Rework... secret of intercession

by Dale Shumaker

4spirit@gmail.com

Rework by Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson, deviate from traditional business views and have built intentionally to stay small and stay profitable. They question a lot of the notions that are popular in the business world to succeed. They succeed in that they built a business they want to live with and have a life. In writing this book, they decided to un-build and then rebuild the business from scratch. Here's some of their advice. In business or going into business they feel this will shed some new light on how to do this thing called business.

That will never work in the real world some may say. Ignore that. It may be real for them, but you don't have to live in it. You don't have to keep your secrets for success a secret from others. Failure is not a rite of passage. You can build success as you grow. When small, you can't afford failures repeatedly to learn. Build small successes and learn from them. Planning is guessing. Plans over a few pages long end up as fossils in your files. A week is long enough to plan out, and make your decisions right before you need to. It's okay to be small. If it's sustainable and profitable you should be proud of your business. Workaholics are not heroes. Real heroes figure out how to get things done faster, and be home on time. Be a starter. Get the idea, have confidence and start.

Make a dent in the universe. Make it valuable. Do something that matters. You don't have to conquer the world but make the world better for many. Scratch your own itch. Make what you need. When you solve your own problem you fall in love with what you're making, that you can be happy making for years. Ideas are cheap, what matters is how well you execute. What you want bad enough you make time for, and want to do it well. What you offer doesn't have to be loved by everyone but be loved immensely by the ones who use it. Your mission statement should be a statement of what you live, not a bunch of nice words on paper. It's believing and living it. Plan Z may be the cash flow plan. You can make it on less than you need, and less from others you think you need. Start a business not a startup and make one you will love to do all your life. Not just to build it and sell it. Live with less mass, small leases, smaller space, lower inventory, less staff.

Live with less and create self-imposed restraints. Make a great half a product and not a shoddy full product. Keep in the epicenter of your business. Ignore details early on and get rolling. Over concern with too many details slows it all down. Make decisions early as you go. It keeps you moving while keeping you motivated and keeping momentum. Throw less at the problem and focus on what won't change. Sell your by-products. Get it out there, launch now, keep quality there. Find out what really works by doing it, and not guessing it.

Being productive is getting real. Chisel out distractions and what's not relevant. Interruptions kill personal momentum... find places to work where you can stay in the flow. Meetings are toxic. Meet and discuss the problem where you can see it, and with people directly involved in it. Use judo solutions that are quick and to the core. Momentum fuels motivation, so get something done and move to the next, quickly. Don't be a hero, quitting may be the best answer. Get sleep, you think better and work better when rested. Estimate small chunks, most long term estimates suck. Make small to-do lists, and tiny decisions repetitively.

Don't copy, be original. Pour yourself into your work. Take a stand for who you are and if you pick a fight, it creates distinction and loyal followers. Under do the competition and be proud of it. Focus on you instead of they...

Give new ideas some days to rest and then move on the right priorities. Let your customer direct you. And choose the right customer for who you are, some will outgrow you so let them go.

Some don't know you now. That's great. Stay in the shadows and make your mistakes. Build your audience. Don't out-spend, instead out-teach your competition. Let people in behind the scenes and see how you do things... they'll love you for it. Be real and personal. Send notes not spam emails. Call and talk to them, see them. Be like the drug dealer... a taste of you will get them hooked. And everything is marketing, that's everything you do. Overnight success comes with years of steady audience captivating.

Hire when it hurts, until then do it yourself. Pass on great people, if you don't need them. Hire slowly and trust your gut. Hire better writers. Today so much of what we say is in emails. Test drive employees. Use in projects first to see how they work.

When you mess up, apologize. Be honest, sincere. When you build rapport your customers will be forgiving. You don't create work cultures, they happen by all you do. Avoid Rock Stars, but build a great environment for all to star. Encourage everyone to get things done and everyone knows they will leave at 5. ASAP is poison. Use emergency terms for true emergencies.

When inspired do it while inspired. Inspiration is fleeting. When inspired you get a lot done in short periods of time keeping the inspiration in what you do.

Rework has short chapters, proverbial quips graphically illustrated before each very-short section (only a page or two each). An enjoyable, enlightening, fast read, with more at 37 Signals. They have many other websites with biz tools to power up your business.

http://37signals.com/rework/

The Secret of Intercession by Andrew Murray expounds on the impact we have in peoples lives through prayer. The Glory of intercession is so much greater when a man is bold and asks from God what he desires for others. The Intercessor seeks God so God will bring down on hundreds and thousands of souls the power of eternal life with all its blessings. Intercession is the very holiest exercise of our boldness as God's children. It is the power of being used by God as His instruments for His Great work of making men His habitation and showing His Glory. Above anything else we should seek to cultivate this gift in all of God's children, the gift of unceasing prayer for a wavering world.

God will certainly avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him. All powers of Heaven are at the disposal of this intercessor, this person who prays. May God open our eyes to see this great power and its availability to us. May God's children seek the hidden treasures of Heaven, to bring them down in blessing on the world. By this intercession they do come down from Heaven to earth.

When Jesus left the earth physically, He imparted this right to ask as you will and that whatever you ask for His will to be done for them. God regards intercession as the highest expression of His people, to yield themselves to the mighty power of God. God waits for us to do our part. As we plead for this Heavenly power, God will send it down to meet our requests on earth. May we realize our position, and the extension of God's Hand is put in our hands. God calls for intercessors. He has made His work dependent on us.

