Your Eden Work

As we start the Independence Day holiday in the United States,  many of us think about freedom and “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.”  Many other countries also have their own independence day, when I’m sure they think of the same things.  But we need to ask the question, “Are we really free?”

Most of us are tied down to jobs and bosses we don’t want, but we should ask ourselves, “What do we want?”

We here in America and in many other countries have the freedom to participate in free enterprise: the right to be entrepreneurs.

Many of America’s founding fathers were entrepreneurs, land speculators and securities speculators, including Benjamin Franklin and Robert Morris.

We also know that the majority of them, if not most, were Christians.  They probably got a lot of their inspiration about freedom from the Bible.

There are a lot of scripture verses that talk about liberty and freedom, but two of them inspire me particularly in these difficult economic times, and is why I believe most Christians should at least have or be in the process of starting a part-time business:

It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. - Galatians 5:1 (NIV-emphasis mine)

Were you a slave when you were called? Don’t let it trouble you–although if you can gain your freedom, do so. - 1 Cor. 7:21 (NIV-emphasis mine)

Ahh…Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness…

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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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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?”

I went with my family today to Morey’s Pier in Wildwood, N.J.  Morey’s started about 40 years ago, with just a fun slide.  Today, it is one of the top amusement “parks” in the U.S.

My wife and I talked about all the possible ways in which Morey’s makes money…from the fees for the rides, all the discount packaged fees, the concession stands for food and drink that they run, the arcade games, and I’m sure there are others we didn’t notice…and now they have three piers!

This is an example of the importance of diversification; of developing streams of income.  Most individuals, businesses, existing or startups, and sometimes even not-for-profits/ministries don’t think about the different things they can do to bring in income.

This doesn’t mean to lose focus, but focus on how to not “lose!”

What are or have been your ideas for diversification?