God's Wisdom DRAFT

GOD’S ECONOMY

Kingdom Builders understand that God’s economy is different than man’s.

OWNERSHIP

Who owns what

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. (Genesis 1:1)

For every beast of the forest is mine, the cattle on a thousand hills. I know every bird of the mountains, and everything that moves in the field is mine. (Psalm 50:10-11)

The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it; for he founded it on the seas and established it on the waters. (Psalm 24:1-2)

INSIGHT: God is the maker of it all—the earth, sky, sea, and us. This is the wisest starting point for any business leader. God owns the intellectual property, and we get to steward it and profit from it. The good news is that God is the most generous owner-creator you could ever imagine, willing to share his abundance, power and goodness. His conditions are less than any capitalist or lender I know: seek His counsel, pursue His best, embrace His awesomeness, and watch His blessing flow.

REFLECTION: Why is it especially hard for business owners, entrepreneurs and leaders to submit to God’s ownership?

TWO ECONOMIES

God’s economy and man’s economy

No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.

(Luke 16:13)

Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven. (Matthew 6:19-20)

The devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.” (Matthew 4:8-9)

See the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between those who serve God and those who do not.

(Malachi 3:18)

INSIGHT: There are two distinct economies that co-exist on this earth: The Kingdom of God and the kingdom of this world. Each takes a very different view about purpose, priorities, ambition, control, time and money. The kingdom of this world tells us to serve ourselves first, take as much as we desire, chase success at any price, and invite the adoration of others. The Kingdom of God tells us to humbly serve God and others. One leads to riches; the other to true wealth, which includes satisfaction and significance.

REFLECTION: Think of a difficult choice you recently made about money or priorities. How did the tension play out between God’s Kingdom and the world’s kingdom?

THE KING

A good boss

Yours, Lord, is the kingdom; you are exalted as head over all. Wealth and honor come from you; you are the ruler of all things. (1 Chronicles 29:12)

For the Lord is the great God, the great King above all gods. In his hand are the depths of the earth, and the mountain peaks belong to him. (Psalm 95:3-4)

Be holy because I, the Lord your God, am holy. (Leviticus 19:2)

The LORD reigns, let the earth be glad; let the distant shores rejoice. (Psalm 97:1)

INSIGHT: We’ve all had good and bad bosses. Every kingdom has had good and bad kings. Kingdom Builders serve the good king, Yahweh. He is Creator, Savior, King of Kings, Master, Teacher, Jesus. He is the designer and master architect of every good enterprise on earth.

When God introduces His name to Moses as “I am,” He is saying that He has always been and always will be the absolute ruler. He has final dominion and authority. His kingdom, unlike ours, will last forever.

REFLECTION: Think of your most difficult task today. What comfort can you take from working under God, the King?

GOD’S DESIGN

A better way

Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell me, if you know so much. Who determined its dimensions and stretched out the surveying line?

(Job 38:4-5)

You alone are the LORD. You made the heavens, even the highest heavens, and all their starry host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them. You give life to everything, and the multitudes of heaven worship you.

(Nehemiah 9:6)

Lift up your eyes and look to the heavens: Who created all these? He who brings out the starry host one by one and calls forth each of them by name. Because of his great power and mighty strength, not one of them is missing.

(Isaiah 40:26)

replace this verse with isaiah 55:8

INSIGHT: When we operate under the authority of God, when we play by His rules, what follows is order, provision and goodness. We were created to submit to Yahweh. God’s ways will yield treasures and increase the quality of our lives. But His ways are not our ways. We like to control our agendas; He likes us to depend on Him. We like strength and power; He likes gentleness and humility. Once we let go, we discover freedom on the other side of obedience.

REFLECTION: What aspect of your work most tempts you to play by your own rules, not God’s?

GOD’S KINGDOM

Eternal and secure

The Lord reigns forever; he has established his throne for judgment. He rules the world in righteousness and judges the people with equity. (Psalm 9:7-8)

Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. But now my kingdom is from another place.”

(John 18:36)

He (Jesus) welcomed them and spoke to them about the kingdom of God, and healed those who needed healing.

(Luke 9:11)

Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your dominion endures through all generations. (Psalm 145:13)

INSIGHT: The Kingdom of God is life as God originally intended it, with us as his collaborators on earth, with us as stewards of his resources. Kingdom Builders support God’s noble agenda. Although we might spend a lifetime accumulating stuff, protecting it, and fighting for more, God’s ownership is already a settled matter, a universal and present reality. His Kingdom is eternal, unchanging, safe and secure. The Lord is not indebted to us over anything, and eventually, all will succumb to Him.

REFLECTION: What part of your life do you consider your own exclusive domain, apart from God’s sovereignty?

KINGDOM BUILDER

Kingdom Builders place their identity under the authority of the Creator, Maker of heaven and earth.

KINGDOM IDENTITY

A higher course

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. (1 Peter 2:9)

For the sake of his great name the LORD will not reject his people, because the LORD was pleased to make you his own. (1 Samuel 12:22)

Know the LORD is God. It is he who made us and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.

(Psalm 100:3)

When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit. (Ephesians 1:13)

INSIGHT: We all identify with groups—a sports team, a church, a political party—but Kingdom Builders, above all else, identify with a higher cause: God’s cause. Kingdom Builders align their professional priorities with God’s principles, which are often countercultural and counterintuitive. They use their resources for the good of others. They just might duck out of an important meeting to comfort a friend. They just might choose to ride a donkey instead of a chariot.

REFLECTION: Where do you tend to get your identity from? Your job title? Your rung on the ladder of life?

KINGDOM WAYS

Kingdom Builders chose God’s ways

He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. (Micah 6:8)

For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. (Isaiah 55:8)

^“if used in 1.4, dont use here too”

Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long. (Psalm 25:5)

Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him.

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.” (Matthew 5:1&6)

INSIGHT: Kingdom Builders are intentional about learning and growing. They study how to integrate God’s wisdom into their own God-given interest in commerce, and they prioritize quality relationships inside and outside of work. Kingdom Builders place themselves under God’s authority, where He can show them the things worth pursuing and the things in need of pruning. The pay-off? Wiser decisions and fewer mistakes.

REFLECTION: Who are you turning to for guidance? Are you investing in your own growth as a leader?

PERSPECTIVE

Shaped by eternity

He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart, yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end. (Ecclesiastes 3:11)

You do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. (James 4:14)

You have made my days a mere handbreadth; The span of my years is nothing before you. Each man’s life is but a breath. (Psalm 39:5)

But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. (2 Peter 3:8)

INSIGHT: What unique contribution would you want people to remember about you? Kingdom Builders strive for a contribution that blesses others and endures beyond their lifetime. An eternal perspective allows us to fully leverage our unique skills and resources for God’s purposes, doing what coaches call “leaving it all on the field.” Knowing that life is “but a whisp of time” allows Kingdom Builders to invest themselves in what matters, while at the same time holding onto success with light hands.

REFLECTION: What do you want said about you at your funeral?

SPIRITUAL PURPOSE

Leadership worth following

For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

(Ephesians 2:10)

Show me your ways, Lord, teach me your paths. Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long. (Psalm 25:4-5)

Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of this your servant and to the prayer of your servants who delight in revering your name. Give your servant success today by granting him favor in the presence of this man.

(Nehemiah 1:11)

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. (Romans 15:13)

INSIGHT: Have you ever met someone who immediately inspires confidence and trust? There’s a depth to them. You know they stand for something. It’s not so much what they do but how they do it. When we are living by God’s Spirit, those around us can feel it even if they can’t name it. The Spirit of God is attractional, and abundance flows from it. The Holy Spirit is the X-factor that reveals God’s truth to us and allows us to become luminaries people want to follow.

REFLECTION: Who is someone you’ve worked under who had that X-factor that made you want to learn from them?

CHARACTER

Integrity matters

Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. (Colossians 3:12)

Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable— if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. (Phillippians 4:8)

Walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God. (Colossians 1:10)

‘You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy. (Leviticus 19:2)

Nevertheless the righteous will hold to his way, and the one who has clean hands will grow stronger and stronger. (Job 17:9)

INSIGHT: The common attractors of today’s appointed leaders are good looks, wealth, popularity, ambition, strength. But God cares about character—wisdom, humility, kindness, generosity. An executive who follows after God’s heart stands for something deeper than outward appearances and something bigger than the task at hand. They are tethered to a higher call to achieve what is most important and to care for people along the way. There’s no faking true character.

REFLECTION: Reflect on the past week. When did you bulldoze through to get stuff done without regarding others?

BLUEPRINT

Kingdom Builders understand God has a nonnegotiable design for business and personal life.

LAWS

Learn God’s commands

Moses summoned all Israel and said: Hear, Israel, the decrees and laws I declare in your hearing today. Learn them and be sure to follow them. (Deuteronomy 5:1)

All your words are true; all your righteous laws are eternal. (Psalms 119:160)

You shall have no other gods before me. (Deuteronomy 5:7)

In Him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in Him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by His Spirit. (Ephesians 2:21-22)

INSIGHT: God gave Moses and his people His covenant at Mount Sinai, as recorded in Exodus 19–20, providing them with a comprehensive blueprint for how He wanted them to live. The Ten Commandments, the heart of God’s law, were given to set Israel apart, with the first and most important being, “You shall have no other gods before Me.” Just as He expected Israel to uphold a higher standard of justice, God calls kingdom leaders today to live by His laws, which guide people toward healthy, upright, and devoted lives. These commandments remain just as relevant today as they were 3,000 years ago.

REFLECTION:

FOUNDATIONS

Rock or sand

In the beginning you laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands. (Psalms 102:25)

Everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. (Matthew 7:24)

By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it. (1 Corinthians 3:11)

By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God. (Hebrews 11:8&10)

INSIGHT: Great enterprise is built when we center our leadership on God’s timeless and strategic wisdom, not just on the latest thought coming out of MBA schools. Some principles never change, such as, we reap what we sow. When we interact with clients in ways that are honorable and trustworthy, we retain them and receive their referrals. When we spend smartly, we have money leftover for what’s most important. Like the foundation of a house, which doesn’t change even when we remodel, God’s precepts don’t change with our circumstances.

REFLECTION: Think of a time when you based a business decision on God’s wisdom instead of man’s. How did it go?

KINGDOM AGENDA

A shift in priorities

Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. (Deuteronomy 6:5)

Love your neighbor as yourself. (Leviticus 19:18)

Turn my heart toward your statutes and not toward selfish gain. Turn my eyes away from worthless things.

(Psalm 119:36-37)

Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and He will establish your plans. The Lord works out everything to its proper end.

(Proverbs 16:3-4)

INSIGHT: A good meeting agenda brings order, structure, and clarity about what needs to be done. God’s Kingdom agenda is the same; it gives shape to what we focus on. When we consider God’s redemptive mission to the world, our goals and behavior change accordingly, in the big things and the little things. We want to spend time cultivating employees and creating a healthy organization. We want to take good care of clients and stakeholders. We want to use our resources for the greater good.

REFLECTION: Look at your schedule today. Now look at it from God’s perspective. Does it change?

GOD’S ORDER

God brings order from chaos

And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God ask of you but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in obedience to him, to love him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to observe the Lord’s commands and decrees that I am giving you today for your own good?

(Deuteronomy 10:12-13)

God took the Man and set him down in the Garden of Eden to work the ground and keep it in order.

(Genesis 2:15)

To God belong wisdom and power; counsel and understanding are his. (Job 12:13)

INSIGHT: “You are not the boss of me” think it as entrepreneurs. We don’t like living under anyone else’s rules. We like to have the power and control. But God’s rules in Scripture are designed for our good, guiding us towards a place of provision. He wants our lives and our work to hum with health, balance, and abundance. Most parents want this for their kids. It’s not bossiness. It’s not nagging. It’s love.

REFLECTION: What ethical rule is easiest for you to bend in your business practice?

Choose one or the other. Too similar.

GOVERNANCE

“Corporate doesn’t mean bad”

Choose some wise, understanding and respected men from each of your tribes, and I will set them over you. (Deuteronomy 1:13)

Be careful to obey all these regulations I am giving you, so that it may always go well with you and your children after you, because you will be doing what is good and right in the eyes of the Lord your God. (Deuteronomy 12:28)

I will make justice the measuring line and righteousness the plumb line; hail will sweep away your refuge, the lie, and water will overflow your hiding place. (Isaiah 28:17)

If a person’s gift is leadership, let him govern diligently. (Romans 12:7)

Let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a neverfailing stream! (Amos 5:24)

INSIGHT: A well-managed institution has a system of oversight, accountability, and order. God modeled this through the detailed laws he provided for the Israelites. In the early days of any start- up, owners can survive in cowboy mode, but soon disciplined governance becomes necessary. Formalizing the rules allows a founder to make prudent decisions about investments, equity, compensation, stewardship, growth, justice, and strategic partnerships. The order doesn’t squelch creativity but protects against risk and makes equity more valuable.

REFLECTION: Are you working 24-7? Do you need to consider a structured approach to certain areas of your work?

FREEDOM

Kingdom Builders know that within God’s freedom, the law of Harvest still applies–we reap what we sow.

SOURCE

God gives us freedom

But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. (Matthew 6:33)

Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free. (John 8:32)

I will walk about in freedom, for I have sought out your precepts. (Psalm 119:45)

Whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. (2 Corinthians 3:16-17)

Remember the LORD your God. He is the one who gives you power to be successful. (Deuteronomy 8:18)

INSIGHT: The freedom of being the ultimate decision-maker can feel intoxicating. What we say goes, period. But our freedom can also feel stressful and lonely. The weight of decision-making lifts when we align ourselves to God, the author of our freedom. Suddenly we aren’t just leading; we’re following. Ahh, doesn’t that sound nice? We have a game plan that gives shape to our leadership. We can detach from the current prize before us and focus on the Kingdom business of serving God and others.

REFLECTION: Teenagers will never admit it, but sometimes they want parameters. Why do you think this is so?

CHOICES

Being intentional

“Everything is permissible,” but not everything is beneficial. (1 Corinthians 10:23)

It is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it. (James 4:17)

Seek good and not evil, that you may live; So the Lord God of hosts will be with you. (Amos 5:14)

I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life. (Deuteronomy 30:19)

When Jesus saw the man and new that he had been sick for such a long time, Jesus asked him, “Do you want to be well?” (John 5:6)

INSIGHT: Have you ever been close to someone with Stage 4 cancer? They tend to make more deliberate choices than the rest of us. They don’t have the luxury of doing it all, so they pare down to what’s most important. When we submit to God’s boundaries for how to behave in the marketplace, we actually find a truer form of freedom. We feel less pulled by the opinions and enticements of others, less driven by success for its own sake, more free to pursue meaning, and more at peace when something goes wrong.

REFLECTION: If you had six months to live, how might your professional goals change?

Delete so there is room for reflection

BONDAGE

Attachments that enslave us

For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. (Romans 7:22-23)

The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like.

(Galatians 5:19-21)

Christ has truly set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don’t get tied up again in slavery to the law.

(Galatians 5:1)

The trees will yield their fruit and the ground will yield its crops; the people will be secure in their land. They will know that I am the Lord, when I break the bars of their yoke and rescue them from the hands of those who enslaved them. (Ezekiel 34:27)

INSIGHT: An idolatrous attachment to wealth, power, and prestige is an invitation to slavery. The more toys we have, the more time we must spend maintaining them. The more prominence we have, the more we feel compelled to manage our image. When God told the rich man to sell everything, he was pointing out this upright man’s enslavement. God’s ways include generosity with our wealth, integrity over profit, and humility towards others, and while these may seem like limitations, they actually set us free to a life of peace and joy.

REFLECTION: What attachment in your life could most easily enslave you?

RESPONSIBILITY

Using freedom well

You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. (Galatians 5:13)

From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked. (Luke 12:48)

When the righteous prosper, the city rejoices; when the wicked perish, there are shouts of joy. (Proverbs 11:10)

INSIGHT: Voltaire and Spiderman’s uncle said, “with great power comes great responsibility.” We have great freedom as business leaders, much more than we had as worker bees. Are we using it well? Some use their freedom to give themselves unreasonably high compensation, to charge high-priced luxuries to an expense account, to underpay employees. We can easily fall into a sense of entitlement. But God calls Kingdom Builders to honesty, fairness, and otherness. When we handle revenues and expenses honorably, we actually protect the flow of liquid cash. Responsibility puts us ahead in the long run.

REFLECTION: In your current leadership position, what freedoms do you have? Are you handling those freedoms with integrity?

could get rid of this one to make room for Reflection

CONSEQUENCES

The ripple effect of our choices

However, if you do not obey the Lord your God and do not carefully follow all his commands and decrees I am giving you today, all these curses will come on you and overtake you: You will be cursed in the city and cursed in the country. (Deuteronomy 28:15-16)

But because they served them in the presence of their idols and made the people of Israel fall into sin, therefore I have sworn with uplifted hand that they must bear the consequences of their sin, declares the Sovereign Lord. (Ezekiel 44:12)

There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death. (Proverbs 16:25)

For the day of the Lord upon all the nations is near; As you have done, it shall be done to you. (Obadiah 1:15)

INSIGHT: Many a business has been destroyed by an owner who failed to understand the implications of untethered choices. When we behave as pirates, treating enterprise as a source of booty, there are consequences. Bad choices have a backend price of diminished business and damaged relationships. Wisdom has a frontend price of discipline, obedience, consistency and time. We have a choice. We can learn our leadership lessons from either teacher: Truth or Consequence.

REFLECTION: Think of a company that epically failed because they abused their freedom.

CALLING

Kingdom Builders understand that their divine calling will be revealed as they obey Him.

GOD’S TIMING

Wait for it

For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. (Colossians 1:16)

Who knows that you have come to royal position for such a time as this? (Esther 4:14b)

Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him; do not fret when people succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes. (Psalm 37:7)

INSIGHT: God’s timing is so unlike ours. We want it done yesterday, but God can spend eons carving a canyon or bringing forth a mountain. He is meticulous and patient. Why would he be any different when it comes to shaping our lives and companies? He carefully molds together our past experiences with present-day challenges to prepare us for what’s next, but according to his schedule, not ours. When we relax into his timing, we begin to discover the secret to our own peace and contentment.

REFLECTION: What in your life has been worth the wait?

GOD’S PROMISE

God’s promise gives eternal hope

I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. The Lord said to Abram, “I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make you name great, and you will be a blessing. (Genesis 12:2-3)

No one will be able to stand against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, I will be with you; I will not fail you or abandon you. (Joshua 1:5)

I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you. (Genesis 28:15)

For God’s gifts and his call can never be withdrawn. (Romans 11:29)

INSIGHT: God made a promise to Abram that He would establish a great nation through him. Genesis 12:2-3 is often called the mission statement of the Bible, as it reveals God’s covenant with Abraham—a promise that extends to all generations. Through Abraham’s faithfulness, God established a never-ending covenant with his descendants, bringing hope that endures. Abraham’s story serves as a model for kingdom builders, demonstrating what it means to trust in God’s promises and walk in obedience.

REFLECTION:

READINESS

Poised for the call

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28)

We constantly pray for you, that God may make you worthy of his calling, and that by his power he may bring to fruition your every desire for goodness and your every deed prompted by faith. (2 Thessalonians 1:11)

No one from the east or the west or from the desert can exalt themselves. It is God who judges: He brings one down, he exalts another. (Psalm 75:6-7)

INSIGHT: What is our higher calling, and how do we find it? First, we listen carefully to our unique desires, abilities and experiences. Why did God give us our particular job, network, giftedness? Next, we carve out time and resources to pursue a calling. Talk to people, listen to a podcast, learn. Then we step forward in obedience in both the mundane tasks and the exciting ones, in both failure and success. Years of practicing obedience is how we ready ourselves for God’s calling.

REFLECTION: What Kingdom calling might God be nudging you towards?

DIVINE APPOINTMENTS

Are we willing?

I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. (Isaiah 41:910)

The Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth and he has appointed me to build a temple for him at Jerusalem in Judah. (Ezra 1:2b)

The Most High God rules in the kingdom of men and appoints over it whomever He chooses. (Daniel 5:21b)

Now I will make your name great, like the names of the greatest men on earth. (2 Samuel 7:9)

INSIGHT: When God taps us on the shoulder for a particular task, Kingdom Builders accept the assignment. They deploy their unique skill set, experience, resources, and relational capital for Kingdom needs that arise. God has given each of us a one-of-a-kind role in the marketplace. Are we willing to leverage that role for God and others? Accepting God’s divine appointment differs from simply filling the calendar or pleasing people. His specific assignments have to do with our truest purpose.

REFLECTION: When was I afraid to embrace an opportunity from God?

FAVOR

A fruit of obedience

Therefore, brothers be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities, you will never fall. (2 Peter 1:10)

Let me know your ways that I may know you, so that I may find favor in your sight. (Exodus 33:13)

But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord. Noah did everything just as God commanded him. (Genesis 6:8)

He holds success in store for the upright, he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless, for he guards the course of the just and protects the way of his faithful ones.

INSIGHT: In God’s Economy, he gives favor to leaders who have positioned themselves for it. Obedience, character, and readiness lead to God’s favor. When God calls us to a task, and we obey, he gives us what we need—power, resources, open doors, perseverance. This is favor. When God calls us to behave graciously with a supplier or customer, and we obey, we build a trustworthy reputation, which helps us gain influence and business in the future. This is how reputations are built. Doing what God asks is not usually convenient or easy, but it leads to good.

REFLECTION: “Lord, let me see your favor, that I might follow it.”

FAITHFUL LEADERS

Kingdom Builders have discovered the blessings of servant leadership.

FAITHFUL

God-sized vision

Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. (Galatians 5:25)

Now fear the Lord and serve him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your ancestors worshiped. (Joshua 24:14)

Since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. (Romans 5:1)

Faith is being sure we will get what we hope for. It is being sure of what we cannot see. (Hebrews 11:1)

INSIGHT: To take on causes bigger than themselves, faithful leaders are willing to take on tasks that outsize their own strength and control. They are willing to step into unknown territory, where they don’t have it all figured out. Why? Because they trust God with the outcome. They have faith that God will come through. When we are doing something that really matters, we are willing to leave what’s comfortable and predictable.

REFLECTION: What was a moment in your life when you took a big risk? Was the risk worth it?

GREATNESS

Reaching beyond self

So that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God. (Colossians 1:10)

What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? (Mark 8:36)

He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end. (Ecclesiastes 3:11)

What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun.

(Ecclesiastes 1:9)

INSIGHT: Good leaders gain influence because of their competency. But great leaders use their competency to take on causes that are bigger than themselves. Whereas the world sees the marketplace in terms of win or lose, great leaders have a broader and richer metric. They add value that goes beyond the winning or losing mentality. Great leaders care about impacting others for good. They steward their influence not for their own glory but for a higher purpose.

REFLECTION: What great leader has inspired you?

GRATITUDE

A leadership tool

Give thanks to the LORD Almighty, for the LORD is good; his love endures forever. (Jeremiah 33:11)

I give thanks and praise, for you have given me wisdom and might and have now made known to me what we asked of you. (Daniel 2:23)

I will give thanks to the Lord because of his righteousness; I will sing praises of the name of the Lord most high. (Psalm 7:17)

Do everything without grumbling or arguing. (Philippians 2:14)

INSIGHT: I often ask the CEO’s I consult to do an important strategic exercise: I have them count their blessings. By naming what is going well in their business, leaders begin to see the strengths they have to leverage. They begin to see possibilities. Gratitude helps people put off their pessimism and recognize their abundance. It also helps people put off any feelings of entitlement. The Israelites used to leave piles of rocks as monuments of gratitude, in recognition to what God had done in their lives. The practice gave them context for the future.

REFLECTION: Name 5 things in your company you are thankful for.

KINGDOM VALUES

A decision metric

Clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And above all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

(Colossians 3:12-14)

People judge by the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart. (1 Samuel 16:7b)

But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. (1 Timothy 6:11)

INSIGHT: Faithful leaders are value-centric. They don’t base decisions solely on circumstances, the mood of the moment, business school theories, or fear. They integrate the values of God into their leadership. It’s not as easy as doing one nice act. The fight against greed and selfishness is ongoing. In the field of commerce we are regularly asked to behave in ways that go against our values. Love and forgiveness and listening are not high priorities. The only way I know to keep my integrity is to bring God’s Word into play. Scripture reminds me I’m not as wonderful as I think, helps me care about the right things, and keeps me seeking the character of God.

REFLECTION: Look at your hardest decision this week. How do the options stack up with thte values in Colossians 3:12-14?

FOCUS

The importance of goal-setting

Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead.

(Philippians 3:13)

Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.

(1 Corinthians 9:24)

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

(Philippians 4:8)

It was by faith that Moses left the land of Egypt, not fearing the king’s anger. He kept right on going because he kept his eyes on the one who is invisible.

(Hebrews 11:27)

INSIGHT: Organizations perform to their highest potential when they focus on priorities. Leaders do too. For over 20 years, each January I map out a Life Plan for the coming year, for both my personal life and my company. In my Life Plan I choose a Focus Word, three Priorities, Big Ideas, and the things I want to do more of and less of. Setting goals helps us marshal our resources, lead faithfully, and take on meaningful pursuits. Kingdom Builders are contemplative about the direction of their lives.

REFLECTION: What do you want to do more of this quarter? What do you want to do less of?

MARKETPLACE BATTLEFIELD

Kingdom Builders know the spiritual battle between good and evil is at play in the marketplace everyday.

