November 25, 2024 • 65 mins
Meet our guests, Cesar De La Rosa, Omar Aleman, and Pastor Jose Casas, whose journeys of faith offer powerful insights into living a life devoted to Jesus. Pastor Jose recounts his transformation from a successful yet spiritually empty life in construction and real estate to one devoted to God. Meanwhile, Omar takes us through his transition from being a federal agent, with a hidden Christian faith, to openly embracing his walk with Christ after a pivotal experience during the Panama invasion.
Explore how aligning business and life decisions with biblical principles can bring a profound sense of peace and fulfillment. Our discussion highlights the essence of spiritual richness that far surpasses material wealth, emphasizing the incredible blessings that come from selfless giving and living in full surrender to divine guidance. Drawing from biblical teachings and personal experiences, our guests share the importance of maintaining contentment under all circumstances, and how our time is a more valuable commodity than money, urging us to live purposefully.
Finally, we tackle the challenges of integrating faith into the workplace, sharing stories of how careers can serve as ministries. With insights from the Christian Businessmen's Connection (CBMC), discover how to balance success with spiritual and family priorities. Pastor Jose and Omar offer compelling narratives about servant leadership, counseling clients, and shining a light in professional settings, illustrating how a Christian presence can reach those who might never step inside a church. Join us for a thought-provoking conversation on the role of faith in every facet of life, from personal relationships to professional endeavors.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:02):
You're tuned in to Friends and Family, a God's Way
Radio exclusive where weintroduce you to some amazing
people.
In John, chapter 15, verse 15,jesus says I have called you
friends for all things that Iheard from my Father I have made
known to you.
That's our aim that God wouldbe made known to you.
Stay with us until the end ofour conversation for more
(00:22):
information on this program andother unique offerings from
God's Way Radio.
Speaker 2 (00:27):
Good afternoon God's Way Radio family.
I have a little different setuphere today because we are full
in the studio with guests, andit's a blessing.
You know, if you listen verycarefully to God's Way Radio,
you will hear our businesssponsors, our supporters
(00:48):
throughout the day.
And one of them is CBMC,christian Businessmen's
Connection.
And if you've heard them on theradio, you know they want to
just equip men, equip men in theworkforce to represent the Lord
and to just be witnesses toChrist, and so we're so thankful
for their support.
(01:08):
And one of the gentlemen thathelps lead that ministry, steve
Solomon.
He said man, I got three guys.
They're good guys, they'regodly guys.
I think it will be a wonderfultime with them in the studio.
And I said I think so too.
Some of them.
You may know their voice fromdifferent places Calvary Chapel,
maybe Ask a Cop.
(01:29):
You know it's amazing how theLord has these men, has us all
at the same table.
It's amazing.
So only God could do it.
So, gentlemen, I'd like tostart over here and just give
you a moment to introduceyourself, please.
Speaker 3 (01:42):
Thank you so much, pastor Joey.
Good afternoon to God's WayRadio listeners and thank you
for this invitation, and my nameis Cesar De La Rosa and I'm
very blessed and very gratefulto be part of this panel.
Speaker 2 (01:56):
Thank you.
Speaker 4 (01:57):
Well, thank you very much.
It's a privilege to besurrounded by these wonderful
guys.
My name is Omar Aleman and itis a privilege to be part of
this group.
Speaker 5 (02:09):
Good afternoon, dear family.
This is Pastor Jose Casas forCalvary, miami, here, just
honored to be here with thisgroup of fellows this afternoon.
Awesome.
Speaker 2 (02:22):
You know, just to start off with a bit of humor,
you know, I said steve called meand or texted me.
He said, hey, these are theguys.
I said, man, I haven't beenable to get jose in the studio,
so if you could do it, man, Iknow it's the lord, so it's the
lord jose.
You know, one of the things Iwant to talk about and just hear
from you guys is just yourpersonal testimony, because, uh,
(02:42):
you know, that's really the themain thing, if not the only
thing sometimes, that reallybinds us all together, that
brings us together is issalvation by the lord.
So how'd you come to know thelord jose?
Speaker 5 (02:56):
uh, the lord has done so much in my life.
Uh, so I was sharing more omarto whom much is given.
Much is required In just mytestimony.
To be brief, me and my wifeBelkis, we were married for 10
years.
After 10 years of marriage, ourmarriage failed.
(03:16):
We were separated and divorcedfor a period of almost two years
and Belkis took the time ofthose two years to pray for this
crazy old guy.
