Hi Team,
As we are moving into our next phase of the Wednesday night DT, I wanted to share this article with you about how we need to be like children (we should know something about this, huh?) in everything in our lives.
Let's continue to work toward building up a team of awesome saints whose lives are totally relying on God's leadership.
In HIM,
yOOn
Be as Little Children
Wednesday, September 28, 2005
by Os Hillman
How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! ~ 1 John 3:1a
"I have an important business meeting in the morning. Would you please set the alarm for 5:30 a.m.?" I said to my wife.
"Oh, that won't be necessary. Just tell the Lord what time you want to wake up. He does it for me all the time," my wife said.
I rolled my eyes in disbelief. "Well, I'd feel more comfortable if we set the alarm."
"Okay, ye of little faith. But just to prove my point I am going to ask the Lord to wake us up just before 5:30."
The next morning I awoke before the alarm went off. I looked at the clock. It read 5:15. I looked at my wife, who had just awakened at the same time with an I-told-you-so smile.
Sometimes we wrongfully view God as someone we go to for only the "big things." The idea of "bothering God" for such a trivial matter seems foolish and presumptuous. However, when you were a child and had to get up in the morning for school, didn't your mom or dad come wake you up? They were your parents, and you could come to them with the most trivial concerns or requests. Why would our heavenly Father be any less approachable? Perhaps our problem is that we simply have not developed a level of intimacy with God so that we feel the freedom to approach Him at these daily, routine levels. We often operate with an unwritten code that says our needs must have a certain degree of importance or crisis before we come to God with them. This is not God's character towards us.
Does the Lord desire this level of intimacy with you and me? The apostle Paul exhorted us to "pray without ceasing" (1 Thess. 5:17 KJV). There is never a caution to pray only about matters of greater importance.
Today, go to God with matters that you might view as trivial and would normally avoid bringing to God. Ask God to increase your level of intimacy with Him. You may even be able to get rid of your alarm clock.
Copyright 2005. www.MarketplaceLeaders.org To contact Os Hillman, click here. To book Os Hillman to speak in your city, click here. To request TGIF reprint permission, click here. Permission granted to forward this email in it's entirety to others at no cost.
Wednesday, September 28, 2005
Friday, July 29, 2005
Presumption vs. Faith
Hello Team,
The following quote from article below caught my eyes:
"You almost have to hold back your natural gifting to ensure that God is the one who is guiding you. If not, you will not know if it is through your skill versus His hand that you are accomplishing the work."
Walking closely with God is a fine balancing act between utilizing my own skills while hearing God's instructions to use them correctly.
<><
yOOn
Presumption Versus Faith
Friday, July 29, 2005
by Os Hillman
The Lord's anger burned against Uzzah, and He struck him down because he had put his hand on the ark. So he died there before God. ~ 1 Chronicles 13:10
A life of faith often requires us to leave God's work alone. Responding to a need out of a desire to help move a vision along can be the greatest challenge for a Christian entrepreneur. There is a fine line between presumption and faith.
Uzzah learned that presumption could cost him his life. He was part of the crew that was to move the ark with the help of a team of oxen. When the way became rough, Uzzah responded in a natural way. He grabbed the ark to steady it. When he did, he was immediately struck down. God said it was forbidden to touch the ark. King David mourned the death of his servant and argued with God about this loss.
Walking with God in the workplace requires sensitivity to balancing our God-given talents and operating in the power of the Holy Spirit in and through our work life. A mentor once told me, "You almost have to hold back your natural gifting to ensure that God is the one who is guiding you. If not, you will not know if it is through your skill versus His hand that you are accomplishing the work." I find this the most challenging aspect of a walk with God in the workplace.
You can only grow in your understanding of this balance by being accountable to others in the process. By having other committed Christians walking close to you, they become the safety net to keep you from presumption and the deceit of the heart. God also gives godly spouses to help many in this area.
