

### I Shall Raise Thee Up:

### Ancient Principles for

### Lasting Greatness

Michael G. Holmes

### I Shall Raise Thee Up

Published by Michael Holmes at Smashwords

Copyright © 2014 Michael Holmes

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License Statement

This eBook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This eBook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you are reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please go to the website of your favorite eBook retailer and purchase your own copy.

Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

### Table of Contents

Introduction

What is Greatness

Principles

Isolation

Character

Law of Purpose

Law of Vision

Law of the Extra Mile

Law of Persistence

Law of Stewardship

Law of Service

Law of Thanksgiving

### INTRODUCTION

"... _Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew My power in thee, and that My Name might be declared throughout all the earth." (Romans 9:17 KJV)_

**Raise up: def.** change the arrangement or position of

Everyone desires to be great. Regardless of color, culture, profession, gender, and the like everyone desires to be better.

In a recent interview with Fast Company Magazine internationally known best selling author Jim Collins, was asked his reasons for the success of his book Built to Last. His response was the need that people have to want to be greater than they currently are:

" _I never expected it to hit the way it did; and I can't really explain the mysteries of the zeitgeist. Perhaps one factor is that it speaks to a deep human yearning to be better, always better. It turns out that a lot of people want to build something great, perhaps even enduring, as a way to find meaning in life."_

The fact is this: history and common sense show that within the human heart longs the desire to be better.

God raises up people. He is the Author of time. As the Author He has the right and responsibility to pick the characters, the plot, the climax, and the ending. He is the invisible Hand behind the drama of life; He cues the curtain and knows when to bring each character on and when to take them off. He's in complete control:

" _For exaltation comes neither from the east nor from the west nor from the south._ _But God is the Judge: He puts down one, and exalts another."_ (Psalms 75:6-7 NKJV)

### True Greatness is found in Christ

Christ is the standard by which God measures all things. All things are approved or disapproved by that standard. True greatness in the Eyes of God is found in Christ alone. In Him we see God's original purpose and ultimate destiny for mankind:

" _We look at this Son and see the God who cannot be seen. We look at this Son and see God's original purpose in everything created. For everything, absolutely everything...everything got started in Him and finds its purpose in Him. He was there before any of it came into existence and holds it all together right up to this moment."_ (Colossians 1:15-17 MSG)

We were all called to be great. God created no one to be mediocre. Not one person. We were all created to find our greatest greatness in Christ. And yet many of think there is another way—the reality is there isn't.

When Aaron's sons —Nadab and Abihu—offered a strange offering to God they died. Moses told Aaron, _"This is what the Lord meant when He said, 'I [and My will, not their own] will be acknowledged as hallowed by those who come near Me...'"_ (Leviticus 10:3 AMP) The chief blunder of Nadab and Abihu was in trying to get God's blessing (or His best) **their** way instead of **His** way. No one can have God's best their way—it has to be His way or the way He's prescribed. And ALL of God's best is found in Christ—period:

" _So spacious is He, so roomy, that everything of God finds its proper place in Him without crowding. Not only that, but all the broken and dislocated pieces of the universe-people and things, animals and atoms-get properly fixed and fit together in vibrant harmonies, all because of His death, His blood that poured down from the Cross."_ (Colossians 1:19-20 MSG)

### This book is for Entrepreneurs

The Bible says God _"made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed and the bounds of their habitation."_ (Acts 17:26 KJV) The word "times" is the Greek word _"Kairos"_ (pronounced KAHEE-ROS). "Kairos" not only implies time—but an opportunity to do. It means having a task at hand and using the season to get it done.

We all have a season, or time, to do a task. Like King David _who "after he had served his generation by the will of God feel asleep."_ (Acts 13:36 NKJV). We all have a generation to serve—to impact. I'm privileged to serve a very entrepreneurial one.

But understand when I say "entrepreneurial" it's more than a business owner. The word _"entrepreneur"_ is derived from an old French word _"entreprendre"_ which means "undertake." So an entrepreneur is someone who undertakes some venture, enterprise, or plan and assumes responsibility for the outcome.

In other words, an entrepreneur can be...

  * An author wanting to change the world

  * A speaker wanting to make a difference

  * A musician going against the grain

  * An artist striving to be known

  * A leader wanting to take an company from good to great

  * A pastor looking to turn around a dying church...or help a dying world

  * An athlete yearning for greatness

  * Or a college dropout wanting to become a business mogul

The main criterion is this: taking the path of most resistance and being responsible for the outcome.

This book is for entrepreneurs \- game changers. And if you're that...this book is for you.

### Everything is for your ultimate good

Like many of life's blessings, I realized in hindsight, that the thing I hated was in fact a blessing in disguise

It's funny though, no matter how much I hear it I can never seem to get it through my thick skull: God is always blessing. I guess it never fully registers because when "bad" things come into my life I ask, "How can this be His blessing?"

• "How can I be blessed and unemployed?"

• "Blessed and broke?"

• "Blessed and depressed?"

• Or like Joseph, "How can I be blessed and be in prison?"

• Or like Moses, "How can I be blessed on the backside of the desert?"

• Or like David, "How can I be blessed and be on the run from Saul?"

• Or like Elijah, "How can I be blessed under a juniper tree not wanting to live anymore?"

• Or like John, How can I be blessed when I'm isolated from everyone I know on the Island of Patmos?"

The fact that is this: a blessing speaks to the end of a thing.

Being blessed means that all minor afflictions are preparation for a greater end; blessings prepare us to become the person we need to be. The school of "hard knocks" teaches us lessons we wouldn't have learned otherwise. So, in that respect, we are all blessed. This blessing is a gift: _"There's far more to this life than trusting in Christ. There's also suffering for Him. And the suffering is as much a gift as the trusting."_ (Philippians 1:29 MSG)

Everything in your life up to this point has been preparing you towards a great end. Your path is _"as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day."_ (Proverbs 4:18 KJV)

He's getting you ready...and deep down...you always knew that yourself. When God does raise you up, in hindsight everything will make sense, and in the end you'll be able to say to Him, _"My troubles turned out all for the best— they forced me to learn from Your Textbook."_ (Psalms 119:71 MSG)

### 2

### WHAT IS GREATNESS

" _They started arguing over which of them would be most famous. When Jesus realized how much this mattered to them, He brought a child to His side. 'Whoever accepts this child as if the child were Me, accepts Me,' He said. 'And whoever accepts Me, accepts the One Who sent Me. You become great by accepting, not asserting. Your spirit, not your size, makes the difference."_ (Luke 9:46-48 MSG)

" **Be not afraid of greatness; some are born great, some achieve greatness, and others have greatness thrust upon them."** **-** William Shakespeare

The definition of greatness is as varied as the people who use it. One definition may be to rule a nation while another definition may be to be a good father, husband, mother, business person, and responsible citizen. Who's to say either is wrong? But in spite of the different definitions there is one thing that characterizes true greatness: service. To serve is to be great.

Paul when he spoke about greatness and service said,

" _Don't push your way to the front; don't sweet-talk your way to the top. Put yourself aside, and help others get ahead. Don't be obsessed with getting your own advantage. Forget yourselves long enough to lend a helping hand." (Philippians 2:3-4 MSG)_

It's that helping _"others get ahead"_ mentality that births true greatness. True greatness is not becoming great at the expense of others but rather at the expense of self; finding ways to serve the needs of people and make them better. We were all meant to be great because we were all meant to serve.

Of course, doing this comes at the expense of personal sacrifice, but when the history books are written, it's these people that stand out among the anonymous. It's these people that become examples to us.

There is only one problem with greatness - it's when a person decides to live beneath their definition. There's something wrong with having a level five potential but living at a level one or two. You were meant to be great.

### Seeds of Greatness

The great God who formed you placed in you seeds of greatness—not the fruit but the seed. Whenever God gives anything He communicates it in seed form—whether it's a talent, an idea, or even His Word:

" _Here is another illustration Jesus used: 'The Kingdom of Heaven is like a mustard seed planted in a field. It is the smallest of all seeds, but it becomes the largest of garden plants; it grows into a tree, and birds come and make nests in its branches. (Matthew 13:31-32 NLT)_

All great things begin in seed form.

But understand this: even though God supplies the seed we're all responsible for producing the fruit. Ultimately we're all accountable for how we handle His investment! Jesus said,

" _It's also like a man going off on an extended trip. He called his servants together and delegated responsibilities. To one he gave five thousand dollars, to another two thousand, to a third one thousand, depending on their abilities. Then he left. Right off, the first servant went to work and doubled his master's investment." (Matthew 25:14-16 MSG)_

Notice it was the servant who went to work and "doubled his master's investment." The story continues with the first two being profitable and the master promoting them. But the third servant simply hid his master's investment and gave it back to him—every cent of it! Needless to say the boss wasn't thrilled with that:

" _The master was furious. 'That's a terrible way to live! It's criminal to live cautiously like that! If you knew I was after the best, why did you do less than the least?!'" (Matthew 25:26 MSG)_

Again, there are seeds of greatness inside of us and they need to be cultivated: _"We have this treasure from God, but we are like clay jars that hold the treasure. This shows that the great power is from God, not from us."_ (2 Corinthians 4:7 NCV)

One of the great errors of this generation is that we misunderstand the real purpose of education. The word "education" comes from the Latin word "educare" and it means to "draw out." It's synonymous with the Egyptian name "Moses" which means to "pull out." So a truly educated person is someone who's able to get out of them all that's placed inside of them.

This is not to say we don't need teachers—quite the contrary. In fact, the best teachers understand the concept of pulling out of the student greatness. The Bible says, _"Though good advice lies deep within the heart, a person with understanding will draw it out."_ (Proverbs 20:5 NLT) In other words, everything a person needs to succeed is in them but it takes a person of insight, skill, and wisdom to draw it out. Not to mention a person of patience—as people "get it" at different times and different ways. Paul understood this so much. He, like a true teacher, was so concerned about getting the best out of his students that it hurt:

" _My dear children! Once again, just like a mother in childbirth, I feel the same kind of pain for you until Christ's nature is formed in you. How I wish I were with you now, so that I could take a different attitude toward you. I am so worried about you!" (Galatians 4:19-20 GNT)_

In fact, the best Teacher has always been concerned with getting the best out of His students:

" _Christ's love makes the church whole. His words evoke her beauty. Everything He does and says is designed to bring the best out of her, dressing her in dazzling white silk, radiant with holiness." (Ephesians 5:26-27 MSG)_

### Quantitative vs. Qualitative Greatness

Greatness is broken down into two categories: qualitative and quantitative. It's possible to be quantitatively great and not qualitatively great, and vice versa. The differences are as follows:

**a) Quantitatively Great—the external appearance of greatness.** In the eyes of many this would be money, prestige, power, and the like.

**b) Qualitatively Great—the internal attributes of greatness.** These would be the character traits of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. (Galatians 5:22-23)

It's possible for someone to have both, just one, or neither. It's truly commendable if you want to possess both; however, if you had to choose between the two—be a person of quality. A person with more quality than quantity can still enrich the lives of many. A person with more quantity than quality is like a bounced check—they give the appearance of wealth but inside they're broke!

In fact, God is more concerned about your inner person than He is your outer person:

" _What matters is not your outer appearance— the styling of your hair, the jewelry you wear, the cut of your clothes—but your inner disposition. Cultivate inner beauty, the gentle, gracious kind that God delights in." (1 Peter 3:3-4 MSG)_

Stephen Covey broke down the concept of greatness in a similar fashion: primary greatness and secondary greatness. In recent years the world witnessed the devastation as honesty, integrity, and the like were substituted for quick gain, lying, and deceit.  In a 2008 interview with Success Magazine he delved deeper into his definitions of greatness and the effect their neglect had on the world at large:

" _Financial success—prestige, wealth, recognition, accomplishment—will always be secondary in greatness. Primary greatness is about character and contribution. Primary greatness asks, what are you doing to make a difference in the world? Do you live truly by your values? Do you have total integrity in all your relationships? And when correct principles are not followed or ignored, the results can be catastrophic as we have witnessed the past year in the financial markets."_

### You Become Great for Others

The Bible says _, "David perceived that the Lord had established him king over Israel, and that He had exalted his kingdom for His people Israel's sake."_ (2 Samuel 5:12 KJV) You were meant to be great, but know this: that greatness is not for you—it's for those around you. When God truly raises up someone He does it for the sake of others.

The Queen of Sheba understood this.

She heard about the wisdom of King Solomon and went to see if the reports were true. When she herself heard his wisdom, saw the palace he built, his wealth, his servants, and the worship services she was breathless:

" _She said to the king, It's all true! Your reputation for accomplishment and wisdom that reached all the way to my country is confirmed. I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't seen it for myself; they didn't exaggerate! Such wisdom and elegance—far more than I could ever have imagined. Lucky the men and women who work for you, getting to be around you every day and hear your wise words firsthand! And blessed be God, your God, who took such a liking to you and made you king. Clearly, God's love for Israel is behind this, making you king to keep a just order and nurture a God-pleasing people.'" (1 Kings 10:6-9 MSG)_

The talents you have, the tests you've been through, and the resources you've been given were never meant just for you. Life was designed in such a way that whatever we give away we gain more of and whatever we hoard we lose:

" _There is one who scatters, yet increases more; and there is one who withholds more than is right, but it leads to poverty. The generous soul will be made rich, and he who waters will also be watered himself." (Proverbs 11:24-25 NKJV)_

People of greatness understand that they're born for others—their greatness lies in helping others to become great. They "die" so that others can live.

Jesus said,

" _Listen carefully: Unless a grain of wheat is buried in the ground, dead to the world, it is never any more than a grain of wheat. But if it is buried, it sprouts and reproduces itself many times over. In the same way, anyone who holds on to life just as it is destroys that life. But if you let it go, reckless in your love, you'll have it forever, real and eternal." (John 12:24-25 MSG)_

### If You Don't Know the Lesson, You Won't Pass the Class

" _Hear me brothers and sisters, He is not a respecter of persons, but He is a respecter of principles. It doesn't matter who you are, God is no respecter of persons but He is a respecter of principles. And if you don't learn the principles regardless of who you are as a person He will keep sending you back to the first grade until you master the principle."—T.D. Jakes_

Imagine a school in which God is the Teacher of every grade and every subject. In this school are students from all around the globe—all cultures, colors, and races. He doesn't give out variations of grades (no A's, B's, or the like) just a green P (Pass) or red F (Fail). Any student who doesn't pass His class doesn't go to the next level or grade. The next level represents greater knowledge of the subject and as a result greater responsibilities.

Some students in His class are older than the rest because of being forced to repeat the class. Despite the calls from parents, the uproar of the community, and the anger from the students themselves He refuses to just "pass" them through. "Until they truly learn My lesson," He says, "they will never pass My class!"

### Tim and Billy

The classrooms are similar to each other: giant blackboard in the front, teacher's desk on the right, 28 identical desks grouped in rows of 7, lockers in the back for students, a larger locker for the Teacher, a row of windows on the left, a clock above the lockers behind the students, and a big wooden sign above the blackboard with an inscription:

### "To know something is to do the thing one knows."

The Teacher would often point to the sign and say to the class, "If you learn this

and apply it to My lesson you'll have learned My lesson.

Now in one particular classroom there are two boys who've repeated the same grade a number of times: Timmy Teachable and Billy Satisfied. They both came into the class at the same time and because they've spent considerable time together they're good friends.

They're also the silent laughter of the class (silent because they're much older than everyone else...and as a result much stronger).

It breaks the Teacher's Heart to see them come back year after year especially since He knows the potential in each of them. But though His heart breaks with compassion His rule remains inflexible:

**Pass:** you'll be promoted; **Fail:** I'll see you here next year.

At the beginning of this particular year Tim meets with Billy:

"Billy, I'm tired of this. I'm tired of failing this class," Tim says. "We know His lesson inside out and I can't understand why we're not passing."