We are God's channel, and it is the highest privilege we have. It's not a passing interest. It becomes our intense desire. Too long we have thought of prayer as the means for supplying our needs in life. It's higher calling is to join with God to bring the Kingdom of God down to earth. It opens the way on earth for the blessing God delights to give. When Christ ascended to Heaven the disciples knew it was their place to pray in one accord. One accord in and now as Christ represented body on earth. They were bonded together by the love and Spirit of Christ into one body. It was this that gave them their wonderful power in heaven with God and upon earth.

Christ meant to teach us that however large the field may be and however few the laborers, prayer is the best, the sure, the only means of supplying the need. We remain confident that as we intercede for the Kingdom of God to advance on earth as in Heaven, our prayers are heard, our prayers are indispensable for the coming of God's wonderful Kingdom.

(I am available for additional sharing at 4spirit@gmail.com and 417-224-3517.)

How Successful People Think... Experiencing God

by Dale Shumaker
4spirit@gmail.com
417-224-3517

How Successful People Think by John C. Maxwell outlines the how and why of successful people's ways of thinking. Maxwell explains why you should change your thinking. It is not automatic, it is difficult, but worth the investment. And he says how to be a better thinker is to expose yourself to good input, to good thinkers, think good thoughts, act on good thoughts, allow your emotions to create new good thoughts, and repeat the process. Put yourself in the right place to think... to think your thoughts, shape your thoughts, stretch your thoughts, land your thoughts and fly your thoughts.

Maxwell explains the why's and how's in each area of thinking. I will focus on the How's for each. Maxwell is very extensively thorough in explaining the why's and how''s.

Cultivate Big Picture Thinking. Look beyond the bridges you will need to cross, learn to deal with uncertainty and ambiguity, learn from every experience, gain insights from a variety of people and give yourself permission to expand the world.

Engage in Focused Thinking. Remove distractions and do first things first, make time for focused thinking, keep items of focus before you, set goals, are you making true progress.

Harness Creative Thinking. Value ideas, explore options, embrace ambiguity, celebrate the offbeat, connect the unconnected, don't fear failure and venture out. Remove negative influences and ask the right questions, and hang around creative people.

Employ Realistic Thinking. Develop appreciation for the truth, do your homework, think through pros and cons, picture worst case scenarios, align thinking with resources.

Utilize Strategic Thinking. Break down the issue, ask why before how, identify the real issues and objectives, review your resources, develop your plan, put the right people in the right place, repeat the process.

Explore Possibility Thinking. Focus on possibilities not impossibilities, stay away from experts or people who know it all, look for possibilities in every situation, dream one size bigger, question the status quo, find inspiration from great achievers.

Learn from Reflective Thinking. Set aside time for reflection, remove yourself from distractions, regularly review your calendar and journal, cement learning with actions.

Benefit from Shared Thinking. Ask these questions. Am I emotionally secure? Do I value people? Move from competition to cooperation. Have an agenda when you meet. Get the right people around the table. Compensate good thinkers and collaborators well.

Practice Unselfish Thinking. Put others first. Expose yourself to situations where people have needs. Give quietly or anonymously. Invest in people intentionally. Continuously check your motives. Give while you live.

Rely on Bottom Line Thinking. Identify the real bottom line which is what your really want. Make the bottom line the point. Create a strategic plan to achieve the bottom line. Align team members with the bottom line.

Final thoughts: "Life consists of what we think about all day." (Emerson);
"The actions of men are the best interpreters of their thoughts." (Locke)
"You are today what your thoughts have brought you. You will be tomorrow where
your thoughts take you." (Allen)
"Nothing limits achievement like small thinking." (Ward)
"Whatever is true, noble, just, pure, lovely, of a good report, think on these things."
(The Apostle Paul)

More from John C. Maxwell at
http://johnmaxwellonleadership.com/

In Experiencing God through Prayer, Madame Guyon emphasizes that you must learn to pray from your heart. She says prayer is entering the Presence of God and remaining there for Him to speak, heal, console and just be with you. Start by digesting the Word of God, and then pray the Word of God. The Kingdom of God resides in His Temple and we are now His Temple. We can enter that most Holy and Powerful place.

Look at the Lord's prayer and dwell on these words. Our Father... we are His child. Let Him know your heart's desire. Remember, what a Father does and especially our Father in Heaven, creating of us and everything we see and don't see. What can this do? Ponder on what just, "Our Father" means. Let Him reign in you, and His right to rule over you.

Then continue as you ponder and reflect on Thy Kingdom Come and Thy will be Done on Earth as in Heaven. Ask God to accomplish His will through you on earth as it is in Heaven.

"Give us this day our Daily Bread." See yourself as a sheep before your shepherd. Look to Him for your food. Tell Him about your needs and family's needs. God is within you, walks with you, so He cares for you and your personal needs. Simply yield to God's operations in you until He completes His work. It's all attainable for those who seek God, simply begin.

Enter in His Presence. Stay silent and simply enjoy God and who He is. The road to perfection is abandonment. It is the key to enter the inner court of Spirit, to abandon oneself to God, casting off all selfish cares in order to be at His Divine disposal. Guyon says you must want only what God has willed from eternity. Remain steadfast in God and all things will be done to perfection. Put your confidence in God and remain quiet where He has placed you. Forgetting your faults when in His Presence is proof you have been purified in them.

Be led by the Spirit. When you are not being led by the Spirit you will feel either forced or constrained. When under the Spirit your actions will be free, easy, and so natural that it will almost seem as though you have not acted at all. When your spirit is centered on God, all activities He initiates will be noble, full of peace, natural, and so spontaneous that it will appear to you there has hardly been any activity at all. God's attraction is both a perfume to allure and an ointment to heal. Yet each soul is given freedom without constraint to follow Him. God never uses force, instead He attracts us by His powerful sweet presence.

