#0000658

He knows your needs better than you do, and His purpose in waiting is to receive more glory through it…- Cowman, Streams In The Desert…….. John 6:28, 29 “Then they asked Him, ‘What must we do to do the works God requires?’ Jesus answered, ‘The work of God is this: to believe in the One He has sent’.”

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#0000659

None of us ever had misgivings about ourselves; we know exactly what we cannot do, but we do have misgivings about Jesus. We are rather hurt at the idea that He can do what we cannot. My questions spring from the depths of my own inferiority. If I detect these misgivings in myself, let me bring them to the light and confess them-"Lord, I have had misgivings about you, I have not believed in your wits apart from my own; I have not believed in your almighty power apart from my finite understanding of it"...-Oswald Chambers..........John4:11 "'Sir, you have nothing to draw with.' Jesus answered, 'Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.'"

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#0000660

His grace is great enough to meet the great things-/ The crashing waves that overwhelm the soul,/ The roaring winds that leave us stunned and breathless,/ The sudden storms beyond our life's control...-Annie Johnson Flint........2Corinthians12:9 "My grace is sufficient for you."

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#0000661

As a leader, you are often in a position to ask people to follow your lead. It can be frustrating when they don't respond to your first request. You seek their support, but it's nowhere to be found...You knock on their doors, but nobody's home. If God, who WANTS to give us gifts, requires perseverance, how much more persistent should we be when we ask something of someone who cares less for us than God does?..Don't just sit around waiting for things to happen...-Seybert, Leaders........Matthew7:7 "Keep on asking. . . Keep on seeking. . . Keep on knocking."

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#0000662

Earnestly desire to get alone with God. If we neglect to do so, we not only rob ourselves of a blessing but rob others as well, since we will have no blessing to pass on to them. It may mean that we do less outward, visible work, but the work we do will have more depth and power. The impact of being alone with God in prayer cannot be overemphasized...-James Reimann........Matthew17:8 "And when they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no man, save Jesus only."

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#0000663

One of my all-time favorite song lyrics is from Bob Dylan's classic folk tune "You better start swimmin', or you'll sink like a stone...For The Times They Are A-Changin'." The song speaks of keeping an eye out for changing trends and social currents. Dylan is warning that change is in the wind, and those who ignore this do so at their peril. The first-century leadership establishment had enjoyed their position for a long time, but the wind was beginning to blow from a new direction and they were confused. Traditions were being shattered, and conventions were blown to bits. Does this sound familiar?..Discern the times...-Seybert, Leaders............Acts5:24-25 "The captain of the Temple guard and the leading priests. . . were perplexed, wondering where it would all end. Then someone arrived with startling news."

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#0000664

We impoverish His ministry the moment we forget He is Almighty; the impoverishment is in us, not in Him. We will come to Jesus as Comforter or as Sympathizer, but we will not come to Him as Almighty. We have Christian attributes and experiences, but there is no abandonment to Jesus Christ. Beware of the satisfaction of sinking back and saying-"It can't be done"; you know it can be done if you look to Jesus...-Chambers, My Utmost........John4:11 "Where can you get this living water?"

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#0000665

If God gives you a dream and breathes life into it and shows up in it-and it dies, it may be that God wants to know what's more important to you-the dream, or Him...-Phil Vischer, Veggie Tales animation cocreator.....-Put God First. Even if God gave you the mission you're leading, your relationship with Him is still more important. No matter what God has given you to do, it must not take God's place in your heart. Is there something in your life with a priority higher than God?...-Seybert, Leaders..........1John5:21 "Dear children, keep away from anything that might take God's place in your hearts."

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#0000666

The deep waters of the Holy Spirit are always accessible, because they are always FLOWING. Will you claim afresh and anew today to be immersed and drenched in these waters of life?-Its streams the whole creation reach,/ So plenteous is the store;/ Enough for all, enough for each;/ Enough forevermore...-J. Gresham Machen........Luke5:4 "Put out into deep water."

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#0000667

In all successful negotiations, there is give and take. It is Natural for each side to feel that they are giving up more than they are willing to. However, Compromise must be achieved to assure the Survival of the Nation...-Kofi Anan........Ephesians4:2-3 "With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace."