"Yeah I know. Why doesn't He just pass us already...I'm tired of being here. He just likes to see us suffer. It's His fault why we're still here."

"Nah...that can't be it...you know He's not partial. Maybe...maybe...it's something wrong with us."

"Us?? Nah man! Something's wrong with Him. I even went to ask Him what's going on. All He kept saying was "Billy you have so much potential...it breaks My Heart to see you here" blah, blah, blah. Then He said something... what'd He say again...He said ummmmm...Oh yeah... 'live what you learn and you'll learn what you've lived.'"

"What was that last one?" Tim asked with piqued curiosity. "'Live what you what??'"

"Why what happened??" Billy asks curiously, unable to see the truth before his eyes.

"Just say what He said again!"

"He said, 'live what you learn and you'll learn what you've lived.'"

"Billy, I think that's it!! Maybe...He doesn't want us to just know the lesson but to know it," Tim said. He's still unsure of what he's stumbled on but he knows it's something.

"Like I said....maybe the problem's not with Him... maybe it's with us?"

"Tim, the only problem we have is a Teacher who doesn't want to pass us," Billy said flatly. "Nothing's wrong with us, we know what He's teaching, we can handle the added responsibilities...although I'm not sure if I want to...He just doesn't want to pass us."

"Listen why don't we try to work harder?" asks Tim with a gleam in his eye. "Let's ask those who've passed what they did, what He wants, and let's just do it!! It may, you know, be a bit harder but I think if we really focus on it, work on ourselves, try to practice what He's teaching...I think we can get it done. Come on man, I think we can do it."

"'Do extra work?' Work on ourselves? I'm not sure if I'm with that. I mean I don't like this whole thing...but that just seems like too much. Nah, I'm not with it. I

think I'm just gonna complain some more, maybe get my folks involved, you know maybe they can push His Hand a bit. Maybe I can just get the answers from one of the smart kids?"

"Please Bill we can do this! We can do it together!"

"Listen Tim you do it your way and I'll do it mine." And with that Tim is true to his word. He started by asking those who've passed what they did. At first he expected no one to help—he was willing to deal with a couple of rejections, but was shocked to find that those he asked were more than willing to help! They saw his eagerness and sincerity and wanted to assist.

They remembered what the Teacher told them when they passed.

As Tim grew in knowledge his habits changed. Everyone in the class began to notice the difference in Tim including Billy.

### The Grade

It's now the end of the year, and the Teacher hands out the grades. His practice has always been to hand out the grade and ask the student to leave. He knew

giving it in the class would tempt those who passed to look down on those who failed, and those who failed to envy those who passed.

After some time the only two students left in the class are Tim and Billy. The

Teacher stands up from His desk, walks over to them, and addresses them both:

"You know how I've labored with both of you to learn My lesson. I know both of you have potential, talents, dreams, and so forth but **no one** graduates from My class just because they have potential. Only by learning what I teach will anyone pass My class."

With that He hands both of them a folded sheet of paper, turns around, walks to the door, and motions with His Hand, "Good day gentlemen."

The two boys glance at each other, get up, walk down the row of desks, walk past the Teacher, walk into the hall, and hear the door close behind them.

It's the last day of school so the hallway is practically empty except for a few students walking towards the exit. "I can't take the suspense anymore," says Billy. With that he opens his paper and finds a red "F" in the middle of it. He reads the comments from the Teacher—the kind he's received year after year: "'smart...potential...learn My lesson and you'll pass this class blah, blah, blah.' Oh well, the work's too hard in the next grade anyway, too much responsibility. Who needs it?! Open yours Tim!"

Tim looks at the paper and his heart flutters as he opens it. In the middle of it is a big green "P." He reads the Teacher's comments to himself—'great improvements...I knew you could do it...you've learned this lesson...don't forget to serve...be ready to share the truth with those who want to know....congratulations.'

Billy is shocked as he looks at the passing grade! He looks at Tim, looks at the

paper, grabs it out of Tim's hand, reads the comments, and looks back at Tim.

"What? You passed? No, that's a mistake! You cheated didn't you? Yeah, that's it you cheated!! That's not fair!!" By this time the hallway is deserted and all they hear is the echo of Billy's last comment.

"I didn't cheat, Billy." Tim started. "I simply learned what He was trying to teach us. I...we...could've learned this years ago, but we refused to be taught. I just didn't want to go back in that class again."

"No you cheated, that's the only way you passed. You think you're better than me now don't you? Don't you?!"

"I'm not better than anybody and I didn't cheat," Tim getting a little more angry. Realizing his tone and seeing the despair in his friend's face he brings it down a notch, "Look Billy, I'll be more than willing to show you what I did, so you can get out too. If I can do it so can you."

"Nah that's ok," says Billy as he hands back the sheet of paper. "I don't need to go to that next grade anyway. I'm used to it here. Besides I'll find new friends. I don't need to hang out with cheaters anyway." Billy breaks away from Tim and with a quicker pace walks toward the exit.

"Please Billy," Tim pleads. "I'll be more than happy to help you."

"Thanks but no thanks." Without even looking at Tim, Billy gives a wave with his

hand. "Catchya later, cheater!"

Billy never did graduate from that class and never did understand what the Teacher wanted. He made new friends and together they found multitudes of people to blame for where they were.

Tim, on the other hand, continued his ascent and went on to do greater things. What Billy failed to realized was that the Teacher wasn't looking for knowledge of the lesson plan, but obedience to it.

Both Tim and Billy knew what the Teacher taught but only one was willing to apply what he learned. And so it remains: to pass His class is to learn His lessons through obedience.

### 3

### PRINCIPLES

" _Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the Law of the Lord...Give me understanding, and I shall keep Your Law; Indeed, I shall observe it with my whole heart." (Psalms 119:1;34 NKJV)_

" **Man's ability to fulfill his purpose and to be all God intended him to be is predicated on the requirement that he obey the principles God established when He created human beings. Why is this true? God is a God of principles. Everything He created was established to operate by certain principles that guarantee its proper function. This pattern in creation includes human beings. We were created to operate by principles that God established before He created us."** —Myles Munroe, _The Purpose and Powerof Praise & Worship_

Like the scenario of the classroom no one graduates until they learn the lesson. People are raised up as they learn and apply certain time-tested principles or natural laws. God is no respecter of persons but He is a respecter of principles, and those who choose to operate in those principles He promotes.

When Cain and Abel brought offerings to God, God accepted Abel's offering but rejected Cain's. And Cain was angry that God had rejected Him; God noticed it and spoke to Cain about his attitude:

"' _Why are you so angry?' the Lord asked Cain. 'Why do you look so dejected? You will be accepted if you do what is right. But if you refuse to do what is right, then watch out!'" (Genesis 4: 6-7 NLT)_

In other words, "I accepted Abel because He did the right thing. If you do the right thing I'll also accept you. If you don't I won't!"

Again: He is no respecter of persons.

### Principles are natural laws that govern the world

Principles are timely, timeless, inflexible and will always produce a certain outcome. These natural laws are self-evident, much like the law of gravity and the law of cause and effect. Regardless of whether you believe in them or not they're there! If you don't believe in the law of gravity jump off a building—I guarantee your faith will be restored!

The wise person aligns their life around correct principles—and they become wiser as a result: _"How can men be wise? The only way to begin is by reverence for God. For growth in wisdom comes from obeying His laws."_ (Psalms 111:10 The Living Bible)

### Our Knowledge of Principles is Innate

Deeply embedded in us is the knowledge of these natural laws. Even though our understanding of them is limited we have a sense that they exist and that violation of them has consequences. Paul said _:_

" _When outsiders who have never heard of God's Law follow it more or less by instinct, they confirm its truth by their obedience. They show that God's Law is not something alien, imposed on us from without, but woven into the very fabric of our creation. There is something deep within them that echoes God's yes and no, right and wrong." (Romans 2:14-15 MSG)_

He also spoke about the "sin principle" he struggled with (or we struggle with). When he wanted to do good he always found himself doing evil instead:

" _However, it is no longer I who do the deed, but the sin [principle] which is at home in me and has possession of me. For I know that nothing good dwells within me, that is, in my flesh. I can will what is right, but I cannot perform it. [I have the intention and urge to do what is right, but no power to carry it out.] For I fail to practice the good deeds I desire to do, but the evil deeds that I do not desire to do are what I am [ever] doing. Now if I do what I do not desire to do, it is no longer I doing it [it is not myself that acts], but the sin [principle] which dwells within me [fixed and operating in my soul]. So I find it to be a law (rule of action of my being) that when I want to do what is right and good, evil is ever present with me and I am subject to its insistent demands." (Romans 7:17-21 AMP)_

Why is it that children with no knowledge of the justice system will cry out when wronged "that's not fair?!" How is that we, in secret, will say to those closest to us, "you know I need to be better than this?" Why is it that in the middle of doing wrong we often say, "I better quit, this is gonna catch up to me?"

It's because somewhere in our makeup is the knowledge that these principles are inviolable and that their rewards or consequences are certain.

### Principles are Practical

Principles were meant to be practiced and obeyed. David said,

" _The signposts of God are clear and point out the right road. The life-maps of God are right, showing the way to joy. The directions of God are plain and easy on the eyes." (Psalm 19:7-8 MSG)_

That's what principles are: they're signposts and life maps; they're the invisible structures that give the visible world shape. They point us in the right direction, the right way. Stephen Covey once said,

" _Principles are like a compass. A compass has a true north that is objective and external, that reflects laws or principles, as opposed to values that are subjective and internal. Because the compass represents the verities of life, we must develop our value system with deep respect for 'true north' principles." (Principle Centered Leadership, p.94)_

When Paul spoke about the Old Testament Law he was inadvertently speaking about natural laws. He said,

" _Therefore the law was our disciplinarian until Christ came, so that we might be justified by faith." (Galatians 3:24 NRSV)_

The word "disciplinarian" is the Greek word "paidagogos" (pronounced PAHEE- DAG-O-GOS) where we get "pedagogue."

Pedagogue has two meanings:

1. A teacher of children or youth

2. One (as a slave) having charge of a boy chiefly on the way to and from school in classical antiquity.

So the purpose of the pedagogue was to control and supervise the child through constant discipline. He would direct the child in the proper way to go. And so it is with principles: they're meant to teach us, supervise us, and put us on the right path. But their ultimate purpose is to point back to their Creator: _"For Christ is the end of the Law [the limit at which it ceases to be, for the Law leads up to Him Who is the fulfillment of its types, and in Him the purpose which it was designed to accomplished is fulfilled...]"_ (Romans 10:4 AMP)

### Criteria for Identifying Principles

With the abundance of practices that pose as principles, how do you determine which is which? How do I tell what is a temporary fleeting practice and what is a time-tested principle? Below are three criteria to determine whether something is a practice or a principle:

a) Principles are **immutable** —"Immutable" means "unchanged and unchangeable as to character and nature." Principles don't change. They don't love us one minute and hate us the next. They're constant and consistent and because of their consistent nature we can rely on a consistent outcome. With them _"there is nothing deceitful...nothing two- faced, nothing fickle."_ (James 1:17 MSG)

_b)_ Principles are **consequential** —If principles are followed they will (over time) bring rewards that are consistent, and if disobeyed will bring consequences that are equally consistent. If we obey them their rewards will be our help if we disobey them their consequences will be our downfall. Oh behold the goodness and severity of principles—to those who obey goodness and to those who disobey severity. They _"render to every man according to his deeds."_ (Romans 2:6 KJV)

c) Principles are **universal** —They work for anybody regardless of culture, color, etc. They don't belong to a certain religious group, they don't just work for one person they're applicable to all. The Bible says, _"When Joshua was near Jericho he looked up and saw a man standing in front of him with a drawn sword in his hand. Joshua went up to him and asked, 'Are you for us or for our enemies? 'Neither,' he replied."_ (Joshua 5:13-14  NIV) That's how principles work—they are neither for us nor against us. But they work with us when we work with them.

### 4

### ISOLATION

" _For this is the will of God even your sanctification..."_

(1 Thessalonians 4:3 KJV)

" **Never before have I written a letter this long (or should I say a book?), I** **'** **m afraid that it is much too long to take up your precious time. I can assure you that it would have been much shorter if I had been writing from a comfortable desk, but what else is there to do when you are alone for days in the dull monotony of a narrow jail cell other than write long letters, think strange thoughts, and pray long prayers?"—** Martin Luther King Jr., _Letter From Birmingham City Jail_

Sanctification is "the process of making holy for sacred use." It also means "to set apart for special use." In a literal sense, believers go through a process of sanctification where they're consecrated for His service through the Word and His Spirit. In a figurative sense, items are consecrated and set apart for His service. But in another sense, as it relates to being raised up, it's the inability to fit in.

People who do great things tend not to fit in. No matter how hard they try they just can't seem to mesh with the crowd. They stand out in some form or another (often to their despair).

This was seen in Moses who becomes an outsider because of his dual identity. He was a Hebrew raised in an Egyptian house—too Hebrew to be Egyptian and too Egyptian to be Hebrew.

This was seen in Joseph who's an outsider with his brothers.

This was seen in David who's somewhat of an outcast in his father's home. When Samuel asked Jesse if he had any more sons, hear Jesse's response: _"Well, yes, there's the runt. But he's out tending the sheep."_ (1 Samuel 16:11 MSG)

Or what about Gideon? When called by God to deliver Israel listen to his response: _"Me, my master? How and with what could I ever save Israel? Look at me. My clan's the weakest in Manasseh and I'm the runt of the litter."_ (Judges 6:15 MSG)

Or what about Jephthah? He became a judge over Israel...but for most of his life was scorned by those around him. He was the son of Gilead but his mother was a prostitute.

Gilead's wife had other sons and when his half brothers grew up they chased him away. _"They told him, 'You will not inherit anything from our father; you are the son of another woman.'"_ (Judges 11:2 GNT)

He went away and soon became a leader of rebels. When Israel sinned against God and was conquered by the Philistines and Ammonites they called the outcast to lead them:

" _When this happened, the leaders of Gilead went to bring Jephthah back from the land of Tob. They told him, 'Come and lead us, so that we can fight the Ammonites.' But Jephthah answered, 'You hated me so much that you forced me to leave my father's house. Why come to me now that you're in trouble?!'" (Judges 11:5-7 GNT)_

The one who was scorned, rejected, and isolated ultimately gave Israel a tremendous victory and became one of its leaders.

In the future we call these people great; but in the present we call them weird or odd. For if it's not their appearance that's odd...it's just something about them that makes them different. They don't think like the masses, talk like the masses, or have the same interests as the masses. They have trouble with career paths because their true callings are not found in the classifieds.

They just don't fit in. They weren't meant to fit in.

They're not supposed to fit in. Their ideas don't fit in; their ideas are often ahead of their time and as a result aren't generally accepted. We look back and call them geniuses but we look now and call them idiots! They're the great but also the isolated.

Is that you? Don't fit in do you? Hurts? Sucks sometimes doesn't it? Trust me I know.

But understand this: God has crafted you uniquely and distinctly for His own purpose. In fact, it's in times of isolation that He often does His best work:

  * It's when Hagar is alone that God reveals Himself and shows His plan for her son.

  * It's when Jacob is alone that he wrestles with God and is given a new name.

  * Moses finds a Burning Bush on the backside of the desert alone.

  * The prodigal son comes to himself in a far country alone.

  * Paul writes most of the New Testament in a prison alone.

  * John alone on the island of Patmos was in the Spirit on the Lord's day and writes the book of Revelation.

  * God cultivates those He isolates.

