Have you ever pulled out a loaf of bread to make a sandwich, only to find that it's covered in nasty green mold? Moldy bread is only good for the trash can - it's a disappointment and a waste. The shelf life of bread is very short, and Jesus warns us not to work for food that spoils.

In John 6:27, Jesus tells us not to work for the food that perishes, but for the food that lasts for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. This statement is a powerful reminder that the things we often pursue in this life are temporary and will not satisfy us in the long run. Instead of putting our efforts into accumulating material possessions and fleeting pleasures, we should prioritize the things of God and seek eternal life through Him.

The curse of Adam, described in Genesis 3:17-19, illustrates the consequences of living in a fallen world. We struggle and toil as we work to provide for ourselves, often feeling like our efforts are in vain. However, through Christ, we can find hope for something better. We can have eternal life, which is a gift that cannot be earned but can only be received through faith in Him.

In John 6:29, Jesus tells us that the work of God is to believe in Him whom He has sent. This means making a commitment to follow Him and to prioritize His Kingdom above all else. It means living a life of love and service to others, seeking to bring glory to God in all that we do.

Lastly, in Matthew 6:11, Jesus reminds us to ask for our daily bread. This is not just about physical food, but also about trusting God to provide for all of our needs as we seek first His Kingdom.

The story of moldy bread serves as a reminder of the fleeting nature of many things we work so hard for in this life. We should not work for things that will perish, but for things that have lasting value. By prioritizing the things of God and trusting in Him to provide for our needs, we can experience the abundant life that He offers and find true fulfillment in Him.

Today’s episode is brought to you by Revenue Growth Engine. To scale your impact you need to scale your business. To do this, you need a powerful Revenue Growth Engine. Listeners to Surrendered Business can get a free copy of the Revenue Growth Engine audiobook at www.revenuegrowthengine.com/book.

Maslow says that we need our physical needs met first. Love, esteem, and self-actualization become possible once our basic needs are met. From Maslow’s viewpoint, we all start at the bottom, checking the box for each level in order to move up toward self-actualization. His premise is that if our basic needs are not met we will be too consumed with worry and anxiety to focus on the deeper things of life.

As Jesus often does, He flips the script. “For this reason, I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is life not more than food, and the body more than clothing? But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be provided to you.” (‭‭Matthew‬ ‭6‬:‭25‬, ‭33‬ ‭NASB2020‬‬)

It’s as if Jesus is saying, “You have heard it said that you should be worried about your physical needs first, but I say to you seek My Kingdom and My right relationship with the Father and the rest of this is going to be provided for you.”

How much of any given day is spent worrying about how our needs will be taken care of? As business owners with staff on payroll, we face the potential for worry to be magnified as we think about not only our own physical needs but also the needs of our team and their families.

What do we do with this worry? Jesus kindly says, “Stop it!” Instead, focus your attention on My Kingdom as you love Myself and others. Let Me add the provision. As Jesus taught us to pray, “Give us this day our daily bread.”

Interestingly, while Jesus tells us to not worry about our own physical needs, He teaches us that bringing the Kingdom of Heaven to earth requires meeting the physical needs of other people. Jesus leads the way in taking the form of a servant and meeting the needs of other people. These needs range from a cup of water to being an incarnation of His love. Instead of worrying about our physical needs to be met, we are to trust Jesus to meet these needs for us and join Him in being concerned about the needs of others.

There is something beautiful here when it comes to business. As business owners, we are stewards of the business and servants to those who work in the business. As we seek to serve the employees and vendors who ultimately serve the clients, we are creating a conduit for physical, social, and spiritual needs to be met.

Maybe Maslow was right. It does start with the provision of basic physical needs. Jesus flips the script by telling us to be concerned about meeting the needs of others as we let Jesus worry about meeting our physical needs.

As business owners, when we are worried about how our basic needs are going to be met, in essence, we are insisting that the people in our business serve us. Instead, we are challenged to trust the Father for our needs as we serve others. In the words of Jesus, “Whoever wants to become prominent among you shall be your servant.” ‭‭Matthew‬ ‭20‬:‭26‬ ‭NASB2020‬‬

Today’s episode is brought to you by Revenue Growth Engine. To scale your impact you need to scale your business. To do this, you need a powerful Revenue Growth Engine. Listeners to Surrendered Business can get a free copy of the Revenue Growth Engine audiobook at www.revenuegrowthengine.com/book.

Oh give us help against the adversary

For deliverance by man is vain.

Psalm 108:12

“We live in a love story set in the midst of a world at war,” John Eldredge so eloquently observes. There is an epic clash between two kingdoms: the kingdom of darkness and the kingdom of God.

The apostle Paul reminds us that our struggle is not against flesh and blood but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. (Ephesians 6:12)

The things of God are opposed. This is an important reality to remember as we step into the business world.

How do we navigate in a world at war?

1. Ask for Interpretation

Not every challenge we encounter is from the enemy. When adversity surfaces we have the opportunity to pause and ask for interpretation. King David modeled this well. Throughout the story of his life before he engages in battle we find the phrase, “David inquired of the Lord.” We can inquire of the Lord as well, asking questions like:

• What is going on here?
• What do you want me to do?

2. Remember Who The Enemy Is

The enemy may seem like a person. The message may come through an intimidating letter printed on the letterhead of a law firm. It may come through a negative statement on social media. It may show up in an unexplained shutdown of revenue. The important thing to remember here is that our enemy is not flesh and blood. The enemy is a set of spiritual forces of darkness. We are to love people. As usual, Jesus ups that game and tells us to pray for those who persecute us.

3. Take Authority

We can take authority over the enemy. Jesus says, “Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing will injure you.” (Luke 10:19) He goes on to tell his disciples to not rejoice that they have power over the enemy, but to rejoice that their names are recorded in heaven. It’s almost as if Jesus assumes that taking authority over the enemy is a routine thing for those who follow Him. Maybe it should be a routine thing for us to do in our businesses.

We do have an adversary. That adversary is not people.

When we forget that we have an adversary we end up assigning blame to the wrong places. If there isn’t an enemy, blame gets assigned to other people, ourselves, and even God.

Let’s recognize that we live in a world at war. Adversity, confusion, discouragement, diminishment, and depression may be coming from the enemy. If this is the case, we can recognize it and take appropriate action.

Today’s episode is brought to you by Revenue Growth Engine. To scale your impact you need to scale your business. To do this, you need a powerful Revenue Growth Engine. Listeners to Surrendered Business can get a free copy of the Revenue Growth Engine audiobook at www.revenuegrowthengine.com/book.