EVERYDAY BATTLES

A spiritual perspective

He trains my hands for battle; my arms can bend a bow of bronze. You make your saving help my shield, and your right hand sustains me; your help has made me great.

(Psalm 18:34-35)

“They will fight against you but will not overcome you, for I am with you and will rescue you,” declares the Lord.

(Jeremiah 1:19)

It was by faith that Moses left the land of Egypt, not fearing the king’s anger. He kept right on going because he kept his eyes on the one who is invisible.

(2 Timothy 2:15)

Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear; though war break out against me, even then I will be confident.

(Psalms 27:3)

REFLECTION: Is the culture of your workplace malignant or healthy? What company values might oppose God’s values? wrong verse!

INSIGHT: Every morning when we walk into our workplace, invisible forces swirl around us. We immediately snap to a particular culture, power structure, and rules of engagement. Certain behaviors are reinforced and others are discouraged. The economic stakes are high. Whether we recognize it or not, each workday a spiritual battle takes place over values. Will God’s ways or man’s ways win out over the handling of money, power, and influence? Fighting the spiritual battle first requires one simple step: the acknowledgement that the battle exists.

MAMMON

A spirit of greed

No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.

(Luke 16:13)

Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. (1 Timothy 6:9-10)

I went to the angel and asked him to give me the little scroll. He said to me, “Take it and eat it. It will turn your stomach sour, but ‘in your stomach it will be sweet as honey’”

(Revelation 10:9)

INSIGHT: Mammon is the spirit of extreme greed for money, wealth, and power. Mammon wants to keep us intoxicated by our own sense of dominance, oblivious to the treacheries we commit, deceived about reality. It is natural to want to use our authority for our own agenda. We like the power trip of no one telling us what to do. But Mammon can easily become a stronghold. I’ve had a front row seat watching powerful leaders over 30 years ; a few would up in orange jumpsuits because of their greed, and one wind up at the end of a noose. If we choose to serve Mammon, we choose bondage to a ruthless taskmaster.

REFLECTION: What is an example of someone’s greed for money and power leading to destruction?

FEAR

The opposite of faith

Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom.

(Luke 12:32)

“Do not be afraid, you are highly esteemed,” he said. “Peace! Be strong now; be strong.” When he spoke to me, I was strengthened and said, “Speak, my Lord, since you have given me strength.

(Daniel 10:9)

But Moses told the people, “Don’t be afraid. Just stand still and watch the Lord rescue you today.

(Exodus 14:13)

When troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. (James 1:2-3)

INSIGHT: So many business owners worry all the time. But fear is the opposite of faith. Faithful leaders know that they have somewhere to go with their worries. We can lay our worries at his feet. Oh, we don’t like this; we’d rather be in control. Still, what a sweetness to be able to relax into God’s strength and assurance.

REFLECTION: What scares you most in your job right now?

A SHIELD

Gearing up for battle

If you make the Lord your refuge, if you make the Most High your shelter, no evil will conquer you.

(Psalm 91:9-10a)

Put on the full armor of God, so that when the day evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground and after you have done everything, to stand.

(Ephesians 6:13)

“Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward. (Genesis 15:1)

Then the Lord God provided a leafy plant and made it grow up over Jonah to give shade for his head to ease his discomfort, and Jonah was very happy about the plant.

(Jonah 4:6)

INSIGHT: A wise leader prepares for the battles ahead by anticipating them. Spiritual and physical conflicts are part of every leader’s life, so why be blindsided when they arise? I personally try to cover myself for battle through prayer, especially when I have a big decision to make, like hiring or firing. I pray and I ask others to pray. I nurture relationships with wise mentors and advisors, who I can turn to when the challenges arise. And of course, I gear up for battle with the armor of scripture, like a football player who puts on pads before the game.

REFLECTION: Do you pray about your work decisions? How can you prepare for an upcoming workplace decision?

TEMPTATION

Short-sighted gains

Next the devil took him to the peak of a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. “I will give it all to you,” he said, “if you will kneel down and worship me.”

(Matthew 4:8-9)

REFLECTION: What tempts you the most in your work? already used in 4.3

Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me.

(Romans 7:21)

And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.

(1 Corinthians 10:13b)

INSIGHT: Titans of industry want to perform well and get the most out of the deal, but their temptation is to compromise. Cheat a contractor here; misrepresent a sale there. It’s the Golden Rule: he who makes the gold makes the rules. Although cheating gets results in the moment, it becomes harder and harder to sustain. Small compromises turn into bigger ones, which require cover-up and secrecy. The fear of exposure becomes crippling. The best way I know to combat the temptation of Mammon is to make sure your business has accountability and transparency, with employees, clients, and board members. Also, if you mess up, come clean.

MISSIONAL LEADERS

Kingdom Builders are agents of God’s Will which means we care for the poor, the hurting, and the mistreated.

ON MISSION

Deploying our assets

Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it. Continue to remember those in prison as if you were together with them in prison, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering. (Hebrews 13:2-3)

Then I said to them, “You see the trouble we are in: Jerusalem lies in ruins, and its gates have been burned with fire. Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, and we will no longer be in disgrace.” (Nehemiah 2:17)

Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. (Matthew 28:19)

INSIGHT: God intends for us to live into the mission He specifically assigns to us, according to how he made us. In Latin the concept is called Missio Dei, the mission of God. No matter what financial state our business is in, we all have a wealth of resources we can either release into Kingdom work or hold back for ourselves. One reason to embrace our Missio Dei is that it gives us deeper relevance. Another reason is this: we are needed.

REFLECTION: What abilities and resources do have that can help those in need?

SACRIFICE

Not ignoring the needs around us

Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.

(Matthew 13:45-46)

Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with their own hands, that they may have something to share with those in need.

(Ephesians 4:28)

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.

(Romans 12:1)

INSIGHT: A missional leader makes sacrifices. Nehemiah gave up his job as cupbearer to the king in order to become a stone mason, so that he could restore Jerusalem’s walls along with Israel’s honor. First, though, Nehemiah allowed himself to mourn and pray for the brokendown city. Maybe the first sacrifice of a missional leader is to let ourselves feel the suffering of others. We must give up our emotional distance.

REFLECTION: Who do you know who is suffering? How can you engage with them?

POVERTY

The poor matter to God

And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones who is my disciple, truly I tell you, that person will certainly not lose their reward.”

(Matthew 10:42)

He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the foreigner residing among you, giving them food and clothing. (Deuteronomy 10:18)

There need be no poor people among you, for in the land the Lord your God is giving you, to possess as your inheritance, he will richly bless you. (Deuteronomy 15:4)

Whoever oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honors God.

(Proverbs 14:31)

INSIGHT: Poverty is an uncomfortable subject. It is hard to look at it square in the face. Yet Kingdom Builders can’t ignore the needs of the poor. No matter your political persuasion, there is no denying that Jesus cared about the poor. He spoke to them, healed them, told parables about them. He did not skirt around their needs. As leaders and wealth builders, we can directly affect resources for those in need. My staff and I set aside money each year for a Kingdom Fund.

REFLECTION: How can you pay attention to the poor with the resources God has given you?

BLESSINGS

A ripple effect

If you faithfully obey the commands I am giving you today—to love the Lord your God and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul—then I will send rain on your land in its season, both autumn and spring rains, so that you may gather in your grain, new wine and olive oil... and you will eat and be satisfied.

(Deuteronomy 11:13-15)

The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace. (Numbers 6:24-26)

Saul replied, “The Lord bless you for your concern for me.”

(1 Samuel 23:21)

INSIGHT: Living on mission changes us. When we give our blood, sweat and tears to a cause, we grow in determination, guts, and will. We are more healthy, emotionally and spiritually. This is a form of blessing. Then God likes to multiply the blessings. Our individual health affects the health of our company and community. Our caring can breed a whole culture of caring. This kind of work environment often attracts talent and customers, leading to more blessings. I’ve seen the ripple effect time after time.

REFLECTION: What’s the most profound example in your life of the “paying it forward” principle?

EPOCH TIMES

Unique need for wise leadership

“Those who survived the exile and are back in the province are in great trouble and disgrace. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates have been burned with fire.” When I heard these things, I sat down and wept.

(Nehemiah 1:3-4)

For with much wisdom comes much sorrow; the more knowledge, the more grief. (Ecclesiastes 1:18)

He made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.

(Ephesians 1:9-10)

INSIGHT: During historic periods of hardship–political unrest, economic downturn, global pandemic–God gives us hope. He prepares His leaders to make a difference in these epoch times. Private enterprises, especially family-controlled businesses, hold a wealth of resources that can fuel solutions, driving both economic revolution and spiritual awakening amidst. Perhaps God is calling His faithful enterprise leaders to radically realign their priorities, using their influence and wealth not just to build personal empires but to transform communities, eradicate injustice, and bring hope to a hurting world.

REFLECTION: As a Kingdom Builder, how can you use your unique influence and resources to make a difference in your current time period?

SECRETS

Kingdom Builders are curious, teachable and eager to discover both the simple truths and majestic mysteries of God’s universe.

MYSTERY

Beyond conventional

With all wisdom and understanding, he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure.

(Ephesians 1:8-9)

This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words.

(1 Corinthians 2:13)

He told them, “The secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you. But to those on the outside everything is said in parables.” (Mark 4:11)

INSIGHT: When we allow God to be in charge, He reveals His mysterious ways, allowing us to see the enterprise game differently. Where there is trouble, He shows us oppurtunity. Where there is a person’s oddity, God shows us their giftedness. The marketplace tells us to change forward with our well-scripted plans. While that’s important, we must also stay open to God’s conventional ways and let His mysteries unfold before us. Then we can relax into a purpose beyond us.

REFLECTION: Can you think of a time God asked you to do something counterintuitive?

PARADOX

Different rules of power

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. (2 Corinthians 12:9)

“One thing you lack,” Jesus said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and then you will have treasure in heaven. (Mark 10:21)

The last will be first, and the first will be last. (Matthew 20:16)

Give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured in your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back. (Luke 6:38)

INSIGHT: Most effective leaders, secular or kingdom-centric, want to make a difference. Leaders need power to drive impact. The Kingdom Builders power comes from serving Christ first by serving and others in all they do. This does not make sense to the power theories of business school. Secular power is rooted in resources, position authority and titles. Kingdom Builder leaders gain more power by giving it up or submitting it all and acknowledging they are servants not kings or queens.

REFLECTION: How did Christ use His power? How was His leadership so unusual?

MIRACLES

A potent force

Where did this man get these things?” they asked. “What’s this wisdom that has been given him? What are these remarkable miracles he is performing?

(Mark 6:2)

After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly. (Acts 4:31)

Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name. (John 20:30-31)

INSIGHT: Do you believe in miracles? Sometimes it takes gratitude to recognize the miraculous happenings around us. Sometimes it takes looking to Scripture to remeber God’s miracles in the past. Whether your faith in miracles in big or small, count on this: God’s power to control nature and change people and raise the dead is available to us, right here, right now.

REFLECTION: Are you a believer in God’s miracles or a cycnic? Why?

PROPHETIC VISION

God’s revelation

Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations. (Jeremiah 1:5)

In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. (Daniel 7:13)

In your vision, Your Majesty, you saw standing before you a huge, shining statue of a man. It was a frightening sight. The head of the statue was made of fine gold. Its chest and arms were silver, its belly and thighs were bronze, its legs were iron, and its feet were a combination of iron and baked clay. (Daniel 2:31-33)

If there were prophets among you, I, the Lord, would reveal myself in visions. I would speak to them in dreams. (Numbers 12:6)

INSIGHT: Prophecy is not simply prediction of the future; it is God’s revelation of His will, His desire for our lives, His requirments, His plans. Prophecy sometimes comes in a dramatic way, through dreams and visions. For me, revelation came on time through hotdogs. I was sitting around a campfire with a group of faith leaders talking, dreaming, and sharing ideas, and I felt God nudging me to start my own company.

REFLECTION: Have you had an experience of God’s direct revelation to you? What stands out to you about that moment?

SPIRITUAL TRUTH

Epiphanies from God

The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit.

(1 Corinthians 2:14)

Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. (John 3:6)

This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words.

(1 Corinthians 2:13)

Jesus said, “You have been chosen to know the secrets about the kingdom of God.” (Luke 8:10)

INSIGHT: How do you explain something “God has told you?” You just know it to be the truth, but you can’t explain the knowledge in logical or scientific terms, especially to someone who doesn’t believe in God. Sometimes we have an uncanny peace even in the midst of a disastrous or deeply disappointing situation. Spiritual truths spring forth from our fundamental belief that God is in control of this world and His ways are different than ours. These divine revelations will always be good, righteous, just, loving and orderly. Be open to the gift of these epiphanies from the Holy Spirit.

REFLECTION: Have you ever had an epiphany you knew was from God? How did it roll out?

GOD’S WORD

Kingdom Builders seek God’s truth by studying The Bible.

AUTHORITY

Expert advice

This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘Write in a book all the words I have spoken to you. (Jeremiah 30:2)

And the words of the Lord are flawless, like silver purified in a crucible, like gold refined seven times. (Psalm 12:6)

Your mistake is that you don’t know the Scriptures, and you don’t know the power of God. (Matthew 22:29)

INSIGHT: When I face a complicated legal problem, I turn to the most qualified lawyer I can find. I want the preeminent authority. So when I’m looking for answers to life’s problems, why wouldn’t I turn to the ultimate authority and creator oflife? Scripture is packed with God’s wisdom and knowledge, and it equips us for any challenge we face in the marketplace. God’s Word shows us how to frame our problems, manage our emotions, figure out next steps and see God’s hand at work. Kingdom Builders regularly seek this expert advice.

REFLECTION: Do you treat God’s word as a well spring of divine authority or as a reference book?

PROMISES

Words with follow-through

Now I am about to go the way of all the earth. You know with all your heart and soul that not one of all the good promises the Lord your God gave you has failed. Every promise has been fulfilled; not one has failed. (Joshua 23:14)

God is not human, that he should lie, not a human being, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill? (Numbers 23:19)

Praise be to the Lord, who has given rest to his people Israel just as he promised. Not one word has failed of all the good promises he gave through his servant Moses. (1 Kings 8:56)

Not one of all the Lord’s good promises to Israel failed; every one was fulfilled. (Joshua 21:45)

INSIGHT: When someone promises us something, we wonder if we can really trust them. We listen closely, evaluate every word and wait to see if action really follows. The Bible is profuse with God’s promises. If we follow his words, we can be sure of what will come: abundance, freedom, guidance and joy. We can count on the bedrock of God’s promises, but we must remember that God’s fulfillment of his promises doesn’t always come as quickly or as easily as we want. God gave Sarah and Abraham the child he’d promised them, but not until Sarah was 90 years old.

REFLECTION: Father, help me to believe in your promises even if I can’t see their fulfillment. Yet.

INSTRUCTION

The Bible instructs us how to live

Accept instruction from his mouth and lay up his words in your heart. (Job 22:22)

For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope. (Romans 15:4)

This book of instruction must not depart from your mouth; you are to recite it day and night so that you may carefully observe everything written in it. For then you will prosper and succeed in whatever you do. (Joshua 1:8)

But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves. (James 1:22)

Jesus replied, “You are in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God.” (Matthew 22:29)

INSIGHT: The Bible is an instruction manual. It’s the transformative story of God’s love for us. It’s a source of wisdom for living a prosperous, fulfilling life. If you study Scripture, your life will change from the inside out. You will experience inner peace, joy and purpose. But to reap the fruit of God’s instruction, you must study it. Really study it. Often. On your own and with seasoned teachers. God’s Word is dynamic and will impact you differently each time you read it.

REFLECTION: What do you need most from God’s Word right now?

LIVING WORDS

Dynamic and relevant

For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. (1 Peter 1:23)

The grass withers and the flowers fall, because the breath of the Lord blows on them. Surely the people are grass. The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever.” (Isaiah 40:7-8)

God’s word is alive and working and is sharper than a double-edged sword. It cuts all the way into us, where the soul and the spirit are joined, to the center of our joints and bones. (Hebrews 4:12)

But those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life. (John 4:14)

INSIGHT: Scripture is dynamic, incisive and supernatural. It is no ordinary text. It can yield new insights at every reading, based on our mindset and circumstances in that moment. It can comfort, convict and guide. It is a change agent that brings new life. If we give ourselves the time to read and digest God’s words, the very spirit of the Living God shows up and accompanies us, in our personal life and in the trenches of commerce.

REFLECTION: What is your favorite verse, and how can it help you in your work tasks today?

STORIES

Glimpses of His kingdom

Again he said, “What shall we say the kingdom of God is like, or what parable shall we use to describe it? It is like a mustard seed, which is the smallest of all seeds on earth. (Mark 4:30-31)

Again, the Kingdom of Heaven can be illustrated by the story of a man going on a long trip. He called together his servants and entrusted his money to them while he was gone. (Matthew 25:14)

That’s the whole story. Here now is my final conclusion: Fear God. (Ecclesiastes 12:13)

INSIGHT: The Bible is full of great stories, alive with intrigue, betrayal and love. Jesus especially loved stories. Through parable, Jesus would take a familiar situation and give it a startling twist, so that the hearers were lured into examining their own hearts. Hearers would inadvertently learn spiritual truths about themselves, the world, and God’s Kingdom. For the Kingdom Builder, these stories hold a wealth of insight.

REFLECTION: How is the kingdom of God like a mustard seed?

BECOMING

Kingdom Builders are on the journey of becoming all God has designed us to be.

DECLARING

A bridge to the future

The king said to me, “What is it you want?” Then I prayed to the God of heaven (Nehemiah 2:4)

Jabez cried out to the God of Israel, “Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain.” And God granted his request. (1 Chronicles 4:10)

Take courage and do it. (Ezra 10:4b)

I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

(Phillipians 3:14)

INSIGHT: In order to find your kingdom purpose, you first must discover and declare the desire of your heart, which God has placed in us. Declaring your desire allows you to see beyond the persent to a future of hope. When you want something that is worth the pain of pursuit, you are close to the flame of desire. Desire keeps you going through disappointment and opposition.

REFLECTION: I will allow the Holy Spirit to help me declare the deepest desire of my heart.

SEARCHING

An intentional life

Look for the Lord your God. And you will find Him. (Deuteronomy 4:29)

Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. (Luke 11:9)

‘Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.’ (Jeremiah 33:3)

Now this is what the Lord Almighty says: “Give careful thought to your ways. (Haggai 1:5)

You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. (Jeremiah 29:13)

If you seek him, he will be found by you.

(1 Chronicles 28:9b)

INSIGHT: Wise leaders search for self-knowledge. They ask questions and invest in learning. A great pioneer of modern leadership theory, Dr. Warren Bennis, said, “Self-knowledge is a key attribute of every healthy leader.” Authentic leaders seek to know themselves and make their actions and beliefs congruent. We must honestly look at any disparity between what we declare as priorities and how we actually spend our time, energy, and money.

REFLECTION: What is at the center of your life? What matters most to you? What should matter less? What are you going to do with your life that is going to last forever?

FIGHT

God’s strength

Now strengthen my hands. (Nehemiah 6:9b)

God did not give us a spirit of timidity but a spirit of power and love and self-control. (2 Timothy 1:7)

Rise up; this matter is in your hands. We will support you, so take courage and do it. (Ezra 10:4)

It is God who arms me with strength and keeps my way secure. He makes my feet like the feet of a deer; he causes me to stand on the heights. He trains my hands for battle; my arms can bend a bow of bronze. (Psalm 18:32-34)

INSIGHT: When you begin following your Holy Ambition, you will have to fight opposition, discouragement and fear. You will feel vulnerable. Know this: God desires for you to be vulnerable so His power can become your source of strength. And remember that the marketplace is hungry for your influence as a faithful leader.

REFLECTION: How has past failure or disappointment impacted your willingness to pursue your dreams?

COMMIT

All-in or cautious

Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans. (Proverbs 16:3)

For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him. (2 Chronicles 16:9)

And may your hearts be fully committed to the Lord our God, to live by his decrees and obey his commands, as at this time. (1 Kings 8:61)

Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain. (1 Corinthians 15:58)

INSIGHT: Commitments are the bridge between your present and your future. The quality of your commitments determines the quality of your future. The stronger your commitments, the greater your impact on the world. The weaker your commitments, the more mediocrity in your life. Give yourself fully to what God has called you to.

REFLECTION: What makes you cautious about making commitments?

ENDURANCE

Setbacks as opportunities

See, I have refined you, though not as silver; I have tested you in the furnace of affliction. (Isaiah 48:10)

Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.

(Galatians 6:9)

So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. (Hebrews 10:35-36)

INSIGHT: Endurance is an attribute of survival. Crisis and hardship give us opportunities to develop stamina. Crisis, not prosperity, is when we learn to be strong and resilient. No one succeeds as a leader without the lessons of hardship. So, embrace your setbacks and guard your heart against bitterness. How? See every setback as an opportunity, a lesson and a step toward what is next.

REFLECTION: The Scriptures are rich with promises you can claim on your journey that give light in dark corners and hope in trials.

SPIRITUAL GROWTH

Kingdom Builders desire to grow in their faith and maturity in their choices.

DEVOTION

Seeking God daily

Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked faithfully with God. (Genesis 6:9)

Seek the Lord while he may be found; call on him while he is near. (Isaiah 55:6)

Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me. (John 12:26)

You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you. (Isaiah 26:3)

INSIGHT: You can tell where your devotion lies by where you invest your time, effort and resources. Kingdom Builders who want to grow in wisdom must routinely devote themselves to the spiritual disciplines, such as daily prayer and Scripture study. There’s a reason people use the term “devotional” when referring to the books with daily Scripture readings. It takes work, but the payoff is maturity.

REFLECTION: In a relationship with another person, what does it take to stay devoted?

HABITS

Learned over time

For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness. (2 Peter 1:5-6)

Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise. (Ephesians 5:15)

But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil. (Hebrews 5:14)

Our people must learn to devote themselves to doing what is good, in order to provide for urgent needs and not live unproductive lives. (Titus 3:14)

INSIGHT: Following God is learned. No one is born with wisdom. We all must seek after it on a daily and weekly basis, praying, studying scripture, serving needs, and gathering with other believers. Of all the spiritual habits a Kingdom Builder can develop, studying Scripture is the one that most directly teaches us how to cultivate blessings and profitability. It trains us to distinguish good from evil, and it offers a roadmap to a good and productive lfe.

REFLECTION: What spiritual discipline is hardest for you and why?

TRIALS

Used for good

Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. (Hebrews 12:3)

Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.

(James 1:12)

See, I have refined you, though not as silver; I have tested you in the furnace of affliction. (Isaiah 48:10)

Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.

(1 Samuel 16:7)

INSIGHT: If God is loving and just, why do bad things happen to good people like me? Though suffering often leads us to question God’s purpose, He promises to use everything for good. When we reflect on our past setbacks, we can often see how He has shaped us through them. As C.S. Lewis said, “We are not necessarily doubting that God will do the best for us; we are wondering how painful the best will turn out to be.” Trials are a real and universal part of life, but we can trust that God is always at work through them. His purpose is unfolding in ways beyond our understanding.

REFLECTION: What’s the hardest trial you’ve been through? How did God refine you through it?

THE HEART

Desiring the things of God

Love the Lord your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the Lord is your life, and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. (Deuteronomy 30:20)

Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. (Ephesians 4:32)

The Lord will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail. (Isaiah 58:11)

different verse. maybe prov 4:23?

INSIGHT: Your heart shapes how you lead in the marketplace. Desire determines priorities. What is it your heart most desires? Is it money, power and prestige? The good news is that even if our motives are mixed, it is possible to train our hearts to love the things of God. Just as excercise conditions the physical heart, spiritual practices condition our emotions towards a healthy life. The more time you spend learning from God, the more you sincerely want whatever He wants.

REFLECTION: In your career, what does your heart most desire?

TRANSFORMATION

From the inside out

I will give them an undivided heart and put a new spirit in them; I will remove from them their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh. (Ezekiel 11:19)

Therefore every teacher of the law who has become a disciple in the kingdom of heaven is like the owner of a house who brings out of his storeroom new treasures as well as old. (Matthew 13:52)

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!

(2 Corinthians 5:17)

INSIGHT: Many books, podcasts and influencers can inform and inspire us. Therapists can ask incisive questions and offer compassion. But only God’s spirit can transform us from the inside out. God’s spirit gives us the want-to for living a good and productive life. Spiritual disciplines get us to the GPS coordinates where the Holy Spirit can then lead us to the best version of ourselves.

REFLECTION: What part of your life needs transformation? Pray to the Spirit for it.

GREAT LEADERSHIP

Kingdom Builders learn the source of a joyful, optimistic outlook on life is a grateful relationship with the Lord.

KINDNESS

Seeking God in others

My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. (John 15:12)

The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love. (Galatians 5:6)

I tell you the truth, anything you did for even the least of my people here, you also did for me. (Matthew 25:40)

Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. (Ephesians 4:2)

INSIGHT: Being kind to one another. There’s nothing greater can we do on earth, nothing better for a leader to learn. Loving others includes being kind to your spouse, your children, your difficult employee, even your competitor across the sea. Loving others starts with recognizing that we are all made in His image and we each possess gifts. Servant-leaders appreciate the unique gifts God has given to each person He has made.

REFLECTION: Who in your workplace most needs your kindness right now?

RIGHTEOUSNESS

Great leaders do the right thing

If they obey and serve him, they will spend the rest of their days in prosperity and their years in contentment.

