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The 7 Dream Killers That Can Kill Your Christian Based Business
Copyright © Ope Banwo, The Wealth Apostle
http://www.ChristianBusinessInitiatives.com
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To become a successful Christian based business proprietor, you must be aware that there are certain people and certain elements in your life and around you that have the tendency and potential to reduce your desire to be all you can be in the business world. These factors, if not properly monitored, and dealt with, can turn into dream killers.

Dream Killer #1: Your Family
Some of us are unfortunate to be born into a family where people just shoot down your brilliant ideas and dreams. This often happens if you happened to be a junior member of the family. There are countless stories of people who buried their God given visions because, the family members, who should have been very supportive, only scoffed and ridiculed at their visions to make a difference.

Joseph was one of those people who almost got killed by his family for daring to have a vision. Joseph had a dream of being a great man, but his brothers only got mad at him and sold him into slavery out of jealousy.

Even Jesus had problems with his family. Rather than being excited that their brother was doing exploits at an unprecedented level, his brothers and family chose to ridicule him. If Jesus had not been a man fully persuaded about his mission, he could very easily have had his dreams killed in its nascent phase. However, Jesus simply moved to another town where his vision was received.

To make it as a Christian based business person you must begin to identify members of your family and relatives who deflate your desire and dreams. Is it your father? Is it your mother? Is it your spouse? Who among your family is always quick to let you know you could not do something? Be alert for the dream killers in your household! Remember the warning of Jesus that a “man’s worst enemy will be members of his own household.”

Dream Killer #2: Your Friends And Close Associates
Sometimes, your close friends and acquaintances could be potential dream killers if you do not show proper discernment and manage them right. Sometimes, you may have to take a stand and ignore your friends when you have a clear vision for your Christian based business

The kind of friends and company you keep are very important in realizing your dreams.

Psychologists have for long maintained that we tend to perform at about the same level of people who are around or close to us. Proverbs 13:20 says “He who walks with the wise is wise” and that “bad company corrupts good character.” A ‘friend’ in this context of dream-killers is anybody you spend time with- whether they are considered a friend or not.

Dream Killer #3: Your Present Boss And Those In Authority Over You
Many visions of Christian based business have been prevented from seeing the light of day because of the jealousy and evil machinations of the people in authority over the dreamer. Most humans by nature feel threatened when those under them can see something they are not seeing.

The worst in humans come to the surface once somebody with the potential to take over their crown shows up. King Saul tried all he could to destroy David, the upstart who would be king. Herod did not mind killing all the babies in Jerusalem in an attempt to destroy baby Jesus, the star who was billed to become the king of the Jews. Most employers feel threatened when an employee starts showing signs of setting up for himself. Those in positions of dominance often try all they can to suppress and destroy the upstart. This is a fact that you can neglect to your eternal regret.

While it is honorable to leave your present employment properly, be wise as to know when to confide your vision of the new enterprise to your boss or those who in authority over you. Be particularly wary of those who may lose their hold or control over your talents. Do not be naïve. The bible advises us to be ‘as wise as a serpent and gentle as a dove’. Nobody likes a challenge to their dominance and no employer likes to lose a good employee. No Leader likes to lose his most productive lieutenant. Many have trouble dealing with the fact that there former subordinate now desires to be on equal footing with them.

At first your employer, boss or overseer will dangle tempting carrots before you to keep you under the yoke of the wage system. They will often give you concessions or offer you pay increases or other perks to keep the status quo. Once that fails, almost invariably, the previously ‘sweet’ boss will bring out the stick. Once you announce your intention to start out on your own, do not count on the goodwill of your superior continuing, even if they are fully born again, sprit-filled and tongue talking. We all wrestle against the flesh daily and it is only a matter of time before the ‘cursed body of flesh’ will let them down. When that happens, the javelin will surely begin to fly. Just be ready to dodge and if possible hightail it out of town like David.

Dream Killer #4: Your Fears.
Do not underrate yourself as your own most dangerous dream killer. Too often, dreams of enterprise have died because the dreamer allowed himself to succumb to the dreaded elements of fear, failure, frustration and fatigue.