-- -- --
Copyright 2005. www.MarketplaceLeaders.org To contact Os Hillman, click here. To book Os Hillman to speak in your city, click here. To request TGIF reprint permission, click here. Permission granted to forward this email in it's entirety to others at no cost.
The following quote from article below caught my eyes:
"You almost have to hold back your natural gifting to ensure that God is the one who is guiding you. If not, you will not know if it is through your skill versus His hand that you are accomplishing the work."
Walking closely with God is a fine balancing act between utilizing my own skills while hearing God's instructions to use them correctly.
<><
yOOn
Presumption Versus Faith
Friday, July 29, 2005
by Os Hillman
The Lord's anger burned against Uzzah, and He struck him down because he had put his hand on the ark. So he died there before God. ~ 1 Chronicles 13:10
A life of faith often requires us to leave God's work alone. Responding to a need out of a desire to help move a vision along can be the greatest challenge for a Christian entrepreneur. There is a fine line between presumption and faith.
Uzzah learned that presumption could cost him his life. He was part of the crew that was to move the ark with the help of a team of oxen. When the way became rough, Uzzah responded in a natural way. He grabbed the ark to steady it. When he did, he was immediately struck down. God said it was forbidden to touch the ark. King David mourned the death of his servant and argued with God about this loss.
Walking with God in the workplace requires sensitivity to balancing our God-given talents and operating in the power of the Holy Spirit in and through our work life. A mentor once told me, "You almost have to hold back your natural gifting to ensure that God is the one who is guiding you. If not, you will not know if it is through your skill versus His hand that you are accomplishing the work." I find this the most challenging aspect of a walk with God in the workplace.
You can only grow in your understanding of this balance by being accountable to others in the process. By having other committed Christians walking close to you, they become the safety net to keep you from presumption and the deceit of the heart. God also gives godly spouses to help many in this area.
-- -- --
Copyright 2005. www.MarketplaceLeaders.org To contact Os Hillman, click here. To book Os Hillman to speak in your city, click here. To request TGIF reprint permission, click here. Permission granted to forward this email in it's entirety to others at no cost.
Monday, July 18, 2005
Unlimited Potential
Hello Team!
Do you want to live the FULL potential God intended for your life? It may require your perseverance and hope. If you're experiencing some setbacks in your life, let's be encouraged by the story of Cyrus below and push onward while leaning on God.
<><
yOOn
- * - * -
Unlimited Potential
Monday, July 18, 2005
by Os Hillman
I can do everything through Him who gives me strength. ~ Philippians 4:13
What might God want to accomplish through you in your lifetime? As a workplace believer, you may yet have your greatest contribution to society. Such was the case of Cyrus McCormick, born in 1809. Raised on a farm by an inventor father, Cyrus McCormick sought to invent a mechanical reaper to harvest wheat. His father's attempts at inventing a successful machine had failed until Cyrus, at 22, created one that worked. McCormick had to overcome many setbacks including the loss of his patent 14 years after his first invention. This opened up competition. Then, in 1837 he went bankrupt due to the bank panic of 1837. However, these setbacks did not prevent McCormick from achieving his goals.
He expanded his market by trying to sell his machine to European farmers in 1851. A long series of honors compensated for the lack of recognition and praise from his American compatriots. By 1856, he was not only a world figure but his factory produced more than 4,000 reapers a year.
McCormick was a committed believer. He lived during the time of D.L. Moody and gave $10,000 to Moody to start the Chicago YMCA in 1869. That building burned along with his Chicago factory in 1871. By this time, McCormick was over 60 and wealthy enough to retire. Before his death in 1884, he had given $100,000 to help open Moody Bible Institute. His son, Cyrus Jr., was to become the first chairman of the school's board. Cyrus McCormick was a devoted Christian who passed his faith on to his son who later met up with J. Pierpoint Morgan to become the first president of a combined reaper firm, the famed International Harvester Corporation. [John Woodbridge, ed., More Than Conquerors (Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1992), 328-331.]