God assures us that we need fear nothing. He promises to take very special care of us.
"Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she would not have compassion on the son of her womb." (Isaiah 49:15-16)

After reading these beautiful words of consolation, how can you ever again be afraid of abandoning yourself wholly to the Guidance of God!

The Spirit will increase in proportion to as you lose your self hood. By departing from self-hood, you will have acquired the purity and innocence of God. Gold cannot be purified except by fire, which consumes all that is earthly and foreign. Our earthly part must be melted and dissolved by the force of fire. It must be cast again and again into the furnace until it has lost every trace of pollution and every possibility of being further purified. You must be purged through the fire to be purged of self. It may last a long time. But do not become discouraged. Yield yourself to the Divine Spirit until you are wholly absorbed in Him.

Press on, press on, press on to know God.

(You can personally contact me at 417-224-3517, 4spirit@gmail.com ...and I also do courtesy on-site presentations of biz book summaries with a Spiritual spin.)

The Power of the Subconscious Mind... entering the Inner Chamber

by Dale Shumaker,
4spirit@gmail.com,
417-224-3517

The Power of the Subconscious Mind by Joseph Murphy, a classic, elaborates on how powerful the mind is in helping us achieve health, happiness and wealth in our lives. Miracle working power for you exists in your subconscious mind. It fulfills what you tell it. Your desires are prayers. The mind is based on a principle, just like electricity is a principle. Cooperate with its inherent powers, and marvelous inventions and discoveries which will bless humanity will come your way.

You must know what belief is and how it works. The Bible says it simply. "Say to this mountain to move, if you don't doubt in your heart, believe it will happen, and you will have whatever you ask for." (Mark 11:2)

The mind has two functions... objective and subjective. The conscious mind is objective and makes judgment calls. The subconscious is subjective and carries out what the conscious mind tells it. The subconscious mind is very powerful with vast capabilities to do very miraculous things. Give your subconscious mind the right orders from your conscious mind and it will carry them out for you. So control the ways you think, the attitudes, and what you think about because the subconscious is designed to fulfill these as commands you want. Think on things that are true, honest, just, pure, lovely, of good report.

The subconscious mind accepts what is impressed on it or what you consciously believe. It's like soil. It accepts the seed you put in it, and bears the fruit of that seed. Whatever you plant will grow. The more you plant, the more what you plant grows. The conscious mind is the watchman at the gate to protect the subconscious mind. The subconscious mind is amenable to suggestion. It simply reacts to the impressions given to it by the conscious mind. When a suggestion is accepted by the conscious mind and given to the subconscious mind, it then is taken as a command to be fulfilled by the subconscious mind. Consequently, when you use autosuggestion, deliberately planting in your subconscious mind what you really desire, it will direct you to that. Use autosuggestion to achieve noteworthy things in your life. You can restore memory, overcome fear, counteract negatives in life... choose happiness and abundance and you will have that. Don't say "I can't," or "it won't" but believe and say the exceptional for you and it will direct you to experience it or achieve it.

The subconscious mind is one with infinite intelligence and boundless wisdom. What you impress to the subconscious mind, it will move heaven and earth to bring it to pass. The subconscious mind is always working for you. It runs your body automatically. Take control of your conscious mind, and you will express, reproduce your habitual thinking. Put yourself in a restful sleepy state. Affirm to it what you want to come to pass, and it will. Also use disciplined, scientific imagination. What you believe in prayer will be done. Implanting desires is the same as prayer to your subconscious mind.

Imagine the end desired, feel its reality, life force will respond to your conscious request. Believe you have already received, and you will receive. The law of life is belief, faith. It is done unto you as you believe. Apply the power of prayer therapy in your life. Choose a certain mental picture. Unite mentally and emotionally with that picture. As you remain faithful to that mental attitude, that prayer will be answered. If you want the power to heal you can do it through faith.

Blessed are those who thirst after righteousness. Apply these mental techniques for impregnating the subconscious mind. Create a blueprint for your life like a builder would for a house. Impress that blueprint on your mind of your life design. Dwell upon it and claim it as yours, and your subconscious mind will bring it to pass.

Use prayer. Asking, seeking, knocking continually will cause your creative mind to respond to your mental picture. Along with this, apply contemplation.
Visualize and see your desire in your minds eye. Before everything you do, visualize a series of events unfolding as you desire.
Create mental movies and experience all the emotions, pleasures, satisfactions of the event as you ideally hope it to be.
The Baudoin Technique is going into a sleepy, drowsy state. Then in a quiet, passive, reflective way convey the idea to your subconscious. Use a short rhythmic phrase like a lullaby and repeat it continuously to your mind.
The subconscious mind is most receptive in the sleepy state so use this time to consciously instruct it to what you desire. Use affirming thoughts to state what you most highly hope for in your life.
The Thank You technique greatly influences the subconscious mind. Express appreciation for the outcome you want as if it has already happened, that it exists right now. Thank God for taking care of the matter.
The Affirmative Method of prayer conforms to the principles of life. It works like the principles of mathematics. To affirm, you state that a situation is as you want it to be, regardless of any evidence to the contrary. When you do this you will receive your answer to prayer.
The Absolute Method is reflecting onto a person God's love as you think of the person and their healing or desire needed. Contemplating the attributes of God in someone's life generates Spiritual sound waves bringing harmony, love, health, peace into that person's life. Many remarkable healings have followed this method of prayer.
The Decree Method involves the power of our word decreeing into someone's life what they wish for. Power goes into words according to the feeling and truth behind it. It does not require force in our speech but said reassuringly, affirmingly to the person. "I release into you..." may be one way to begin a decree statement. What we say to people, has power on their subconscious mind and it becomes them.

