Share Stinkin’ Thinkin’ By Martin Schmaltz / last year “Think you can, think you can’t. Either way you are probably right” is a statement that has been attributed to Henry Ford. The profound truth of this statement is that our thoughts either liberate or imprison us. This truth is applicable to all areas of our lives: relationships, education, careers, hobbies and spirituality. How I […]
Share Promises By Martin Schmaltz / last year “What!” you may be exclaiming: “That is absurd, when can God’s promises hurt?” May I offer a response – when they do not seem to be coming to pass. Think for a moment of the excitement you experience when the Lord gave you a promise. Maybe it is about your job, finances, loved ones or […]
Share Jesus Brand Manager By Martin Schmaltz / last year A significant change in our culture today, especially the business world is the focus on personal branding. Many aspects of corporate branding have been distilled and applied to the individual for the enhancement of their personal success. According to Wikipedia (http://tinyurl.com/6rjb2s ) “Personal branding is the process whereby people and their careers are marked as […]
Share The Viral Gospel By Martin Schmaltz / last year We have entered a transition phase of business marketing and advertising. There is this shift from interruption tactics to a more organic form. The day of mass TV ads, full-page magazine spreads, billboards, radio spots and direct mail seem to waning in effectives. Why? · First, we are so inundated with these ads: we begin […]
Share Do People Look At You Strange? Are You a Gaijin? By Martin Schmaltz / a couple of years ago When I minister in other countries, there is this barely perceptible, but yet real emotional maybe psychological thing that happens when I return home. It seems that when I arrive back at the first major U.S. airport, there is this sigh and relaxation that passes through me. As I am making my way to immigrations, […]
Share Used To By Martin Schmaltz / a couple of years ago Used To I was at lunch the other day enjoying good food and conversation with some friends. One of them was discussing what he was like before we knew him and made this statement: “I’m not what you are used to.” My mind began to reel! I wonder if Jesus said that: I can imagine […]
Share Decline of Christianity By Martin Schmaltz / a couple of years ago Decline of Christianity The cover story for the April 9th issue of Newsweek magazine is entitled “The Decline of Christian America,” and presents a bleak picture of the church’s future of impacting society. Based on the 2009 American Religious Identification Survey, the article quotes the following statistics: The “number of Americans claiming no religious affiliation […]
Share Amway By Martin Schmaltz / a couple of years ago Years ago when my wife and I were newlyweds, we got involved in the Amway craze. I see your head nodding – you did too! Well, one of their encouragements was that you did not have to sell the products; they sold themselves, as you demonstrated their effectiveness. I remember removing shoe polish, waterproofing handkerchiefs […]
Share Image By Martin Schmaltz / a couple of years ago Image Representative: One that serves as a delegate or agent for another. – American Heritage Dictionary Gen 1:26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion… This scripture gives us wonderful insight into God’s purpose for mankind. Adam was created in the image and […]
Share Plates By Martin Schmaltz / a couple of years ago Plates As a kid growing up, I remember seeing the juggler who would spin plates. They would place an individual plate on a thin stick and spin it; then repeat this process over and over. Periodically they had to return to a previous plate and give it an extra spin to keep them from falling […]
