Albert's Christian Entrepreneur Mindset Blog: Burn the Boats!

Albert's Christian Entrepreneur Mindset Blog: Burn the Boats! This article bears printing and saving. Thanks Albert. Eric

Tithing with your company

I cannot tell you who I was on the phone with the other day, but I learned something powerful from a billionaire Christian.  He was telling another millionaire on the call that if due to covenants on loans and/or rulings by investment boards your company cannot tithe outright, then the next best thing is to sponsor "public service" ads for ministries.

I just thought you should know that your company has that option.

Eric Standlee

Consistent and Perseverant

You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised.
Hebrews 10:36

This scripture is powerful to all aspects of our lives, but especially so for our businesses.

Persevere implies endurance. To endure in a race is to consistently place one foot in front of the other.

How does that apply to you? Think about what you are supposed to do. Write them out into steps. Do each step as unto Christ. You are planting a seed in the lives of each person around you as they watch you consistently and persistently striving forward for the promise that God has given you.

What is that promise? Deuteronomy 28's blessings are present tense and a good place to start.

Do you think that God has forgotten how to help you? No, He will do what he promised. He is faithful.

Every day is a new day. No matter what you did or didn't do yesterday, TODAY is new and God is right there helping you so that you are not disgraced.

Blessings,
Eric Standlee

5 steps to a huge network on LinkedIn

With over 60,000 connections in Houston and growing every day, I don't plan on running out of people to schedule lunch or coffee with.  This is the key to building a large and vibrant network.  Here are 5 steps to make your linkedin experience a good one and the first step to many social networking site successes.

Go to www.linkedin.com/in/ericstandlee and:
1. join
2. create a complete profile
3. add you email to your last name field on your profile
4. add your website(s) on your profile
5. join www.themetanetwork.com and add your information there. This will place you in front of thousands of people and give you tons of free exposure.

Prospered not to increase my standard of living, but to increase my standard of giving,

Eric Standlee

5 secrets to success in any business or endeavor

Success is allusive to most. Most people eek out life on earth. How can you find success? Here are 5 secrets to success:

1. Know that Most People don't have ideas as they have either been conditioned or they have conditioned themselves to not be creative.
2. Know that when you have an idea on average 5 others have the same idea at the same time
3. Know that most who have that idea wont act on it.
4. When acting on your idea the keys to success are Persevere and be consistent and you will win.
5. Finally, don't run unless you intend to run to win.

Be brave and strong and blessed to be a blessing, Eric Standlee Ps 16:3 Lk 16:9

Mindset Notes

This was too good not to share:

We estimated our expected tithe. It was unusual, but we estimated the amount of income we wanted for the next year. Then, starting in January, we tithed on that amount monthly. (We estimated the income, divided it by twelve, and tithed that mount). Guess what? At the end of the year that amount of our business profit was exactly what we had estimated.


The next year we increased our estimated income, and we tithed on that increased amount each month. That year, the same thing happened; we made that income. The third year, we increased the estimate again. But something went wrong. We blew a fuse! We made far more profit than the estimated amount.


God surprised us. He is wonderfully exciting. Over the years, He has surprised us again and again.


We are saved by faith. We are healed by faith. We get answers to prayers by faith. Our finances are blessed because of faith. God blesses our homes and families because of our faith.


As my friend, the late Dr. Edwin Cole, once said, "Faith never limits God, and God never limits faith."


Don't allow low expectations. Lack of expectancy is evidence of little faith. Faithlessness is irreverent. The element of expectancy is the basic DNA of faith. Things seen are temporary and subject to change.


"So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." II Cor. 4:18


Faith is not 'trying' to believe; faith never 'tries'. Faith speaks. Faith commands. Faith expects. Faith receives. Faith refuses to compromise. Faith praises. Faith doesn't waver. Faith wins!


From "Millionaire in the Pew" by Don Ostrom

Blessings,

Eric Standlee

Today's Word from Joel and Victoria: How Do You See Yourself?

God loves you and don't you let anyone tell you otherwise!

Today's Scripture

"As a man thinks in his heart, so is he" (Proverbs 23:7).

Today's Word from Joel and Victoria

Your imagination is extremely powerful. God created you as a visual being. Choosing the right images in your mind's eye is important because your life will move in the direction of your thoughts. The way you see yourself in your mind's eye, over time, will drop down into your heart and become your reality. If you'll create a picture in your imagination of something you want, or a dream coming to pass and keep it in front of you, then you will move in that direction. I encourage you to get up every morning and picture yourself succeeding! Picture yourself healthy and whole! Picture yourself and your family not only being blessed, but being a bigger blessing to others. If you'll keep the right images in front of you, and always submit yourself to the Lord through prayer and thanksgiving, you'll move forward into the life of victory God has promised you.

A Prayer for Today

Heavenly Father, I come to You today and submit every area of my mind and heart to You. Search my heart and show me what images I need to change in my mind. Thank You for equipping me with everything I need to live a life pleasing to You. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

Joel Osteen Ministries, 3700 Southwest Freeway, Houston TX 77027

Champion, you are well able to do what God has called you to do.