Every thought entertained by your conscious mind accepted as true is sent to your brain's solar plexus, the brain of your subconscious mind, to be made into flesh, and to be brought forth into your world as a reality. When fear, false beliefs, and negative patterns are made to register into your subconscious mind through psychological, emotional conditioning, there is no other course open to the subconscious mind except to act on the blueprint specifications offered it. You are the sum total of your own thoughts. You can keep from entertaining negative thoughts. The way to overcome negative thoughts is to substitute the good thought. Affirm the good and the bad will vanish. Go your way, your faith has healed you. Impress the subconscious mind with faith, convincing it of the idea through repetition, faith, expectancy.

Whatever you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive it. The three steps of prayer are to take a look at the problem, turn to the solution known by your subconscious mind, rest in a deep conviction that it will be done. The best time to impregnate your subconscious mind is prior to sleep. This will line up your imagination with your desires.

Murphy goes on to show this will affect bringing riches in your life, having effective business partners, strong marriage relationships, being happy, forgiving, and building great relationships. He emphasizes the power of sleep impressing your desires into the subconscious mind through imagination. Whatever mental picture, backed by faith, you behold in your conscious mind, your subconscious will bring to pass.
More from Joseph Murphy at
http://josephmurphy.wwwhubs.com/

Murphy talks about powers of the mind, although the Spirit of God goes deeper.
The Inner Chamber is the most Holy Place of God. The Actual Presence of God.
The Spiritual mystics of old talked about it frequently. Andrew Murray, Madame Guyon learned the secret of depth in Spirit is entering the Inner Chamber. What does this mean?

In the Most Holy Place, the Inner Chamber, is the Presence, the actual presence of God himself. It is what Moses experienced at the mountain with God, what Paul experienced in meeting Jesus himself after His death from the earthly body. It was where the disciples were on the mountain of transfiguration. It was where the Prophets went frequently as they sought wisdom, guidance... eliciting the very Power of God, the very creator of the universe who creates and recreates all things. This actual Presence and Power of God is available to us when we enter the Most Holy Place, the Presence of God.

With this right we now have through Jesus, we have at our availability for all we do the full extent of God's Power, love, joy, peace and happiness within us. There is not one Good thing that God will withhold from those who live in His Presence. (Psalm 84:11)

The body naturally recreates itself over a year. Most origins of our body are rebuilt from brand new cells. Our economy creates and recreates. We have economic downturns about every 7 years. We must constantly create and recreate our economic systems. Relations recreate every 7 years. The 7-year inch is actually our relationships wanting to go to a higher and deeper level.

In the Inner Chamber, God recreates our lives daily. As often as we go into the Inner Chamber we experience a newer, a heightened, a deeper presence of God's very nature that lives with us throughout the day. Just as God created the world, He is building a New Thing in our lives constantly. That's the significance of the Inner Chamber. This all Happens while in the Inner Chamber of God, the Most Holy Place, the Supernatural Creating Power of God. Here we meet and are intimately intercoursing with our eternal presence that is all powerful. The Inner Chamber gives us power beyond our ability to measure and comprehend. This is the secret to power, a power beyond our ability to even grasp, that Supernaturally directs our lives. Run to the Inner Chamber, dwell there and give up all things to be there. Our power resides there. When Murphy says turn things over to the subconscious mind, and it will create all things, he is touching on what the Inner Chamber of God is. We have that privilege now through Jesus to get there, live there, and depend on its Intelligence and Power to change all things as God directs. Read about the Inner Chamber in Hebrews 8, 9, 10... here are a few excerpts:

"But now Jesus, our High Priest, has been given a ministry that is far superior to the old priesthood, for He is the one who mediates for us a far better covenant with God, based on better promises.

But this is the new covenant I will make
with the people, says the Lord:
I will put my laws in their minds,
and I will write them on their hearts.

I will be their God,
and they will be my people.
And they will not need to teach their neighbors,
nor will they need to teach their relatives,
saying, ‘You should know the Lord.’
For everyone, from the least to the greatest,
will know me already. (Heb. 8: 6, 10 NLT)

By these regulations the Holy Spirit revealed that
the entrance to the Most Holy Place was not freely open
as long as the Tabernacle and the system it represented were still in use.
And so, dear brothers and sisters,
we can boldly enter heaven’s Most Holy Place because of the blood of Jesus.
By His death, Jesus opened a new and life-giving way through the curtain into the Most Holy Place. And since we have a great High Priest who rules over God’s house, let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting him. (Heb. 9:8; 10: 19, NLT)

Get this... We can personally, without anyone else standing in on our behalf, enter directly in God's presence, talk to him directly and live with the expectation God personally hears us. With that, all His World-creating Power is with us.
He will respond to our conversations, intimate times with Him. It is so intimate, more than any intimacy we can experience in our earthly bodies.

Integrate what Murphy says with what the Scriptures say, and you will have universe impacting power.

In Christ in the School of Prayer by Andrew Murray (chapter 3), he states.

"And the first thing the Lord teaches His disciples is that they must have a secret place for prayer; every one must have some solitary spot where he can be alone with his God. Every teacher must have a schoolroom. We have learned to know and accept Jesus as our only teacher in the school of prayer. And yet He wants each one to choose for himself the fixed spot where He can daily meet him. That Inner Chamber, that solitary place, is Jesus’ schoolroom. That spot may be anywhere; that spot may change from day to day if we have to change our abode; but that secret place there must be, with the quiet time in which the pupil places himself in the Master’s presence, to be by Him prepared to worship the Father. There alone, but there most surely, Jesus comes to us to teach us to pray.

