One of the natural consequences of wealth is influence. Influence should be about impact. However, influence has created more problems for people than it has done them good. Instead of benefiting from the course of influence, society has been oppressed by the beneficiaries of wealth. Personal popularity, ego, and fame seem to override God’s intent for wealth. The ignorance of the purpose of wealth could be responsible for these. I used to think that my wealth is all about me. Many times, Christian entrepreneurs (we) forget the reasons God allows us to handle wealth. Many of us go self-centered and seek undue glorification. This sometimes shows how wretched we are in understanding how well we can reach out to people for a positive impact. Acquisition of wealth is a means to a godly purpose. Let’s consider a Biblical example of one man that used his wealth and influence for a real purpose. “When she got up to go back to work, Boaz ordered his servants; Let her gleam where there’s still plenty of grain on the ground, make it easy for her. Better yet, pull some of the good stuff out and leave it for her to glean. Give her special treatment” Ruth 2:15-16 MSG. The above talks about a man called Boaz, and a young widow called Ruth. In Ruth 2:1, Boaz was introduced as a man of great wealth. This means he had great and abundant possession. He had many servants working for him. His wealth made him influential. At this time in history, Ruth came back from Moab to Judah with Naomi, her mother-in-law. It was the time of harvest. Both had little or nothing to get life going. Ruth decided to go to the field, to whomsoever would favorably allow her to gather leftover grains for food. Anyway, she had no choice but to take this step of faith. As the Lord would have it, she stepped into the harvest field belonging to a wealthy man, Boaz, and started gleaning the corn that fell from the harvesters (Boaz’s servants) by chance. This act suggests to me that, though these servants were not the custodians of the wealth, they had learned to influence others with the wealth they managed. Those who have excuses for not impacting lives because they don’t control wealth yet must think twice. In that regard, Jesus has this to say; “He who is faithful in a very little thing is faithful also in much…” Luke 16:10 AMP. Incidentally afterward, Boaz reported to duty, and Ruth was introduced to him. Boaz instructed Ruth not to go to another field to glean but remain in his own. Not just that, Boaz gave her lunch, and she was satisfied. He further commanded his servants to permit Ruth to glean from plenty of grain, where the bundles of sheaves were lying. This was against her picking from careless dropouts. Boaz was intentional in impacting Ruth through his wealth. He said, “Also, let grain from the bundles fall purposely for her; leave it that she may glean and do not rebuke her” (Ruth 2:16 NKJV). Boaz just wanted Ruth to have more than enough. She received special treatment that changed her life. The peak of it all was that Ruth kept gathering grain from Boaz’s field until they completed the harvest (Ruth 2:21). Boaz influenced the lives of Ruth and Naomi. I ask, how much influence have you made on someone’s life to make him better? How many people have come to you for leftovers (like Ruth) that you helped turn their lives around? You cannot be wealthy to yourself. That is not God’s design. Some people would not even allow dogs to pick crumbs from under their tables. It is a big shame. Such fellows are tending to poverty (Proverbs 11:24). How wealthy you are should be a reflection of the number of people you have impacted their lives. If your wealth or resources cannot influence lives for good, then you are poor. If you were rich, then you would influence people. Imagine how accomplished you will feel having helped someone’s destiny. Take on one person at a time. If you are not yet wealthy, you may be on your way to becoming. Ruth eventually became the progenitor of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Boaz had no idea he was impacting a woman’s life through whom the wealthiest and most influential man would come. Today, we are all enjoying the benefits of the right influence Boaz created with his wealth. Oh, destiny is beckoning on us today. This is how far-reaching our influence can be. #DifferentiatingMyself

.’ – Exodus 20:11 One of the best leadership characters found in the Bible is Nehemiah. His leadership was without any flaw, with an excellent score on timing and planning.