Believe IT!
Eric Standlee
marketplace-ministry.info

Fwd: YOU ARE WHAT YOU REPEATEDLY DO

I wanted to share this tid-bit of wisdom:



  The beginning of a habit is like an invisible thread.
  Every time you repeat the act you strengthen the strand.
  You add to it another filament with each repetition,
  until it becomes a great cable
  and binds you irrevocably to each thought and act.

  First you make your habits
  and then they make you.

  Your thoughts lead you to your purpose.
  Your purpose always manifests into action.
  Your actions form your habits.
  Your habits determine your character,
  and your character fixes your destiny.

  Your habits are either the best of servants or the worst of
  master.

  Copyright 2007 www.yourdailymotivation.com
  Reproduce freely but maintain Copyright notice.



This is the start of a new week and new chance to make the
changes neccessary.

Be blessed,

Eric

http://getresponse.com/t/9218068/536800/170938259/

Blessed to be a blessing.

"Commit your works to the Lord, and your plans WILL succeed." --
Proverbs 16:3

You are in charge of you

I thought I'd share this email I got:

Friday, August 10, 2007

YOU'RE IN CHARGE OF YOU

---

 
While your character is formed by circumstances,
your own desires can do much to shape those circumstances.
Thus, you have the power over the formation of your own character.
You're the master of your fate and the captain of your soul.

Nature is at work around you.
Your character and destiny are her handiwork.
She gives you love and hate, jealousy and reverence.
You have the power to choose which impulse you will follow.

You can at any time decide to alter the course of your life.
No one can ever take that away from you.
You're the master of your joys and your sorrows.

The greatest power you possess is the power to choose.

Copyright 2007 www.yourdailymotivation.com
Reproduce freely but maintain Copyright notice.

Guard Against Bitterness

Thanks to the people at Joel Osteen's ministry, I am allowed to share this article with you.

This is a scripture to hold on to.

Eric

Today's Scripture

"When you go through deep waters and great trouble, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown" Isaiah 43:2 (TLB).

Today's Word from Joel and Victoria

Have you ever experienced something that truly tested your faith, your joy and your convictions? We're not talking about just having a bad day or having to deal with difficult people - but enduring an intense situation that rocks you to your very core. When many people face such soul-searching events, they let their happiness and joy turn into bitterness and anger. Make sure this doesn't happen to you. Don't give the evil one the victory by becoming an ineffective Christian due to lingering bitterness. Even if you're being tested, God has promised to remain faithful. He is all-powerful, and He can pull you out of your troubles at any moment. Choose to remain faithful and joyous despite your present circumstances.

A Prayer for Today

God, please help me to trust You and not give in to bitterness or anger, even in the middle of my trials. Thank You for the promise of Your never-failing love. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

Read another Word with Joel & Victoria

View archived messages »

Joel Osteen Ministries, 3700 Southwest Freeway, Houston TX 77027


Copyright © 2007 by Joel Osteen Ministries

--
Sincerely,
Eric Standlee
713.690.8877 x205



"Posture is hard to get when your taught,
but when around those with it is easily caught."


"Prospered not to increase my standard of living, but to increase my standard of giving."

Miracles

The heroes of faith often built altars to remember their miraculous experiences with God and miracles they received from God.

I had such and experience yesterday and wanted to build an altar to God.

Yesterday, a brother and friend of mine invited me to go with him to a local church.  I normally go elsewhere, but I felt the Spirit tug.  So, we went and the sermon focused on us being conduits of giving to the kingdom, and being surrounded by the heroes of the faith cheering us on.  The sermon was good and seeing this brother's success through God in reaching many unchurched was very impressive.

So, we went to lunch and started talking about the pastor and his father who was also a pastor.  And, who walks in but that pastor's father.  We chatted and found out he isn't retired and he is recovering from some stuff that came upon him and he is helping the pastor whose sermon we just listened to.  In fact, things are going so well that the father and son are looking at starting another campus.  They are running things very lean and doing their best to reach the unreached.  It was exciting to see what God was doing.

It was also a miracle that we would just happen to be eating in the same place and get to share our hearts with these pastors.  I want to make sure that I share this miracle that God has done yesterday.

I believe the words of a very successful mentor of mine who shared that they write down miracles every day and as they do that more and more miracles become apparent.  Miracles are amazing things that only God could do that lead us closer to God.  Writing them down helps our faith.  Sharing them helps others' faith.

Be blessed,

--
Sincerely,
Eric Standlee

Today's Word with Joel & Victoria

Success starts with praising God in all things.  If as we are told here God can work through all circumstances, then that means for example that jail time can be turned into major success.  Thus, you have major reason to praise God even in the low times.

