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.

Amos 5.6 urges, seek GOD and live! You don’t want to end up with nothing to show for your life But a pile of ashes, a house burned to the ground. For God will send just such a fire, and the firefighters will show up too late.

It is natural for men to want to live a life of significance. All of us want to leave a legacy and be remembered for doing good. But what does it mean to live a life of significance?

Significance can be defined as that which lasts because of its importance. People usually define significance in history books. God defines significance in His book, the Bible. What is important that will be recognized for all eternity? What is precious and valuable in the eyes of God?

He values people, people that love Him with all their heart, soul, mind and strength. What is most significant to God is His creation living in eternity with Him as their Creator through the proper recognition of Who He is and what He has done for them.

Therefore the most significant thing we can do is to lead people to Jesus and disciple them in obedience to all Jesus commanded us to do. Eternity is a long time to receive our reward from God. It is also a long time to regret having done nothing for God.

Men find significance in things that won’t last forever, often, not much beyond their lifetime. If we would live lives of true significance, we must live for those things that God finds significant. We learn those things from His word and if we do what His word says we will not be unfruitful or unproductive with our lives but will find ourselves warmly welcomed and richly rewarded by our God and Savior on that Day when we meet Him to give account for the lives we have lived.

And every person we live with for eternity that we helped bring there, they will remember our work in their lives as the most significant event of their eternal lives.

His Opportunities

1. It’s back – Monday Manna Live – weekdays, Monday mornings, 9.55am HERE
   
   
2. Business Owners, are you looking for a private group of fellow business owners for encouragement, support, and advice? CBMC offers such a group.  Contact Mike at mwinter@cbmc.com for more information
   
   
3. Invest in CBMC.  GIVE today. 

CBMC Central Michigan 6011 W. St. Joseph Ste. 401 Lansing 48917  / 517 481 5996 www.lansing.cbmc.com 

MONDAY MANNA

A service to the business community

A Publication of CBMC International

November 19, 2018 

Giving Thanks – For Everything

by Robert J. Tamasy 

Traditionally, the observance of Thanksgiving Day in the United States takes place on the fourth Thursday in November. That means this year it is being celebrated on Nov. 22, the earliest it is ever held. That means two things: the so-called “Christmas season,” which spans Thanksgiving to Christmas day, is at maximum length; and the formal holiday gives us a head start on considering those things for which we should feel and express our thanks. 

Typically we tend to focus on the enjoyable things we have experienced – good health; happy events such as getting married, having a child, finding a new job or receiving a promotion, moving into a new home; being able to pay our bills and having some money left over. You can probably think of other positives about the past year, our “blessings.” They all deserve our expressions of thankfulness. 

But what about those things we did not perceive as “good”: business or career setbacks, financial struggles, health challenges, discord within our families, or similar hardships? The past year has had natural disasters, and perhaps you or someone you know were victims of one of those. How are we to respond concerning those – how can we “give thanks” for difficult times like that? 

We often hear people ask things like, “Why do bad things happen to good people?” And that is a very relevant question – one that countless articles and books have addressed. Simplistic answers and platitudes fail to supply satisfactory responses. And yet, for those of us who follow Jesus Christ, we find no admonition that suggests we limit times of thanksgiving only to pleasant experiences. 

As we prepare for Thanksgiving Day later this week, or whenever a similar event is celebrated where you live, it might be useful to consider what the Bible teaches about the giving of thanks: 

No exceptions. Sometimes we might be tempted to think, “Okay, God, I will be thankful when good things come my way. But do not expect me to be thankful for hardships!” In the Scriptures, God does not give that option. “Be joyful always…give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18). 

Take a hard look at difficult times. Why would God expect us to express thanks to Him even during times of struggle? Because if we consider them honestly, we can realize those are often the times we grow the most and develop, personally, professionally and spiritually. “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything” (James 1:2-4). 

Trials separate the genuine from the counterfeit. One way we can prove we possess certain skills or abilities is to demonstrate them in action. In a similar way, how we respond to difficult times – including our willingness to be thankful for them – reveals the genuineness of our faith and trust in God. “In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith – of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire – may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed” (1 Peter 1:6-7). 

© 2018. Robert J. Tamasy has written Business at Its Best: Timeless Wisdom from Proverbs for Today’s Workplace; Tufting Legacies;coauthored with David A. Stoddard, The Heart of Mentoring, and edited numerous other books, including Advancing Through Adversityby Mike Landry. Bob’s biweekly blog is: www.bobtamasy.blogspot.com. 

CBMC Central Michigan 6011 W. St. Joseph Ste. 401 Lansing 48917  / 517 481 5996  lansing.cbmc.com 

 MONDAY MANNA

A service to the business community

A Publication of CBMC International

November 19, 2018 

Reflection/Discussion Questions 

1. What are your general thoughts about Thanksgiving Day – or another similar event when a time for expressing thanks is observed? 

1. When you assess the past year, things you have experienced in your business, at work, and various areas of your personal life, do you feel thankful – or some other emotion? Explain your answer. 

1. How do you express thanks for what God has done – or is doing – in your life? 

1. Do you think it is reasonable to be expected to feel thankful for difficulties you encounter in life and work? Why or why not? 

NOTE: If you have a Bible and would like to read more, consider the following passages: Psalm 34:1-9; Ephesians 5:20; Hebrews 12:11; 1 Peter 4:12-13, 5:10

CBMC Central Michigan 6011 W. St. Joseph Ste. 401 Lansing 48917  / 517 481 5996  lansing.cbmc.com