You need to plan toward consistent maintenance for your beliefs and business and ministry so the stained, scratched and dented areas don’t escalate to unmanageable levels!
We’ve been living in the same house since 2001. We’ve worked hard to fix exterior storm damage along the way, and still afford a family vacation most years. Now our daughter is 17, and we have many wonderful memories together. A few years ago, my husband and I noticed we also had stained carpeting, scratched walls, and dented linoleum. We’d kept up with necessary repairs to keep our house standing, but the interior had suffered. And so it is with our businesses and our lives.
https://nacwe.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/BELIEFS-feature.png12602240Valerie Riesehttp://nacwe.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/CWElogoPNG-TransparentBGSmall.pngValerie Riese2021-02-13 13:35:002021-03-19 11:09:43Maintain Your BELIEFS: How to Repair the Stained, Scratched, and Dented Areas of Your Business
God is a God of Order, and through Him we can be orderly in body, soul, and spirit! By God’s Grace, every minute we spend organizing and ordering (body, soul, and spirit) can produce extraordinary results!
NACWE Members http://nacwe.org ) declared 2021 the year of Leveling UP for Christian Women Entrepreneurs.
For the entire month of February we focused on leveling up our organization(s) – on being organized, optimizing opportunities and tools, managing time, productivity, and efficiency! I immediately thought of my father-in-love’s disordered physical space and very ordered mind! I wondered what our God of Order says about being ordered in body, soul and spirit.
Join me for an initial look! Father God, Help us to be ordered and organized in all dimensions of our lives (body, soul and spirit) and in ways that please You! Amen.
Estimated reading time: 9 minutes
God is a God of Order in All Things
But all things should be done decently and in order. 1 Corinthians 14:40
ALL things: But all things should be done decently and in order (1 Corinthians 14:40).
We are body, soul and spirit:
Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Thessalonians 5:23
God is a God of Order – Body, Soul, and Spirit
I want to want to (want to desire to) be orderly and organized in body, soul and spirit! Even when I don’t want to! I want to!
It’s hard!
I am physically tired. Lord, heal my body.
I fight against a pervasive mindset that says large tasks are too overwhelming and I might as well not even tackle them! Lord, free me from defeatist thoughts!
I disobey when God asks me to invite Him in every day. Lord, forgive me for rebelling.
It’s a battle worth fighting!
I’ll start again!
Will you?
God is a God of Order for your Physical Body
Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20
My body doesn’t feel like His temple!
Have you ever thought through how many hours it takes to care for the body God gave you? If you add together hours for sleep, cleanliness, nourishment, exercise, and more – maybe hours for healing when you are physically challenged, it can easily add up half of your day!
During a health crisis, I have had to learn to give myself time to care for my body, to be orderly about it (I hate taking meds so a schedule is crucial), and most importantly, to remember that my body belongs to God, and to seek refuge and wisdom from Him.
What do you need to do to care for your body, His temple, now?
God is a God of Order for your Soul (Mind, Will, & Emotions)
And he said to him, ‘You shall love the Lord with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. Matthew 22:37
A pastor once defined our soul as our mind, will and emotions.
You can have an ordered mind.
Yikes! I want to stop writing this! Too many personal convictions crop up!
Have you heard about the book Men are Like Waffles; Women are Like Spaghetti?
The basic premise is:
Men compartmentalize / divide into sections or categories their lives and thoughts. They even have a “nothing” compartment. Wife: “Honey, what are you thinking about?” Husband: “Nothing!”
Women entwine their lives and mix their thoughts throughout like a pile of spaghetti; there is no “Nothing” compartment!
I can’t speak for others, but I have to agree that this is true for me and Fred most of the time!
A clean desk is a sign of a sick mind!
For years my father-in-love always had a sign on his desk that said, “A clean desk is a sign of a sick mind!” And therefore, there was assuredly nothing “sick” about his mind! Now, you can’t find the sign or his desk! He’s not distracted by this holy mess. As a lifetime missionary, he has written hundreds of books, booklets, and seminary courses for those sharing and accepting the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Obviously, God’s Grace is sufficient in his life in spite of what appears to be extreme physical disorder.