---------- Forwarded message ----------

Being Strengthened In Adversity   Every adversity is an opportunity for God's Word to come alive in your life and see you through to victory.		No Matter What Today's Scripture "I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel" Philippians 1:12 (ESV). Today's Word from Joel and Victoria We all could learn quite a bit from the apostle Paul. He was deliriously happy and joyous because of what Christ had done in his life. Even when he was chained and shackled in a dark prison because of his faith, Paul praised God and was excited to deliver his message of the gospel. He says in Philippians 1 that he knew he was suffering for a purpose and that he rejoiced because of the advancement of God's message even when he couldn't be out preaching the gospel. My friend, you can't defeat a person who gives God praise no matter what! And the best part is that God can work in your life the same way He worked in Paul's. God can turn some of the worst possible situations into some of the most worthwhile experiences if you have the right attitude. Praise God today . . . no matter what! A Prayer for Today God, I realize that You can take even my bad days and accomplish something great for Your glory. Thank You for the way You display Your power and love in my life. In Jesus' Name. Amen. Read another Word with Joel & Victoria Choose a month to view an archived message: Select a month... March 2006 April 2006 May 2006 June 2006 July 2006 August 2006 September 2006 October 2006 November 2006 December 2006 January 2007 February 2007 March 2007 April 2007 May 2007 June 2007 Joel Osteen Ministries, 3700 Southwest Freeway, Houston TX 77027 Change your email preferences or unsubscribe. Copyright © 2007 by Joel Osteen Ministries

--
Sincerely,
Eric Standlee
713.690.8877 x205

Spiritual Warfare or else

As a business person, you owe it to your company to pray the scriptures over your company and against your enemy.

Pray that no weapon of the enemy will prosper against you.

Pray that your enemy will be miserable so that they will come to Jesus.

Pray that scriptures of blessing on your business and family.

--
Sincerely,
Eric Standlee
713.690.8877 x205

Here is something I was reading to my kids tonight

I thought this reading from Jesus Wants All of Me, Smouse, was very appropriate to our business lives:

Ship Ahoy!

My life is like a little boat anchored in the harbor.  The water is calm and smooth.  The breeze is gentle and warm.  And, I am safe.  But I cannot stay here forever.  God wants me to launch out into the wild, open water, to ride the mighty, crashing waves.  He wants me to let go.  He wants me to trust Him and follow Him wherever He may go.

"If you know these things, happy are you if you do them."
John 13:17

You haven't been give the gifts you have been given just for you.  God blessed you with forgiveness, wealth, business, life, love, friends, family, and success so that He can get it through you to someone else.  How do you do that?  You can do it stuck at harbor.  You have to get out there and mix it up.  You have to do them.

Stop grumbling about what you don't have yet and use what has been given to you already.  Are you surprised that more don't find success?  Not me.  It is only those who figure out that success is for those who "do it" and persevere in "doing it" and not for those safe at harbor with sails furled.

Instead, be grateful for everything.  List all the things you have to be grateful about.  Then chose to be grateful for even those things that others wouldn't chose to be grateful about.  Unfurl those sails.  Risk bumping into other ships and stumbling into uncharted waters.  You only have this life.

--
Sincerely,
Eric Standlee
713.690.8877 x205

YOU HAVE TO THINK BIG TO BE BIG

YOU HAVE TO THINK BIG TO BE BIG

High achievement always takes place in the framework of high expectation. You'll always hit what you aim for in the long run. So why not aim high? If you can dream it, you can do it. If you don't have a dream, how are you going to make it come true? Have the courage to follow your dreams. It's the first step towards attaining your destiny. The empire of your future resides in your mind. Big thinking precedes big achievement. Copyright 2007 www.yourdailymotivation.com Reproduce freely but maintain Copyright notice.

Thanks to Max for sharing this.

Eric Standlee

Fwd: Maybe we should adopt the backbone of the Australians

Sharia law has no place in Australia nor in America.  It is the antithesis of all we stand for.

Yellow backed politicians who cow-tow to the ACLU or any other group and allow Sharia law anywhere in America should be asked to repent of all they have done to deserve punishment under Sharia law and be allowed to suffer the due punishment so that noone else in America would have to question what that means.

Having said that, Sharia law is only another manifestation of the antichrist and the snake behind it rears its head knowing full well that it has lost already.

Eric

---------- Forwarded message ----------

Doesn't sound real...however, I checked Snopes.com and found it to be true!

Your Friend

Muslims who want to live under Islamic Sharia law were told on Wednesday

to get out of Australia, as the government targeted radicals in a bid to head off potential terror attacks.

 

A day after a group of mainstream Muslim leaders pledged loyalty to Australia and her Queen at a special meeting with Prime Minister John Howard, he and his Ministers made it clear that extremists would face a crackdown. Treasurer Peter Costello, seen as heir apparent to Howard, hinted that some radical clerics could be asked to leave the country if they did not accept that Australia was a secular state, and its laws were made by parliament. "If those are not your values, if you want a country which has Sharia law or a theocratic state, then Australia is not for you", he said on National Television.

 

"I'd be saying to clerics who are teaching that there are two laws governing people in Australia: one the Australian law and another Islamic law that is false. If you can't agree with parliamentary law, independent courts, democracy, and would prefer Sharia law and have the opportunity to go to another country, which practices it, perhaps, then, that's a better option", Costello said.

