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.          

Ezra 1.3-4 records, any of His people among you may go up to Jerusalem in Judah and build the temple of the LORD, the God of Israel, the God who is in Jerusalem, and may their God be with them. And in any locality where survivors may now be living, the people are to provide them with silver and gold, with goods and livestock, and with freewill offerings for the temple of God in Jerusalem.’

The people of Israel who had been exiled to Babylon held the option of going to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple under the pagan king Cyrus the Persian. It had been 70 years since Jerusalem had been destroyed by Babylon and king Nebuchadnezzar. In fulfillment of God’s promise to Jeremiah, after 70 years God would return a remnant to Israel. Now was the time. But who would go and why would they?

After so much time had elapsed some had built fine homes, owned good businesses and were living in a stable political environment. What was there to go to Jerusalem for? It was a burned out and destroyed city. Who knew who had moved into the dilapidated city and if there was any land left to work?

So too God invites us to build His kingdom now. Who will participate? Some Christians will stay too busy building their businesses and planning for retirement to be bothered with building God’s kingdom. Some Christians are not expecting Jesus to return any day so put off until later actively serving Him today.

Some Christians will embrace the work of winning the lost. Other Christians will give financially so some can devote their vocation to this work. It is those who do the work and those who give to that work who will receive God’s reward for being faithful to building His kingdom on earth as it is in heaven until He returns again to rule forever. 

Jesus observed the harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. CBMC makes doing the work of winning men to Christ and growing them in their faith simple and effective. Will you join us in 2020 in this work of winning our marketplace to Christ by praying for the lost, inviting them to outreach luncheons, discipling the new believer and giving financially to ensure all this opportunity can continue? The option to do so is yours.

Our Opportunities

1. 72 men gave financially in December to help us obtain 62% of our year-end objective. What a blessing. However we needed to make goal in order to start 2020 and solid financial footing. Therefore we need to raise $20,000 this month to make up the difference. 

If you intended to give in 2019 but lost track of time so weren’t able, this would be a great month to make that contribution.  Please pray about joining us this month with a significant gift toward our work. You can make your donation today at https://give.idonate.com/cbmc-inc/lansing

2.     A mission opportunity is available to you every third Wednesday of the month at the new Rescue Mission Drop-in center. We are looking for one or two men a month to share their story of God’s work in their lives for about 20 minutes from 10-10.20ish. Interested in encouraging the homeless by sharing what God has done in your life? Next opening, January 15. Email Mike to sign up. 

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

January 6, 2020 

When Failure Becomes Success

by Rick Boxx

Early in my practice as a business consultant, I submitted a bid on a consulting project for a mortgage lender named Tom. During a follow-up interview, I explained to him about my biblical approach to consulting, Tom’s gaze suddenly went cold. Our discussion and the meeting came to an abrupt end. Tom clearly did not appreciate the perspective I would be using; needless to say, I did not get the project. 

Since I was still fairly new as a consultant, I chalked it up to failure on my part. I wondered how I might have handled the meeting differently but did not regret telling him about my beliefs and the way they influenced how I would approach issues in his business. As the apostle Paul wrote, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation for everyone who believes…” (Romans 1:16). 

I also knew that if we did not share the same value system and motivations, trying to work together would have failed anyway. One of the Bible’s most practical warnings that relate to the marketplace is found in 2 Corinthians 6:14, which admonishes, “Do not be bound together with unbelievers, for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness?” This did not mean I was to pass judgment on Tom and his own values, but it reminded me that we would be unable to strive for the same goals. 

What I had perceived as failure, however, proved to be anything but that. About two years later, Tom’s brother informed me that when he chose not to utilize my consulting services, Tom instead hired another individual who proceeded to steal $40,000 from his company. Obviously, the other person did not share my biblical perspective on how to operate a business! 

That experience launched Tom on a spiritual journey, one that ultimately resulted in his life becoming totally transformed by a relationship with Jesus Christ. What I had perceived as failure became God’s success. 

Stories like this are not unusual. We see them frequently in the Bible. For instance, after Moses initially asked Pharaoh to release the Israelites from slavery, Moses felt like a failure when Pharaoh refused. However, in Exodus 11:9 we discover the Lord had told Moses in advance, “Pharaoh will refuse to listen to you – so that my wonders may be multiplied in Egypt.” God often uses times of apparent failure as opportunities for Him to display His power and carry out His will. 

What is most important is not whether we experience the results we had hoped for, but rather that we remain obedient to the Lord – even if it means failing to achieve our own goals and objectives. Obedience to God is success even if it is first viewed as failure, and He delights in demonstrating how He can turn apparent failure into success beyond our greatest hopes. 

The book of Proverbs has much to say about this. For instance, Proverbs 16:3 offers this encouragement: “Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed.” This does not necessarily mean things will work out as we expect them to, but in the end, God will grant us success – sometimes beyond our hopes. 

We are also advised not to be surprised when the Lord modifies our plans: “In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps” (Proverbs 16:9). Another verse says, “A man’s steps are directed by the Lord. How then can anyone understand his own way?” (Proverbs 20:24). We can trust that our Father knows best. 

© 2020, Unconventional Business Network Adapted with permission from “Integrity Moments with Rick Boxx,” a commentary on issues of integrity in the workplace from a Christian perspective. To learn more, visit www.unconventionalbusiness.org. His latest book, Unconventional Business, provides “Five Keys to Growing a Business God’s Way.”

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

January 6, 2020 

Reflection/Discussion Questions 

1. Have you ever experienced a time when apparent failure turned into success? What was that experience like – and how did you feel about it? 

1. What does this tell you about the importance of remaining true to your convictions, even when the outcome is not what you expected or hoped for? 

1. How do you think God can use your failures not only to bring about success, but also to make you into the person He intends for you to become? 

1. Realizing that God’s plans might be different from your own, how can this affect the way you proceed in your planning process? 

NOTE: If you have a Bible and would like to read more, consider the following passages: Psalm 37:4-5;

Proverbs 3:5-6, 16:4, 19:21, 21:30-31, 22:12, 24:19-20, 27:1; Jeremiah 33:3 

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