I love being part of mastermind groups. This is where you get with a group of 5 other entrepreneurs and take half a day to analyze each other’s business. It’s like your own board of directors meeting, once a month. The beauty of masterminds isn’t much on getting advice, which is great to get. The real beauty is in stepping outside of your business once a month to get a bigger perspective, a bird’s eye view of it all. We spend all month at the office and in client meetings. When do we really disconnect to see the big picture? In the Bible, we see Genesis 15 that God gave Abram a very important vision about how he would be the father of the nation of Israel. So there was Abram, lying in his tent, when God “brought him outside and said, ‘Look now toward heaven, and count the stars … So shall your descendants be’” (Gen. 15:5). Abram had to get out of his tent in order to see clearly what God had in store for him. He had to leave the safety and comfort of his bed and go out into the dark, and it was there that God showed him what was in store. Today, you and I are in a temporary earthly tent—our flesh (2 Cor. 5:1). And if your perspective stays in that fleshly tent, you can start to think, “This is all there is. God has nothing to say to me.” But if you delve into the spiritual and step out of your tent in faith, God can show you so much more! His promises are innumerable like the stars and His word assures you that “goodness and mercy will follow [you] all the days of [your] life …” (Ps. 23:6). I like to think of the movie Avatar when the humans get into that machine and wake up as a totally different being in a totally different world. In the same way, there’s a whole different world we could be walking in if we recognized its existence and purposed to go and live there as often as we can. The Bible says "For we know that when this earthly tent we live in is taken down (that is, when we die and leave this earthly body), we will have a house in heaven, an eternal body made for us by God himself and not by human hands." 2 Corinthians 5:1 NLT Wherever you are in your entrepreneurial career, whatever you’re challenged within your business today, God can show you how to overcome. But to hear Him clearly, you have to step out of your “tent” and gaze into the realm of the holy spirit! Godpreneurs, pray that God would give you the courage to hear Him clearly by stepping out of your fleshly tent and into the spirit-led world. #FindingMyPurpose

It’s telling us to sit down, stay quiet, and play it safe—especially when it comes to leadership, faith CHALLENGE ACCEPTED As men, we often feel the pressure of leadership—in business, in family, and in life And on top of that, the world constantly tries to redefine masculinity, leadership, and success. That means strengthening your faith, aligning your leadership with God’s Word, and rejecting anything Maybe you’ve been burned by past failures—in business, in leadership, or in your personal life.

But what happens when we look at our business, leadership, or life and realize that things have already We've all made mistakes in leadership, in marriage, or in fatherhood that we don’t know how to fix. Their land was ruined, their leadership was corrupt, and their entire culture was built on the wrong He will make your business, your leadership, and your life stand on solid ground.

The other day a friend of mine was calling for career advice. He has a cushy 9-5 position but wants more. He’s tried flipping homes and selling insurance on the side. Neither has worked. So I began probing and asking deeper questions about purpose and passion. When I asked him what he did at his job, his voice and energy changed. Come to find out the guy is a genius at his job and they rely on him to troubleshoot major problems when computers and servers go down. I was on to something. I recommended that he see his current job as an entrepreneurial venture, invest in himself, and continually seek out better contracts in his space. He had an ‘ah-ha!’ moment and said the words that I love to hear: “Alex, how do you do what you do? You’re a freaking fortune teller or something like that.” I told him I can’t take any of the credit, that God has blessed me with the calling to help others find their ‘born to do identity’ and that we are all called by God to help others for his greater purpose. We Godpreneurs have the ability to be a light for others to see God in us. This guy thought I was a fortune teller, but I quickly corrected him and said that that was God within me. We can either take the credit or give the credit to where it’s due. God hopes that you’ll give the credit to Him because it will ultimately bring more people to Him, which is His main purpose for us. The Bible says: "In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven." Matthew 5:16 NIV God’s ultimate plan for your entrepreneurial life reaches beyond the visions he’s given you for your business. He has positioned you in your industry as a singular point of light. You’re an influencer in a world that desperately needs to see something divine, something that is clearly not of this world. Above and beyond the achievements associated with your gifts and talents, he wants to draw people to himself. Our entrepreneurial visions are means to a greater end, namely the glory of God and the salvation of men and women. This is His ultimate objective, His ultimate desire. Imagine if our biggest prayers were that God would continue to make our light shine brighter for all the people around us to know Him more. Instead of praying for financial blessings or problems to go away (you can still pray that too), what if we also included a prayer to be a stronger light? If we’re obedient to God’s ultimate calling (to be a light), don’t you think that it will produce more blessings and favor from God? Godpreneur Rule #49: Our success is accomplished with the help of God and we are here to be a light to the world and give the credit to God. #StrengthenIntegrity #ArticulatingMyIdeas #ShareYourTestimony

