Kingdom Mindset towards Work

In the previous posts, Satisfying & God Glorifying Work, and Joyful vs Painful Work we discussed about the "Worldly Work" vs "God's Kingdom Work", and the mindset towards Kingdom's work can be summarized in the mind-map below:
The next posting will be on Kingdom's Principles for Work.

When I am weak then I am strong

I think this verse have been mis-understood, and misused to glorify weakness or at least to excuse for weakness. Just like grace, which have been misused as a license to sin.

Let's go back to the context where this verse appear, 2 Cor 12:10

• 2Co 12:10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.

The context is in the persecutions that Paul suffered. For most people, any persecutions or disappointments in life will cause us to give up and be angry with God. (The Stony Ground of Parable of Sowing). The seeming hardships of Paul's life, e.g. beatings, ship wrecks, imprisonments, etc will cause people to think that Paul must have been going against the Will of God or Paul must be having some sins to had God's punishment. In all these seemingly, outward weaknesses, Paul, through the grace empowerment of God, were not defeated. Pual did not give up, depressed or blame God. On the contrary, through Christ, he overcome all. The persecutions made Paul a better and stronger man. He had, through Christ, learned to face up to the challenges and obstacles and trials in his Christian living. He was able, just like James, to tell to give thanks in all circumstances, for it is the Will of God in Christ Jesus. He can testify that all things work for good to those that love God and those that are called according to His purpose.

This verse is the encouragement that we can accomplish all things, against all odds, in spite of our weaknesses and inabilities, because of Christ's empowerment, to glorify God. It is the victory of seemingly weaklings due to Christ's power inside. It remove the excuse that we cannot because we are weak. We can be confident that God who call us to will also empower us to His accomplish will with Christ that is already given to us. Praise be to God and our Lord Jesus Christ, we are strong and we are more than conqueror. I can accept my weakness and limitations and know that they are not limiting me as long as Christ is calling me to do His will. After the experience, I am sure we have the weaknesses.

Many famous preachers suffered from speech deficiency in all sorts but they nevertheless through Christ become great preachers.

I think the best interpretation for this verse is in the Message Bible. "It was a case of Christ's strength moving in on my weakness. Now I take limitations in stride, and with good cheer, these limitations that cut me down to size—abuse, accidents, opposition, bad breaks. I just let Christ take over! And so the weaker I get, the stronger I become."

The verse is not an excuse for our lack of doing but should be an encouragement and confidence for us to act. Ps 27 has a passive form of saying this, because of Christ, I have no fear of evil, danger, what man or army may do to me. I am assured of His protection and I shall dwell with Him.

Bible for Business Seminar#11 Customers & Blue Ocean Strategy

For the Customer Perspective in the Strategy Driven Map Balanced Scorecard, we must know the following:

1. The Offering is a multi-dimensional vector of factors like price, features, service, branding and so forth. The vector of the offering is known as a Strategy Curve in the Blue Ocean Strategy (BOS) methodology.
2. Customer buying decision is both rational and emotional. The encounter brings an experience. Frequent pleasant experience causes Engagement and brings Loyalty, Customer Profitability and Lifetime value.
3. We must segment our market so that we can address the customers needs better. Segment tends to be done through demographics like sex, age, incomes, etc. A more precision and effective approach is by the 'task' or 'job' performed. e.g. washing machine for the housewives, Visical for the business manager or accountants etc.
4. The values that Customers desire have moved from Rational, Emotional into Human Values and Significance. Customers may pay more for a product that is 'sustainable' - ie. protect the environment in its manufacturing and use.
   

We discussed Blue Ocean Strategy in details and with examples like Cirque du Soleil, Southwest Airline, MacDonalds etc. The methodology includes the Strategy Canvas, The 6 pathways to identify factors, and then applying ERRC (Eliminate, Reduce, Raise, Create) to come out with your unique Strategy Curve, looking at 3 tiers of non-customers, BOI Index (Buyer Utility, Price, Cost, Adoption), The Matrix of Buyer Utility Map, Profit Model and Pricing Innovation.

