Tag Archives: Provision

Untapped Potential

Posted on by
Reply

I’m honored to have Michael Q. Pink as a guest writer. I have been following Michael’s teachings, and used his resources for many years now. His insights around the principles for business and life found in the Bible are simply amazing. Michael is a best selling author, teacher and speaker, and has written over a dozen books including The Bible Incorporated, Selling Among Wolves, and the Rainforest Strategy, among others. Visit and bookmark Michael’s blog where you will find a plethora of resources to help you achieve your God given potential in your business and in your life. Here’s the link: www.michaelpink.com

Here’s Michael’s post, enjoy!
___________________________

Shoots. Green lines in a field.There’s a verse in the Bible that says, “Much food (increase) is in the fallow ground of the poor and for lack of justice, there is waste.” Proverbs 13:23

That is an incredibly good promise and it comes with instruction! You see, we all have fallow ground in our lives (untapped potential). That’s territory or potential that has laid dormant, unplanted and gotten hard and covered up with weeds. It might be your ability to write or create or build. It might be that business idea God gave you years ago, or that book idea that’s been rattling around in your head for years.

The problem often is, that we talk about those ideas, those gifts and talents, but all too often we let them lay fallow (undeveloped, underutilized) and we wonder why finances are tight! But you can do something about that. You can start working your field now. Expose the roots of neglect and lesser activities (weeds) to the sun. Prepare the soil to receive the seed of a great idea wrapped in effort. Sharpen your skills. Hone your abilities. Update your knowledge.

You can become an expert in any field compared to almost anyone if you will read a few books a year on the subject. You want to prepare your field to begin producing a harvest? Assess your field. Inform yourself. Locate resources that can help you. Then, begin to work at it.

But perhaps you say, you have no fields laying fallow. You have nothing in your life that can produce abundance. You have left no stone unturned. I say to you… Let God be true and every man a liar (Romans 3:4) The Scripture says there is MUCH FOOD in the fallow ground of the poor. It’s there. You just don’t see it. Or more likely, you see it all the time, but don’t believe it. Others have told you, ”It’s a bad idea, don’t quit your day job.” Maybe you don’t see or believe the potential. Maybe you’re afraid.

It’s time to look at that ground, that ability, that book idea, that business idea and start to prepare it for planting. If it has lain fallow all these years, you can’t just throw seed on it and expect a good harvest. The weeds and stones will choke it out. But you can start working on it, preparing for it, studying on it, testing it, refining it, honing it. If it’s a book, you can write the first chapter, or maybe just the table of contents. If it’s a business idea, you can write the business plan to give you clarity.

As you begin to prepare the field to plant your seed, the idea will rise up big in you and get clearer. Faith will arise. Confidence will grow and before you know it, you will be working that fallow ground and experiencing your first harvest. There is much more to say on this so please visit my blog (http://www.michaelpink.com/two-hindrances-success/) where I discuss two great hindrances that may hinder most people from ever getting started.

“BREATHE expectantly, LIVE confidently and MOVE Boldly”
“Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.”

Manna

Posted on by
Reply

by DP

When the dew evaporated, a flaky substance as fine as frost blanketed the ground. The Israelites were puzzled when they saw it. “What is it?” they asked each other. They had no idea what it was. And Moses told them, “It is the food the Lord has given you to eat. – Exodus 16:14-15

Manna, it is a well know word. We all have heard the term in many contexts. We have often used it to scold someone into working harder, or to do more, because “the money will not come as manna from the skies”, we say. It brings a mental picture of a flaky substance that is bread-like, which was provided to the children of Israel in the dessert. God had provided it so they could be sustained every day, outside their tents. This event was completely new to them. There was no point of reference that could help them compare what they were experiencing in that moment. They where accustomed to the delicacies of Egypt, not what they had found on the ground. And so the most natural expression was, “Manna”, which means “What is it?”.

Along with this new and unknown substance, came a new set of instructions that needed to be followed. A new substance and new instructions; Manna. And without watering down the incredible lessons intertwined in this text, consider “manna” as everything in your life that is new and represent the possibilities for your life. The crossroads that we all face and that challenge our intellect, our emotions and way of life.

We often find ourselves in the same situation. New events, new set of rules, new ways of doing and interpreting things, and we catch ourselves saying more often than we would admit; Manna, what is it? You are pulled between choices. You are puzzled as to what to do, and the only thing that mutters from your lips is, Manna, what is it?

Decide today to step outside the tent of your current situation. Walk towards the provision and the supply of the present to enjoy the blessings of the future. It might seem unknown to you, a way that could even be unorthodox, but in the end it will be amazing and fulfilling. Manna is not a myth, it’s not an empty expression. It represents new things, possibilities. Don’t be afraid of stepping into the unknown. You might still say, what is it? And it will be ok. If you pick up the manna that is before you, the experience and the transformation you will have, will be worth it. Manna will no longer be the unknown, it will be the embodiment of BREATHING expectantly, LIVING confidently and MOVING Boldly, Manna.

