add more to their story, usually it's a life story about the difficulty they've had transitioning from a life of sin to Christianity.  They make it clear that all they want to do now is share the Lord to the lost.  Once "the story" is set, they begin to talk more about what they want.  All the while they act as if working with them will be a great blessing and benefit.  This is the point were I have learned to cut things off because if I don't, the manipulation and lying phase begins.   

If you get to Phase 2 of their communication they ask you how much everything they want is going to cost.  You tell them but they don't respond.  They only repeat what they want done and add more to it.  All the while they act clueless about the process of the business and how it works. Then they mention that they have some of their work, like a book, for instance, available for you to look at to get a glimpse of what they're doing to save the lost.  Then they ask for the price again and say that they want you to do the work for them and they need to get started right away.  You tell them that once you receive the fee or payment work will commence, but then they take you to Phase 3. 

They say they have decided to do the work themselves and that you can do some of the work for them over time, but they don't mention payment.  Usually what they mention is the hardest part or the bulk of the work needed for whatever it is they want done.  When you tell them that you will have to charge a fee for the work, they come back with a story about how they've been working with a very well-known expert in the field.  They share a list with you of what that person will do for them.  Then they ask if you can do the same because they really want to work with you. With one person I dealt with, he gave me a list of everything I had already said numerous times I would do for him and had even sent him in written form.  

It was like going in circles and never getting anywhere--and I wouldn't get anywhere until I said I will do all the work for "free."  At this point I stopped all communication.  Now, I won't allow myself to get passed Phase I.  I'm a writer and I figured that in the time it took getting through all 3 Phases, not to count the ones I avoided, I could have written a good sized Kindle book. 

Avoid Foolishness In Business

 

While it's wise and God's way to be kind and respectful to potential clients in business, we have to know when to stop communication in order to not waste valuable time that you or God could put to better use.  Never feel the need to "finish out" conversations that keep you on the hook to people who try to get you to "make them a deal" which will always leave you on the losing end. They believe that because they serve God everything they get from others should be for free.  Yet many have high paying jobs and businesses that they have no trouble collecting money from.

At one point in my business, I actually went full circle with two Christian women.  It was a nightmare getting them to pay which should have been revealing enough.  Once they got through the mystery of paying my "lowered" fee, the nightmares began.  I don't have the time to go into their web of lies, deceit and manipulation that occurred, but I'm still receiving their demands to do work that was never a part of our contract and which had ended two years ago. I've repeatedly had to point out to each one that my services to them are completed, but they don't have the respect to abide by our written agreement.


Also, I have my own ministry, yet I have never asked for anyone to give me anything for free.  I pay my way as I go and when I need more money I ask God to provide it through my work or I take it from my general emergency savings.  With this attitude I end up with special gifts or favors from people.  Good things  happen when we give God a channel to work with through our integrity and honesty toward others. 

In conclusion, I admonish all Christians to be honest in business as well as in their business dealings.  And if you are already honest, don't entertain those persons who wish to steal from you and take your valuable time and money.  Both of these elements will be better spent when given to the Lord in ways that will glorify Him and bring Him praise and honor.