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Celebrating a New Year

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From the team at C3 we pray each of you had a Merry Christmas and are preparing to enter 2018 with a heart ready to receive all our Heavenly Father has prepared for us. The journey of celebrating Christ throughout the year starts with a heart actively pursuing Him.  The often-quoted verse of Jeremiah 29:11 is a great verse, and we should also include verses 12 and 13 to get the whole picture of the blessing He has planned for us:

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. 12 Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”

The Celebration Begins with Relationship

The celebration of embracing the plans He has for us begins with a healthy relationship with Jesus Christ and seeking Him with all our hearts.  This season God has been teaching me the simplicity and importance of John 15:1-8:

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. 3 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4 Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.

5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.”

Abiding in the vine, or an intimate relationship with Jesus is necessary for us to embrace the fullness of the life our Heavenly Father has prepared for us. This relationship is critical, but can easily be substituted with activities that lead us to believe we have a relationship with Jesus. In my opinion, one of the most sobering verses in the Bible is Matthew 7:21-23, which shows the difference between activity and relationship:

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 Many will say to
me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ 23 Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’”

These were people doing magnificent work in the name of Jesus, but had no relationship with Him and were called evil.  My 12-year-old son asked me how you can know someone, but not have a relationship with them as reflected in this verse.  I used the example of Bill Gates, a famous person who greatly influenced society and has much written about him. We can read about him, gain valuable information about him and know so much about him that we feel like we know him, but if he walks into the room he would not know who you are because you have not spent time with him to build a relationship.

As we enter the New Year, let us spend time to cultivate the relationship with Jesus that we were created to enjoy.  As we abide in the vine the Holy Spirit can flow through us to produce the fruit that will benefit us and those in our circle of influence.

The Abundant Harvest

 The picture painted in John 15 is one of our Heavenly Father attending to the branches to ensure they produce much fruit.  We must be firmly attached to the vine to allow the Holy Spirit to flow through us to produce the fruit as outlined in Galatians 5:22-23,

“But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!”

However, even as we abide in the vine there will also be times when the branches must be pruned to produce even more fruit.  This can be a painful process, but the results are of great benefit as the fruit of the Spirit is manifest for all to enjoy.

2018 can be a wonderful year as we walk out the principles of John 15 in our everyday lives and unite with others that share these values to positively impact our communities.  We pray God’s richest blessings on you and your family in the coming year.

To get more information and join the South Carolina Christian Chamber of Commerce (SC C3) movement, go to www.sc-c3.org and become a member today!

Jamie Jordan is the State Director for the South Carolina Christian Chamber of Commerce (SC-C3).
His passion is to see unity and excellence exhibited within the Christian community.  Jamie can be reached at jjordan@Stravicom.com.

Celebrating Christ

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And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby,
keeping watch over their flocks at night.
An angel of the Lord appeared to them,
and the glory of the Lord shone around them,
and they were terrified. But the angel said to them,
“Do not be afraid. I bring you good news
that will cause great joy for all the people.
Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you;
he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you:
You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel,
praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”
Luke 2:8-14 NIV

Tears sprung to my eyes when I read this passage during my quiet time one morning. Such a quiet evening, sheep bleating in the night – shepherds faithfully standing watch. Imagine their surprise when the whole world above them exploded with joy and celebration at the announcement of the Newborn King. What a terrible, wonderful sight the angels made against the backdrop of an inky sky. How could the host of heaven contain their joy any longer? The One all of Heaven longed for and adored had come to earth to make His dwelling among men.

You’re Invited

“I am the good shepherd;
I know my sheep and my sheep know me—
just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—
and I lay down my life for the sheep.”
John 10:14-15

These simple shepherds received an invitation to meet the one true Shepherd of their souls and the salvation of all mankind. Can’t you hear the heart of the Father? “Go and see the One who has been born to you.”

The angels told them what to look for – a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger. Imagine if the angels had told them just to find a baby wrapped in cloths. That was customary during their time and would have been a difficult task with all the souls in Jerusalem due to the census. But finding a baby in a manger – well, that was something entirely different. It’s not every day a child is born in a stall.

When the angels had left them and gone into heaven,
the shepherds said to one another,
“Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened,
which the Lord has told us about.”
So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph,
and the baby, who was lying in the manger.
Luke 2:15

They found Him, just as the angels promised.

The Father made sure His Son would be easily accessible to these searching shepherds. Other than His parents, they would be the first to gaze upon His face and adore Him on earth, just as He was adored in heaven.