(Job 36:11)

But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. (1 Timothy 6:11)

For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God’s sight, but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous. (Romans 2:13)

Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist,with the breastplate of righteousness in place. (Ephesians 6:14)

The one whose walk is blameless, who does what is righteous, who speaks the truth from their heart; who lends money to the poor without interest; who does not accept a bribe against the innocent. Whoever does these things will never be shaken. (Psalm 15:2,5)

INSIGHT: Righteous leaders are disciples of Jesus’ teachings, teachings that are impossible master. That tension of impossibility is humbling and inspiring. We trust leaders who seek to be righteous and good. Not, self righteous but God righteous. Kingdom leaders seek to understand a view of life different than one centered on our personal wants and desires first , but on an authority bigger than us. Kingdom leaders submit to God as revealed in Scripture. Righteous leaders seek to do what is good and honorable: treat people fairly and kindly, dwell on God’s truth, and stay away from evil influences. Evil separates us from God’s righteousness. Righteous leaders know God is at work in all things of this life, and we are to seek His righteous wisdom first.

REFLECTION:

SERVANT-HEART

Great leaders serve first

Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, “Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all.” (Mark 9:35)

Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. (John 13:14)

I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. (John 10:11)

Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not people. (Ephesians 6:7)

INSIGHT: Most of us need to flip our picture to understand what Jesus was teaching his disciples about this Kingdom principle ‘the first must be last’.

How are we suppose to serve people while telling them where we want them to go and what we want them to do? Aren’t leaders suppose to be in control and tell people what to do? Maybe some leaders but not great ones.

People attract to humble, strong leaders who sincerely care about the people in their flocks and enterprises and serve and support their success. The more we serve others, the more others want to serve and follow us. To be a great leader to our respective tribes we must serve their needs first, the rest will follow.

REFLECTION:

TEACHABILITY

Kingdom leaders love to learn

Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

(Matthew 11:29)

Faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ.

(Romans 10:17)

Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. (Colossians 3:16)

Show me your ways, Lord, teach me your paths. Guide me in your truth and teach me for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long. (Psalms 25:4-5)

INSIGHT: Teachability is an attribute that spawns other leadership strengths like adaptability, open-mindedness, collaboration, creativity. Faith leaders must be curious about the world all that is good in it. We must contextual our thoughts and opinions so that we can be heard and understood. To be understood we must strive to understand others. But, my first suggestion is become a student of wisdom and truth.

The Bible is the greatest book ever written and it is provisioned for you and me to understand God. It has insights, complexity of story, life principles, poetry, history and mystery. The awe of the story, when read with a gracious heart, opens our mind to know more about life on this side of eternity.

Great leaders are students, for life.

REFLECTION:

OPTIMISM

God’s hope in all circumstances

I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.

(Philippians 4:12)

Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. (1 Thessalonians 5:18)

I can do all this through him who gives me strength.

(Philippians 4:13)

Light in a messenger’s eyes brings joy to the heart, and good news gives health to the bones. (Proverbs 15:30)

INSIGHT: I love working with optimistic people. They make everyone around them better. Optimism is like a magnet for most of us. It’s like a force that stirs us to see possibilities, believe no problem of fear can ruin us and put our eyes on the horizon of promise with purpose. The Scriptures above tell us some secrets of the optimist: In all circumstances, they find contentment, gratitude, God’s strength, and joy.

REFLECTION: What do you think is the secret of being content “in plenty or in want?”

MONEY

Kingdom Builders realize they have a responsibility to steward their money for a greater good.

THE SOURCE

God gives prosperity

Rich and poor have this in common: The Lord is the Maker of them all. (Proverbs 22:2)

But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your ancestors, as it is today.

(Deuteronomy 8:18)

INSIGHT: Where does the ability to prosper really come from? It come from our Creator who gave us our unique abilities and opportunities. He gave us the power to attain wealth. Yes, we worked hard, but even our work ethic was given to us along the way. Kingdom Builders recognize that God is the source of our wealth and that our wealth was given not just for our own sake but also for the sake of the kingdom.

REFLECTION: What people have contributed to your success?

WEALTH

Truth and deception

When you make a vow to God, do not be late in paying it; for He takes no delight in fools. Pay what you vow!

doesn’t fit

(Ecclesiastes 5:4)

Dishonest money dwindles away, but whoever gathers money little by little makes it grow.

(Proverbs 13:11)

INSIGHT: Scriptures teems with business wisdom: prudence, patience, priorities, confidence, optimism. These are leadership principles that often bring economic riches. God blessed Abraham, Job and David with great wealth, but only as they honored Him. The deceptive power of money is that the more we make, the less we depend on anyone, including God. The more we make, the more our identity gets wrapped up in our riches.

REFLECTION: Why do some people seem to have so much abundance of resource and others so little?

SOWING

Results over time

Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. (2 Corinthians 9:6)

A time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing. (Ecclesiastes 3:5)

One who works his land will have plenty of food, But one who follows empty pursuits will have plenty of poverty. (Proverbs 28:19)

INSIGHT: I tell my children, ‘Nothing of any lasting value comes fast.’ I tell my owners this too. Enterprise building happens little by little as we sow the seeds of time, money, resources, prayer, learning, acts of kindness. Wealth built through the years develops character qualities and habits, like persistence, patience and confidence. Over time, we gain the wisdom to earn money and handle its power. Getrich-quick schemes almost never yield long term wealth.

REFLECTION: What qualities did you gain during lean years?

DEBT

An enslaver

Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” (Hebrews 13:5)

Just as the rich rule the poor, so the borrower is servant to the lender. (Proverbs 22:7)

Don’t agree to guarantee another person’s debt or put up security for someone. (Proverbs 22:26)

INSIGHT: “I owe, I owe.. it’s off to work I go,” I saw that bumper sticker while driving to work one day when I was a young, starving, non-tenured professor teaching for scrapes. It made me ask who I owed money to and thus who my boss really was. Debt enslaves us to the lender. So, always give careful consideration to debt. Debt is associated with assets, which can be liquidated to fulfill the obligation, is much less burdensome that debt associated with performance promises or dreams.

REFLECTION: How does debt relate to contentment?

STEWARDSHIP

Adding meaning to our work

For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. (Luke 12:34)

The generous will themselves be blessed, for they share their food with the poor. (Proverbs 22:9)

INSIGHT: We live in God’s kingdom, not He in ours. When Kingdom Builders make this paradigm shift and become stewards of what God already owns, their enterprise becomes more purposeful. Significance and meaning increase. Their work becomes sacred. They begin seeing he privilege of giving to God’s kingdom. They also get to see their giving mulitply in God’s clever hands.

REFLECTION: What are your biggest roadblocks that stop you from giving to God’s kingdom? other verses? ps. 50:12

WORK

Kingdom Builders define the value of our work by its alignment to God’s mission for our life.

CREATION

Made for good works

Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labor in vain. (Psalm 127:1)

For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

(Ephesians 2:10)

For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. (Colossians 1:16)

INSIGHT: What are the good works God has created ahead of time for you to do? This is the question a Kingdom Builder must ask. It’s how we find our purpose. It’s what keeps us going in the marketplace trenches. When God created us, He gave us each specific gifts and tendencies and experieneces that point toward a particular role in His kingdom. Is our mission to make money to fund causes? To further justice? To create beauty?

REFLECTION: What good work has God prepared you to do for His kingdom?

DILIGENCE

God expects our best

Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain. (1 Corinthians 15:58)

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters. (Colossians 3:23)

What does the Lord your God ask of you but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in obedience to him, to love him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and to observe the Lord’s commands and decrees that I am giving you today for your own good?

(Deuteronomy 10:12-13)

A sluggard’s appetite is never filled, but the desires of the diligent are fully satisfied. (Proverbs 13:4)

INSIGHT: Whatever you love to do, you likely do it with diligence. Think of your favorite hobby. With repetition and time, you do it well, maybe even, great. A diligent mind focuses on making the best mark. You commit to bring your best because you care. The hard work satisfies something deep within. That’s diligence. Great leaders are diligent, and they inspire the same from their team.

REFLECTION: What tasks in your job make it easy to perservere and what tasks make it hard?

RHYTHM

Hard work, then rest

WEAK

The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. (Genesis 2:15)

Six days you shall labor and do all your work. (Exodus 20:9)

Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.” (Matthew 4:4)

May the favor of the Lord our God rest on us; establish the work of our hands for us— yes, establish the work of our hands. (Psalm 90:17)

INSIGHT: In the beginning, God set the example of how to work sanely. He worked crazy hard, creating the universe in six days, and on the seventh day He rested. He blessed the seventh day of rest and made it holy. God tells us to follow the same rhythm. We have the freedom to create and innovate and produce, and we have the remidner ot take breaks and reorient our work around our Creator.

REFLECTION: What would it look like for you to take a rest from your job?

REWARDS

God blesses our labor

All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty. (Proverbs 14:23)

The Lord repay your work, and a full reward be given you by the Lord God of Israel, under whose wings you have come for refuge. (Ruth 2:12)

If they obey and serve him, they will spend the rest of their days in prosperity and their years in contentment. (Job 36:11)

One person gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty. A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed. (Proverbs 11:24-25)

INSIGHT: Why do you work? What is the object of your labor? Your answers might reveal your road to prosperity. Rewarding work is what everyone wants, also, to be fairly rewarded. The wisdom books tell us we can all have prosperity if we choose it. Here is what you must you: Be joyful in your labor, generous in your spirit with others, content in the lot you have. That’s it. Oh, a few more things: Discover your talents , cultivate your unique God-given gift, pray that God uses you for His work. It might also help to get before a king or queen who needs your talents. Don’t believe me, commit to a plan and find out.

REFLECTION:

ATTITUDE

Work as a burden or a freedom?

Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress. (1 Timothy 4:15)

This is what I have observed to be good: that it is appropriate for a person to eat, to drink and to find satisfaction in their toilsome labor under the sun during the few days of life God has given them—for this is their lot.

(Ecclesiastes 5:18)

Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. (Romans 12:11)

Do everything without complaining and arguing. (Philippians 2:14)

INSIGHT: All of us are haunted by the work under the work—that burden to prove and save ourselves, to gain a sense of worth. When your heart comes to hope in Christ and the future world he has guaranteed—when you are carrying his easy yoke—you finally have the power to work with a free heart. You can discover more satisfaction that complaint. You can enjoy the progress, not just the outcome.

REFLECTION: Have you found “satisfaction” in your “toilsome labor,” like Ecclesiastes talks about?

KINGDOM BUILDER ATTRIBUTES

Kingdom Builders model themselves after the character of their Lord, Jesus Christ, by contemplating his ways and his words.

INDUSTRIOUS

Sweat equity

Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain. (1 Corinthians 15:58)

What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds. (James 2:14,18)

Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth. (1 John 3:18)

INSIGHT: Leadership is not for weenies. I don’t know a Kingdom Builder who is not industrious. Usually their issue is finding a work-life balance or keeping power from becoming an idol. With any leadership assignment, God expects us to labor, but we must learn to find balance between laboring hard to control results and letting God bless our work however He chooses.

REFLECTION: Where do you need to work harder at your responsibilites? Where do you need to let go of control?

ALERT

Watching for brewing battles

I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.

(Matthew 10:16)

But test them all; hold on to what is good, reject every kind of evil. (1 Thessalonians 5:21-22)

Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. (1 Corinthians 16:13)

INSIGHT: The spitiritual battle in the marketplace is real. There is an external battle against coruption. But there is also an internal battle, against discouragement, fears, lack of confidence, temptations, compromise, selfishness. Be alert to your most likely battles. Watch for them. Know the typical signs of trouble brewing. Stand ready with some weapons, like simply naming the trigger, turning to a favorite Scripture or seeking out a trusted mentor.

REFLECTION: What are your most common battles? What are ways you can stay alert to brewing battles?

ORGANIZED

A secret to optimization

Five of them were foolish and five were wise. The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. The wise ones, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. (Matthew 25:2-4)

When a country is rebellious, it has many rulers, but a ruler with discernment and knowledge maintains order.

(Proverbs 28:2)

When Samuel first saw Saul, the Lord said to Samuel, “This is the man I told you about. He will organize my people.”

(1 Samuel 9:17)

Those who built on the wall, and those who carried burdens, loaded themselves so that with one hand they worked at construction, and with the other held a weapon.

(Nehemiah 4:17)

INSIGHT: King Solomon, the great Israelite empire builder of 1000 A.D., was a master organizer. He expanded Israel’s territory through diplomacy and strategic alliances, oversaw the construction of the Holy Temple, strengthened the military, built a network of trading posts and delegated administrative, religious, civic, and military roles. Great leaders know that planning and order are essential to efficiency and optimization.

REFLECTION: In what ways does organization come easily to you? In what ways do you have to work at it?

FAIR

Justice matters

This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: Judge fairly, and show mercy and kindness to one another.

(Zachariah 7:9)

You must not follow the crowd in doing wrong. When you are called to testify in a dispute, do not be swayed by the crowd to twist justice. (Exodus 23:2)

In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that[a] they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. (Matthew 5:16)

Then you will understand what is right and just and fair—every good path. For wisdom will enter your heart, And knowledge will be pleasant to your soul. Discretion will protect you, and your understanding will guard you.

(Proverbs 2:9-11)

INSIGHT: God desires integrity in your business dealings. He cares about how you treat suppliers, employees, clients, the cleaning crew. As a leader, you should know the culture of fairness starts at the top. Kingdom Builders, like good shepherds, protect everyone entrusted to them. In return, people do better work and the team performs to its full potential.

REFLECTION: Where does unfairness creep into your workplace? How can you address it?

WEAK

GRACIOUS

Other-centered influence

Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. (Colossians 3:13)

Give to your servant an understanding heart. (1 Kings 3:9)

Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. (Philippians 4:5)

Lord, you alone are my portion and my cup; you make my lot secure. (Psalms 16:5)

INSIGHT: In Norman Vincent Peal’s classic How to Win Friends and Influence People (circa 1936), he promotes a basic Biblical principle: Become genuinely interested in other people. Don’t merely try to win the deal, but seek to respect and understand others (some things never change). Graciousness allows a positive version of influence. This kind of power looks very different than coercion, exploitation and power trips.

REFLECTION: What kind of salesperson do you end up buying from?

KINGDOM POWER

Kingdom Builders recognize that God’s power is indescribable, immeasurable and incomprehensible and is available to every believer.

EXPONENTIAL IMPACT

Us plus the Spirit

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. (Acts 1:8)

So he said to me, “This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: ‘Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the Lord Almighty. (Zechariah 4:6)

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

(Ephesians 3:20-21)

INSIGHT: God has a way of multiplying our efforts. When we seek Him, the Holy Spirit opens our eyes to unlikely solutions, unlikely relationships, new talent and unexpected resources. But when we remain loners, relying only on our limited know-how, we miss out on the vast kingdom riches that can exponentially grow our impact.

REFLECTION: When have you seen God do way more than you asked?

DUPLICATE

OMNISCIENT

God is in everything

In his hand is the life of every creature and the breath of all mankind. (Job 12:10)

He who forms mountains, and creates the wind, who declares to man what his thought is and makes the morning darkness, who treads the high places of the earth—The Lord God of hosts is His name. (Amos 4:13)

Before a word is on my tongue you, Lord, know it completely. You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain. (Psalm 139:4-6)

INSIGHT: What does it mean that God is all-knowing? He knows all our ways—all our sins, all our secrets, all our hurts, all our ambitions. Some pull away from an omniscient God, out of shame. But if we turn towards Him, we find forgiveness, truth, motivation, purpose. When we seek His limitless knowledge, He offers a way forward, a future and a hope. What better business guide could we turn to?

REFLECTION: In what ways do you like turning to an all-knowing God, and in what ways does it make you nervous?

ANOINTMENT

God’s holy calling

So the Lord said to Moses, “Take Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom is the Spirit, and lay your hand on him.”

(Numbers 27:18)

He has filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom and understanding, in knowledge and all manner of workmanship. (Exodus 35:31)

What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?

(Romans 8:31-32)

The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. (Luke 4:18-19)

INSIGHT: When I was anointed as an elder at my church, my pastor put oil on my forehead. Trusted leaders surrounded me and prayed over me. Church members looked oon and agreed to submit to my leadership. A solemn charge was given to me, and I took a vow. It was a holy moment that stirred my soul. The calling of a Kingdom Builder is less formal, of course, but it is no less of an anointing from God. You are accepting the call to steward an enterprise for God’s honor.

REFLECTION: What does it mean to you to accept God’s call to be His representative in the marketplace?

COURAGE

A God context makes us braver

Be strong, and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for the Lord! (Psalms 27:1)

Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. (Deuteronomy 31:6)

Jabez prayed to the God of Israel: “Bless me, O bless me! Give me land, large tracts of land. And provide your personal protection—don’t let evil hurt me.” God gave him what he asked. (1 Chronicles 4:10)

INSIGHT: Be bold and courageous. That’s what I tell my business owners, all the time. It is much easier to say this to a believer, than one who has no clue as to God’s promises. When we have an eternal perspective, we know that our purpose is more important than our fears. Our purpose naturally moves from our self interest to the well being of others.

REFLECTION: Where do you need courage right now?

PROSPERITY

God multiplies

Whoever pursues righteousness and love finds life, prosperity and honor. (Proverbs 21:21)

And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. (2 Corinthians 9:8)

He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches.”

(Matthew 13:31-32)

INSIGHT: Abundance. Full and overflowing. Freedom to choose. Beyond measure. More than I deserve. Those are words that describe prosperity to me. How about for you?

Material wealth is not prosperity. Actually, it competes with it. How? Materialism, including money, plays havoc with our needs and desires. We are never satisfied and often fearful we will lose what we have. Sometimes, we even think we are more important when we have a lot of it. Prosperity is God inspired while materialism is man created and awarded. Best of all: prosperity never runs out.

REFLECTION: Why do some people seem to have so much abundance of resources and others so little? That’s a Big life question.

PRAYER POWER

Kingdom Builders pray to an all-powerful God.

THANKFUL

God loves a grateful heart

In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. (1 Thessalonians 5:18)

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good. His love endures forever. Give thanks to the God of gods. His love endures forever. Give thanks to the Lord of lords: His love endures forever. (Psalms 136:1-3)

I thank my God, making mention of you always in my prayers, hearing of your love and faith which you have toward the Lord Jesus and toward all the saints. (Philemon 1:4-5)

I will give thanks to you, Lord, with all of my heart. I will tell of your wonderful deeds. (Psalm 9:1)

INSIGHT: When we take time to thank God in our prayers—for co-workers, for successes, for blessings big and small—our attitude changes. We begin to see opportunities and solutions. Brokenness becomes creation. I have led many leader retreats over the years. The first strategic exercise I always begin with is The Harvest of Gold in which the assets and accomplishments of the year are named. I humbly advise that leaders turn their greatfulness towards God, since He is the provider of it all.

REFLECTION: Think about yesterday. What can you thank God for?

TROUBLES

Give your burdens to God

My soul is in deep anguish. How long, Lord how long?

(Psalm 6:3)

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. (Matthew 11:28)

But you, God, see the trouble of the afflicted; you consider their grief and take it in hand. The victims commit themselves to you; you are the helper of the fatherless.

(Psalms 10:14)

Lord, how many are my foes! How many rise up against me! Many are saying of me, “God will not deliver him.”

But you, Lord, are a shield around me, my glory, the One who lifts my head high. (Psalm 3:1-3)

INSIGHT: In my Bible, I have a note beside the above Psalm 3. I dated it January 21, 2012. I wrote, “In the early morning hours on this day, I seek refuge from the strain of business economics. Oh Lord, hear my prayer.” I remember that day. My consulting company felt like it was closing in on me–thousands of dollars in debt, contracts I couldn’t get out of, partners threatening to bolt. The Psalmist’s prayer, and my own personalized version of it, gave me the power to press on.

REFLECTION: Choose one of the Psalms above and make it your own.

FORGIVENESS

Turning to God with our mistakes

Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all his benefits— who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases. (Psalms 103:2-3)

I love the Lord, for he heard my voice; he heard my cry for mercy. Because he turned his ear to me, I will call on him as long as I live. (Psalms 116:1-2)

Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. (James 5:16)

INSIGHT: Freedom from regret, that’s the gift of forgiveness. Without forgiveness we get stuck in our feelings of guilt, shame and bitterness. We all make mistakes and all need God’s grace. Most of us hate to be wrong, though, and it takes courage and faith to face God and others when we’ve messed up. Everything works better when we humble ourselves and simply ask for forgiveness. It’s the best way to have an authentic, intimate relationship with God and people.

REFLECTION: Have you received God’s gift of forgiveness?

PRAISE

No matter your circumstances

Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens. (Psalm 68:19)

The Lord lives! Praise be to my Rock! Exalted be my God, the Rock, my Savior! (2 Samuel 22:47)

Sing to the Lord, all the earth. Proclaim the good news of His salvation from day to day. (1 Chronicles 16:23)

Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. (1 Thessalonians 5:16)

INSIGHT: No matter what our circumstances, we can always praise God. We can look to nature to see God’s glory. We can find joy in salvation, redemption, God’s steadiness, Jesus. Notice I said joy and not happiness. Joy can be ours, even when we’re unhappy. Praising God brings on joy and perspective, and this helps us face our leadership challenges.

REFLECTION: Name three attributes you can praise God for today.

PROTECTION

A fathers gift

Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. (Colossians 4:2)

Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak. (Matthew 26:41)

The Lord watches over you—the Lord is your shade at your right hand; the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord will keep you from all harm—he will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore. (Psalm 121:5-8)

You rule over the surging sea; when its waves mount up, you still them. (Psalm 89:9)

INSIGHT: God is our father, and He longs to protect us, just as we long to protect our own children. When we pray, we put ourselves under His protection. But we must be willing to tell our Father about our needs and temptations. This is how we stay watchful and seek our His help. A child who won’t talk to his parents or who lies to them never invites their power to make things better.

REFLECTION: What situation at the moment warrants your watchfulness and God’s protection?

INVESTMENT WISDOM

Kingdom Builders invest their money, time and influence in God’s week.

KINGDOM INVESTOR

Enduring treasure

Wealth is worthless in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers from death. (Proverbs 11:4)

Blessed are those who find wisdom, those who gain understanding, for she is more profitable than silver and yields better returns than gold. She is more precious than rubies; nothing you desire can compare with her. (Proverbs 3:13-15)

Whoever loves money never has enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with their income. This too is meaningless. As goods increase, so do those who consume them and what benefit are they to the owners except to feast their eyes on them? (Ecclesiastes 5:10-11)

INSIGHT: Have you lived through a recession, a business loss, a pandemic? You know that our earthly treasures ebb and flow. Our success, influence and income can come and go. But heavenly treasures last. When we invest in wisdom, relationships, obedience to God, we build an enduring shelter to weather life’s storms. We can find satisfaction that money can’t buy.

REFLECTION: What enduring treasures are you investing in right now?

ABUNDANCE

God blesses our obedience

Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the Lord Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it. (Malachi 3:10)

Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the first fruits of all your crops; then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine. (Proverbs 3:9-10)

And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. (2 Corinthians 9:8)

INSIGHT: Why do some people seem to have so much abundance and others so little? Maybe, that’s a wrong question.

God does not trade in the market of scarcity for a few but in the universe of abundance for all. This earthly world abounds with illustrations: the human body, the celestial system of our universe, the ecosystems of life and business, technologies of physical and artificial intelligence, and these a but a thumbnail of the abundance of God’s creation.

How do you get a share of this. First, give honor to the Creator. Open your eyes with gratitudes. Invest thoughtfully, like a steward who wants to create a return on your investment (like, ROI), and place shares into God’s storehouse.

Give generously to the poor.

REFLECTION:

ASTUTENESS

Kingdom Builders understand value

Then he said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.” (Luke 12:15)

Buy the truth and do not sell it—wisdom, instruction and insight as well. (Proverbs 23:23)

Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it. (Matthew 13:45-46)

INSIGHT: Be alert. See the field and all that it is in it. Be aware of dangers but don’t play scared.

Recognize life is material and requires we use good reasoning to solve problems. But also that life is spiritual. Nothing is completely neutral.

REFLECTION: Do you struggle with letting God in on your plans? If so, why?

GENEROSITY

The paradox of giving

Whoever gives to the poor will not want, but he who hides his eyes will get many a curse. (Proverbs 28:27)

Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give,not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. (2 Corinthians 9:7)

Good will come to those who are generous and lend freely, who conduct their affairs with justice. (Psalm 112:5)

INSIGHT: We are taught the Lord loves a cheerful giver. But sometimes we get frightened that we might run out of whatever we are provoked to give. Yet, if you look back on all your joyful giving, I suspect not once did you run out. In fact, you discovered abundance surrounding you through your generosity. This is not the science of giving it is the paradox of giving.

REFLECTION: Ask God for a generous heart.

ETERNITY

What matters in the end

But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. (Matthew 6:20)

For you have been born again, but not to a life that will quickly end. Your new life will last forever because it comes from the eternal, living word of God. (1 Peter 1:23)

Wealth is worthless in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers from death. (Proverbs 11:4)

INSIGHT: Have you ever been with someone in their final hours? It gives you perspective about what really matters. It makes you think about how you are investing your own time and resources. In the end, legacy and relationships matter, not wealth and power. Kingdom Builders keep this eternal perspective with them as they set priorities in the here and now.

REFLECTION: What causes pull at your heartstrings? Are you investing in these causes?

