Your Eden Work

If you’ve been reading this blog, you know that a Christian business is supposed to be different from a non-Christian one, if for no other reasons than what its focus and motivations are supposed to be.

I heard a guy say once from the stage at my church, in the beginning of a year, that in the past he had set goals and didn’t achieve them, so that for that coming year he was not going to set goals and just depend on the Holy Spirit to direct him.

So should a Christian entrepreneur have a business plan (or ministry plan, for a ministry)?

“…don’t begin until you count the cost. For who would begin construction of a building without first getting estimates and then checking to see if there is enough money to pay the bills? Otherwise, you might complete only the foundation before running out of funds. And then how everyone would laugh at you! They would say, `There’s the person who started that building and ran out of money before it was finished!’” - Luke 14:28-30 (NLT)

This is what Jesus said!  Yes, in the context He was talking about the cost of following Him, but He is using an illustration that also speaks to the principle of the necessity of planning!

Yet I’ve met some Christian entrepreneurs that are going to start businesses without business plans or who have businesses and never had them!  Go figure!(???)

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Reason #2:

Most Christians don’t give as they should.

The Bible constantly talks about the necessity of giving, and the blessings that accompany it; yet most of us, especially those of us who live in the so-called developed countries, are hung up on what we can get; not what we can give.

We shouldn’t, of course, give to get; but we can’t deny that God through his word does connect receiving blessings (including material things) with giving:

If you give, you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full measure, pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, and running over. Whatever measure you use in giving-large or small-it will be used to measure what is given back to you. - Luke 6:38 (NLT)

It doesn’t matter whether you believe in tithing or not; the point is that we should give:

On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with his income, saving it up, so that when I come no collections will have to be made. - 1 Cor. 16:2 (NIV)

One of the qualities of Godly wealthy people is that they give:

He has scattered abroad his gifts to the poor,his righteousness endures forever… - Psalm 112:9 (NIV)

so shouldn’t those of us who seek to be blessed spiritually and financially emulate them?

The point is that we shouldn’t seek to get because we give, but look at God’s blessings as a result of our giving as a by-product of our love and obedience!

It is possible to give freely and become more wealthy, but those who are stingy will lose everything. The generous prosper and are satisfied; those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed. - Proverbs 11:24-25 (NIV)

 

 

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This question might seem like it has an easy answer, but some current or future Christian entrepreneurs struggle with it, because we sometimes “instinctively” think that we should deal with “our own,” for various reasons.  I, to be honest, was struggling with it, because I have quite a few new ventures in mind, and most of them involve dealing with non-Christians.

There are two things the Lord put on my heart regarding this matter.  The first is the same as what we read in Scripture about evangelism.  We are to be the light of the world (Matthew 5:14), and perhaps we can win some to Christ by our interactions with unbelievers, or non-christians.  I once heard a minister say, “We should be fishers of men; not keepers of the aquarium!”  That is to say, we weren’t called as Christians to be insulated from the world and all to ourselves.

The other revelation He gave me is that in doing business, God wants to transfer wealth to the righteous to establish His covenant (Deuteronomy 8:18) and to bless us:

A good [man] leaveth an inheritance to his children’s children: and the wealth of the sinner [is] laid up for the just. - Proverbs 13:22 (KJV)

So the good person leaves the inheritance to their children’s children (grandchildren), but the non-Christian’s wealth is stored up to be given to the righteous, the Christian.  But I believe it also means that the wealth of the non-Christian is stored up to be given to the Christian!  This is the verse I believe that supports this:

For [God] giveth to a man that [is] good in his sight wisdom, and knowledge, and joy: but to the sinner he giveth travail, to gather and to heap up, that he may give to [him that is] good before God. This also [is] vanity and vexation of spirit. - Ecclesiastes 2:26 (KJV)(emphasis mine)

So it’s okay for Christian entrepreneurs to do business with non-Christians, as long as we’re not involved in industries contrary to Scripture, like liquor, pornography, etc., and we are encouraged to deal with them, to evangelize them and transfer wealth for the Kingdom of God.

What’s your “take” on this?

Reason # 3:

Most Christians don’t know their purpose.

Or, should, I say, His purpose for them (This is what I mean by “your” purpose.), and knowing this makes it easier to be an entrepreneur, because you’re doing what you were called to do.

Jesus knew His purpose:

“And I, the Son of Man, have come to seek and save those like him who are lost.” - Luke 19:10 (NLT)

Paul knew his purpose:

“Then he revealed his Son to me so that I could proclaim the Good News about Jesus to the Gentiles…” - Galatians 1:16 (NLT)

Do you know your purpose?  What God called you to do while you’re on this earth? 

It took me a long time to find it, but I finally did.

I’ve written a book which will be out soon (Of course I’ll tell you about it here when it comes out; that’s one more reason you need to subscribe, if you haven’t done so.) , and hopefully it’ll help you to find your purpose, if you don’t know it.

If you do, what was the “process” you used to find it, or was it just a “revelation?”