“BREATHE expectantly, LIVE confidently and MOVE Boldly”

Want this inspiration of coffee by email every morning? Enter your e-mail to subscribe at the top right of this page under the box for “Subscribe”. Like this writing and want share it? Just add your comment below on “Leave a Reply” or share it on Facebook, Twitter, or by email using any of the buttons next to “Share this:”

© Copyright DP, 2011

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved

Maná

Posted on by
Reply

por DP

Cuando el rocío se evaporó, la superficie del desierto quedó cubierta por copos de una sustancia hojaldrada y fina como escarcha. Los israelitas quedaron perplejos al ver eso y se preguntaban unos a otros: «¿Qué es esto?», porque no tenían idea de lo que era. Entonces Moisés les dijo:«Este es el pan que el SEÑOR les da para comer. – Éxodo 16:14-15

Maná, que es una palabra bien conocida. Todos hemos escuchado el término en muchos contextos. Con frecuencia la hemos usado para regañar a alguien para que trabaje más duro, o para que haga más, porque “el dinero no llegará como maná del cielo”, decimos. Trae una imagen mental de una sustancia escamosa que se parece al pan, que fue proporcionada a los hijos de Israel en el desierto. Dios les había proporcionado para que pudieran sostenerse todos los días afuera de sus tiendas de campaña. Este evento era totalmente nuevo para ellos. No había ningún punto de referencia que podría ayudarlos a comparar lo que estaban viviendo en ese momento. Ellos estaban acostumbrados a las delicias de Egipto, no aquello que habían encontrado en el suelo. Y así, la expresión más natural era, “Maná”, que significa “¿Qué es esto?”.

Junto con esta substancia nueva y desconocida, vino un nuevo conjunto de instrucciones que debían seguir. Una nueva sustancia y nuevas instrucciones; Maná. Y sin diluir las lecciones increíbles entrelazadas en este texto, tenga en cuenta la palabra “maná”, como todo lo que es nuevo y representa las posibilidades en tu vida. Las encrucijadas en nuestros caminos a que nos enfrentamos y que desafían nuestro intelecto, nuestras emociones y nuestra forma de vida.

A menudo nos encontramos en la misma situación. Nuevos eventos, nuevas reglas, nuevas formas de hacer e interpretar las cosas, y nos sorprendemos diciendo con más frecuencia de lo que admitimos; “Maná,” ¿Qué es esto? Eres estrechado entre opciones. Tienes dudas en cuanto a qué hacer, y lo único que murmuran de tus labios es, “Maná”, ¿Qué es esto?.

Decide hoy dar un paso afuera de la tienda de tu situación actual. Camina hacia la provisión y el suministro del presente para disfrutar de las bendiciones del futuro. Puede parecer desconocido para ti, de manera que incluso podría ser un poco ortodoxo, pero al final será sorprendente y satisfactorio. Maná no es un mito, no es una expresión vacía. Representa lo nuevo, las posibilidades. No tengas miedo de entrar en lo desconocido. Pudieras todavía decir, ¿qué es esto? Y eso estará bien. Si recoges el maná que está delante de ti, la experiencia y la transformación que tendrás, valdrá la pena. Maná ya no será lo desconocido, será la encarnación de RESPIRAR con expectación, VIVIR con confianza y el MOVERTE con valentía, “Maná”.

“RESPIRA con expectación, VIVE con confianza y MUÉVETE con valentía”

¿Quieres esta inspiración de café por correo electrónico todas las mañanas? Ingresa tu dirección de correo electrónico para suscribirte en la parte superior derecha de esta página, debajo de la casilla de “Subscribe” ¿Te gusta este escrito y deseas compartirlo? Simplemente añade tu comentario abajo en “Leave a Reply” o compártelo en Facebook, Twitter, o por correo electrónico usando cualesquiera de los botones al lado de “Share this:”

© Copyright DP, 2011

Las citas bíblicas son tomadas de la Santa Biblia, Nueva Traducción Viviente, derechos de autor © 1996, 2004, 2007 por Tyndale House Foundation. Usado con permiso de Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. Todos los derechos reservados.

Leave the brook

Posted on by
Reply

By DP

“Go and live in the village of Zarephath, near the city of Sidon. I have instructed a widow there to feed you.” – 1 Kings 17:9

Elijah hitherto unknown, with no recommendations, no historical background, without physical qualities or dynamics, confronts King Ahab and tells him that it would not rain until he said so. Immediately he went by the brook Kerith as ordered by God Himself. There he was sustained for some time drinking from the brook and sending ravens with bread and meat for him to eat every day. A scene of supernatural provision. But because of the absence of rain, the river began to dry up. Elijah at the time, was in a safe place, with provision and tranquility. Moreover, God himself had ordered him to go to the brook. So how could one explain that the brook was drying? How could he be in a place without provision? How to get out from there if the king was seeking to kill him?