I’ve had times of major disagreements with business partners, employees, vendors, and yes… CLIENTS! That’s never going to go away. We live in an imperfect world. Interacting with each other will naturally produce conflict. The only person that can change is ME. I’ve learned that if I seek peace by biting my tongue, showing reservation, and walking away, I can defuse any situation. But this MINDSET is difficult to achieve without a few key ingredients. First, the greatest book ever written on the subject of peace is the bible. It’s the book I wake up to almost every morning. Although the first half is almost all war, the second half is all peace. And that’s my second key the equation of peace: Jesus. Peace will always be an elusive dream in our businesses unless we first meet the Prince of Peace, Jesus Christ Himself. It is Christ who can give us the serenity to be kind in the face of adversity with Business partners; it is Christ who gives us the ability to remain silent in response to angry words spewed in our face by a client; and it is Christ alone who will someday bring peace to the turbulent marketplace when He establishes His kingdom on earth as it is in heaven. The Bible says: Deceit fills hearts that are plotting evil; joy fills hearts that are planning peace! Proverbs 12:20 NLT If you’re really deep in anger and it’s even difficult for you to open a bible every morning, then at least set a daily reminder on your phone to repeat these statements to yourself while in the car or before work: I must choose to submit to the peace of Christ. My morning time in the word calms my inner person. I am a calming influence on others. I am filled with inner peace. Peace flows from my heart. I tune in to the peace of heaven. Christ said to the Samaritan woman at the well, “Anyone who drinks the water I give will never thirst—not ever. The water I give will be an artesian spring within, gushing fountains of endless life” (John 4:13). Godpreneurs, as much as is within you, be at peace with all men. #SharpenLeadership #NewEntrepreneurs

distinguishing of spirits Tongues The interpretation of tongues Service Teaching Exhortation Giving Leadership I was president of my school and served in many leadership roles. When I became Christian, my leadership multiplied, and my influence and wisdom skyrocketed because God transformed my leadership talent into a spiritual leadership gift. I was totally surprised when I saw my leadership abilities exponentially grow!

As I’ve matured in Business leadership, I know that clear and effective communication is important. Uncontrolled anger is a sign of weakness—not leadership.

://www.instagram.com/instagodministries/ John Maxwell @johncmaxwell Bestselling author & speaker on leadership Everything rises & falls on leadership.

