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.         

John 8.23-24 records, Jesus said, “You’re tied down to the mundane; I’m in touch with what is beyond your horizons. You live in terms of what you see and touch. I’m living on other terms. I told you that you were missing God in all this. You’re at a dead end. If you won’t believe I am who I say I am, you’re at the dead end of sins. You’re missing God in your lives. MSG

We are to live by faith and not by sight yet we spend most of our day living by sight and not by faith. Living by sight is living in this world according to the ways of this world. It is the seeking of pleasure, power, possessions, and approval. It is seeing people on the surface and relating to them that way. Living by sight is living for the now, the temporary, with little regard toward the future except its impact on our want for pleasure, power, possessions, and approval.

Living by faith is seeking God to know and to do His will. It is seeing God for His magnitude and His will in its human impossibility and embracing both by faith that He is and that He does through His people. Living by faith is attempting that which God desires knowing it is impossible without Him doing the miraculous in us, through us and around us for it to be accomplished. Living by faith is what Paul did when he embraced the mission to share the gospel throughout the world.

Faith is working toward a God sized task that can only be accomplished with God’s presence. Living by faith is prioritizing God’s presence in our life and His will through our life. It is waking to the Word and prayer in order to engage in witness and fellowship throughout the day in His Spirit, by His Spirit and with His Spirit so that in all things Jesus is magnified and glorified.

As Jesus lived His life doing good in order to glorify the Father so too we live with God before men to glorify Jesus so that all men might be saved.

 Our Opportunities

1. Celebrate Good Friday with CBMC. In partnership with Redemption Fitness, CBMC is sponsoring the Passion WOD. Be reminded of Jesus’ lashings through jumping rope 200 times, remember His cross by carrying 95pds 800 meters, participate in His death and resurrection by completing 100 burpees. Join us, anytime between 10.30am and 12pm, April 2nd at Redemption Fitness in Holt,  with an unchurched friend so they can hear the gospel presented upon completion of this workout using these exercises as our means to share what Jesus did for us. Register here 

1. Our first outreach luncheon since COVID is now scheduled. Mark your calendars for our zoom outreach on April 22nd. Our speaker will be Mr. Brian Moran. Brian is a NY Times bestselling author and is a highly sought-after international speaker and widely recognized leadership thought leader and productivity and execution expert. Begin now to pray and think how you can invite 1-3 unchurched men to join you for lunch at your office conference room to hear our CBMC speaker share his faith in Jesus the Savior. COVID constraints are not allowing us to meet in person but we can still do the work of an evangelist if we plan, think, and pursue the means for sharing Jesus with men. Join us at noon on April 22nd,  and register here. A zoom link will be sent you the day before the event.

CBMC Central Michigan 4407 W. St. Joe Hwy. Lansing 48917  / 517 481 5996 www.lansing.cbmc.com

MONDAY MANNA

A service to the business community

A Publication of CBMC International

March 22, 2021 

Facing Fear With A Focus On Faith

by Jim Langley

 Have you noticed how easy it is to focus on the trials and tribulations that surround us these days? Many have lost touch with reality as they sadly deal with limited opportunities to socialize and carry on a fairly normal lifestyle. What I suggest we all might wisely do instead is, face fear and focus on faith! That may seem like a drastic step to many, but I know it works for me. These troubling times require drastic measures if we expect to survive this new reality. So much appears to be out of control, and we can easily get caught in the waves of uncertainty. 

As the owner of what was deemed an essential business, it has been good to not only spend time in the office six days a week, but also continue to meet with clients via telephone, e-mail and online Zoom sessions. My clients need me and I need them; I have been able to encourage many as we all deal with this ongoing crisis. 

This has reminded me of a well-known Bible account, found in Matthew 14:22-36, when Jesus sent His disciples to the other side of the lake while He went up on a mountainside by Himself to pray. This was the evening after He had fed 5,000 people with only five loaves of bread and two fish. Early the next morning, Jesus went to His disciples in a very unusual way: walking on the water. When they first saw Him, His followers became afraid and cried out in fear, thinking they were seeing a ghost. 

“But Jesus immediately said to them: ‘Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.’ ‘Lord, if it is you,’ Peter replied, ‘tell me to come to you on the water.’ ‘Come.’ He said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out ‘Lord, save me!’ Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. ‘You of little faith,’ he said, ‘why did you doubt?’ And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down” (Matthew 14:27-32). 

Like the apostle Peter, if we focus on the turbulence all around us, we too may sink into depression and despair. But look at Peter’s response when he started to sink. He quickly cried out, “Lord, save me!” And that is exactly what Jesus did. He held out His hand and rescued Peter from the waves. Peter knew he was in dire need of help or he would drown. As with Peter, Jesus is there awaiting our calls for help as well. 

Psalm 46:1-3 begins, “God is our refuge and strength. An ever-present help in trouble. Therefore, we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.” 

The Psalms are filled with assurances that the Lord will be there in our times of trouble. Listen to these words of the apostle, found in 1 Peter 5:6-7: “Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” 

Peter knew firsthand that his Lord would lift him up in times of need. Jesus is available to all who place their trust in Him. If you are unconvinced in the power of the Holy Spirit and lack the faith we have been discussing, please consider taking a bold step of faith into His arms during these troubling times. You simply must admit your sinful nature, be willing to turn from your sinful ways, and ask Him to accept you into His family of believers. Once you have done this simple act, you can start to face fear and focus on faith! 

© 2021, all rights reserved. Jim Langley has been writing for more than 30 years while working as a life and health insurance agent. In recent years, his passion has turned to writing about his relationship with God. His goal is to encourage others to draw near to Him as well. A long-time member of CBMC, he started writing “Fourth Quarter Strategies” in 2014. 

CBMC Central Michigan 4407 W. St. Joe Hwy. Lansing 48917 / 517 481 5996  lansing.cbmc.com

MONDAY MANNA

A service to the business community

A Publication of CBMC International

March 22, 2021 

Reflection/Discussion Questions 

1. During this long period of challenges, caused not only by the pandemic but also by social unrest and many other unexpected developments, what has been your greatest fear? 

1. People often talk about “faith,” but their actions betray an absence of true, trusting faith? How would you define the kind of faith being discussed in this Monday Manna? 

1. Had you heard the account of Jesus’ disciples going ahead of Him on the lake, and then saw Him walking toward them on the water? What do you think of Peter’s reaction? How do you think you would have responded if you had been in his place? 

1. The psalm quoted tells about God being “our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.” Do you find this comforting? Why or why not? In what ways could this passage become more meaningful for you? 

NOTE: For more about what the Bible says about this topic, consider the following passages: Psalm 46:1-11; Isaiah 40:27-31; Jeremiah 29:11-13, 33:2-3; Hebrews 12:1-3; 1 John 4:16-18 

CBMC Central Michigan 4407 W. St. Joe Hwy. Lansing 48917 / 517 481 5996  lansing.cbmc.com