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.

Haggai 2.4-5 commands, get to work, Zerubbabel!’—God is speaking. “‘Get to work, Joshua son of Jehozadak—high priest!’ “‘Get to work, all you people!’—God is speaking. “‘Yes, get to work! For I am with you.’ The God-of-the-Angel-Armies is speaking! ‘Put into action the word I covenanted with you when you left Egypt. I’m living and breathing among you right now. Don’t be timid. Don’t hold back.MSG

A great word for heading into 2022. I am praying it for CBMC Central MI 2022. There is much kingdom work to do, the harvest is plentiful, but the workers have been few. It is time to get back to work. We mustn’t be ashamed of the gospel or of our Lord Jesus in this age that continues to malign His ways and bully His people.

Those who know Him must become like Him by willingly suffering for His Name. We must choose to win people into the kingdom of God for their eternal welfare over our own financial and relational security. Peace with men is not peace with God. Peace with God means conflict with men. While we, like Jesus, love all men, seek to serve all men, we must present to all men the requirement of God to repent and become born again.

This good news is perceived as bad news by some, even in our own household, thus we have conflict with the godless as God Himself warned us when He lived among us and suffered too for sharing the truth in love. The world is desperately in need of a Savior, we are the people who know the Savior and have been commissioned to make the Savior known.

We have no choice but to work to lead others to Jesus or else we deny the Savior Who commanded us to go and make disciples. The harvest is plentiful, who will work with us to reap a harvest for the glory of God in 2022 and beyond?

Our Opportunities

1. Beginning Wednesday January 12 CBMC is launching a new marketplace study using the bookMore Than Your Business Card: A Wake-up Call for Leaders Desiring to Follow Jesus in the Marketplace. We will review this book each week via zoom over the lunch hour. This study will help you see the value of your calling as a missionary to the marketplace. Buy the book then let mike know you will be joining him Wednesdays from noon to 12.45pm beginning January 12.
   
2. Please partner with us for ending this year strong and beginning next year healthy: https://give.idonate.com/cbmc-inc/lansing 

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

December 20, 2021 

Uncovering And Utilizing Your Unique Gifts

By Rick Boxx 

In evaluating people for specific jobs and responsibilities, we often consider education, experience, impressive resumes, and various personal traits. But do we take into account a person’s inherent gifts? 

Some time ago, while teaching about “Calling,” I challenged a group to pray for God to reveal their unique skills and abilities. Because many times we find the innate gifts that we have had virtually from birth can be significant factors in our success in the workplace. These traits can help to define what we have been “called” to do both professionally and personally.

This prompted considerable discussion, especially some of the participants had never stopped to assess areas in which they might be uniquely gifted. One participant, a legal secretary, later told me she believed God had more for her, so she decided to pray for God to reveal what that might be, to give her clarity concerning her future vocational pursuits. 

That week, her boss informed her that executives at their company’s headquarters were so impressed with her training skills that they decided to promote her, giving her the title and responsibility of National Trainer for their legal secretaries. She was delighted. After doing so well in her role as an administrative assistant, she discovered God had much more in mind for her. 

Failing to recognize the unique capacities God has built into each one of us can result in our failure to fully realize and fulfill our potential. We see this principle being illustrated in a number of places in the Bible. For example, in the book of Exodus – after the Israelites had been freed from the bondage and tyranny of the Egyptians – God identified specific individuals to carry out clearly defined tasks. One of them was a man named Bezalel, who would be charged with the design and creation of implements and facilities for worship. 

Exodus 31:1-3 says, “Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘See, I have chosen Bezalel…and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, ability and knowledge in all kinds of crafts.’” We then see Bezalel overseeing and performing beautifully detailed work intended to assist the Israelites in their regular worship of the God who had provided for them so wonderfully. 

Thinking about how the Lord uniquely and specifically gifts each one of us, I think of Eric Liddell, who was portrayed in the 1981 film, “Chariots of Fire.” Liddell had committed to serve as a missionary to China, but also was a gifted athlete. In one scene, after he inadvertently misses a church prayer meeting because he was at practice running, his sister Jennie approaches him in anger. She accuses him of no longer caring about God. 

Liddell’s response is humble, yet direct. He explains that he does intend to go to the mission field in China, but also feels divinely inspired when running – and that not to run would be to dishonor God. In the film he says, “I believe that God made me for a purpose. But He also made me fast, and when I run, I feel His pleasure.” 

As we work, do we “feel God’s pleasure”? Like Bezalel, we all have God-given skills, abilities, and knowledge. Ask Him to reveal them and use them for His glory. 

Copyright 2021, Unconventional Business Network. Adapted with permission from “UBN Integrity Moments”, a commentary on faith at work issues. Visit www.unconventionalbusiness.org to sign up for UBN Integrity Moments emails. UBN is a faith at work ministry serving the international small business community. 

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

December 20, 2021 

Reflection/Discussion Questions 

1. Have you ever considered the work you do as a “calling”? What does the term calling mean to you – and do you believe it applies to the modern-day workplace? 

1. Have you ever stopped to consider what God-given, innate abilities you have that you might not be fully utilizing? If not, how might you identify what those skills and gifts are and explore how you might start putting them to use? 

1. What do you suppose it means to “feel God’s pleasure” in something we do? Do you think this is something that should be true for every one of us, or do you think this is an experience reserved only for specially chosen individuals? Explain your answer. 

1. Who can you think of who seems to be succeeding at recognizing his or her inherent gifts and abilities? What things stand out about this person for you? 

NOTE: If you have a Bible and would like to read more, consider the following passages: Exodus 31:1-6; Proverbs 22:29; 1 Corinthians 12:12-25; Colossians 3:17, 23-24 

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