From Eden to Egypt- Day 30

7Altogether, Abraham lived a hundred and seventy-five years. 8Then Abraham breathed his last and died at a good old age, an old man and full of years; and he was gathered to his people. 9His sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the cave of Machpelah near Mamre, in the field of Ephron son of Zohar the Hittite, 10the field Abraham had bought from the Hittites.There Abraham was buried with his wife Sarah.- Genesis 25:7-10 (NIV)

In the end, "Abraham left everything he owned to Isaac' according to Genesis 25:5 (NIV).  This same chapters says that he gave other gifts to his other sons, the sons of his concubines, but he left his personal possessions to the son of promise, Isaac.  The other sons received something from Abraham, but the one son received everything that was considered Abraham.

Think about it like this: Abraham had an estate, including herds, property, and servants.  Before he died, he had already given gifts to his sons and sent them away from the son of promise.  When he died, he left everything that he had in his possession to Isaac.  It is peculiar because Ishmael, the firstborn son, is not mentioned by name until the burial of Abraham.  It may be assumed that Ishmael was included in the earlier verse where Abraham's other sons were given "gifts." However, he is not mentioned by name prior to the burial of his father.

It is Issac, "the beloved son" as called by J. Vernon McGee, who gains all of his father's possessions.  imagine the uproar that could have started if Abraham had not blessed the other brothers before his death.  Think of all of the ruckus that would have gone down if each brother sat around the house after laying Daddy to rest, only to find out that every single thing went to Isaac.  I can just picture the depths of discontent and the wealth of woeful feelings that would emerge as every sheep and goat, every acre of land, and every single slave went to Issac.

Parents need to make provisions for their passing on to the next life.  Be sure to deal with your children accordingly in the case of your death.  Let them know what provisions have been made for them and their children.  Do all that you can to leave a legacy that lives on beyond you.  Don't let your burial become a battle of Daddy's favorites versus the black sheep flock.  Be sure to handle your business and order your affairs while you have time and a sound mind.

Special Events and Beyond

"I shape my own destiny." - Laurie Beth Jones

Your special events are only as special as you make them.  Sadly, if your approach and attention to your special events resemble your regular routine, then you need to assess your readiness to make it a success.  You make special events a success by making them special.  You make them special by adjusting your approach to them.

• Preparation: How you prepare will impact how you perform.  If you are lackluster in preparation, don't expect to tap into some hidden gem of enthusiasm and energy that wasn't present before it is time to perform.  Go full strength with your preparations.
• Promotion: You have to talk it up and take it up a notch. You are to talk it up to get others talking about what's coming.  If you don't show any enthusiasm about what you are putting on, then you won't see many people rushing to get there.  Talk it up and take it up.  Introduce something new.  Innovate it.  Put a new spin on an old idea. Let it wow your audience.
• Presentation: Small budgets don't have make your events small-scale ventures. Get others to partner and support your efforts.  Look at your vendors for discounts.  Do you always use the same caterers or order from the same local restaurants? Ask for a discount and offer premiere signage.  See where you can cut costs without cutting corners.  Keep your presentation flawless and fantastic.

Remember: You shape your own destiny.

Communities in Crisis

The people of Judah were captured and forced to go to Babylon, because they were not faithful to God. - 1 Chronicles 9:1 (NCV)

Communities are in crisis when they lose focus. When they get off track, they get so far away from their mission and purpose that they neglect the very things that allowed them to come together in the first place. We have to keep our focus in such times as these. Otherwise, we find ourselves drifting off into other territory that has nothing to do with what we are supposed to do. Unless we want to face dire consequences for going astray, we need to get together to make things right for ours and future generations where we live, work and worship.

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Read more about community @ http://revbruce.wordpress.com/2010/02/22/one-accord/

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Planning in Proverbs (Pro. 15:22)

Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed. Proverbs 15:22 (NIV)

Plan with wise counsel to avoid plans failing. Identify those who exhibit wisdom who can serve as wise counselors to you as you plan your next venture. Let these people serve as a sounding board where you can bounce new ideas off them and see which way to go with your plans. Avoid negative people who tend to have a pessimistic view on most things. They may do more damage than good when it comes to moving forward. Allow people who have experience and expertise in a given area to share what they think about your ideas and adjust your plans when necessary.

A New Approach for a New Year

One of my favorite jazz cover songs of a classic song is "Everything Must Change." It doesn't matter if it is Nina Simone or George Benson singing it. The lyrics say what needs to be said to every listener. Everything truly must change.

As 2010 approaches us, I just wanted to share with those who are in ministry and business a simple approach that can assist in making the next twelve months more productive than the past twelve months. Every venture needs a plan. I am firm believer that some people can't handle a lot of information unless it is doled out to them in smalldoses. That's why I suggest the one-page business plan. It's a novel concept that can also be incorporated for ministry as well as business.

One-Page Business Plan (Format)

• Vision: a single statement that tells where you see the business/ ministry in the future
• Mission: a single statement that provides the purpose for the business/ ministry
• Objectives: Bullet points of what you need to accomplish to fulfill the mission and reach the vision
• Strategies: Methods for completing the necessary work to reach objectives
• Timeline: Detail when each strategy will be implemented and completed over the next twelve months

Start with this outline and pray over it prior to kicking off the year. Those who you serve and who serve with you will greatly benefit fromyour planning. Let you coworkers and team members review your outline and provide additional input, insights and ideas for expanding the plan.

