Stand

Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all to stand. Ephesians 6:13


Are you facing pressures that are seeking to push you back? Are you tempted to give up on the assignment the Lord has given you?

It is not uncommon for Biblical Entrepreneurs to face pressures that tempt them to want to give up or to question whether they should continue their business or the project they have undertaken. Success is never achieved without external resistance.

Do not assume that just because your cause is righteous, everything and everyone will cooperate with you; actually, sometimes the more righteous your cause, the greater the external pressures.

How then should you respond when those external pressures continue to beat on you like a bad tornado? Just stand. Yes, just continue to resist them by remaining firm in your posture and focused on your direction. To stand means to rise to an upright position on your feet or as specified {freedictionary.com}. The assumption here is that you are being attacked and pressured - not just because of what you are doing - but because of the righteous stands you are taking. Of course if you face pressure and do not have a righteous position, you will not be able to withstand the pressures because you do not have the strength of Christ on your side.

How do you stand in the midst of the pressures of business and ministry?

1. Rejoice in the Lord because the joy of the Lord is your strength.

2. Put on the whole armor of God - what is the armor?
a. Truth
b. Righteousness
c. Peace
d. Faith
e. Salvation
f. The Word of God
g. Prayer in the spirit

3. Know that you are in spiritual warfare

4. Boldly preach the Gospel

There will come a time of complete victory when you no longer feel the resistance - not because it does not exist - but because you have been so perfected by past pressures and your spiritual maturity is so great that you begin to view trials the way Apostle Paul viewed them.

Here is what Paul said about his trials:

"For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us" Romans 8:18.

"Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal" 2 Corinthians 4:16-18.

"Therefore I take pleasure in my infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecution, in distresses, for Christ's sake for when I am weak then I am strong" 2 Corinthians 12:10.

May the Lord Jesus Christ grant you the desires of your heart, not just to stand, but to overcome so that you may be able to share His goodness in your circle of influence in the marketplace.



Copyright © 2011 Patrice Tsague ALL RIGHTS RESERVED Scripture quotations are taken from the King James Version of the Bible.

If the Lord Wills

"Instead you ought to say, 'If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that,'"
James 4:15.


Have you developed your plan for this year? What is your approach to planning? Imagine that you are about to invest in a business and you hear the business plan presentation which begins with if the Lord wills we will do such and such...?

Unfortunately as scriptural as this sounds, most of us will have reservations and doubt about the business because we will interpret that the presenter is uncertain about the future and possibly wants to use God as a copout. Yet this is the very approach that James suggests we use in planning our businesses.

In James 4:13-16, James contrasts the world's approach to planning with the kingdom approach. James suggests that the world's approach has the following characteristics:

1. Certainty of the future
2. Pride
3. Self-centeredness

While the kingdom approach should have the following characteristics:

1. Recognition of our limitations
2. Humility
3. Centered on God's will

What does "if the Lord wills" mean? It means "should God permit or allow". It is recognizing that no matter what our plans are, they are subject to God's ultimate purpose. It suggests that we are seeking first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness (Matthew 6:33), and as stated in the Lord's Prayer, we are inviting God's will into the situation (Matthew 6:10).

What are your plans for this year? Have you considered God's will for your life and your business? God's will protects you, provides for you and keeps you safe.

No matter your circumstances or the economy, the safest place to be is in the will of God. In the will of God there is provision, protection and safety. In the will of God we find peace in the midst of turmoil, in the will of God we find safety in the midst of uncertainty, in the will of God we find favor.
Whatever your plans are this year, make sure they keep you in the will of God. How do you find the will of God? Use the following guidelines to help you:

1. Pray and fast.

2. Study His word and look for guidelines and patterns within His word.

3. Reflect on your past experiences with God as a guide to where He is taking you.

4. Seek the council of others who are trustworthy and God-fearing.

5. Make sure you have peace about the direction you sense God is leading you in.

God's will is easy to find when we are willing to lay down our personal agendas.

God's will usually moves us toward an uncomfortable direction but one that will have the most spiritual and natural impact in the lives of others. God's will is that we trade our agendas for His agenda. If the Lord wills, what will you do this year?

Copyright © 2010 Patrice Tsague ALL RIGHTS RESERVED Scripture quotations are taken from the King James Version of the Bible.

Can Anything Good Come Out of Nazareth?

-by Patrice Tsague, NPIM

And Nathanael said to him, "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" Philip said to him, "Come and see." John 1:46

Where are you from? What family were you born in? Are people surprised by your accomplishments due to your family background, place of birth, race or nationality? Have you limited your scope due to these factors? Have you ever asked the question, "Can anything good come out of....?"


Nathanael asks this question about Jesus when Phillip introduces Him as the prophet from Nazareth, Philip's response is, "Come and see."


Prior to the birth of Christ, Nazareth was not an important part of the national and religious life of Israel. It had a bad reputation in morals and religious life. Even the Galilean language had a crudeness to it. Due to these factors, Nathanael is surprised that the Messiah would come from Nazareth or be identified by it. God has an interesting sense of humor. He chooses to bring greatness out of a place or person who seems unlikely; the less likely the human possibilities, the more likely the divine possibility.


The Lord laid upon our hearts to relocate the Nehemiah Project headquarters to Portland, Oregon in 2010. As we contemplated the move, we asked, "Why Portland?" Even after we moved, many who live in Portland asked us the same question. They are asking, in other words, "If you could move anywhere else in the country, why would you choose a place so liberal, so un-churched, one of the least ethnically diverse in the country, and one of the most hit economically. Can anything good come out of Portland?" The good news is good things can come out of anyplace where God is present and there is a righteous remnant who are committed to His will. I ask all who are curious about "Why Portland?" to take a visit and see a city where, despite its challenges, God is moving in a dynamic way in the marketplace. From weekly small groups, to networking events, to philanthropy, to social transformation, to equipping His people, God is at work in Portland. Prophetically, Portland will serve as one of the model cities of what God can do when people come together across denominational, political and ethnic lines to bring community transformation for His glory.


I come from a well-to-do family in Cameroon, Africa; however, because I was born in Africa, viewed as rebellious and very playful by my family, relocated to America at a young age, did not speak English at all, did not go to seminary or have an MBA, many thought, "Can anything good come out of that boy?" My response is, "Wait and see."


What has held you back? Whom have you allowed to define your destiny? No matter your origin, race, education, or circumstances, if you commit your works to the Lord and trust Him with your life and business, He will do more through you than you can hope or imagine. If it does not happen on this side of glory, wait until you get to heaven. You will be amazed. So the next time you are asked, "Can anything good come out of...?" Just respond, "Wait and see." As you prepare to celebrate this Christmas season, remember where our Savior came from, remember what He did, and remember His words, "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father" John 14:12.


Copyright © 2010 Patrice Tsague ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Scripture quotations are taken from the King James Version of the Bible.

The Benefits of Pleasing God

When a man's ways please the LORD, He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him. Proverbs 16:7


How would you like to make your worst enemy live at peace with you? Your enemy could be an in law, a competitor, a neighbor; anyone whom you have done your best to be kind to, but for some reason, no matter what you do, he or she seems to get more enraged with you. Your enemy may be determined to undermine you. No matter what you do, the person seems to be unsatisfied; it seems that his or her satisfaction will be to see you hurt or non-existent.

Romans 12:18 states, "if it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men." This suggests that unfortunately no matter how hard you try, being at peace with all is in part dependent upon the other person's willingness to cooperate. What do we then do when the other person is not willing to cooperate? In such instances, we should focus our attention on pleasing God and allow Him to fight our battles for us.

Pleasing God has many benefits, which include:

• He will give you the desires of your heart

• He will give you eternal life

• He will provide for you

• He will cause you to live at peace with your enemies

• And much more

Let us focus on the aspect of being at peace with our enemies. Why is this benefit so important for the Biblical Entrepreneur? Our enemies can be a distraction, they can be a temptation, and they can take us off our game. No matter how spiritual you are, an enemy who is persistent may eventually wear on you because he may employ ungodly methods against you while you are limited to only using strategies that honor the Lord in your dealings with him. Unfortunately, when some of us are fed up, we take matters into our own hands so we are not perceived as being a weak Christian. This is unacceptable because when we take matters into our own hands, we fight battles ourselves when the Bible states that "the battle is not ours it is the Lord's". I Samuel 17:47

When we have done all we can to make peace with our enemies to no avail, let us focus our energies on pleasing the Lord with all of our hearts so He may fight our battles. Who have you been trying to make peace with to no avail? Turn your focus on pleasing God and watch Him supernaturally turn their hearts around.


Copyright © 2010 Patrice Tsague ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Scripture quotations are taken from the King James Version of the Bible.

The Pursuit of Happiness

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness for they shall be filled. Matthew 5:6


The American Declaration of Independence includes this famous line, "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of happiness." One may argue that the term the pursuit of happiness is an empty slogan and the fuel behind our materialistic society. Since many entrepreneurs are in pursuit of happiness they believe that anything that will make them happy is their right to have. Although this view of happiness is unscriptural, the writers of the Declaration of Independence were not totally off base when they used those terms. The Bible does teach about happiness, but within the context of it being something that is a divine favor from God as a result of our obedience to His Word and His will.

The word "happiness" comes from the word "blessed". In His Sermon on the Mount, in what is commonly known as theBeatitudes, Jesus says, "blessed [or happy] are the poor in spirit, blessed [or happy] are those who mourn blessed [or happy] are the meek, and blessed [or happy] are those who thirst and hunger after righteousness". We can therefore conclude that God does want us to be happy, but this happiness is the bi-product of a spiritual pursuit and not the end unto itself. Happiness is not guaranteed; rather, it is a reward to those who do the will of the Father.

How do Biblical Entrepreneurs pursue this happiness? This happiness is attained by acquiring the following spiritual attributes taken from Matthew 5:3-11:
1. Poor in spirit, recognition of our spiritual poverty before God. We realize that we are incomplete; only He can enrich our lives and without Him we are miserable.

2. Mourn, to have feeling of grief. We must not be too proud but rather grieve before God for the unrighteousness around us so He may bring us comfort.

3. Meek, power under control. We must not use our advantage or talents to advance our own agenda but rather to protect and defend others.

4. Hunger and thirst after righteousness, we must continuously demonstrate a strong desire for God and His Word.

5. Mercy, a sense of compassion which leads to action. We must demonstrate compassion towards others, especially those who are suffering.

6. Pure at heart, a singleness of focus before God and allowing his word to transform us on the inside.

7. Peacemakers, we must be people who attempt to bring harmony and reconciliation to those who are estranged from God and others.

8. Persecuted for righteousness sake, allowing ourselves to suffer in the hands of those who do not know nor understand our Savior and His plan for our lives for the purpose of advancing the will of our Savior.

Do you still want to be happy? If so, covet after these things and happiness will be yours.


Copyright © 2010 Patrice Tsague ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Scripture quotations are taken from the King James Version of the Bible.

Rwanda: pics from our Business Development Center

Dr John Mulford interacting w/ students at opening of BDC

Jason introducing egg-drop challenge

For God So Loved the World...

"For God so love the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. John 3:16


Most entrepreneurs, when asked why they want to start a business, respond by saying, "So I can be my own boss and make some money." As Biblical Entrepreneurs, money should never be our motivation for being in business. We should have the same motivation that God had as He sent His Son in the earth realm to start His business. God's motivation was not money or a big organization, but love. He could easily maintain love as His motivation because He knew that He owned everything and there was nothing else He needed to gain that He did not already have.

John 3:16 could be stated this way, "for God so loved sinful humanity that He started a global enterprise called Operation Rescue, Inc." This enterprise had one product called the Gospel or the good news. He assigned His only begotten Son, Jesus, to serve as the CEO. His goal is to recruit and train men who would lead this new enterprise and their mission is to seek and save the lost. How can a Holy God love sinful humanity? Does He not hate sin? God was able to see the potential of humanity beyond its condition. He saw what could be possible for humanity if someone was able to successfully rescue it from its current state. That possibility so excited Him that faith kicked in and embraced love in an attempt to make that potential a reality. God did that knowing that everyone would not accept His product and that among those who do, some would not appreciate it. He rejoiced knowing that if only one person accepts and appreciates His product it would all have been worth it. He did His market research and knew that enough people would accept His product to keep the business profitable. His love compelled Him to believe in humanity more than it could believe in itself.

What is your motivation for being in business? Are you motivated by love as God was, or are you motivated by money or gain? Our motivation is what fuels our passion for the business. It drives us and inspires us to defy logic and move by faith to make the impossible possible. Our motivation helps us overcome the difficult times of business; it helps us overcome fear and ensures that we will not fail. How do you know if you are motivated by love and not money? Here are a few things to help you determine whether you are an entrepreneur who is motivated by love or money.

In addition, remember that when your motivation is money, the only thing that can help you love the customer is money. The problem with that is there is never enough money to buy your love since money is temporal and one can never have enough of it. Consider the fact that because God owns everything and has nothing else to gain and is motivated purely by love, He entrusted you and I with all He owns. He made us to have dominion over the works of His hands and put all things under our feet. We therefore have nothing else to gain since all things have been put under our feet. We can focus on loving our customers and not on money, trusting that our God will add all things unto us.


Copyright © 2010 Patrice Tsague ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Scripture quotations are taken from the King James Version of the Bible.

Bearing the Arms of Moses; Ten Ways to Pray for Mobilizers and Cross-cultural Workers

By Shane Bennett (see on original site at Missions Catalyst)

It's a fascinating picture, isn't it? As long as Moses holds his staff aloft toward the throne of God, Joshua and his army prevail against the bad guys. But Moses, though a galactic superman, got tired. Exodus 17 tells us his buds Aaron and Hur got a rock for him to sit on. Then they began to hold up his arms! I know you've heard this story since you were a kid, but think about it for a second: They used their arms to hold up his arms. I suppose Moses got tired of holding the staff, but how long until Aaron and Hur got tired of holding his arms, holding the stick? Couldn't have been long. Yet they persevered through sun, fatigue, and smelliness ... and it worked. Come evening, Joshua prevailed on the battlefield below.

