Decision-Making From the Head-And the Heart
Our Mission
To present Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord to business and professional men and to develop Christian business and professional men to carry out the Great Commission.
Psalm 107.2 declares, let those delivered by the LORD speak out, those whom He delivered from the power of the enemy. Who is the enemy? The enemy of all humanity? Death.
Only one God promises deliverance from death to ALL who humble themselves and follow Him. Only one God proved His ability to deliver on His promise by Himself rising from the dead after men were convinced of their killing Him on a cross. Buddha did not rise from the dead nor does He promise eternity as a guarantee for following Him. Mohammad did not rise from the dead and neither does he promise eternal life to everyone who follows him.
Jesus alone promises eternal life because He claims to be the Creator and Author of Life. God became Man so that man could live with God forever. What better way for God to demonstrate His love for us than by becoming one of us? What better way could God prove His promise than by suffering death like all people must suffer only to rise from the dead guaranteeing to all who follow Him that they too will rise from the dead?
Jesus appeared to more than 500 before leaving this earth and returning to heaven where even now He intercedes on our behalf. Furthermore He has not left us as orphans but has instead given His Spirit to live within all those who love Him so that they can know unequivocally that they are indeed children of God.
So what should be our response toward the only true God Who has loved us so greatly and promises us what we all really want, life forever? Tell others this good news. God in Jesus the Savior does not want to be kept a secret. He left earth physically so that we would prove successively that God loves us and will lead us to life after death if we will but follow Him.
We prove this claim by our own commitment to the claim as evidenced by our obedience to God and our love for one another. As God loved us so we love one another. As God the Man perfectly obeyed the Word of God so too those who follow Him prove their love for Him by their obedience to Him as recorded in the Scriptures.
His command is that we give witness to His reality, to His work and to His promised future. The people of God have been delivered from the enemy of their souls so must cry out to others that they too might be delivered.
His Opportunities
- Last CBMC Special Luncheon for 2017, October 5th. Please keep in prayer. Want to attend? More information and registration HERE early registration pricing has expired
Business Owners / Leaders. Are you looking for a useful resource for leadership and team development in your company. CBMC has a great resource. Learn more October 6 at lunch. Email Mike for details HERE
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MONDAY MANNA
A service to the business community
A Publication of CBMC International
October 2, 2017
Decision-Making From the Head-And the Heart
by Jim Langley
Those of us who work in the business world know life is filled with decision after decision. How we make decisions varies, but I have noticed most business decisions are made without much thought. Unfortunately, hastily made decisions may have a detrimental impact on businesses and the lives of those affected.
Consider some of the poor business decisions you have made in the past. What went wrong? Some of mine were very impulsive, giving little consideration for the effects they might have on those around me. I do not dwell on bad decisions, but have resolved to learn from tactical errors in my past. I have come to understand decisions have ramifications far beyond my interests. Now my top concerns are how God will see my actions – and how my decisions might affect the lives of others.
This is not to say we must weigh every decision for potential outcomes, but we would be wise to bring our hearts – as well as our heads – into the decision-making process. The Bible has much to say about this. For instance, in Psalm 90, described as a prayer of “Moses, the man of God,” verses 11 and 12 declare, “Who knows the power of your anger? For your wrath is as great as the fear that is due you. Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” Moses knew God intimately and learned from poor decisions he had made as the leader of Israel.
In 1 Samuel 13:14, the prophet recounts for Israel’s King Saul how an unwise decision he made would end his reign: “But now your kingdom will not endure; the Lord has sought out a man after his own heart and appointed him leader of his people, because you have not kept the Lord’s command.” Saul had taken things into his own hands at Gilgal, not waiting the full seven days for Samuel to arrive and conduct the prescribed sacrificial burnt offering. Apparently, Saul was greatly concerned that his troops were losing heart with the Philistines preparing to attack.
King Solomon teaches in Proverbs 23:15-18, “My son, if your heart is wise, then my heart will be glad; my inmost being will rejoice when your lips speak what is right. Do not let your heart envy sinners, but always be zealous for the fear of the Lord. There is surely a future hope for you, and your hope will not be cut off.” This is an important lesson we need to master. Fearing (having reverence for) the Lord is critical for coming to grips with the business decisions of the heart.
In James 4:13-16, business and professional people who claim to follow Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord are reminded, “Look here, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we are going to a certain town and will stay there a year. We will do business there and make a profit.’ How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog—it’s here a little while, then it’s gone. What you ought to say is, ‘If the Lord wants us to, we will live and do this or that.’ Otherwise you are boasting about your own pretentious plans, and all such boasting is evil.”. This truth is sobering – and helpful – for serving God in business.
There is much to be gained by making business decisions of the heart, rather than acting impulsively. The Lord desires for us to have a life-changing experience during our time on earth. Trusting in and following the Scriptures in our business life will make it much more meaningful.
The prophets Jeremiah and Ezekiel both prophesied a new covenant that was forthcoming. We all can have a “new heart” that will enable us to see God and others in a totally new light. This new heart comes from a right relationship with Jesus. We should pray, seeking to let Him be intimately involved in all aspects of business and our personal lives.
© 2017. Jim Langley has been an agent with New York Life since 1983 and an active member of CBMC of Santa Barbara, California, U.S.A. since 1987. His website is: fourthquarterstrategies.com.
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