In John chapter 10, Jesus is arguing with his opponents:
“I have shown you many good works from the Father. For which of these do you stone me?”
“We are not stoning you for any good work,” they replied, “but for blasphemy, because you, a mere man, claim to be God.”
Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your Law, ‘I have said you are “gods”’? If he called them ‘gods,’ to whom the word of God came—and Scripture cannot be set aside – what about the one whom the Father set apart as his very own and sent into the world?
Now what does he mean “gods”?
He means that even mere mortals possess the divine spark. We are made in the image of God.
The signature of that divine spark is that we, like God, create.
Entrepreneurs especially are endowed with a special kind of creativity. Entrepreneurs are artists. Business is ART. A great USP is ART. Copywriting is art. Design is art.
And art is divine. That is my conviction.
The particular spiritual stream I grew up in (think “Calvinist”) put far more emphasis on the brokenness of humanity than the divinity. Everyone had a grave distrust of that artist inside. If you desired something, you were just sure that it was probably bad. Where I came from, the idea was “Sure, God might show up but ultimately it’s just Fire Insurance. Meanwhile we’re all holding hands in the dark waiting for the apocalypse.”
I think differently today. Humanity is most definitely broken and in John 10 Jesus explains how he came to heal us. But THAT is why brokenness is not the final word. The Divine Spark is the final word.
If you DESIRE to build a business and express the artist inside of you through your entrepreneurship, then your first impulse should NOT be to question or distrust that desire. But rather to take it by faith that THIS is an expression of the divine spark that is within.
So… take your foot off the brake. Put your foot on the accelerator and know that when you express the entrepreneurial artist within, that itself is an act of worship. An expression of spirituality and gratitude.
Now when you frame it that way, doesn’t that make the shackles fall off? Is there anything more freeing, more empowering than that?
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Perry Marshall
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About the Author
Perry Marshall has launched two revolutions in sales and marketing. In Pay-Per-Click advertising, he pioneered best practices and wrote the world's best selling book on Google advertising. And he's driven the 80/20 Principle deeper than any other author, creating a new movement in business.
He is referenced across the Internet and by Harvard Business Review, The New York Times, INC and Forbes Magazine.
41 Comments on “YOUR Divine Entrepreneurial Spark”
Wow, great post, Perry!
I’ve always thought this way and it’s brilliant to see that you’ve found a winsome way to shine the light of Christ, the outworking of your divine spark – God’s Spirit in you, through your business of helping others find theirs.
I also am a Calvinist who realizes that our total depravity is actually a blessing in that it allows us to be redeemable. And the redemption, the Gospel message, is what we should be sharing and excited about.
I find that the greatest freedom is living in submission to and recognition of God’s total sovereignty – because then instead of imposing my own will first, I’m free to be who He created me to be and act as His agent.
Keep up the great posts.
Cheers,
JD
Jesus came so that we could have life and have it more abundantly.
Thank you Perry for being salt and light unto the world.
Hi Perry,
I was raised Mennonite Brethren; ultra conservative. Business people were generally considered to be greedy, worldly and more than likely beyond redemption.
Yet, when we read the parable of the talents, it was the man that did not apply himself fully to making the most of himself in business pursuits that was cast into outer darkness.
I agree with you. Business is ART, and art is divine.
– Cole
YES!
Hi Perry, I like your style and what ever you have to say. It’s true that we tend to distrust what we really feel inside believing that is just not going to work or its madness.
I have begun to listen to what is going inside my heart.
http://DoubleStrollersCentral.com is the first of what came out of my heart. And believe me there are many more to come.
Thanks again for making what I am doing become more brighter.
You may find that “Melted Crayons and a Hymn of Praise” reflects your thesis quite accurately!
http://grandmastreasures.wordpress.com/
Hey Perry
That’s great stuff … I agree with you and I sometimes get frustrated when people (especially Christians?) just don’t `get it’, don’t seem to want to take risks for God, stay in the shallows, play it safe (and boring!)
We need to be leaders in our communities and I would love to be a better communicator (like you are … you certainly display the `divine spark’ in what you do!)
God Bless
All the way from New Zealand …
Perry,
I’ve read and studied and read some more, but your post today is the first time the relationship between our spirit and our humanity has been so clear to me.
Thank you, thank you, thank you.
I am off to repost this on my blog today!
Simply amazing! Only a true Christ believing entrepreneur could explain it the way you have. Thank you.
Perfection!!:
“Put your foot on the accelerator and know that when you express the entrepreneurial artist within, that itself is an act of worship. An expression of spirituality and gratitude.”
Thank you so much Perry for this amazing stuff.It´s really one of the best I have heard in a long time.As a christian it has inspired me to the most as I have this
divine entrepreneurial spart in my heart and blood but need like you say take it by faith…..and I WILL!
Thanks again brother and God be with you and yours!
Blessings!
Perry,
Great thoughts.Taking our foot off the brake is so true. Many of us value Christ’s warning–If you try to save your life you will lose it,but if you lose your life for ME you will save it.Many of us are afraid that chasing a dream is selfish–but the motive is key.If we are trying to use the talents we have been blessed with not for purely selfish reasons, but for positive motivations–we magnify and honor GOD far more than remaining in a hopeless ,depressed, fetal position.
Thank you Perry, just the reminder I needed this morning and have fun with Lance.
Perry, you have a gift for stirring and encouraging entrepreneurs. Much appreciated.
Thank you, Perry. I am a Calvinist, in that I hold to divine sovereignty but also human responsibility. This cannot be resolved by human logic. Contrary to the notions promulgated about “Calvinists” should it not mean that they support the veracity of Scripture? And as Jesus has said that the Son shall make you free; we are freed from the spirit of fear into the glorious liberty of the redeemed children of God, a gift offered to all – Jesus’ gift of forgiveness.
I also support you and other Christians who are adamantly trying to extract from the pagan thoughts are things movement in order to motivate believers to change their thinking about business, and all the things that psychologically hold one back. Well done. Thank you.
I’m not so concerned with Calvinism per se, whatever one might think about it, so much as the “total depravity” mindset, and how so often practically speaking that is the final word on mankind. It is absolutely not the final word; redemption is. As you say, we are free. So we should walk as free men.
Well done Perry, as usual your insight is spot on. I love when you say:
“So… take your foot off the brake. Put your foot on the accelerator and know that when you express the entrepreneurial artist within, that itself is an act of worship. An expression of spirituality and gratitude.”
It is our duty to create according to our gifts, and do good in the world as a results.
Thank You Perry!
Perry,
Thank you for your note on the Divine. Most leaders would leave out the “Jesus” part, but you didn’t. I thank you for that. Through glorifying God, each person gets closer to recognizing that Jesus, as God, is the only source for forgiveness.
Thank you
Hi Perry,
Funny how we can read Paul’s words “We have the mind of Christ” and yet fail to renew our minds daily. I for one am guilty of struggling with that truth everyday when reality punches me in the face. Thanks for sharing.
Wow – you bring tears to my eyes. How often do we block our spark, thinking that success is about ego and money and therefore I shouldn’t ask for divine help?
But you can’t deny that the spark is there and our purpose and essence come through when we go with the spark. Yesterday, my client had a big win monetarily and in helping someone and he and I teared up together(can you tell I’m Italian with the tears!). I felt on purpose in that moment.
Yet other times I let my Christian money blocks get in the way and feel ambivalent because I don’t need more money. I do need to create and I do need to touch my clients deeply as we create together.
Thank you for ministering to this deep ambivalence that well meaning people have. I help my clients effectively their blocks but it is so nice that you are so spot on with mine and I can just relax and receive your help. Happy Thanksgiving Perry!