When they had seen him, they spread the word
concerning what had been told them about this child,
and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them.
But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.
The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God
for all the things they had heard and seen,
which were just as they had been told.
Luke 2:16-20

The joy of the angels had become their own. Their immediate response was to go and spread the news everywhere that the Messiah was born. When Christ is unveiled to the humble in heart, praise and adoration joyfully break out.

Celebrating Christ

Through this remarkable story I see many ways to celebrate Christ.

We can shout it to the world that King Jesus has arisen in the darkness, just as the angels did long ago. We can look for Him as one would search for precious treasure alongside the shepherds and kneel in adoration at His feet. We can silently ponder the mysteries of Christ within our hearts as Mary did. In joy we can go and tell all who will listen that the Messiah has come.

Birthed in the darkness of night, our Messiah came to die. It was His earthly assignment to abolish sin and give the Father the greatest gift of all – a relationship with you. Just as the angels rejoiced the night Christ was born,

Heaven still rejoices when hearts turn from darkness
to say yes to the Light of the World
Luke 15:10

However you decide to celebrate this next Christmas Day, I pray that from the time your eyes open until you close them again in sleep that you will be keenly aware of the depth of God’s love and adoration for you. I pray this Christmas that you would be found fully satisfied in Him.

“I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power,
together with all the Lord’s holy people,
to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ,
and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—
that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.”
Ephesians 3:17-19

To get more information and join the South Carolina Christian Chamber of Commerce (SC C3) movement, go to www.sc-c3.org and become a member today!

Lori Anderson-Bowen is the Charleston SC-C3 Prayer Team Leader and serves as the Prayer Ministry Director at Seacoast Church in Summerville, SC. She is passionate about hearing the voice of God and seeing people walk in freedom daily through the ministry of prayer. Lori is also a business partner with SC-C3 and is the proud owner of Andowen Photography. You can contact her directly at lori@andowenphotography.com

Celebrating Our Identity

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The C3 theme for December is Celebrating Christ, but what would it look like to celebrate Him all year long? First and foremost, we can celebrate who Christ is because of who we are!

Understanding Our Identity

What God creates, He celebrates! Ephesians 2:10 says, “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” In this verse, Paul talks about our identity and purpose. As believers, God gives us the opportunity to discover our identity and purpose through getting to know Him. The more we know God and His Word, the more we will begin to understand our individual identity and purpose. As we come to understand our identity, we can embrace the life God has prepared for each of us. Eventually, we find out that identity determines destiny.

Developing Identity

Realistically, understanding our identity is easier said than done. Some people live in identity theft and try to be something or someone they are not. Others live in identity crisis and simply do not know who they are. Yet, be encouraged, often God does his deepest work while the image of our identity is being developed in the darkroom.

Our identity comes to light through our beliefs and values. When we believe in who and whose we are, we recognize the plans and purposes of God that He intends to be carried out by us. We also come to understand that we are to live in unity, but not uniformity. Each of us has gifts and talents, along with God-given passions. When we can authentically celebrate our unique identity in Christ, we can live and work with others in complete unity to impact the world for His glory.

Celebrating Our Identity

When we commit our lives to Christ, we can pursue and celebrate a new and true understanding of who we are.  2 Corinthians 5:17 tells us, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” Let’s celebrate this truth together today and all through the year. Operating in our unique identity brings glory to our Creator and aligns us with His good, pleasing and perfect will, which aligns us with each other.

Let the celebration of your identity and the identities of others become a celebration of our belief in Christ.

To get more information and join the South Carolina Christian Chamber of Commerce (SC C3) movement, go to www.sc-c3.org and become a member today!

Cynthia Grosso-Jordan is a national etiquette expert, an award winning speaker, columnist and author who focuses on professionalism and leadership.  She is the founder of the Charleston School of Protocol and Etiquette. Inc. Ms. Grosso concentrates on the critical ten percent…the “polish” needed for business people to compete, grow and succeed in today’s business culture.

Celebrating Christ

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For many, the month of December has become a season of pressure.  There are events to attend, gifts to purchase and decorations to display, all while family, work and life go on. However, as Christians we may need to slow down and be reminded that it is a time to highlight the greatest gift the world has ever known, the gift of the Messiah, Jesus Christ, the Son of God that takes away our sins and presents us blameless before our Heavenly Father.  Now that is something to celebrate!

This great gift, the Good News or Gospel of Jesus has become minimized during this season as the world attempts to remove Christ from Christmas. The environment that has been created over the years for the Christmas season has removed many of the symbols that remind us of the reason we celebrate.