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#0000668

Your situation is filled with uncertainty and is very serious, but it is perfectly right. The reason behind it will more than justify Him who brought you here, for it is a platform from which God will display His Almighty grace and power. He not only will deliver you but in doing so will impart a lesson that you will never forget. And in days to come, you will return to the truth of it through singing. You will be unable to ever thank God enough for doing exactly what He has done...-L.B.Cowman........Ecclesiastes7:13 "Consider what God has done: Who can straighten what He has made crooked?"

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#0000669

He creates situations that human judgement, even if consulted, would never allow. Yet the cloudiness of the circumstance itself is used by Him to guide us to the other side. Perhaps this is where you find yourself even now..-L.B.Cowman, Streams In The Desert........Ecclesiastes7:14 "In the day of prosperity be joyful, but in the day of adversity consider: God also hath set the one over against the other, to the end that man should find nothing after Him."

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#0000670

Begin the day with God!/ He is your Sun and Day!/ His is the radiance of your dawn;/ To Him address your day./ / Sing your first song to God!/ Not to your fellow men;/ Not to the creatures of His hand,/ But to the glorious One./ / / Your first transaction be/ With God Himself above;/ So will your business prosper well,/ All the day be love...-Horatius Bonar.........Exodus34:2-3 "Be ready in the morning, and then come up....Present yourself to me there on top of the mountain. No one is to come with you."

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#0000671

Chindia: New acronym for the two most important emerging country markets-China and India. Together, they consume one sixth of what the USA does...-Stephen Roach, Morgan Stanley Asia Head........Ecclesiastes7:15 "I have seen everything in my days of vanity: there is a just man who perishes in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man who prolongs life in his wickedness. Do not be overly righteous, nor be overly wise: why should you destroy yourself? Do not be overly wicked, nor be foolish: why should you die before your time?"

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#0000672

The much discussed 'economic decoupling'-the sunny notion that developing nations can still flourish even as the rich world is stalling out-is suddenly a done deal...-Business, Newsweek........Ecclesiastes7:19 "Wisdom strengthens the wise more than ten rulers of the city."

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#0000673

When there's a problem, leaders need to spell it out clearly. State the situation and work toward a solution. Are you facing a situation where you need to be less polite and more truthful?...-Seybert, Leaders........Matthew25: "Well done thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy Lord."

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#0000674

The emergence of a more prosperous middle class and even newly enfranchised low-income customers in the developing world is not only buoying profits and revenues, but also forcing a rethink of what it means to be a 21st -century multinational company...-Mac Margolis, Newsweek.........Exodus33:15-16 "If Thy presence go not with me, carry us not up hence. For wherein shall it be known here that I and Thy people have found grace in Thy sight? Is it not in that Thou goest with us? So shall we be separated, I and Thy people, from all the people that are upon the face of the earth."

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#0000675

There are plenty of excellent business books on the market, but I won't list them because those I find useful might not be appropriate for you and vice versa...List the key points of your favorite business books, and look for correlations with biblical truth... God wants you to think the way He does. God wants your motives to be His motives...Seybert, Leaders...........Romans12:2 "Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think."

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#0000676

An old village blacksmith once said, "There is only one thing I fear: being thrown onto the scrap heap. You see, in order to strengthen a piece of steel, I must first temper it. I heat it, hammer it, and then quickly plunge it into a bucket of cold water. Very soon I know whether it will accept the tempering process or simply fall to pieces. If, after one or two tests, I see it will not allow itself to be tempered, I throw it onto the scrap heap, only to later sell it to the junkman for a few cents per pound...I realize the Lord tests me the same way: through fire, water, and heavy blows of His hammer. If I am unwilling to withstand the test, or prove to be unfit for His tempering process, I am afraid He may throw me onto the scrap heap...LB Cowman, My Utmost..........Hebrews6:12 "Imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised."

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#0000677

Old and New, History and Modernity, the fusion of the Past and Present...-Uniquely Singapore........2Corinthians4:16 "We faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day."

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#0000678

To those who see with loving eyes, life is beautiful. To those who speak with a tender voice, life is peaceful. To those who help with gentle hands, life is full. To those who care with compassionate hearts, life is good beyond all measure!..-Raul Romulo........Philippians3:14 "The prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus."

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#0000679

You only have so much time. Don't waste it on senseless debate...Some people like to argue just to hear their own voice, and it's these that Paul says aren't worth a third hearing...You know them. They bring up the same tired arguments every time. They aren't even interested in coming to a conclusion, because doing so would mean having to be quiet and move on. Avoid Senseless Debate...-Seybert, Leaders............Titus3:10 "If people are causing divisions among you, give a first and second warning. After that, have nothing more to do with them."

