When I was a banker, I used to get nervous when one of my business loan customers would receive glowing press and be featured in articles. When the accolades happened frequently, it was not uncommon to watch my customer’s pride and ego become almost unbearable. It usually wasn’t long afterwards that I would watch as their businesses would crumble, or ...
In the story of Esther, Haman is an evil character who hated Mordecai and the Jews. He had risen to power, becoming the king’s right-hand man, filling Haman with pride and arrogance. In Esther 5:11, we read, “Haman boasted to them about his wealth, his many sons, and all the ways the king had honored him and how he had elevated ...
In this series, we’re discussing some of the snares that can surface when a business leader begins experiencing success. The final snare I wish to discuss is pride. When I was in banking, I watched several companies begin to experience rapid success, often leading to newspaper articles and favorable press. The CEO’s pride often led them to pursue more and ...
For about 50 years, King Uzziah was known as a great king. 2 Chronicles 26 says that “the king did what was right in the eyes of God.” With God’s help, Uzziah’s success was vast. But his success eventually ruined him. In 2 Chronicles 26:16, we read, “But after Uzziah became powerful, his pride led to his downfall. He was unfaithful to ...
If you’ve ever watched a TV show where a lion is hunting its prey, you will recognize the lion’s common practice of finding the slowest or weakest gazelle and isolating them. Once their prey is isolated, victory is easy. Our enemy also desires to isolate us so that we can be taken down morally, knowing that we are at our ...
In 1 Samuel 25, David and his men needed food. David’s men had been protecting the sheep of a wealthy Jew named Nabal. Therefore, David sent them to ask Nabal for food. In verse 11, Nabal said, “Shall I take my bread and my water and my meat that I have killed for my shearers and give it to men ...
While many businesses are failing this year, others are flourishing. One business owner recently shared with me that her biggest competitor just closed several stores in her region. This has left her stores overwhelmed with new customers. Her biggest problem now, due to God’s blessing, is the limited product necessary to serve all her new customers. Times of prosperity can ...
When I was 25 years old, I started a faddish used car rental agency. After a year of struggling through a terrible economy and a small business loan at 21% interest, a friend wisely recommended I close the business. After working through my pride, and finally concluding that my friend was right, the next emotion I had to tackle was ...
When I was 25 years old, I started a faddish used car rental agency. Shortly after taking out a small business loan at 21% interest, unemployment skyrocketed to 13%. My business prospects became bleaker each month. As I was nearing the end of my loan proceeds and cash flow, I asked a friend for advice. When he encouraged me to ...
As followers of Jesus, we are all either headed into a trial, in a trial or exiting a trial. Each of us has a cross to carry just as Jesus did. In the first phase of heading into a trial, we can look to Jesus’ triumphal entry. As Jesus entered Jerusalem the streets filled with people praising Him as the ...
Equipping Others to Do Work Differently
