TRUE BUSINESS LEADERS

A Profile of True Business People
By Jeff Knight

These are the notes I handed out at Enterprise Ministry on Saturday morning. Most in business want to excel to the pinnacle. Here are a few ways to do so...

Deut 8:18, "But you shall remember the LORD your God, for it is He who is giving you power to make wealth, that He may confirm His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day.” NASU

1. Listen for the direction of the Lord: Prayer : Vision : Prayer : Vision
Why business? Why me? Why my company? Why success for me?

Prov 16:9, “In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps.” NIV

2. Take the Challenge: "YOU CAN!"
Woodrow Wilson said, “We grow by dreams. All big men and women are dreamers.”
The problem is not what you can’t do. It is what you won’t do.

Josh 17:14-18, “The people of Joseph said to Joshua, "Why have you given us only one allotment and one portion for an inheritance? We are a numerous people and the LORD has blessed us abundantly."

15 "If you are so numerous," Joshua answered, "and if the hill country of Ephraim is too small for you, go up into the forest and clear land for yourselves there in the land of the Perizzites and Rephaites."

16 The people of Joseph replied, "The hill country is not enough for us, and all the Canaanites who live in the plain have iron chariots, both those in Beth Shan and its settlements and those in the Valley of Jezreel."

17 But Joshua said to the house of Joseph-to Ephraim and Manasseh-"You are numerous and very powerful. You will have not only one allotment 18 but the forested hill country as well. Clear it, and its farthest limits will be yours; though the Canaanites have iron chariots and though they are strong, you can drive them out." NIV

3. Have the Gift of Faith
2 Thess 1:11, “With this in mind, we constantly pray for you, that our God may count you worthy of his calling, and that by his power he may fulfill every good purpose of yours and every act prompted by your faith.” NIV

Faith, in business, is totally relying on the power, love and word on Another.

4. Live with Integrity.
Integrity is when thoughts, words and deeds line up.

Prov 10:9, “The man of integrity walks securely, but he who takes crooked paths will be found out.” NIV
Ps 41:12, “In my integrity you uphold me and set me in your presence forever.” NIV

Stressed? My personal thoughts on my stress.
Stress is the product of living outside my integrity. When I am experiencing stress I have to evaluate where my life is living outside of my values. I may be neglecting an important element like prayer and reading the Bible, maybe my family, or I may be putting off a difficult business decision, announcement or hard project. Sometimes stress indicates I am over extended financially, schedule wise or elsewhere. Stress has the potential to kill me dead if I don’t deal with it; consequently, it’s easier to ask those I love for forgiveness, change my negligent ways or admit my pride and turn from it. When I am stressed I make necessary changes to my life.

5. Have the Gift of Giving.
Rom 12:6-8, “Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith; 7 or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching; 8 he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.” NKJV

“When someone with the gift of giving crosses over into the pastoral, there is room for error. Let missionaries be missionaries and business leaders be business leaders. Let elders lay hands on the sick, let people operate in their own gift.” -Wendell Smith

6. Involve your pastor in business life.
“To reach the pinnacle in business a leader must embrace their pastor; likewise, to succeed in the ministry a Pastor must embrace their business people.”

The Man of God in your life is there to release your faith!

Gal 3:6-9, “Consider Abraham: "He believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness." 7 Understand, then, that those who believe are children of Abraham. 8 The Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham: "All nations will be blessed through you." 9 So those who have faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.” NIV

7. Do not forget from where you started.
Deut 8:18, "But you shall remember the LORD your God, for it is He who is giving you power to make wealth, that He may confirm His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day.” NASU