### "The Stone the Builders Rejected...

I tried to think of some great example to bring this point home, some analogy so insightful that you would read it, put the book down, and just say to yourself, "Man that's deep." I searched through Scripture, combed through books and articles trying to find something so profound that the scholar would give me the thumbs up and yet so simple that the everyday person could also agree. And then it hit me...the analogy I was looking for, one that would leave a far- reaching, deep, and profound impression. Are you ready? I hope you are...here it is...Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer.

Hold on now! Hold on! Hold on! Don't put the book down. Just hear me out!

We know the story don't we? Remember the lyrics? Well, if forgot them, don't worry I have them here:

" _Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer had a very shiny nose._

And if you ever saw him, you would even say it glows.

All of the other reindeer used to laugh and call him names.

They never let poor Rudolph join in any reindeer games.

Then one foggy Christmas Eve Santa came to say:

' _Rudolph with your nose so bright, wont you guide my sleigh tonight?_

Then all the reindeer loved him as they shouted with glee,

' _Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer, you'll go down in history!'"_

Think about it: Rudolph had a gift, a gift that originally alienated him but in time of adversity his gift proved the most useful, and the outcast went on to lead the very people who rejected him.

I told you it was deep!

Paul said to the believers in Corinth:

" _Take a good look, friends, at who you were when you got called into this life. I don't see many of 'the brightest and the best' among you, not many influential, not many from high-society families. Isn't it obvious that God deliberately chose men and women that the culture overlooks and exploits and abuses; chose these'nobodies' to expose the hollow pretensions of the 'somebodies?'" (1 Corinthians 1:26-27 MSG)_

Again, if this resonates with you because you don't fit in, it may mean you're not supposed to fit in. Initially, the rejection is hard to take because we all seek to be accepted—but you are salt and light. And like salt you're meant to change whatever you're sprinkled on, and like light you're meant to give illumination to those that need it. Salt and light were never meant to fit in, but to stand out:

" _Let me tell you why you are here. You're here to be salt-seasoning that brings out the God-flavors of this earth...you're here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. We're going public with this, as public as a city on a hill. If I make you light-bearers, you don't think I'm going to hide you under a bucket, do you? I'm putting you on a light stand. Now that I've put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand-shine! Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you'll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven." (Matthew 5:13-16 MSG)_

### 5

### CHARACTER

" _And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope." (Romans 5:3-4 NASB)_

" **The character of the Christian worker is as dear to God as the work he is doing, and no pains must be spared by the Divine Craftsman to complete the design to which He has set His Hand."** — F.B. Meyer, _The Life of Moses_

It's not enough to attain something without learning how to maintain it. To attain something is the mark of stardom, to maintain something is the mark of greatness. It takes a Saul to attain a kingdom but only a David can maintain it. God's purpose is to bring you to a state of permanence, where you're _"steadfast, immovable, and always abounding in the work of the Lord."_ (1 Corinthians 15:58 NKJV) Sound character is necessary for maintenance and permanence.

Whatever you build will be built on the bedrock of your character. If this bedrock

is not under girded by sound principles and truth everything on it, in due time, will fall. Like a house built on sand its demise is certain. Promotion is important but not nearly as important as the formation of sound character. Character is the primary focus, promotion is the secondary—not the other way around.

Rick Warren understands this:

"Much confusion in the Christian life comes from the simple truth that God is far more interested in building your character than He is anything else...God is far more interested in what you are than in what you do. We are human _beings,_ not human _doings._ God is more concerned about your character than He is your career, because you will take your character into eternity not your career." (The Purpose Driven Life, p.177)

God has always been more concerned about your character than your career. He wants you complete, lacking nothing; that you be _"whole and holy in His Presence."_ (Colossians 1:22 MSG)

### From Process to Promise

Character growth is a slow process but is necessary for the promise. The process itself can take years but the promise can happen in a moment. When one does step onto the stage of notoriety, the world cries "They've arrived!!" But that arrival came only after a long steady journey filled with heartache and hardship. Promotion can happen in a moment but the process necessary for it can take so much longer:

• Joseph endured the process of slavery and imprisonment for years _but in a moment_ was elevated to the second in command behind Pharaoh.

• Job endured the loss of his wealth, the death of his children, the affliction of his body, the scorn of his neighbors, and the sharp tongue of his friends for an unknown period of time _but in a moment_ had everything restored to

him two-fold.

• David endured isolation, banishment, and the fear of death for years but in a moment was ushered to the throne on the shoulders of the people.

• Israel endured the unbearable cruelty of slavery for more than 400 years but in a moment of a few weeks went from a bound people to a freed nation.

Many shy away from the idea of sound character because of imperfections. But every person of sound character is not without faults. Sound character is not perfect character: _"Indeed, there is not a righteous man on earth who continually does good and who never sins."_ (Ecclesiastes 7:20 NASB)

The reality is, a perfect God uses imperfect people to perform His perfect will! (Try saying that five times fast!)

People with the soundest character have their balance sheet filled with assets and liabilities. Their gardens carry both wheat and tare. Don't let your flaws stop you! Simon (water) can't be severed from Peter (Rock); and the God of Israel (Prince) is also the God of Jacob (trickster).

### David: Imperfect Man/Sound Character

Character in many instances has been reduced to the definition of integrity. That is accurate in part but not in whole, especially as it relates to attaining and maintaining promotion. A person can be morally sound but professionally incompetent.

T.D. Jakes says it like this:

"Good character is more than great morals. It is possible to be morally upstanding and still not exhibit the character that makes you an asset to an employer and a recipient of promotion." (The Ten Commandments of Working in a Hostile Environment, p.120)

To take a better look at the concept let's use David as a case study. In David we find a man destined for greatness yet processed in the furnace of affliction, as all great people must be. In him we find strength and weakness, virtue and vice, saint and sinner. And yet we still find a man so committed to God that God calls him _"a man after His own Heart."_ (1 Samuel 13:14) So we'll break down character necessary for promotion into five components:

Competence

" _The hand of the diligent shall bear rule..."_ (Proverbs 12: 24 KJV)

In order to do the tasks of your job you must have suitable skill, knowledge, experience, etc; they don't have to be exceptional but they must be adequate. Competence increases and is perfected through practice. Every teacher was once a student and every master a beginner. It was David's competence that allowed him to be promoted under Saul's leadership. Competence is a necessity as people will not be ruled by someone who lacks it. Sheep demand a competent shepherd; men of war demand as leader a man of war. Jethro will demand that competent men be placed as judges to lighten the load of Moses. _"Do you see any truly competent workers? They will serve kings rather than working for ordinary people."_ (Proverbs 22:29 NLT)

Capacity

" _And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. For the old skins would burst from the pressure, spilling the wine and ruining the skins. New wine is stored in new wineskins so that both are preserved."_ (Matthew 9:17 NLT)

The root meaning for the word "capacity" is "to hold much." Capacity simply means that you can handle the present weight of responsibility with the possibility of an increase in weight and not "burst from the pressure." You can't have the glory of influence without the weight of responsibility. To have one is to live with the other—the two can't be severed. To escape the weight is to refuse the glory, and to seek the glory is to find the weight.

Truly great people accept responsibility of their actions **and** the actions of those under them. As David leaps onto the pages of Scripture we see his capacity increase periodically—from his position as Saul's armor bearer to his ultimate role as king.

Discipline

The Bible says, _"For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self control."_ (2 Timothy 1:7 ESV) And yet in the King James version "self-control" translated is "sound mind." For a long time I questioned the connection between the two: "what does 'sound mind' have to do with do with 'discipline' or 'self control?'" Until I realized that a disciplined life leads to a sound mind. For the most part, a person disciplined in finances leads to a sound mind regarding finances; a person disciplined in health leads to a sound mind regarding health; a person disciplined in studying for a test leads to a sound mind about the test.

The Bible says, _"He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down and without walls."_ (Proverbs 25:28 KJV) A self controlled person is like a fortified city—nothing in or our without their permission. A person who lacks self control is quite the opposite—they have no control over what comes in or comes out. Truly effective leaders understand that the spirit of a person is subject to that person. They're more interested in controlling themselves than controlling everyone else. They know true change radiates inward then outward—not the other way around.

Maturity

" _But you are to be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect."_

(Matthew 5:48 NLT)

The word "perfect" is the Greek word "teleios" (pronounced TEEL-E- OSE) which also means "adulthood" or "maturity." So another way of saying this is "Be mature even as your Father in heaven is mature." Maturity is a necessity for leadership. When Paul describes the

characteristics necessary for a bishop (or leader) he states point blank that the candidate must not be a novice (1 Timothy 3:6), but someone who is seasoned and more mature. In fact, the word "novice" is the Greek word "neophutos" (pronounced NEE-O-FOO-TOS) which is derived from two Greek words: "neos" (new) and "phutos" (planted). So a bishop (or leader) can't be someone who is newly planted but someone who is rooted and grounded; someone who can't be easily plucked up.

The Bible says _: "Unlucky the land whose king is a young pup, and whose princes party all night. Lucky the land whose king is mature, where the princes behave themselves and don_ _'_ _t drink themselves silly."_  (Ecclesiastes 10:16-17 MSG) Even though David was anointed to be king of Israel at 17 he didn't take the throne of Israel until 37. He had to go through the process of maturation so that he could maintain what he attained.

We live in a society of immediate gratification, where people want things yesterday. But God doesn't care how long it takes; He'll delay His promises until He feels His chosen is mature enough to handle it! _"Here's a piece of bad business I've seen on this earth, an error that can be blamed on whoever is in charge: Immaturity is given a place of prominence, while maturity is made to take a backseat. I've seen unproven upstarts riding in style, while experienced veterans are put out to pasture."_ (Ecclesiastes 10:5-7 MSG)

Maturity doesn't just mean age, it also means mindset; the mindset of a child is vastly different from the mindset of an adult. Paul said, "When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I stopped those childish ways." (1 Corinthians 13:11 NCV) To become an adult means to put away childish things. The child thinks of self while the adult thinks of others—no one who thinks exclusively of self can be an effective ruler in anything.

Integrity

"... _keep a sharp eye out for competent men—men who fear God, men of integrity, men who are incorruptible—and appoint them as leaders over groups organized by the thousand, by the hundred, by fifty, and by ten."_ (Exodus 18:21 MSG)

Integrity means "the quality or condition of being whole or undivided." Integrity means your beliefs are in line with your actions. What you say is made flesh by what you do. "The Lord detests people with crooked hearts, but He delights in those with integrity." (Proverbs 11:20 NLT)

  * If you question the validity of character look at the absurdity of its absence:

  * Who would promote a man with sub-par competence?

  * Why give a woman increased responsibility when she struggles under the weight of present responsibilities?

  * Who would put the untested into prominence?

  * Who would follow someone who can't control themselves

  * Who, over the long haul, would trust somebody who lacks integrity?

Sound character is a combination of all five: you have to be able to do your job, have the capacity for increased responsibility, be disciplined, be mature, and have integrity.

Do you lack in any of these areas?

Good.

Confession leads to correction.

No one who formed sound character did it overnight. Only by learning lessons through mistakes, only through adversity and struggle meant for growth, only by obeying sound principles and truth, and only over a long period of time was their character forged.

Can you have promotion without sound character? In my opinion: yes. Can you maintain it? In my opinion: no. Sound principles and truth will always lead to victory and permanence; the opposite leads to the opposite.

Character is necessary for the maintenance of promotion. For the believer, however, it is much more. Ultimately God uses time, truth, and trials to fashion character; but the character that is sought is the character of Christ. That was the Paul's life work—assisting people to develop that character:

" _We preach Christ, warning people not to add to the Message. We teach in a spirit of profound common sense so that we can bring each person to maturity. To be mature is to be basic. Christ! No more, no less. That's what I'm working so hard at day after day, year after year, doing my best with the energy God so generously gives me."_ (Colossians 1:28-29 MSG

### 6

### LAW OF PURPOSE

**The Law that states no person or entity can achieve maximum effectiveness without knowing who and what they are**

" _It's in Christ that we find out who we are and what we are living for. Long before we first heard of Christ and got our hopes up, He had His eye on us, had designs on us for glorious living, part of the overall purpose He is working out in everything and everyone." (Ephesians 1:11-12 MSG)_

" **You exist only because God wills that you exist. You were made by God and for God—and until you understand that, life will never make sense. It is only in God that we discover our origin, our identity, our meaning, our purpose, our significance, and our destiny. Every other path leads to a dead end."—** Rick Warren, Purpose Driven Life

When Steve Jobs came back to Apple he came back to a mess: little to no market share, declining revenue, and almost on the verge of bankruptcy. He turned the company around simply by focusing on what the company had long overlooked: their core purpose.

According to Nilofer Merchant, a former Apple employee, and founder of Rubicon:

"He refocused the strategy to be about one thing. That meant he killed off even good things. I led server channel management at Apple when Jobs returned to the company in 1997, and I was there when he made the decision to shut down big portions of revenue-generating businesses (including my division) because they didn't fit with his vision for the company. Some people thought he was crazy. But he was being extremely clear, and in doing so, he 'Murder Boarded'—eliminated many options to get one cohesive strategy—his way to greatness."

According to Jobs:

"Apple was in very serious trouble. Apple had to remember who Apple was because they'd forgotten who Apple was."

We all know how it ended: this "purpose-driven" strategy turned Apple around.

Companies like Wal-Mart, Southwest Airlines, Charles Schwab, and BMW are all purpose-driven. In fact, John Mackey, CEO of Whole Foods Market, repeatedly stresses the importance of companies having a core purpose.

These entrepreneurs do more than make money, they "change the world!" I know this sounds like some touchy-feely nonsense to "realists." I understand that. But purpose is anything but nonsense, it's a viable business strategy—an immutable law. Having a core purpose in a company:

  * Focuses time and money on the most important

  * Makes decisions easier ("Is it in line with our core purpose? Ok...do it" "It's not? Don't do it")

  * Invigorates staff

  * Fosters visionary ideas and meaningful innovation

  * Recruits purpose-driven people

Great companies make money–they make a ton in fact but, they also set out to change the world in some way.

Whether it's a Coca-Cola:

"To refresh the world; to inspire moments of optimism and happiness; to create value and make a difference."

Or the early Ford:

"To democratize the automobile."

Or a Google:

"To organize the world's information and make it universally accessible and useful."

Disclaimer: Purpose alone do not build a company, things like strong leadership, great teams, good financial fundamentals, and great products do. But behind that is life force that can't be explained on balance sheet: "this is who we are and this is what we're about."

### People of purpose understand time and don't waste it

Purpose is defined as:

"The object toward which one strives or for which something exists."

We're all guided by it—everyone one of us. The Bible says, _"The noble hearted man has noble purposes and by these he will be guided."_ (Isaiah 32:8 BBE)

Without purpose, we're like children _"tossed [like ships] to and fro between chance gusts of teaching and wavering with every changing wind of doctrine."_ (Ephesians 4:14 AMP) In other words, when we have no true purpose for our lives, we go everywhere and end up no where.

People of purpose don't play around. They don't have the time to. Paul said,

" _In a race, everyone runs but only one person gets first prize. So run your race to win...I run straight to the goal with purpose in every step. I fight to win. I'm not just shadow boxing or playing around. Like an athlete I punish my body, treating it roughly, training it to do what it should, not what it wants to." (1 Corinthians 9: 24; 26-27 The Living Bible)_

When you truly understand your purpose you understand that everyday is preparation for it. You understand that time is one of the greatest assets you have. And therefore you're sensitive to it—you understand when it's time to stay and when it's time to leave.

Like Jesus.