What might God want to accomplish through your life? Surely you can do all things through Christ who strengthens you.
Copyright 2005. www.MarketplaceLeaders.org To contact Os Hillman, click here. To book Os Hillman to speak in your city, click here. To request TGIF reprint permission, click here. Permission granted to forward this email in it's entirety to others at no cost.
Do you want to live the FULL potential God intended for your life? It may require your perseverance and hope. If you're experiencing some setbacks in your life, let's be encouraged by the story of Cyrus below and push onward while leaning on God.
<><
yOOn
Unlimited Potential
Monday, July 18, 2005
by Os Hillman
I can do everything through Him who gives me strength. ~ Philippians 4:13
What might God want to accomplish through you in your lifetime? As a workplace believer, you may yet have your greatest contribution to society. Such was the case of Cyrus McCormick, born in 1809. Raised on a farm by an inventor father, Cyrus McCormick sought to invent a mechanical reaper to harvest wheat. His father's attempts at inventing a successful machine had failed until Cyrus, at 22, created one that worked. McCormick had to overcome many setbacks including the loss of his patent 14 years after his first invention. This opened up competition. Then, in 1837 he went bankrupt due to the bank panic of 1837. However, these setbacks did not prevent McCormick from achieving his goals.
He expanded his market by trying to sell his machine to European farmers in 1851. A long series of honors compensated for the lack of recognition and praise from his American compatriots. By 1856, he was not only a world figure but his factory produced more than 4,000 reapers a year.
McCormick was a committed believer. He lived during the time of D.L. Moody and gave $10,000 to Moody to start the Chicago YMCA in 1869. That building burned along with his Chicago factory in 1871. By this time, McCormick was over 60 and wealthy enough to retire. Before his death in 1884, he had given $100,000 to help open Moody Bible Institute. His son, Cyrus Jr., was to become the first chairman of the school's board. Cyrus McCormick was a devoted Christian who passed his faith on to his son who later met up with J. Pierpoint Morgan to become the first president of a combined reaper firm, the famed International Harvester Corporation. [John Woodbridge, ed., More Than Conquerors (Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1992), 328-331.]
What might God want to accomplish through your life? Surely you can do all things through Christ who strengthens you.
Copyright 2005. www.MarketplaceLeaders.org To contact Os Hillman, click here. To book Os Hillman to speak in your city, click here. To request TGIF reprint permission, click here. Permission granted to forward this email in it's entirety to others at no cost.
Wednesday, July 06, 2005
Our Work versus Our Value
Hello CM Team,
Thank you so much for all of you who stayed in town to "run" the ministry this past Sunday!
My family attended the Saddleback Church and two of my children went through the same format (although the topic was not the Driving Force) because our Driving Force is from that church. They thought it was cool to see the same stuff.
I'm including a short article below for your food for thought & Spirit. Here is an excerpt:
See you tonight then,
yOOn
- * - * -
Wednesday, July 06, 2005
by Os Hillman
The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. ~ Genesis 2:15
Man was created to have seven basic needs. Each of us has a need for dignity, authority, blessing and provision, security, purpose and meaning, freedom and boundary, intimate love and companionship. When we go outside God's provision to meet these needs, we get into trouble.
Every man has a need to work and gain satisfaction in caring and seeing something come from his efforts. Many of our basic needs are derived from our work; it was one of the first acts God did for man in the Garden of Eden. He gave him responsibility to care for and work the Garden. God knew man needed to be productive. He needed to gain satisfaction from his work.
The danger of this is when we allow our work to be our complete source of purpose and meaning in life. This leads to a performance-based life. A performance-based life says, "As long as I perform in my work, I am acceptable to myself and others." This is a subtle trap for all of us. It can lead us to become workaholics if we are seeking acceptance through what we do. Sometimes this can be on a subconscious basis.
Our value must be centered in Christ, not in what we do. If we lose our job or our business, this should not devastate us if we are centered in Him. It will certainly create difficulties, but God is the orchestrator of all the events in our lives for His purposes. Even difficult times have purposes.