He will see to it that the answer to prayer be made manifest in His blessing upon us. ...our part there should be the childlike simplicity of faith, the confidence that our prayer does bring down a blessing. ‘He that cometh to God must believe that He is a rewarder of them that seek Him.’ Not on the strong or the fervent feeling with which I pray does the blessing of the closet depend, but upon the love and the power of the Father to whom I there entrust my needs. And therefore the Master has but one desire: Remember your Father is, and sees and hears in secret; go there and stay there, and go again from there in the confidence: He will recompense. Trust Him for it; depend upon Him: prayer to the Father cannot be vain; He will reward you openly.

In the Inner Chamber we enter the very Presence of God.
This has amazing implications for our lives.
Go there often.


(Feel free to contact me directly at 417-224-3517, 4spirit@gmail.com ,
and I will do a free book summary presentation at your place if you like.)

The Most Successful Small Business in the World... the creator of all things

by Dale Shumaker
4spirit@gmail.com
417-224-3517

The Most Successful Small Business in the World by Michael Gerber is about teaching you how to conceive and build the most successful small business in the world. Gerber explains the ten principles that if you follow you will do this.

The First principle. A small business built rightly can grow 10,000 times its current size. The reason for the book is to talk about the process for creating something that has meaning, something bigger, something you can write home about. Create a business that has the ability to do just that. What can you do that can be replicated again and again.

The Second principle. A small business is no more effective than upon the idea it is built. If you fix cars and bill $100 an hour that's all you will get. But, what if you built a business that teaches people how to fix cars. Is the idea worthy of growth? Is it waiting to be done... something quite miraculous.

The Third Principle. A small business is a system in which all parts contribute to the success or failure of the whole. It means that the system is focused outside of the business, rather than inside of the business. It's focused on the customer. The ideas of the business are more important than the work of the business.

The old mindset is start with what you have and move out from there. The new mindset is start on the outside where the customer is, the idea for the customer that is the heart, mind and soul of the customer. The parts needing addressed outside the business are the customer parts, competitor parts, channels of distribution parts, media parts, financial parts. Then in the inside of the business are the strategic parts, tactical parts and incremental parts. Order is the word of the day, which calls for symmetry, balance, consistency, integration of parts that fit well together.

The Fourth Principle. A small business must be sustainable through all economic conditions, in all matters, providing meaningful, highly differentiated results to the customer. The ten principles can not fail you. The fundamentals of success are to choose the most ordinary (something everyone will use), constantly improve, listen to your customer, respond to what you hear, see, and feel, set high standards, write the exquisite story, live your story.

The Fifth Principle. A small business is a school in which its employees are students, with the intention, will, and determination to grow. You don't find the right people, you create the right people. They must be voracious students and you must be a voracious teacher. What do they need to learn? Ask the right questions to find out. They need to learn about life and work, money and management, entrepreneurship and creating a business, skills for it, and how to think and develop beyond where they are.

The Sixth Principle. A small business must manifest the higher purpose upon which it was seeded, the vision it was meant to exemplify, the mission it was intended to fulfill. The higher aim is not to stimulate a purchase. Rather, it is to provide a result that authentically serves a human being in the process of emerging from where they are to where they could be. It is no longer acceptable for the new entrepreneur to stimulate a sale where the purchaser ends up in exactly the same place they were when the sale was made.

The five components of higher purpose have these steps... the first step is awakening, to discovering, then to experiencing, next internalizing and the fifth step is becoming. We awaken from our sleep and see ourselves for who we are. We become the mover instead of the moved. We see who we are and are meant to be. The sense of it becomes real to you and you see the color, the shape, the energy of it. A transformation begins and we create a new life, always seeing and advancing new possibilities. We are in constant movement and the higher purpose drives us to be in a perpetual state of moving beyond.

The Seventh Principle. A small business is the fruit of a higher aim in the mind of the person who conceived it. You have been given a destiny to create a new world. You are called to fulfill your destiny. You are to grown beyond making a living to creating a world that is a much better place. It resides in your higher aim. You are to pursue this aim which is your purpose, your destiny.

The Eighth Principle. A small business possesses a life of its own, in the service of G-d, in whom it finds reason. The source of our self is G-d. We must believe that G-d is and that He wants us to pursue the impossible. What would G-d have us do? If G-d is not present in your heart, in your imagination, in your desire to create the most successful small business in the world, the possibility of creating it would not exist. With G-d in your life, how would this affect your dream, your vision, your mission, your purpose? So, what would G-d have you do?

The Ninth Principle. A small business is an economic entity, driving an economic reality, creating an economic certainty for the communities in which it thrives. Henry Ford said that if money is your hope for independence you will never have it. The only real security man has is a reserve of knowledge, experience, and ability. Money does not create money. It is simply the fuel that feeds energy. If each sole proprietor could hire five people, could just grow five times where it started, what would be the financial impact on the community it serves? Money is not the answer, but reviving the entrepreneur spirit is the answer. We are given the freedom to choose our own life path, to imagine and build what we imagine. Government giving out money is not the solution. Transforming sole proprietors to become developed entrepreneurs is what will transform the economy. It's not the money, it's getting the idea.

The Tenth Principle. The small business creates a standard against which all small businesses are measured as either successful, or not, to upgrade the possibility for all small businesses to thrive beyond the standards that formally existed, whether stated or not. The standards of a small business to be measured against are: Spiritual Standards, the human spirit and soul of the business. Psychological standards, the state of mind of the people. Ethical standards, the appropriateness of the choices made. Philosophical standards, the belief system or the world view held by the company.