The Bible says _,_ _"And it came it pass when the time was come that He should be received up He steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem."_ (Luke 9:51 KJV) The term _"steadfastly set His face"_ is also translated _"set His face like flint."_ Or as the Persic version translates it, _"He made a firm purpose."_ In other words, He resolved in His mind and was determined to go to Jerusalem. Jesus knew what was going to happen to Him (the shame, the pain, the humiliation, and etc) and yet when the clock struck the right hour He made up His mind: "It's time to go."

The Bible says,

" _Look carefully then how you walk! Live purposefully and worthily and accurately, not as the unwise and witless, but as wise (sensible, intelligent people), making the very most of the time [buying up each opportunity], because the days are evil. Therefore do not be vague and thoughtless and foolish, but understanding and firmly grasping what the will of the Lord is." (Ephesians 5:15-17 AMP)_

Our time should always be measured and used in light of our purpose. Life is too short to use our time in things not in line with who we were called to be.

### The danger of being a charismatic leader

I used to work under a charismatic leader. He was smart, handsome, always smiled, a "visionary," and knew ways to connect with people. He spearheaded new initiatives, new programs, and new projects (which he was head of). The problem is when he left all the initiatives, programs, projects, AND people were gone as well–everything he created vanished!

It was like he was never there.

Granted, he had leadership problems to contend with–the person over him wasn't focused on growth. And since an organization will only go as far as its leader will take it, he couldn't go as far as he wanted to. After a while he got tired of banging his head against a "bronze" ceiling and left.

The problem with most charismatic leaders is that WHATEVER they create leaves with them.

This is in stark contrast to being a leader of purpose.

Charismatic leaders tell the time; leaders of purpose build clocks. Don't get me wrong though: nothing's wrong with charisma. But "larger than life" leaders are over-emphasized. A true leader is someone who can build or rebuild something that can outlast them. The differences between a charismatic leader and a leader of purpose are as follows:

CL: Are the "heart" of an organization.

LOP: Build the heart of an organization.

CL: Recruit followers.

LOP: Recruit and raise up leaders.

CL: Secure power for themselves.

LOP: Give power away to other competent leaders.

CL: When they leave, move, or die the organization falters.

LOP: When they leave move or die the organization prospers.

Look at Saul and David. David spent the remainder of his life preparing his successor, while Saul didn't. So when David died Israel prospered without him. Unlike Saul, when he died his dynasty lagged _"and the house of Saul grew weaker and weaker."_ (2 Samuel 3:1 NKJV)

Your job as a leader is to build something that lives beyond you. All the success in the world means nothing if it crumbles after you are gone.

### The Secret to Resurrecting Dead Ministries

All true ministries are dying in either one of two ways:

  1. Dying to themselves and living more to Christ

  2. Dying in their communities and becoming less relevant and influential

Now obviously we want the first, but unfortunately there are too many coffins and graveyards for the second.

A while ago there was an article about Anglican Bishops standing in the middle of a busy square handing out invitation to come to church—a very unorthodox move. A Bishop who presides over 211 parishes said, "Traditionally, we've not been very good in inviting people to come to church."

A drop in attendance, membership, and influence was probably the reason for the wakeup call.

But the reality is, without a new purpose (or renewed purpose) and vision, no long lasting success can be maintained. Consider it like this: purpose is the root everything else is the fruit (more marketing, better programs, a more upbeat service, and etc). No matter how hard you hard you try if you don't deal with the root you'll always get the same fruit.

"So Mike here's a question: should I be a person of purpose or a person of vision?"

Be both.

"Excuse me...?"

Be both.

Purpose and vision work hand in hand. In fact, true vision flows out of purpose:

Remember: we're all guided by purpose—everyone of us.

But let's use the example of a ministry: a ministry starts with purpose (who we are) and out of that purpose flows the vision (where we're going). But the purpose of the vision is to fulfill the purpose of the ministry. In other words, "we're going there to be who we were called to be."

More than ever, we need people and ministries who understand their purpose. People who know who they are and who they are not. Paul said,

" _We, however, will not boast beyond measure, but within the limits of the sphere which God appointed us a sphere which especially includes you. For we are not overextending ourselves (as though our authority did not extend to you)...not boasting of things beyond measure, that is, in other men's labors, but having hope, that as your faith is increased, we shall be greatly enlarged by you in our sphere, to preach the gospel in the regions beyond you, and not to boast in another mans sphere of accomplishment." (2 Corinthians 10:13-16 NKJV)_

The word "sphere" comes from the Greek word "kanon" which means "a boundary or place of activity." When we understand our purpose we understand the place of activity where God has appointed us. In addition to that we also understand where our sphere ends and another person's begins. We find our greatest fruitfulness, accomplishment, and influence in our sphere—in those things that relate to our purpose.

When Nike CEO Mark Parker took charge of the company he called up Steve Jobs for a little advice. Jobs gave him simple yet powerful advice: stay in your sphere. According to Parker, Jobs said,

"Nike makes some of the best products in the world. Products that you lust after. But you also make a lot of crap. Just get rid of the crappy stuff and focus on the good stuff."

Deep.

But it's no wonder, in addition to being a company of purpose it's also a company of focus. That strategy has helped Apple drastically. In a 2008 interview with Fortune magazine Jobs gave the reason for this focus,

"Apple is a $30 billion company, yet we've got less than 30 major products. I don't know if that's ever been done before. Certainly the great consumer electronics companies of the past had thousands of products. We tend to focus much more. People think focus means saying yes to the thing you've got to focus on. But that's not what it means at all. It means saying no to the hundred other good ideas that there are. You have to pick carefully."

Remember your purpose and stick to it.

### 7

### LAW OF VISION

**The law that states every plan, achievement, or purpose must be seen before it can be realized**

" _Where there is no vision, the people perish." (Proverbs 29:18 KJV)_

" **The dreamers are the saviours of the world...dream lofty dream, and as you dream so shall you become. Your vision is the promise of what you shall one day be; your Ideal is the prophecy of what you shall at last unveil."—** James Allen, _As a Man Thinketh_

The law of vision is as basic a principle as cause and effect. Those who obey it inevitably find themselves hoisted above any limitation (man-made or otherwise); while those who disobey it find themselves hopelessly trapped with no means of escape. The first rung up the ladder is seeing where you want to go. For the sake of clarity, the word "vision" will be defined as "the act or power of anticipating that which will or may come to be."

A man propelled in this life is a man with a vision for his life; a vision so strong that the picture on the inside surpasses the "reality" of the outside. When God commanded Moses to build the Tabernacle He told him to build it after the pattern he had **seen.** (Exodus 25:40) And so it remains today, you can only build your life after the pattern you've seen for your life. When God spoke to Abraham about the land He'd give him, He told him all that he could see was his:

" _After Abram and Lot had gone their separate ways, the Lord said to Abram: 'Look around to the north, south, east, and west. I will give you and your family all the land you can see. It will be theirs forever!'" (Genesis13:14-15 CEV)_

Later when God wanted to show him how large his family would be He gave him a vision:

" _Then He took him outside and said, 'Look at the sky. Count the stars. Can you do it? Count your descendants! You're going to have a big family, Abram!" (Genesis 15:5 MSG)_

A vision is nothing but reality in seed form.

### The Power of Goals

However, a vision is nothing but a daydream unless analyzed, written down, and made plain with the necessary steps for its realization. Once it is crystallized it must be realized through goals. The subject of goals has graced the pages of every inspirational book imaginable; thought leaders have disagreed on many things but are unanimous as it relates to goal setting and achievement.

In fact the Bible says _,_

" _Record the vision and inscribe it on tablets, that the one who reads it may run. For the vision is yet for the appointed time; It hastens toward the goal and it will not fail, though it tarries, wait for it; for it will certainly come, it will not delay." (Habakkuk 2:2-3 NASB)_

One of the greatest gifts God ever gave human beings was a brain. People marvel at the power and intelligence of a computer but it was the brain that built the computer!

Despite rapid scientific progress much about how the brain works is a mystery. It's been estimated that humans only use 10 percent of the brain's power. That means 90 percent of immense potential lies untapped and underutilized. One of the ways to harness the latent potential of the brain is through goals.

### The Reticular Activation System (RAS)

The brain receives millions of bits of information per second and that information goes through a filtering process—keeping some and deleting others. The Reticular Activation System is the brain's filter—it decides what to accept and what to reject based on values, beliefs, and prejudices. The brain will only accept information that reinforces deeply held beliefs and reject those that don't.

So whenever someone has a vision and that vision is made plain with goals, the RAS is activated to notice resources and filter in anything that will help achieve that goal. Often the resources were always there but never noticed.

That's why psychologists have said, "when a person is ready for a thing it make its appearance." "It" only shows up when you're truly ready. When you're not ready you could be passing by "it" every day and never recognize it. There's also a proverb that says, "A man can walk in a forest and still not find timber wood!"

The brain is a "goal-seeking mechanism"— it will always guide you toward objectives. It derives its greatest pleasure from overcoming challenges. Caleb, one of the twelve scouts who spied out the Promised Land, and one of the two who believed they could have it, was an old man and he was still looking for challenges!

When Joshua was allocating the Promised Land Caleb asked for a territory so he could drive out its enemies. He said,

" _Today I am eighty-five years old. I am as strong now as I was when Moses sent me on that journey, and I can still travel and fight as well as I could then. So give me the hill country that the Lord promised me. You will remember that as scouts we found the descendants of Anak living there in great, walled towns. But if the Lord is with me, I will drive them out of the land, just as the Lord said." (Joshua 14:10-12 NLT)_

We're wired to complete objectives!

But, be warned, the brain and RAS are neutral and will only filter in information that is in line with deeply held beliefs. If those values and beliefs are negative the brain will filter in information that reinforces those beliefs and reject any positive information that contradicts.

People of vision are always guided by that vision, and they focus their energies toward the attainment of their goal; they're not tossed to and fro with every idea or concept. They're willing to say "no" to things not in line with their vision and "yes" to things that are:

" _Keep your eyes straight ahead; ignore all sideshow distractions. Watch your step, and the road will stretch out smooth before you. Look neither right nor left; leave evil in the dust." (Proverbs 4:25-27 MSG)_

### The Importance of Clear Vision

To repeat, your vision must be made plain: where you're going, when you're going to get there, and what to do must be stated. The Bible says, _"_ _If your goals are good, you will be respected."_ (Proverbs 11:27 GNT) But keep in mind: goals are important but not as important as the goal setting. Goal setting allows you to clearly visualize what you want, to impress that image onto the brain, and to follow through on it. You may not accomplish the goal but it focuses the mind on "something!"

There's a large difference between something focused and something diffused. Look at the example of sunlight and a magnifying glass. Sunlight is diffused and because it's diffused it brings heat. Now direct that same light through a magnifying glass and what happens? The light became a laser. That light now has the ability to cut through hard material. Something diffused brought heat while something focused brought power!

Your vision, in order to be effective, must be focused. Your vision can't be a vague idea of what you _hope to have happen_ but a detailed declaration of what you _expect to have happen_. It has to be yours. Only you know what you see. Your tabernacle can only be built with the detailed pattern or blueprint given to you.

Personal coach Laurie Beth Jones recalled an experience she had with a client as it related to vision:

"Last year I spoke on the phone with a client I have been coaching. A highly successful entrepreneur, he had a vague idea of what he wanted and needed to do in his life to take him to a higher level. He said he had read but had not written down his answers to the questions. For his assignment I had him go back and write down the answers to the questions. In writing his vision specifically, he got very clear about what he wanted to create and experience in his life.The Path

"I ran into him recently, and he was laughing exultantly. Everything he had written in his vision since our first discussion had come true—not in three years, but in ninety days. He said, 'As soon as I got clear about this vision thing— _wham!_ Everything started coming to me so quickly. Now you need to write the next book to tell me what to do when all my vision starts coming true all at once.'" (Jesus, Life Coach, p.2)

### My "Vision Statement"

Some years ago, I worked with Avon as a representative (my first real stake in entrepreneurship). It was solely a commission-based job and it was my duty to grow my "business" by finding customers and selling my products. In the very early stages I remember attending a meeting held for reps in the NYC area. When I arrived I was impressed with the meeting place: it had a very appealing corporate décor.

The speaker (one of the company's execs) was a tall gentleman in a grey- pinstripe suit. His job was to revive us, refuel us, and push us to push our business. He talked about his rise from obscurity as an ordinary rep to his place of prominence. He sold the benefits and the abundance of opportunity available to the right person...or people who could grab it.

He wanted to help us to achieve our best. By this time I was fired up. I was sold. His enthusiasm was infectious and I showed signs of being contaminated. He then introduced us to an exercise: he wanted us to write down in plain language what we wanted to achieve in the business. He said to make it specific, detailed, and to make sure it meant something to us. I flipped open my pad and I wrote down my vision feverishly.

I wrote:

"I want to be a success in the business, get a lot of customers, and be all that God wants me to be."

I was so impressed with my "detailed" vision that I immediately showed my supervisor.

She took my pad, looked at my statement, glanced at me, gave me back the pad, and with a slight tone of indifference said, "That's nice."

Now over the years I thought about her response and two explanations came to mind. The first is that she didn't believe in my God and found it hard to marry the business to Him. The second, is that she being wiser knew what I wrote was not a detailed vision but a vague wish. And, in her wisdom, chose not to correct me because I wasn't at the stage where I could handle it. I'd like to believe it was the latter and not the former (even though I believe the former to be more reasonable).

What I wrote was not a vision statement; it was a warm fuzzy idea of what I wanted to have. It was not detailed, specific, or measurable. It wasn't plain so I couldn't run with it. Long story short, I failed in the business. The reasons for my failure were many: mismanagement of funds, no marketing strategy, working with bad clientele (the kind that liked to order but didn't like to pay), poor work ethic, and (the last and most important as it relates to this chapter) no idea of where I wanted to go.

### Vision is Both Inside-out and Outside-in

**Inside out** _—"You're blessed when you get your inside world—your mind and heart—put right. Then you can see God in the outside world."_ (Matthew 5:8 MSG)

What you see outside is a reflection of what you are inside. For example: the positive see a positive world, the negative see a negative world, cheaters see a world of cheaters, and so on. People who cheat in a relationship tend to be the ones who accuse the other of cheating. Why? They simply project their own infidelity. You see what you are.

Never take too seriously the comments of others: "you're too fat," "you're too stupid," "you're too skinny," "you're too ugly," and etc. Often these comments are not accurate reflections but inaccurate projections. Comments like these are usually birthed out of the insecurities of the people making them. The insecure tear down while the secure build up.

Again: whatever is inside a person that is what the person will **see**. Many parents who never received love and affirmation in their youth tend to be overly critical of their own children. They find it hard to show love or any kind of support that would affirm their children's worth. Why? You can only give what you have.

Another point: Two people can be looking at the exact same thing and see something totally different. When Moses sent out twelve spies to view the Promised Land they saw the same thing but had a mixed interpretation. Caleb and Joshua believed they could have it but the other ten thought they couldn't.

The majority gave a horrible report based on how they viewed themselves:

" _The land through which we have gone as spies is a land that devours its inhabitants, and all the people whom we saw in it are men of great stature. There we saw the giants; and we were like grasshoppers in our own sight, and so we were in their sight." (Numbers 13:32-33 NKJV)_

**Outside in** —"But friends, that's exactly who we are: children of God. And that's only the beginning. Who knows how we'll end up! What we know is that when Christ is openly revealed, we'll see Him—and in seeing Him, become like Him." (1 John 3:2 MSG)

Moses spent a lot of time in the Presence of God. It was there he vented his frustrations, acknowledged his weaknesses, and received orders on what to do next. When he came from His Presence he was unaware that his face was radiant. So because of his face, he covered it with a veil in the presence of the people but uncovered it in the Presence of God.  Moses saw the radiance of God and became radiant himself.