Today, ask the Lord if you have a proper balance in your work life. Is Christ the central focus? If you work long hours, ask yourself why. You might discover that God may not be the central focus.
Copyright 2005. www.MarketplaceLeaders.org To contact Os Hillman, click here. To book Os Hillman to speak in your city, click here. To request TGIF reprint permission, click here. Permission granted to forward this email in it's entirety to others at no cost.
Thank you so much for all of you who stayed in town to "run" the ministry this past Sunday!
My family attended the Saddleback Church and two of my children went through the same format (although the topic was not the Driving Force) because our Driving Force is from that church. They thought it was cool to see the same stuff.
I'm including a short article below for your food for thought & Spirit. Here is an excerpt:
The danger of this is when we allow our work to be our complete source of purpose and meaning in life. This leads to a performance-based life. A performance-based life says .... (read below for more)
See you tonight then,
yOOn
Wednesday, July 06, 2005
by Os Hillman
The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. ~ Genesis 2:15
Man was created to have seven basic needs. Each of us has a need for dignity, authority, blessing and provision, security, purpose and meaning, freedom and boundary, intimate love and companionship. When we go outside God's provision to meet these needs, we get into trouble.
Every man has a need to work and gain satisfaction in caring and seeing something come from his efforts. Many of our basic needs are derived from our work; it was one of the first acts God did for man in the Garden of Eden. He gave him responsibility to care for and work the Garden. God knew man needed to be productive. He needed to gain satisfaction from his work.
The danger of this is when we allow our work to be our complete source of purpose and meaning in life. This leads to a performance-based life. A performance-based life says, "As long as I perform in my work, I am acceptable to myself and others." This is a subtle trap for all of us. It can lead us to become workaholics if we are seeking acceptance through what we do. Sometimes this can be on a subconscious basis.
Our value must be centered in Christ, not in what we do. If we lose our job or our business, this should not devastate us if we are centered in Him. It will certainly create difficulties, but God is the orchestrator of all the events in our lives for His purposes. Even difficult times have purposes.
Today, ask the Lord if you have a proper balance in your work life. Is Christ the central focus? If you work long hours, ask yourself why. You might discover that God may not be the central focus.
Copyright 2005. www.MarketplaceLeaders.org To contact Os Hillman, click here. To book Os Hillman to speak in your city, click here. To request TGIF reprint permission, click here. Permission granted to forward this email in it's entirety to others at no cost.
Tuesday, June 21, 2005
'You've got to find what you love,' Jobs says
Hi CM Teachers,
This is a message of someone who's gone through the courses of life thus far and reflecting upon some of the gems he has discovered along the way. I do not know whether Steve Jobs is a believer or not, but there are values we can share because it hits the chord in all of us.
----
This is the text of the Commencement address by Steve Jobs, CEO of Apple Computer and of Pixar Animation Studios, delivered on June 12, 2005.
http://news-service.stanford.edu/news/2005/june15/jobs-061505
This is a message of someone who's gone through the courses of life thus far and reflecting upon some of the gems he has discovered along the way. I do not know whether Steve Jobs is a believer or not, but there are values we can share because it hits the chord in all of us.
----
This is the text of the Commencement address by Steve Jobs, CEO of Apple Computer and of Pixar Animation Studios, delivered on June 12, 2005.
http://news-service.stanford.edu/news/2005/june15/jobs-061505
Friday, June 17, 2005
Cinderella Man - A Father's Day Message
Hello Team CM,
I would like to share an excerpt from BreakPoint in light of the Father's Day this Sunday.
* - * - *
Today, our elites are fond of saying that fathers are unnecessary -- even destructive in the lives of their children. Millions of fatherless kids are paying the price for this attitude -- children starving for a fatherÂ’s love and protection. Cinderella Man gives us a tremendous example of what a father ought to be.
As we celebrate Father's Day this weekend, I pray that fathers and fathers-to-be will be inspired by this film to be the kind of man God intends: one who sacrificially puts his love for his family above all else.