In conclusion, what in the world would you do with wealth you earn? What purpose does G-d have for you in your purpose? Does this fulfill your purpose on earth, the purpose of your soul?

http://www.michaelegerber.com/

All things we see and don't see are created by Christ according to the Bible. We are made to live out the Mind of Christ, and all things Christ did on earth. We are made to have his mind. This mind must be developed as the Scriptures also say that we are to renew our minds.

In a survey of the Scriptures we see all that Jesus did on earth He went to the Father in Heaven, or God. Now, He does the same for us. To assist us in accomplishing all things, He goes to the Father for us. The Apostle Paul reminds us that the great secret is that Jesus lives in us. "And this is the secret: Christ lives in you. This gives you assurance of sharing his glory." (Colossians 1:27, NLT)

The very person and power that Jesus possessed on earth now resides in us. Slowly ponder these Scriptures from Colossians 1.
^"Christ is the visible image of the invisible God.
He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation,
for through him God created everything in the heavenly realms and on earth.
He made the things we can see and the things we can’t see,
such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world.
Everything was created through him and for him.

He existed before anything else, and he holds all creation together.
Christ is also the head of the church, which is his body.
He is the beginning, supreme over all who rise from the dead.
So he is first in everything.

For God in all his fullness was pleased to live in Christ,
and through him God reconciled everything to himself.
He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth
by means of Christ’s blood on the cross." (NLT)

Our purpose is derived out of this life living out Jesus who exists in us. The part that requires some work in having the mind of Jesus as our normal way of thinking. It is a Spiritual mind of unlimited possibilities. Our natural, flesh and blood, mind is limited by its experiences. The mind and subconscious mind function from what we see in the natural, have seen in the natural, and conclusions we have drawn with our natural mind in all these circumstances.

The challenge then is to deliberately renew, transform, re-create a mind that functions in the same belief system as Jesus had on earth. When we do this and reflect as Jesus showed us on earth, we will be one in mind and Spirit... then we have potential to do all things as Jesus did. Reflect on this possibility. Through Jesus all that is and was created was made through Him. Jesus was assigned to create everything we see and don't see.

If Jesus made all the most intricate systems in nature, the body, the climate, the vegetation, all things that are made with precision functioning and uninterrupted in its abilities to perform. If Jesus did all this, what can He do for us. He can create, recreate, remake, transform through natural process and through supernatural process everything around us that we need transformed.

We have unimaginable power at work in us, through us and for us. We can count on this power being at work in us. We have power over everything around us, and can recreate through Him all that can be imagined. The key is Jesus did everything for the purpose He was put on earth to accomplish. He did only the things which were meant to complete His purpose and satisfy God's will for Him.

That's why God's purposes for us is so important. If we are working in line with God's purpose for us, all things, as were available to Jesus on earth, are also available to us. Jesus never focused on what people said to Him. He knew His purpose and what He was called to do on earth. He stayed constantly focused on His Heavenly purpose and calling.

People's views of what He was doing didn't deter His actions of purpose on earth. We should be the same way. Tune in to God's purpose and not be miss-directed by views of friends, relatives, personal setbacks, and stick the course to God's place, purpose, calling for us.

We must dwell on this potential that works with so much might through us. We must constantly return to this as a true power. We must not let circumstances dictate a false sense of identity as weakness or incompleteness.

Adverse conditions and setbacks may want to dictate a sense of inadequacy in us. Our belief remains in God's power, through Jesus that works steadily through us. As the Apostle Paul says that His Power works powerfully through him. May we declare the same.


(Feel free to contact me directly at 417-224-3517, 4spirit@gmail ,
and I will do a free book summary presentation at your place if you like.)

Three Feet from Gold... being an intercessor

by Dale Shumaker
4spirit@gmail.com
417-224-3517

Three Feet from Gold by Sharon Lechter and Greg Reid brings us an update of Napoleon Hill's Think and Grow Rich Classic and how it still is having a revolutionary impact on business success today. The authors interviewed the highly successful of today as Napoleon Hill did in the early 1900's. They found most attributed their success to being students of Napoleon Hill's works.

To establish the theme for the book, Three Feet from Gold, they told the story of how a speculator went looking for gold. He made a discovery, invested in more excavating equipment, but then ran out of finding enough gold to pay back his investment. He gave up and sold his land to a junkman. The junkman hired a mining engineer to help evaluate their mining and he directed the junkman to go perpendicular from the direction the original mines were going.

It turned out they were only three feet from a major gold fault line. The previous miners were digging the wrong direction. The point is don't quit and get expert advice when you run into a snag.

The rest of Three Feet from Gold is a review of Greg's journey to write the book and his encounter with other great successful people, many from the Napoleon Hill Foundation. Here's a run through of his notes and insights this produced. You will see a review of Napoleon Hill's principles throughout.

Some quick quips:
"The most common cause of failure is quitting."
"Before success comes, you will surely meet with temporary failure."
"To succeed you must have stickability."

He cautions us... do not make major decisions in a valley. Write down your dreams, review and revise constantly and keep pursuing new avenues from your failures and setbacks. The direction we choose every day is up to us.

The success formula is
(P + T) x A x A = success.
P... what's your Passion.
T... then add your Talent.
A... multiply this by your Associations.
A... then multiply all this by Action.
Later on they added faith to the formula as the book was nearing being a published reality.

One unique point is the problem of overplanning. Most overplan they say, and it is important to keep taking action as you know what to do next. Learn from each step and from that determine your next best action step. Each experience trains you and leads you to another. Keep climbing safe. Focus on people more than profits.