Kerith means to cut off or close. It is not a permanent place. The flight of Elijah to hide in the brook does not mean that he feared Ahab or doubted that God could protect him. God sends Elijah to a specific location. So He does with us. We may not know why, but God could be demanding total obedience from us, and it may not seem to make sense at the present time. Elijah’s blessing was on the other side of his obedience. Sometimes God provides in the most unexpected and surprising ways. For Elijah the ravens were considered unclean and symbols of death, but these would bring him the daily provision. What symbolizes death, God uses it to give us life. God gives us life when death surrounds us.

It is easy to obey and hope in God when things are reasonable, but when we are asked to do something against our traditions, we question it. Why not send him to another place where there was no drought? Why did he have to suffer the same hardships that those who did not love God? Why didn’t God sent him to the king again to challenge the god Baal?

When the brook was completely dry, God ordered him to appear before a widow in Zarephath of Sidon to ask for support. Again, Elijah was forced to be patient. He knew that the widows were the first to die of starvation during a prolonged drought. But without questioning God, he obeyed unconditionally.

Why stay in the brook if where you are going, God will send rain? Moreover, you will be the instrument God will use to cause it to rain on your own situation. Why stay complaining and lamenting that the brook dried up when God has ordered you to move because He made provision for you already? Remember that your supply in not brook, God is your provision.

Elijah moved from place to place by divine order. God is calling you to action in all areas. If he sends you from place to place is because He is word, he is action. The things that God provides are not an end in themselves and not enough to rely entirely on them, but they are a means to achieve the goal of increasing our dependence on God every day. When we leave the brook will experience:

  • His Promise – You will find that God always does what He promises.
  • His Provision – He will supplement your needs. I have not seen the righteous forsaken nor his seed begging bread.
  • His Providence – He cares and prepares in advance. When you reach the place God sends you, you’ll see that He has already sent people to serve you. And has coordinated all the details. God is not subject to time or space.
  • His Power – You will see His supernatural expression in your life.
  • His Protection – He will take care of you, addressing each place without letting anything hurt you.
  • His Privilege – The favor of God is never fair. The Favor of God upon your life will be palpable, and the others will scratch their head, trying to understand why you and not them.

I ask the question again Why stay in the brook if where you are going, God will send rain? Why do you care about your future, if He has already promised that if the brook is dry, you will hear the rain falling? God is raining on you and your family and your situation. Leaving the brook means different things for each one of us. For some, a relationship that has no future, for others work, for others a country. But if obeying the voice of God for your life means walking in faith, you’re on track.

Any solution requires a leap of faith and faith is the gateway between the promise and absolute confidence. All acts of faith produce miracles. Just as God used a “unknown”, He can and wants to use to anyone who, like Elijah, has proposed to serve Him unconditionally. Us both, you and me, God is pleased to use us for His glory. So I ask you, Will you leave the brook? God tells us today: Leave the brook.

“BREATHE expectantly, LIVE confidently and MOVE Boldly”

Want this inspiration of coffee by email every morning? Enter your e-mail to subscribe at the top right of this page under the box for “Subscribe”. Like this writing and want share it? Just add your comment below on “Leave a Reply” or share it on Facebook, Twitter, or by email using any of the buttons next to “Share this:”

© Copyright DP, 2011

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved

…for there is the sound of abundance of rain.

Posted on by
1

by DP

Then Elijah said to Ahab, “Go up, eat and drink; for there is the sound of abundance of rain.” 1 Kings 18:41 NKJV

How is it that Elijah heard the sound of abundant rain? Clear skies, no clouds, no signs, no rain. Was he out of his mind? No, but Elijah had foresight of the rain to come.

Elijah knew the season he was in. When you are connected with God, you seek His presence and stay obedient, you will have the revelation of the seasons. Not the natural seasons, but the spiritual ones. You will know when to go out and when to stay in, when to talk and when to stay quiet, when to walk and when to stand still. Regardless of what everybody else sees, does and tells you, you will have a revelation of the season for your life and what to do. You will hear the voice that says, I hear the sound of rain!

Rain? We ask, in middle of this trial? Rain? When my spouse has left. Rain? When my finances are a mess. Rain? When I have come to the end of my resources? Rain? When I have no direction in life? Yes, the sound of abundance of rain. It will come without notice, and when it comes it will pour to overflow. There are seasons in our life that are characterized by the drought. The lack of meaning, the want of better and brighter days. We don’t see nothing happening. Our flesh starts to take over our spirit and begins to convince it that as dry as it seems, it will definitely get worse. It is a battle between what we can see and what we can’t. It is confusing, when our emotions take over and try to control our mindset.