KINGDOM BUILDER ROLES

Kingdom Builders know that great leaders must effectively fulfill big roles.

same words

VISIONARY

Pointing to a better future

For still the vision awaits its appointed time; it hastens to the end—it will not lie. If it seems slow, wait for it; it will surely come; it will not delay. (Habakkuk 2:3)

And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days. (Joel 2:28-29)

I the Lord make Myself known to him in a vision, I speak with him in a dream. (Numbers 12:6b)

Your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. (Acts 2:17b)

INSIGHT: People want to know where things are heading and want a trusted leader to point the way. A good leader learns to simultaneously focus on the demands of the present and the pull of the future. Vision can help everyone endure the grind or hardship of the moment. Where does a leader find vision? They open their minds to intentionally seek it. They allow themselves to be provoked by a problem and start connecting observations to possibilities for something new and better. Prayer and focused questions can help stimulate bold and purposeful vision. Try them.

REFLECTION: What are qualities of a good visionary?

CULTURE BUILDER

Wise leaders model Kingdom values

By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should build with care. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. (1 Corinthians 3:10-11)

Keep yourself from idols. (1 John 5:21)

Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth. (1 John 3:18)

In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us. (Titus 2:7-8)

INSIGHT: Every enterprise has a culture composed of values, practices and symbols. Culture starts at the top of any organization and works its way down. As a leader, are you building a culture of winning at all costs? Of cutting corners? Of dishonesty? When a Kingdom Builder promotes God’s values in a company, integrity spreads throughout the org chart and God is honored.

REFLECTION: What you most want said about the organization you lead?

NAVIGATOR

Finding a path in a changing sea

I instruct you in the way of wisdom and lead you along straight paths. (Proverbs 4:11)

The Lord makes firm the steps of the one who delights in him; though he may stumble, he will not fall, for the Lord upholds him with his hand. (Psalms 37:23-24)

I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. (John 10:11)

And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away. (1 Peter 5:4)

INSIGHT: I just got off the phone with my new banker; he wants to get to know me. I’ve been with the bank 30 years; he’s been there 30 days. Banking today is more digital and less relational. The world has changed. Radically changed. People need Kingdom Builders who can navigate change, in waters that are calm or turbulent, keeping one eye on the water and one eye on the horizon. Impossible? Not with God. is different today, in this digital world.

REFLECTION: How does navigation relate to leadership?

OVERSEER

Ruling like God

Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.

(Genesis 1:28)

And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. (Ephesians 6:18)

Since an overseer manages God’s household, he must be blameless—not overbearing, not quick-tempered, not given to drunkenness, not violent, not pursuing dishonest gain.

(Titus 1:7)

INSIGHT: Are you overbearing or quick-tempered? Do you pursue dishonest gain? Sometimes leaders feel entitled to behave however they want. They control through intimidation and get ahead any way they can. Kingdom Builders are different. They first follow the example of God, who gave His only son. Then they set a similar example by serving others.

REFLECTION: What do you think employees under you would say about you as an overseer?

PEACEMAKER

A generative force

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. (Matthew 5:9)

Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. (Hebrews 12:14)

Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness. (James 3:18)

When the Lord takes pleasure in anyone’s way, he causes their enemies to make peace with them. (Proverbs 16:7)

INSIGHT: Conflict costs capital. It can result in lost productivity, employee turnover, stunted growth, and even legal fees. Peace, on the other hand, allows for continued forward movement, quality thinking and unbiased decision-making. People prosper in a peaceful work enviroment. Blessed are the leaders who serve as peacemakers. They champion instead of berate. They bring perspective instead of drama.

REFLECTION: Think of a current conflict. How can you serve as a peacemaker?

CULTIVATING PEOPLE

Kingdom Builders develop their people by treating them with compassion, kindness and fairness, just as they would want to be treated.

LOVE

It’s a verb

A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.

(John 13:34-35)

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. (1 Corinthians 13:4-5)

If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing right.

(James 2:8)

INSIGHT: One of the ways we can cultivate the people we lead is to love them well. How do we put love into action in the workplace? Corinthians says that love does not dishonor others, is not self-seeking, is not easily angered. This means we give credit and praise for good work, as opposed to taking it for granted. We don’t put others down to make ourselves look better. We are patient and kind when people are struggling. Most of us want to be treated this way, but we don’t always extend the same to others.

REFLECTION: How can you put love into action in your workplace today?

ENCOURAGE

Building up not tearing down

May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word.

(2 Thessalonians 2:16-17)

Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing. (1 Thessalonians 5:11)

Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.

(Ephesians 4:29)

Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. (James 3:10)

INSIGHT: Want strong employees? Then build them up with your words of encouragement. As a leader of influence, our words have the power to give life. They can inspire creativity, bold action, confidence. Our words can also bring destruction. They can divide people, hurt reputations, discourage risk-taking. Investing in people with encouraging words is an inexpensive way to create value every day.

REFLECTION: Do your words inspire creativity or discourage it? Do you build up or tear down with your words?

BLESSING

Valuing others

Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. (1 Peter 4:8)

May God give you heaven’s dew and earth’s richness—an abundance of grain and new wine. (Genesis 27:28)

O Lord, what are human beings that you should notice them, mere mortals that you should think about them?

(Psalm 144:3)

INSIGHT: When a boss withholds giving a blessing to an employee, just as a parent withholds blessing from a child, a void is created that gets filled with doubt, inadequacy and resentment. Don’t create an environment of uncertainty. Bless your employees graciously. Give thought to their unique strengths and contributions and take time to tell them. Your blessing makes an impact on their sense of worth and confidence.

REFLECTION: How can you become more intentional about blessing the members of your team?

MENTOR

Increasing effectiveness

Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth. (2 Timothy 2:15)

In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. (Matthew 5:16)

Therefore anyone who sets aside one of the least of these commands and teaches others accordingly will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5:19)

INSIGHT: In all your worries and problems as a leader, it is easy to neglect the faithful employees who have yoked their work to your vision. They need your attention to grow in skillfulness and effectiveness. We can’t expect someone to become the ideal team member without guiding and coaching them. When we get frustrated with someone’s performance, we need to ask ourselves if we are mentoring them sufficiently by word and by example.

REFLECTION: Who in the past has mentored you well? What did they do that made a difference?

FORGIVE

Jesus taught us to forgive others

Then Peter came to him and asked, “Lord, how often should I forgive someone who sins against me? Seven times?” “No, not seven times,” Jesus replied, “but seventy times seven! (Matthew 18:21-22)

Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. (Ephesians 4:32)

Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. (Colossians 3:13)

INSIGHT: In order for us to have an authentic and intimate relationship with God, we must receive His forgiveness for our shortcomings. It’s a gift. When we humbly accept it, we can then freely forgive ourselves and forgive other fallible humans. When we refuse to extend grace to the people who have wronged us, we can become preoccupied with our grudges and stuck in our bitterness. We can impede our productivity, networks, and forward motion.

REFLECTION: Do you harbor any grudges that need a little forgiveness?

MARKETPLACE TENSIONS

Kingdom Builders recognize the friction between the Spirit and our sinful nature on the battlefield of commerce.

SACRED VS. SECULAR

A tug of war

No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.

(Matthew 6:24)

You shall have no other gods before me. (Deuteronomy 5:7)

INSIGHT: The sacred and secular will always tug on a Kingdom Builder’s heart, competing for time, attention and emotions. On the one hand is the desire to put God and people first; on the other is the drive for profit. One values humility, family, generosity, while the other values ego, workaholism and greed. Often the choice comes down to plain old obedience to God’s way. The sacred choice can feel countercultural in the marketplace.

REFLECTION: You will never find ultimate satisfaction in your business, position of power, money or awards. Do you belive this?

IDOLS

Divided hearts

I am the Lord; that is my name! I will not yield my glory to another or my praise to idols. (Isaiah 42:8)

When you cry out for help, let your collection of idols save you! The wind will carry all of them off, a mere breath will blow them away. (Isaiah 57:13)

Let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up. (Daniel 3:18)

INSIGHT: Whatever occupies your thoughts, time and efforts can become an idol that controls us. Idols compromise our best intentions, divide our heart and eventually enslave us. The love of money can easily become an idol for business owners. To fight against the pull, we must learn to live contentedly and chose to invest in kingdom work, which has eternal value.

REFLECTION: Which specific idols tend to throw your life our of balance?

MATERIALISM

Mine, mine, mine

Jesus looked him hard in the eye—and loved him! He said, “There’s one thing left: Go sell whatever you own and give it to the poor. All your wealth will then be heavenly wealth. And come follow me.” (Matthew 10:21 MSG)

Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

(1 John 2:15)

Don’t wear yourself out trying to get rich; restrain yourself! Riches disappear in the blink of an eye, wealth sprouts wings and flies off into the wild blue yonder.

(Proverbs 23:4)

INSIGHT: Possession is at the core of ownership. Many of us define ourselves by what we control and have rights to. When something is ours, we can do with it what we want. In the western world we discover the power of “mine” at the age of two. Tensions around possession, freedom, and power are at the core of spiritual maturation for Kingdom Builders.

REFLECTION: Ask God to reveal His will as you make decisions about the resources under your authority—money, possessions, employees.

HONESTY

word in multiple places

Kingdom Builders put God and others first

Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. (Romans 12:17)

Rather, he must be hospitable, one who loves what is good, who is self-controlled, upright, holy and disciplined.

(Titus 1:8)

Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness and all these things will be given to you. (Matthew 6:33)

And you, my son Solomon, acknowledge the God of your father, and serve him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for the Lord searches every heart and understands every desire and every thought.

(1 Chronicles 28:9)

Can you make this more about marketplace tensions? -Angie

INSIGHT: Honor quiets the air and invites reflection; it often comes from being deeply moved by something someone has done. As Kingdom Builders, we recognize that true honor and wealth come from God, the creator and ruler of all things. Understanding this, we embrace the responsibility to live honorably, reflecting the character of the one who gives us strength and purpose. In the marketplace, this mindset sets us apart, turning our focus from earthly idols to honoring the true source of all.

REFLECTION:

GOOD TENSIONS

A generative force

No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it. (1 Corinthians 10:13)

The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions.

(Galatians 5:17)

INSIGHT: The word self-control in the New Testament is defined as “governing.” Self control is about governing our desires and impulses, our thoughts and emotions, our words and actions. Self-control is the outlier that explains why some leaders soar and others fluctuate or fall. Successful leaders learn that by practicing prudence, patience, and integrity now, they have more freedom later.

REFLECTION: When has lack of self-control hindered a long-term goal?

SPIRITUAL CONDITIONING

Kingdom Builders know that with freedom and power comes responsibility to make right choices.

PREPARATION

Positioning yourself for results

Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. (1 Peter 4:12)

Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hopefully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

(1 Peter 1:13)

Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s delicacies.

(Daniel 1:8)

But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. (Matthew 13:6)

INSIGHT: God says to prepare our minds for action before we jump into the fray. This means we set aside sacred space every day, seeking God’s perspective on life. We seek wise counsel. We study success models. We set goals and plans for the day, month and quarter. We evaluate our past performance. Dig your roots deep; this is how you position yourself for better performance and profitability.

REFLECTION: What kind of spiritual preperation is hard for you? Why?

STUDY

God’s word, a leaders guide

Reflect on what I am saying, for the Lord will give you insight into all this. (2 Timothy 2:7)

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 3:16-17)

This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘Write in a book all the words I have spoken to you.’ (Jeremiah 30:2)

How can a young person stay on the path of purity? By living according to your word. (Psalms 119:9)

INSIGHT: Getting to know God’s Word is essential to spiritual conditioning. It equips us to make wise decisions and steers us away from costly mistakes. Studying God’s word prepares us to discern His calling, strengthens us for battle, teaches us about leadership, corrects our selfish ways. If you don’t know where to start, try the book of Nehemiah, which has always been my textbook for leadership.

REFLECTION: How can you make Scripture a part of your everyday routine?

LISTENING

Attentive to God’s presence

But whoever listens to me will live in safety and be at ease, without fear of harm. (Proberbs 1:33)

Listen and hear my voice; pay attention and hear what I say. (Isaiah 28:23)

Then Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant is listening.” (1 Samuel 3:10)

Be still, and know that I am God! (Psalm 46:10)

INSIGHT: God is always speaking, if we listen. Listening means staying attentive to God’s presence on our journey, using our eyes, ears, heart and brain. We must pay attention to God’s revelations in worship, prayer and His Word. Barriers to listening can be agendas, preconceptions, worries, fears. Over time we develop a Godconsciousness that allows us to recognize His voice and His perspective.

REFLECTION: How did you discern God’s voice yesterday? How did you ignore His voice?

CONTEMPLATION

Letting God’s Word sink in

May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer. (Psalms 19:14)

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. (Philippians 4:8)

Teach me, and I will be quiet; show me where I have been wrong. (Job 6:24)

Let us search out and examine our ways and turn back to the Lord. (Lamentations 3:40)

INSIGHT: For me to give up something that is familiar and comfortable, I need to know the what, how and why. When God’s Word demands change, I start by asking for understanding. How would God have me think about the situation? We need time to understand why God’s way is better than ours. We need room to let it be personal. Sit with a verse. Read it. Speak it. Study it. Write it down. Memorize it. Hang out on it. It will change you from the inside-out.

REFLECTION: Take one of the verses above. Re-read it. Say it out loud. Write it down. Memorize it. Ask God to show you how it applies to you personally.

SELF-CONTROL

Necessary for success

Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. (Ephesians 5:15-16)

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. (Galatians 5:22-23)

Like a city whose walls are broken through is a person who lacks self-control. (Proverbs 25:28)

Seek good, not evil, that you may live. Then the Lord God Almighty will be with you, just as you say he is.

(Amos 5:14)

INSIGHT: The word self-control in the New Testament is defined as “governing.” Self control is about governing our desires and impulses, our thoughts and emotions, our words and actions. Self-control is the outlier that explains why some leaders soar and other fluctuate or fall. Successful leaders learn that by practicing prudence, patience, and integrity now, they have more freedom later.

REFLECTION: When has lack of self-control hindered a long-term goal?

ENEMIES

Kingdom Builders know that pride and power are at the roots of rebellion against God.

too confusing

PRIDE

An impediment to wisdom

Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other. (Galatians 5:26)

The pride of your heart has deceived you, you who live in the clefts of the rocks and make your home on the heights, you who say to yourself, ‘Who can bring me down to the ground?’ (Obadiah 3:1)

In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as they saw fit. (Judges 21:25)

For in his own eyes he flatters himself too much to detect or hate his sin. The words of his mouth are wicked and deceitful; he has ceased to be wise and to do good. (Psalm 36:2-3)

INSIGHT: Pride is thinking more highly of our own opinions than of God’s. Like Adam and Eve in the garden, pride leads us to disobedience against God. Our ambition, stubborness and selfsufficiency lead us to think we know more than God; we’re so great, we can make up our own rules. But wise decisions come from humble obedience, even when it feels counterintuitive.

REFLECTION: Sometimes the wise choice requires the simple decision between humble obedience and prideful disobedience.

GREED

Unquenchable desire

But watch out, or you may be seduced by wealth. Don’t let yourself be bribed into sin. (Job 36:18)

Love of money is the root of all evil. (Matthew 6:24)

The love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness and pierced themselves throuugh with many sorrows.

(1 Timothy 6:10)

The greedy stir up conflict, but those who trust in the Lord will prosper. (Proverbs 28:25)

Whoever loves money never has enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with their income.

(Ecclesiastes 5:10)

too similar

INSIGHT: It is easy to be greedy and not know it. Some diagnostic clues to look for in your life are: boasting, worry, stinginess, overspending, obsession, and stock piling. Greed is often an attempt to fill a psychological hole or to control life’s variables. The spritual truth is that when you live to satisfy only your own desires, you will be eternally unsatisfied. The real solution to greed is to learn generosity towards God and others.

REFLECTION: What part of greed can you see in yourself: worry, stinginess, stock piling obsession? Pray to God about it.

LIES

Half-truths and distortions

Whoever is pregnant with evil conceives trouble and gives birth to disillusionment. (Psalm 7:14)

If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth.

(1 John 1:6)

The Lord detests lying lips, but he delights in people who are trustworthy. (Proverbs 12:22)

A fortune made by a lying tongue is a fleeting vapor and a deadly snare. (Proverbs 21:6)

Sarah was afraid, so she lied and said, “I did not laugh.” (Genesis 18:15)

INSIGHT: Lies come from the playbook of the Great Deciever and are often subtle and clever, tinged with truth. These half-truths and distortions can offer a quick route to prosperity and power but eventually lead to destruction. Lies lead to decisions, damaged realtionships and guilt. Some lies that tempt an entrepreneur: you deserve it; you’ll make up for it later.

REFLECTION: Sin is enticing because it offers a quick route to prosperity and power.

ANGER

Anger comes before destruction

Therefore I want the men everywhere to pray, lifting up holy hands without anger or disputing.

(1 Timothy 2:8)

My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry. (James 1:19)

And “don’t sin by letting anger control you. ”Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry, for anger gives a foothold to the devil. (Ephesians 4:26-27)

Do not lose your temper--It only leads to harm. (Psalm 37:8)

INSIGHT: We get angry when reality doesn’t match our expectations. Anger is the opposite of self-control. The emotion messes with our discernment. Satan uses it to destroy relationships. Really bad things can happen when anger gets a foothold. Life can change in a single hateful word or act. God tells us to develop a guardrail against anger: be quick to listen and slow to speak; and give praise to God.

REFLECTION: When has your anger led to destrction?

SEXUAL SIN

Compromised leadership

God’s will is for you to be holy, so stay away from all sexual sin. Then each of you will control his own body and live in holiness and honor. (1 Thessalonians 4:3-4)

Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. (Colossians 3:5)

The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery. (Galatians 5:19)

INSIGHT: The downfall of many a great leader has come through sexual sin. When our sex lives are compromised by infedelity or pornography, our entire leadership foundation gets shaken. More wealth has been lost from sexual sin than I care to speculate about. Pay attention to your whole self: body, soul, mind and heart. Set up clear boundaries. Receive and give grace. Turn to God.

REFLECTION: Talk honestly to God about your sexual temptations. What boundaries can you put in place?

FAITHFUL MIND

Kingdom Builders know their hearts and minds must be deliberately cultivated and fiercly protects from the Enemy of deceit.

GOVERNED

What shapes our thinking?

And may your hearts be fully committed to the Lord our God, to live by his decrees and obey his commands, as at this time. (1 Kings 8:61)

The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. (Romans 8:6)

I will put My law in their minds and write it on their hearts; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. (Joshua 1:7)

Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. (Joshua 1:7)

INSIGHT: Most of us think we don’t want to be governed, especially entrepreneurs. We like to blaze our own trail. But we all have governors on our minds, whether by a deliberate choice or by default. Do you want the space of mind to be occupied by whatever show ups or by what will make you healthier, more valuable and more joyful? God’s disciplines of Scripture study and prayer shape our receptors to the world.

REFLECTION: What unhealthy influences can creep into your state of mind without you barely noticing?

DELIBERATE

Investing in our development

My child, pay attention to my words; listen closely to what I say. Do not let them out of your sight, keep them within your heart; for they are life to those who find them and health to one’s whole body. (Proverbs 4:20-22)

Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. (Proverbs 3:5-6)

Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ. (Romans 10:17)

INSIGHT: Do you spend your time or invest it? Think hard before your answer. Effective leaders must deliberately invest their time or they will hit a ceiling of success or even failure. To be most valuable, we are to invest our time in a disciplined way, not giving in to impulsiveness, but developing our talents, resources and people. Cultivating mind, spirit, and heart keeps us sharp for the now and prepares us for when our enterprise changes, requiring us to shift priorities and rally our team.

REFLECTION: What’s one thing you can do this week to deliberately develop your mind?

REFLECTIVE

Examine your life

Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you— unless, of course, you fail the test? (2 Corinthians 13:5)

Teach me, and I will be quiet; show me where I have been wrong. (Job 6:24)

I the Lord search the heart and examine the mind, to reward each person according to their conduct, according to what their deeds deserve. (Jeremiah 17:10)

Reflect on what I am saying, for the Lord will give you insight into all this. (2 Timothy 2:7)

INSIGHT: Socrates said, “The unexamined life is not worth living.” I might not go that far, but I do know that God wants us to be reflective about our lives. He wants us to think about how we are behaving and feeling, instead of just going through the motions or reacting impulsively. God’s Word helps us to understand ourselves as we understand God’s heart. Always ask of Scripture: How does this passage apply to my own life? Always pray after reading Scripture: God, help me to know and do your will.

REFLECTION: One method for studying Scripture is SOAP: Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer. Try it.

ATTENTIVE

Be quiet and listen

Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him. (Psalms 37:7)

Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know. (Jeremiah 33:3)

Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. (Hebrews 4:16)

The discerning heart seeks knowledge, but the mouth of a fool feeds on folly. (Proverbs 15:14)

O Lord, open his eyes and let him see! (2 Kings 6:17)

INSIGHT: A admire some one who knows how “to smell the roses”, and not pick and display them. Really allow the scent to penetrate their olfactory system.

Leaders who are attentive see the little things that define the culture of their enterprise. The make you feel heard and valued because the she you and how their people fit into the whole picture. Spiritually attentive people are attuned to God’s hands in their world and are grateful His blessings.

REFLECTION:

ASSURED

God’s assurances give confidence and hope

So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?”

(Hebrews 13:6)

This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.

(1 John 5:14)

Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. (Hebrews 10:23)

INSIGHT: The gift of gifts: assurance. In Jesus’s last days with his disciples he told them, “peace I leave with you”. I have this verse in my quiet space in my home library. It’s that good of a promise to me and to you. I am assured of what? He is with me me today, tomorrow and always.

REFLECTION:

REPUTATION

Kingdom Builders know our reputations are built on what we do and how we treat others not the words we speak.

also in dilegence

WORK ETHIC

Sticking to the plan

A good name is more desirable than great riches. (Proverbs 22:1)

Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. (James 3:13)

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters. (Colossians 3:23)

But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds. (James 2:14,18)

INSIGHT: My mom would say it like this, “Do what you say you’re going to do. That’s how reputations are built!” Business performance is simple: Plan your work, and then work your plan. At the core of every Kingdom Builder is an industrious nature; without it, you are not a builder. When we are given a leadership assignment, God expects us to labor. But we must learn to find a balance between working hard to drive and control results and working hard to let God bless our work.

REFLECTION: In what areas of responsibilities do you need to work harder?

COMPASSION

Seeing good in others

By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another. (John 13:35)

Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. (Ephesians 4:32)

Those who are kind benefit themselves, but the cruel bring ruin on themselves. (Proverbs 11:17)

Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life. (1 Timothy 6:18-19)

INSIGHT: Do you have a reputation as a compassionate person? How would clients, colleagues and service people characterize you? God wants to use you as a collaborator to extend His love, kindness, forgiveness, and generosity, even to difficult people. So we must learn to see the good in everyone, regard them as important in God’s sight, pray for them, try to see their pain.

REFLECTION: Think of the most difficult person you deal with at work. What is something you can appreciate about them?

INTEGRITY

A desired marketplace trait

The man of integrity walks securely, But he who takes crooked paths will be found out. (Proverbs 10:9)

Now this is our boast: Our conscience testifies that we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially in our relations with you, with integrity and godly sincerity. We have done so, relying not on worldly wisdom but on God’s grace. (2 Corinthians 1:12)

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow his precepts have good understanding. To him belongs eternal praise. (Psalms 111:10)

INSIGHT: Integrity means doing what you say you’re going to do, not tolerating a double standard, serving your clients like you would want to be served, honoring your commitments. The opposite of integrity is: bribery, stinginess, deceptive business practices, exploitation of vulnerable populations, hostile oppression. People want to do business with a person of integrity. Don’t you?

REFLECTION: Where have you seen integrity and “walking securely” play out (Proverbs 10:9)?

SOUND JUDGEMENTS

Decisions define our legacy

My son, do not let wisdom and understanding out of your sight, preserve sound judgment and discretion; they will be life for you, an ornament to grace your neck. (Proverbs 3:21-22)

Never repay evil for evil to anyone. Respect what is right in the sight of all people. (Romans 12:17)

These are the records of the generations of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his generation. Noah walked with God. (Genesis 6:9)

INSIGHT: Every day we make oodles of decisions. The more power you have the more judgments you make. Most are microscopically small, like what socks to wear , and some are defining, like hiring a succession leader or pruning a team, or making a promising investment or forfeiting a failed play.

All business-decisions, like most life-decisions, center on people, money and time. When we study God’s ways through Scripture and experienced faithful leaders, we learn to weigh with His scales of justice. As you mature in God’s wisdom, your judgments become clear and decisive because His principles never change.

REFLECTION:

COMMITMENTS

Persistence

and sweat

If a man makes a vow to the Lord, or takes an oath to put himself under a binding obligation, he shall not break his word; he shall act in accordance with everything that comes out of his mouth. (Numbers 30:2)

All you need to say is a simple “Yes” or “No.” Otherwise you will be condemned. (James 5:12)

Do not swear falsely by my name and so profane the name of your God. I am the Lord. (Leviticus 19:12)

You have also heard that our ancestors were told, ‘You must not break your vows; you must carry out the vows you make to the Lord.’ (Matthew 5:33)

INSIGHT: How we follow through on our commitments can make or break our reputation. Be thoughtful about the commitments you make. Don’t casually make promises you aren’t sure you can keep. Count the cost of resources and map out a plan. Then persist, beyond the comfort zone and through the obstacles. Any significant achievement requires endurance beyond inspiration to perspiration.

REFLECTION: What’s a commitment you made lightly and now are avoiding?