 

Asked whether he meant radical clerics would be forced to leave, he said those with dual citizenship could possibly be asked to move to the other country. Education Minister Brendan Nelson later told reporters that Muslims who did not want to accept local values should "clear off. Basically people who don't want to be Australians, and who don't want, to live by Australian values and understand them, well then, they can basically clear off", he said.

 

Separately, Howard angered some Australian Muslims on Wednesday by saying he supported spy agencies monitoring the nation's mosques.

 

Quote: "IMMIGRANTS, NOT AUSTRALIANS, MUST ADAPT. Take It Or Leave It. I am tired of this nation worrying about whether we are offending some individual or their culture. Since the terrorist attacks on Bali , we have experienced a surge in patriotism by the majority of Australians.

 

"However, the dust from the attacks had barely settled when the 'politically correct' crowd began complaining about the possibility that our patriotism was offending others. I am not against immigration, nor do I hold a grudge against anyone who is seeking a better life by coming to Australia.  However, there are a few things that those who have recently come to our country, and apparently some born here, need to understand.  This idea of Australia being a multi-cultural community has served only to dilute our sovereignty and our national identity. And as Australians, we have our own culture, our own society, our own language and our own lifestyle.

 

"This culture has been developed over two centuries of struggles, trials and victories by millions of men and women who have sought freedom.

 

"We speak mainly ENGLISH, not Spanish, Lebanese, Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Russian, or any other language. Therefore, if you wish to become part of our society .. Learn the language!

 

"Most Australians believe in God. This is not some Christian, right wing, political push, but a fact, because Christian men and women, on Christian principles, founded this nation, and this is clearly documented. It is certainly appropriate to display it on the walls of our schools. If God offends you, then I suggest you consider another part of the world as your new home, because God is part of our culture.

 

"We will accept your beliefs, and will not question why. All we ask is that you accept ours, and live in harmony and peaceful enjoyment with us.

 

"If the Southern Cross offends you, or you don't like 'A Fair Go', then you should seriously consider a move to another part of this planet. We are happy with our culture and have no desire to change, and we really don't care how you did things where you came from. By all means, keep your culture, but do not force it on others.

 

"This is OUR COUNTRY, OUR LAND, and OUR LIFESTYLE, and we will allow you every opportunity to enjoy all this. But once you are done complaining, whining, and griping about Our Flag, Our Pledge, Our Christian beliefs, or Our Way of Life, I highly encourage you take advantage of one other great Australian freedom, 'THE RIGHT TO LEAVE'.

 

"If you aren't happy here then LEAVE. We didn't force you to come here. You asked to be here. So accept the country YOU accepted."

 

Maybe if we circulate this among ourselves, American citizens will find the backbone to start speaking and voicing the same truths!

 

If you agree, please SEND THIS TO EVERYBODY YOU KNOW!

