I can do

Today I leave for Washington D.C. to attend the Inc. Magazine 500/5000 conference. As one of the speakers, it will provide me an opportunity to give my testimony to 1200-1600 very sophisticated top business leaders of the fastest growing privately held businesses in the country. (Please pray for me.)

I will give God the credit for changing my life, but I will emphasize that the verse that really inspires me, Phil. 4:13, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me”, means what it says. It does not say that Christ will “DO” all things for me. It says that I must do them and He will provide the necessary strength. I must do my part which includes working smart, working long, hard hours, and not getting discouraged and giving up like some little wimp at the first sight of trouble.

Too many people expect God to do everything for them and unfortunately that approach will soon result in disillusionment. Rather than handing everything to us on a silver plate, God expects us to work for it and His part of the bargain is to provide the necessary strength to not only make it through this world, but to prosper in everything we undertake that is within His will for our lives. To be sure there will be snares and pitfalls, but we can get through them with His help.

I believe it begins with our attitudes. In any tough situation I always ask myself, “What would Jesus do?” He would have a great positive attitude; He would have a strong work ethic; He would be fair with people, friendly, and yes even firm when necessary. I base my life and businesses upon His Bible and His principles. I cannot always achieve it because I am just weak flesh, but I do enjoy some success because of my effort, and I attribute it to the Lord’s strength.

The one thing I have learned is that faith based businesses work. Faith based lives work too. I intend to make that clear tomorrow.

In addition to speaking at the conference, I am also scheduled for a video-taped interview tomorrow morning for another entity attending the conference. The interviewers for these type shows invariably ask me how I overcame the adversity in my life. “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me”, is generally not something they want to hear, but that is how I did it and that is how I tell it. I’m committed to telling the truth. And you know what Jesus said about the truth don’t you?

John 8:32
Then you will know the truth,
and the truth will set you free.