WISDOM

Kingdom Builders know that their is a spiritual realm that rests below the surface of the secular reality of the ‘every day of this world. Their choices refelect this reality.

SOURCE OF WISDOM

The fear of the Lord

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. (Proverbs 9:10)

He has showered his kindness on us, along with all wisdom and understanding. (Ephesians 1:8)

But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. (James 3:17)

God gave Solomon wisdom and very great insight, and a breadth of understanding as measureless as the sand on the seashore. (1 Kings 4:29)

INSIGHT: Proverbs says over and over that the “fear of the Lord” is the beginning of wisdom. When we revere God and humble ourselves before him, only then can we receive His wisdom. We must take ourselves off the throne and look to the source of all knowledge and understanding. Then we will find the guidance we need for the best decisions that lead to economic abundance.

REFLECTION: What are you trying to achieve by your own strength and wisdom?

HUMILITY

Don’t be a know-it-all

Humble yourseves before the Lord, and he will life you up. (James 4:10)

Wisdom’s instruction is to fewar the LORD, and humility comes before honor. (Proverbs 15:33)

He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them his way. (Psalms 25:9)

Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 18:4)

INSIGHT: Think of a know-it-all in your life. You can never tell them anything new, and they never admit when they are wrong. Do you trust what they say? Now think of a time you acted like a know-it-all. You weren’t willing to listen to an expert, or you pretended to know more than you did. You cannot be developed as a leader without being teachable. One of God’s secrets it this: humility is not a weakness but a strength.

REFLECTION: In what area do you tend to be a know-it-all?

DISCERNMENT

Ask God for it

Moreover, as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you; but I will teach you the good and the right way. (1 Samuel 12:23)

Do not treat prophecies with contempt but test them all; hold on to what is good. (1 Thessalonians 5:20-21)

Give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. (1 Kings 3:9)

There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death. (Proverbs 16:25)

We are from God, and whoever knows God listens to us; but whoever is not from God does not listen to us. This is how we recognize the Spirit of truth and the spirit of falsehood. (1 John 4:6)

INSIGHT: Discernment is the ability God gives us to make the best choices. It comes from knowing and applying God’s truths and collaborating with the Holy Spirit. When God told Solomon to ask for anything, he could have asked for more money or power; instead he asked for “discerning heart to govern the people.” The first step to finding discernment is to ask for it.

REFLECTION: Where do you most need God’s discernment? Ask Him for it.

AGE

On mission, even when we’re old

Gray hair is a crown of splendor, it is attained by a righteous life. (Proverbs 16:31)

When Joshua had grown old, the LORD said to him, “You are now very old, and there are still very large areas of land to be taken over. (Joshua 13:1)

Wisdom belongs to the age and understanding to the old. (Job 12:12)

INSIGHT: At the time I turned 60, people were saying, “60 is the new 40.” It sounded good, but it didn’t ring true. Then I read the above verse in Joshua 13. Even though Joshua was old, God told him there was still new land to conquer. This verse was like a fountain of youth for me. God’s mission needed to be my focus, not a certain birthday. God is on mission all the time, and the older we get, the more wisdom and experience we can bring. I plan to work on mission to the end of my days.

REFLECTION: What assets does your current age bring to God’s mission?

STEADINESS

In good times and bad

Whoever walks in integrity walks securely, but whoever takes crooked paths will be found out. (Proverbs 10:9)

Surely the righteous will never be shaken; they will be remembered forever. (Psalms 112:6)

Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not people. (Ephesians 6:7)

Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. (Matthew 7:24)

INSIGHT: Quiet confidence. Here’s what it looks like in a leader. When circumstances change, their emotions don’t spike too high or dip too low. They find their way to gratitude and optimism, whether times are difficult or prosperous. A steady leader is not defined by luck, applause or boos. They do what they believe is right and submit to God in all situation. God’s wisdom gives them peace and confidence.

REFLECTION: Describe someone you know who is unflappable.

GOD’S PEOPLE

Kingdom Builders have a deep responsibility to care for God’s people in the church, in the community and around the world, especially believers.

HUMAN WORTH

Made in God’s image

So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. (Genesis 1:27)

Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God. (Romans 15:7)

The Lord is good to all; he has compassion on all he has made. (Psalms 145:9)

Yet you, Lord, are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand. (Isaiah 64:8)

INSIGHT: All humans have worth because they were made by God in His image. But most have known, in small ways or large, the opposite of worth: shame. Shame is the deep sense that we are inherently flawed, unacceptable, and unworthy of love. Remember that God sees our worth, and He wants us to see the worth of others.

REFLECTION: List three people who are hard to accept. Thank God for how they are created in His image.

MANY NATIONS

God loves all nations

Abram fell facedown, and God said to him, “As for me, this is my covenant with you: You will be the father of many nations. (Genesis 17:3-4)

Do we not all have one Father? Did not one God create us? Why do we profane the covenant of our ancestors by being unfaithful to one another? (Malachi 2:10)

Therefore go and make disciples of all nations. (Matthew 28:19-20)

After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. (Revelation 7:9)

INSIGHT: God’s covenant with Abraham was not for one nation, tribe, or people, but for all nations—affirming that God’s people are all people. Scripture reminds us that we have one Father who created us all, so how can we justify prejudice or mistreatment based on skin color, ethnicity, or circumstance? As members of God’s family, we are called to cross all boundaries to share His goodness and make disciples of all nations. Kingdom builders think beyond borders, living with abundance and purpose to impact the diverse world God has entrusted to us on this side of eternity.

REFLECTION:

BELONGING

The need for community

But Ruth replied, “Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. (Ruth 1:16)

As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. (Psalms 42:1-2)

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. (Matthew 5:6)

This is the family tree of the human race: When God created the human race, he made it godlike, with a nature akin to God. (Genesis 5:1)

INSIGHT: God designed people to need relationships with other people. No lone rangers. God himself lives in the community of the Trinity, with Jesus and the Holy Spirit. All human beings are related, going back to Adam and Eve. We are family, and we should remember this when prejudice and hatred enters our heart. Genealogies in Scripture and on Ancestry sites remind us that we belond to a bigger community.

REFLECTION: Who can you lean into about your leadership challenges? Call that person today.

REBELLIOUS

Our nature is rebellious and selfish

The Lord warned Israel and Judah through all his prophets and seers: “Turn from your evil ways. Observe my commands and decrees, in accordance with the entire Law that I commanded your ancestors to obey and that I delivered to you through my servants the prophets.” (2 Kings 17:13)

They refused to listen and failed to remember the miracles you performed among them. They became stiff-necked and in their rebellion appointed a leader in order to return to their slavery. (Nehemiah 9:17)

Not a single person on earth is always good and never sins. (Ecclesiastes 7:20)

INSIGHT: Rebelliousness is not evil, it is apart of our nature. We are made push against our world to find ourselves. This process is known as Individuation, as part of discovering who we are and what we identify with.

REFLECTION:

GOD’S BODY

All parts matter

We are his people, the sheep of his pasture. (Psalm 100:3)

See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. (1 John 3:1)

For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function. (Romans 12:4)

Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals,[a] and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” (Genesis 1:26)

INSIGHT: On church teams or work teams, it’s easy to think we are the heroes of every project. As leaders, we are usually the eyes that see the vision or the head that leads the effort. But a body is made up of many more parts–the fingers that carry out details, the legs that run logistics, the heart that looks after the team. In all your projects, take time to acknowledge all the team members for their contributions.

REFLECTION: When have you felt undervalued in your role on a team?

TRUST

Kingdom Builders know their strength and confidence comes from a deep trust of a good Father God.

SOURCE OF TRUST

God or self

Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I entrust my life. (Psalms 143:8)

You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord, the Lord himself, is the Rock eternal. (Isaiah 26:3-4)

But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. (Jeremiah 17:7)

The Lord’s unfailing love surrounds the man who trusts in him. (Psalm 32:10)

INSIGHT: Distrust toward God can happen in times of failure, rejection, abandonment, betrayal, unemployment, loneliness, depression, the loss of a loved one. We are tempted to ask, “How would God let this happen?” During these times, we make a choice to trust God. Trusting in ourselves is easier because we feel more control. But trusting God gives us true strength to meet our own needs and the needs of others.

REFLECTION: Think of a time you chose to trust God. What happened?

PEACE

Trust in God gives us peace

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. (Phillipians 4:6-7)

Lord, you alone are my portion and my cup; you make my lot secure. (Psalms 16:5)

Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed,” says the Lord, who has compassion on you. (Isaiah 54:10)

You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you. (Isaiah 26:3)

INSIGHT: Anxious thoughts steal. When we are anxious our concentration is diluted, we can’t rest, our problem solving skills are compromised, we don’t attend well to others and our judgments become shorter term. The antidote to this condition is peace. Peace is rooted in trust. Trust comes from believing God’s promises.

Trust and peace are inextricable linked. We get anxious when we don’t know what tomorrow will bring. God tells us, ‘He has tomorrow covered, just do today well’. He promises we never have to worry another day, because our future is in a hope that is beyond tomorrow. When we receive this truth a peace takes ahold of our soul, we quiet and then our keenness of mind restores.

REFLECTION:

PROVISION

God is our Provider

Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. (Psalm 37:3-4)

Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” (Hebrews 13:5)

Give us today our daily bread. (Matthew 6:11)

But godliness with contentment is a great gain.

(1 Timothy 6:6)

INSIGHT: God is your provision. You didn’t do anything to make Him this, He just is. He is the Creator, He created you, and He is your provision. He has afforded us this life and He knows what we are experiencing in our journey, right now.

It’s hard to believe that He would want us to he as worried as we are in our troubles, but He expects us to get a gripe and don’t waste time whining. He promises He is at work on us, in our good and our hard circumstances. Now that I am thinking about it, I like this deal. He provides, we embrace.

(Extra) He is our provision and the only true constant in life. The rest of reality will pass to another state, but not our God. He is the same, yesterday, today and tomorrow. He is our provision in all things; we are His people. When we submit our problems in prayer, we become His agents and He becomes our Chief decision-maker. He is the ultimate partner. What a Great provision!

VULNERABILITIES

Recognize your tendencies

Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed,” says the Lord, who has compassion on you. (Isaiah 54:10)

Nevertheless, I will bring health and healing to it; I will heal my people and will let them enjoy abundant peace and security. (Jeremiah 33:6)

Surely the righteous will never be shaken; they will be remembered forever. They will have no fear of bad news; their hearts are steadfast, trusting in the Lord. (Psalms 112:6-7)

INSIGHT: We all have vulnerabilities, those weak places within our fortress. Perhaps it’s fear, insecurity or lust. These are the areas where Satan prowls, looking for opportunities to steal, kill and destroy. The best way to deal with our vulnerabailities is by recognizing their existence, admitting when they are at play in specific situations, and praying honestly to God for help.

REFLECTION: What are 3 ways you are vulnerable to the evil one?

CONFIDENCE

In self or God?

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. (Romans 15:13)

Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God. (Psalm 20:7)

But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. (Jeremiah 17:7)

So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?”

(Hebrews 13:6)

INSIGHT: Throughout history, mighty nations have risen to dominance, only to vanish in the dust. Too often leaders put their confidence in their own cleverness or position of power. Every seasoned owner has stories of significant losses due to arrogant choices: too much growth too fast, unwise partnerships, excessive owner indulgences. God knows what’s best for our enterprise, and Kingdom Builders put confidence in Him.

REFLECTION: Where do you put your faith and trust?

SPIRITUAL BATTLEFIELD

Kingdom Builders recognize there’s a spiritual battle going on between God and Satan.

THE DECIEVER

Recognize his evil ways

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

(John 10:10)

The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. (1 Timothy 4:1)

The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. (2 Corinthians 4:4)

INSIGHT: Kingdom Builders can expect Satan to attack in ways that are both obvious and subtle, both predictable and unexpected. He might neutralize believers from feeling strongly about good and evil. He might sow doubts about God’s goodness. He might confuse, discourage or divide. Often Satan attacks when we are stretching boldly in our faith or increasing our obedience to God. Ask for eyes to see the spiritual battlefield.

REFLECTION: What battles in your work might be spiritual battles?

THE BATTLE

Good vs. evil

We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed but not driven to despair. We are hunted down but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed. (2 Corinthians 4:8-9)

For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. (Ephesians 6:12)

INSIGHT: There are many forces in the world that can ruin us economically, emotionally, physically and spiritually. We are in a battle with the desires of the flesh—power, control, possessions, sex. The marketplace, where mammon reigns, is a hotbed for unsavory temptations. Recognize that the danger is real. Remember that in the end God wins. And commit to binary decisions every day: yes to good, no to evil.

REFLECTION: What is a situation where you need to flat out say no to evil?

ARMOR

Kingdom Builders put on God’s armor to battle

But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet. (1 Thessalonians 5:8)

Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. (Ephesians 6:13-15)

The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. (2 Corinthians 10:4)

INSIGHT: Everyone faces battles in life-physical and spiritual challenges that threaten our peace, confidence and strength. God promises that He will give us what we need for our battles, but we need to do our part. We must prepare by putting on spiritual armor. We draw close to our protector for the faith, hope and love that is our breastplate. We gird ourselves with truth by reading God’s Word. We train our senses to stay sober and astute.

REFLECTION: Name the enemies who hold you back or make you feel discouraged. Ask God for the particular kind of armor you need.

PROTECTION

God promises he will protect us in battle

Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings from the wicked who are out to destroy me, from my mortal enemies who surround me. (Psalms 17:8-9)

Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. (Psalms 23:4)

The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer. (2 Samuel 22:2)

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. (Isaiah 43:2)

INSIGHT: You will never meet a battle in life you can not handle. It’s God-guarantee given to God’s followers. you are protected but it does not mean you won’t have pain or hurt. But, as one of faith, you can endure whatever is or ever will be in your life while on earth. He will not abandon us nor destroy us. He will give us what He expects us to handle, and not more. I believe these words, but I don’t understand all the whys to my clarity.

As Kingdom leaders, every adversity, bankruptcy, business set-back or betrayal, is a place to trust your King. Place every problem at His feet, lighten your grip, endure the pain and watch God’s protection through His strength. When we accept the paradox of faith—the weaker we become the stronger He becomes in us—we become bolder and more secure

STRENGTH

Pray for it

It is God who arms me with strength and keeps my way secure. (Psalms 18:32)

Do not be afraid, you who are highly esteemed,” he said. “Peace! Be strong now; be strong.” When he spoke to me, I was strengthened and said, “Speak, my lord, since you have given me strength. (Daniel 10:19)

Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you. (Luke 10:19)

I have been with you wherever you have gone and have cut off all your enemies from before you; and I will make you a great name, like the names of great men who are on earth.

(2 Samuel 7:9)

INSIGHT: It takes strong will and determination to build a great business and to succeed it to the next generation. It takes strong hands and solid leadership fundamentals to inspire a team to perform well, year after year. Nehemiah, who led the rebuilding of Jerusalem after Babylonian captivity, found strength and success through this sequence: identify the problem, pray about it and, then, act. The power of prayer is the truest source of strength.

REFLECTION: God never runs out of strength. Ask Him now for some of His endless supply.

LEADERSHIP SKILLS

Kingdom Builders don’t just vision-cast, but they hone the skills that bring order to their vision.

PLANNING

Time is God’s gift

Prepare your work outside; get everything ready for yourself in the field, and after that build your house. (Proverbs 24:27)

The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty. (Proverbs 21:5)

Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. The five who were foolish didn’t take enough olive oil for their lamps, but the other five were wise enough to take along extra oil. (Matthew 25:2-4)

If the ax is dull and its edge unsharpened, more strength is needed, but skill will bring success. (Ecclesiastes 10:10)

INSIGHT: Business simple: Plan your work and, then, work your plan. That’s really all there is to business performance. Most people don’t make two basic commitments to success. First, they don’t put their desires outcomes in writing. Second, they don’t hold themselves accountable to the written plan, with measurable actions and specific timeframes.

REFLECTION: Do you have ideas swirling in your head? Write them down.

CALCULATING

Build in accountability

Do not treat prophecies with contempt but test them all; hold on to what is good. (1 Thessalonians 5:20-21)

I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.

(Matthew 10:16)

Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it? (Luke 14:28-32)

We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps. (Proverbs 16:9)

INSIGHT: The wisdom of God is practical, and it is given to His people to bring about tangible results. I have my clients write 30, 60 and 90 day plans that account for daily and weekly goals, priorities and evaluations. Every person on the team gets an active scorecard that ties to the plan. A leader must not only set goals but measure performance. They must celebrate successes and address shortcomings.

REFLECTION: How can you become more calculating about your goals?

DECIDING

Using a God lens

Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and all your plans will succeed. (Proverbs 16:3)

Above all, my brothers and sisters, do not swear—not by heaven or by earth or by anything else. All you need to say is a simple “Yes” or “No.” Otherwise you will be condemned. (James 5:12)

When two of you get together on anything at all on earth and make a prayer of it, my Father in heaven goes into action. (Matthew 18:19 MSG)

INSIGHT: Decisive action is the forte of most enterprise builders. Taking responsibility for outcomes is another skill. Submitting plans to a higher authority? Not so much. Looking to God’s wisdom, though, empowers Kingdom Builders to make the best decisions with better results and fewer mistakes. Why? Because God gives us His filter of understanding, which includes His knowledge of every opportunity and adversity we will face.

REFLECTION: In what ways can you seek God’s wisdom for your next big decision?

COMMUNICATING

God expects us to use our voices

Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. (2 Timothy 4:2)

You’re going to wear yourself out—and the people, too. This job is too heavy a burden for you to handle all by yourself. (Exodus 18:18)

delegation old verse

But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect. (1 Peter 3:15)

INSIGHT: Have you ever worked on a team with a leader who was an ‘under-communicator’? If so, you did not cultivate the potential of your talents in that soil.

Communicating is to a leader what hydrating is to an athlete. Each is lifeblood to its respective body, organizational and human, and will cause serious problems when under-supplied —cramping, aching, efficiency, confusion and deep fatigue.

Leaders must communicate continuously, sometimes fiercely, and with candor. Communicating is how vision is shared , culture is formed, strategic plans are created, talent is optimized , trust is built and, ultimately, organizational health is achieved.

Leaders who want it be great Kingdom Builders communicate with the people in their flock.

TEAM BUILDING

Deligation, clarity, unity

Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken. (Ecclesiastes 4:12)

Be sure you know the condition of your flocks, give careful attention to your herds; for riches do not endure forever, and a crown is not secure for all generations. (Proverbs 27:23-24)

If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it, and if one part is honored, all the parts are glad. (1 Corinthians 12:26)

Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. (Ecclesiastes 4:9)

INSIGHT: When you empower the right people on your team to own and understand priorities, your enterprise is aligned. But empowering employees means giving away control. A leader can’t micromanage every decision. Delegation is easier when we set clear priorities with specific timeframes. With clear expectations, we can have a unity of purpose, and unified, empowered team can move mountains.

REFLECTION: Do you need to delegate more? In what area?

KINGDOM PERSPECTIVE

Kingdom Builders cultivate a God-centered viewpoint as they evaluate their circumstances.

ETERNAL VIEW

Treasures that last

He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end. (Ecclesiastes 3:11)

Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. (1 John 2:15)

The last and final word is this: Fear God. Do what he tells you. (Ecclesiastes 12:13 MSG)

For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing from it. (1 Timothy 6:7)

INSIGHT: Whatever receives your most time, effort and thought, that’s where your treasure is. Our earthly treasures, like money and prestige, can be gone in a moment, no matter how much we store up. For us to live contentedly we must chose to invest in eternal treasure, which is our relationship with God. This treasure can never fade, never be stolen, is never used up.

REFLECTION: What part of your life is receiving your most attention right now?

DIVINE GUIDANCE

Learning to see it

For no word from God will ever fail. (Luke 1:37)

“As for me, the Lord has led me,” testified the servant of Abraham. (Genesis 24:27)

Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. (Colossians 3:2)

But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; They will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. (Isaiah 40:31)

INSIGHT: Seeking God’s guidance in the day by day moments prepares us for the big, life-defining moments. Through daily spiritual practices of prayer and Scripture study, we learn to set our minds on things above. We condition ourselves to recognize God-given opportunities that unity our life purpose with His. Breakthroughs and tipping points are a convergence of our preperation and God’s movement.

REFLECTION: How are you training yourself to recognize God’s guidance?

GLORY

His not ours

You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being.

(Revelations 4:11)

His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. (2 Peter 1:3)

INSIGHT: Your desire to become a great leader must never usurp God’s glory. God is opposed to the proud. As a Kingdom Builder you have been commissioned by heaven to rule on earth, not to honor yourself but to honor God and reflect His greatness. We must recognize God for who he is: holy, almighty, pure, righteous, allknowing, all-wise, all-good. This recognition provokes in us a deep sense of humility and respect. Only then will He show us how to choose His way.

REFLECTION: Describe someone who is all about their own glory.

COUNTER-CULTURAL

A different kind of leader

That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. (2 Corinthians 12:10)

Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” Jesus looked at him and loved him. (Mark 10:17,21)

Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.” (Mark 10:27)

If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat; if he is thirsty, give him water to drink. (Proverbs 25:21)

Need to put beattitude in verses if going to talk about it. Replace Mark 10:17,21 with Matt 5:3. Also list it first.

INSIGHT: The beatitudes of Jesus run counter-culture to the values of the marketplace. Jesus extols the poor in spirit, the meek, the merciful, the pure in heart, the peacemakers. These kinds of people He calls blessed. These kinds of people He says will inherit the earth. God’s values are not man’s values, so it should be no surprise that His kingdom economy doesn’t center on those with the power and control.

REFLECTION: What counter-cultural leader do you respect? Why?

SYMBOLS

Reminders of hope

I love you, Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. (Psalms 18:1-2)

Each of you is to take up a stone on his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the Israelites, to serve as a sign among you. (Joshua 4:5-6)

Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant I have established between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth. (Genesis 9:16)

The lampstand that is for light with its accessories, lamps and oil for the light. (Exodus 35:14)

INSIGHT: Somewhere in your house or on your desk is an object that is deeply meaningful to you. The object is symbolic of something momentous in your life-a passage or commitment or time of profound change. It’s a reminder. It’s something to hold onto when times are tough. A rock, a rainbow and a lamp are symbols in scripture that God used to remind us He is with us. Look around for a symbol of hope in your professional journey.

REFLECTION: If someone walked through your office, what would they learn from your symbols there?

LEADERSHIP ADVERSITIES

Kingdom Builders find hope in every struggle because they know there is purpose in God’s plan for them.

CRISES

God uses hard times

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. (2 Corinthians 1:3-4)

Now when he was in affliction, he implored the Lord his God, and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers, and prayed to Him; and He received his entreaty, heard his supplication, and brought him back to Jerusalem into his kingdom. (2 Chronicles 33:12-13)

I will not fear though tens of thousands assail me on every side. (Psalms 3:6)

I lift up my eyes to the mountains—where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. (Psalm 121:1-2)

INSIGHT: Business owners are rich with crises: money losses, product failures, unexpected litigation, betrayal by partners or customers. Gut wrenchjng doubt can creep in and djscourage us in these flash points. Kingdom Builders reahze that crisis moments are thin places where God is waiting to give direction, show mercy and lend strength. He is always at work within our troubles. This is a promise we can claim.

REFLECTION: Think of your worst professional crisis. How did you see God’s presence during it?

SUFFERING

God is with us

You, Lord, hear the desire of the afflicted; you encourage them, and you listen to their cry. (Psalms 10:17)

Be merciful to me, LORD, for I am in distress; my eyes grow weak with sorrow, my soul and body with grief. My life is consumed by anguish and my years by groaning; my strength fails because of my affliction, and my bones grow weak. (Psalms 31:9-10)

Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior. (Habakkuk 3:17-18)

INSIGHT: You are not alone in your suffering. God is with you. He understands your loss, loneliness, rejection, betrayal, attack. Cry out to him with your pain. Sometimes we feel too paralyzed to pray with words, but we can still turn our grief in God’s direction. Remember that Jesus gets us. He suffered the weight of humanity’s darkness, the sadness of a fallen world, the pain of death.

REFLECTION: Where do your find hope during hard times?

TRANSFORMATION

Becoming resilient

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. (Romans 12:2)

But he knows the way that I take; when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold. (Job 23:10)

Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. (Romans 5:3-4)

INSIGHT: God has purpose in our trials. In the face of adversity, Kingdom Builders turn to God. We speak to Him to feel heard, and He speaks to us to lend strength and wisdom. The dialogue transforms us into the best version of ourselves, girding us with perseverance, character and hope.

REFLECTION: What difficulty in your life transformed you into who you are today?

DELIVERANCE

Ask for it

Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress. (Psalms 107:6)

He reached down from on high and took hold of me; he drew me out of deep waters. (Psalms 18:16)

David sang to the Lord the words of this song when the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul. (2 Samuel 22:1)

If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land. (2 Chronicles 7:14)

INSIGHT: God delivers us during times of suffering when we reach out to Him. Sometimes deliverance is dramatic, like the parting of the sea. Always it comes through dialogue with God, giving us an outlet to be heard and to invite light into darkness. However it comes, deliverance first requires a humility that admits our need for help. Billy Graham once said, “Before I can receive power, I must first confess that I am powerless.”

REFLECTION: When has God delivered you? How did He do it?

RECOVERY

The unique role of survivors

Though you have made me see troubles, many and bitter, you will restore my life again; from the depths of the earth you will again bring me up. You will increase my honor and comfort me once more. (Psalms 71:20-21)

But God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance. (Genesis 45:7)

He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. (Psalms 147:3)

For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.