A clean desk is a sign of a clean mind!
We have a serene little house on the lake that we rent through AirBnb. Thanks to Vicki, a friend that watches over and cleans the house for us between guests, it is uncluttered and pristine! Everything is in its place! I’m amazed at the progress I make when I stay there for get-away work days. There is little to distract me, once I’ve spent sufficient time on the water, of course. I have written my “magnum opus” dissertation and several entire books at such a place.
And yet, O Praise the Lord; He commands us to order our thoughts/minds.
He commands us.
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. Romans 12:2
He tells us how.
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. Philippians 4:8
Plus, He promises us peace!
You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. Isaiah 26:3
God wouldn’t command us to order our minds if, through Him, it wasn’t possible!
How do you need to organize and order your mind today?
You Can Have Ordered Emotions
I’ve worked with families in crisis since 1995. It’s hard enough to keep our emotions in check when things are going well, but even harder during times of turmoil and suffering. Fellow counselors and I talk often about the heightened emotions in the counseling room and how it draws our emotions toward turmoil as well.
He commands us.
Do not be anxious.
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7
Be strong and courageous. Joshua 1:9
Be angry and do not sin… Ephesians 4:26-27
He tells us how.
In everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. Philippians 4:6
Hold back your spirit. Proverbs 29:11
Be slow to anger. Proverbs 15:18
Walk by the Spirit. Galatians 5:16-24
Let love be genuine. And hold fast to what is good. Romans 12:9
Plus, He promises us …
Peace: The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:7).
A mind of power, love, and self-control (2 Timothy 1:7).
Good will come from all things (Romans 8:28).
A glad heart (Proverbs 15:3).
God wouldn’t order us to order our emotions if, through Him, it wasn’t possible!
How do you need to organize and order your emotions today?
God is a God of Order for your Spirit
I have confidence that God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are ordered beings.
God is Spirit
God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth. John 4:24
His Word pierces and discerns thoughts and intentions of the heart. Hebrews 4:12
He gives us the gift of the Holy Spirit. Acts 2:38
What does the Bible say about my spirit, as a daughter of the All-Mighty triune God?
We are spirit
He calls us His spirit children. (Romans 8:16)
Our spirit returns to God who gave it. (Ecclesiastes 12:7)
We are heart
There is an element of “heart” in our soul (especially in our mind, will, and emotions).
And there is a greater element of “heart” in our spirit.
Keep/Guard your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life. Proverbs 4:23
Let not your hearts be troubled. John 14:1-2
Perfect love casts out fear. 1 John 4:18
God wouldn’t encourage us to guard our heart/spirit if, through Him, it wasn’t possible!
How do you need to guard your heart/spirit today?
Admittedly, many of us fall somewhere in between extreme disorganization and uncluttered & pristine in body, soul, and spirit!
This is where I live and work most of the time – somewhere between extreme disorganization & uncluttered and pristine. In some areas, I have to have things organized; in other areas, chaos ensues.
But Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” (Matthew 19:26; Mark 9:23 & 10:27; Luke 18:27)
God wouldn’t encourage us to order our body, soul and spirit if, through Him, it wasn’t possible!
Claim it! Amen!
Next Steps
Challenges:
1. Post in a prominent place in your workspace:
With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible. Matthew 19:26
2. Purpose to start each week/each day asking God to order your steps in body, soul and spirit/heart. What does that look like specifically for you?
3. Spend 5 minutes asking the Lord specific questions about order, and record His answers.
POST an encouragement on Facebook in the ACHIEVE Coaching group: Karen Bourg Companies
Join our Thursday Prayer Calls by phone via free conference calling. All Thursday 8am CST Prayer Calls can be accessed by dialing 1-712-775-8968 / conference code 620259
Blessings,
Dr. Karen Lindwall-Bourg
Numbers 6, ESV
24 The Lord bless you and keep you; 25 the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; 26 the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.