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#0000680

Your organization doesn't operate in a vacuum. Decisions you make will affect others, just as the decisions they make have an impact on you. Before you go public with a major change that has wide-ranging implications, Inform your Allies. Let them hear it from you instead of the media or the grapevine. Make it a practice to keep people in the loop...-Seybert, Leaders........1Samuel15:6 "Saul sent this warning to the Kenites: 'Move away from where the Amalekites live, or you will die with them. For you showed kindness to all the people of Israel when they came up from Egypt'."

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#0000681

The surf that distresses the ordinary swimmer produces in the surf-rider the super-joy of going clean through it. Apply that to our own circumstances, these very things- tribulation, distress, persecution, produce in us the super-joy; they are not things to fight. We are more than conquerors through Him IN all these things, not in spite of them, but in the midst of them. Not in spite of tribulation, but because of it...Undaunted radiance is not built on anything passing, but on the love of God that nothing can alter. The experiences of life, terrible or monotonous are impotent to touch the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord...-Chambers, My Utmost........Romans8:37 "No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us."

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#0000682

Why is it that God leads us in this way, allowing such strong and constant pressure on us? One of His purposes is to show us His all-sufficient strength and grace more effectively than if we were free from difficulties and trials... Another purpose is to bring us a greater awareness of our dependence upon Him-that we are held completely by His hand and reliant on His care alone...-James Reimann........2Corinthians4:7 "We have this treasure in earthen vessels to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us."

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#0000683

There is no way to learn of faith except through trials. They are God's school of faith, and it is much better for us to learn to trust Him than to live a life of enjoyment. And once the lesson of faith has been learned, it is an everlasting possession and an eternal fortune gained. Yet without trust in God, even great riches will leave us in poverty...-Cowman, from Days of Heaven Upon Earth........2Corinthians7:5 "We were harassed at every turn."

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#0000684

Even leaders with the best of intentions fall easily into greediness traps that drive them to extend their influence beyond what they are able to control or maintain. This often results in serious damage to the foundational organization that brought them their initial success. As a leader, it's important for you to know when enough is enough. Abram could have pulled rank and simply told Lot which section of land to take, but he excercised exemplary leadership skills by giving Lot first choice of any section he wanted. He knew that no matter which section of land Lot chose, there would still be plenty left for him. He valued his relationship with Lot more than material gain...-Seybert, Leaders........Genesis13:8 "Finally Abram said to Lot, 'Let's not allow this conflict to come between us and our herdsmen'."

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#0000685

Hardly any stance could be more completely beautiful, strong, or safe than that of putting your finger on a promise of God's divine Word and then claiming it...-Charles H. Spurgeon..........Psalm119:49 "Remember Your Word to Your servant, for You have given me hope."

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#0000686

Work Cooperatively. When you experience turf battles between departments, remind the combatants that they are all working toward the same goal and that no one is indispensable. Help your fellow workers keep their eyes on the prize, rather than on their pride...-Seybert, Leaders........1Corinthians3:7-8 "It's not important who does the planting, or who does the watering. What's important is that God makes the seed grow. The one who plants and the one who waters work together with the same purpose. And both will be rewarded for their own hard work."

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#0000687

Stay Current...When was the last time you saw a phone booth on a city street? Where hotel lobbies once had rows of pay phones, there's now an empty wall or an Internet kiosk...Do you have a product or service that's outdated? Perhaps you are asking people to eat manna when they should be looking for a way to bake bread...-Seybert, Leaders..........Joshua5:11-12 "The Israelites had begun a new chapter in their history...The very next day they began to eat unleavened bread and roasted grain harvested from the land. No manna appeared on the day they first ate from the crops of the land, and it was never seen again."

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#0000688

Often our feelings and emotions are mistakenly substituted for faith. Pleasurable emotions and deep, satisfying experiences are part of the Christian life, but they are not the essence of it. Trials, conflicts, battles, and testings lie along the way and are to be counted not as misfortunes but rather as part of our necessary discipline.-Remember your Rock is Christ, and it is the sea that ebbs and flows with the tides, not Him. Trust God's Word and His Power more than you trust your own feelings and experiences...When I cannot feel the faith of assurance, I live by the FACT of God's faithfulness...-Matthew Henry............Hebrews10:38 "My righteous one will live by faith."