The Prayer Of A Child

August 7, 2010

Gary J. Borgstede Faith And Family Leave a comment

One evening I came home from work and noticed on my bedside night table, a little picture frame with a hand written prayer enclosed.  The prayer was written by one of my daughters who was 1o years old at the time.  Her prayer is posted below:

“May the lord god give us peace in our house and to keep us safe from any danger that comes upon us. May the lord god make us and everyone around us peaceful and caring. The lord is our strength and our shelter. May we worship him with our heart and our mind.” 

When I read her prayer, I was warmed in my soul by her innocent faith in God and her transparent dependency upon the Lord. I keep her framed little prayer at my bedside to remind me of the importance of cultivating a childlike faith in my own prayer life.  It’s my hope  that her prayer will encourage others to do the same.

The Make It Happen Moment ® Life On Purpose

August 6, 2010

Gary J. Borgstede The Make It Happen Moment ® 1 Comment

Quote: “Great works almost always begin with great dreams!” – Chip Ingram

Several years ago, my oldest son came home with a dream of God in his heart.  His dream was to start a bible club at his junior high school where children could have the freedom to learn about God and live a life of victory in the Lord.  He had a little trouble getting started at first so he wasn’t actually able to do it before graduating on to high school; however, his dream didn’t die.  He carried it with him to high school and with some help from his pastors and a school teacher to sponsor the club; his dream came alive with a student led bible club named Life on Purpose.  Since its founding, the Life on Purpose bible club has reached hundreds of high school students with the love and compassion of Jesus Christ right in their school, with many beginning to pursue their destiny and purpose in God.  And guess what?  My son’s younger brother has followed in his footsteps, starting a Life on Purpose bible club in his junior high school – the same school where my oldest son first dreamed of starting a club.  God is so good that when He gives us a dream, He knows how to make it happen, even when it looks like it will never happen.  You see, God’s dreams aren’t just good dreams, they are great dreams that make an impact in His kingdom!  The seed that my son planted in faithfulness and obedience to God will definitely produce a fruit of righteousness in his generation that cannot be taken away.

No matter what, God’s dream and purpose for our lives will always come alive when we take a risk to respond in faith to His calling in our hearts.  And it’s not because we are so good and faithful, never falling down or making any mistakes.  It’s simply because we are God’s workmanship and He is faithful to complete the good work that He begins in us.  The Truth states in Ephesians 2:10, “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.”  Therefore, God’s will and desire for us is to walk in the good works that He prepared for us before we were even born.  And as the apostle Paul states in Philippians 1:6, we can be “confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.”  I am so thankful that God Himself is the faithful Author and Finisher of our faith and not us; otherwise, I don’t believe any of us would ever make it to the finish line. 

Lastly, the Truth states in 2 Timothy 2:13 that “If we are faithless, He [the Lord] remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself.”  Selah!  Because my children are born of my loins, they carry my genetic DNA and are biologically identified as my children forever.  There is no possible way that I can ever deny them because of this genetic truth.  I am so grateful that God our Father is the exact same way with His children whom are born of His loins and carry His spiritual DNA in Christ!  As a father, I give thanks to God for His faithfulness that reaches to the clouds and His mercy that endures forever!  With a spirit of wisdom and excellence, take a risk, seek the Truth, and live life deep on purpose as a child of God!

The Make It Happen Risk Taking Value: “Make It Happen” People Take Calculated Risks In The Pursuit Of Excellence!

Have a blessed “Make It Happen” day!

Edited by The Make It Happen Moment ® Editorial Team

The Make It Happen Moment ® Life On Purpose Copyright 2008, The Make It Happen Learning Institute.  You have permission to reprint The Make It Happen Moment ® Life On Purpose, in its entirety only, and forward to your colleagues and friends, provided the copyright notice remains part of the reprint and transmission.  All other rights reserved.

The Make It Happen Moment ® Honor Principle

August 6, 2010

Gary J. Borgstede The Make It Happen Moment ® Leave a comment

Quote: “To honor is to value!” – John Bevere

Growing up as a young man, I was often taught by my father and my grandfather that your word was your bond.  In fact, even my Italian great grandfather whom I knew and loved, valued his word so much that his friend gave him a piece of land right next door if only my Paw Paw Tony would promise to build a house and live there.  Because my great grandfather honored his word and fulfilled his promise, he was blessed by his friend with a piece of property free and clear.  As John Bevere teaches in his book, Honor’s Reward, there is an honor principle in the kingdom of God which I believe was foundational in my great grandfather’s life and character.

The Webster dictionary defines honor in the verb tense as: “to hold in respect and admiration; to prize.”  This means that when we honor our word, we hold it in high esteem, prizing what we say and the promises that we make.  In Psalm 15:1 of the New International Version, David asks the Lord, “Lord, who may dwell in Your sanctuary?”  The Lord responds in 15:4, “He who keeps his oath, even when it hurts.”  God says that those who keep their word, even when it hurts, are invited by the Lord to dwell and sup with Him in His holy presence.  Personally, I don’t believe there is any greater honor’s reward or blessing in life than to be able to dwell in the presence of the Lord and to abide in the shadow of the Almighty.

Furthermore, I thank God that He honors His own Word so much that He promises to never break it or take back a single word He has said.  In Psalm 89:34 of the New Living Translation, God states, “No, I will not break my covenant; I will not take back a single word I said.”  This means that we can trust God to keep His Word no matter what.   Even if other people don’t believe that God’s Word is true, it doesn’t make any difference.  The apostle Paul states in Roman 3:3-4, “For what if some did not believe?  Will their unbelief make the faithfulness of God without effect?  Certainly not!  Indeed, let God be true but every man a liar.” 