Full article is located at:
http://www.pfm.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=BreakPoint1&Template=/CM/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=16190
I would like to share an excerpt from BreakPoint in light of the Father's Day this Sunday.
Today, our elites are fond of saying that fathers are unnecessary -- even destructive in the lives of their children. Millions of fatherless kids are paying the price for this attitude -- children starving for a fatherÂ’s love and protection. Cinderella Man gives us a tremendous example of what a father ought to be.
As we celebrate Father's Day this weekend, I pray that fathers and fathers-to-be will be inspired by this film to be the kind of man God intends: one who sacrificially puts his love for his family above all else.
Full article is located at:
http://www.pfm.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=BreakPoint1&Template=/CM/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=16190
Tuesday, June 07, 2005
Living on a Prayer with Your Testimony
Hi CM Teachers,
Try to put yourself in the person's position in the picture below -- desperately just hanging on to that rock in order not to fall down. Have you ever prayed to God with such intensity and focus? Why not take the next 15 seconds and try it by lifting up one of the core needs you have right now?
Also want to pass on this article on living a testimonial life vs. knowledge-filled life.
yOOn
Your Testimony
Tuesday, June 07, 2005
by Os Hillman
I tell you the truth, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony. ~ John 3:11
Over the last several years I have seen two distinct types of Christian workplace believers. One type enthusiastically teaches their Bible knowledge to others. These people, though they may be genuine in their motive, lack one essential ingredient to being effectively used by God - a testimony. The second type of people I have encountered has a genuine testimony of what God is doing and continues to do in their lives. This was the case in the early Church. Men and women were able to give powerful testimony of events and experiences that could only be explained as a work of God.
God desires to build a testimony in each of us. Each of us is one of God's chosen vessels to reflect His power in and through us. When others see this power reflected, they are impacted because they cannot explain that power. God desires to frame your life with experiences designed to reflect the character and nature of Christ. Sometimes these events can be very devastating, but they are designed to reveal His power in and through us.
Every one of us has a testimony. What would others say your testimony is today? Can others see God's work in your life? Is your testimony one of Bible knowledge only? Are things happening in your life that can only be explained as God? These can be problematic questions for each of us. Ask God to build a testimony of His life in and through you today.
Copyright 2005. www.MarketplaceLeaders.org Permission granted to forward this email in it's entirety to others at no cost.
Try to put yourself in the person's position in the picture below -- desperately just hanging on to that rock in order not to fall down. Have you ever prayed to God with such intensity and focus? Why not take the next 15 seconds and try it by lifting up one of the core needs you have right now?
Also want to pass on this article on living a testimonial life vs. knowledge-filled life.
yOOn
Your Testimony
Tuesday, June 07, 2005
by Os Hillman
I tell you the truth, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony. ~ John 3:11
Over the last several years I have seen two distinct types of Christian workplace believers. One type enthusiastically teaches their Bible knowledge to others. These people, though they may be genuine in their motive, lack one essential ingredient to being effectively used by God - a testimony. The second type of people I have encountered has a genuine testimony of what God is doing and continues to do in their lives. This was the case in the early Church. Men and women were able to give powerful testimony of events and experiences that could only be explained as a work of God.
God desires to build a testimony in each of us. Each of us is one of God's chosen vessels to reflect His power in and through us. When others see this power reflected, they are impacted because they cannot explain that power. God desires to frame your life with experiences designed to reflect the character and nature of Christ. Sometimes these events can be very devastating, but they are designed to reveal His power in and through us.
Every one of us has a testimony. What would others say your testimony is today? Can others see God's work in your life? Is your testimony one of Bible knowledge only? Are things happening in your life that can only be explained as God? These can be problematic questions for each of us. Ask God to build a testimony of His life in and through you today.
Copyright 2005. www.MarketplaceLeaders.org Permission granted to forward this email in it's entirety to others at no cost.
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