And after interceding for mefor a long period of time, the
(03:37):
Lord, just a harvest crusade,just opened my eyes and then I
surrendered my life to Him andit seemed like I was going at
100 miles per hour for the enemyand the Lord just picked me up
and turned me over to go 100miles for Him.
Speaker 2 (03:58):
Amen.
You know, where were you at inyour work life?
Were you working construction?
Were you already doing realestate?
Where were you at in thatmoment when God got your heart?
I?
Speaker 5 (04:11):
was a mechanical engineer for eight years.
Then I started a developmentcompany in building houses and
apartment units and during thatperiod of time, you know, we did
very well financially and then,after we had everything that
(04:31):
this world could offer, we werebankrupt spiritually.
And that's when the Lordactually allowed for us to go
through this difficult time inour lives and, you know, and
that's when me and Belkis gotseparated and divorced.
Speaker 2 (04:46):
So when the Lord got a hold of your heart, you were
already, you know, growing inthe business realm.
You said construction,developer, yeah, developer, yeah
, interesting.
Speaker 5 (04:56):
Yeah, yeah, I spent all those years.
Belkis was a real estate broker, so it seemed like we were a
team.
I would build the apartmentunits, the houses, and then she
would sell them.
So we were good as a team, butthen in our own personal life it
was falling apart.
Speaker 2 (05:17):
Very interesting and we might come back to that.
Omar, again, I know it's hardbecause we've heard a lot of it
on on Ask a Cop, one of thepodcasts that we do.
But briefly, just how Jesus gotahold of your heart.
Speaker 4 (05:29):
Yeah, I was born and reared in Cuba, came to the
United States, ended up with ascholarship to play ball at
Florida State.
Couldn't make it to the Yankees, ended up as a federal agent,
worked a lot of undercover,never understood what the Lord
was all about.
I came to the Lord reluctantlyquote unquote in 1983, became an
(05:49):
undercover Christian by sittingin the back of the church and
pretending to be a Christianjust on Sundays.
And then I went on.
The Panama invasion arrestedNoriega the dictator, and at
that time, even though that Iwas a Christian I never shared.
And that day I realized thatboth him and I were prisoners.
He was a prisoner of justice, Iwas a prisoner from God and I
(06:10):
decided that day to share mytestimony with him.
And since then things havechanged, because I am no longer
afraid of sharing my testimony,because if I can do it in that
international stage, I can do itanywhere.
So God took the fear.
Speaker 2 (06:26):
In fact, I was more afraid of being a Christian than
I was ever afraid of being inundercover.
Speaker 7 (06:30):
Wow.
Speaker 4 (06:30):
Wow.
Speaker 2 (06:31):
You know I mean so much there, so much there.
You went from being undercoverto saying man, how can I do this
?
You know how can I continue tobe undercover and taking
advantage of that opportunity?
And again we'll come back tothis.
But after your career in lawenforcement, did you engage in
other business ventures as well?
Speaker 4 (06:52):
Yeah, I opened a company called Aleman Associates
.
We did a lot of security SuperBowl security.
We were very successful.
And then, about 10 years ago,jesus offered me a deal I
couldn't refuse.
He said to me I want you tosell me your company and I want
(07:13):
you to be a subsidiary of Jesusand Associates.
And he put me in the insurancedepartment.
I said, well, I know nothingabout insurance.
He says, yes, all I want you tosell is death insurance.
What's death insurance?
Make sure that peopleunderstand that the most
important thing in their life iswhere they're going to go after
they die.
Speaker 7 (07:26):
Amen.
Speaker 4 (07:27):
So I am an insurance salesman for Jesus Associates
and I sell death insurance.
I like it, I like it.
Speaker 2 (07:33):
You got to find a way to get their attention.
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord.
We have somebody actually onthe line already, so we'll take
this call, and it just remindsme I was going to actually give
the phone number.
We're live here in the studio,november the 25th.
I'm about to go to this call,so hang tight for me.
But if you're listening live onNovember the 25th, I encourage
you to call or text and be apart of our conversation, be a
(07:56):
part of the program today.
You might have a question, youmight have a word of
encouragement, something thatthese guys say you.
You might have a word ofencouragement, something that
these guys say you might say hey, can you elaborate on that?
You can call or text us here inthe studio, 786-313-315.
Good afternoon, thank you forcalling.
Speaker 6 (08:18):
You're live on God's Way Radio.
Well, you guys know me fromDoral and Sweetwater.
It's good to hear you guys inthe voice.
Man, what?