Keeping the Main Thing the Main Thing

 I love the Christmas season as my wonderful wife transforms our home into a winter wonderland and invests the time to make sure each person has the perfect gift and to prepare a Christmas Eve food marathon with family that many anticipate throughout the year.  These are wonderful festivities as long as we keep the focus on why we celebrate and not just get caught up in the glitter of the season.

The celebration of Christ should be the focus of any follower of Jesus. As Jesus stated in John 14:21,

“Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me.
The one who loves me will be loved by my Father,
and I too will love them and show myself to them.” 

As we enter this Christmas season, let us remember that celebrating Christ happens all throughout the year with grateful and obedient hearts as we apply the teachings of Jesus in every area of our lives.

How do we Celebrate Christ?

 The external stimulation of celebrations and exciting events can pale in comparison to the still quiet celebrations that can occur as we are still and know that He is God, as David stated in Psalm 46:10.  When we enter our day with the inner joy that is produced through the fruit of the Holy Spirit listed in Galatians 5:22-23, we can celebrate throughout the whole year with contagious joy, no matter what we may face.  When we realize that all things are worship and offer them as our offerings, we can celebrate Christ throughout the year and reflect Him in every environment we may enter.

Let us be reflective this Christmas season of who Christ is and may we celebrate him in this season and throughout the year.

We love and appreciate each of you and thank God for the journey He has provided for C3 in 2017.  We look forward to His continued work in 2018 and wish all of you a Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year!

To get more information and join the South Carolina Christian Chamber of Commerce (SC C3) movement, go to www.sc-c3.org and become a member today!

Jamie Jordan is the State Director for the South Carolina Christian Chamber of Commerce (SC-C3).
His passion is to see unity and excellence exhibited within the Christian community.  Jamie can be reached at jjordan@Stravicom.com.

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“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden;
 nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket,
but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.”

Time We Spend at Work

Most of us spend more time at work than any other activity, even sleep.  Greater than 70% of our waking-hours are spent working.  Whether we are entrepreneurs, employees, managers or even unemployed, work-life dominates the majority of waking-life.

If we believe the words of Christ in Matthew 5, our influence is overwhelmingly experienced by those at work.  The truth is, every person in that sphere of influence will either be affected by the light of Christ in us, or we will be impacted by the darkness in them.

Lampstand or the Basket?

That means we get to choose – the lampstand or the basket.  Of course, the easy way is the basket.  Since we are greatly outnumbered in the global marketplace, it’s tempting to believe what the business world constantly yells at us:  Only the guy who isn’t rowing has time to rock the boat (JP Sartre).

One glaring (if not outright scary) example is the recent controversy surrounding one of Google’s software engineers, James Damore.  He who wrote an internal memo speaking out against discrimination within the corporate giant.  In his document he discussed how Google “shamed into silence” anyone who disagreed with their ideology.  I have no idea if this man is a follower of Christ.  I do know his facts were fair and reasonable and written with absolute humility.  He was fired.

Legalistic vs Moralistic

We live in a legalistic world.  Even though we are Christians, it would be easy to follow every requirement of the U.S. legal system and still slip past morally ambiguous obstacle in our dealings.

I have a Christian friend who is the owner of a very successful Charleston-based business.  He recently discovered a surge of drug use within his company.  He had already relaxed drug-screening policies by the time he found one of his star employees was using heroine.  That employee then identified at least three others who were actively using.  My Christian friend was strongly considering suspension of all future drug screening.  Why?  So he would have no disruption of business.  Instead, he would look the other way and keep the revenue flowing.

Thankfully, in humility, he listened to reason and changed his stance.  He chose to put his light on a lampstand and immediately tested everyone in his company, even though it surely meant missed deadlines, tons of rework and time spent hiring new employees.  He approached his largest customers, apologized, and proclaimed his company would become known for clean and trustworthy employees, committed to excellence in their work.

We Are Called

If God would choose for us, he would certainly choose the lampstand.  We know this.  He calls us to it.  His word is lovingly jammed with wise instruction on how we are to conduct ourselves in the world.  And the one that stands out most is the wisdom of Romans 12:2

“Do not conform to the pattern of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”

 When we choose to follow the pattern of Christ instead of the worldly way, we choose to shine a bright light into a dark world.  This will lead us (and others) to a renewed mind, a different way forward and renewed success.  We are called to a kingdom influence.  May God be glorified through it.

Shawn Sommerkamp is a motivational speaker and Executive Coach with 20+ years of Fortune 100 leadership experience.  He founded Motivationeer™ to coach Christian professionals how to bring the power of Christ’s word, as the foundation of career success, into corporate and small business America.

 

http://blog.sc-c3.org/2017/11/27/212/