The King and His Kingdom – Part Seven

The King and His Kingdom Video

Session 7

Welcome to Part 7 of the King and His Kingdom, where we ask the question – ‘Kingdom Business or Business in the Kingdom’?

This session is primarily aimed at Christian business owners. ‘Kingdom business’ is seen as the work of the Lord, in other words sharing the gospel, praying for people or situations, Lord; and helping to meet the needs of others. ‘Business in the Kingdom’ on the other hand, can be seen as doing business in the worldly realm in the name of the Lord.

Today’s business market is extremely competitive. There has never been a time in our history when all aspects of the business need to be so well-honed in order to merely just stay ‘afloat’.

We believe, by faith, that God can do anything, but can we trust Him to take our businesses to a level where He can freely bless us?

In reality, what is our personal motivation for God to help us in our businesses?

                Is it – To have a business where we would like God to be a partner with us?

                Is it – A business where we can bless the less fortunate through proceeds?

                Or is it – A business we can use as a vehicle to share the Gospel with others? 

There is nothing wrong if we’ve answered ‘yes’ to some or all of these questions.

Let’s Look at some Scripture

Jesus said that He is the vine and we are the branches and that apart from Him, we can do nothing (John 15:5). He says that if we want to bear good testimony to Him in our daily lives, we need to abide in Him and He in us. We need to be spending time with Him in prayer, in His Word, and with other believers. (Spending time with other believers for fellowship and encouragement – not for times of criticizing and judging one another!).

Paul tells us in Romans 8 that those who are sensitive to and obey the Holy Spirit, are His children (Romans 8:14). Again, we need to spend time with Him, if we want to learn how to hear Him through His Spirit. We learn God’s character through reading the word, meaningful fellowship, and praying in our closets, as well as praying in groups.

Jesus says that we will be able to recognize believers by their actions (Matt.7-16-19;20). Our actions reflect the depth of our relationship with the Lord. How are we behaving in our business place?

Types of Businesses

Let’s have a look at some fictitious examples of business types we see in the world today:

Business Number 1…

Worldly Business

A person who does not know the Lord and owns a business will pass on their character through that business. The following ‘fruit’ normally categorizes business in the world without God:

                They are – 100% self-centered

                Management normally – Not Caring about Staff/Suppliers/Customers

                And it’s – Profit at any cost

Business Number 2…

A.L.A. Agencies (Pty) Ltd

After the Lord has touched a repentant heart, change begins to take place in the business owner. When the first part of the salvation process, ‘sight’, has come to the individual (John 3:3), they become enlightened about the things of God and their personal sinful nature. However, at this point, they have not ‘entered’ into the Kingdom of God, because although they are aware of God, they still walk daily in their old nature.  

For the purpose of our session, let’s say this business owner has a business, which we will call “As Long As Agencies (Pty) Ltd.”

Some ‘fruit’ of this business would be:

                They – Pay Staff fairly (Min Wage) – AS LONG AS it’s comfortable

                There is – Fair Exchange of Value – AS LONG AS it’s comfortable

                And they – Give resources to Kingdom work – AS LONG AS it’s comfortable

And finally Business Number 3…

A.L.L. Consultants (Pty) Ltd

However, once the second part of the born again process takes place – being born of water and of the Spirit (John 3:5) – then true entry into the Kingdom of God takes place. At that point, the repentant heart realizes their old nature has died with Jesus on the cross and they now start to operate from the new heart of Jesus. This business owner has a business, which we will call “As Led by the Lord Realties Inc.”.

Some of the ‘fruit’ of this business would be as follows:

                – Pay Staff fairly   –  AS LORD LEADS

                – Fair Exchange of Value –  AS LORD LEADS

                – Give resources to Kingdom Work –  AS LORD LEADS

                – This business will go over and above to make sure Godly principles apply throughout.

Our Measure

If we use Matt. 28:19-20 as the Kingdom ruler to measure business success, this is what we will see:

                                Sharing the Gospel and making disciples

• Worldly business is not involved at all in sharing the Gospel and making disciples.

Sharing the Gospel and making disciples

• “As Long As Agencies (Pty) Ltd.” is involved in sharing the Gospel and making disciples as long as it is comfortable for the business.

Sharing the Gospel and making disciples

• “As Led by the Lord Consultants (Pty) Ltd.” is completely committed to making sure ALL aspects of the business operate according to Godly principles. Sharing the Gospel and making disciples will be a ‘fruit’ thereof.

In Conclusion

Therefore, back to our question – ‘Kingdom Business or Business in the Kingdom’?

 Kingdom business and business in the Kingdom are the same things – one is not possible without the other. Jesus said that apart from Him we cannot do anything (John 15:5). In 1Cor we see we are transformed from our old nature to our new nature in Christ, on a daily basis (1Cor.1:18). As this happens, the fruit displayed in our lives is more reflective of the Lord. If we are business owners, then this fruit is carried down through all aspects of our business.

Thanks very much for joining me over the past 7 sessions – as always my hope is that the Holy Spirit has opened up some new insights for us all and that these sessions have drawn us that bit closer to Him. May the Lord bless you all – until we meet again.