Footsteps of Faith Messenger

Purpose:  Spreading Good News to the World! Cover to Cover Campaign One of the greatest and most rewarding tasks you can ever accomplish is the reading of the Bible from Genesis all the way through Revelation. If you would like to start this journey (we read slowly), you are welcome to join an ever-growing group! Simply signify your intentions by clicking here. You will be blessed! NEW TO THE BIBLE? If you are a new Christian or just haven't done much Bible reading yet, prior to committing to the Cover to Cover Campaign, I suggest you read three books in the New Testament for starters. Read the books of Matthew, John, and James. These wonderful books will give you a great introduction to the Christian faith and will be very eye-opening for you! Starting here will allow you to have a fresh perspective to begin the Cover to Cover study.   Footsteps of Faith Messenger - Issue 151 Within You Luke 17:21b Ephesian 3:20-21 Revelation 3:20 Tim Darnell I've never been let down by the word of God - far from it.  Rather, I have been energized and strengthened, encouraged and emboldened.  The word of God speaks to me personally and deeply, convicting me of His awesome presence and power; and most importantly, his unending, abiding love for me. That love is accessible and available for you as much as it is for me - right now.  It is an amazing, unconditional love greater than we are humanly able to conceive or even describe.  You will find the Word of God and God Himself when you search for Him, and when you ask for Him.  So where do we go to look for God?  Where is His love found?  Where is God's kingdom found?  It is found in an amazing place, one of the last places you might think to look.  It is found within you.   (see Luke 17:21b) The Holy Spirit is pervasive.  He is both here and there, within and without, before, now and after.  He is in the heights and in the depths.  He invites us to abide in Him, and He longs to abide in us.  Due to His immense power and presence we have abilities within us that go well beyond our wildest imaginations.  The apostle Paul says, "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." Make no mistake, we are not God.  Only the great I Am is God.  Yet we do have immediately available to us his great power and glory when we surrender our lives and selves fully to Him.  I must confess, the first time I read, "the kingdom of God is within you", I almost fell out of my chair.  I remember my jaw dropping and my mouth hanging wide open, having gained a new, much greater glimpse into the essence of His being.  I began to marvel even more at the wonder and majesty of God.  He is not just in His heavens.  No, He is here, beside us and within us.  He knows all, sees all, and hears all.  We cannot hide from Him, nor should we ever want to.  Sin can separate us from Him for brief moments, but all the time He is there waiting for us to welcome Him back. A line from the wonderful worship song, "Breathe", says, "I'm desperate for You.  I'm lost without You."  How true these words are.  He is the single most important element of our lives – our all in all, our support, our strength, our strong tower, our ever present help in time of need.  And each of us, you and I, do desperately need Him every moment of our lives. Knowing only a portion of the awesome glory of God is cause for us to bow down at His feet in total gratitude and obedience.  It is cause for us to humbly say, "I am your child.  I am dependent solely on you.  There is no other god than You, Oh Lord.  Have mercy on me and I thank you for your awesome grace and love." The Author of our life knows our weaknesses.  He knows our sorrows.  He knows our fears.  He hears our cries for mercy and forgiveness, and He sees our lifted hands longing for His touch.  And steadfastly He is there, knocking, waiting for us to let Him come in to His rightful place – within us. The risen Christ says, "Here I am!  I stand at the door and knock.  If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with Me." Will you let Him in today?  He wants to be with you, and within you, and will step through the door of your heart if you will but humbly open the door and let Him in. Prayer Father God, I have kept you out for some time now, but I want to open the door of my heart and let You in.   I pray that You soften my heart and I ask for Your forgiveness and safety.  I want to know Your peace, Your joy, and Your love right now.  I thank You in advance for the phenomenal rebirth and renewal that You have for me, and that You have waited for me all this time – your wandering child that you have always loved unconditionally.  I thank You for Your saving grace and presence within me, in the mighty name of Jesus Christ, I pray, Amen. If you would like to commit your life to Jesus Christ, you can do so, and thereby experience the most important gift ever offered to mankind!  You don't have to be perfect – I'm certainly not and I know you aren't either.  In fact, we all sin and fall far short of perfection.  Won't you make the greatest decision you can ever make?  I pray that you will do so today. To accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, click this link: http://www.timdarnell.org/prayer.asp Tim Darnell is a Christian business owner, professional recording artist, and most importantly, husband to Cathy and father to Lindy, Hannah, and Caleb. Cover to Cover Schedule and Tips: Welcome to the Cover to Cover Campaign! Simply signify your intentions to join the Cover to Cover Campaign by clicking here. You will be blessed! April's Reading Group #27 (C to C Readers beginning in April 2007) Genesis Group #26 (C to C Readers beginning in March 2007) Exodus Group #25 (C to C Readers beginning in February 2007) Leviticus; Numbers (Leviticus can be a little slow going, but you can get through it!) Group #24 (C to C Readers beginning in January 2007) Deuteronomy Group #23 (C to C Readers beginning in December - 2006): Joshua & Judges Group #22 (C to C Readers beginning in November - 2006): Ruth; 1 Samuel & 2 Samuel Group #21 (C to C Readers beginning in October - 2006): 1 Kings & 2 Kings Group #20 (C to C Readers beginning in September - 2006): 1 Chronicles & 2 Chronicles Group #19 (C to C Readers beginning in August - 2006): Ezra & Nehemiah Group #18 (C to C Readers beginning in July - 2006): Esther & Job Group #17 (C to C Readers beginning in June - 2006): Psalms Group #16 (C to C Readers beginning in May - 2006): Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs Group #15 (C to C Readers beginning in April - 2006): Isaiah Group #14 (C to C Readers beginning in March - 2006): Jeremiah and Lamentations Group #13 (C to C Readers beginning in February - 2006): Ezekiel Group #12 (C to C Readers beginning in January - 2006): Daniel, Hosea, Joel and Amos Group #11 (C to C Readers beginning in December - 2005): Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi (Get ready – you will have finished the entire Old Testament this month!) Group #10 (C to C Readers beginning in November - 2005): Matthew and Mark Group #9 (C to C Readers beginning in October - 2005): Luke and John Group #8 (C to C Readers beginning in September - 2005): Acts Group #7 (C to C Readers beginning in August - 2005): Romans & 1 Corinthians Group #6 (C to C Readers beginning in July - 2005): II Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians Group #5 (C to C Readers beginning in June - 2005): Philippians, Colossians, I & II Thessalonians, I & II Timothy, Titus, Philemon Group #4 (C to C Readers beginning in May - 2005): Hebrews, James, 1 Peter, 2 Peter Group #3 (C to C Readers beginning in April - 2005): Jude and Revelation Group #2 (C to C Readers beginning in March - 2005): Cover to Cover Campaign Completed - Mar 2007 Group #1 (C to C Readers beginning in February - 2005): Cover to Cover Campaign Completed - Feb 2007 Congratulations to you on your decision! This is one commitment that will pay off beyond comprehension! Pray for divine guidance and understanding each time prior to reading scripture. Remember, you are reading God's Words written to and for you! This is extremely powerful, so get ready to be empowered! If you will resolve to read two chapters (or more) per sitting, you can easily accomplish the monthly assignments. How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time! If you get behind, you can join the group that came after you - no disgrace whatsoever! Be sure to underline and/or highlight passages that stand out to you. You can even circle a verse or sections that really speak to you! If you have questions, feel free to e-mail me at: TimD@AdvantageConferences.com Dialogue can be very helpful. Reading the Bible is like developing a new muscle. The more you work out with it, the more you'll "get it". Don't get discouraged - be encouraged! Some books are easier to read than others. Every book contains incredible material - and soon it will start coming together into profound new understanding and revelation for you. I'm praying for you daily. You can do this, no question about it. God bless you immensely! In His Service, Tim Darnell Publisher / Editor Footsteps of Faith Messenger

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Footsteps of Faith Messenger is a weekly publication of Advantage Conferences.