But God will pour rain over your health, over your children, over your trial, over your relationships, over your work, over your finances, and when it happens it will be like a flood. You will have to run, so be prepared for His rain.

Therefore, go up, eat and drink; for there is the sound of abundance of rain!

“BREATHE expectantly, LIVE confidently and MOVE Boldly”

Like this writing and want share it? Just add your comment below on “Leave a Reply” or share it on Facebook, Twitter, or by email using any of the buttons next to “Share this:”

© Copyright DP, 2007

God will open your eyes

Posted on by
Reply

by DP

Then God opened her eyes and she saw a well of water. And she went and filled the skin with water and gave the lad to drink. Genesis 21:19

The story unfolds as an uncertain time for a mother and her son. Hagar bore Abraham’s first son Ishmael when Sarah could not, as suggested by Sarah herself to Abraham. Once Isaac was born things changed. Sarah saw Ishmael scoffing Isaac, and she didn’t like at all. Sarah told Abraham to cast them out.

So Hagar went to the desert of Beersheba and wandered, with only bread, a skin of water and her son (v.14). Soon the skin of water was used up and she placed the boy under some shrubs to let him die. From a short distance she stood to watch. She was certain that this was the end, but she could not possibly see when the her son died.

But then, something unexpected happened. The scripture says that God heard the voice of the child and the angel of God spoke to her and asked, “What ails you, Hagar?, Fear not, for God has heard the voice of the lad where he is.” (v17)” The angel of god told to pick up her son because the Lord would make him a great nation. Then an amazing thing changed in her. Her eyes were opened.

Have you ever been in a situation were you have used up all of your “available” resources? Have you thought it is the end? Is your current situation telling you, there is no hope, no way out? Have you felt that your creativity and your sense of direction is gone. Do you feel that you have wandering around and around just waiting for that moment to come. Yes, you might be surrounded by real conflict, you might be lacking creativity, you may be in a financial burden and on top of that you wander around eating up your resources pushing you more and more into a state of mind where you cannot see God’s hand in your life. If you give in, you let our situation define who you are and what your destiny and those that depend on you will be. You only see what is in front of you and that dictates your moves.

God is telling you today, I will open your eyes, so you can see that there is a well of water around you that will satisfy your thirst. It has always been there. I am present, I am here; just cry out to me from where you are, and your vision will return, your creativity will rise and I will make you a great nation, says the Lord to you today. Everyone will be amazed of what will become of you. Right there where you are, in the midst of your situation, even when others have cast you out and have left you to die in the wilderness, God will open your eyes.

“BREATHE expectantly, LIVE confidently and MOVE Boldly”

Want this inspiration of coffee by email every morning? Enter your e-mail to subscribe at the top right of this page under the box for “Subscribe”. Like this writing and want share it? Just add your comment below on “Leave a Reply” or share it on Facebook, Twitter, or by email using any of the buttons next to “Share this:”

© Copyright DP, 2006

What is written in your Staff?

Posted on by
Reply

by DP

Then he took his staff in his hand, chose five smooth stones from the stream, put them in the pouch of his shepherd’s bag and, with his sling in his hand, approached the Philistine. 1 Samuel 17:40

Ever wonder why David took his staff with him to fight Goliath? Why did he need a stick, when he was going to use the sling and the stones? Was he just keeping his options open? One would argue that he had thought, “If the rocks don’t work, I’ll use the staff”.

It is my understanding that the staff was not only a walking stick, but it was also used as a reminder of all of the wonders and blessings of God. You see, if there was no other place to write on, they carved on the staff. David, I can imagine, could had carved on his staff the day he killed the lion, the day he killed the bear while watching the flock. So David went running towards the giant, with all of the deliverance’s of God written in his staff and he was armed with all of God’s past blessings, as reminders of His power and deliverance that day.

There is a lot of power in our thoughts, so take time to write all of God’s blessings in your life. Carve your heart with His word and when the giant comes menacing, you will remember what He has done in the past and say, “You come to me with a sword, with spear, and with javelin. But I come to you in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you and take your head from you” (v45-46) Don’t bring to memory failures. If He supplied in the past, He will continue to do so today. If He healed you in the past, He can certainly do it in the present and in the future.

So take your staff, pick up your stones, ready your sling, and run towards the giant! Great deliverance awaits to those that remember his blessings. I ask you this question: What is written in your Staff?

“BREATHE expectantly, LIVE confidently and MOVE Boldly”

Like this writing and want to share it? Just add your comment below on “Leave a Reply” or share it on Facebook, Twitter, or by email using any of the buttons next to “Share this:”

© Copyright DP, 2006