[frontpage_news widget=”55210″ name=”You’ll Also Love…”]
https://nacwe.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/2.png12602240Dr. Karen Lindwall-Bourghttp://nacwe.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/CWElogoPNG-TransparentBGSmall.pngDr. Karen Lindwall-Bourg2021-02-03 11:56:002021-03-19 18:43:34God is a God of Order
Your firm foundation must be firmly built in your BELIEFS- Body, Emotions, Livelihood, Intellect, Environment, Family/Friends, & Spiritual.
In the first chapter, “God’s Empowering Grace” from her book “Grace Over Grind”, Shae begins,
You don’t have to strive endlessly to make things happen with the dream God placed on your heart for your business. You simply need God’s empowering presence, and everything else is going to flow from there. Shae Bynes, Grace Over Grind: How Grace Will Take Your Business Where Grinding Can’t,
To build with God’s empowering grace as your firm foundation, begin with His words!
He is Your Firm Foundation!
Build Your House on the Rock
24 “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. 26 And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. 27 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.” (Matthew 7:24-27 ESV)
From The Passion Translation
24 “Everyone who hears my teaching and applies it to his life can be compared to a wise man who built his house on an unshakable foundation. 25 When the rains fell and the flood came, with fierce winds beating upon his house, it stood firm because of its strong foundation.
26 “But everyone who hears my teaching and does not apply it to his life can be compared to a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27 When it rained and rained and the flood came, with wind and waves beating upon his house, it collapsed and was swept away,” or “and great was its fall!” (Matthew 7:24-27 TPT).
Choose key words from Matthew 7:24-27.
Explore different Versions.
How will you apply these precepts to your life and business this week?
Again, Shea said,
You don’t have to strive endlessly to make things happen with the dream God placed on your heart for your business. You simply need God’s empowering presence, and everything else is going to flow from there.
Grace is that empowerment. It enables you to successfully do what God has called you to do and to do what you could never do on your own. It’s by God’s grace that you are able to do extraordinary things, have supernatural results, and eternal impact through your business. Shae Bynes, Grace Over Grind: How Grace Will Take Your Business Where Grinding Can’t
We want to hear His Words and do what He says! We want the foundations of our life and work to be built upon the rock – an unshakable foundation!
Let’s rely on God’s empowering presence, on His Grace to do what He has called us to do in extraordinary ways with eternal impact in our lives and work. Build with God’s Empowering Grace as Your Firm Foundation. Begin with more of Him.
Next Steps
Challenges:
1. What does building your business on the rock of God’s grace mean to you?
2. Consider Karen’s quote below. How would you like to firm up your foundation in the following dimensions of wellness/areas of your life/business/ministry?
Your foundation must be firmly built – in all dimensions of wellness – Body, Emotions, Livelihood, Intellect, Environment, Family/Friends, & Spiritual. – Dr. Karen Lindwall-Bourg
B.E.L.I.E.F.S.
Body
Emotions
Livelihood
Intellect
Environment
Family/Friends
Spiritual
3. Journal for 5 minutes asking the Lord very specific questions about your business and record His answers!
24 The Lord bless you and keep you; 25 the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; 26 the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.
[frontpage_news widget=”55210″ name=”You’ll Also Love…”]
https://nacwe.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/firm-foundation-feature.png12602240Dr. Karen Lindwall-Bourghttp://nacwe.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/CWElogoPNG-TransparentBGSmall.pngDr. Karen Lindwall-Bourg2021-01-21 03:27:002021-03-19 11:12:59God’s Empowering Grace is Your Firm Foundation
https://nacwe.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/NACWE-Blog-Headers_balance.png6301120Danika Devahttp://nacwe.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/CWElogoPNG-TransparentBGSmall.pngDanika Deva2020-05-28 17:26:382020-05-28 17:26:38BOW to the Creator: Balance
