Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Ladson SC
Posts: 4,388
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Devotion: The Causes of Failure
IDK about you guys, but in all my reading & daily devotions, Glenn is the only guy to focus on work, business, and how you conduct yourself at work.
a buddy and I were discussing something similar to this lesson, a mutual friend wants us to recommend him for a job, and we are both like..... "nah, I'm good...." because some stories of what he did at his last job.
the below is basically saying, if you lie steal & cheat, God can't expand your business, because everyone who REALLY knows you will wonder how you call on God in one breath, then cheat someone in the next?
and if you think about it, CHP is the same way, we all know "of" each other, and usually, if you meet someone in town, they know "of" someone you know, and they dang sure know if that person is a cheat or a liar.
how many of you guys have had to go back a long time in to the past & make amends?
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The Causes of Failure
"You cannot stand against your enemies until you remove it." Joshua 7:13b
The first battle for the people of Israel traveling from Egypt was at Jericho, once they crossed the Jordan River. God had given them a great victory at Jericho, and Joshua was now ready to move to their next battle at Ai. After they spied out the enemy camp, they determined they needed only a few thousand men to gain victory.
They went up against Ai only to fail miserably. They lost 32 men in a battle that should have been an easy victory, but instead they were forced to retreat. Joshua was devastated. "Ah, Sovereign Lord, why did You ever bring this people across the Jordan to deliver us into the hands of the Amorites to destroy us?" (Josh. 7:7a)
In this case, the people fell short because they failed to uphold the standard God had set for them. God had told them not to take any plunder from their first battle. However, Achan hid some forbidden treasures, and God was now judging the entire nation for one man's sin.
Whenever we act without God's complete blessing on our activity, we can expect God to thwart our plans. God's word to Joshua was that he could not stand against his enemies as long as there was disobedience among his troops.
Whenever we launch a business endeavor, we should make sure there are no unclean things in our dealings that would allow us to be vulnerable to a failed effort: unpaid vendors, disgruntled employees who were not treated fairly, lawsuits, dishonesty. Many of these things can hinder God from blessing our enterprises. These things can remove the shield of protection from our workplace, which God wants to bless, but cannot because He is committed to upholding righteousness. His name is blemished when unrighteousness is allowed to permeate our lives.
Is the Lord able to bless your enterprises today? If not, you may need to go back and clean up a few things before He can do so. Take whatever steps are needed to ensure the blessing of God today
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1 Timothy 3:16
16 And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness:
God was manifested in the flesh,
Justified in the Spirit,
Seen by angels,
Preached among the Gentiles,
Believed on in the world,
Received up in glory.
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