Love it! Your description of your religious upbringing reminds of a scene from the movie Dogma (the most irreverent reverent movie ever made) when Serendipity the Muse says (paraphrasing here), “Catholics, no wonder. I have issues with anyone who treats God as a burden instead of a blessing. You people don’t celebrate your faith; you mourn it.”
And with the turn of one phrase, I truly understood the major disconnect I had between my religion and my spirituality.
Yeah…
Jeff–I haven’t seen “Dogma” (the movie) so You tell Serendipity for Me that some of that “Catholic mourning” comes from the comprehensive understandings that are closer in mind & practice to Our Judeo-Roots.
We WISH…
That All of Our Actions Were ON THE LEVEL With A-OK Divine Sparks–BUT THAT’S NOT ALWAYS THE CASE. Any Catholic worth Their salt knows that “divine sparks” are one thang–AND–Who & How & Why & What & When & Where–We Choose To IGNITE Our Sparks ARE–A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT OTHER.
In other words…
The Inspiration = Divine Spark
The Execution–HOWEVER–Ain’t Necessarily SO.
And this is EXACTLY what I needed to hear today. Thank you.
Love the post. Other inspiring entrepreneurial bible passages:
“Remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth.” Deut 8:18
“In the beginning, God created…” Gen. 1:1
A new dimension to understanding the Word.
I’ve always said it and i don’t mean to patronise you, Perry, you identify & i identify with a lot of stuffs that you post.
As a Christian, i understand what it means to unleash your potential engaging the Scriptures as your backbone and also creatively leveraging revelations from the Word to run your race.
Good post, Perry.
Soon, i’ll be joining your mastermind group. I’m sure there’s a whole lot to draw from you while there is time.
This hits home right into the issue of identity. Who are we, really? If we believe and share a story of “just a sinner saved by grace,” our worldview is one of despair and a desire to escape the earth (which explains why certain schools of eschatology are so popular).
If we believe, and share, a story that God gives us a new heart, that we are purified (Heb 10), that Jesus lives in us (Col 2:20), that we were in Him before the world began (Eph 1:4), and that He has already glorified us, our perspective, identity, and worldview is grounded in Truth. This is liberating! We are free to create, explore, and connect with our Lord and people without fear!
Thank you for this encouraging reminder.
Perry, this is both good theological and entrepreneurial thinking in my view.
My background isn’t Calvinist or similarly bleak. Catholics had a different take, which, while, not as fearful, suspicious and hard-hearted, still provoked and instilled a false idea of what you could do in the world and why.
We were taught what you were “supposed” to do with your life, which was to do God’s will, that is, to subject your own will to the will of God.
This sounded good but it always bothered me too because it flew in the face (to a degree—this is a larger conversation!) of the concept of free will, which was also a given.
I could see the point of doing God’s will to the extent of living a good life, but the specifics were never God’s business. That was your business: you lived your life the way you wanted to, did the work you wanted to.
I didn’t buy the idea that God had an extremely specific plan for you individually, and you had to figure out (a “calling”) what that was and follow it. That IS true in some cases but it just means the person has figured out what to do with the gifts he or she has.
In the Catholic tradition that usually meant service. Irish Catholics became priests, nuns, teachers, writers, nurses, doctors, journalists, lawyers and policemen. They did not become businesspersons to the same degree as our Protestant and Jewish friends because that was (generally considered to be) not serving others, but yourself. (Yes, OK, It IS more complicated than that, but this is just a place for a comment! For example, two of my four uncles DID start businesses.)
Your point about entrepreneurialism as being a kind of art is true. Being an entrepreneur is like any other work: if you have the talent, gifts and ability to do it and are drawn to it (a “calling” of some kind?) you should do it.
God gave as all gifts and many of them involve art. Our job is to figure out what ours gifts are, and nurture and use them.
That means knowing yourself. If you don’t know yourself, three bad things will happen to you. You will not be doing the right work (for you); you will not be with the right person and you will not be happy.