More of Greg's discovery nuggets from his interviews.

Be Goal Driven. Set high standards.

Use master mind groups. Use intelligence and accomplished experience from others who know something about what you are attempting to do.

When you are right, stick with it... and keep reminding yourself that success is the reward for setbacks. Most people give up too soon.

Do common things in a common way to get uncommon results. If you know you are right, keep doing what you're doing until it works.

Every wealth creator is crystal clear about two things... a vision and a mission.

You need two kinds of courage... First the courage to start, and then the courage to never quit. Replace your wishbone with backbone.

Believe in yourself. Find others who believe in you... even if only one person. Run from people with negative attitudes.

Opportunities surround you. Be a job-maker, not a job-taker. Make your own opportunities.

Adjust your attitude. If you want something to change then change the way you look at it.

Build energy, idea stimulating associations. Most important... find good ones that harmonize with you and that inspire you. Never let people stand in your way.

Turn adversity into advantages. Turn your doubts and doubting people into a catalyst to persevere. Be willing to change. A dream is a reality waiting for you to get there. Don't quit. (Keep saying this. We need to hear it a lot.) Never let mistakes define who you are. Make diversity and defeat motivators. Every adversity carries a seed of a greater benefit. It's the way of thinking of the achievers, accomplishers of visions and dreams.

It's always a new beginning... sometimes the worst situations turn out to be the best opportunities.

Act as if your dream is already happening, and never believe in never. Don't quit five minutes before your miracle. You're three feet from gold.

Add Faith to your success equation.
Passion plus talent times associations times action... adding faith...
equals success.

This inspired me to do my own talent evaluation and calculate my net worth.
In the 70's I completed two advanced degrees in educational communications and educational administration.
In the 80's, went to biz boot camp... built a media/video production business.
In the 90's, I was exposed to thousands of hours of personal skill development audio/video courses published by the best achievement coaches in the country.
In the 2000's completed and published summaries of over 100 best selling biz books.
Add to this wisdom (that's knowledge simmered by experience) and a special Spiritual practicum of life.
And considering the contribution I have made in my life time to hundreds of people from individuals, entrepreneurs, Fortune 500 companies, professionals...
I figured my intellectual, experience, Spiritual intelligence assets to be worth over $1,000,000 in accomplished value.

Add yours up... you'll be amazed. Now, pass it on as I do through the Spirit Savvy Business blog. We can change the world.

At the end of Three Feet From Gold, there is an outline for creating your own personal success equation.
http://www.threefeetaway.com/

Intercessory prayer is prayer on behalf of others. This idea that we can affect people's lives other than our own is an awesome idea. Many have a specific gifting in interceding in prayer for others, to pray for others and see a positive change in the life and circumstances in the person.

In Intercession: the Throne Ministry by T. Austin-Sparks, he outlines the characteristics of the intercessor.

The Intercessor....
1. must know the Word of God.
2. be in His Spirit.
3. identifies himself with the Body of Christ.
4. is concerned about the Full Purpose of the Body of Christ.
5. will birth and bring Christ forth in fullness in other believers by the Holy Spirit.
6. will have discernment on how and what to pray.
7. will yield to the Holy Spirit for God's thoughts.
8. is not an escapist from trials of his own, so he will understand the trials of others.
9. stands against wickedness in heavenly places.
10. is an enemy of God's enemies.
11. is known in hell.
12. is a fighter who comes into active Spiritual warfare.
13. knows the authority of Christ and his position in Christ.
14. pours out his complaints before God and not men.
15. goes to his closet and becomes one with Christ.
16. knows much is required of his role.
17. is meek and lowly.
18. is a bondservant to the Holy Spirit.
19. is a person who is entrusted in the care of the Body of Christ.
20. will let Christ and the Holy Spirit pray through him.
21. is a Spiritual father to others.
22. involves one's whole life.
23. recognizes spiritual conflict in the heavens.
24. prays and intercedes in the night hours.

In If You Will Ask by Oswald Chambers, he advises us that the one we are praying for knows nothing about it. But after passing time, the life of the one prayed for shows signs of unrest and disquiet. But after praying for a while, they will begin to soften and desire to know something.

The battle is in prayer. We pray not because we are helpless, but prayer is where the power is. It is God the All Mighty one at work. All power is given through Jesus who defeated all the elements of earth. We share in this.

Also remember delays in prayer may not have anything to do with God not answering prayer, but God wanting to come closer to us. This is what He is doing in delays in answer to prayer. So delays increase our intimacy with Him and Knowing Him. We are all called to pray and prayer is where we win battles.

Learn the art of prayer and be diligent in prayer and you will change the world and bring the Glory of Christ to earth.

(Feel free to contact me directly at 417-224-3517, 4spirit@gmail.com ,
and I will do any book summary free at your place.)

Put More Cash in Your Pocket... Count your Blessings

by Dale Shumaker
4spirit@gmail.com
www.spiritsavvy.net

Put more Cash in Your Pocket by Loral Langemeier was published in paperback right out the shoot. It is her response to help those who have seen incomes diminish to get back to where they want. Loral's theme is that you don't need to scrimp, but find ways to make money to cover the difference. Everyone can make an extra $500 to $1000 a month by putting Loral's business process in motion. People don't want to start businesses but make extra money. She shows how to create a small business(income venture) to make that extra money with what you have now. Here are the ingredients she identifies that will get you there, and get you there in 30 days.