We tend to become like whatever we view or study for a length of time. To see better is to become better, to see more is to become more, and to see greater is to become greater. The best way to ready people for their Promised Land is to give them glimpses of it.

But there are two things that need to be addressed: the lens and the object. The lens refers to how we see and the object is what we see _._

The lens is in direct proportion to the heart; when the heart is changed then the lens will change. The lens and object have to be in agreement in order to get the best picture. If the lens is dirty the picture will be flawed. But as we look at light through a clean lens our bodies can then be full of light.

So what does God do when He wants to change us? He first changes us from the inside out—changing our spirits, hearts, and minds so that we can see Him better. And then changes us from the outside in—tells us to focus on Him, His Word, and His promises so that we can become more like Him. To see better is to become better!

### Why is it That...?

  * Why is it that a company or organization with a deeply entrenched long-term vision, seem to blow past competitors whose only ambition is to remain open?

  * Why is it that the salesperson who can "close the deal" in his mind's eye will always surpass their counterparts who "hope" the prospect can see their products value?

  * Why is that the leader who envisions what **can be** seems to go further and gain more influence than those who only see what **it is**?

  * Why is it that society seems to make a way for those who "know where they're going," while simultaneously pushing out of the way those whose actions prove otherwise?

  * Why is it that resources, influence, and opportunity seem to tackle the man or woman of vision, while simultaneously dodging those who aren't sure what they want?

It's because the law of vision is at work constantly producing rewards for obedience and consequences for disobedience. The proof of this law is littered throughout history in the lives of men and women who saw before they attained.

### 8

### LAW OF THE EXTRA MILE

**The law that states one must be willing to render more and better service than immediately paid for with a pleasing attitude**

" _And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two."_

(Matthew 5:41 NKJV)

" **Men suffer all their life long, under the foolish superstition that they can be cheated. But it is as impossible for a man to be cheated by anyone but himself, as for a thing to be and not to be at the same time. There is a third silent party to all our bargains. The nature and soul of things takes on itself the guaranty of the fulfillment of every contract, so that honest service cannot come to loss. If you serve an ungrateful master, serve him the more. Put God in your debt. Every stroke shall be repaid. The longer the payment is withheld, the better for you; for compound interest on compound interest is the rate and usage of this exchequer."—** _Ralph Waldo Emerson, Compensation_

The term "extra mile" has become a catch phrase to many; but it's significant in moving from the background to the forefront. When Jesus spoke about this principle He related its significance to an oppressive practice in His day. The practice originated with the Persian government under the rule of King Cyrus.

Under this custom the king's messengers had power to take horses, camels, and men into service against their will. In fact, couriers or messengers were often staged in specific locations by the king; if a man were to pass this post an official could rush out and "compel" him into service. This custom was then adopted by the Roman government. Simone of Cyrene was "compelled" into helping Jesus with His cross, when the weight became too heavy. (Matthew 27:32)

Rather than quarrel and complain about this oppressive treatment, Jesus advises us to do otherwise. He not only advises us to comply with the request but to exceed expectations in a spirit of love and service:

" _You have heard the law that says, 'Love your neighbor' and hate your enemy. But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. For He gives His sunlight to both the evil and the good, and He sends rain on the just and the unjust alike. If you love only those who love you, what reward is there for that? Even corrupt tax collectors do that much. If you are kind only to your friends, how are you different from anyone else? Even pagans do that." (Matthew 5:43-47 NLT)_

### Attitude Determines Altitude

As you employ this law understand that **what you do** is as important as the spirit (or attitude) in **which you do it**. Paul said,

" _Servants, respectfully obey your earthly masters but always with an eye to obeying the real Master, Christ. Don't just do what you have to do to get by, but work heartily, as Christ's servants doing what God wants you to do. And work with a smile on your face, always keeping in mind that no matter who happens to be giving the orders, you're really serving God. Good work will get you good pay from the Master, regardless of whether you are slave or free." (Ephesians 6:5-8 MSG)_

Go the extra mile with a cheerful attitude. Not depressed, indifferent, or mad because you feel like "you have to do it"—God doesn't honor that:

" _The point is this whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work." (2 Corinthians 9:6-8 ESV)_

The spotlight of attention shines favorably on those who put to use this principle. You soon become indispensable, because in contrast, others don't even go the first mile; and if they go, they do it with such a bad attitude it were better if they'd not gone at all.

The compensation of doing more than paid for is inevitable but not immediately

apparent. Seed sown one day doesn't bring fruit the next. There's a waiting time. When harvest does come it never returns with just that seed but fruit that bears more seed: a two, three, five, hundred-fold investment. If the return is delayed how much better for you? For when the return does come it comes back with such compounded interest, that the waiting time pales in comparison!

### We All Worked For Free

Most people don't like to go the extra mile because the rewards aren't immediate—they don't show up in next week's check! "Why would I do extra work and not be paid for it? I don't work for free!" That argument used to make so much sense to me until I realized that we all, at one point, worked for free!

Robert Kiyosaki spoke of a time when his "rich" dad spoke to him about working for free:

"...look at great athletes who earn a lot of money. I do not know of a single great athlete who got paid for practicing his or her sport. Most professional athletes started young, practiced longer and harder than the average athlete. Most professional athletes practiced for years, many paid for lessons, and they put in long hours, long before they got paid. They had to do their homework before they got their jobs as pros...even the Beatles worked for free before they became world famous and rich. Like the medical doctor or professional, they paid their dues. They did their homework. They did not ask for a guaranteed recording contract, a steady paycheck, and medical benefits before they began practicing." (Before you Quit your Job, p.62)

People who go the extra mile are rewarded in due time. Exceed expectations whether you are immediately paid or not. The rewards for people who go the extra mile are greater than those who are only "paid" to go the first mile.

### The Extra Mile Worked at Def Jam

Kevin Liles knows what it means to go the extra mile. The former president of Def

Jam Records rose from unpaid intern to president in nine years. Liles adopted the principle of the extra mile and practiced it in every position he filled.

Beginning his career he reported to his supervisor Kevin Mitchell. Mitchell was new to the Baltimore area where Liles was born and bred. Liles had what Mitchell needed: knowledge of the area and connections in the area. Rather than use them to his advantage and outshine the boss, he used his resources to make the boss shine. For example Mitchell needed to meet with Baltimore's Frank Ski (the most popular DJ at the time). He was unknown and was refused access. Liles, however, made a way for his new boss:

"I already knew Frank. We went way back to the days when he was deejaying in the clubs...So when Kevin asked for help, it was simple. I went over to the station and called up to the studio. I said, 'Frank, I've got a new guy here from Def Jam, why don't you let him come up? Frank said, 'Cool, no problem.'"

Liles continued to put the extra mile principle into effect, doing more than immediately paid for:

"For two more years, I hustled hard. I wrote weekly play reports that were pure poetry...Everyday I got into the habit of entering everything into a computer so I would always know what had been done, and what needed to be followed up on.

I focused all my efforts on Kevin Mitchell's behalf. Anything he needed, I got done, even if I had to spend my own money to be effective. If we needed to fill a venue with 2,000 people, I'd herd them in. If a radio program director needed to hear our latest release, I'd get it to him personally, with Kevin Mitchell's best wishes...I didn't have to brag. I didn't need to undermine Kevin Mitchell...To get noticed, all I had to do was play my position and serve my boss to the best of my ability. If you do that, you'll shine no matter where you are in the food chain." (Make it Happen, pgs 116-118)

Mitchell was soon promoted out of the Baltimore area and Liles was hired to a full time position with the company. He continued to use the extra mile principle and years later was promoted up the "food chain." Under his leadership Def Jam's revenues leaped from  $100 million to more than $400 million in the span of a few years.

### Determine If It's Worth It

When I wrote the 1st edition of this book my friend told me "Mike...your principles suck!"

Ouch.

Why?

"Well" she continued. "I've been going the extra mile at this job, I've made the person above me look good, her department's running better than ever, and when I spoke to her about moving up she's been avoiding me, not talking to me, and etc."

You see if my friend moved up it'd be out of her department; she wouldn't have that. In the end, my friend left that job. When she left, they told her that they had to hire two people just to replace her.

When you go the extra mile you'll unfortunately run into people who want to abuse and exploit you. Like Laban did to Jacob. For years Jacob went above and beyond for Laban—and he (Laban) prospered immensely. In fact, when Jacob was ready to leave Laban told Jacob plainly: _"State your salary and I will give it."_ (Genesis 30: 28 AMP). In other words, "You're too valuable to me. Whatever you want, you can have."

The wisdom in using the extra mile is determining if what you're trying to achieve is worth it. Is that position really worth it? Is this career worth it? Are those customers worth it? Is this industry the right one? Is it worth it to fight these people? Is it worth the aggravation? If it is, continue to go above and beyond. If not, fire them!

You heard me: fire them. Whether it's the boss, the company, the customer, or whatever it is. Some people have to go! What we fail to realize...or fail to remember is God is the Boss. Your supervisor may sign your check but God determines your income. At the end of the day serve God, not Laban. And even if you get abused in the meantime know that God will reward you fully:

" _Because you got a double dose of trouble and more than your share of contempt, your inheritance in the land will be doubled and your joy go on forever. Because I, God, love fair dealing and hate thievery and crime, I'll pay your wages on time and in full, and establish My eternal covenant with you." (Isaiah 61:7-8 MSG)_

### Mordechai Went the Extra Mile

Mordecai went the extra mile in saving King Xerxes from assassination. Look at what he did:

" _One day as Mordecai was on duty at the king's gate, two of the king's eunuchs, Bigthana and Teresh—who were guards at the door of the king's private quarters became angry at King Xerxes and plotted to assassinate him. But Mordecai_

heard about the plot and gave the information to Queen Esther. She then told the king about it and gave Mordecai credit for the report. When an investigation was made and Mordecai's story was found to be true, the two men were impaled on a sharpened pole. This was all recorded in The Book of the History of King Xerxes Reign." (Esther 2:21-23 NLT)

No "thank you" was given. The king didn't even acknowledge him. Where's his reward? Even though Esther made sure to give Mordechai the credit, nothing happened. Ahhh... but something did happen: everything was recorded. Though extra mile actions aren't immediately rewarded they are immediately recorded. And the beautiful thing is no deed ever goes unnoticed, unresolved, or unrewarded. But let's get back to the story:

" _That night the king had trouble sleeping, so he ordered an attendant to bring the_

historical records of his kingdom so they could be read to him. In those records he discovered an account of how Mordecai had exposed the plot of Bigthana and Teresh, two of the eunuchs who guarded the door to the king's private quarters. They had plotted to assassinate the king.

'' _What reward or recognition did we ever give Mordecai for this?' the king asked._

His attendants replied, 'Nothing has been done'"" (Esther 6:1-3 NLT)

It's only a fool who believes that deeds, no matter how hidden, will continually be unchecked. "No one notices," they say. "And I'll get away with it." But _"He Who planted the ear, shall He not hear? He Who formed the eye, shall He not see?"_ (Psalm 94:9 AMP)

Isn't there an invisible Judge that bears witness to everything? Isn't He the One Who, after seeing everything, puts down one and exalts another?

You are always being watched; it may escape everyone else but it NEVER escapes God's invisible Eye: _"Mark well that God doesn't miss a move you make; He's aware of every step you take."_ (Proverbs 5: 21 MSG)

The reward may be delayed, but however long the delay, when the time for repayment does come it's as if God Himself sits up and asks: "What reward did we ever give him or her for that?!" And He refuses to rest until the question is answered and the reward, with its compound interest, is given. Back to the story:

"' _Who is that in the outer court?' the king inquired. As it happened, Haman had just arrived in the outer court of the palace to ask the king to impale Mordecai on the pole he had prepared._

So the attendants replied to the king, 'Haman is out in the court.'

' _Bring him in,' the king ordered. So Haman came in, and the king said, 'What should I do to honor a man who truly pleases me?_

'

Haman thought to himself, 'Whom would the king wish to honor more than me?' So he replied, 'If the king wishes to honor someone, he should bring out one of the king's own royal robes, as well as a horse that the king himself has ridden— one with a royal emblem on its head. Let the robes and the horse be handed over to one of the king's most noble officials. And let him see that the man whom the king wishes to honor is dressed in the king's robes and led through the city square on the king's horse. Have the official shout as they go, 'This is what the king does for someone he wishes to honor!'

' _Excellent!' the king said to Haman. 'Quick! Take the robes and my horse, and do just as you have said for Mordecai the Jew, who sits at the gate of the palace. Leave out nothing you have suggested!'" (Esther 6:4-10 NLT)_

Mordecai went the extra mile and it not only rewarded him, it saved his life, and helped in saving the lives of his people. And what's so great about this is that the reward came through Haman—the guy who wanted him dead!! Go the extra mile in everything you do!!

### "Good" is never good enough

Right before Apple was set to release the iPhone in 2007 (their riskiest project to date), Steve Jobs came in one Monday morning and told his team:

"I just don't love this. I can't convince myself to fall in love with. And this is the most important product we've ever done."

Think about that for a second: millions of dollars have been spent, dozens of hours logged, sacrifices made, and the boss comes in and says: I think we can do it better...let's start over.

I don't know about you...but I could see me being a tad bit upset.

And yet that wasn't first time.

When Pixar (Jobs' former company) was making Toy Story there was a point when they realized the story wasn't that good. So they shut down production for five months, while they perfected the story. The could have left it at good, but Jobs knew good wasn't good enough.

According to John Sculley, Jobs set a very high standard even in the early days:

"An engineer would bring Steve in and show him the latest software code that he'd written. Jobs would look at it throw it back at him and say: 'It's just not good enough.' And he was constantly forcing people to raise their expectations of what they could do. So people were producing work they never thought they were capable of. Largely because Steve would shift between highly charismatic and motivating and getting them excited to feel like they are part of something insanely great. And on the other hand he would be almost merciless in terms of rejecting their work until he felt it had reached the level of perfection that was good enough to go into—in this case the Macintosh."

No one who goes the extra mile is ever satisfied with good. They know that good is the enemy of great. They're constantly pushing the envelope, raising the bar, setting the standard, and etc. They're always willing to go where no man (or woman) had gone before. And they pay attention to details.

Gordon Ramses (the chef on TV who's always screaming at people) expressed his philosophy of detail:

"It doesn't matter how amazing the steak is, if it's served on a cold plate, its crap. If it's served with a dull knife its crap. If the gravy isn't piping hot, it's crap. If you're eating in an uncomfortable chair, it's crap. If it's served by an ugly waiter who just came in from a smoke break, it's crap. Because I care about the steak I have to care about everything around it."

Jesus was also stickler for details. He never cut corners, and whatever He did He did with excellence. In fact in prayer, He told God: _"I glorified You on earth by completing down to the last detail what You assigned Me to do...I spelled out your character in detail to the men and women You gave me."_ (John 17:4,6 MSG)

Whatever you're building be concerned (if not more) about the little things, because the majority of people aren't. That attention to detail mindset will push you light years ahead of those "other people."

### 9

### LAW OF PERSISTENCE

The law that states only through consistent and continuous effort can any plan, vision, or achievement be realized

" _So let's not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we_

will reap a harvest of blessing if we don't give up." (Galatians 6:9

NLT)

" **Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful people with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan "press on" has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race."**

—Calvin Coolidge, _30th President of the United States_

No outstanding achievement can be won without continuous effort. The wheel of fortune turns slowly and it turns toward those who've proven through persistence that they deserve its rewards. Before you meet with any success know that you will meet with misfortune, mistakes, delays, and temporary defeats. Let this encourage you if you've tasted the fruit of adversity in all its wonderful flavors!