The Israelites allowed their dream of a promise land to die in the desert because they gave in to fear. After surveying the Promised Land in Numbers chapter 13, they all agreed that the land was exactly as God promised them and that the land did indeed flow with milk and honey, but they chose to give in to fear of the inhabitants. As the far took root in their psyche they rebelled against God and his messenger, Moses. They were ready to go back to Egypt where they had just been freed from over 400 yeas of slavery. Fear caused them to prefer to go back to the status quo of servitude in a foreign land rather than risking going forward to possess their possession. This attitude provoked God to the point where He had to destroy the whole generation, save for two people, in the desert.

Fear is a very real dream killer and it rears its ugly head in many forms. It could be fear of failure, fear of the effort required for success, fear of your competitors or fear of leaving the comfortable for the unknown. Fear will always rear its head when you try to do something new and unique. The trick is never to give in to it. Your trust in the Lord and His provisions must be allowed to bury that fear.

Dream Killer #5: Your Failures
Your experience with failure is also another potential personal dream killer. There are no spectacular winners who have not lost been spectacular losers at some point in their careers. The difference between the ones whose dream died and the ones who made it big in the business world is their approach to failure. When you allow yourself to be overwhelmed by failure in your quest to be a Kingdompreneur, your dream may get killed without any help from satan.

Failure is never final until you choose to accept it as final. Joshua is known as a great warrior who conquered the promised land for Israel but he had his share of failure. He just did not allow the fear to keep him from his kingdom assignment permanently. Abraham was a great Kingdompreneur but he also had his share of failures along the way but he never allowed the failures to keep him from his destiny. So did Moses, David, Gideon and all the other great achievers mentioned in the hall of faith of the bible in Hebrew 11.

It is inevitable that you will experience some failure and some disappointments as you make your transition into the ranks of the Kingdompreneurs. You must be careful not to allow your little failures to kill the big dream.

Dream Killer #6: Your Frustrations
As you move on, some things may not move at the pace you expect it to. The sources of finance and marketing prospects you were promised before you stepped out may be slow in coming in. The profits or breakthroughs may not follow your carefully prepared and tested business plan. Frustration will rear its ugly head at some point. Frustration is part of the business world. Do not allow it to kill your dream. You must be optimistic that God will come through for you and make a way where there is not way.

Even when things look bleak, do not allow the spirit of frustration to win. When it looks like it will take forever for the breakthrough to come, hang in there and keep hope alive. Our ability to hope for the best when things look bleak is what separates us from the believer. As long as we are doing things in the will of God we must continue to believe that help is on the way.

Dream Killer #7: Your Fatigue
Fatigue has played its fair share in destroying dreams of many would-be Christian based business entrepreneurs. Sometimes we just get too tired to sustain our desire or be creative. As humans, we sometimes just get tired and give up on the dream. Satan our adversary is aware of the destructive power of fatigue and he generally makes his appearance at such times to give us dream-killing suggestions. You must be vigilant. You are at your weakest mental and spiritual point when you are physically tired. Do not let fatigue kill your dream at a low point in your life or business.

Be sure to watch against burn-out. Do not overlook or neglect the benefits of exercise and relaxation. Sometimes we get too caught up in working so hard to make things happen that we allow ourselves to get fatigued to the point where the devil can get an in-road into our minds to kill the dream.

Elijah basically resigned his ministry because he was tired and fatigued. He had spent the whole day on Mount Carmel dueling with the prophets of Baal. He had single-handedly killed hundreds of prophets of Baal after he won the contest. It must have been a physically and spiritually draining exercise. Next morning, Jezebel threatened to put him to death by sundown. Elijah was so physically drained, emotionally exhausted and spiritually fagged out that this empty threat caused him to run into a cave. He was so tired he believed he could not go on anymore with the mission of revival he just started. He even asked God to kill him because he now believed he was alone and could no longer press on.

