"[In the course of time] there was no food in all the land, for the famine was distressingly severe, so that the land of Egypt and all the land of Canaan hung in doubt and wavered by reason of the hunger (destitution, starvation) of the famine. And Joseph gathered up all the money that was found in the land of Egypt and in the land of Canaan [in payment] for the grain which they bought, and Joseph brought the money into Pharaoh's house."  -The Greatest Love Story Ever Told 

Truly, we are living in difficult, yet opportunistic times. 

Unfortunately, most of us struggle to identify when opportunity is present.  In a time of famine, Joseph saved what other people spent (or ate up) and opened up businesses when everyone else was closing them.

How do you identify an opportunity?

1.      True opportunities benefit your skill set before benefiting your income; they give you a platform to test your wisdom, innovation, skills and creativity when no one knows who you are.

2.      True opportunities build a stage for you to benefit others (prove your value, skills and authority) before benefiting you.  They give you an opportunity to create letters, strategies, processes, projects, campaigns, productions, etc. that you have never created before.  They empower, not entitle your "life in demand."

How do you benefit your employer, clients, church or city?

No one becomes great doing only what people pay them to do. 

You will never accomplish what is in your heart working only 9-5 or continuing to do the same thing you did last year.  It's not enough that you just merely show and suit up for the game. 

You must do something with the stage you have been given.  You must seize opportunities.

In the book of Daniel, after King Nebuchadnezzar captured Judah, history tells us that he was looking for youths without blemish, well-favored in appearance and skillful in all wisdom, discernment, and understanding; apt in learning knowledge and competent to stand and serve in the king's palace - so they could teach them the literature and language of the Chaldeans.

Daniel and his 3 friends, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah were selected and the king assigned for them a daily portion of his own rich and dainty food and of the wine which he drank. They were to be so educated and so nourished for three years that at the end of that time they might stand before the king.

But DANIEL AND HIS FRIENDS refused to be tainted (or eat food from the table everyone else was eating from.) So they challenged their employer in Daniel 1:12-20: 

"Prove your servants, I beseech you, for ten days and let us be given a vegetable diet and water to drink. Then let our appearance and the appearance of the youths who eat of the king's [rich] dainties be observed and compared by you, and deal with us your servants according to what you see.  So [the man] consented to them in this matter and proved them ten days.  And at the end of ten days it was seen that they were looking better and had taken on more flesh than all the youths who ate of the king's rich dainties.  So the steward took away their [rich] dainties and the wine they were to drink and gave them vegetables. As for these four youths, God gave them knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom, and Daniel had understanding in all [kinds of] visions and dreams. Now at the end of the time which the king had set for bringing [all the young men in], the chief of the eunuchs brought them before Nebuchadnezzar.  And the king conversed with them, and among them all none was found like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah; therefore they were assigned to stand before the king. And in all matters of wisdom and understanding concerning which the king asked them, he found them ten times better than all the [learned] magicians and enchanters who were in his whole realm."

Daniel and his friends were undoubtedly uncomfortable working in a foreign land against their will.  Yet they said, "LET US PROVE THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO DO WHAT EVERYBODY ELSE IS DOING TO GET THE JOB OR PROMOTION" and God honored their faith by making them ten times better.

SOMETIMES WE LET THE ENEMY TAINT OUR GIFT AND ANOINTING WITH SPECULATION, MESS OR PEOPLE.

Dictionary.com defines the word "taint" as:  1. a trace of something bad, offensive, or harmful. 2. a trace of infection, contamination, dishonor or discredit. 

Because Daniel and his friends refused to allow what other people consumed to taint them, God made them ten times better than OTHERS IN THEIR SAME POSITION WITH TENURE.  They were not recognized as ten times better in the anointing or prayer.  Although Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams, the Babylonian system did not test them in matters of Judaism, prophecy or theology. 

So, what were they ten times better in?  They were ten times better ten times better in the law, the culture, and language of the Chaldeans; and as a result of their faithfulness, God gave them power to change times and seasons.

As 2010 ends, what are you ten times better in? 

Some of us are ten times better in complaining, murmuring, taking advantage of people, gossiping, being disorderly and idle, coming late to work, etc.  Others are constantly trying to spiritualize their unemployment or lack of contracts or success in a particular area.

I find so many people unemployed or unsuccessful because they are "waiting for someone to give them what they need." THEY SAY, "NO ONE WILL GIVE ME A JOB OR A BANK LOAN."

BUT THE REAL QUESTION IS: "HAVE YOU QUALIFIED OR POSITIONED YOURSELF FOR ONE?" (AND NOT JUST WITH THE DEGREE YOU OBTAINED YEARS AGO...LOL.) 

You see, we have gotten it backwards; if Christ is in us, then it is intrinsic in our nature to create not "wait for" jobs. 

• HOW MANY JOBS HAVE YOU CREATED AT YOUR PLACE OF EMPLOYMENT IN THE PAST YEAR?
• DO YOU CREATE JOBS OR ELIMINATE THEM WHEN YOU PUT YOUR HAND TO SOMETHING?
• WHAT OPPORTUNITIES ARE CREATED BECAUSE OF YOUR GIFT, PRESENCE, DREAMS, IDEAS AND LEADERSHIP?

If none, then you are not a lender, but a borrower.

Joseph did not wait until Pharaoh gave him a job, he was already prophesying with accuracy in prison; so when opportunity came, God simply put his name on one of the King's servant's heart and suddenly his position was changed.  He built storehouses and put jobs back into the struggling economy.

God gave me a word recently. He said: "Your people were designed like you to create jobs.  Your creativity, study and brand has already made room for you.  But you will never grow from beyond this point in your life, until you make your people what you are: A CREATOR OF NEW JOBS AND INNOVATION (fishers of what you are currently catching for them.)"

God told me to challenge my office to do the work (numbers or quotas) OF two people.  To close enough cases to hit their quota (pay their salary) and someone else's.

That's the challenge I give you; On your jobs, in your business and in your church. 

Give the amount equal to two times what you would give for yourself.

Today, list your highlights of the year.

·        In Creativity

·        Ideas Implemented

·        Results Obtained

Are you better than the year before?  What can you do to improve yourself in 2011?

You don't have to hunger or waver by reason of this recession.  You can create a store item, product or expertise that people hunger for.

What have you got to lose?

THANKS FOR READING AND FORWARDING CHAMPIONS BYTES IN 2010. 

Have an awesome 2011,

Ed Norwood

P.S.: I ask that if we have been a blessing to you in your life, you consider us with a year-end gift.  Include a line on what was YOUR FAVORITE Champion BYTE of 2010 and how Champions Unleashed has impacted your life.  Please do not hesitate.