Category: Bruce Posts (Page 133 of 211)

We quietly launched our Cypress Ukraine office here on the 2nd floor of the Cafe this week.  Here’s a shot of the guys, L-R Dema, Gena and Igor.  So far we’re not getting much accomplished but having fun.  I forgot how time consuming it is to get computers setup, software licenses figured out, and all that we implement to work in the world of web development.

We’re not big soft drink fans.  Thanks to my wife and her healthier ways, she’s kept our family from binging on the sugary stuff.  But… who doesn’t like an icy glass of Coke or Pepsi with their slice of greasy pizza?

We are making good progress this week with the Cafe.  Dema started this week and we were able to track down both Coke and Pepsi regional distributors.  We have appointments lined up for this coming week, reviewing their products and marketing materials.

I personally want Pepsi.  Somehow, early on in life, we pick our brands don’t we?  I’m not sure how it happens, but it does.  Maybe it was a commercial, or a sports figure I saw drinking it.  Wasn’t it Michael Jackson that burnt his hair on a Pepsi commercial.. that was pretty cool.  In any case, I lean towards them for taste as well.  But the biggest determinant is what the vendors can supply by way of service, and products.

This is Ukraine.  If you are reading this blog, that’s nothing new.  The corruption isn’t new to you either so I won’t belabor it.  It’s amazing though, even with international products like Coke or Pepsi, the rich control the landscape.  The distributors that sell don’t make commission like they do in the west – no incentive to service and compete.  They each have marketing products to help their customers sell like tents, chairs, glasses, signage, fridges.. but here, you need to have ‘connections’ to get the stuff!  Can you believe it?  We told them we wanted some tents, they each told us to get in line, behind the rich Kiev businessman that hog the wares.

We’re deciding this week regardless.  Signing a contract with whoever gives us the best deal.  The nice thing is that each provides juice, water and other healthier alternatives.  Pizza and water?  A slice of pizza with juice.. ?  Sorry, that’ll be a hard thing to do, even with my wife giving me the look 😉

Bruce

“But I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds will be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ.”  2 Cor 11:3

Satan deceives through cunning and art.  He uses our own weaknesses against us and deploys strategies that successfully trick us toward his intended purpose.   He makes us believe we truly want what we don’t, then condemns us for originating the plot.

Jesus didn’t lure through hearts through false premise.  There was no guile only pure sincerity in His intentions, words and actions.  This is what makes Christ so amazing – what you see in Him, in all the simplicity and grandeur, is what you get.

As His followers, we must loathe insincerity.  When tempted to manipulate situations or people through falsehood, we should remember this is a reserved strategy of our enemy!

We should never position ourselves as something we’re not, or allow others to partake in the deception of a false perception.  This includes our Christian devotion and worship.  Let all our devotion originate from the homage of the heart in pure, undefiled adoration of Christ!

Let all our devotion be an accurate, pure reflection of the inward status of our heart – and let that be a glorious thing Lord!

Have you complicated your relationship with the Father to become a set of rules and regulations?  Have you determined in your heart that your outward performance matters more to Him than the pure devotion of your heart?  If you have, you have fallen into deception and exchanged the truth of God for the lie of Satan.

Lord forgive us for believing lies.  Help us to walk in Your Truth, from the inside out.