I go through seasons in my entrepreneurial career. There’s a season where I expand on my ideas and bring them to life. Then there’s a season where I’ve pulled back on the expansion to hunker down on what I have in front of me and I'm waiting on the next move. But I get frustrated in the season of waiting. I’m not done with all the ideas I want to bring to life. I have the plans all written out, the right people to call, and the enthusiasm and determination to get them done, but something is saying “wait”. (And one time I ignored the call to wait and lost a whole lot of money.  That’s a different story for another blog post.) We entrepreneurs are visionary, which makes us impulsive at times.  We’re very connected to the spirit, that inner ‘feeling’ or gut instinct that guides us. Sometimes our own desires get in the mix of the gut feeling and we rush into things prematurely. But what if this waiting period was actually meant to be a period of growth….inner growth. Maybe this is a time that God is calling you to be much closer to Him than ever before! I learned something profound while participating in a Bible study of the book of Acts. God had the apostles wait 10 days in Jerusalem after Jesus’s death before sending them out to spread the gospel. Acts 1:4‭-‬5 in the Bible reads: On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about.  For John baptized with  water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” The apostles knew the plan, knew what they had to do, but were commanded to wait. You may have these amazing plans of reaching so many new customers with your amazing product or service. Your offering might even be something ministry-related that will help the church so much! But God sometimes asks us to wait….to build us up, make us stronger, bless us with an anointing that we needed to receive or a lesson we needed to learn. We Godpreneurs can think that it’s all GO, GO, GO all the time, that there’s no time to waste, that we must ACT NOW! Can I share with you that the most growth I have done spiritually is in the season of waiting, hunkering down, stacking chips, refining my process, calling my customers more, providing more value, but most importantly, gaining more insight into the person of God…while I wait on His next move for me. Godpreneur Rule #16: We regard every day as a precious gift of time to spend in preparation for what He will do through us. #BusinessBibleStudy #SharpenLeadership

What’s your leadership style? How are your relationships with co-workers?

Growing up I had leadership, strengths in sales, marketing and entrepreneurship.   We do the sales, marketing AND leadership.

When I first started going back to church in 2008, it was with one foot in and one foot out. It felt good to go on Sundays and check church off my checklist of great ways to start my week. As I began to grow in my faith, I learned that in order to include God more in my business and find out what the CEO has in store for me, I needed to get to know Him more. I began reading the Bible in the mornings periodically. It started out with small devotionals, daily emails, and blogs like the one you’re reading. Eventually, that turned into wanting to read through the entire Bible. Then something incredible began to happen. I started to see the Bible as one big business book! It was like I was at Cornell all over again. Now, I read the Bible daily and God has an incredible message for me and my business every time. When we want to know things more, we spend more time with them. More time at the gym will lead to better bodies and health. The more we learn about diets and exercise, the more we begin to see our habits change and, over time, we become healthier as long as we stick to it. Some of us don’t have the habit of reading the Bible daily. I get it, I was there. Others have realized it and do it once in a while. Still, others haven’t connected their businesses and their relationship with God. Here is what I’ve learned: God wants to permeate our businesses and become the catalyst for our success as we look to grow and conquer. He wants us to prosper. He wants to lead the charge into growing your business beyond your imagination. He wants to fill your heart with visions that will take the rest of your life to accomplish. That’s the amazing business partner that we have waiting for us every morning. But this doesn’t happen by chance or luck. God has told us how this is going to happen. And today I’m going to share the formula you have to follow from this point forward if you’re serious about having your business succeed and prosper. I’m writing a parallel through the book of Joshua as it relates to us stepping into our entrepreneurial promised land. Joshua has been commanded by God to conquer the land promised to his ancestors. Joshua 1:5-9 says: “No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life. Just as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you or forsake you. Be strong and courageous, for you shall cause this people to inherit the land that I swore to their fathers to give them. Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to do according to all the law that Moses my servant commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have good success wherever you go. This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” First off we are given assurance that God will be with us and ride with us during the roller coaster ride of entrepreneurship. He knows that the journey won’t be void of battles and hardships, but He promises to stand with us. But then the word “only” comes into the picture. Here He wants to throw an asterisk and say that He wants to be by your side and give you victory, but you have to keep to the law He has set and meditate on it day and night. This may seem challenging at first, but it becomes easier over time when you purpose to develop the habit of daily reading. And then God says we will have success if we can keep to His laws. “For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.” You can try to run your business on your own. Many, including myself, have gone out to fight the battle of growing the business on our own. You may have had success, but you’re likely burnt out and overworked. What would it look like if all Godpreneurs took God with them into every new business venture, every new negotiation, every new idea? What if we all took the time every morning to draw closer to God? If we can know that God wants to go with us and meditate on His word daily, we are setting ourselves up for prosperous and successful businesses. #WorkLifeBalance #FindMyCalling

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