MARKETPLACE FACTS Module 303 J
THE RAT RACE Mario Denton Marketplace facts: The rat race
Marketplace facts: The rat race
Overall purpose of this series on Marketplace To understand and learn from various marketplace facts so that you can: • Be more effective and anointed wherever you are in the marketplace. • Adapt and benchmark your marketplace practices and principles discussed in this series. • Use these material to facilitate the work of evangelism.
Marketplace facts: The rat race
The rat race • Let’s admit it. • Many of us feel rushed disjointed, under constant pressure and angry a lot of the time. • We seem to have too much too do and too little time in which to do it. • Worst of all, we never seem to have enough time for those who are the dearest to us, often resulting in a sense of alienation toward our spouse and children. Marketplace facts: The rat race
Success, but at what price? • A friend returned home on a Saturday morning from a two week business trip. His two boys who were watching T.V. didn’t even look up when they heard him enter the room. • When he walked into the bedroom to embrace his wife, she rushed past him to an appointment. It was then he realized he had lost his family for his business. Divorce soon followed. Marketplace facts: The rat race
Success, but at what price? • A person sitting in first class on an airplane, became engaged in conversation with the gentleman in the next seat who rambled on for fifteen minutes about his many accomplishments. • During a pause my friend asked, “Can you tell me about your wife and children?” After a stunned moment of silence, the gentleman broke down and wept. The question is, success, but at what price? Marketplace facts: The rat race
Chasing the pot of gold • Why is it that we often feel we are chasing the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow? • The harder we pursue it the further it seems to recede into the distance. • Could it be that we are chasing an illusive and impossible dream? Marketplace facts: The rat race
Chasing the pot of gold • The chase is called the ‘Rat Race’. • Like a rat on a treadmill, we seem to be going faster and faster to nowhere. • There appears to be no way of getting off.
Marketplace facts: The rat race
Chasing the pot of gold • We find ourselves bogged down in a world of ever increasing intensity, complexity and velocity. • Seduced by our materialistic quest, we resemble industrialist J. P. Morgan of an earlier era, who when asked what it would take to satisfy him, replied, “Just a little bit more.” Marketplace facts: The rat race
Make enough money • Perhaps we have bought into the deception that if we can just make enough money and reach a certain status in society, and impress enough people and wield enough power…then we will have ‘arrived’?
Marketplace facts: The rat race
Is anything worth more than your soul? • Jesus, knowing our penchant toward such a warped view of life, cautioned us, ‌How do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul in the process? Is anything worth more than your soul? (Matt. 16:26 NLT)
Marketplace facts: The rat race
What is the impact on you and your families? It is frustration, anger, fragmentation, alienation and broken relationships.
Marketplace facts: The rat race
Are you tired? • The Master extends his gracious invitation to us, • Are you tired? Worn out? • Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. Marketplace facts: The rat race
Are you tired? • Walk with me and work with me— watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. • I won't lay anything heavy or illfitting on you. Keep company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly. (Matthew 11:28-30 – The Message) Marketplace facts: The rat race
Question • The only force that will break our enslavement to life on the tread mill – the ‘Rat Race’ – is to choose daily to feed on Jesus Christ through quality, unrushed time in His presence, guided by the Spirit and centered in God’s word.
Marketplace facts: The rat race
Question • God will then begin the process of re-orientating us to live life as He intended it to be lived. • If you are part of today’s ‘Rat Pack’, are you desperate enough to begin the process of liberation. . . or is more pain still in the offing for you? Marketplace facts: The rat race
Psalm 86:13 • For You love me so much! You are constantly so kind! You have rescued me from deepest hell. - God is a rescuer. - He wants to rescue us from things that seem impossible.
Marketplace facts: The rat race
Psalm 86:13 • In addition God is loving, kind and full of mercy. God is an inexhaustible source of mercy and love. PRAYER: Lord, I need You! I cannot do it on my own! Reach down to me in Your love, mercy and kindness and rescue me. Amen. Marketplace facts: The rat race
Prayer Focus • Father, In the name of Jesus, I surrender myself to walk in the Word in the marketplace. Your word living in me produces the Life in this world. • The word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. It makes my way plain before me. • I boldly and confidently say that my heart is fixed and established on the solid foundation – the Living Word of God! Amen Marketplace facts: The rat race
Learning, application and commitment: James 1: 22-25 • “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. • Do what it says. • Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in the mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. • But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it - he will be blessed in what he does.” (NIV) Marketplace facts: The rat race
Learning, application and commitment • One of the principles that I have learned from this lesson was … • I intend to apply this principle in my marketplace by: ….. • With the help of the Holy Spirit, I will begin applying this truth immediately. Marketplace facts: The rat race
Jesus said: Take what I have given you and change the world!
Marketplace facts: The rat race
Sources and acknowledgement CHRIST@ WORK NEWSLETTER • •
Copyright Notice FCCI- Limited permission to copy without altering text or profiteering is granted subject to inclusion of this copyright notice. Copy is limited to member and/or FCCI small group use. Unauthorized use of FCCI, Christ@Work, Crown Companies, their trademarks or logos is strictly prohibited.
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The “Facts of the Matter” is also available through the Internet: www.factsofthematter.org. R. Dwight Hill. Slides compiled by Dr Mario Denton. Please commit yourself to inform us of the results regarding the effectiveness thereof should you wish to use this material.
Marketplace facts: The rat race
Blessings from Mario Denton
Let's keep the good marketplace vibes alive. Let's network. Become a member of the Crown Companies Marketplace Coaching Forum. Â Tel (w) + 27(0) 82 88 29903. e-mail address:mario@crown.org.za Website: www.crown.org.za Marketplace facts: The rat race
Marketplace facts: The rat race
Marketplace facts: The rat race