April 16. There Is A Freedom Formula!

There are times in business that we must stop. Campaigns run their course; they stop. Products are no longer in demand so we must stop stocking them. Technology advances and old technology becomes irrelevant; we stop using it.

If you have a fleet of vehicles in your business, it is possible that you have fuel storage. Imagine if you changed the vehicles from gas to diesel fuel. If your fuel supplier continued to deliver gasoline, I imagine that you might say STOP.

But how often do we really take a deep look at our activities to determine the effectiveness? We get comfortable with our systems and ways of doing business. When that happens, we begin to let the market control us. There might be larger value where we decide we should stop.

Successful companies usually are the ones that constantly look at themselves and determine where they need to stop something. When was the last time your business stopped something? Where was the last time your team stopped something? Did the market force the stop?

Did a competitor cause you to stop? Was it legislation that caused the stop? Why? Where might an area exist that could be vulnerable because you have not specifically looked? It is better that you look at it yourself instead of the market making you look at it. Who can help you to look at that and bring objectivity?

When we have the courage to stop something we open the capacity and opportunity for others. Want to experience some freedom and opportunity, consider what you might stop.

As a Christian, we always have an answer to count on, our Savior and Lord Christ Jesus. As we live our lives there are areas where we will sin. We know it is best to stop. But just like companies and teams, we can find it difficult to stop.

Often, we must have some outside factor or influence to cause the interruption to our activity. The compulsive gambler might have to go bankrupt before admitting he has a problem. The alcoholic might have a third driving under the influence infraction before they seek counseling.

But there is an idea just as important as the stop idea. It is the idea to never stop. In Luke 18, Jesus tells the story to the disciples to never stop praying. Never. When things are good, we pray. When things do not look so good, we pray. When things are terrible, we pray.

The parable is about a persistent woman seeking justice from a judge. It is almost like she whines and whines and whines until the judge finally gives in. But our Father in heaven does not want our whining, he wants our hearts and souls. He wants us to pour it all out, the good and the bad, all of it in prayer.

He wants it all at the foot of the cross. Where do you need to take something and lay it at the feet of the Lord? Where do you need to yell at the top of your lungs, I surrender? Where do you need to give it up, finally, once and for all time? It can start right now.

The cross is waiting so would you like to lay something there today? Go ahead, there is room at the foot of the cross. Freedom will find you there.

Let us pray, Jesus, at your feet we bow our heads. We come to praise you and thank you for the compassion you have for us. We thank you for the cross and the sacrifice that you have given to us. We have not and never will earn it. Jesus, in the good and bad, we want to find nothing else but you.

We come to sing your name and glorify the gifts that you have shared with so many. We come as well to cry. We come to scream and yell at the top of our lungs. We want you to be the one to take away our pains, our fears, and our troubles. We pray for them to stop! In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen,