The More Abundant Life

The thief does not come except to steal, kill and to destroy; I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly." John 10:10


I will be honest, when the Lord first gave me this theme, my first impression was that it had to do with bringing us as an organization into abundant material prosperity. But with further study and prayer, I concluded that even though the more abundant life does not preclude material prosperity, it is deeper than that. Material prosperity is merely one of the benefits of the more abundant life, but not the goal. You can have a materially prosperous life without an abundant life, but you cannot have an abundant life without material prosperity. Material prosperity is not defined by a certain lifestyle or a certain income, but by the quality of your lifestyle and income. Jesus was materially prosperous but had no income other than the financial gifts He received from His followers to support His ministry. Many of us today would not want to have the lifestyle He had since He did not live in a castle, drive a luxurious car, or wear fancy clothes and jewelry.

But He lacked nothing and was the most prosperous man who ever lived. Of course, there is nothing wrong with all those things I listed above. The problem is when you begin to use them to serve as a measurement of your spiritual well-being or self worth. So what is an abundant life for the kingdom business steward and why is it so critical in today's uncertain business environment?

Notice that Jesus began His statement in John 10:10 by contrasting His work with the work of the enemy. He stated that the thief, meaning the devil, comes for three reasons only: to steal, kill, and destroy. So where there is theft, killing, and destruction, it is either the direct work of Satan or the result of sin which is caused by cooperating with the work of Satan.

Yes, I realize that the economy is still bad. But you do not have to buy into the lie that suggests you have to be a victim of the recession. If you do so, you are cooperating with the works of darkness that are seeking to bring an end to the plans of God in your life by destroying you and your business. As someone stated, you can choose not to participate in this recession and the devil cannot force you.

Of course, not all bad things we go through are caused by the enemy; some of them are caused by our own bad choices and sin in the world, but whatever the cause, God does give us a way of escape (1 Corinthians 10:13). The more abundant life is an existence in Christ that is overflowing with righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. Jesus did not say you will have life, which is mere existence, and He did not say you will have an abundant life which is an existence that is above the norm. Rather, He said you will have a more abundant life; a life that overflows with more than you need.

Do you have an overflowing experience right now? Do you want an overflowing experience? Join me next week as will discuss how to get that experience. This experience will not only bless your business but your personal and family life as well. It will cause you to have a bountiful rest of the year in the midst of a drought, a harvest in the midst of a famine, and hope in the midst of despair, but you have to want it and seek it.


Do you agree? Comments and discussion are welcome!

We are now at the midway point of this year. I felt led to recycle the devotional series that we shared with you at the beginning of the year so you can use it to evaluate your year-to-date to determine if you are walking in the abundant life we discussed when we began the year. As for Nehemiah, we are extremely grateful to the Lord for all that He has done for us so far this year; expanding the Biblical Entrepreneurship Program to more states than last year to date, protecting us from the devastation of the recession, providing us with the largest financial gift in our 10-year history - thanks to Bryan Mendez and Barbara Santiago, and giving us continued opportunities to serve His people and His church in the marketplace. Unfortunately, there are many kingdom businesses and ministries that are suffering the pressures of the recession with loss of revenue; some have even closed their doors. I am not sure where you are but I want to encourage you to remain steadfast in what the Lord has called you to do, reflect on this devotional series, and by faith, believe that God will bring you into His abundant life, no what matter your financial circumstances may be.

For the next several weeks we will discuss the more abundant life which has been our ministry theme for this year. I pray you will be blessed as we journey together into how to walk in the more abundant life that Jesus promised all those who will believe in Him.

Copyright © 2009 Patrice Tsague ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Scripture quotations are taken from the King James Version of the Bible.

Happy Father's Day!

by Patrice Tsague, RCE Partner

Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away privily. Matthew 1:19 (KJV)

A father is not only a man, but also a husband, a dad, a son, and a brother. He must demonstrate total faithfulness in all his relationships. Let us look to the scriptures to identify a man we can learn from. The Bible does not say a lot about this man, but the little that is said about him gives us a clear indication of the type of person he was. Just imagine that you are God and you devise a plan to save humanity from destruction and eternal punishment. Your plan involves impregnating an engaged woman who will raise the Savior of the world with her husband. The problem is you have to do it within an environment and culture where there are certain religious laws and customs that can hinder your plans. For instance, the woman you choose to impregnate can be put to death for having committed adultery if her husband does not cooperate; her husband may not take responsibility to be the father of a child who is not his biologically.

Your plans cannot work unless you find a woman who is engaged to be married to a just man. Just means: Righteous, Precise, Balanced.