Speaker 2 (08:25):
a blessing.
Good to hear you Lookingforward to what you want to
share.
Speaker 6 (08:31):
A couple of things.
I want to share that happyThanksgiving to everyone that's
listening in Miami, whereveryou're at man.
The Thanksgiving.
Don't forget, man.
Share the gospel when you'reeating at the table, praying for
the food.
You know, do that and I justwant to share barely.
(08:52):
How do you know when you'releaving a place?
You're called by the.
How do you know?
How do you know you?
You got to come from Miami toSan P or I'm out right now how
do you?
know that from the Lord.
The word in the scripture.
Read the word in the scriptures.
(09:12):
Yeah well, god will confirm you, or maybe through a Sunday
service, wednesday night service, but you got to be connected to
the word if you're notconnected to the word and you're
not reading.
Don't expect, or where is god?
He's there.
Speaker 2 (09:28):
Open the book amen, good encouragement, thank you.
Thank you, my brother and Ihave a feeling that's going to
come back around in ourconversation.
You know a lot of thesedecisions that these guys made,
the, the risks or you would saythe steps of faith, even in
business and in their career,I'm sure it was led by the word
of fellowship with the lord,seeking the lord.
Speaker 6 (09:50):
So, my brother, I thank you for calling and, uh,
it's always good to hear fromyou, okay yeah, we're praying
for each other man praying forcarrie chapel here at uh at uh
uh, san peterburg, and that wego forward, thank you.
Speaker 2 (10:03):
god bless you.
Thank you, you know.
You know, I love it.
I love it.
If you're listening and you'rethinking, man, st Petersburg,
how is this guy listening?
Well, we have an app.
It's free on your iPhone oryour Android phone.
We also have the website whereyou can listen godswayradiocom.
But, cesar, I didn't forgetabout you, your testimony of
(10:27):
coming to jesus.
Speaker 3 (10:27):
Uh, please, oh, thank you.
Thank you, pastor joey, ofcourse.
Um, even though I grew up in achristian family, it was in 2004
, 20 years ago, where I hit rockbottom.
Uh, I used to be very proud andI thought that I was very
successful, and at that moment,in that year, 2004, I hit rock
(10:51):
bottom.
So the many things that Ithought was power was not there.
And the first thing that I wantto share about that is the
persistence and persevere of afamily member that it was keep
inviting me, keep talking to me,with that patient, with that
(11:14):
love, that at that moment he hitme and he invited me to church.
I the invitation.
It was a Calvary Chapel, partof the family, and that day I
accepted Jesus and it changed mylife.
(11:34):
It changed my life, especiallyat the level that I was in the
middle of a big crisis in mypersonal and business, and since
then it has been a completelygame changer.
Speaker 4 (11:49):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (11:50):
And in that particular church I met my at
that time was not my girlfriend,it was at that time was my
girlfriend I'm sorry, lisetteand we married.
Speaker 5 (12:02):
Awesome.
Speaker 3 (12:03):
And since then I am a changed man, Amen.
Thanks to Jesus Christ.
Speaker 2 (12:10):
And that's it.
You know, no, hey, that's notit, that's all of it.
That's the work of the Lord,that's the power of the Lord.
You know it sounds like andcorrect me if I'm wrong, and
this is kind of where I want togo next.
You know, it sounds like evenin your career, even in the
money, even in the success, it'snot enough.
You know, if there's anybodylistening that that you think,
(12:31):
oh, they did Christianbusinessman connection, oh, I'm
gonna get the secret.
How to make a million dollarsin a year with the Bible, jesus,
no, no, no.
You know, the first thing wewant to look at is man, how.
That can't be the, the focus.
That can't be in its wrongplace.
And Cesar, just continuing withwhat you mentioned, you said
you had it, but it wasn't allthat you thought it was.
(12:54):
Can you elaborate on how it?
Speaker 3 (12:55):
wasn't enough.
Well, you mentioned a pointthat is clever and is that God
has a connection with eachperson, and sometimes we get
discouraged when we share withfamily members, when we share
with friends, but we need tounderstand that God has mercy
with us and we have to do thesame, because the moment that
(13:20):
you less expect it, that personwill say yes and that will
change the life of a family.
It changed the life ofdaughters, sons, and it will
impact many aspects of aparticular life.
So you asked me to elaborate.
I can tell you that, with thatdecision and knowing the Lord,
(13:43):
the Word of God and reading theWord of God, every person will
have a personal connection, andeven people that are listening
to us right now, that maybe theyare in the middle of a palmetto
, or maybe they are in ashopping center, or maybe they
are at work.