Click Here To Subscribe

--
Sincerely,
Eric Standlee
Marketplace Ministry

... I Love You Too Daddy!

My youngest child, our daughter Yumi Joyce which means to bear the fruit of joy, often takes longer to respond or do things.  Today, I grabbed her and gave her a hug and like I often do I told her "I love you..."  You have to hear it to understand, but in that "I love you..." there is an understanding that she will reply.  I had to tell her not once, not twice, and not three times, but four times before she grinned sheepishly and said "I love you too daddy!"

I was listening to a Zig Ziglar CD I got from having attended the Get Motivated seminar at the Toyota center several weeks ago here in Houston.  Actually, I received the CD from a friend who had grabbed several when we were there together.  In the CD, Zig made a point that of all the criminals in prisons a very very very small amount are Jewish.  He then explained that of the 95% of criminals which are men 99% of them hate their father.  And, he noted that the difference is that most Jewish fathers hold their sons and say "I bless you, I love you, you are important to me" throughout their lifetime.  He drew the correlation between that and the low rate of Jewish men being incarcerated.  Come to think of it, every Jewish man I know loves his father.

Now, imagine how many times during the day God told you "I Love you..." whether you realized it or not at first.  You have to know that He is saying that over every living soul on the planet today.  He is however speaking that over you right now Champion.  God is saying, "I love you..." and waiting for you to reciprocate.  Are you like my daughter and waiting for God to say it four times before you sheepishly say "...I love you too daddy!"?

God doesn't need our love, but He does want to hear us saying that we love Him.  Gratitude is a very essential part of a successful person's life.  Start practicing gratitude with your heavenly Father right now.  List out at least four or five things that God has done most recently to say "I love you Son, I love you Daughter" and then spend some time thanking him today.  No, right now.

Be blessed and have a blessed weekend,

Eric Standlee

Where is Your Treasure?

By Jack Weinzierl, Christian Entrepreneur and Mentor

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Matthew 6:19-21

I am so thankful for a strong Christian heritage, but it is up to each of us to make Him Lord of our lives and not just Savior. I was blessed to have married an incredible woman of God 18 years ago, who knew the Word and also lived it. We had been married almost 15 years and I can openly share that we gave of our finances, but I was not a cheerful giver as is instructed in 2 Corinthians 9:7. I knew what the Word said, but I was not living it. In fact, we attended Life Changers with Pastor Gregory Dickow for several years and I always cringed when he talked about money and giving every week. I am so grateful now for that stewardship training.

“ ‘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 you will not have room enough for it.’ ” Malachi 3:10

I believe that Malachi 3:10 is for us collectively as believers, as well as for us individually. When believers begin to bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, ministries and families will not have room enough to contain it. God does not need your money so he can build another wing up in Heaven, but I believe it is a true test of what is in our hearts.

I invested the first 17 years in corporate America chasing the almighty dollar. Two years ago, I was faced with a decision where my wife and I spent time in prayer seeking His purpose. I was the president of a company that was all about the almighty dollar, with no Almighty in the equation. I needed God in our finances, my business and my daily walk. So after much prayer and an indescribable peace, I resigned from that secular corporate position to become a Christian entrepreneur and mentor. The Lord was directing me to be a difference maker and to lean on Him and the Word vs. the world.

The Lord has blessed me with gifts and talents in the marketplace, but He was waiting until I trusted Him and that He could trust me to pour out more blessings, not so I could hold tightly onto them, but so these finances could flow through me. I firmly believe He will get it to us, when He can get it through us. When we began to “live” His Word 3 years ago, the blessings have been amplified. That was a major shift for me. Taking the focus off of me and onto others was the key. Being a cheerful giver was truly an outward manifestation of getting my heart right. It started with our finances and it opened my heart to one of service. And as 2 Corinthians 8:7 states, “But just as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in your love for us—see that you also excel in this grace of giving.”

“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. Since we have been obedient with our finances and focused on serving Him first, He has opened up opportunities and supernatural favor in our finances entrusting us with a million dollar + income over the past three years. I give God all the glory, honor and praise. We are also able to reach more people with the Good News as finances are simply a tool to equip ministries globally.

When you seek Him first, your desires begin to change from worldly desires to desires that are aligned with the Word. We have been very blessed and prosperous with our business over the past two years and one lesson that I have learned is just because you can buy something, does not mean you should. Having grown up around wealth, but never experiencing it in my family while growing up, I had some worldly desires that I pursued. The more time we spend in the Word of God, in prayer and in praise, those desires begin to change and get in alignment with God's purpose in our lives.