When most people see their money getting tight, they usually find ways to cut back. Loral says this is the wrong way of thinking. The best thing you can do when finances get tight is to focus on making more money. In this quickly released book, she said you start by uncovering the skills you have, come up with money making ideas around your skills, test if the idea can make money fast, execute the idea immediately, perfect the idea later. She shares this process with worksheets in the book...on making more money ($500 to $1000 every month) to pay off debt or get the things you want. Along the way, Loral has several stories of how other regular folks have done it.
For now, follow her worksheet suggestions and this will get you on the way.

You can make new money and not squirrel away what you have.Written so the average person can follow, she likens her process to setting up your own lemonade stand. You draw on skills and abilities you already possess. Do what you know that the customer already understands, what you already do at work or have done. Do a work/task list of everything you do every day to find niches. Make a hobby list. What chores do you do and how do you do them? What services have you volunteered for? Now make a list of all you can do, that you know people want or need.

Discover the idea. From the lists above craft your skills and abilities. List the resources you have and will need to do what you want to do. Describe the type of personality you have. Get a handle on this. Do what is consistent with who you are.

Test the idea. Figure out how many hours a week it will take to make what you want. How many piano lessons, clients for your dog-sitting service a month at what rate will it take to make $1000 a month. Do the math. See if people will pay that. The idea is making money fast. What money path will it follow? How long will it take to get paid for what you do? Try making a simple flow chart how the money will flow. Find names, addresses, phone numbers in the phone book, do an internet search. If others are doing what you are doing it means a market exists.

Replicate and Duplicate. Follow the leaders and do as others have done in what you want to do. Model your business after an existing business. It's about making money fast, so copy what you see working by others. Talk to other businesses and talk to them as a potential customer to see how they do it. What do you see as the best elements of their business operation you can duplicate? After checking out a few businesses come up with the best plan for you.

The right price. Compare what others charge and charge a little more. It is better to go after customers willing to pay more for something extra than to target customers who are looking for the least expensive option. Loral gives examples of how to price certain products or services.

Be similar but different. It is easier to sell something people are already buying, but create your distinction. Your distinct advantage considers better service, extra value, higher quality, convenience. List five distinctions for what you do. In two sentences, write a track talk on what you do. In these sentences cover your business offer, service/product you provide, distinct advantage, to whom you provide your services.

Ask for cash. Write down your direct positive pitch to your customer. Have your paperwork ready which includes your order form, a one-page contract, a flier, your price list. Describe your customer and write down names and addresses of them. Write down your message and the tools you will use to communicate your message. Consider websites (some have ready to use online tools), online social networking. Seek rejections. Get ten people to turn you down and find out the reason they did. Change your message each time to improve on what each didn't like. After ten rejections you will have found a much stronger message.

Take a moment to reflect on what you got so far. Create a list of the steps to take to get your business up and running. Develop a procedure to follow from getting an order through fulfilling that order.Track every dollar coming and going. Create a countdown checklist and write down everything you need to do to get things up and running. Create a list of expenses that are tax deductible and be sure to keep records of all these areas.

Doing your business is your learning experience. From every action you will learn something. Bad days will teach a lot, so learn from them and keep going. Loral says that you will learn in this sequence...Action... Experience... Evidence... Confidence... Action.

From every action you will start to grow. You may want to formalize the business. Check on business license in your area, consult with an accountant and attorney, computerize, community-ize (get around, get involved), expand operations, widen market, added additional products/services.

Learn how to earn. Read books, websites of those who know. Teach your children how money works by your example. They may want to build a lemonade stand someday.The back of the book has IRS forms to show you some records you will want to keep.

Loral invites you to join Live Out Loud athttp://liveoutloud.com/

You are beautifully and wonderfully made.
There is no one like you. Many see it and marvel at who you are. Consider this and let your bright side show.

You are beautifully and wonderfully made... as David the psalmist wrote in Psalm 139:

To you the night shines as bright as day.
Darkness and light are the same to you.
13 You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body
and knit me together in my mother’s womb.
14 Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex!
Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it.
15 You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion,
as I was woven together in the dark of the womb.
16 You saw me before I was born.
Every day of my life was recorded in your book.
Every moment was laid out
before a single day had passed.
17 How precious are your thoughts about me, O God.
They cannot be numbered!
18 I can’t even count them;
they outnumber the grains of sand!
And when I wake up, you are still with me!

The Great hymn, Count your Blessings, is so practical. Take your pen and paper and write down all the things you did in life and and all the skills and abilities they show you have. These are God's Blessings. Keep your eyes on this and remember there are even more. The Lyrics to the song go somethings like this.
Count your blessings, name them one by one.
Count your blessings and note all that God has done.
Count your blessings, and see what God has built in you.
Count your blessings and see the gifts he still has for you to use.

Ponder in your heart the original lyrics of this hymn written in 1897. Read them thoughtfully and see all God has done and will still do through you.

When upon life’s billows you are tempest tossed,
When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost,
Count your many blessings, name them one by one,
And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.

Count your blessings, name them one by one,
Count your blessings, see what God hath done!
Count your blessings, name them one by one,
And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.

Are you ever burdened with a load of care?
Does the cross seem heavy you are called to bear?
Count your many blessings, every doubt will fly,
And you will keep singing as the days go by.
When you look at others with their lands and gold,
Think that Christ has promised you His wealth untold;
Count your many blessings.

Wealth can never buy Your reward in heaven, nor your home on high.So, amid the conflict whether great or small,
Do not be disheartened, God is over all;
Count your many blessings, angels will attend,
Help and comfort give you to your journey’s end.

All the Gifts of God are in you. All the gifts you need to get through... God's Spirit has provided for you.

(Contact me directly at 417-224-3517, 4spirit@gmail.com , I also do free on-site presentations.)