You must be careful not to make a major decision when you are tired or fatigued. Do not resign or pack it in during a moment of burn-out. Never decide to quit when you are tired. Anytime you are tempted to bury the dream, learn to Step away from it all for a while and consider your options and the implications of your decisions before you commit to them. Sometimes it is amazing how much better things can look after a good night’s rest. Watch out for the dream killed named fatigue!

To Your Success!

Ope Banwo
The Wealth Apostle

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About The Author:
Ope Banwo, The Wealth Apostle, is the owner of christianbusinessinitiatives.com and has helped thousands of people start and run a successful Christian Based Business on the internet. To find out how he can help you build your own Christian based business website and teach you how to succeed online, Visit site below for details:
http://www.ChristianBusinessInitiatives.com
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Labels: christian based business, Christian business, christian business opportunity

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The Christian Based Business And The Concept Of Glorification
Copyright © Ope Banwo, The Wealth Apostle
http://www.christianbusinessinitiatives.com
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There is always a purpose for everything a Christian does or gets involved with. Your Christian based business is not an exception. To stay in the will of God for our lives, we must constantly strive to base all our actions on the Word of God. Our businesses should therefore not be an exception. The Bible is very clear on the Purposes of a christian based Business. The Bible makes it clear that such christian based Businesses does not exist for the reasons the world have adopted. They exist, like all other things, for purposes designed by God in the furtherance of His Kingdom Agenda and the well-being of His people.

One of the clear purposes of a Christian business opportunity is for such Christian based business to be used for the glory of God. All Kingdom Citizens exist for God’s pleasure and glory, and everything from them and of them should follow the same pattern. It is a well established biblical principle that God created everything for his own pleasure and glory. In Revelations 4:11, it was made clear that “Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.”(NIV)

All christian based business activities, enterprises and vocations are therefore expected to be directed to the glorification of the Creator, who created us for His own special pleasure. Therefore when we use our business as an instrument to bring glory to God, we please our King.

Some of scriptural references that every Christian based business owner should consider in developing policies that will allow them to position their Christian business opportunity to glorify God include the following:

Romans 14:7 “For none of us lives to himself alone and none of us dies to himself alone. If we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.”

Ephesians 1:11,12 “In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, in order that we, who were the first hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory.”

1 Peter 4: 11 “If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen”

Some Practical Exercises For your Christian Based Business:
To internalize your understanding of this Kingdom purpose of a Christian based business, you must meditate on these scriptures and then List the various ways you can use your Chrisitan business opportunity to bring honor to God. This should form part of your Operations Manuals.

Some Helpful Suggestions
1)Use all opportunities to give God the credit for all positive things that happen in your business
2)Testify in church, and out of Church, to how God has blessed you with the opportunity to own and run the company
3)Maintain the highest ethical standards in business to reflect the holiness of God.
4)Honor the Lord and His Work with the resources, financial and human, of the organization.
5)Commit the business to a program of service to the work of God in your locality.

To Your Success,

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About The Author:
Ope Banwo, The Wealth Apostle, has helped thousands of people start and run a successful Christian Based Business on the internet. To find out how The Wealth Apostle can help you build your own Christian based business website and teach you how to succeed online, Visit the site below for details:
http://ChristianBusinessInitiatives.com
http://www.omegawealthsystem.com
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The Christian Based Business As A Tool For Evangelism
Copyright © Ope Banwo, The Wealth Apostle
www.ChristianBusinessInitiatives.com
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One of the main purposes of a Christian based business or Christian business opportunity is to provide the forum and resources where the gospel of the Kingdom will be shared with people who interact with the business. A Christian based business should exist to declare the gospel and help people to find their way into salvation.

Jesus never intended for us to be passive in any enterprise we find ourselves. Rather we are commanded to be the ‘light of the world’ and the ‘salt of the earth’. God’s presence must be felt and experienced through our businesses and practices. Jesus told his disciples during the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5:16, “You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.

In the midst of all the turmoil going on in the world, sharing the gospel is the only solution to introduce the Light back into the darkness that is presently threatening to engulf the world. We are all called to do the work of evangelists, and God fully intends that everything we get involved in, including our Christian based business opportunities, should be used preach the complete gospel of Jesus Christ, including the gospel of salvation.