### Why is it Always so Hard?

It all started when God cursed the ground because of Adam's disobedience:

" _The Lord said to the man, 'You listened to your wife and ate fruit from that tree. And so, the ground will be under a curse because of what you did. As long as you live, you will have to struggle to grow enough food. Your food will be plants, but the ground will produce thorns and thistles. You will have to sweat to earn a living." (Genesis 3:17-19 CEV)_

Before that it was easy to get what was needed, but disobedience shut that door. And now when we look for plants we get thorns and thistles first; because of this, no person achieves success without first being tested by adversity; and no adversity is overcome without persistence. Napoleon Hill had an interesting take on this subject:

" _There is no substitute for persistence. It cannot be supplanted by any other quality! Remember this and it will hearten you, in the beginning when the going may seem difficult and slow. Those who have cultivated the habit of persistence seem to enjoy insurance against failure. No matter how many times they are defeated, they finally arrive up toward the ladder....Sometimes it appears that there is a hidden Guide whose duty is to test men through all sort of discouraging experiences. Those who pick themselves up after defeat and keep on trying, arrive; and the world cries, 'Bravo! I knew you could do it!' The hidden Guide let's no one enjoy great achievement without passing the persistence test. Those who can't take it simply, do not make the grade. Those who can 'take it' are bountifully rewarded for their persistence. They receive, as their compensation, whatever goal they are pursuing." (Think and Grow Rich, p.134)_

Hill should know from firsthand experience, having spent more than twenty years in research on the philosophy of personal achievement, and having personally experienced "all sort of discouraging experiences."

### Try a Different Strategy, but Don't Give Up

Most great ideas are variations of good ideas. Someone has a good idea, tries it, it doesn't work, makes an adjustment, tries it, it doesn't work, makes another adjustment, tries it, and it becomes a resounding success. It was the same idea just tweaked and improved. One change of a variable can modify the whole equation.

That's why mistakes aren't bad; failure is crucial to success. Mistakes teach us what doesn't work so that we can make adjustments. Mistakes aren't bad not learning from mistakes is bad. But the benefits of mistakes and failures will only be realized with persistence. Tom Watson Sr., past president of IBM, once said, "If you want to increase your success rate, double your failure rate."

Jesus taught His disciples the value of trying different strategies. The first time, is when He called them to be His disciples. He was on the shore of Lake Gennesaret teaching a crowd. He saw two boats and got into the one that was Simon Peter's—Simon was washing the fish nets, an indication He was done for the day. Jesus got into the boat that belonged to Simon and asked him to row it out a little way from the shore.

" _Then Jesus sat down in the boat to teach the crowd. When Jesus had finished speaking, he told Simon, 'Row the boat out into the deep water and let your nets down to catch some fish. 'Master,' Simon answered, 'we have worked hard all night long and have not caught a thing. But if you tell me to, I will let the nets down.' They did it and caught so many fish that their nets began ripping apart. Then they signaled for their partners in the other boat to come and help them. The men came, and together they filled the two boats so full that they both began to sink." (Luke 5:3-7 CEV)_

Now keep in mind Simon was an experienced fisherman—he did this for a living. So, it'd be understandable if he became a bit angry that this "Preacher" was telling him how to do his job. But he did what Jesus said and caught more than he could handle!

Jesus didn't tell him to overhaul what he was doing He just told him to change one thing _—"row the boat out into deep water."_ In other words, "Keep doing what you're doing, don't quit, just change this." That slight change made the difference between empty nets and a full catch. But what if Simon quit? What if he said, "Master we have worked all night long and have not caught a thing; there's nothing out here. I'm giving up." Look at what he would've missed!!

Another time Jesus helped with their strategy was when He was raised from the dead. He appeared to the disciples while they were fishing in the Sea of Galilee:

" _Later, Jesus appeared again to the disciples beside the Sea of Galilee. This is how it happened. Several of the disciples were there—Simon Peter, Thomas (nicknamed the Twin), Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples. Simon Peter said, 'I'm going fishing.' 'We'll come, too,' they all said. So they went out in the boat, but they caught nothing all night. At dawn Jesus was standing on the beach, but the disciples couldn't see who He was. He called out, 'Fellows, have you caught any fish? 'No,' they replied. Then He said, 'Throw out your net on the right-hand side of the boat, and you'll get some!' So they did, and they couldn't haul in the net because there were so many fish in it." (John 21:1-6 NLT)_

Same thing happened—Jesus told them to change one little thing but what a

difference that "little" thing made!

### We're Called to be Industrious

When the billionaire Philip Anschutz was just starting out he had an encounter that threatened to bankrupt him. As a 27 year old oil explorer his rig supervisor called to tell him that there had been a big blowout at an exploratory well he was drilling near Gillette, Wyo. So he chartered a small plane to Gillette and persuaded a farmer living near the landing strip to rent him a pickup for the day. By the time he arrived at the site, it was ankle-deep in crude oil and the air was thick with natural gas.

He got the well capped. Then he did something few people would have done in a crisis: He bought up oil leases on the cheap gas all around the region, before word got out that a big field had been discovered. He didn't have the money to pay for the leases, so he bought them on 30 days' credit, figuring banks would soon lend him whatever he needed.

Later that morning he flew home to Denver and flipped on the TV. The big story: a colossal oil field fire in Gillette, Wyoming! Anschutz quickly returned to the site, where all he could see was flames.

He was convinced he was ruined.

A famed oil-fire fighter, was even reluctant to help: "Kid, I checked you out, and you don't check out." Anschutz desperate pleaded with him. The firefighter relented.

Fortunately, Anschutz had somehow learned that Universal Studios was doing a movie about that fire fighter. He quickly negotiated a deal with Universal to film the crews fighting his fire for a fee of $100,000–enough to keep him afloat until the banks lent him money to pay for the leases he had bought on credit.

He wound up making millions.

The Bible says _,_ _"Let the thief steal no more, but rather let him be industrious, making an honest living with his own hands, so that he may be able to give to those in need."_ (Ephesians 4:28 AMP) It was industriousness that allowed Anschutz to thrive in the middle of that adversity—and its industriousness that will cause you to thrive as well.

Don't believe me?

Well it worked for S. Truett Cathy, founder of Chick Fil-A. When he and his brother Ben decided to open their first restaurant they underestimated the cost of the project. But with each problem they found creative answers:

  * **A shortage of nails.** They solved this problem by going to small towns where nails in small quantities could be found and by straightening bent nails.

  * **A shortage of lumber.** They solved this problem by finding scrap wood from torn-down buildings.

  * **A lack of reasonably priced restaurant equipment.** They purchased used equipment from restaurants that had gone out of business.

  * **A shortage of reasonably priced skilled labor.** They did much of the construction themselves. This involved learning how to hang sheet rock and dig footings.

  * **A shortage of some critical items, particularly meat.** This solved this problem by asking for help from one of the large local restaurants. That restaurant had privileged access to meat suppliers and agreed to purchase meat for the Cathy brothers.

There something about an industrious spirit that makes God smile.

I mean someone who will fight, scratch, claw, kick, persist, and encourage themselves in the face of seemingly impossible odds. Don't get me wrong there are times when all we can do is stand still and look to Him for help. But then there are those other times He opens doors _as_ we move forward _: "Then the Lord said to Moses, 'Quit praying and get the people moving! Forward, march!'"_ (Exodus 14:15 The Living Bible)

In fact, when Jesus spoke about the resourcefulness of a manager He said:

"Now here's a surprise: 'The master praised the crooked manager! And why? Because he knew how to look after himself. Streetwise people are smarter in this regard than law-abiding citizens. They are on constant alert, looking for angles, surviving by their wits. I want you to be smart in the same way-but for what is right-using every adversity to stimulate you to creative survival, to concentrate your attention on the bare essentials, so you'll live, really live, and not complacently just get by on good behavior.'" (Luke 16:8-9 MSG)

Don't just wait for something to happen, make it happen; don't wait for something to be given to you, go get it; don't let adversity stop you, let it stimulate you to creative survival. Be industrious: _"Hard work always pays off; mere talk puts no bread on the table!"_ (Proverbs 14:23 MSG)

### Persistence is Essential

I believe in the power of persistence because history has proven that those who don't quit win. It may take longer than expected, they may suffer defeat, but in the end victory is theirs.

I saw what it did for a widow who got received her request from an unjust judge (who didn't fear God or regard man); not because she had money, friends, or even favor but because she had persistence. (Luke 18:1-5)

I believe in its power because I heard about a man who went to his friend in the middle of the night saying, _"let me borrow three loaves of bread. A friend of mine has dropped in, and I don't have a thing for him to eat."_ He was told no and given all sorts of excuses: _"Don't bother me! The door is bolted, and my children and I are in bed. I cannot get up to give you something."_ But he persisted and got everything he needed because he was not _"ashamed to keep on asking."_  (Luke 11:5-8 CEV)

I believe in persistence because Jesus said, _"Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you."_ (Matthew 7:7 NLT)

I believe because I heard about Abraham who was told he'd be a father of many nations in his old age. And even though it looked impossible he _"against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations." And "he staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; and being fully persuaded that, what He had promised, He was able also to perform."_ (Romans 4:18; 20-21 KJV) And God blessed him for his faith and persistence.

I believe in persistence because I saw what it did for Sarah, who had a son when she was past childbearing age, because _"she believed the One Who made a promise would do what He said."_ (Hebrews 11:11 MSG)

Thomas Edison, who failed more than 10,000 times trying to invent the light bulb, once said, "I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work."

Make changes if you have to but don't you quit!

### 10

### LAW OF STEWARDSHIP

The law that states in order to be given more one must prove that they can handle and master less

" _His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have_

been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things.

Come and share your master's happiness.'" (Matthew 25:21 NIV)

" _ **Show me a man who cannot bother to do little things and I'll show you a man who cannot be trusted to do big things."—** Lawrence D. Bell, Industrialist and founder of Bell Aircraft Corporation_

Before anyone is entrusted with big things they're first tested with small things. In fact, God never starts anyone off with big things. Why? A few reasons:

1. **He's not wasteful** —After Jesus fed a multitude with a few fish and loaves

He told His disciples: _"Gather up the fragments that remain, so that_

_nothing is lost."_ (John 6:12 NKJV) And a great formula for waste is starting

a person off with big things when they've not mastered small things. But as one proves themselves He graduates them to the next level—which carries greater responsibility.

2. **He never gives a person more than they can handle** —No one gives a baby a steak—they're given milk. Why? The baby would choke on the steak. The Bible says that each steward was given talents _"according to his ability."_ (Matthew 25:15 NIV) God knows the capacity of each individual and gives responsibilities accordingly.

3. **He works with us progressively** —David said, _"The_ _steps_ _of a good man_

_are ordered by the Lord, and He delights in his way."_ (Psalms 37:23

NKJV) Not the "leaps" or "bounds" but the steps. God takes His time with

us. He's not in a rush. He understands that people develop in different ways and at different times. He takes us from step to step.

Some years ago my niece made pancakes for her younger siblings and myself. She gave everyone a pancake (except me...I got three!). Her youngest brother, my nephew, kept bothering her for more. She turned around and with a glare said, "You want two?! You can't even handle one!"

I looked at her, ran out the kitchen, grabbed a pen, wrote what she said down, and said to myself, "That's deep...I'm putting this somewhere!" What she said to her brother is often what God says to those who insist they can handle more— even when they haven't proven themselves in less.

### What is a Steward

A steward is defined as:

  * A person who manages another's property or financial affairs; one who administers anything as the agent of another or others.

  * A person who has charge of the household of another, buying or obtaining food, directing the servants, etc.

God owns everything.

David said, _"The earth and everything on it belong to the Lord. The world and its people belong to Him."_ (Psalm 24:1 CEV) God Himself said, _"Every animal in the forest belongs to Me, and so do the cattle on a thousand hills. I know all the birds in the mountains, and every wild creature is in My care. If I were hungry, I wouldn't tell you, because I own the world and everything in it."_ (Psalm 50:10-12 CEV)

But even though He owns everything He puts people as stewards over it. In fact, Adam was earth's first steward: _"And the Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to tend and guard and keep it."_ (Genesis 2:15 AMP)

So, in essence, we humans run everything but own nothing.

There are two requirements of a steward— they must be both profitable and faithful. Let's look at each in detail:

### Profitable

" _The first servant reported, 'Master, I invested your money and made ten times the original amount!'" (Luke 19:16 NLT)_

**A steward must be profitable**. A profitable servant is earmarked for elevation. Regardless of field a profitable person is a promotable person. The spotlight of attention shines favorably on the person who can, through their results, show themselves to be assets and disfavorably on those who prove themselves to be liabilities.

Whether your profitability is in exceeding quota, reducing costs, increasing efficiency and/or effectiveness, being a consistent problem solver, or getting others to produce better (which is the best value) do this so that you shine.

God blesses profitable stewards.

A profitable person can produce results in almost any situation even with liability stacked against liability. Profitable people see treasure where others see trash. Knowing how to be profitable is more profitable than the profit itself. If you did it once you can do it again.

Are the resources you have to work with small?

Good.

Learn how to be profitable even if you only have **two fish and five loaves of bread.** Learning how to be profitable with small capital is preparation for larger capital. The resources may change but the outcome will remain the same— perhaps be even better! Regardless of profession you're there to be profitable.

No one hires someone they believe to be a liability, much less promote that person. Any employer who hires somebody is, in essence, purchasing something they believe to be an asset. If you're truly profitable your influence will always increase. Those who aren't profitable remain a part of the crowd and have to learn to take orders from those that are.

### David Was Profitable

After Saul David was Israel's next king—there was no disputing that. He was handpicked by God Himself. And even though he was destined to rule multitudes God started him off small. For instance, when he was on the run he became a ruler of outcasts:

" _When David escaped from the town of Gath, he went to Adullam Cave. His brothers and the rest of his family found out where he was, and they followed him there. A lot of other people joined him too. Some were in trouble, others were angry or in debt, and David was soon the leader of four hundred men." (1Samuel 22:1-2 CEV)_

When this "army" initially went into battle together... it didn't look too good at first:

" _One day some people told David, 'The Philistines keep attacking the town of Keilah and stealing grain from the threshing place.' David asked the Lord, ''Should I attack these Philistines?' 'Yes,' the Lord answered. 'Attack them and rescue Keilah. But David's men said, 'Look, even here in Judah we're afraid of the Philistines. We will be terrified if we try to fight them at Keilah!'" (1 Samuel 23:1-3 CEV)_

In essence what they were saying was, "Are you crazy?! We're scared of them

here and you want us to go where they are?? Are you outta your mind?!"

So David ran back to God (I would too!):

" _David asked the Lord about it again. 'Leave right now, the Lord answered. "I will give you victory over the Philistines at Keilah. David and his men went there and fiercely attacked the Philistines. They killed many of them, then led away their cattle, and rescued the people of Keilah." (1 Samuel 23:4-5 CEV)_

Even though they had a rough start they managed to win that battle. Under David's leadership this army grew and some became part of a special elite force called David's Mighty Men.

David was an awesome leader—his people loved him and were willing to do anything for him. One example is when David was in a stronghold and was thirsty:

" _David was then in the stronghold, and the garrison of the Philistines was then at Bethlehem. And David said longingly, 'Oh that someone would give me water to drink from the well of Bethlehem that is by the gate!' Then the three mighty men broke through the camp of the Philistines and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem that was by the gate and took it and brought it to David." (1 Chronicles 11:16-18 ESV)_

Now it's one thing to get your leader a drink of water; it's another thing to break through an enemy garrison, get some water, and break through it again to get it to your leader! David was profitable—he took less and did more—a lot more with it!

