Learning to Remain Under the Cloud
This obscure little passage below from Numbers 9:17-23 has largely set the tone for every Christian’s walk. There is a beauty in the simplicity of this message, but to own it for yourself requires a level of discipline that can only be gained by the grace of God.
To set the scene, Moses and over a million Israelites have just left Egypt and are on their way to the Promised Land. They are in a hurry to get there to experience God‘s 400-year-old promise that a land flowing with milk and honey would finally be theirs. God‘s presence in the form of a cloud would rest over them and go before them as he showed them the way.
Choosing Your Allies
I had a dream where I saw a man being swept down a river toward a waterfall. I crawled out onto a limb and reached down and we grabbed each other’s wrists. However, the current was so strong that I could not pull him up onto the limb. I then felt the limb begin to crack. The crisis just got much worse. Should I let go of him to save myself and watch him go over the waterfall perhaps to his death, or do I hang on even though I don’t have the strength to pull him up just to have the limb break and we both go over the waterfall?
What does it mean that the Lord must build the house, or in our case, the business?
The Story of Babylon – Endgame
“Leave Babylon, flee from the Babylonians! Announce this with shouts of joy and proclaim it. Send it out to the ends of the earth; say, ‘The Lord has redeemed his servant Jacob.’” – Isaiah 48:20
Babylon the Great – It is as much a spiritual entity as it is a natural one. It is the most pervasive power on the planet and everyone serves its interest including Christians. Babylon to us is like water to a fish. We don’t recognize it for what it is and we can’t imagine life without it.
The Four Pillars
I began mentoring Tony in January of 2023. Within six months, Tony’s spiritual growth trajectory was beyond anything I could have imagined. He was set free from long-standing addictions; his marriage relationship had significantly improved and his passion for the word of God was growing.
The focus of my mentoring was to get Tony daily hearing God’s voice, building a desire in him to remain in the Spirit and to support him in his teaching gift. When I first asked him to rate himself on a scale of 1-10 on how the fruit of the Spirit was manifesting in his life, he gave himself a three. Within that six-month period, his rating had grown to an eight.
What does it mean that the Lord must build the house, or in our case, the business?
Is God Building Your Company?
“Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the guards stand watch in vain. In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat— for he grants sleep to those he loves.” Psalms 127:1-2
What does it mean that the Lord must build the house, or in our case, the business?
God’s Vision for the Soul of Your Company
Like individuals, companies have souls that either attract or repel God’s (and even the market’s) favor. You may notice that the soul of all companies, small and large, will shift when a change in leadership ushers in new values and priorities.
Is it Practical to Let the Holy Spirit Lead You in Business?
If I were your partner and I told you that we should start pocketing all the cash from our cash paying customers and not pay taxes on it, you might sense the Holy Spirit in your heart say that you cannot do that because it violates the Word of God and your conscience.
Living Under a Green Light
Let’s say you want a Spirit-led company – meaning you want to seek the Holy Spirit’s guidance as you lead your company and you want a culture where this is true for your team as well? At the same time, you may have a lot of anxiety about how unconventional this is, how it will actually look and how much pushback you’ll get from some team members who may not see it as a practical way to run a business.
What Is Spiritual Maturity? (Part 2)
As we discussed in part one, spiritual maturity is not just about how long someone has been a Christian; it is about their ability, and willingness, to flow in the Spirit and to have the discipline to remain there. As believers, we are called to move beyond shallow waters and into deeper intimacy with God where we surrender control to the movement of the Spirit. This deeper walk manifests by the single choice we make each day whether we will choose to live according to the Spirit or according to the flesh.
What Is Spiritual Maturity? (Part 1)
The term spiritual maturity is often used to describe where someone is on their journey from salvation—when their spirit comes alive—to the moment the Lord calls them home. While physical maturity is visibly evident and intellectual maturity requires time and discussion to assess, how can we determine someone’s spiritual maturity? Just as recognizing physical and intellectual maturity is essential, so too is understanding an individual’s spiritual maturity. Whether you’re recruiting a church leader, seeking a marriage counselor, or deciding how much privilege to grant your teenage children, assessing their level of spiritual maturity is invaluable.