A just man is one who is right with God and seeks to live his life in accordance with the Word of God by the leading of His Spirit.

The man the Lord found was Joseph, the son of Jacob, from the lineage of King David. Joseph was a young businessman from Nazareth, who operated a carpentry business. He was engaged to Mary, a young virgin and was looking forward to getting married. However, Joseph's world is turned upside down when he is informed by Mary that she is pregnant. Knowing that he is not the father, Joseph begins to make plans to cancel the engagement.

As Joseph contemplates how to deal with the situation, he gets a visit from an angel of God, through a dream, to inform him that the child his wife is carrying is of the Holy Spirit. In other words, God Himself is the father of his child and the child's name is Jesus who came to seek and save the lost. Wow! How would you handle this type of news? What was it about Joseph that God could trust him with such an assignment? What made Joseph such a Just Man?

· He was righteous - Joseph lived a life that reflected complete obedience to the scriptures. He was a Just man. Matthew 1:19

· He was gracious - Though Joseph thought that Mary potentially had sinned against God, he was careful not to do anything to embarrass her or hurt her. He planned to put her away secretly. He exemplified the scripture that says love covers a multitude of sins. Matthew 1:19

· He was sensitive to God's Spirit - As he contemplated how to handle the situation, he left himself open for the Spirit of God to speak to him. Matthew 1:20-21

· He was obedient - When God spoke to him, he did not hesitate to act on God's instructions. Matthew 1:24

· He was disciplined - Most of us look forward to getting married so we can enjoy our new bride sexually. Joseph demonstrated great discipline by keeping himself from his bride until she gave birth to the baby Jesus. Matthew 1:25

· He was a protector - Once he recognized, through the warnings of God's angels that the child Jesus was in danger, he moved quickly to protect him and his new wife by traveling to another country. Matthew 2:13-15

· He was a provider - Joseph was a businessman. He provided for his family through his carpentry business. Mark 6:3

Ask yourself these questions:

What type of father am I?

Can the Lord trust me with an assignment that will impact eternity?

Reflect on the characteristics that made Joseph just, and seek the Lord as to how you can enhance your own character to reflect those attributes. If you are a woman, seek the Lord for how you can help your husband develop those attributes.

(Editor's note: I think we as women can also examine our character and strive to reflect these attributes as well. Certainly we want our husbands to, but whether married or unmarried, we too should be trustworthy as we desire to be used for eternally-valuable assignments. We too must be righteous, sensitive to God's spirit, obedient, disciplined, protectors of the vulnerable, and providers for those who depend on us--if married, in harmony with our husbands.)

Copyright © 2009 Patrice Tsague ALL RIGHTS RESERVEDScripture quotations are taken from the King James Version of the Bible.

7 Business Lessons From The Master

After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them. Matthew 25:19

There are lessons that the master of the servants, who represents our Lord Jesus Christ, can teach us based on how he managed his servants. Usually, we tend to focus on how the servants handled their talents, but the real businessman in this story is the master. What business lessons can we learn from him?

1. He had some assets to invest - The master gave his servants his assets to
invest; he made sure they did not remain idle while he was traveling, Mathew 25:14.
An asset is something valuable you have that can generate revenue. Make sure that you are always aware of your assets and how to put them to work. Revenue generation begins with proper asset allocation.

2. He prepared his servants - He gave them talents according to their abilities,
Mathew 25:15-16. He made sure that his servants were equipped to handle the talents he gave them. He did not give them more than they could handle but what he knew they could manage. We must ensure that our staff members are properly trained and equipped to do what we expect of them.

3. He diversified his investments - The master put his investments in the hands
of his most trusted servants. He could have given all the investments to the servant who was able to multiply them the most, but that would increase his risk of entrusting all of his eggs to only one basket. Thus, he diversified them. Diversifying ensures that you minimize your risks, maximize your returns, and protect your assets against possible loss.

4. He delegated responsibility - After he gave them the talents, he went on
a journey, Mathew 25:15. He left them to take full responsibility of their assignments.
We must not micro-manage our staff members, but rather, demonstrate our trust in their abilities by allowing them to handle their responsibilities.

5. He held them accountable - After a long time the master came and settled
accounts with them, Matthew 25:19. Although he trusted their ability, he kept them accountable. A lack of accountability produces a lack of performance and even hurts morale.

6. He rewarded them for their productivity - Individuals are driven by incentives.
Hopefully you have a strategic plan with clear measurable goals and objectives.
Tie those goals to a reward system to teach your team that productivity will be rewarded. Do not reward people for what they should be doing already and do not delegate their rewards to eternity, they need them now.

7. He disciplined the unproductive servant - The master rebuked the unproductive
servant and gave his talent to the one with the 10 talents, Mathew 25:26-28. He confronted the unproductive servant, explained his disappointment, told him what he should have done, and administered the appropriate discipline. In the name of Christian love, we tend to create an undisciplined workplace. Remember, God chastises those He loves, Hebrews 12:6. If you do not have the courage to discipline your staff, you either do not love them or you are operating out of fear, which is not of God for "perfect love casts out fear," 1 John 4:18.

It is our responsibility to apply these principles in our business affairs otherwise we will suffer the consequence of being disciplined by Our Master, the Lord Jesus Christ. That discipline may manifest itself in business failure and maybe eventually in eternal punishment, as it did with the servant who had the one talent.

Copyright © 2009 Patrice Tsague, NPIM ALL RIGHTS RESERVED Scripture quotations are taken from the King James Version of the Bible.

The Economist's Online Debate: The Role of the Private Sector in Development

I'm working on getting our newsletter out (Global News version).

Found that The Economist has an online debate that started yesterday on the role of entrepreneurs, charities and governments in development. See debate here.

What do you think?

To change the world...?

(From Fortune Magazine)

Jacqueline Novogratz, founder and CEO of Acumen Fund and author of The Blue Sweater, begins:

As a 25-year old banker, I decided to leave my career and change the world. This sounds like a move that a 25-year-old banker might make today–to escape the chaos.

But this was 1986. I thought I might start my new life in Africa. I discovered soon enough, though, that most Africans didn’t want saving, thank you very much. Certainly not by me–a young, unmarried American woman whose French was pathetic and whose understanding of the continent was limited to reading a few books.

I know, this is from a couple of months ago... but interesting!
Read the full 'postcard'!

Embracing Your Privilege

Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made himself of no reputation, taking on the form of a bond servant and coming in the likeness of men. Philippians 2:5-7

Privilege is defined as a special advantage or immunity not embraced by all, or a right reserved exclusively for a particular person or group. Throughout the history of mankind, there has always been a group of people who were more privileged than others. In many situations there are several individuals who enjoy certain privileges based on their position, their family, or their personal accomplishments. Having groups or individuals who are privileged is not something that was invented by man.

Throughout the Bible we see groups and individuals who enjoy special advantages or rights because of their relationship with God. Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ came as one who was privileged. He enjoyed special advantages as the only begotten Son of God, being God in the flesh and having all powers under His command. The key to privilege is not the privilege itself but rather how you use the privilege.

Jesus did not deny nor reject His privilege but used it to fulfill the will of His father. He was not ashamed of it but rather through meekness, called upon His privilege to achieve the mission He was given to accomplish.

There are many believers who find themselves privileged because of the family they are born into, the country they are from, or just by the mere fact that that they have accomplished success in their vocation or business; however, they are ashamed or feel guilty that they are able to enjoy certain privileges or rights that others do not have. Like Jesus Christ, you must not be ashamed of your privilege but rather embrace it and seek the Lord as to how you ought to use that privilege to fulfill His will in the earth realm.

By the grace of God I grew up privileged; the son of a successful business woman and politician. My family enjoyed the privileges of the ruling class of my country. Because of this privilege, I was able to come to the United States and enjoyed a certain education early in my development; I had certain exposure to business and government that the average person does not have. I enjoyed relationships with individuals who inspired me to believe in myself and pursue my dreams. With this privilege came a responsibility, thank God I had a mother who taught us about the responsibility of privilege. You're not privileged so that you can enjoy the finest things in life, but rather so that you can be of service to others. Coming to Christ brought an eternal dimension to this concept.

Every child of God is privileged. The Bible tells us that we are joint heirs with Christ, we are kings and priests and God has given us stewardship over the works of His hands. What a privilege! Someone more powerful then my mother, richer then Bill Gates, and wiser than Einstein, has made us joint heirs with His only begotten Son. He has made us to be kings and priests, meaning that we are little rulers in our own rights and can come to Him boldly for spiritual matters. He also placed His resources at our disposal. Wow! Thank God for men and women of God who have historically used their privilege to accomplish God's will in the earth.

Should your business become a financial success so that your children and grandchildren enjoy the privileges I enjoyed, make sure they understand the responsibility of privilege and its eternal implications so they may build upon your legacy to continue to advance the will of God in the earth.

Copyright © 2009 Patrice Tsague ALL RIGHTS RESERVED Scripture quotations are taken from the King James Version of the Bible.