### Faithful

" _Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful." (1 Corinthians 4:2 KJV)_

A steward must be faithful. The Bible says, _"Most men will proclaim every one his own goodness: but a faithful man who can find?"_ (Proverbs 20:6 KJV) In other words, "Everyone says they're faithful, but a truly faithful person is rare." Faithfulness is the surest sign of a good steward—and an essential requirement for promotion.

God blesses faithful stewards.

No one promotes somebody that can't be trusted. If they're irresponsible in their

present position, why give them more responsibility?

The Bible says,

" _Confidence in an unfaithful man in time of trouble is like a broken tooth, and a foot out of joint." Proverbs 25:19 (KJV)_

Try eating with a broken tooth and putting pressure on an out-of-joint foot—the pain is almost unbearable! _"Never let go of loyalty and faithfulness. Tie them around your neck; write them on your heart. If you do this, both God and people will be pleased with you."_ (Proverbs 3:3-4 GNT)

### Moses Was Faithful

Moses and God shared a special relationship. Moses spent as much time in the Presence of God as he could—and God adored him. When Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses behind his back, the Bible said:

" _Suddenly the Lord said to Moses, Aaron, and Miriam, 'I want the three of you to come out to the Tent of My Presence.' They went, and the Lord came down in a pillar of cloud, stood at the entrance of the Tent, and called out, 'Aaron! Miriam!' The two of them stepped forward, and the Lord said, 'Now hear what I have to say! When there are prophets among you, I reveal Myself to them in visions and speak to them in dreams. It is different when I speak with My servant Moses; I have put him in charge of all My people Israel. So I speak to him Face-to-face, clearly and not in riddles; he has even seen My form! How dare you speak against my servant Moses?'" (Numbers 12:4-8 GNT)_

And immediately Miriam was struck with leprosy; and it took Moses, the one they scorned, to intercede on her behalf.

When Korah led a rebellion against Moses and Aaron, God wasted no time in defending His special servant:

" _The earth opened its mouth and swallowed the men, along with their households and all their followers who were standing with them, and everything they owned. So they went down alive into the grave, along with all their belongings. The earth closed over them, and they all vanished from among the people of Israel. All the people around them fled when they heard their screams. 'The earth will swallow us, too!' they cried. Then fire blazed forth from the Lord and burned up the 250 men who were offering incense." (Number 16:32-35 NLT)_

But unfortunately many didn't learn because...

" _The very next morning the whole community of Israel began muttering again against Moses and Aaron, saying, 'You have killed the Lord's people!' As the community gathered to protest against Moses and Aaron, they turned toward the Tabernacle and saw that the cloud had covered it, and the glorious Presence of the Lord appeared." (Numbers 16: 41-42 NLT)_

God was serious about protecting His faithful one!

What happened next??

A plague broke out and _"14,700 people died in that plague, in addition to those who had died in the affair involving Korah."_ (Numbers 16:49 NLT)

Moses was so faithful that God _"made His ways known unto Moses, [but] His acts unto the children of Israel."_ (Psalm 103:7 KJV) To Moses God revealed the deep parts of Himself—like friends revealing their hearts to one another.

And so it remains today, to the mature God reveals His ways (the deeper parts of Him) but to the immature He reveals His acts (the beginning parts of Him). When speaking about Moses one writer said, _"his work was an illustration of the truths God would reveal later."_ (Hebrews 3:5 NLT) Moses was the illustration of true faithfulness and Christ became the reality. Moses wasn't perfect but he was faithful and faithful people are truly dear to God's Heart.

### Discover the Champion in You

For years Joel Osteen worked behind the scenes, was afraid to speak in public, and never thought of becoming a pastor. Yet now he's pastor of the largest churches in America is a best selling author, and millions listen to him every week, follow his lead, raise their Bibles, and say in unison: "This is my Bible. I am who it says I am. I have what it says I have. I can do what it says I can do..." And all because he understood what it meant to be a good steward.

He was born Joel Scott Hayley Osteen to John and Doddie Osteen. His father started Lakewood Church on Mother's day in 1959—in a converted feed store. The elder Osteen, who at the time was a southern Baptist, was alienated by his denomination for, what they viewed as, unconventional practices: preaching a message of love and eternal happiness when fire and brimstone were the norm, embracing certain tenets of Pentecostalism, and preaching a "prosperity gospel." The church's membership grew and by the late 1970's it had outgrown the feed store and they built a bigger space.

The younger Osteen, who was studying at Oral Roberts University (ORU), decided to drop out and come back to Houston. On one hand, to help care for his mother, who was diagnosed with terminal cancer in 1981 (she's been completely healed), and on the other hand, to start Lakewood's first TV ministry. The elder Osteen agreed but with one catch: the church would never ask for money. While at ORU the younger Osteen kept thinking of ways the church could serve more people—and with his love of marketing television seemed to be the best answer. He left ORU, came home, and immersed himself in the task of expanding Lakewood's reach.

### The Steward Behind the Scenes

Osteen worked diligently behind the scenes expanding his father's ministry. From adjusting a light (sometimes taking four hours to do it) to picking the suits that would make his dad look good on camera—everything mattered to Osteen. Under Osteen's leadership the television ministry grew by leaps and bounds. Even though Osteen was serving his father faithfully, he grew frustrated with his father's reluctance for rapid expansion:

"At one point I had arranged for a large number of radio stations to carry our weekly broadcast. I said, 'Daddy, if you'll come down to the studio for maybe an hour a week, we can make all these radio programs.' To my dismay, Daddy responded, 'Joel, I don't want to do that. I'm seventy-five years old, and I'm not looking for anything else to do.' I was so disappointed. I thought, God, _I'm young, and I have all these dreams to touch the world; I have lots of energy; I don't want to do less. I want to do more."_

Osteen was disappointed but he respected his father's wishes.

The elder Osteen, for years, would try to persuade his son to give a message. The younger would always refuse—he had a fear of public speaking. One Sunday the elder called his son at home and asked, one more time, if he would give a message. The younger said no, hung up the phone, and sat down to eat his dinner. But then something strange happened:

"While Victoria and I were eating, Daddy's words kept flitting through my mind, and with no other provocation, I began to have an overwhelming desire to preach. I didn't really understand it at the time, but I knew I had to do something. Keep in mind, I had never prepared a sermon, let alone considered standing up in front of thousands of people to speak. Nevertheless, I called Daddy right back and said. 'Daddy, I've changed my mind. I think I'll do it.'" (Your Best Life Now, pg 198)

He hung up the phone, and sat down thinking it was the worst mistake he ever made!

On January 17th, 1999 the younger gave his first sermon as his father listened in the hospital. The elder died less than a week later.

### From the Background to the Forefront

With the loss of Lakewood's senior pastor many critics predicted the size of the church would shrink, or worse, the church would close down. Osteen continued preaching even though he too wondered if the church would survive. But on October 3, 1999 Osteen was officiated as Lakewood's new senior pastor—under his leadership the church's congregation has increased more than fivefold.

The steward who, for 17 years, stayed behind the scenes to make his father look good, now is one of the most influential and inspirational pastors in the world! In his book, he tells the touching story of the last day he saw his father. His father needed to get to the clinic for dialysis and called his son—it was four in the morning. He stayed the entire day, took care of his father, his father told him how much he loved and appreciated him, Osteen did the same, and he took his father home. During that time he said something that illustrates, in my mind, the heart of a good steward:

"I told him, 'Daddy, I'm going to do everything I can to make your life better, to make your life more comfortable, to make you proud of me.'"

Those are the wishes of a true steward: to make the lives of their master better, more comfortable, and to make them proud.

God honors good stewards!

As a good steward, Osteen did everything with excellence. He had no idea he'd be Lakewood's future pastor; he just did everything he could to serve his father. He tells the time, years before his father's passing, when the church decided to remodel its platform area. The younger wanted everything to be right for the elder. For months he worked with the architects and designers, had a mock-up made of everything, and spent several weeks working on the lighting:

"I was committed to excellence. Little did I realize that one day I would be the one standing on the same platform, behind the same podium. I didn't realize it then, but I was building my own house. Looking back, I'm glad I put forth the extra effort. I'm glad I gave it everything I had." (Your Best Life Now, 295)

You are a steward. Whether you're a good or bad one is your choice.

Be a good one.

Serve your bosses (whether they be managers or customers), be profitable, be faithful, be efficient, do more than expected even if no one is looking. The God Who sees what you do _"in secret will Himself reward you openly."_ (Matthew 6:4 NKJV)

Who knows? The very platform you're building might be the one you'll stand on! _"If you care for your orchard, you'll enjoy its fruit; if you honor your boss, you'll be honored."_ (Proverbs 27:18 MSG)

### 11

### LAW OF SERVICE

**The law that states in order to be greatest of all one must be servant of all**

" _They came to Capernaum. When He was safe at home, He asked them, 'What were you discussing on the road?' The silence was deafening—they had been arguing with one another over who among them was greatest. He sat down and summoned the twelve. 'So you want first place? Then take the last place. Be the servant of all.'" (Mark 9:33-35 MSG)_

" **The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others."**

—Mohandas K Gandhi

We said before that everyone wants to be great. And everyone has different definitions of greatness—but the one defining characteristic of true greatness is service.

Service is the door that leads to greatness.

Jesus said, _"For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give His Life as a ransom for many."_ (Mark 10:45 NIV)

There's no way around it.

When it was Aaron's time to die God told Moses _"strip Aaron of his garments, and put them upon Eleazar his son: and Aaron shall be gathered unto his people, and shall die there."_ (Numbers 20:26 KJV) When Moses stripped him of his garments (or his robes of service) he died immediately. What does that mean? I truly believe our lives end when we stop serving others—but they begin the moment we do! A life of service is a life well lived.

### Servants Empty Themselves

The Bible says,

" _Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, who, though He was in the Form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. And being found in human form, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death. Even death on a cross." (Philippians 2:5-8 NRSV)_

A true servant must be humble. They must be willing to put aside all privileges to serve those who need service. And only with a servants mind and heart can we effectively serve. Christ humbled Himself and took the lowest position and God took Him from the lowest to the highest!

To "empty" one's self is to remove all preconceptions, pride, arrogance, brilliance, and even past information. Servants must be empty before they can be filled.

To be "full of" one's self is to know the answer without really assessing the problem:

  * When a good salesperson calls on a prospect one of the first things he or she does is a "fact-finder" analysis. Only after uncovering the prospect's needs can the salesperson truly serve.

  * When a doctor meets with a new patient he or she diagnoses the problem before prescribing an answer.

  * To effectively learn anything students must first empty themselves. The worst thing a teacher can hear from an ignorant student is "I know."

We all have to empty ourselves periodically. In order to be productive servants we have to keep finding better ways to serve. A person, ministry, company, or organization that refuses to change with the times to better serve people is, in my opinion, doing a disservice.

In the 1990's IBM, once the world's premier computer company, appeared ready for demise. In 1993 it reported a net loss of $8.1 billion, in addition to net losses in 1991 and 1992. It also was losing market share as companies like Compaq moved in and dethroned it as the largest PC maker.

With no controls on spending and 100 days before its cash ran out a new CEO was

appointed: Lou Gerstner. Many outsiders viewed a turnaround as impossible, even Gerstner had his doubts: "It just looked like it was going into a death spiral. I wasn't convinced it was solvable."

Management was overhauled, controls were put on spending, huge layoffs were administered, and tough management decisions were made during his first two years of tenure. By 1998 IBM recorded revenues of $81.7 billion, and a profit of $6.3 billion. The giant once again became whole and today continues on a steady trail of growth and productivity.

His turnaround of IBM became legendary.

However during his first few weeks of activity he did everything to empty himself. He knew little about the technology and had to learn on the job. In addition to his hectic schedule his first few weeks were spent analyzing the company and asking questions of staff. He was always seen with a pad and pen taking notes. He emptied himself of any preconceptions and did a thorough analysis of the problem at hand.

When Nehemiah received the go-ahead to rebuild Jerusalem's walls he didn't come in prophesying, giving out orders, or proclaiming victory he simply emptied himself of what he knew and inspected the premises:

" _Under cover of night I went past the Valley Gate toward the Dragon's Fountain to the Dung Gate looking over the walls of Jerusalem, which had been broken through and whose gates had been burned up. I then crossed to the Fountain Gate and headed for the King's Pool but there wasn't enough room for the donkey I was riding to get through. So I went up the valley in the dark continuing my inspection of the wall. I came back in through the Valley Gate. The local officials had no idea where I'd gone or what I was doing—I hadn't breathed a word to the Jews, priests, nobles, local officials, or anyone else who would be working on the job." (Nehemiah 2:13-16 MSG)_

Good leaders and servants empty themselves.

### We're Called to be Good

Paul says, _"For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die."_ (Romans 5:7 KJV) What causes people to consider dying for a good man, but not for a righteous one? The word "righteous " and "good" both carry the notion of being "beneficial"—the main difference is that the righteous man is beneficial to himself whereas the good man is beneficial to others. That's why righteousness is not a fruit of the Spirit but goodness is. We're automatically righteous (or in right-standing with God) through faith in Christ, but we grow in goodness.

I grew up in the Black Pentecostal/Holiness circle and there was always talk about spiritual warfare. And what that usually meant was using speaking in tongues, "dancing on the enemy," "going to battle," and shouting and dancing ecstatically. And not to take away from that; but when Peter begins to talk about Jesus doing spiritual warfare it was done through His good deeds:

" _That word, I say, ye know, which was published throughout all Judæa, and began from Galilee, after the baptism which John preached; How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with Him." (Acts 10:37-38 KJV)_

God was with Jesus so He could do good; He's with you so you can do the same.

It was goodness that caused Doddie Osteen to win her battle with cancer. When she was first diagnosed in 1981 she did three things:

  * First, she and her husband John prayed and believed that she was completely healed.

  * Second, she found every Scripture on healing and proclaimed them every day—several times a day.

  * And finally she ministered to other sick people by helping and praying for them healed!

I could get the first two but that third one threw me for a loop. Could you imagine: helping other sick people while you're sick? Ministering to others while you need to be ministered to?

That's unreal!

And yet the Bible says, _"If you extend your soul to the hungry and satisfy the afflicted soul, then your light shall dawn in the darkness, and your darkness shall be as the noonday."_ (Isaiah 58:10 NKJV)

It's when we help others that God makes sure we are helped. Remember more than just being beneficial to ourselves, we're called to be beneficial to others.

### Cultures of Service

The greatest companies are those that understand this service principle. In fact, the late investor Sir John Templeton once said:

"In almost fifty years of studying over ten thousand corporations, I learned that the best long-term results flowed to those who focused on providing increasingly beneficial products and services. Whatever one does, he first should ask, 'In the long run, is this really useful to the public?' If so, he is serving as a minister."

But beyond products there are certain characteristics that these companies possess:

They know it starts with the top

Whatever's at the top will trickle down—whether good or bad _"it's like costly anointing oil flowing down head and beard...like the dew on Mount Hermon flowing down the slopes of Zion."_ (Psalms 133:2-3 MSG) Jesus Himself said, _"Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner."_ (John 5:19 NKJV)

They understand their "why"

When Masaru Ibuka first started Sony with seven other employees, before they figured out "what" they were going to sell, they spent the first few weeks figuring out their "who" and their "why": Who are we? And why are? Truly great companies understand their "why" more than anything else.

They train thoroughly

The Bible says, _"If the ax is dull and its edge unsharpened, more strength is needed but skill will bring success."_ (Ecclesiastes 10:10 NIV) We call people who are skilled and/or knowledgeable about a certain topic sharp— because with less strength they can typically accomplish much more than others.

These companies invest considerable time, money, and resources to keep their staff _sharp_. Jesus also spent considerable time with His disciples—He wanted them _sharp_! In fact, He was harder on them than He was with others.