Four Ways You Can Share The Gospel At Your Job And Christian based Business.

Evangelist Steve Marr, one of the pre-eminent writers on Christian based business opportunities once identified four key steps to successfully use your Christian based business and workplace for evangelism as follows:

1) Diligence and Excellence
We pursue excellence in all aspects of our business. When you are diligent and excellent in the way you run your christian based business, people who associate with the business or work for the business will be open to learn more about where our values come from. When we perform in a sloppy or careless manner, our businesses may actually drive people away from receiving the gospel message.

2) Seizing Opportunities to Share
We must always be ready to seize opportunities to explain and share our faith with our business associates and co-workers in the kingdom business. Apostle Peter enjoined us to “always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.”

3) Prayer
By constantly praying and interceding for our associates and colleagues before we approach them with the gospel message. We position ourselves to spread the Message effectively when we pray for God to give us compassion and sensitivity to the problems of those around us. We must also pray for God to open up opportunities for to share the Word with people with meet in business when they are most receptive.

4) Caring
Jesus commanded us to ‘love your neighbor as yourself’. When you demonstrate to people that you really care about them, you open their hearts to receive the message of comfort we bring in the gospel message. You can show that you care by bringing treats to share in the office; remembering and blessing co-workers or business associates on their birthdays or that of their children; providing a sympathetic ear to their problems and concerns.

Some Ways To Effectively Share The Gospel At Your Christian based Business without being offensive.
a)Offer to pray for associates or colleagues in need or during difficult situations in their lives.
b)Provide tracts at the office premises or break-rooms
c)Giving Audible Glory to God when good things happen in the business or to associates.
d)Providing Christian CDs or books that is relevant to the situation of your colleagues or Associates.
e)Inviting Associates and Colleagues to Church programs and Services.


Some Scriptural References In Point

1 Peter 2:12 “Live such good lives among the pagans that though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.”

Philippians’ 2:15-16 “So that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life.”

Matthew 5:13 “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men.”

Matthew 28:19 “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

To Your Success,
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About The Author:
Ope Banwo, The Wealth Apostle, has helped thousands of people start and run a successful Christian Based Business on the internet. The Wealth Apostle will build your site and teach you how to succeed online! Visit any of the links below for details:
http://ChristianBusinessInitiatives.com
http://OmegaSuperProfits.com
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The 10 Debtly Sins And How To Avoid Them
Copyright © Ope Banwo, The Wealth Apostle
www.ChristianBusinessInitiatives.com
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This Article explains the 10 habits that can take you into debt, financial slavery and business failure. It also explains how to ‘repent’ of those debtly sins and be on your way to financial health, wealth and prosperity.

There are 10 money management ‘sins’ that are guaranteed to lead you and your Christian based business into long term debt, business failure and ultimately, bankruptcy unless there is a conscious and disciplined effort to ‘repent’ today. To be on your way to financial recovery and prosperity, you must understand and make a determination to ‘repent’ of what I call The 10 ‘debtly sins’. These include:

Debtly Sin #1: Thou Shall Not Be Presumptuous On Your Finances
It is a serious ‘debtly’ sin for you to assume that your job, Christian business opportunity or present level of income will continue as it is forever. When you spend all you make without thought to what will happen in the event that your present source of income is interrupted, you are committing a debtly ‘sin’ for which you will most likely pay down the road.

We should be grateful for our finances as they are right now, but we must manage what we make now without presuming that things will always be this good. While we expect God to continue to provide our daily needs, we err when we begin to assume that the daily bread will always be there no matter how we manage our finances today.