During the months of January and February of 2007, I took a long hard look at those things that we have prioritized in our lives. We are in the process of seeking the Lord on all areas that need to be transformed from world to Word. It comes down to a matter of good stewardship. Don't get me wrong, things are not the issue, but it's when some of those things have us, that it is an issue. I realized that I am entrusted with assets that the Lord has simply given us the keys to for a time, and that time is temporary. We have made large financial commitments to three ministries and lives will be changed forever with this seed sown. We also understand that the enemy will have no authority in the lives of the Believer and the devourer is rebuked for the tither, but we have to walk in and exercise that authority, in Jesus’ name.

I turn 40 years old in a few weeks and I am so thankful for the wisdom and discernment that the Lord has given me. For many years, He was my Savior, but now He is Lord of my life. It is never too late to repent and seek Him first, beginning today. Wake every day saying, “here I am Lord, use me.” And be ready to do what the world will tell you cannot be done. Remember, you have to attempt the impossible to do the impossible. When you are willing to get out of the boat and go where God wants you to go, get ready to do the impossible. Give outrageously of your finances, time, gifts, talents and love. I believe it is our ulimate reflection of Christ in us.

I am going to share some scriptures and we will get the notes out here shortly on a 52-Week Stewardship Bible Memory Plan. I found this on http://generousliving.com.

“Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds ... For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope” (Deuteronomy 11:18a; Romans 15:4). These verses from the Old and New Testaments teach that generosity is an expected and rewarding way of life for God’s redeemed people.

God Owns Everything, and I Am His Money Manager

• Week 1 — Psalm 24:1 — “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it.”
• Week 2 — Leviticus 25:23 — “The land is mine and you are but aliens and my tenants.”
• Week 3 — Haggai 2:8 — “ ‘The silver is mine and the gold is mine,’ declares the Lord Almighty.”
• Week 4 — 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 — “You are not your own; you were bought at a price.”
• Week 5 — John 3:16 — “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
• Week 6 — Deuteronomy 8:18 — “Remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth.”
• Week 7 — Romans 11:36a — “For from him and through him and to him are all things ...”
• Week 8 — 1 Corinthians 4:2 — “Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful.”
• Week 9 — Romans 14:10 — “... For we will all stand before God’s judgment seat ...”
• Week 10 — Romans 14:12 — “So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God.”
• Week 11 — Luke 6:38 — “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.”

My Heart Always Goes Where I Put God’s Money

• Week 12 — Ecclesiastes 5:12 — “The sleep of a laborer is sweet, whether he eats little or much, but the abundance of a rich man permits him no sleep.”
• Week 13 — Proverbs 18:10-11 — “The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe. The wealth of the rich is their fortified city; they imagine it an unscalable wall.”
• Week 14 — Matthew 6:19 — “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.
• Week 15 — Matthew 6:20 — “But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.
• Week 16 — Matthew 6:21 and Luke 12:34 — “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

This Present World Is Not My Permanent Home

• Week 17 — Philippians 3:20 — “Our citizenship is in heaven.”
• Week 18 — Luke 12:15 — “Then he said to them, ‘Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.’ ”
• Week 19 — Proverbs 23:4-5 — “Do not wear yourself out to get rich; have the wisdom to show restraint. Cast but a glance at riches, and they are gone, for they will surely sprout wings and fly off to the sky like an eagle.”
• Week 20 — Psalm 90:10 — “The length of our days is seventy years—or eighty, if we have the strength; yet their span is but trouble and sorrow, for they quickly pass, and we fly away.”
• Week 21 — Psalm 39:5b — “Each man’s life is but a breath.”
• Week 22 — 1 Timothy 6:6-7 — “But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it.”
• Week 23 — 2 Corinthians 8:9 — “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.”
• Week 24 — Mark 12:43-44 — “Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, ‘I tell you the truth, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on.’ ”

I Should Not Live Merely for the Moment but for Eternity

• Week 25 — Hebrews 11:25-26 — “[Moses] chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a short time. He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward.”
• Week 26 — Matthew 25:21 — “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!’ ”
• Week 27 — Matthew 19:27-28 — “Peter answered him, ‘We have left everything to follow you! What then will there be for us?’ Jesus said to them, ‘I tell you the truth, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.’ ”
• Week 28 — Matthew 19:29 — “ ‘And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life.’ ”
• Week 29 — Proverbs 19:17 — “He who is kind to the poor lends to the LORD, and he will reward him for what he has done.”
• Week 30 — Revelation 19:7-8 — “ ‘Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready. Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear.’ (Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of the saints.)”
• Week 31 — 2 Corinthians 9:6 — “Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.”