For example, when He was ready to depart Philip asked Him to show them the

Father, hear Jesus' response: _"You've been with Me all this time, Philip, and you still don't understand? To see Me is to see the Father. So how can you ask, 'Where is the Father?'"_ (John 14:9 MSG)

In other words, "I've been with you for so long and you still don't get it?!"

They treat people like owners

Jesus said, _"I am the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd lays down His Life for the sheep. He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep."_ (John 10:11-13 ESV)

A shepherd is vastly different from a hired hand—the shepherd has a sense of ownership while the hired hand doesn't. As a result, when adversity comes the hired hand is gone! Most organizations treat people like hired hands instead of like shepherds. They hire people with immense potential and creativity and then treat them like "go fors"—"go for this, go for that, and I'll make all the decisions."

But when people are treated like shepherds—they're being listened to, they feel like their ideas matter, they're treated like people instead of numbers on a financial statement, and etc— they'll be willing to give their **all** for the organization. Some will even lay down their _"life for the sheep."_

They promote from within and from the ground up

When David became king of Israel one of his first tasks was to conquer Jerusalem. The Jebusites who lived there taunted him believing he couldn't get in. So David decided to promote from within: _"David had told his troops, 'The first soldier to kill a Jebusite will become my army commander.' And since Joab son of Zeruiah attacked first, he became commander."_ (1 Chronicles 11:6 CEV)

David opened a new position in his organization, interviewed his people, and Joab got the job!

People want to be in an organization where there's growth and opportunity for advancement. Nobody wants to be in something that's dead or dying. We're all growth oriented—because anything that's not growing is dying. That's why Jethro was so upset with Moses! He saw Moses doing everything himself and corrected him immediately. His advice was essentially this: "Find people who are competent, promote them, and make sure to promote from the inside!"

### Service Has Many Faces

The Bible says, _"There are different kinds of gifts...there are different ways to serve...there are different ways to work."_ (1 Corinthians 12: 4-6 NIRV)

Martin Luther King Jr. once said,

"If you want to be important—wonderful. If you want to be recognized— wonderful. If you want to be great—wonderful. But recognize that he who is greatest among you shall be your servant...by giving that definition of greatness, it means that everybody can be great. Because everybody can serve. You don't have to have a college degree to serve. You don't have to make your subject and your verb agree to serve... You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love."

He was absolutely right! Service is not one dimensional—we were all meant to serve in different ways. Everybody has their own definition of greatness but that definition means nothing without service.

Most people believe that to serve means only being in "ministry"—that's not true. God has given us all different talents, abilities, and strengths. People like Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Daniel, and etc weren't in the "ministry" but they served. And God honored them because they honored Him by serving others. Use your gifts, your talents, abilities, and resources and find ways to serve— remember: _"there are different ways to work."_

Last point: you don't have to be "influential" and/or "great" to help others. Anybody can serve. In fact, I believe God honors "lowly" service more than "great" service.

One day Jesus sat down and watched people bring in their temple offering. He watched people give in their money—some even gave in huge amounts! Then He watched as a poor widow woman put in two small coins. He was so amazed that He called His disciples to show them:

" _I tell you the truth, this poor widow gave more than all those rich people. They gave only what they did not need. This woman is very poor, but she gave all she had; she gave all she had to live on." (Mark 12:43-44 NCV)_

What she gave was small but she gave _"all she had!"_ Be a good servant _._ _"Whenever you possibly can, do good to those who need it. Never tell your neighbors to wait until tomorrow if you can help them now."_ (Proverbs 3:27-28 GNT)

### 12

### LAW OF THANKSGIVING

**The Law that states that before we can have more we must be grateful for what we have now**

" _Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever." (Psalms 107:1 NIV)_

" **The unthankful heart...discovers no mercies; but let the thankful heart sweep through the day and, as the magnet finds the iron, so it will find, in every hour, some heavenly blessings!"** —Henry Ward Beecher

Imagine you have two children whom you love very much. You provide for them, care for them, and give everything you have for them. Yet though they're both your children they respond to you in totally different ways.

Your first child is somewhat of a cynic, doesn't believe in you as much as he claims, and says very hurtful things at times. For instance you serve him breakfast and he says, "Eggs again?! Didn't we have eggs yesterday and the day before that; we never have any real food. If I can't trust you with a good breakfast how can I trust you with a good lunch? By the way, what shall I do for dinner? I mean you fed me last night but what about tonight? I know you said you'd do it but logically it just doesn't seem possible. Do you even love me by the way? Do you care?"

Then there's your other boy—he's not as "logical" he just believes that you love him, will continue to love him, and will always take care of him—no matter what. When you serve him breakfast his response is vastly different: "Wow! Thank you so much for this breakfast. In fact, thank you for all the ways you've fed and provided for me. I also want to thank you for the lunch and dinner you've promised me as well. Even when we I was little you fed me, how can I not believe you'll continue to feed me? Also, thank you for the roof over my head, the clothes on my back, the bed I slept in—thank you for your provision. I know I'm not perfect but I thank you for loving me in spite of me. I thank you that you'll always love me, always care for me, always favor me, and always provide for me. I...thank...you!"

Now tell me: who would you be willing to bless a little bit more?

### Thanksgiving—the road to abundance

God hates an ungrateful spirit. It's one of the great evils of mankind: _"For although they knew God, they neither glorified Him as God nor gave thanks to Him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened."_ _(_ Romans 1:21 TNIV) It was this same ingratitude that caused that brought God's anger on the children of Israel:

" _We should not tempt the Lord [try His patience, become a trial to Him, critically appraise Him, and exploit His goodness] as some of them did—and were killed by poisonous serpents; nor discontentedly complain as some of them did—and were put out of the way entirely by the destroyer (death)." (1 Corinthians 10: 9-10 AMP)_

God can't stand to be around murmuring, complaining, belly-aching people. He can't. But those people who are continually grateful He can't stand to do without.

Truly great people (leaders, entrepreneurs, change agents, and etc) show gratitude freely and genuinely. And why not? The benefits are immense!

The Bible says,

" _Let the peoples praise You [turn away from their idols] and give thanks to You, O God; let all the peoples praise and give thanks to You! The earth has yielded its harvest [in evidence of God's approval]." (Psalms 67:5-6 AMP)_

In other words, as we give thanks to Him He turn increases us.

When Jesus had 2 fishes and 5 loaves of bread and was ready to feed 5,000 men, not to mention women and children, He gave thanks and fed the multitude. It was not enough but when He gave thanks for it became more than enough.

Much like the law of reciprocity gratitude allows blessings to constantly flow and circulate into your life. For God designed life to always be in constant exchange—to give one thing is to gain another.

We all want some level of affluence. Your level may be different than mine but we all want the options that affluence brings. But we seldom realize that affluence "flows" into the life of a person. In fact, the word "affluence" comes from the root word "affluere," which means "to flow to." Affluence means "to flow in abundance." Hence, why money is also called "currency."

Thanksgiving opens the floodgates.

True wealth ALWAYS begins with a wealthy state of mind; and gratitude is one of the elements to cultivating that mind. Increase begins when you are grateful for what you already have.

Research proves this:

  * In one study by the Journal of Marketing it was found that customers of a jewelry store who were called and thanked showed a subsequent 70% increase in purchases. In comparison, customers who were thanked and told about a sale showed only a 30% increase in purchases, and customers who were not called at all showed no increase.

  * In another study, by the Journal of Applied Psychology, waitresses who simply wrote "thank you" on the check before handing it to customers received on average 11% more tips than those who didn't.

Doesn't sound like much? Oh...well...I guess you don't need your customers to make a 70% increase in purchases. What was I thinking?? ;)

This law is pretty simple: be grateful for what you have and receive more; complain about what you have (or don't have) receive less...or have what you've received taken away.

### Thanksgiving is a sign of faith

We receive all God has for us through faith. The Bible says,

" _Now faith is the assurance (the confirmation, the title deed) of the things [we] hope for, being the proof of things [we] do not see and the conviction of their reality [faith perceiving as real fact what is not revealed to the senses]." (Hebrews 11:1 AMP)_

If I gave you the keys to my car and told you it was yours it wouldn't make much difference in a court of law. Why? Because though you have the keys the title deed is in my name. And so faith is the title deed of things we hope for—faith signifies ownership of it.

It's one thing to thank me for something after you've received it; it's another thing to thank before. The first is an act of gratitude—the second is an act of faith. Paul says to thank God in faith for the things you want:

" _Do not fret or have any anxiety about anything, but in every circumstance and in everything, by prayer and petition (definite requests), with thanksgiving, continue to make your wants known to God." (Philippians 4:6 AMP)_

As we said before, we have access to all God has for us through faith...faith in Christ. In Christ we don't find God saying "ummmm" "well..." "you see..." "let Me think about it..." No, in Christ we hear God's resounding "yes":

" _For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, the one who was proclaimed among you by us – by me and Silvanus and Timothy – was not 'Yes' and 'No,' but it has always been 'Yes' in Him. For every one of God's promises are "Yes" in Him; therefore also through Him the 'Amen' is spoken, to the glory we give to God." (2 Corinthians 1:19-20 NET)_

In Christ we have wholeness, peace, prosperity, freedom from sin, help in temptation and trial, joy, and not to mention eternal life. Every promise of God is fulfilled in Him—a everything we could possibly need and want is found in Him:

" _So don't boast about following a particular human leader. For everything belongs to you—whether Paul or Apollos or Peter, or the world, or life and death, or the present and the future. Everything belongs to you, and you belong to Christ, and Christ belongs to God." (1 Corinthians 3:21-23 NLT)_

And so since we have access to all of God's promises through Christ, we thank Him for its realization even before we see it. Examples: "Lord I thank You for Your prosperity cause Word says..." "I thank You for Your healing cause Your Word says..." "I thank You for Your peace cause Your Word says..." and etc.

That's walking by faith...and it pleases Him to no end!

### Thanksgiving is a Lifestyle

Thanksgiving was meant to be a lifestyle. It's the characteristic of a mature person—someone who is truly deeply rooted:

" _My counsel for you is simple and straightforward: Just go ahead with what you've been given. You received Christ Jesus, the Master; now live him. You're deeply rooted in Him. You're well constructed upon Him. You know your way around the faith. Now do what you've been taught. School's out; quit studying the subject and start living it! And let your living spill over into thanksgiving." (Colossians 2:6-7 MSG)_

Our living should always _"spill over into thanksgiving."_ But this is not always the case, is it? I know in my life I have been pretty ungrateful. It's so much easier to do.

But ingratitude ALWAYS makes things worse. Whether it's a parents who gripes about a child, a boss who complains about an employee, or a pastor who always beats his sheep. It's so much easier to nitpick.

Thanksgiving is a lifestyle...or at least it should be. Whether things are good, bad, or indifferent we should make the conscious decision to always be grateful: _"In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you."_ (1 Thessalonians 5:18 KJV)

### 14

### GREATNESS REVISITED

" _Now the Lord said to Abram, 'Go from your country and your kindred and your father's house to the land that I will show you. And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing...and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed." (Genesis 12:1-3 ESV)_

" **Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, 'Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?' Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others."** —Marianne Williamson, A Return to Love

One day while walking Jesus was followed by two blind men. These blind men cried out to Him for mercy—they wanted to see. After a brief conversation _"He touched their eyes and said, 'Become what you believe.'"_ (Matthew 9:29 MSG) It is my hope that after reading this, you believe that you were meant to be great and you'll _"become what you believe."_

Remember: like Abraham you become great to make others great; you're blessed to be a blessing.

These laws are timeless and timely; they'll work if you work them! How did I learn about them?? I wish I could tell you I learned them just through studying, or through my successes, or that God spoke out of heaven and said, "Write what I tell you to write, saith the Lord!" But if I said that I'd be lying.

Truth of the matter is, I learned about these laws through my own failures:

  * I learned about the importance of vision by not having one

  * I learned about the importance of going the extra mile by only going the first

  * I learned about the importance of persistence by giving up too quickly

  * I learned the importance of stewardship by being a poor one

  * I learned the importance of service by not doing enough of it

  * I learned the importance of thanksgiving by being a belly-aching, complaining mess

Sorry I didn't tell you earlier...we were getting to know each other. I feel like I know you a little bit better now...and I hope you can say the same.

### Cut it Down

When Hezekiah became king at 25 he instituted reforms that made people's head spin. But what made him stand out apart from the other "good" kings like is that he went further than them in instituting reform. He broke down the pagan shrines which many failed to touch. And he broke up the bronze serpent Moses made because the people worshiped it.

Think about that last one for a second: he broke the serpent Moses made.

Moses!

The man that led the Israelites out of Egypt, instituted worship, delivered the Law, and brought them to the edge of Canaan. You just don't touch, much less alter ANYTHING anyone that great did–and yet Hezekiah did it. Why? Simple. The people worshiped it instead God.

Hezekiah cut down the serpent Moses made because though it originally had a noble intent it became a hindrance. It got in the way of people and God. That's why you're here; that's why God called you; and that's why He's raising you up. What stops most people from becoming great is their unwillingness to cut down these bronze serpents. All the other kings before Hezekiah saw it and probably saw the effects of it...but only Hezekiah cut it down.

There are many people around you crying "It needs to change!" But you're the one He's called to cut it down.

You know what "it" is. Cut it down. Don't let Him down.

### The Greatest Man Who Ever Lived

There are many great characters in the Bible as well as through out history—but Christ is our ultimate model. Peter declared that Christ left _"us an example to follow, that ye should follow in His steps."_ (1 Peter 2:21 KJV)

That word "example" is the Greek word "Hupogrammos" (pronounced HOOP-O-GRAM-MOS) and it means "an underwriting, i.e. copy for imitation." It comes from the custom of tracing letters for scholars to copy. Christ is the greatest Man that ever lived. He's our copy for imitation. He embodies what true greatness is:

  * He put to use the **law of purpose** —He knew what He was called to do and never deviated from that call

  * He put to use the **law of vision** —He knew where He came from and where He was going.

  * He put to use the **law of the extra mile** —He went many miles to fulfill His purpose;

  * He truly sacrificed Himself to get the job done.

  * He put to use the **law of persistence** —He never quit until He finished His mission.

  * He put to use the **law of stewardship** **—** He was profitable and faithful with the resources He was given.

  * He put to use the **law of service** —He served others, served His Father, emptied Himself, and was obedient unto death.

  * He put to use the **law of thanksgiving** —He was grateful for what He had and who He was given. He lived a life of gratitude.

Jesus gave His all for us and in the end God truly raised Him up!

Paul said, _"You know the generous grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, so that by His poverty He could make you rich."_ (2 Corinthians 8:9 NLT)

Or as a great theologian once stated,

"The Son of God became the Son of Man that the sons of men might become the sons of God."

### It's Not About You

As we conclude know that God has a purpose and a plan for your life. He Himself said,

" _For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.'"(Jeremiah 29:11 NIV)_

This may be the end of our journey—but not the end of yours. There are seeds of greatness inside of you that need to be cultivated and brought to fruition. Put these laws to use, help someone else achieve their own greatness, teach others what you have learned, and _"become what you believe."_

But know this: the purpose of your greatness is for His Glory! It's not about you...it's all about Him! David with all his wealth and influence understood this simple truth:

" _King David went in, took his place before God, and prayed: 'Who am I, my Master God, and what is my family, that You have brought me to this place in life?...What can I possibly say in the face of all this? You know me, Master God, just as I am. You've done all this not because of who I am but because of Who You Are—out of Your very Heart! But You've let me in on it.'" (2 Samuel 7:18, 20-21 MSG)_

Ultimately, our purpose on earth is to know and serve Him...beyond that nothing else matters! _"After all this, there is only one thing to say: Have reverence for God, and obey His commands, because this is all that we were created for."_ (Ecclesiastes 12:13 GNT)

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