You never will experience thepower of God connecting with you
(14:07):
.
It's special, it's pricelessand it's especially the gift and
the blessing of Jesus Christ isamazing.
Speaker 4 (14:20):
And that's why the CBMC, the Christian Businessman
Connection, is so important.
The first word is Christ,christian.
The last word is connection.
Speaker 7 (14:28):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (14:28):
So we first connect to Christ and then we come to
the middle, the businessman part.
So we first have to connect toChrist before we can connect our
business life.
Speaker 7 (14:40):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (14:41):
And that's why it's called the Christian Businessman
Connection.
Yeah, absolutely life.
Yeah, and that's why it'scalled the christian businessman
connection.
Speaker 2 (14:44):
Yeah, absolutely, omar.
Even from from your story, fromyour testimony, um, you must
have had a good position in asense.
Right, you were high up thereto be the one to pick up noriega
, but when christ really got ahold of your heart, I imagine,
imagine that that dimmed alittle bit, that wasn't so
(15:05):
important anymore, that wasn'tso relevant anymore.
Can you take us back to thattime?
Speaker 4 (15:09):
Yeah, at the time I thought I'd worked for the
Department of Justice.
Because I was working for theDepartment of Justice but I
basically was working for myselfbecause I basically, because I
could work undercover, I coulddo whatever I wanted quote
unquote.
But the thing that's reallyhelped my life is this whole
idea of working for Jesus andAssociates.
Today I find myself as aemployee of Jesus.
(15:31):
My question to anybody that'slistening if you truly, truly,
truly believe that Jesus is yourboss, how would you comport
yourself with the general public, with the people around you,
with your family?
If you truly believe he is yourboss and he truly is your boss
(15:52):
and I think it's very importantI went from thinking that I was
my boss and every time I didthat, I ended up in turmoil.
It doesn't mean that I don'thave bad things in my life
happen, boy, the peace thatcomes from working for working
for jesus and, as I was tellingjose, the reason why I have
peace today is because I had onehuge problem, joey I was going
(16:14):
to hell.
Yeah, okay, the biggest problemI have has been solved okay so,
therefore, everything else isfixable.
So the the other stuff nothingpersonal, it's not minutiae, but
at the most it's like okay,it's a challenge, but the
problem has been solved.
Speaker 2 (16:35):
You know, again, that's such a big deal and
whoever wants to jump in on thisthought, I mean.
You know, pastor Zach says itall the time.
The senior pastor at CalvaryChapel, miami, heary chapel,
miami, says man, if you trustgod for eternity, you know why
don't we trust him for thesmaller things?
Speaker 5 (16:54):
you know?
I mean again, have you guysseen that?
Give me some feedback here.
Yeah, when we find ourselveseven that we have drank from all
the cisterns of this world, atthe end of it we're going to be
completely bankrupt, and all ofus have experienced that at some
point or others in our lives.
And when I was telling Omar, aswe were talking over lunch, that
(17:17):
when you spend some timewrestling with the Lord, jesus
Christ, and what direction hewants to take you and the things
that he wants to do not only inyou but through you, in your
life, and that takes a fullsurrendering to the God of the
universe, then the Lord can useyour life to do a work through
(17:45):
you, through the people that youcome in contact with, because
when it comes to finances andmoney, you can have it all, and
and there was a point in ourlives that we had everything
that we could want when it cameto the things of the world and
we were completely bankruptspiritually and.
And so you realize that therehas to be more to life than, uh,
(18:09):
just monetarily gains andpossessions and riches.
And and we have to make surebecause the enemy is subtle, uh,
he gives.
But I was telling omar that hegives, but then he collects an
interest that we cannot affordto pay.
And then that's when you findyourself, when you allow the
(18:29):
enemy to give you and give youand you don't have the right
priorities, then at the end ofit you're going to find yourself
that you're completely bankruptspiritually.
Speaker 4 (18:42):
Now I also found, in terms of of that, that god gives
us so much.
One of the things that I foundis, the more that I am willing
to give, the more that comesinto my coffers that I have no
idea where it came from.
How many times do we say, well,let's just give on faith.
We give on faith and all of asudden I look at my bank account
(19:02):
or I look at it, it's actuallymore in there than I thought
there was and it wasn't.
It's not by happenstance.
The more we we can't out giveGod, obviously, but the more we
give lovingly and in faith, themore he gives us, not only
financially.
