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. 

“When I say to the wicked, “You will certainly die,” and you do not warn him – you do not speak out to warn the wicked to turn from his wicked deed and wicked lifestyle so that he may live – that wicked person will die for his iniquity, but I will hold you accountable for his death. But as for you, if you warn the wicked and he does not turn from his wicked deed and from his wicked lifestyle, he will die for his iniquity but you will have saved your own life.” Ezekiel 3:18-19 NET https://bible.com/bible/107/ezk.3.18-19.NET 

God has a standard by which all men will be held accountable, judged, and rewarded accordingly. That standard is Jesus the Lord, Who is the Judge because He is the Savior Whose life He offered in exchange for our death so that His death could bring us to life. Jesus has commissioned His church to tell His story as witnesses of His work in our lives and to encourage every follower to obey everything that Jesus taught. 

Our failure to warn the rebellious of their coming encounter with Jesus means they will spend eternity in hell, and we will be held accountable for their punishment. When we share the gospel with our family, friends, and others, we rescue some from eternal damnation and save our lives. These two consequences for the Christian, accountability for the destruction of the wicked because we didn’t share the gospel and salvation of our lives for sharing the gospel, are not dependent upon the response of the one we shared with but dependent upon our obedience to God’s command to go and witness making disciples of all people. 

We are saved by faith in Jesus and His work, but obedience to His work proves to God and men our faith in Jesus the Savior. People need Jesus to be saved. People who know Jesus are God’s means for rescuing everyone else from destruction. Our obedience to the Great Commission eternally impacts the lives of those we know and see around us. Those commissioned and those hearing the gospel will be held accountable for obeying Jesus. 

Our Opportunities 

1. Final Special Luncheon is scheduled for October 3. This is your easiest opportunity to share the gospel with men in your sphere of influence. Commit to attending by purchasing your tickets today, then pray for men and invite them to attend with you to discover why a successful businessman believes in and follows Jesus. Go here for more information and to register.
   
   
2. Business Owners, don't miss your opportunity to learn more about how CBMC helps you through our Trusted Advisor Forums. Our first Trusted Advisor Forum is commencing Friday, September 29, at 1:00 pm. We will be meeting at the St. Francis Retreat Center in DeWitt, and we are now accepting membership applications for the first 12 members. These closed, monthly meetings help Christian business leaders craft strategies to handle tough issues with employees, customers, vendors, and competitors that incorporate best-in-business principles integrated with a Christian worldview. Email me if you are interested in attending this event. 

1. Join CBMC men for prayer and Bible study every Friday morning 8-9am at Panera Frandor

 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

August 28, 2023 

The Value Of The Long View Of Life

By Stephen R. Graves 

My son’s basketball coach used to deliver a simple message: “Do not let high school basketball be the best thing or worst thing that has ever happened to you in your life. If it is, then we’ve failed as coaches.” In other words – enjoy every minute of it, but make sure your significance, security, and success in life is bigger than those 1-3 years running up and down a court trying to get a round ball into a netted hoop. 

A long view of life is essential for a flourishing life. Here are four reasons:
1. With the long view, we respond well to failure: When we understand that life does not end when something bad happens, we realize we can make it through the shadows – we can flourish. British Prime Minister Winston Churchill said, “Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.” If a man like Churchill, who faced greater challenges than most of us will ever encounter, could live with such a perspective, we too should be inspired to see past everyday troubles and realize that we flourish when we overcome.

2. With the long view, we respond well to success: From a business perspective, success can become more dangerous than failure because we cease to grow. The long view says past success does not release me from the need to grow. More importantly, a long view of success allows us to drink in success with humility, realizing that our temporal gains, though sweet and worthy of celebration, are merely a drop in the bucket of life.

3. The long view helps us relax: A long view of life is not just about persevering through struggles; it also helps us relax. When everything is not tied up in the present and immediate reactions, we become more accepting. Small slights and inconveniences carry less weight, and forgiveness comes more easily. This is critical for the flourishing life. Otherwise, we end up bitter old people.

4. The long view pushes us to think about our legacy: While preparing for a talk, I was re-reading about William Wilberforce, Martin Luther, and St. Ignatius Loyola, among others. All of these leaders were sterling examples of heroic leadership and undoubtedly had a long view of life and impact. How will your impact remain after you are gone?

Taking the long view does not mean the immediate does not matter. Personal failures, systemic injustices and major tragedies are all real and painful; they stop us in our tracks and demand a response. But taking the long view in these moments allows us to say the story is not over (and that we are not the author). 

In the book of Hebrews, the writer tells us about Abraham’s great faith. “By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. By faith he made his home in the Promised Land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God” (11:8-10). 

Abraham was able to live a transient kind of life for many years because he trusted God with his future, and because he believed in an ultimate vision and goal for his life – eternal life with the Creator God. This foundation incited his forward-looking perspective and emboldened his faith. It is amazing what we can accomplish and how far we are willing to travel with hearts secured in the hand of God. 

Jesus Christ taught we should “store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal” (Matthew 6:20). That is taking the long view. 

© 2023. Dr. Stephen R. Graves describes himself as an organizational strategist, pragmatic theologian, and social capitalist. He advises executives and business owners, as well as young entrepreneurs. He is author of numerous books and many articles, and a public speaker. His website is www.stephenrgraves.com.

.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

August 28, 2023

Reflection/Discussion Questions 

1. In what way would you describe your perspective on life – is it short term, or are you typically able to take a long view on your life, your accomplishments, and your failures? Explain your answer. 

1. How do you think a long view of life can enable us to cope with failure more effectively and profitably? 

1. What about success – in your experience, does a long view of life also give a different perspective on successes we experience? 

1. In the biblical examples given of Abraham and Jesus Christ, they spoke and demonstrated an unwavering confidence in the eternal impact of our faith and actions? How do you relate to this? How often do you stop to consider the potentially eternal impact of your decisions and actions you take? 

NOTE: If you have a Bible and would like to read more, consider the following passages: Proverbs 12:11,24, 21:5, 24:27,30-34, 27:18; Matthew 6:19-22, 7:24-27 

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