The Perfect Business Plan- The Preparation
"Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the Lord's purpose that prevails." Proverbs 19:21
It is imperative that we be prepared for any task set before us. To many times, we go into a situation that ends in failure because we were not adequately prepared. Failure to achieve the goal not only looses what we were trying to accomplish, but it also cast a negative image on ourselves as leaders. To be doing it under the authority and approval of God, is to cast that same negative image upon God. We must remember when God created us, He was well pleased in His accomplishment. Therefore, He expects us to do our best at anything we do. That requires a safe proof plan.
In verses 6 - 9 in chapter one of Joshua, God prepares Joshua mentally and spiritually for the task He has appointed unto him. His first teaching to Joshua is to "be strong and courageous". God then reminds Joshua of the importance of the task before him. This is no ordinary task, it is to lead the people of Israel into the promise land. It is a task of unparalleled magnitude. Without question, it is a God plan, created by God, and for the people of God. But isn't that true with any task we undertake in our business? God bought us with the price of His Son and, therefore, He owns all of us including our business. Our business then, should be for His purpose and His glory. Sure, we are required by God to work for our benefit. God in his grace, has given each of us the opportunity to realize our desires and to use our gifts in a business that can meet our needs, the needs of others, and God's needs. But if it is a God idea that we are undertaking, then should we not approach it as leading the people into the promise land? Our reputation as Christian business men and God's reputation is at stake in every business activity from paying the bills to the warranty on the products.
God is so wise. He knows what it is going to take to accomplish a task. Anytime we set out on the road to accomplish something, there will be those who resist our plan and criticize the idea. Strength and courage will be needed to persist against these two enemies. Criticism and resistance are the occupational hazards of someone leading a cause. God tells Joshua he will need to have a super natural strength to keep on when most people would fold. Criticism is probably the most dangerous of all. A little bid of criticism and most people are wiped out. God needs a person who will persist beyond the difficult circumstance, beyond the criticism, and beyond the resistance. It takes courage to tackle a bold idea and to initiate the plan.
God next tells Joshua to stay in His word and to "meditate on it day and night.". We are not to "turn away from it to the right or to the left." The Bible is the Book on wisdom and leadership. It is the Book on knowing a God idea from our idea and it is the Book on what it takes to fulfill all we need and desire. It is where we get our spiritual preparation.
God says, and we must believe, that if we follow God's principles and submit our plans to Him, "then we will have success". Many books have been written on how to be successful, but none have all the right and perfect answers. Only the Bible has been written by God himself.
When Joshua and Caleb were sent out to spy on the land of Canaan, they were prepared to follow God into battle to conquer the land promised and reserved by God. But the people hesitated. Why? They were standing at the threshold of the promise land. They had all the information needed to move forward. They had two men of God who they had been following out of slavery in Egypt. Yet, they disobeyed God and listened to the report of the other men. They concluded that the task was bigger than themselves or God. The people and the other ten spies were not mentally and spiritually prepared to carry out God's plan. As a result, they never set foot on the promise land.
We are week people. We fold at the magnitude of the task. We listen to people we have no business listening to. We doubt God can, or will, do anything through us. In his new book, EntreLeadership, Dave Ramsey states that the biggest problem we face in our business is ourselves. It is because we are not who we need to be, and we blame our problems on everyone and everything except ourselves. George Barna in his book, THINK LIKE JESUS, states our problems come from the fact that we do not think like Jesus. I believe they are both right. I also believe God is right when He told Joshua in verse 9;" Have I not commanded you: Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified: do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go."
God has to prepare us mentally and spiritually before He can give us the perfect business plan. We have to be willing to listen and believe.