But let me say this to you thegreatest issue I have in my life
is not money.
I can make more money.
(19:22):
My problem is time.
Today is the last day of mylife.
I have no guarantee I'm goingto be here in the morning.
Speaker 5 (19:35):
The question for me today is what am I going to do
with the rest of my life, whichis today, yeah, and can you put
a price tag on the peace thatsurpasses all understanding?
Everybody desires peace intheir lives, and you can only
find that peace when you allowJesus Christ to reign in your
life.
And then it's a gift from theLord to have that peace.
(19:56):
Not that the circumstances aregoing to be good, because
happiness comes when things aregoing your way, but peace, this
unspeakable peace that the Lordgives you is no matter what
you're going through in life,you're at rest, you don't feel
anxious, you don't have stress,and that's what the Lord offers
(20:20):
that a lot of times we don'treceive it.
Speaker 2 (20:23):
Yeah, If you just tuned in in, we have three
guests here in the studio.
They're brothers in christ.
They they've been with us inone way or another before and we
actually did get a text.
We got a text.
It says also listening fromsaint petersburg, florida.
You all have been truly ablessing.
So that's funny, family.
(20:43):
If you're listening, it soundslike we have more people in
saint petersburg than miami.
So so, Miami, you better starttexting or calling.
Let us know you're out there.
But I expect that this is goingto end up on our friends and
family podcast as well.
It's just going so well andthere's going to be so much
wisdom and so much blessingthat's shared.
I hope to get it online.
So if you're listening liveNovember, the 25th text, or call
(21:04):
us now to be part of theprogram, and if you're listening
later on the podcast, you canalways reach out to us at the
studio for anything that youmight need.
The studio phone number,whether you're listening live or
listening later, is786-313-3115.
You know, gentlemen, one of thethings I wanted to ask about and
again as it relates to the Lordright is the highs and lows
(21:27):
you've experienced, even incareer and business.
You know how God has broughtyou through those Because,
remember, the scripture says,Paul, I've learned to be content
in all things.
Right, and it's funny becausepeople think you know it's said
many different ways, but oh, youknow, if I only had this more,
you know, I would be happy orcontent.
And some people that have a lotsaid, oh, I wish I could scale
(21:49):
it back a little and I would behappy and content.
You know, really never contentwithout the Lord.
But the point being that thescripture says you know, I've
learned to be content in allthings, whether in little or in
much.
So can you take us through alittle bit of the highs and lows
of your business or career lifeand how God has brought you
through?
Speaker 3 (22:07):
In answering to what you just said, pastor Joey, one
thing that Pastor Casa justmentioned about the devil and
the attack in terms ofbusinessman and being a
businessman and the businessmarketplace.
The devil is a liar and he willalways sell you a bunch of lies
(22:33):
for you to be following thosethings that are never
sustainable and that are nevergoing to be good for you, but it
will lead you to destruction,and one of the things about CBMC
is that intention to build thebusiness the way God wants you
(22:56):
to build the business.
As a matter of fact, there is aconcept that I want to share
that I saw once.
Our brother, steve Solomon,shared with us that I found it
very powerful and it's thereaching a businessman right
where he is, to help him becomethe man God designed him to be.
(23:19):
That is very powerful becausewe got so much negative and
powerful forces that wants toattack us, that wants to tell us
what we need but we reallydon't need, because we just need
Jesus Christ but we reallydon't need because we just need
Jesus Christ.
And the emphasis that CBMC doesis that connection, build it
(23:44):
rightly build into the Word ofGod and through that connection,
the powerful forces that Godcan unleash for us.
Speaker 2 (23:54):
That's one of the things I love about Christian
businessmen's connection, cbmc,and one of the things I love
about Christian Businessmen'sConnection CBMC and one of the
things I love about having youmen here today.
We need Christian men, faithful, strong Christian men, out in
the workforce, out in the world,out in the marketplace.
If not, not everybody can justbe at church 24-7.
That's not the point.
I said it to a group of guysand then, omar, we'll go to you
(24:17):
talking about those highs andlows in business and career.
But I said it to a group ofguys and I said it and I said,
wait, is that right?
It just sounded so extreme.
But I said, hey, if you don'thave any unsaved friends or
non-Christian friends, you'redoing something wrong.
Go find some non-Christians.
Speaker 4 (24:35):
Yeah, it's an interesting thing.
I hear this all the time.
Joey is a wonderful Christianguy.
Everybody loves him.
Speaker 2 (24:42):
Oh boy.