More on business plans:

• www.sba.gov
• www.business.gov
• www.managementhelp.org

Starting Small

If you starting a new venture in business or ministry, here are a few things to keep in mind. The size of your new baby can grow over time. Starting small should not be connected with anything shameful. Start and stay in it for the long haul.

Focus on a "small"start by:

• Starting small
• Starting smart
• Starting smooth

Try it this way and expect to take your next venture all the way to the next level.

Ministry Makeovers

Attimes, we just have to evaluate what we are doing in ministry. We have to check out what we are really doing in Jesus' name. We need to look at the essence of what we do as well as the effectiveness of how we do things.
But everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way. [1 Cor. 14:40, NIV]
Just look at how we handle things. Keep the Lord's Word in perspective as we do so. From there, we should learn if we are doing right by Him. He sets the standard. We are to strive to live up to it.
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Here are some resources that may help when evaluating your ministry.
www.outreach.com
www.lifeway.com
www.churchmetrics.com
www.crosswalk.com

Make the Most of Today

What do you do with your day? Is it all about whatcomes your way? Do you make plans that are interrupted by other things that seem to be other people's priorities? I used to do that. It made me sick. I mean literally sick.
I learned to prioritize my day with necessary tasks and necessary "down" time. Everything that comes your way may not be for you to handle. I mean that. Whether it is business, ministry or other things, take the time to seriously evaluate if this is something that you need to do yourself.
You have options where you can:

• Delegate the work to someone else who is capable
• Divide the work between you and others
• Delay the work until other priorities have been met

Don't get me wrong. It will have to be done. it just doesn't have to be done by you and you alone.

Planning the Path

Habakkuk 2:2-3

We can find ourselves totally off course. I mean we can just be off track and headed in the wrong direction. What we need to do when this happens is simple and makes good sense. We need to get back to the point of the mission and purpose. We need to return to what originally motivated us in the first place. From there, we can stick to the plan and head down the right path.
Limit the lip service. Stop simply speaking about it. Start doing something about the issues. Now is the best time to get back on track and get yourself aligned with your goals again. Plan your path.

Outreach = Reaching Out

You can't have outreach without reaching out. You may have an outreach program in place, but if you do not implement outreach, then it"s just a program. There is no true outreach. You can have an outreach plan, designed and written by a team of experts, but without anyone reaching out, it's just a plan. You need to reach out to have outreach.

We can reach out in many ways. You have to investigate the various means to reach out to people. One of the shining examples comes out of the New Testament. Paul did a variety of things to reach people. From street preaching in Gentile marketplaces to visiting Jewish synagogues and "reasoning out of the Scriptures." He wrote letters, sent delegates and visited churches and cities with a mission of preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ.

We have to be sure to see what works and fits for us and our ministry, then commit to taking on the calling by doing it and reaching out. Think about how you can reach out to those in your community for Christ. Could you go on a prayer walk, soliciting prayer requests from neighbors? Is there a Pop Warner or Little League that could use volunteers? How about adopting a school from your neighborhood? Take a walk through your community and see what is needed and possible. Pray over it and see where God leads you in reaching out.

Today is a New Day

Today is a new day.

Today is yesterday's tomorrow,

Tomorrow's yesterday.

Tomorrow is not promised.

Yesterday is gone.

Today is a new day

So let me work

While I still have today.

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Jesus spoke about the timeliness of working through the day and not the night in John 9:4. He said that He was to do the works of Him who sent Him. As Christians, we are followers of Christ. We follow His example, so we have similar works as He did.

Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.-1 Corinthians11:1 (NIV)

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Putting Ministry in Action

When I think of holy heroes, I come up with some pretty familiar names in the bible and throughout Christian history. King David comes to mind. He was an all-around man for all seasons, " a man after God's own heart" (1 Sam. 13:14). David was considered a man of war. In today's terms, he would be a man of action. We need such men in ministry. Let them seek God with their hearts and seek to do His will through their hands. Such is the way that our men should be today. I am also reminded of James Hudson Taylor and his dedication and commitment as a missionary in China. Such dedication and commitment are the main ingredients for living a life of service. Look at C. H. Spurgeon and how he influenced numerous preachers in accordance with their true purpose. Research people like J.C. Penney and others who committed to the concept of reverse tithing. Look at those who came before us and see if you recognize the calling on their lives by the actions taken by them while they lived.

Become an inspiration to another Christian, follow what god has given for you to do. What will it take for you to take some action? Do you need to know every little detail before you make a single move? Whatever it is, put your heart into and do it just as God told you to do it. Take action for the ministry's sake. Take action when you're up to it and even when you're not. Just take action.
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Today's Agenda

Boast not thyself of to morrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.- Proverbs 27:1 (KJV)

Such warnings are considered wisdom in the Bible. Proverbs warns against boasting about tomorrow, while James said we should speak about such things as tomorrow with the caveat "if the Lord will." (James 4:14). Even Jesus shared that tomorrow is no issue if we focus on today's issues that are at hand. We can schedule in advance on our Blackberry or project and predict the outcomes in the marketplace and our company campaigns. However, the Bible is clear. We should have hope and faith for tomorrow, but we need to also commit ourselves to the work at hand that exists today. It is how we handle today that will make a difference in what we make of tomorrow. Pray that God grants us another day beyond today.