Debtly Sin #2: Thou Shall Not Be Impulsive On Purchases
Impulsiveness is one of the quickest ways to get into debt. When we buy stuff, not necessarily because we need it but because it just catches our fancy or because it is on sale, we invite the debt spirit to haunt our homes. How many times have we bought stuff on impulse only to have a ‘buyer’s remorse’ less than 24 hours later? To avoid this ‘sin’, we must have a system in place to ensure that our purchases are made after serious deliberations and consideration of our present needs or requirements

Debtly Sin #3: Thou Shall Not Covet Your Neighbors Possessions
Covetousness is one of the cardinal vices God first counseled us against. We often get into debt because we covet our neighbors new car, new clothes or new acquisitions. In our bid to hang with the ‘joneses’, we often stretch our finances to a point where taking on more debt becomes inevitable for us. To avoid this debtly ‘sin’, we must learn to be content with what we have within our means.

Debtly Sin #4: Thou Shall Not Forget To Establish Financial Goals
It is easier to score a goal, when the goal post is very clear. Without a goal post, you can dribble your life away without achieving anything. You cannot achieve goals if you don’t set one. Financial goals have to be clearly set and doggedly pursued in order to arrive at the financial destination you desire. Your financial decisions will then be guided by the goals you have set for yourself. You will dissipate less energy for greater results if you have a goal you are pursuing.

Debtly Sin #5: Thou Shall Not Be Too Passive About Your Debt Situation
You cannot afford to wait around thinking that your debt situation will resolve itself. You must be very active in trying to find a solution. You must take your destiny in your hands and seek Godly counsel on how to deal with it. Passivity will kill you!

Debtly Sin #6: Thou Shall Not Be Wasteful Of God’s Resources
God will hold you accountable for the resources He has invested in you. The parable of the Talents is a good warning you are well advised to heed. It is ‘debtly’ sin to waste your resources and resort to borrowing to fill the gaps in your lifestyle. Borrowing resources to waste on unworthy projects or activities in a sure ‘sin’ that will ruin you.

Debtly Sin #7: Thou Shall Not Procrastinate On Financial Matters
Procrastination is the greatest enemy of progress. Once you have decided on a course of action to solve your financial problems, you must act immediately. A day wasted is a day wasted forever and that will add many days to your days in the financial wilderness.

Debtly Sin #8: Thou Shall Not Avoid Responsibility For Your Finances
Nobody is responsible for your financial situation but you. Passing the responsibility to others is risking a lifetime of financial worries. It is your responsibility to seek out books, seminars, mentors and opportunities that can help you. People can only help you but they are not responsible for you.

Debtly Sin #9: Thou Shall Not Rob Peter To Pay Paul
Money saved up for retirement or for the education of your children should not be applied towards an emergency that does not relate to them. Robbing Peter to pay Paul will eventually disrupt your chances of financial progress and success.

Debtly Sin #10: Thou Shall Not Spend More Than What You Earn.
You may have heard the saying, ‘cut your coat according to your size’, but I say to you that cutting your coat according to your size will ultimately create debt problems for you, if you do not have enough cloth! You must learn to cut your coat according to your cloth, and not according to your size, if you don’t have enough yards of cloth. The fastest way to financial ruin is to live beyond your means. There is no point in spending money you don’t have, to buy what you don’t really need, simply to impress people who really don’t like you!

As the bible repeatedly warned us, every sinner shall ultimately pay the price unless there is repentance before judgment comes. Same way, in the business world, no debtly ‘sin’ will go unpunished in the marketplace. It is time to begin to do a serious repentance from these ‘sins’ by getting rid of all the bad habits that led you to them in the first place. Discipline is the secret to ‘righteousness’ in the marketplace, when it comes to these debtly sins, and you must be disciplined.

As a Christian based business owner, you can choose to be on your way to financial health and wealth in whatever Christian business opportunity you choose, or you can allow yourself and to pay the ultimate penalty for the debtly sins which is business failure, embarrassment, loss of investment and ultimately bankruptcy. My prayer is that that will not be your portion!

To Your Success,

The Wealth Apostle

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About The Author:
Ope Banwo, The Wealth Apostle, is the owner of ChristianBusinessInitiatives.com and has helped thousands of people start and run a successful Christian Based Business on the internet. To find out how The Wealth Apostle can help you build your Christian based business website and teach you how to succeed online. Visit:
http://www.christianbusinesssinitiatives.com
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