That opens a wide range of ways in which you can employ your talents and it includes entrepreneurialism precisely because of the creativity involved.
Self-Knowledge is the key and then following up with action.
That IS empowering. It IS an expression of the divine spark within all of us.
Bravo! And God bless the Irish.
tis true–God HAS blessed the Irish…
With The …ahem… “gift of gab” if nuthin’ else.
At any rate…
I’ve been reading Your posts & emails for 4-5 years already and I must say that today’s is the…
BEST EVER–Thank You !!
btw…
That “divine spark” of Yours–Perry–is more like a Roaring Bon-Fire–Shine ON–Bro.
Jesus did more for us in His ministry than just heal. He showed us how we might live our lives. And that did not include turning bread into stones.
There are many who think that being tempted to turn stones into bread was merely asking Jesus to perform petty witchcraft. There is another and more powerful meaning, and it is one that affects each and every one of you who reads these words.
Because in the course of His ministry, Jesus did not turn stones into bread. Because he did not sin. As I mentioned on my own blog “What’s more, it’s such a sly temptation that most of us fell for before we even knew there was a choice”.
Perry, your post strikes the deepest nerve in me. You write, “If you DESIRE…then your first impulse should NOT be to question or distrust that desire. But rather to take it by faith that THIS is an expression of the divine spark…” — My life passion has been music, but being raised under a dark Christian mindset that everything in my soul was black and tainted with evil, gave no room that I could even begin to think I was anything close to Divine.
When you write, “…take your foot off the brake. Put your foot on the accelerator and know that when you express…that itself is an act of worship. An expression of spirituality and gratitude.” — I’m on my way to the recording studio this morning, and this made me smile, like a whisper from an angel.
Perry,
Thanks for sharing these great Words of Wisdom to work by today!
Just what I needed to hear!;-)
~ Carol Douthitt
A lifelong disbeliever in anything super natural or divine(as well as a reader for nearly a decade) this still speaks to me loud and clear.
Happy Friday,
Jake
Happiness Tool co
Happiness Tech
Inspiring stuff, Perry.
And I really like how your business philosophy ties in nicely with your personal beliefs as described over at cosmicfingerprints.com and coffeehousetheology.com. (To too many others, that’s not so much the case …) I wish those sites had working discussion fora, ’cause I’d love to run with this in the right setting ;-)
Also, I think even you could go deeper on this, and have your mind blown again. There’s food for massive paradigm shifts in this – both on a personal and universal level. Mind over matter and all…
Oh I laughed when you got to, “Meanwhile we’re all holding hands in the dark waiting for the apocalypse.”
That’s real! -and don’t forget the chorus of “Kumbaya”.
But the most powerful clause, “when you express the entrepreneurial artist within, that itself is an act of worship.”
That’s stinkin’ awesome!
Gratifying…thanks for your insight.
Hey Perry, have you thought about running a Christ centered roundtable?
I am doing a 3-day private mastermind with Lance Wallnau January 23, 24 and 25 – it’s exactly what you describe. Depending on interest we may turn it into an ongoing group. Contact my office if you’re interested in learning more.
Dear Perry,
Thank you so very much for expressing what I have been experiencing in churches since becoming aware of law of attraction principles and the divine creative ability God has given each of us. Well-meaning pastors are indeed concentrating on the brokenness of man rather than the divinity of God within us. You put my observations into the above words. I have wondered why pastors do not praise church attendees for the good they do: they work to provide for their families, they maintain households, they teach and raise their children, they are philanthropic, they create ideas all the time, etc., etc.
Can you imagine the additional power and miracles that would occur if congregations would be free to create divinely, pastors having given them permission to do so?
It is beyond my comprehension how this miraculous message was delivered to my e-mail today! My gratitude could not be greater!
Thank you.
I love this.
Awesome good stuff Perry!! God bless you and your family, your work and ministries!!