Without doubt, I know that we can trust God to honor His Word – every part of it; not only because He said He would, but because He has also been faithful to keep His promises in my own life.  Like the apostle Paul states in 2 Timothy 1:12, “I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day.”  This means that we can totally trust God with everything we commit to Him – our life, our family, our health, our relationships, our finances – everything, because He will keep His Word.  Plus, with God’s faithfulness to honor His Word, we too can be faithful by His Spirit to honor our word.  Therefore, with a spirit of faith and commitment, let us honor the Lord as well as others by the words we speak and the promises we keep!

The Make It Happen Teamwork Value: “Make It Happen” People Foster And Support A Safe Environment Of Teamwork And Mutual Respect!

Have a blessed “Make It Happen” day! 

Edited by The Make It Happen Moment ® Editorial Team

The Make It Happen Moment ® Honor Principle Copyright 2008, The Make It Happen Learning Institute.  You have permission to reprint The Make It Happen Moment ® Honor Principle, in its entirety only, and forward to your colleagues and friends, provided the copyright notice remains part of the reprint and transmission.  All other rights reserved.

At The Set Time

August 3, 2010

Gary J. Borgstede Faith And Family Leave a comment

Scripture

Genesis 21:1-2 “And the Lord visited Sarah as He had said, and the Lord did for Sarah as He Had spoken.  For Sarah conceived and bore Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him.”

Observation

In these passages of Scripture, we see the Lord’s faithfulness to the promise He made to Abraham many years earlier, but it wasn’t until Abraham was 100 years old that the Lord’s appointed time to fulfill the promise had arrived for Abraham and Sarah.  To Abraham and Sarah, it seemed like an impossible situation; however, in God’s timing, He was faithful to His promise regardless of the impossible nature of their circumstances.  At a 100 years old, the set time of life appointed by God for Abraham, the promised seed of generations, Isaac, was born.

Application

The Lord knows every hair on my head and He has a good and perfect plan for my life.  Regardless of how difficult, challenging, or impossible any situation in my life may appear to be, I know that God is faithful to do what He has promised to do in the set time of life that He has appointed for me.  Because my God is a big God, there is no problem or difficult situation that is too big for Him when I place my trust and faith in Him.  As the Author and Finisher of my faith, the Lord will be faithful to fulfill His promises to me as I trust in Him and His perfect timing.

Prayer

Lord, when life seems too hard, my circumstances seem too difficult, and Your timing too long, help me to place my trust completely in You to fulfill Your promises in my life.  Even with faith as small as a mustard seed, I know that You promise to move mountains on my behalf when I stand in faith on Your promises.  Thank you for being my strong Tower whom I can run to, place my trust, and be safe as I wait patiently for You to do the impossible in my life! I love you Jesus!

Leaders Make It Happen In Faith

August 3, 2010

Gary J. Borgstede Leadership Insights Leave a comment

Recently, I learned from reading Dr. Myles Munroe’s book, The Principle And Power Of Vision, that there are basically three types of people in the world: 1) those who never seem to be aware that things are happening around them, 2) those who ask, ‘What just happened?’, and 3) those who make things happen.  Of the three types of people mentioned in Dr. Munroe’s book, what type of person would you most rather be as a leader in your home, business, church, and community?

For me the answer is clear.  I want to be a person that can make things happen with a spirit of wisdom and excellence serving people and solving problems that make a difference in life.  And if I had to guess, I’d say that most people would rather be someone who can make things happen too.  Well, the good news is that God gives us the free gift of the Holy Spirit so that believers in Christ can make things happen in the power and might of His strength regardless of the challenges we might face in the process.  In fact, the Lord declares through the prophet Zechariah that “’It’s not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ says the Lord of hosts.”

Furthermore, in the book of Numbers, the Bible shares the story of Joshua and Caleb, two of my favorite Make It Happen people in the Bible.  When Moses sent out 12 spies to spy the Promised Land, 10 spies came back with a bad report and a “can’t do” spirit of fear; whereas, Joshua and Caleb came back with a good report and a “can do” spirit of faith.  I personally like the way the Message Bible records their good report and “can do” spirit of faith in Numbers 13:33 stating, “Let’s go up and take the land—now. We can do it.” Despite the potential challenges and significant adversities they would have to face in the Promised Land, Joshua and Caleb possessed a “can do” spirit of faith believing that all things were possible with God; but unfortunately, they weren’t able to possess the Promised Land until 40 years later because of the “can’t do” spirit of fear among the leaders on their team. 

Therefore, to make it happen with a “can do” spirit of faith, leaders must work diligently in the Lord to create a team culture of empowerment that reaches people and unleashes their extraordinary God-given potential to make a difference in life.  I have personally found that leaders can effectively do this by building teams upon the following nine faith-based Make It Happen team values:

1.      Make It Happen people possess a positive Make It Happen attitude

2.      Make It Happen people are led by servant leaders

3.      Make It Happen people are service enthusiasts

4.      Make It Happen people take calculated risks in the pursuit of excellence

5.      Make It Happen people work extremely hard and have lots of fun

6.      Make It Happen people invest and participate in training and development

7.      Make It Happen people celebrate individual and team accomplishments with abundance mentality

8.      Make It Happen people foster a safe environment of teamwork and mutual respect

9.      Make It Happen people are professionals

Building teams on a foundation of Make It Happen team values will help create an environment where people can flourish and make it happen in life, being all that God created them to be, and doing their part to fulfill the vision and mission of their team. Thanks and have a blessed day!

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