(2 Corinthians 4:17)

INSIGHT: A crisis can break you and leave you bitter or detached. Or, it can melt away pretenses, simplify priorities, and allow a new intimacy with God. A crisis will often redirect the path of your journey. People who have survived catastrophe can go on to play a unique role in guiding others. They have a survival story to tell and hard-fought wisdom to offer. They can become keepers of hope.

REFLECTION: What survival story in your own life could you use to help someone else?

GIFTS

Kingdom Builders faithfully steward the abilities God has given them.

SOURCE OF GIFTS

Talent for a reason

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. (James 1:17)

Yet you, Lord, are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand. (Isaiah 64:8)

He has filled him with the Spirit of God, with wisdom, with understanding, with knowledge and with all kinds of skills. (Exodus 31:3)

There are different kinds of gifts. But it is the same Holy Spirit Who gives them. (1 Corinthians 12:4)

INSIGHT: God is the giver of all good gifts. He intends for us to value, use and enjoy our gifts, to glorify Him and further His kingdom, not to glorify ourselves. To stay humble about the talents and abilities He has given us, first we thank Him. Then we ask daily how can we can use our gifts to serve Him and others. Our bigger purpose will come into focus as we figure out why God has gifted us the way he has.

REFLECTION: What are your top talents and abilities?

HONING TALENT

Study and practice

Now eagerly desire the greater gifts. (1 Corinthians 12:31)

We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully. (Romans 12:6-8)

INSIGHT: To fully use our gifts and tale1.ts, we must first discover and inventory them. Our gifts will align with what we love to do. Then, we must consciously cultivate our gifts. Translating gifts into a skill and a vocation requires more than affinity. Becoming proficient and accomplished requires thousands of hours of study and practice. A well-honed talent will bear fruit in reputation, influence and audience.

REFLECTION: How are you cultivating your top gifts?

UNIQUE BRILLIANCE

Different for a reason

Now about the gifts of the Spirit, brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be uninformed. (1 Corinthians 12:1)

But who are you, a human being, to talk back to God? “Shall what is formed say to the one who formed it, ‘Why did you make me like this?’” Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for special purposes and some for common use?

(Romans 9:20-21)

Gold there is, and rubies in abundance, but lips that speak knowledge are a rare jewel. (Proverbs 20:15)

INSIGHT: As a kid, my teachers didn’t think I was very smart, but it turned out I just needed to figure out my unique brilliance. Our very differences and quirks, as well as our strengths and talents, are part of God’s gift to us and to the world. Even if people don’t appreciate our differences, God does, and He has plans. In the same way we have our own set of fingerprints, we also have our own particular blend of gifts. When we relax into it, we work more effectively.

REFLECTION: What gift do you have that some would see as weakness?

DIVINE MANTLE

A holy comission

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. (Acts 1:8)

Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; before you were born I set you apart. I appointed you as prophet. (Jeremiah 1:5)

The Lord...has appointed me to build a temple...at Jerusalem. (Ezra 1:1-2)

But God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance. (Genesis 45:7)

INSIGHT: In the Bible, a mantle is a position of spiritual authority given to an individual to continue God’s work. In a similar way, God passes along His sacred calling to Kingdom Builders. He elevates our work from the ordinary to the sacred. A leader who accepts their mantle becomes God’s agent for divine order, systematic change, justice, honor and integrity. Such a leader is accountable to God for all their dealings. The mantle is a wonderful and weighty gift.

REFLECTION: If you saw your work as God’s commission, how would it change?

UNITY

Many skills, one purpose

How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity! (Psalm 133:1)

My goal is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ. (Colossians 2:2)

Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others as faithful stewards of God’s grace. (1 Peter 4:10)

Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace. (Ephesians 4:3)

INSIGHT: God gave each person their skill set to serve a bigger purpose. Unity of purpose is the glue that holds every organization together. But sometimes the many different gifts on a team can create conflict, resulting in less collaboration and ineffective problem solving. One person’s interests are served at the expense of another’s. Conflicting agendas compete for attention. Leaders must fiercely protect team unity by being clear about the end game and by esteeming each person’s unique contribution.

REFLECTION: Think of a team you’ve been paer of that was disunified. What were some of the problems?

JOURNEY

Kingdom Builders know God is present and active in every stop of their journey.

PATH

Step by step

For still the vision awaits its appointed time; it hastens to the end—it will not lie. If it seems slow, wait for it; it will surely come; it will not delay. (Habakkuk 2:3)

Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path. (Psalm 119:105)

You have made known to me the paths of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence. (Acts 2:28)

I will lead the blind by ways they have not known, along unfamiliar paths I will guide them. I will turn the darkness into light before them and make the rough places smooth. These are the things I will do; I will not forsake them.

(Isaiah 42:16)

INSIGHT: Our unique path includes not just a destination but a journey along the way. God gives us clarity of vision when we intentionally seek His ways. Sometimes we see a long way ahead, sometimes just the next step. Most people step off the path of their dreams because they get stuck in the uncertainty or allow dream stealers to prevail. Keep taking the next right step even if the rest of the trial is foggy.

REFLECTION: In what ways do you need God to light your path?

SETBACKS

Incubators for new ideas

God left him to test him and to know everything that was in his heart. (2 Chronicles 32:31)

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. (Isaiah 42:2-3)

For all these forty years your clothes didn’t wear out, and your feet didn’t blister or swell. Think about it: Just as a parent disciplines a child, the Lord your God disciplines you for your own good. (Deuteronomy 8:4-5)

See, I have refined you, though not as silver; I have tested you in the furnace of affliction. (Isaiah 48:10)

INSIGHT: Setbacks are simply re-sets, if we choose to see them that way. Most successful entrepreneurs grew an idea or business during a time of setback. These times can be incubators for new discoveries, inventions and creations; times to let go of entitlements and sacred cows; times to refine a calling. Sometimes we are not to fix things to the way they were before but to step onto a different path.

REFLECTION: When has a setback inspired a good change?

SEASONS

The seasons are God’s living miracle

For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven. (Ecclesiastes 3:1)

Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, and he brought them out of their distress. He stilled the storm to a whisper; the waves of the sea were hushed. They were glad when it grew calm, and he guided them to their desired haven. (Psalm 107:28-30)

After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper.

(1 Kings 19:12)

He (Jesus) said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has fixed by his own authority.”

(Acts 1:7 AMP)

INSIGHT: When I’m at a hard place in my journey, I think of my mom’s words: “Sammy, these things will pass.” Her words remind me that the rhythm of the seasons applies to our personal lives, our careers, and our economy. There are seasons of preparation and waiting; seasons of harvest and growth; seasons of dying to the old to make room for the new. I’d prefer no waiting and quick results, but God’s timing is usually different than mine.

REFLECTION: What season are you in professionally? What activities can you do now to ready yourself for the next season?

CROSSROADS

Changing course

This is what the Lord says: “Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls. But you said, ‘We will not walk in it.’ (Jeremiah 6:16)

As for God, his way is perfect: The Lord’s word is flawless; he shields all who take refuge in him. (2 Samuel 22:31)

Show me now Your way, that I may know You and that I may find grace in Your sight. (Exodus 33:13)

INSIGHT: Every business leader’s story has included defining moments, when they stood at a crossroads and has to choose a new way forward. For me it was the recession of 2008. Business models that had worked in the past no longer did. I looked to God, and new insights came. I decided to embrace a new emerging paradigm of adaptability, collaboration, flexibility, resource-sharing, value beyond mooney, relational capital, time capital, a corporation of one.

REFLECTION: What was one of the defining moments of your career?

RESILIENCE

Adapting not quitting

To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life. (Romans 2:7)

I will refresh the weary and satisfy the faint. (Jeremiah 31:25)

Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him. (James 1:12)

The Lord makes firm the steps of the one who delights in him; though he may stumble, he will not fall, or the Lord upholds him with his hand. (Psalms 37:23-24)

INSIGHT: Resilient leaders see a downturn as a dip, not a permanent state. They are willing to make the necessary course corrections, even if it means reconstructing their reality. They remain curious, selfreflective and open to new ideas. Resilient Kingdom Builders value God’s purpose as greater than the pain, looking to the future and not just the present. Loss can forge us into strong, resourceful leaders, if we don’t give up.

REFLECTION: Describe the most resilient person you know.

GOD’S PLANS

Kingdom Builders know that God has a good future for us.

TIMING

Periods of waiting

Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord. (Psalm 27:14)

There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every matter under heaven. (Ecclesiastes 3:1)

But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint. (Isaiah 40:31)

INSIGHT: Waiting for the Lord’s plan is not easy, but God uses the waiting period as a time of growth, transformation, and renewed strength. His timing is perfect. During the slow seasons, God is at work, even when we can’t see it. Use these moments to refresh your spirit, learn from God’s teachings, and critically review your life. Let God prepare you for what’s next.

REFLECTION: When in your life were you in a period of waiting? How did God use that time?

EXPECTATIONS

God makes us depend on Him

Consider what God has done: Who can straighten what he has made crooked? (Ecclesiastes 7:13)

When times are good, be happy; but when times are bad, consider this: God has made the one as well as the other. Therefore, no one can discover anything about their future. (Ecclesiastes 7:14) look at other version

I came naked from my mother’s womb, and I will be naked when I leave. The Lord gave me what I had, and the Lord has taken it away. Praise the name of the Lord! (Job 1:21)

You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last— and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. (John 15:16)

INSIGHT: We all have expectations. High achievers often have high expectations of themselves. People with low expectations have a tendency to live life by default, “whatever happens, happens.” The latter view is the breeding ground for an attitude of entitlement; the former for the attitude of control freaks, “it is all up to me.”

We are taught in Scripture to aspire to a purpose that is centered not on our comfort but our purpose. We are to invest our talents so that we can influence others for the Kingdom not for our own gain.

Our expectations of character and aspiration have been set by the teachings of Jesus as to treating people and setting priorities for the resources under our authority.

DIVINE CONVERGENCE

God reveals himself in supernatural ways

So is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it. (Isaiah 55:11)

So he said to me, “This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: ‘Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the Lord Almighty. (Zechariah 4:6)

Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know. (Acts 2:22)

INSIGHT: “Oh my gosh, how did this just happen, at this exact moment in time.” That’s what i asked my wife when i finished talking with my roommate from 40 years ago. His voice had changed but not his intonation. He was scared a little on this day, cancer possibilities were in his horizon. We communicated 40 times in the 7 days of his hospital stay.

Was this just an amazing coincidence or something divine?

In the recent mornings before this call, I was consistently uttering these words:

“Lord, make me a blessing to someone today.”

I like the idea that God converges with signs and circumstances that reveal His will and prod me to activate my role as His ambassador.

REFLECTION:

SUCCESS

Evaluating yourself

Then you will have success if you are careful to observe the decrees and laws that the Lord gave Moses for Israel. Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or discouraged. (1 Chronicles 22:13)

Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. (Joshua 1:7)

Carefully follow the terms of this covenant, so that you may prosper in everything you do. (Deuteronomy 29:9)

O Lord, please hear my prayer! Listen to the prayers of those of us who delight in honoring you. Please grant me success today by making the king favorable to me. Put it into his heart to be kind to me. (Nehemiah 1:11)

INSIGHT: Succesful business owners establish their priorities, challenge their choices and examine their roles. One metric is to ask yourself what gives you life and what drains you? Another metric is to spend more time on actions that help you achieve your goals and less time on actions that obstruct your goals. It sound easy, yet we know that the squeaky wheel gets the grease.

REFLECTION: What do you wish you could spend more time doing in your job?

CLOSENESS

God’s desires intamacy

Show me your ways, Lord, teach me your paths. Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long. (Psalm 25:4-5)

Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. (Romans 12:1-2 MSG)

Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them.

(John 14:21)

The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth. (Psalm 145:18)

INSIGHT: You know you’re close to someone when you both say the same thing at the same time. This alikeness happens when we are close to God, too. We take on more of His character. We better understand His priorities and plans and are willing to trust and obey Him even when His plans don’t make sense. A mercenary reason to stay close to God is the be in synch with His good plans for us.

REFLECTION: On a scale of 1-10, how close are you God right now? What would need to change to score a 10?

MYSTERIES

Kingdom Builders stay attuned to the unearthly ways God uses to speak to us.

PROPHESY

God uses prophesies to build us up

There has never been another prophet in Israel like Moses. (Deuteronomy 34:10)

Now I have heard about you that a spirit of the gods is in you, and that illumination, insight, and extraordinary wisdom have been found in you. (Daniel 5:14)

If there were prophets among you, I, the Lord, would reveal myself in visions. I would speak to them in dreams. (Numbers 12:6)

But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. (John 16:13)

INSIGHT: I have been told a few times that I have a prophetic gift. It makes me uncomfortable when people say that. I don’t relate to the old prophets like Isaiah, Jeremiah, Amos or the like. They speak and act differently from me, it seems.

But, I do know that God provokes me to share His wisdom to business owners in my city, my state, my country and around the world. I care deeply about the well-being of the church, the faithful, and the lost leaders in the marketplace. It disturbs me that so many Christians have chosen to miss the opportunity to become bold and courageous leaders for the Kingdom, to marshal resources for the hurting and impoverished. Too many churches are comfortably languishing.

Frankly, it breaks my heart to see leadership impotency in the churches, and there is a lot everywhere. I believe at this exact point in time, God is stirring the faith community in every corner of this earth, to pursue

GOD’S VOICE

Kingdom Builders know when God has spoken

Listen and hear my voice; pay attenton and hear what I say. (Isaiah 28:23)

When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. (John 16:13)

The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you.” (Genesis 12:1)

Listen for God’s voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; he’s the one who will keep you on track. (Proverbs 3:6)

INSIGHT: God is speaking to you and me all the time. You don’t believe me? Ok. Stop. Be still. Breathe deep. Concentrate on your breath for just a minute. Don’t count. Just be here.

Ok. Look around. Scan quickly, now, slowly. Nice.

Appreciate the light, particular objects, random or soothing sounds, smells. Treat these moments of listening as if you are in your last days on earth. Give thanks.

God’s voice is in your gratitudes. Listen after you speak.

Yesterday, I held the hand of a lady who was in her last hours on earth. Today, I am hearing God’s voice clearly. Listen. God is speaking,

REVELATIONS

In everyday life

These are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God.

(1 Corinthians 2:10)

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.

(Matthew 5:8)

For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen. (Romans 1:20)

INSIGHT: When our life is aligned with God, he gives us eyes to see everyday revelations. I once had a holy moment with a couple who installed new blinds in my house. They were from an Islamic country, where he once was a mechanical engineer, and they wanted to talk about Jesus. I was tired from a hectic work day, but? We ordered pizza. I gave him a Kingdom Builder·Box with scripture verses. A merely transactional exchange had become something more.

REFLECTION: Describe an everyday revelation from the past month.

IMMEASURABLE

God does the impossible

I will satisfy the priests with abundance and my people will be filled with my bounty,” declares the Lord. (Jeremiah 31:14)

Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man. (Proverbs 3:3-4)

Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the Lord Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it. (Malachi 3:10)

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us. (Ephesians 3:20)

INSIGHT: You just can’t explain ‘immeasurable’, because it doesn’t fit inside the cup. It’s the intangibles we get when we experience something that has transformed us. How do we tell someone who knew us in our youth, we have had changes of immeasurable portion. We have been changed from the inside out.

Likely, at the heart of your immeasurable life change, if you are a Kingdom Builder, is your relationship with Jesus, the son of God. His impact on our lives has been immeasurable, more than we could have imagined.

REFLECTION:

AWE

Don’t miss the amazing

They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. (Acts 2:42-43)

Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe. (Hebrews 12:28)

“Do not come any closer,” God said. “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.” Then he said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.” At this, Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God. (Exodus 3:5-6)

INSIGHT: Moments of awe can happen when we least expect it—a stunning sunset, an unsolicited kindness, circumstances that add up to success. We need the eyes to recognize these mysteries and the heart to respond. Moses was busy tending to his sheep when he noticed a buring bush. He stopped his work to investigate, and once he recognized God’s fiery podium, he took off his sandals. Recognizing these sandals-off moments requires us to slow down, give up our own agenda, and pay attention.

REFLECTION: What was your last momement of awe?

RELATIONSHIPS

Kingdom Builders pursue healthy relationships that spur them on to love and good deeds.

COMPANIONS

A good or bad influence

Walk with the wise and become wise, for a companion of fools suffers harm. (Proverbs 13:20)

Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly. (Matthew 11:30)

They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. (Acts 2:47)

Blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, who does not look to the proud, to those who turn aside to false gods. (Psalm 40:4)

INSIGHT: Our companions are those we invest time in and those we seek to emulate. The company we keep profoundly influences our words, deeds, choices and treatment of others. Are those closest to you inspiring you to do good? Kingdom Builders belong to communities of people that allow them to learn God’s ways.

REFLECTION: Name a companion who is a good influence and one who is a bad influence.

BAD COMPANY

Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sits in the company of mockers. (Psalm 1:1)

The wise don’t engage in empty chatter. What good are such words? (Job 15:3)

Don’t be fooled by those who say such things, for “bad company corrupts good character.” (1 Corinthians 15:33)

Evil men do not understand. (Proverbs 28:5)

Dear friend, do not imitate what is evil but what is good. Anyone who does what is good is from God. Anyone who does what is evil has not seen God. (3 John 1:11) It corrupts you

INSIGHT: The marketplace is full of people who win at any cost, cause harm to others, sow corruption around them. These ethically questionable people might be a boss, client, customer, or employee. We must recognize and resist their deceitful ways. The Psalmist tells us not to “sit in their company.” We limit how much time we spend with them, listening to their mockery and empty chatter.

REFLECTION: Is there a bad influence in your life who you need to pull away from?

TRUSTED ADVISORS

Relational capital

Lord, who may dwell in your sacred tent? Who may live on your holy mountain? The one whose walk is blameless, who does what is righteous, who speaks the truth from their heart. (Psalm 15:1-2)

One who loves a pure heart and who speaks with grace will have the king for a friend. (Proverbs 22:11)

For we know, brothers and sisters loved by God, that he has chosen you, because our gospel came to you not simply with words but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and deep conviction. (1 Thessalonians 1:4-5)

Never once did we try to win you with flattery, as you well know. And God is our witness that we were not pretending to be your friends just to get your money!

(1 Thessalonians 2:5 NLT)

INSIGHT: When you trust someone, your body and mind relax. It’s like a baby melding into the arms of a grandpa. When you find a trusted advisor, you feel safe to listen, search and evaluate. Thinking flows. Kingdom Builders seek out advisors who have earned the role through their experience, spiritual maturity and wisdom. A mentor will make your life good. A whole advisory team will make your life even better.

REFLECTION: Do you hesitate to seek out advice? Why?

PARTNERSHIPS

Healthy partnerships are yoked in faith

Don’t become partners with those who reject God.

(2 Corinthians 6:14 MSG)

So if you consider me a partner, welcome him as you would welcome me. If he has done you any wrong or owes you anything, charge it to me. (Philemon 1:17-18)

INSIGHT: Partnerships are complicated. If they involve equity, they are like a marriage that can last generations when they prosper. Paul instructs us to protect the integrity of like minded

relationships. A partnership is a yoking and binds you to the parties of choice. Be wise and discerning. Partnerships, like marriages, should be formed out of strength, not neediness.

At the core of every healthy enduring, equity partnership is a relationship of trust between the stockholders. Trust is built on alignment of beliefs, values and principles. Belief in the authority of God’s word and the commitment to the process of spiritual maturation is

Conflicts and problems are inherent to any partnership.

REFLECTION: Is there a relationship, a circumstance, or an object in your life that keeps you from really trusting God?

OTHER BELIEVERS

Stronger together

In the same way, you who are younger, submit yourselves to your elders. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.” (1 Peter 5:5)

Resist [Satan], standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings. (1 Peter 5:9)

As iron sharpens iron, so a friends sharpens a friend. (Proverbs 27:17)

Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere. (Ephesians 6:18)

INSIGHT: Believers grow believers. We need to be around other believers of different shapes and sizes and colors, even though no one has it all figured out. The church gathers imperfect people to learn, grow and connect. The common ingredient is the belief in Jesus as Lord and Savior and our intentional pursuit of a relationship with God. I feel strong when I see God moving in the life of another Christian, no matter the cultural walls that might lay between us.

REFLECTION: Have you ever had a believer who wasn’t your type encourage you in the Lord? What was your common bond?

GOD’S CHARACTER

Kingdom Builders dwell on God’s attributes and strive ot emulate them.

UNCONDITIONAL LOVE

Following God’s example

The Lord’s compassion never fails. They are new every morning. (Lamentations 3:22-23)

The Lord is good to all, he has compassion on all he has made. (Psalm 145:9)

But you are a forgiving God, gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love. Therefore you did not desert them. (Nehemiah 9:17)

The Lord is slow to anger, abounding in love. (Numbers 14:18)

INSIGHT: God extends a kind of love called agape, which is selfless, unconditional, and sacrificial. We receive this kind of love through Jesus and can give this kind of love through the Spirit. With agape, we can respond to someone’s needs without expectations or return. We can remain relentless and faithful even when loving a difficult person seems impossible. We can serve others, not just demand that they serve us. The greatest leaders are servant leaders who love others well.

REFLECTION: When has someone in your life loved you even though you didn’t deserve it?

NAMES

The traits we need

God said to Moses, “I am who I am.” (Exodus 3:14)

This is what the Lord says, he who appoints the sun to shine by day, who decrees the moon and stars to shine by night who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar—the Lord Almighty is his name. (Jeremiah 31:35)

But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. (John 14:26)

“Abba, Father,” he said, “everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. (Mark 14:36)

“Mary!” Jesus said. She turned to him and cried out, “Rabboni!” which is Hebrew for “Teacher” (John 20:16)

INSIGHT: Yahweh, Lord Almighty, Advocate, Father, Rabbi. These verses tell us just a few of God’s names. The names show us the attributes that help us on our leadership journey. Yahweh has always been and always will be-He’s seen it all. The Lord Almighty, who created heaven and earth, can handle our problems. Our Advocate guides us each step of the way. Our Father is always for us not against us. Our Rabbi continues to teach us if we remain willing to learn. We’re covered, don’t you think?

REFLECTION: Which of God’s attributes do you need the most right now?

MERCIFUL

Extending God’s grace

Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. (Romans 8:1)

Don’t you see how wonderfully kind, tolerant, and patient God is with you? Does this mean nothing to you? Can’t you see that his kindness is intended to turn you from your sin? (Romans 2:4)

We can say with confidence and a clear conscience that we have lived with a God-given holiness and sincerity in all our dealings. We have depended on God’s grace, not on our own human wisdom. (2 Corinthians 1:12)

INSIGHT: Through Jesus, God is gracious to forgive our shortcomings. Thank goodness. Once we know God’s grace, we can extend it to others when they mess up—employees, suppliers, partners. When coworkers make mistakes, are you “wonderfully kind, tolerant and patient,” as Paul says of God in Romans 2? Or do people expect you to bite their heads off?

REFLECTION: How has God been merciful to you this past week?

FAITHFUL

God is faithful in His promises

Listen to me, you descendants of Jacob, all the remnant of the people of Israel you whom I have upheld since your birth, and have carried since you were born. Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you. (Isaiah 46:3-4)

The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning. (Lamentations 3:22-23)

Your love, O Lord, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies. Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains. (Psalm 36:5-6)

INSIGHT: God will always be with us, he promises us. No matter how unworthy we are, he never gives up on us. How can we know this? If he is so faithful, how come I don’t feel this, today. Here comes the hard part.I don’t feel it because I am not attending faithfully to my relationship with him. He fulfills every promise he makes.

If I trust him, he gives me peace and security. If I pray, he hears me and gives me assurance and courage. If I let go of my ways, his ways transform me. If i return to Him what is his, he gives me freedom. If i pursue the character of His son, my troubles turn to opportunities. He promises that if I am faithful in my business he will bless me. I don’t understand why he so faith as a God and Father, but he is.

He has chosen us. His expressions of faithfulness are his fulfillment of His promises.

REFLECTION:

POWERFUL

He reigns over all

In his hand is the life of every creature and the breath of all mankind. (Job 12:10)

Yes, and from ancient days I am he. No one can deliver out of my hand. When I act, who can reverse it? (Isaiah 43:13)

For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. (Colossians 1:16)

For nothing will be impossible with God. (Luke 1:37)

INSIGHT: God is all-powerful. All things have been created by Him and for Him, including all earthly powers, including your business. Nothing on this earth is impossible for God. Remember this when you are taking on a huge challenge. Our God reigns over the gatekeepers, the stock market, the political leaders. He can do even more than we imagine.

REFLECTION: Where do you need God’s power right now?

MISTAKES

Kingdom Builders try to avoid the errors that stem from our selfishness.

ARROGANCE

Arrogance blinds

When pride comes, then comes disgrace. (Proverb 11:2)

The pride of your heart has deceived you. (Obadiah 3)

In those days Israel had no king, everyone did as they saw fit. (Judges 21:25)

Don’t dare talk pretentiously—not a word of boasting, ever! For God knows what’s going on. He takes the measure of everything that happens. (1 Samuel 2:3)

INSIGHT: Every seasoned owner has stories of significant and unnecessary losses due to poor choices: too much growth too fast, wrong hires, excessive owner indulgences, misaligned acquisitions, wrong partnerships. Arrogance is the root cause to most poor decisions. Arrogance emerges from two self-centered beliefs: We know more than anyone else; and, We want what we want when we want it. The opposite of arrogance is seeking God’s wisdom, asking questions, listening to counsel.

REFLECTION: When has arrogance led you to the wrong decision?

WORDS

The power of life and death

The tongue of the wise adorns knowledge, but the mouth of the fool gushes folly. (Proverbs 15:2)

Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. (James 3:10)

The quiet words of the wise are more to be heeded than the shouts of a ruler of fools. (Ecclesiastes 9:17)

Those who guard their lips preserve their lives, but those who speak rashly will come to ruin. (Proverbs 13:3)

INSIGHT: Our words make a difference in the lives of others because words have the power of life or death. Life-giving words are healing and constructive, building up individuals, teams and companies. Deadly words set fire to relationships, divide people and destroy reputations.

The Bible says to avoid foolish talk, hypocrisy, and rashness. Kingdom Builders think before they speak and restrain what and how much they say.

REFLECTION: What difference have your constructive words made in the past week? How about your destructive words?

EXPLOITATION

Using people

One who oppresses the poor to increase his wealth and one who gives gifts to the rich—both come to poverty.

(Proverbs 22:16)

Fear the Lord and judge with integrity, for the Lord our God does not tolerate perverted justice, partiality, or the taking of bribes. (2 Chronicles 19:7)

The integrity of the upright guides them, but the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity. (Proverbs 11:3)

He builds injustice into its walls, for he makes his neighbors work for nothing. He does not pay them for their labor.

(Jeremiah 22:13)

INSIGHT: Exploiters threaten people and play on their fears. They flatter, telling others what they want to hear. Exploiters scheme, equivocate, bribe. They oppress the less powerful and pervert justice. Why? Because they want success or wealth or power at any cost. God hates this kind of wickedness. Don’t use and abuse others to get what you want.

REFLECTION: What is a time you were exploited? How did it feel?

GOSSIP

Shut down the rumor mill

What goes into someone’s mouth does not defile them, but what comes out of their mouth, that is what defiles them.

(Matthew 15:11)

Whoever would foster love covers over an offense, but whoever repeats the matter separates close friends.

(Proverbs 17:9)

Yet we hear that some of you are living idle lives, refusing to work and meddling in other people’s business.

(2 Thessalonians 3:11)

Don’t spread gossip and rumors. (Leviticus 19:18)

INSIGHT: Workplace gossip breeds disunity, diverts focus and slows productivity. As a leader, your response to gossip sets the tone. You can fan the flame of gossip and jump into the fray. Or you can shut down the rumor mill and its distraction. If you yourself are the subject of a rumor, play through the criticism, remember that God is the source of your security, and see if there;s an opportnity for growth.

REFLECTION: Are you prone to gossip? How and when?

FAVORITISM

Favoritism lays seeds for envy, bitterness and hatred

If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, “Here’s a good seat for you,” but say to the poor man, “You stand there” or “Sit on the floor by my feet,” have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts? (James 2:3-4)

But his brothers hated Joseph because their father loved him more than the rest of them. They couldn’t say a kind word to him. (Genesis 37:4)

Esau said to his father, “Do you have only one blessing, my father? Bless me too, my father!” Then Esau wept aloud. Esau held a grudge against Jacob because of the blessing his father had given him. (Genesis 27:38, 41)

INSIGHT: Favoritism wounds people. What is it? When people in trusted roles give favor or special privilege to another person, it leads to double standards in relationships, making it unfair and unpredictable for all.

Everyone has had a bitter taste of favoritism some where in their lives-a parent, a boss, a teacher or some higher authority a teacher or parent who betrayed their trust.

Favoritism cuts both ways. It hurts the favored and damages the slighted. God hates when those who are created in his image are treated as if they are less than another. Favoritism feeds entitlement to the privileged and causes others to be confused and, even, doubt their self-worth. The more important the authority figure, the deeper the pain is. Favoritism breeds resentment, dissension and mistrust. REFLECTION:

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CONFLICT RESOLUTION

Kingdom Builders seek to be peacemakers in all circumstances.

CONFLICTS

Opportunity to new solutions

Every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and every household divided against itself will not stand. (Matthew 12:25)

And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us. (Romans 5:5)

For God is not a God of disorder but of peace—as in all the congregations of the Lord’s people. (1 Corinthians 14:33)

For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice. (James 3:16)

INSIGHT: Conflicts are the source of great solutions every day. If two clashing parties have a healthy relationship, a collision of views can be the beginning of progress. But if the parties have a toxic relationship, a disagreement can reopen old wounds, expose competing interests or misrepresent viewpoints. Kingdom Builders seek to be healers and peacemakers-before, during and after conflicts.

REFLECTION: How would your coworkers describe you during disagreements?

WOUNDS

Growing in empathy

“Abba, Father,” he said, “everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.” (Mark 14:36)

You, Lord, hear the desire of the afflicted; you encourage them, and you listen to their cry. (Psalm 10:17)

Turn from evil and do good; then you will dwell in the land forever. (Psalm 37:27)

“But I will restore you to health and heal your wounds,” declares the Lord, “because you are called an outcast, Zion for whom no one cares.” (Jeremiah 30:17)

INSIGHT: No matter how successful we are, none of us are immune to the wounds of life–grief, loss, business, failure, divorce, estrangement, addiction, chronic illness. We may never totally fix our wounds, but the lingering scars and challenges allow us to feel the pain of others. When we are in conflict, it helps to remember our opponent’s woundedness and our own. Empathy goes a long way in conflict resolution.

REFLECTION: How can one of your past wounds help you relate to a contentious person?

HEALING

God heals wounds

The trees will yield their fruit and the ground will yield its crops; the people will be secure in their land. They will know that I am the Lord, when I break the bars of their yoke and rescue them from the hands of those who enslaved them. (Ezekiel 34:27)

Restore us, O God; make your face shine on us, that we may be saved. (Psalm 80:3)

Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. (James 5:16)

Like food for the hungry, the words of the Scripture are food for our souls. Like medicine, they bring healing to the soul’s wounds. (Psalm 119:103)

INSIGHT: Healing is the process that follows on the other side of injury. Last week, Velda fell in the kitchen and broke her wrist: sneeze, tumble, break. It was harsh. Next week she has to get pins and screws if she wants a chance of perfect healing. Today, she is tender, tired and a little anxious, I am too. But, she is willing to do what is needed, because she wants to get well. Her healing requires the right procedure, her doctor says.

Healing is a choice. If we want to get well from our hurts, we must listen to what is hurting, try to clear the damage and, then, let the healing begin. God is the Great Physician who promises he will make us stronger in our weakness, when we allow Him into our healing process. REFLECTION:

PEACE-MAKING

Towards better collaboration

You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you. (Isaiah 26:3)

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. (John 14:27)

Great peace have those who love your law, and nothing can make them stumble. (Psalm 119:165)

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. (Matthew 5:9)

INSIGHT: To serve as a peacemaker in your company, you must not allow your anger or disappointment to fester, as it will cause bitterness and destroy relationships. Face your conflicts. Never be vindictive. Strive to use conflicts as opportunities to better understand others and form stronger relationships. If we address conflict based upon respect and collaboration, we can achieve unity, which is best for everyone.

REFLECTION: What do you need to work on to become a better peace-maker?

COMMON GROUND

The same basic needs

Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines. (1 Corinthians 12:7,11)

Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. (Acts 2:42-43)

Finally, brothers and sisters, rejoice! Strive for full restoration, encourage one another, be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you. (2 Corinthians 13:11)

INSIGHT: Regardless of differing opmions, there are certain things every person on the corporate ladder wants: success, profitability, efficiency. a good working environment. And there are certain things every human wants: to be heard and to be respected. If you can address these basic desires during a conflict, you can usually find the common ground on which to step forward into a productive group dynamic.

REFLECTION: Think of two office-mates who are not alike at all. Now think of their commonalities.

HEALTH

Kingdom Builders seek a balanced life that attends to physical, mental, and spiritual well-being.

BODY

The only one you’ve got

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. (Romans 12:1)

Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.

(1 Corinthians 6:19-20)

Your eye is like a lamp that provides light for your body. When your eye is healthy, your whole body is filled with light. But when it is unhealthy, your body is filled with darkness. (Luke 11:34)

REFLECTION: What part of your physical self is out of wack? What’s one change you can make this week? WEAK

INSIGHT: God cares about your whole self: body, heart, mind and soul. In the chase for success it’s easy to absue or neglect parts of our health. Take our bodies; we can skimp on sleep and excersise, eat food that’s bad for us, drink too much, ignore our body’s warning signs. Honor God with your body by paying attention to your physical health. Paul reminds us in 1 Corinthians that caring for our bodies is a way to honor God.

HEART

Watch over your desires

Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. (Ephesians 3:17)

A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks. (Luke 6:45)

Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. (Proverbs 4:23)

People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart. (1 Samuel 18:9-10)

INSIGHT: The heart is the center of love, hate and desire. It shapes how marketplace leaders treat people, use money, make decisions, set priorities. What we put into the heart affects what comes out of it. Are we putting in constant Netflix stories of revenge, pettiness, and sexual immorality? Or are we putting in Scriptures about God’s selfless love and noble agenda? Protect what goes into your heart, so you can protect the integrity of your leadership.

REFLECTION: What are the good and bad influences you put in your heart?

MIND

Cultivate your mind

The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding. (Proverbs 4:7)

The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. (Romans 8:6)

My child, pay attention to my words; listen closely to what I say. Do not let them out of your sight, keep them within your heart for they are life to those who find them and health to one’s whole body. (Proverbs 4:20-22)

INSIGHT: Kingdom Builders strive to gain wisdom. They feed their minds carefully by discerning the sources of authority they contemplate. The loudest and most insistent voices are not always the wisest. Look for input that helps you see possibilities and opportunities, that helps you see yourself and others as God sees, that promotes goodness and positivity.

REFLECTION: What part of you needs more discipline: your eyes, your heart, your mind, your tongue or something else?

SOUL

The Spirit of God is alive in us

Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be kept complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Thessalonians 5:23)

He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake. (Psalm 23:2-3)

The Spirit of God has made me; the breath of the Almighty gives me life. (Job 33:4)

INSIGHT: In my imagination, my soul is way down deep in my person, where my still waters run. Over top of it are a lot of my noisy thoughts and insecure emotions.

I anchor my soul with God’s promises and David’s psalms. They remind me that I am good enough and that He never gives up on me. I am soulfully comforted by the assurances of my faith, as a Kingdom Builder.

REFLECTION:

BALANCE

We are commanded to rest!

Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God. (Deuteronomy 5:13-14)

Also I gave them my Sabbaths as a sign between us, so they would know that I the Lord made them holy. (Ezekiel 20:12)

By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done. (Genesis 2:2-3)

INSIGHT: Nothing is harder for the high achiever than achieving balance. Nothing is more contradictory to true success than imbalance. When you don’t have balance you lose sight of purpose, sacrifice too much for your personal well-being and, likely, you impose on those around you. If you aren’t careful you “have it all” and then, you realize it means nothing. Balance is about living a life of significance, not just accomplishment.

Balance does not come naturally to high performance Kingdom Builders. It takes discipline to distribute the weights on life’s plate, so it spins smoothly—socially, physically, emotionally, spiritually, relationally.

Scripture informs us to pursue disciplines to keep us balanced and what really matters for a well-lived life. Be diligent. Serve. Protect our bodies. Be generous with our labor. Pray. Rest.

REFLECTION:

GOD’S AGENDA

Kingdom Builders know that God wants us to participate in its restorative mission on earth.

HEADSHIP

God is the head of every body

Yours, Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours. Yours, Lord, is the kingdom; you are exalted as head over all. (1 Chronicles 29:11)

Is not wisdom found among the aged? Does not long-life bring understanding? To God belong wisdom and power counsel and understanding are his. (Job 12:12-13)

But I have raised you up for this very purpose, that I might show you my power and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth. (Exodus 9:16)

INSIGHT: God is the CEO of our world, and He has a wise and brilliant business plan for His people. He wants our lives to generate goodnesss for ourselves and for others, in our professional and personal lives. Under His leadership our lives take on His character and express His intentions...

REFLECTION: What part of your life do you tend to not place under God’s headship?

HIS WAYS

His ways are trustworthy

The works of his hands are faithful and just; all his precepts are trustworthy. (Psalm 111:7)

Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you; therefore he will rise up to show you compassion. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him! (Isaiah 30:18)

I will betroth you to me forever I will betroth you in righteousness and justice, in love and compassion. (Hosea 2:19)

He is the Rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he. (Deuteronomy 32:4)

INSIGHT: His ways are not our ways.

Our ways are to be first in line, so we can get the best and the freshest. Not to let those with less to have more. It is only natural to be a little in awe of the entourage that follows the famous athlete who enters our business establishment and give them the best seat and the best service, better than the rest. We even find ourselves laughing more at their jokes than those of the regulars. We are attracted to rich, strong, beautiful, and powerful things and people. Nothing is wrong with that. But that was not what or who Jesus was attracted to. He was attracted to the hurting, the vulnerable and the powerless. He taught his leaders that for them to be first in the Kingdom, they had to be last. God empowers his leaders not when their wants are the object of their ambition, but when their object is loving others. Jesus was a contrarian.

PRIORITIES

God’s redemptive mission

Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow. (Isaiah 1:17)

Do you know what I want? I want justice—oceans of it. I want fairness—rivers of it. That’s what I want. That’s all I want. (Amos 5:24)

I will search for the lost and bring back the strays. I will bind up the injured and strengthen the weak, but the sleek and the strong I will destroy. I will shepherd the flock with justice. (Ezekiel 34:16)

Seek the Lord, all you meek of the earth Who have upheld His justice. Seek righteousness, seek humility. (Zephaniah 2:3)

INSIGHT: A Kingdom Builder takes on God’s agenda. In God’s kingdom justice and righteous are top priorities. The afflicted and brokenhearted get His special attention. He fights against bondage and everything diminished by sin. When we partner with God, we spend time and money on His redemptive and restorative mission to the world. And suprisingly, when we shift to God’s agenda we find clarity for our own agenda.

REFLECTION: What suffering in the world makes you the saddest? How can you involve yourself in this mission?

ALIGNMENT

A smoother ride

But whoever takes refuge in me will inherit the land and possess my holy mountain. (Isaiah 57:13)

What’s more, I am with you, and I will protect you wherever you go. One day I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have finished giving you everything I have promised you. (Genesis 28:15)

Lead me, Lord, in your righteousness because of my enemies—make your way straight before me. (Psalms 5:8)

And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

(Hebrews 11:6)

INSIGHT: Henri Nouwen once said, “When we remain attentive to God’s presence we will be led deeper into the Kingdom. There, to our joyful surprise, we will discover that the power of our worries is weakening and all things are being made new.” When we align with God’s kingdom agenda, He empowers, guides and refreshes us. Like alignes car tires, our lives roll more smoothly if we’re calibrated to God’s direction.

REFLECTION: In your professional life, what is aligned or unaligned with God’s agenda?

MISSIONAL

Investing in sacred causes

I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing.

(Genesis 12:2)

Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age. (Matthew 28:19-20)

INSIGHT: Kingdom Builders have enormous potential to direct resources from secular to sacred causes, partnering with God in His redemptive mission in the world. We can invest money to multiply ministry, with the same compounding effect we see in enterprise investment. When you have been blessed with many resources, you have much responsibility. We can never be too generous with money we have earned. Most of us think we are much more generous than we really are.

REFLECTION: How do we honor God and win the business game at the same time? Is this a duality of thought or a creative tension that God uses to make Kingdom Builders better leaders?

RESTORATION

Kingdom Builders turn to God when they fail and find a fresh start.

BROKENNESS

God meets us in our failures

Like water spilled on the ground, which cannot be recovered, so we must die. But that is not what God desires; rather, he devises ways so that a banished person does not remain banished from him. (2 Samuel 14:14)

The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. (Psalm 34:18)

Come, let us return to the LORD. He has torn us to pieces but he will heal us; he has injured us but he will bind up our wounds. (Hosea 6:1)

INSIGHT: Brokenness and failure can cause us to operate less effectively in our work and personal lives. Tasks remain incomplete, relationships stay undeveloped, worry and uncertainty rise. We feel less willing to pursue our dreams. The good news: God is bigger than our brokenness. He meets us in our failures, gives us His panoramic view, and restores our motivation. Let down your defensiveness, admit your part in your problems, and turn towards God, not away from Him.

REFLECTION: In the past how has God met you in your brokenness?

CONSEQUENCES

One kind of teacher

They will cry to the Lord, But He will not hear them; He will even hide His face from them at that time, Because they have been evil in their deeds. (Micah 3:4)

But the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not trust in me enough to honor me as holy in the sight of the Israelites, you will not bring this community into the land I give them.” (Numbers 20:12)

But because they served them in the presence of their idols and made the people of Israel fall into sin, therefore I have sworn with uplifted hand that they must bear the consequences of their sin, declares the Sovereign Lord. (Ezekiel 44:12)

INSIGHT: Someone once said, there are two teachers—wisdom and consequences. Wisdom has a front-end price of discipline and obedience, but it leads to a productive and fulfilling life. Sin takes the easy road in the beginning, but it has a back-end price of bad consequences. Accept the fallout of your mistakes and learn all you can from this harsh teacher called Consequences.

REFLECTION: As a teenager, when were your consequences a good teacher?

UNSHAKEABLE

Asking the right question

Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed,” says the Lord, who has compassion on you. (Isaiah 54:10)

For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers. (Romans 8:38)

He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. (Psalm 40:2)

I will refresh the weary and satisfy the faint. (Jeremiah 31:25)

INSIGHT: So often during crises, setbacks and challenges, we ask, “Why did God allow this to happen?” That’s really the wrong question. The right question is, “What is God doing through this difficult circumstance?” If we can learn to ask this question first, we can begin to see how God is using our hard times to transform us. Even though we can’t see it in the moment, God is always busy creating something breathtaking and unshakeable in us.

REFLECTION: Memorize one of the verses above and tuck it in your back pocket for a hard time.

i think verses should be about God’s Forgiveness of us

FORGIVENESS

An endless supply

Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. (Colossians 3:13)

If you forgive others for their sins, your Father in heaven will also forgive you for your sins. (Matthew 6:15)

I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more. (Isaiah 43:25)

INSIGHT: Our God is a god of second chances. We can heal from the scars of our bad choices because God offers the miracle of forgiveness. He has an endless supply. We never give up after a failure because God never gives up on us. Confess your sin to God, sincerely and without excuses or blame. Re-calibrate your choices. Pursue God’s best for your life. Fail, rinse, repeat.

REFLECTION: What’s your go-to when you mess up: excuses, blame, defensiveness, shame, self-loathing, defeatism? Bring it all to God.

RESTORATION

Over time

Ever since the time of your ancestors you have turned away from my decrees and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you,” says the Lord Almighty.

(Malachi 3:7)

And after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire a small still voice. (1 Kings 19:12)

Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift.

(Matthew 5:23-24)

INSIGHT: Theologian G.W. Bromiley defines providence as “the divine governance whereby al I possible events are woven into a coherent pattern.” I think the coherent pattern is restoration. The good shepherd is constantly restoring his wandering sheep back to himself Our Creator is constantly folding our good choices, bad choices and the contingencies of the world into a pattern of conforming us followers into His image. Like the stock market, there are ups and downs, but over time, there’s an upward trend.

REFLECTION: Think of a shortcoming that haunts you over and over. Do you see any upward trend over time?

STAKEHOLDERS

Kingdom Builders know that God and others have a vested interest in their business dealings.

GOD

Our majority shareholder

And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. (Colossians 1:18)

But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord. (Joshua 24:15)

Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God. (John 1:12-13)

INSIGHT: God has a vested interest in your enterprise. He is the majority stakeholder. We must seek His agenda, serving as collaborators with Him. Kingdom Builders know that most decisions of leadership have spiritual implications. Does the decision honor God? Is it good or bad for people? Right or wrong? Liberating or enslaving? Choices matter.

REFLECTION: What might change if Jesus were your board chairman?

FAMILY

Leaving a blessing

For I have chosen him, so that he will direct his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing what is right and just, so that the Lord will bring about for Abraham what he has promised him.

(Genesis 18:19)

He decreed statutes for Jacob and established the law in Israel, which he commanded our ancestors to teach their children so the next generation would know them, even the children yet to be born, and they in turn would tell their children. (Psalm 78:5-6)

My people will live in peaceful dwelling places, in secure homes, in undisturbed places of rest. (Isaiah 32:18)

INSIGHT: Our families now and in the future will be blessed or cursed by our work. The shares they hold are not only monetary. Will we leave a legacy of stress, materialism and workaholism? Or of productivity, impact, and generosity? Genealogies in the Bible point to our connectivity and inheritance over time. As you go about making professional decisions, remember that you will be passing along spiritual and material blessings, or curses.

REFLECTION: What is the highest aspiration you have for your family, now and in the future?

CHURCH

Reciprocal benefits

Since you are eager for gifts of the Spirit, try to excel in those that build up the church. (1 Corinthians 14:12)

Consider now, for the Lord has chosen you to build a house as the sanctuary. Be strong and do the work.

(1 Chronicles 28:10)

This is the rock on which I will put together my church, a church so expansive with energy that not even the gates of hell will be able to keep it out. (Matthew 16:18 MSG)

INSIGHT: The church needs you and you need the church. The church body will benefit from your unique experience, abilities and generosity. You will benefit from being part of a bigger kingdom purpose and a local and global community. Church is a place of God’s redemptive work, catalyzed by a wild mix of personalities,to be a collective force for good. Kingdom Builders have a stake in the church and the church has a stake in them.

REFLECTION: Do you hold back from involving yourself too deeply at church? Why or why not?

GOVERNMENT

Honorable citizens

Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good, to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and always to be gentle toward everyone. (Titus 3:1-2)

Give to everyone what you owe them: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor. (Romans 13:7)

Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them.” (Matthew 20:25)

INSIGHT: Entrepreneurs like to ignore the rules. Their strong suit is thinking outside the box; they hate limits. But remember that God calls us to be godly citizens who behave with integrity towards the government. Kingdom Builders pay their taxes, abide by the laws and build wealth honestly. Think of the government as a stakeholder; they give roads and schools; you give them honest disclosure and your fair share of taxes.

REFLECTION: Do you think you should be above the law?

AUTHORITIES

Listen to the wise ones

Have confidence in your leaders and submit to their authority, because they keep watch over you as those who must give an account. (Hebrews 13:17)

The king said to me, “What is it you want?” Then I prayed to the God of heaven. (Nehemiah 2:4)

Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. (Romans 13:1-2)

INSIGHT: Who has authority in your life? In today’s culture, anyone with a TikTok account can become an authority figure. Good looks, fame and cleverness can earn influence. Whoever has authority in your life is a stakeholder. Be careful who you allow in—partners, board members, mentors, business gurus. But once you have trustworthy stakeholders, listen to their input. They will help you maintain vision, goals and strategies.

REFLECTION: Besides God, who is your most trustworthy stakeholder? Have you given them permission to tell you hard truths?

LIVING ENTERPRISE

Kingdom Builders build businesses alive with productivity and health.

LAW OF HARVEST

ENTERPRISE LAWS

Sow, Nurture, Reap

I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. (John 15:1)

For God is the one who provides seed for the farmer and then bread to eat. In the same way, he will provide and increase your resources and then produce a great harvest of generosity in you. (2 Corinthians 9:10)

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot. (Ecclesiastes 3:1-2)

They sow the wind and reap the whirlwind. (Hosea 8:7)

Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. (2 Corinthians 9:6)

INSIGHT: Some basic natural laws we read about in Scripture apply to the success of a business. Sow good seeds at the right time through research, advice and planning. Nurture the growth through relationships, influence and accountability. Then celebrate the harvest. What you do today will impact what you reap in the future.

REFLECTION: Do you spend enough effort examining your future by intentionally declaring what matters most to you?

ORGANIZATIONAL HEALTH

Hard-earned wisdom

For God is not a God of disorder but of peace—as in all the congregations of the Lord’s people. (1 Corinthians 14:33)

When Jesus saw the man and knew that he had been sick for such a long time, Jesus asked him, “Do you want to be well?” (John 5:6 NSV)

For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice. (James 3:16)

So that the one who plows and the one who threshes the grain might both expect a share of the harvest. (1 Corinthians 9:10)

I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. (John 15:5)

INSIGHT: Here are some of the best lessons I’ve learned over the decades for fostering healthy companies. Live below your means so you can handle the lean times. Track performance against written plans to measure your results. Remember that without capital there is no game. Be straightforward and genuine in all relationships. Take care of the business (before your own desires), and the business will take care of you.

REFLECTION: Which one of these lessons or verses does your organization need most right now?

FRUITFULNESS

Good fruit starts with the leader

A tree is known by the kind of fruit it produces. (Luke 6:44)

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. (Galatians 5:22-23)

On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. (Revelations 22:2)

Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. (John 15:4)

INSIGHT: It’s the little things that reflect the soul of a company: how people treat each other in the parking lot, if people feel free to share ideas, what happens when there’s disagreement, the level of micromanagement. In a company led by a Kingdom Builder, the fruit of the Spirit will be evident: kindness, goodness, generosity, blessing, stewardship. An enterprise’s soul and its furit originate with the heart of executive in charge.

REFLECTION: Does your team burst with fruitfulness? Do you need to make some changes?