Giving Is the Only Antidote to Materialism

• Week 32 — Ecclesiastes 5:10 — “Whoever loves money never has money enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income. This too is meaningless.”
• Week 33 — Ecclesiastes 5:13-14 — “I have seen a grievous evil under the sun: wealth hoarded to the harm of its owner, or wealth lost through some misfortune, so that when he has a son there is nothing left for him.”
• Week 34 — Mark 10:21 — “Jesus looked at him and loved him. ‘One thing you lack,’ he said. ‘Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.’ ”
• Week 35 — 1 Timothy 6:9 — “People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction.”
• Week 36 — 1 Timothy 6:10 — “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.”
• Week 37 — 1 Timothy 6:17 — “Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.”
• Week 38 — 1 Timothy 6:18-19 — “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.”
• Week 39 — Malachi 3:10 — “ ‘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 you will not have room enough for it.’ ”

God Prospers Me to Raise Not My Standard of Living, but My Standard of Giving

• Week 40 — 2 Corinthians 9:10 — “Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness.”
• Week 41 — 2 Corinthians 9:11 — “You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.”
• Week 42 — 2 Corinthians 9:12 — “This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of God’s people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God.”
• Week 43 — 2 Corinthians 9:13 — “Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, men will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else.”
• Week 44 — Luke 12:33 — “Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will not be exhausted, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys.”
• Week 45 — Acts 20:35b — “[T]he Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ”
• Week 46 — 2 Corinthians 8:7 — “But just as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in your love for us—see that you also excel in this grace of giving.”
• Week 47 — 2 Corinthians 9:9 — “As it is written: ‘He has scattered abroad his gifts to the poor; his righteousness endures forever.’ ”
• Week 48 — 2 Corinthians 9:7b — “[F]or God loves a cheerful giver.”
• Week 49 — James 2:14-17 — “What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, ‘Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,’ but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.”
• Week 50 — 1 John 3:16 — “This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.”
• Week 51 — 1 John 3:17 — “If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him?”
• Week 52 — 1 John 3:18 — “Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.”

Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved. posted by Eric Standlee

Empowering Others Like Christ did

Start with yourself today. Take the labels off of you. If you are struggling, take the "struggler" label off yourself now. Jesus wants to transform your label today. If you allow Him to rename you and relabel you, He will send you out to do that to those you talk with. Don't cut yourself short. You have alot of talent. Christ was always looking for new people to talk to and asking them about themselves. Try a "pattern interrupt". Go to different banks, and different malls, and different grocery stores to hold new conversations with new people. That's what Jesus did. Search for whom Jesus wants to transform. Don't take Christ out of your business, but instead allow Christ to transform your business into a marketplace ministry. Eric Standlee PS. How you are going to employ this in my business?

A lesson from the Bible: Have I got a proposal or you

In the Bible, there is recorded conversations between the two sides of a business proposal.

The side prosing said here's the opportunity I present to you:

1. You have to commit to spend the next 100 years building this
2. You will building something that noone has ever done before
3. You will build in preparation for a forcasted event where something will happen that has never happened on earth before
4. People will tell you that you are crazy because nothing like that has ever happened
5. People will tell you that you are crazy because nothing like that has ever been done before

The side receiving the proposal accepted and because of huge faith on the part of this side of the negotiating table it was done as proposed.

What could have been the upside to motivate 100 years of building something that noone knew would work?  What could have engendered so much faith in the forecasted event of epic proportions of which something like that had never happened before in the history of the earth?  What was in it for the side that had to build for 100 years on faith that something which had never happened before would happen and that after 100 years of building this project it would actually be of benefit?

Consider if I were asking you to go into a business with me but you would have to invest 100 years of your life.  However on the 100th year you would see results that would benefit you more than anything you could imagine.

Most businesses fail in 5 year according to the government.  I propose the issue is lack of faith.

The story in the Bible I am talking about is the story of Noah.  God proposed that if Noah would build something noone had ever heard of called a boat or ark for the next 100 years that after that God would bring rain which noone in the history of the earth had seen before and the up-side for Noah was huge if he could have enough faith for long enough: he and his family would live.

Can you see a parallel in the faith needed to see your business endeavors through?  If God told you He would make it rain financial in your life, then He will do it.  Can you find the faith to make it past the first 5 years so that rain will fall in your life and bless you and your family?

You can do it Champion.  You can do it because in Hebrews 12 we learn that not only did Noah and thousands (if not millions) who went before have set the page and set the standard, but I believe in your Champion because those who set the pace and set the standard are now in the stands and you are on the field.  You are the one being cheered on by those of the faith who have gone on before us.

So, suit up and get out on the field with renewed confidence that not only is the God of the Universe whose love for you is beyond measure standing with you and fighting the fight with you, but there have been many who went on before you and are now cheering for you.

They are saying:

1. You can persevere Champion!
2. If I could have faith that God would do what He said, then you can have that much more if you stand on the shoulders of those who went before!
3. Charge Champion and take the enemy, he is defeated.
4. Don't give up, because you can overcome if you never ever ever ever give up.
5. There is nothing to f.e.a.r. Champion, it isn't nearly as hard as you think it might be.
6. If God is for you, who DARE be against you?
7. You can do it, we believe in you Champion.

Then, go out there and do it.  I believe in you too.  Hi Five!

Keep your eyes on the prize and on the positive things and don't let the enemy get a foothold.

Be blessed,

Eric Standlee
www.linkedin.com/in/ericstandlee

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