Now maybe it's a stretch to equate missionaries and mobilizers with Moses. If it doesn't totally feel like you're cheating on your hermeneutics prof, try this on: We have the opportunity, through prayer, to be Aaron and Hur for our friends who are holding up the staff of God for the advance of his kingdom among the least evangelized peoples on the planet.
When I think of you who read this column, I realize that (unless you were assigned to read this as a "bad example" of persuasive writing) you probably have some stake in the completion of the Great Commission. You've made sacrifices in an effort to see the good grace of Jesus go to where it hadn't before. So I asked myself, how I would pray for you? How would I hold up your arms so that the dreams of your heart might find success?

Here it is. Here's what I pray for you. Maybe these things would be good to pray for every last one of us, but I think they have particular relevance for those who have laid it on the line for the "sheep of another pen."

1. Freedom from Fear

Perhaps more frequently than any other command, the Bible tells us not to fear. At the same time many of us live in cultures both saturated with and fueled by fear. I know I fear failure. I fear discomfort. I fear the loss of my health, security, and status. But this is not normal life for a follower of Jesus. John tells us that "perfect love drives out fear."

E. Stanley Jones, a world-class missionary who lived most of his life in India, encourages, "Then discipline yourself against all anxiety and fear. Fear is the enemy - not the thing of which we are afraid, for most of our fears are never realized. They never come. Those that do come can be used in the purposes for which we live."

May God add his grace to our discipline, resulting in lives free from fear.

2. Growing Hope

If you've been a Great Commission groupie for a while, perhaps you've wondered from time to time why the job's not done yet. Maybe (on dark days) you struggle to believe it ever will be. God's promises are huge. His commandments are extensive, and the effort exerted to obey them has been epic. But there's so much still undone. So much pain. So much despair.

As you add days to days and years to years, may you look increasingly like your father Abraham who "against all hope, in hope believed and so became the father of many nations."

My God fill us with hope. May he rekindle within us the conviction that "the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea."

3. Big Faith

As that hope grows, I pray big faith for you. Faith that allows you to pray audacious prayers. Faith that compels you to ask for the nations. Faith not content with one Muslim here and one there following Jesus, but that asks God for hundreds of millions from the sons of Ishmael to find life in Christ. Faith that asks God for what you not only can't accomplish on your own, but can barely imagine.

4. Battle Skills

May you have eyes to see what's really coming at you. May you have wisdom to discern between the focused attacks of your enemy and the normal challenges of a world that produces thorns and thistles. May you have the kind heart of the truest Mennonite with the fighting skills of a Navy Seal (or their spiritual equivalent). Let these skills be deployed under God not only for the protection of your family, but also for the release of many captives from their prisons and the rolling back of the work of our enemy.

5. A True Band of Brothers and Sisters

As you exercise your faith and hone your spiritual warfare skills, may God gather around you a team like Moses had in Aaron, Hur, and Joshua. May he give you, as he sees fit, a husband or wife, colleagues, pals, counselors, and mentors - people who will speak the truth to you even at great risk, love you even through great failure, and accept you even though they know you deeply. May he bring you a band of people for whom you would gladly die.
6. Authority

I pray for you to grow in authority. May God fill you with such spiritual authenticity, such power, such tangible presence of Jesus that though you never raise your voice, the room is quieted. May men and women of power care what you say, even do what you ask, because the scent of Jesus is strong on you. May no pain you experience be wasted, but rather captured for the maturing of your character, readying you to prevail in the next challenge ahead.

7. Wisdom

As your authority grows so will the trickiness of your problems. Get wisdom and keep on getting it. May God push that wisdom into the depths of your heart and all the way out to the edges of your consciousness. May you understand how to humbly love people, both submit to and lead people, inspire hope and great sacrifice in people. May you have sufficient wisdom to hear and follow the voice of your shepherd and thereby give your youth, your energies, and your very life in the place of your greatest usefulness.

8. Perseverance

May you walk all the way to the end of your road. Though it seems the road will never end and for long stretches you walk alone, don't stop walking. May the resilience and perseverance we imagine, or know, to have been in our ancestors also be found in you. I ask God for your strength, determination, and commitment. Keep walking.

9. Rest

Stop walking from time to time. Obey the fourth commandment. Rejoice that you are a creature and not the Creator. Accept his gift of rest with open arms. As you pause, I pray God will restore your soul, that he will speak to the core of your being, and that he will give you strength to get up and walk again.

10. Joy

Finally, I pray for joy for you; for a radical love for God and a daily, intimate connection with him. May Jesus be your shepherd and friend. May the Holy Spirit empower you and counsel you. May abundant life be yours. Right now. And forever. May you breathe in God and radiate out the peace, power, and purpose of a God intent on defeating every evil and winning the whole world.

Amen.