PRUNING

For a healthier company

Your boasting is not good. Don’t you know that a little yeast leavens the whole batch of dough? (1 Corinthians 5:6)

A time to give birth and a time to die A time to plant and a time to uproot what is planted. (Ecclesiastes 3:2)

I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. (John 15:1-2)

A tree is identified by its fruit. If a tree is good, its fruit will be good. If a tree is bad, its fruit will be bad. (Matthew 12:33)

INSIGHT: Pruning is a process of proactive endings. It requires hard choices. Sometimes we must remove sick or dead branches. We may need to cut off an unhealthy partnership before it damages the rest of the organization. Even harder is when we need to cut off a healthy, branch, maybe a product that’s selling pretty well, in order to make room for a better product. Sometimes life produces too much life, sending out too many shoots, and pruning is required for a more fruitful plant. Let go when it’s time.

REFLECTION: Any pruning you’ve been avoiding?

MULTIPLICATION

God’s Kingdom is designed to multiply

Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the Lord Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it. (Malachi 3:10)

But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. (Matthew 13:23)

Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. (Luke 6:38)

INSIGHT: A dear friend of ours was sitting in our kitchen nook when a shy smile crossed her lips, her eyes glistened and then she reflected, “God and I had a talk today. Not everyone understands how real it was, but we did talk.” Then, she shared, “I love to read my Bible. You know, God just talks to me when I do.” We shook our heads. She wanted to share. Sharing is how God multiplies. Sharing with words, money and time, acts of kindness feed our souls. We all love to share our discoveries of things that have touched our life. Our relationship with God is so moving it is transformative and is made to be shared with those we love. Not to persuade them to our worldview but to show them the love in our life that has persuaded us.

Successful Kingdom enterprises have transformative God stories inside their ethos. Great stories make rich soil and bountiful blessings.

REFLECTION:

ETHICS

Kingdom Builders uphold godly morals in their business interactions.

all these verses address underwork. substitute a verse with one about overwork or the sabbath.

WORK

Finding balance

All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty. (Proverbs 14:23)

Sluggards do not plow in season; so at harvest time they look but find nothing. (Proverbs 20:4)

Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically. (Romans 12:11)

We worked hard day and night so we would not be a burden to any of you. (2 Thessalonians 3:8)

INSIGHT: Overwork or underwork violates God’s design, leading to chaos in our life and in the world around us. Overwork huts our relationships and our bodies. Underwork leads to financial struggle. God has given guidelines to help us find balance, freedom and joy. Not working on the Sabbath helps us not to overwork. Scriptures dooming the sluggard’s future remind us not to underwork. Work-life balance allows for the accomplishment and human connection we have.

REFLECTION: What makes a work-life balance hard for you?

PEOPLE

Truth and grace

Oh people, the Lord has told you what is good, and this is what he requires of you: to do what is right, to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. (Micah 6:8)

Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone. (Colossians 4:6)

Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn others, or it will all come back against you. Forgive others, and you will be forgiven. (Luke 6:37-38)

His kingdom is built on what is right and fair. (Psalms 97:2b)

INSIGHT: God calls us to show respect and kindness to everyone in our professional interactions, but we still set high standards that may upset people. A good way to love those under our leadership is to let them know what’s expected of them and how they will be measured. Clarity can be a love language. Caring for others doesn’t mean coddling, rescuing, lowering expectations, or caving to their will. It does mean letting people know their value to the team, listening to their ideas, admitting when we’re wrong.

REFLECTION: Do you tend to err on the side of truth or grace? How might you compensate?

AGREEMENTS

Don’t renege

Do not be a man who strikes hands in pledge or puts up security for debts; if you lack the means to pay.

(Proverbs 22:26)

Rather, it is simply that the Lord loves you, and He was keeping the oath He had sworn to your ancestors.

(Deuteronomy 7:8)

Be careful to follow every command I am giving you today, so that you may live and increase and may enter and possess the land the Lord promised on oath to your ancestors.

(Deuteronomy 8:1)

INSIGHT: God expects us to uphold the agreements we make. Be thoughtful about anything that would be considered a pledge. Don’t let your pride cause you to over-promise. Be careful about borrowing mone that gambles on future performance and dreams. Fear and selfpity can tempt us to renege on our agreements, but God wants us to hand tough. Keeping a pledge can make or break our reputation.

REFLECTION: What’s an agreement you made that you regret?

SOCIETY

Helping the needy

Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality. (Romans 2:13)

Never pay back evil with more evil. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable. (Romans 12:17)

He changes times and seasons; he deposes kings and raises up others. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning. (Daniel 2:21)

INSIGHT: Kingdom Builders have a responsibility to the poor and needy in their community, regardless of political bent or current public policy. Jesus showed attention, kindness and help to the poor people he encountered, and he calls us to do the same. We have much to offertime, money, leadership, advocacy-but it’s inconvenient. We don’t have time. We judge.

REFLECTION: How can you help the less fortunate in your community?

CHARITY

Care about people from all walks of life

Take what’s coming to you in this kingdom. It’s been ready for you since the world’s foundation. And here’s why:

I was hungry and you fed me, I was thirsty and you gave me a drink, I was homeless and you gave me a room, I was shivering and you gave me clothes, I was sick and you stopped to visit, I was in prison and you came to me.’ (Matthew 25:34-36)

Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. (1 Peter 4:9)

Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? (James 2:15-16)

INSIGHT: Helping those in need. This is a beautiful expression of God’s love to experience. A community who gives generously is likely a healthy one. God blesses those who give. I once decided on a frigid winter morning to house 40 people without shelter for 40 days—women, children and disabled, first. We found 20 rooms at the Comfort Inn, closest to the land many roamed. I had no idea how we would feed them or how much it would cost.

Somehow, we did. Every night. The charity of people who rolled up their sleeves and shared their resources in this 40-day venture was humbly appreciated. People desire, even long, to help others. Kingdom Builders!

SUCCESSION

Kingdom Builders know they will impact future generations.

GENERATIONS

Preparing for the future

The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.

(Acts 2:39)

If your sons keep my covenant and the statutes I teach them, then their sons will sit on your throne for ever and ever. (Psalm 132:12)

If you pay attention to these laws and are careful to follow them, then the Lord your God will keep his covenant of love with you, as he swore to your ancestors.

(Deuteronomy 7:12)

INSIGHT: Did you know that most family-held businesses don’t continue into the next generation? Most founders have trouble letting go or accepting change. Moses modeled succession by willingly training his replacement, Joshua. When owners realize God gives it, watches over it, and has every right to change it, the relinquishment becomes easier. Enterprise is a living and breathing entity that can morph into new iterations beyond us, if we are willing.

REFLECTION: Do you tend to roll your eyes at the younger generation? Take a minute to appreciate their different ways of doing business.

LINEAGE

Acknowleging the good and bad

“Honor your father and mother”—which is the first commandment with a promise. (Ephesians 6:2)

Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba, Father.” So you are no longer a slave, but God’s child; and since you are his child, God has made you also an heir. (Galatians 4:6-7)

There were fourteen generations in all from Abraham to David, fourteen from David to the exile to Babylon, and fourteen from the exile to the Messiah. (Matthew 1:7)

The righteous lead blameless lives; blessed are their children after them. (Proverbs 20:7)

INSIGHT: Ancestrial lineage connects the ancient to the present and the present to the future. Manking is a family with good and evil in the bloodline. We can be grateful for the goodness passed down to us-perhaps wealth, education, faith-and we can be aware of the corruptionperhaps attitudes of entitlement, racism, stinginess. We can springboard off the good and break patterns of the bad, serving as thoughtful caretakers of God’s kingdom who will also develop future caretakers.

REFLECTION: What good and evil patterns were passed down to you? What do you want to pass on to future generations?

LEGACY

Trasnformational leaders

These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.

(Deuteronomy 6:6-7)

But the plans of the Lord stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations. (Psalm 33:11)

But from everlasting to everlasting the Lord’s love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness with their children’s children— with those who keep his covenant and remember to obey his precepts. (Psalm 103:17-18)

INSIGHT: What are you doing with your life that will live beyond you after you die? If we generate positive fruit that impacts others, who impact others, who impact others, we have left a lasting legacy. Transformational leaders not only run successful organizations, but they develop their people into better humans. Their business dealings are not merely transactional, getting the job done, but they are also motivational and inspirational. One leader, submitted to God, can positively impact a whole company, an entire community and future generations.

REFLECTION: What do you want said about you when you die: by a colleague, a customer, a spouse, a child?

GENERATIONAL BLESSING

More than wealth

His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation. (Luke 1:50)

Your statutes are my heritage forever they are the joy of my heart. (Psalm 119:111)

Your father’s blessings are greater than the blessings of the ancient mountains, than the bounty of the age-old hills. Let all these rest on the head of Joseph on the brow of the prince among his brothers. (Genesis 49:26)

Know therefore that the Lord your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commandments. (Deuteronomy 7:9)

INSIGHT: When we teach God’s ways to our children, grandchildren, employees, our associates, we pass along “His covenant of love to a thousand generations,” as it says in Deuteronomy. God commanded the Israelites to teach their children his ways. They were to use ritual, instruction, and memorization to make sure their children understood God’s principles and passed them to the next generation. Kingdom Builders aspire to do more than pass along material wealth; they pass on a spiritual blessing for future generations.

REFLECTION: What one spiritual truth do you most want to pass on?

STRONGHOLDS

Active resistance

Maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children and their children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation. (Exodus 34:7)

Evil will never leave the house of who pays back evil for good. (Proverbs 17:13)

The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. (2 Corinthians 10:4)

INSIGHT: There’s such a thing as generational sin. Strongholds of evil get handed down. For Abraham’s family it was dishonesty. For King David’s family it was lust and materialism. For some families it’s addiction, passiveness, abuse. Strongholds can weaken and destroy for generations to come. Leaving behind a sinful legacy is easy; just go with your knee-jerk reactions. Leaving behind a beautiful legacy takes obedience to God’s ways and an active fight against strongholds.

REFLECTION: What do you do to counter the strongholds of your extended family?

VIRTUES

Kingdom Builders model the way they treat people after Jesus.

RESPECTFUL

The way you want to be treated

Listen to your father, who gave you life, and don’t despise your mother when she is old. (Proverbs 23:22)

Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness. (Psalm 29:2)

Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker. (Psalm 95:6)

In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us. (Titus 2:7-8)

INSIGHT: We’ve all had bosses who thought they were superior, never wrong, disdainful of others. Don’t be that boss. Respect others the way you would want to be respected. Serve your clients, employees and teammates like you would want to be served. Don’t condescend, dismiss, or abuse. Instead work hard at appreciating those under your leadership, recognizing their value and accepting their differences.

REFLECTION: Who was your favorite boss and why?

HONORING

Glorifying others, not self

Honor your father and mother, as the Lord your God commanded you. Then you will live a long, full life in the land the Lord your God is giving you. (Deuteronomy 5:16)

For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ. (Galatians 1:10)

Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. (Romans 12:10)

Then Jesus told them, “A prophet is honored everywhere except in his own hometown and among his own family.” (Matthew 13:57)

<doesnt fit with other verses

INSIGHT: Great leaders seek to become loving servants instead of powerful, glorified kings. We glorify God and others, not ourselves. We honor others, regardless of their status, by seeking to live at peace with them, never being vindictive, helping them in their weakness, forgiving their mistakes, never holding grudges, extending God’s grace.

REFLECTION: Do you give credit to team members for a job welldone? Or do you take all the credit for yourself?

PRAYERFUL

Know your weak spots

I desire therefore that the men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting. (1 Timothy 2:8)

But I pray to you, Lord, in the time of your favor; in your great love, O God, answer me with your sure salvation. (Psalm 69:13)

Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of this your servant and to the prayer of your servants who delight in revering your name. Give your servant success today by granting him favor in the presence of this man.

(Nehemiah 11:1)

INSIGHT: We all have vulnerability. There’s a weak place in our spiritualfortress where Satan prowls-fear, lust, anger, insecurity. The antidote is self knowledge and prayer. Know your vulnerabilities and invite God’s grace and mercy through prayer. Pray about your weak spots before during and after they might come into play. This is God’s promise: If you give Him your troubles He will give you peace. It’s a great deal!

REFLECTION: What is an area of vulnerability for you? What’s coming up in your schedule where this vulnerability might tempt you?

OBEDIENT

The next right thing

Praise the Lord. Blessed are those who fear the Lord, who find great delight in his commands. (Psallms 112:1)

He replied, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.” (Luke 11:28)

Walk in obedience to all that the Lord your God has commanded you, so that you may live and prosper and prolong your days in the land that you will possess. (Deuteronomy 5:33)

Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the Lord. To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams. (1 Samuel 15:22)

INSIGHT: Obedience is saying yes to the next faithful thingrelationally, spiritually, professionally. Sometimes obedience is the simple choice between humility and pride. Sometimes it’s a choice between persevering and giving up. Practicing obedience is the foundation for weathering the storms of life and for experiencing a productive and fulfilling life.

REFLECTION: Pray: Lord, show me today how to give myself more fully to Your will.

PURE

Be holy because I, GOD, your God, am holy. (Leviticus 19:2)

For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life. (1 Thessalonians 4:7)

Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. (Psalm 51:10)

God blesses those whose hearts are pure, for they will see God. (Matthew 5:8) ?

INSIGHT: Pure. It is impossible for me to be pure. I love pure vanilla ice cream, especially the first moment I see the white, creamy pond, right behind the cellophane wrap. But, I am not pure.

Leading any enterprise is full of imperfection whether as the owner of a private business, a business executive or the head of a church.

Am the only one who feels like this standard is just too much? Of course not. But, striving to be Christ-like, who is perfect, makes us better Perfection come later but the process starts when we ask Him to show us His ways.

REFLECTION:

FUTURE 50

Kingdom Builders shape their priorities with an eternal perspective.

VISION

Trusting others

You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand. (Psalms 16:11)

The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever. (1 John 2:17)

At the right time he will bring everything together under the authority of Christ—everything in heaven and on earth. (Ephesians 1:10)

The time is coming when everything that is covered up will be revealed, and all that is secret will be made known to all. (Luke 12:2)

INSIGHT: We frequently underestimate people and don’t challenge them with our dreams for God’s work in the world. When God plants an idea in your mind to accomplish something for Him, share it with others and trust the Holy Spirit to impress them with similar thought. When you encourage others, you put teamwork into action to accomplish God’s goals. God often uses one person to express the vision and others to turn it into reality.

REFLECTION: Do you shy away from sharing your big dreams? Why?

HOPE

Eternal prosperity

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. (Romans 15:13)

You will be secure, because there is hope; you will look about you and take your rest in safety. (Job 11:18)

Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. (Lamentations 3:21-23)

He has made eveything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men. (Ecclesiastes 3:11)

INSIGHT: During the Recession of 2008, I sat with many business owners who begged me to offer them hope, even if just a mirage in the desert. Kingdom Builders have much more than a dissapating vapor to fuel their perseverence during hard times. They have a lasting hope that doesn’t depend on circumstances like the economy. It is a hope beyond the earthly confines that looks to eternity with God, where peace and prosperity will last forever.

REFLECTION: What verse above gives you hope for the future? Take time to meditate on that verse.

ETERNITY

Our future is eternally good

Then I heard a voice from heaven say, “Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.” “Yes,” says the Spirit, “they will rest from their labor, for their deeds will follow them.” (Revelation 14:13)

So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. (Hebrews 10:35-36)

His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’ (Matthew 25:21)

Everyone who lives in me and believes in me will never ever die. Do you believe this, Martha? (John 11:26)

REFLECTION: no talk of rewards.

INSIGHT: Our accomplishments never quite seem sufficient, no matter how much success we’ve known. If only we’d had more time. The good news is we have all of eternity. God’s people will have all the time in the world to do His will, in an economy where God sets the standards, not man. Knowing that our time here is a wisp and that we will soon see God’s face makes us more kingdom focused.

OVERFLOWING

Obedience now, abundance later

Surely you have granted him unending blessings and made him glad with the joy of your presence. (Psalms 21:6)

May God give you heaven’s dew and earth’s richness— an abundance of grain and new wine. (Genesis 27:28)

But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; They will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. (Isaiah 40:31)

INSIGHT: God stirs the waters of our soul to prepare us for His future assignments. Preliminary obediences now, allow God to break and mold us. They put us in a ready position for God’s overflowing favor in the future. We learn to be faithful in the little things before we know how to be faithful in the big things.

REFLECTION: When have you seen discipline pay off with abundance?

BLESSED

God blesses Kingdom Builders every day and forever

For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor; no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless. (Psalm 84:11)

The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him. (Lamentations 3:25)

‘“The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.”’ (Numbers 6:24-26)

INSIGHT: The Bible is filled with references to the favor of God, which is both tangible and mystical. God’s favor will produce concrete, tangible results in your life, business, family, community and world. God’s favor always comes with a purpose beyond us. It’s a practical gift to bring about His kingdom plans for the world. God pours favor into tried and true vessels who are worthy to contain it.

REFLECTION: Lord, let me see your favor, that I might follow it.

GOD’S AUTHORITY

Kingdom Builders realize that God is the best accountability partner they could have -- full of mercy and grace but relentlessly pursuing them to be their best.

GOD’S WORD

God’s word is Truth

The law of the LORD is perfect, refreshing the soul. The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple. (Psalms 19:7)

Keep this Book of the Law on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. (Joshua 1:8)

For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and narrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. (Hebrews 4:12)

INSIGHT: Nothing is like the Bible, called God’s word by the faithful. Some call it the Living Word. If you study it with the intent to know God better, you will see why it is called Living. When the words you just read that morning happen to fit the exact situation you are in, you will realize you are not alone. God is always alive and seeking even more relationship with you.

He does not need you; he wants you. This world needs God-wise leaders who will fight for the goodness of humanity and who realize God is the Father of all and offers eternal hope that we all need.

REFLECTION:

HONOR

God’s ways honor all

He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” (Psalms 46:10)

For God is the King of all the earth; sing to him a psalm of praise. God reigns over the nations; God is seated on his holy throne. (Psalm 47:7-8)

For great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; he is to be feared above all gods. (1 Chronicles 16:25)

INSIGHT: God is holy. There is no greater purpose in life than to accept God’s call to be holy as He is holy. We are to live for something greater than material wealth, power, control or fame.

We are to be different morally and spiritually from those around us.

Kingdom Builders are to live for God’s Kingdom not for our own possession and glory.

REFLECTION:

SPIRITUAL AUTHORITY

God’s standards for living are supreme

The Lord reigns forever; he has established his throne for judgment. He rules the world in righteousness and judges the peoples with equity. (Psalm 9:7-8)

For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. (Colossians 1:16-17)

The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you. (Romans 16:20)

The fear of the Lord teaches a man wisdom, and humility comes before honor. (Psalms 1:33)

INSIGHT: Spiritual authority comes from God not from man or books. To understand God you must study and meditate on His Word. God’s wisdom is hidden from the rebellious and foolish. To gain God’s wisdom requires earnest study and continuous attentiveness to His voice.

Scriptures teach us how to discern right from wrong, how to live in ways that honor God and love others. People follow leaders who emulate God’s character because He is trustworthy, life giving and unchangeable. People want that.

It takes great wisdom to survive in a non-believing, morally compromised world. Wisdom comes from knowing God. Wise leaders are few; wise Kingdom Builders with spiritual authority even fewer. REFLECTION:

ACCOUNTABILITY

We are accountable for our ways on earth

And for your lifeblood I will surely demand an accounting. I will demand an accounting from every animal. And from each human being, too, I will demand an accounting for the life of another human being. (Genesis 9:5)

The day of the LORD is near for all nations. As you have done, it will be done to you; your deeds will return upon your own head. (Obadiah 1:15)

Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account. (Hebrews 4:13)

Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account. (Romans 1:20)

INSIGHT: Accountability means it matters what we choose to do with our lives. I like to think that i am so self-motivated and selfrighteous I would do the right and honorable thing all the time, because i am inherently good. But, of course, that is not true.

I like to ‘do good’ for those i care about and i find it rewarding to fulfill my responsibilities as a husband, family man, and leader. So, how do i feel about being accountable to God? Do i think God will be pleased with me?

God is my Father, and He promises me that I am His. But, I am responsible for living a life worthy of my calling and to invest my talents thoughtfully, but boldly. I take this charge seriously, but I am never easy to rest.

JOY

Joy is the fruit of a Kingdom Builder

For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

(Hebrews 12:2-3)

I’m singing joyful praise to God. I’m turning cartwheels of joy to my Savior God. Counting on God’s Rule to prevail, I take heart and gain strength. I run like a deer. I feel like I’m king of the mountain! (Habakkuk 3:19 MSG)

Light shines on the righteous and joy on the upright in heart. (Psalm 97:12)

Fill my heart with joy when their grain and new wine aboud. (Psalm 4:7)

INSIGHT: At the very top of Mount Joy the wind blows gently, the cool air is easy to breathe and a calm flows through the veins of all who reside. It really doesn’t matter about the circumstances of life; worries have no life on Mount Joy. At the peak is a worry-free space where God has it all. This place is free and you can stay as long as you want; it’s God’s gift to all servant-minded Kingdom Builders, hanging out on earth, desire to receive it.

Kingdom Builders can live every day of their life with this spirit of joy, if they choose. You simply must learn to embrace God’s promises and release your control over the worries of this world.

REFLECTION:

GOD’S CAPITAL 52

Kingdom Builders lean into all of God’s resources.

KINGDOM COME

Beyond financial

But our citizenhship is in heaven. (Philippians 3:20)

I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints. (Ephesians 1:18)

Then the sovereignty, power and greatness of all the kingdoms under heaven will be handed over to the holy people of the Most High. His kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom, and all rulers will worship and obey him. (Daniel 7:27)

Pray like this: Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy. May your Kingdom come soon, May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. (Matthew 6:9-10)

INSIGHT: God’s boundless capital is more than financial. It includes His wisdom, order and power. It includes the abilities He gives us and our relationships with other believers. God’s rich kingdom is one that transcends time, space, politics, denominations, cultures and society. The riches of the King are given to those who honor Him and submit to His authority and agenda.

REFLECTION: What Kingdom resource do you need most today?

HIS

GREATNESS

His greatness is safe, glorious and praiseworthy

For you are great and do marvelous deeds; you alone are God. (Psalm 86:10)

Yours, Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours. Yours, Lord, is the kingdom; you are exalted as head over all. (1 Chronicles 29:11)

To him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy— to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen. (Jude 1:24-25)

For the Lord is the great God, the great King above all gods. In his hand are the depths of the earth and the mountain peaks belong to him. (Psalm 95:3-4)

INSIGHT: Kingdom Builders lean into the greatness of God, who is all-knowing, all-powerful and all-present. He is merciful, safe and forgiving. He is our greatest asset, no matter what challenges we face. Our greatness must be a reflection of His.

REFLECTION: What does it mean to you to give God the glory?

DISCIPLES

Divine guidance

I took you from the ends of the earth, from its farthest corners I called you. I said, ‘You are my servant’; I have chosen you and have not rejected you. (Isaiah 41:9)

If we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord. (Romans 14:8)

Jesus said, “Come follow me, and I will make you fish for people.” (Matthew 4:19)

My feet have closely followed his steps; I have kept to his way without turning aside. (Job 23:11)

INSIGHT: Discipleship is a great asset God gives. Our divine teacher gives us instruction and direction, as we follow Him. Kingdom Builders receive divine revelation directly through the Holy Spirit, through Scripture, and through other believers, to help us make the big and small decisions. As disciples, we also discover our destiny from the one who made us. We were made for a God-sized calling.

REFLECTION: What is your God sized calling?

TRUE WEALTH

God is the giver of True Wealth

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

(John 10:10)

Yet true godliness with contentment is itself great wealth. After all, we brought nothing with us when we came into the world, and we can’t take anything with us when we leave it. (1 Timothy 6:6-7)

Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. (2 Peter 1:2)

Do not work for food that perishes but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on him God the Father has placed his seal of approval.

(John 6:27)

INSIGHT: God’s wealth never changes and never goes away but is always the same. It is pure, it is good and it is true.

True wealth is given by a Father common to all, it is not earned, it is a gift. Those who are truly wealthy in this world have a quiet peace deep within their person, regardless of their circumstances.

Kingdom Builders don’t take this gift of prosperity for granted, instead, they diligently search for ways to invest it, so others might share its fruit. And, when they do this, a mysterious truth is revealed: the more we give away, the wealthier we become.

NEW ECONOMY

Now and yet to come

Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. But now my kingdom is from another place.”

(John 18:36)

Carefully follow the terms of this covenant, so that you may prosper in everything you do. (Deuteronomy 29:9)

The trees will yield their fruit and the ground will yield its crops; the people will be secure in their land. They will know that I am the Lord, when I break the bars of their yoke and rescue them from the hands of those who enslaved them. (Ezekiel 34:27)

“What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived”—the things God has prepared for those who love him. (1 Corinthians 2:9)

INSIGHT: If you’ve been in the marketplace a while, you’ve witnessed economic shifts-the housing bubble, work at home, a gig economy, tariff changes. The shifts require our resourcefulness, creativity and reinvention. The Hebrew people experienced an economic transformation when they moved from being enslaved in Egypt to becoming masters of their own land in Israel. These fiscal changes are just a foretaste of God’s new economy in the new heavens and new earth. The hope and promise of His kingdom, which is now and yet to come, will be overflowing with abundance, grace and justice.

REFLECTION: You’ve gotten to the end of 52 weeks of wisdom. What hasstick with you the most?