If you feel this article has value, please send this link to others. Writings are meant for people, not for dormant files in our computers. Often, sharing them results in positive changes in the lives of individuals and communities.

“…time with the Master…”

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Mission Malawi – Chapter Eighteen.

30.11.95
Our little grocer business is growing well. How I marvel at the Lords hand. We started off eight months or so ago, with three crates of cold drinks to sell which would give us about K160.00 turn over. Today, by Gods grace we will turn over about K1000.00 per day!

Why not start at the beginning of the series?

As our needs have increased God has blessed the business accordingly, it has just been a case of us watching carefully for the doors HE has opened and obeying HIS word as we go through. Hopefully I will be able to share on a daily basis, the miracles God performs in connection with this business. Up to now there have been so many other things to write.

In regard to the shop at the market we felt that perhaps a small restaurant would be a good idea. Memories of the last one come flooding back, but this time I believe we have the right ingredients (not just for the food!), and this seems to be in the Lords will and not our strength. We needed a place for people to sit and eat so Titus went to investigate at the site. Almost opposite, there is an open structure which the owner has not been able to use for four months. The only site available in the centre of the market!! What a blessing. Titus will go and negotiate with the owner and we will continue to leave it in the Lords hands.

On the domestic front the Lord has opened the door for much sharing in the area of marriage and past hurts. Sometimes we lose sight of the work which is going on in our own hearts. We become so engrossed in ‘outreach’ we forget that God is trying to work in our own hearts through these external circumstances.

Of course, the ‘Team’ is not exempt and require much pastoring and shepherding. “Christmas” time brings back memories of ‘back home’ – family gatherings and large christmas dinners. How easy it is for us to dwell on those things. It’s in those times of depression that the Lord reveals our hearts once again. He is a jealous God and wants all of our attention.

He does not demand that we don’t love our families, but that the love we have for Him must come first – above all else. As we dwell on the things of family, friends and the world, we are able to see just how much we are still tied to those things in our hearts. God allows this circumstance not that He would gain some malicious joy from seeing us in pain, but that we would be aware of just what percentage of our hearts love him and where the balance is. We must pray to receive this teaching and not become downcast and miss what God is showing us.

We are hoping to go up to the Lake next weekend and see if the Lord will open up some land for us. It seems that all land sale has been suspended along the lakeshore until government surveying is complete.

05.12.95
Today we placed a larger than normal bread order due to an increase in our sales. The bread delivery was due as usual around 7:30 in the evening. The day’s sales in the shop weren’t good and by 3:30pm we hadn’t had enough money to pay for the bread.

As we sat in our lounge area wondering what to do, we noticed an unfamiliar white car rolling backwards passed our drive entrance. It was being closely followed by a rather large lady trying to chase it!

We rushed out to see that the car had stopped just short of a deep drainage ditch outside our pavement. The driver got out the car and started shouting at the lady for allowing the car to go backwards. Once the situation calmed, we discovered they they had run out of petrol and the wife was trying to push the car uphill past our house. When she could no longer manage she simply stepped aside and the car rolled backwards!

We were led to invite them in and I asked Arthur if he would mind taking the husband into town in the Combi to buy some fuel.

This was not something I would normally do because I was aware that the Combi was our only form of transport. We relied on it 100% and I didn’t want it exposed to any danger unless we really needed to use it.

On his return, the husband was clearly shaken. He said that he had never experienced such kindness –especially from white people!

He asked me if he could contribute to the petrol we had used taking him into town and proceeded to stuff some notes into my pocket. I didn’t take much notice of what he had put in my pocket and we enjoyed the rest of their visit. They duly left – very grateful for what had happened.

By 7:00pm the bread delivery hadn’t arrived and we had mixed feelings of relief – having not enough money to pay and anxiety because our order hadn’t arrived.

We counted the day’s takings from the shop and we were K135.00 short for the bread payment. Kathy reminded me of the money in my pocket. I pulled it out and counted – K135.00 exactly!!

08.12.95
Theresa-Anne has been asked to help teach English at the local Baptist Church School. Even though she is still busy with her ‘O’ Level qualification and is so young, the need for English teaching is so great. She has agreed to help them every day for no pay so that the arrangement will not break the law in any way.

Arthur takes her to the school each day on the bike.

10.12.95
Arthur has requested to go back to South Africa for a break over the Christmas holidays. He is such a blessing to us and we will miss him, even for this short time.

“…time withe Master…” is an on-going series of teachings, about lifestyle in the Church and is published bi-monthly.
If you feel this article has value, please send this link to others, Writings are meant for people, not for dormant files in our computers and very often when we share them, it results in positive changes in the lives of individuals and communities.

Please feel free to send in questions (see ‘Contact’) and comments (hit ‘Comments’
button).

Kingdom Business or Business in the Kingdom?

Today’s business market is extremely competitive. I don’t think there has ever been a time in our history when all aspects of business need to be so well honed in order to merely stay ‘afloat’.

 We believe, by faith, that God can do anything. Can we trust Him to help us take our businesses to a level where He can freely bless us?