We also discussed the need for Re-positioning, using Blockbuster (VRC Rental), Netflix ( Internet DVD Rental) , and Video-on-Demand and Apple iPod as an example of how the market shifted with technology changes.

Finally, we discussed Customer Relationship, see point 2 above.

About 10 people came together for the Seminar. The overall rating was 90% with Length of talk scoring 100%, followed by Subject area coverage, Tech Level, Speaker Knowledge at 94%, and lowest Time of Talk at 80%. The feedbacks were:

Like Best

• Application and example
• About the chart comparison of various circus
• Blue Ocean Strategy & Application in real life example eg Google
• Red Ocean and Blue Ocean Strategy

Others

• should use some pictures or logos to capture our vision while showing so we can enjoy the session more
• Is it possible to take this seminar as a case study - how to market to more people - through email to other churches, advertisement …

Another Look at Repentance

Repentance is about knowing one's error and making a change towards God. In short, it is leaving behind and running towards God - or as Paul's saying, forgetting the past and pressing forward to the goal and calling of God Php 3:13-14.

It is an issue of the will and not of emotion though it is usually accompanied with emotion. It is emotion of determination to change and not just remorse or sorry. It is not about being sorry for being caught in the act, fear of the punishment, self-pity, only-ifs, etc. It is a change of heart, thinking and determination. It is boldness in admitting one's error and faith in God's forgiveness and God's plan.

There are two key parts - forgetting the past and pressing forward towards God. If we are still thinking about the past, then we have not complete the repentance process. Jesus tells us not to look back or turn pack once we start the journey. The best way to forget the past is to look forward. Hence, in the shortest form, repentance is just simply looking towards and seeking after God. If we just hunger and thirst for God, we would have forgotten the past and truly repented. Repentance is pursuing God and that is all.

Then I can understand Bro Lawrence's saying that when he made a mistake, he din't spend any time thinking about it -he just confessed and move on (towards God - added by me).

Here are additional sharing about repentance from my home group meeting:

1. Repentance is not just a change of direction but of a change in direction towards God. .i.e. turn to God and not just a turn.
   
2. Repentance is not just feeling sorry, regrets or remorse. These tend to be self centered. Repentance is God centric.
   
3. It is about adopting God's values - a change of our values system.
   
4. It is about a heart change rather than just a head change (change of mind).
   
5. It is not perfection - not that we will not sin again but that we have started our commitment to God.
   
6. Repentance begins with knowing or recalling God have been and is good to us. It is believing God will accept us, no matter what, when we return to Him. Such confidence in the love of God is due to past experience as per the Prodigal Son's taste of his Father goodness to him.
   
7. Lesson to Parent: Must show forth your love to your children now... so that later if they err, they will come back to you rather than stay away even when they repented.
   

Additional Discussion on what to do when a Christian Sin -

1. Laws in our Heart - We are rebirthed with an internal Compass / Conscience to guide us do to the right things.
2. Re-emphasized that Righteousness is right standing with God and not something you gain by doing but by faith.
3. If we are already saved and righteous, then why do we need to confess our sins?
1. Need to differentiate Spirit, Soul, Body.
2. Sins cause us to break fellowship.
   
3. Confession & Repentance restore fellowship.
4. We are created and saved to have fellowship with God.
5. Sins cause us to live in bondage and poor living

Proper Way of Repentance: Responsibility & Accountability

1. Admit specifically what was wrong.
2. Express desire and take action to what is right.
3. Even if we sin and result in body sickness, God provides a way (laying hand, anointing with oil by Elders) for healing thru forgiveness.
   

2 Tim 3:16 4 key things:

1. Doctrine - the truth.
2. Reproof - show what is wrong when we apply #1 Doctrine in our lives.
3. Correct - show what and how to do the right thing
4. Training in Righteousness - building up on the right habits to be champions for God.

We should move from defect-fixing thinking into champion-building thinking.

If we are righteous, then we will not be bothered by sin. No concern and no time for sinning.


How can we pursue champion-building thinking?

1. flesh vs spirit - Reliance on God rather than self
2. overcoming temptation.
3. renewed mind.
4. Break away from Bad Habits -> By Deliverance -> By Knowing the Truth vs Ungodly Beliefs that bind