Speaker 4 (24:42):
Well, if everybody loves Joey, he's an undercover
Christian.
Okay, because if you truly aregoing to be out there doing
things for Christ, expectfeedback that's very negative.
Uh duff, telling on what ourbrother just said.
The problem with me at thehighlight of my career was that
I was a victim of identity theft.
(25:04):
Um, when I became an undercoveragent with dea and I ended up
the high echelons of the traffic, I became omar azam.
I changed my name and I changedmy personality and I became for
personality and I became, forall practical purposes, a
criminal and for many, manyyears Satan used that and I
(25:25):
became Omar Azaim.
The greatest gift in terms ofcoming down to earth was getting
my personality back, and it'staken me a long time to find
myself, because as we go alongthrough life, we leave pieces.
I'm still trying to recover thepieces I lost along the way and
it's really, it's really a sadthing to see in now.
(25:45):
Today, as I am omar aleman, Irealize that now, finally, the
greatest gift I have is to bemyself, my job.
In life, I used to have thesehighs and lows.
What I want now is a spiritualflatline, and a spiritual
flatline means that lovingcontentment that God gives us.
When things are good, we'regood.
(26:07):
When things are bad, we'restill good, because we are in
the will of God.
We are in spiritual contentmentand not that manic, depressive
life that that the satan offersus every day.
Speaker 2 (26:19):
Yeah, yeah, you know it's interesting if I were to
summarize part of what you said.
It was like your career highwas your spiritual low without a
doubt and it's, it'sinteresting for anyone listening
, jose, again, any highs or lowsin in business or in finances
or in ventures that you've had,that stick out how the lord has
brought you through yeah, the uh, the lord, even for me, uh, you
(26:41):
know the way that, um, he usedme uh, uh for the last 20 years
as a full-time pastor andfull-time business owners.
Speaker 5 (26:51):
Is is cool because I got to be a pastor in the church
without walls and that's in thebusiness realm.
Uh, and people uh, through thatI came in contact with.
Even in the time of covid, wheneverything was shut down, the
lord was bringing me people,people still need grass?
yeah, they, they.
(27:13):
They need plants, they need allthat stuff.
But, um, they need, they needjesus, amen.
So, in the sense, people, everyday during those 29 years that
I was here in Miami running thebusiness, people brought me each
day hundreds of people.
And then the Lord used thebusiness to build up a bridge
(27:36):
for me to bring the good news ofthe gospel of Jesus Christ to
those people that desperatelyneeded Jesus Christ.
So people, they knew that I wasa Christian man.
I did as a Christian man didbusiness that I let my yes be
yes and my noes be no.
If I couldn't do something, Iwould tell them I couldn't do it
(27:56):
.
And if I did something, I didit with the excellence of Jesus
Christ, as a Christian businessowner.
But at the same time, peopleknew here in Miami-Dade County
that, as a Christian businessman, when they were going through a
difficult time, they didn'tcall me to do business with
(28:20):
plants and sod and soil andstuff.
They called me for me to praywith them as they were dealing
with cancer, as they were goinginto surgery, as they were going
on the verge of divorce.
And so the Lord used thebusiness to do counseling to
people that didn't know used thebusiness to do counseling to
(28:41):
people that didn't know.
So, the Lord, even in thebusiness realm a lot of people
that I talk to and I get to prayover them they come and they
always complain to me aboutwhere they're at in their
business and what they do forwork because they're the only
Christians.
And I always tell them you gotthe best job in the planet
because if you're the onlyChristian in your workplace,
then you can be a small littlelight that shines really so
(29:05):
bright.
So don't think, because you arealone in a place, that you're
the only Christian, god is goingto use you tremendously in the
business world, in in the church, that most of those people will
never come to church, but thosepeople are going to come to you
to receive instructions fromthe lord amen, amen.
Speaker 2 (29:27):
Oh man, so so much, so much.
I want to follow up on there.
I have notes here, I have atext here.
It says our family has beensuper, uh, super blessed by mr
casas as both a pastor and abusiness owner, and I know a lot
of the story behind thatcomment.
But thank you for texting anencouragement to Jose, I hope,
(29:48):
if you want to say anything tothem.
I don't know if you can see thename.
Speaker 5 (29:52):
It's Miss Tiffany, yeah yeah, the Lord used my
place of business even to blessother churches for so many years
and so many clients that I gotto go into their houses Just not
to do a service for them butalso to encourage them.
(30:13):
I remember going one time to doa delivery for a landscaper.
Um, he had like a tumor on theside of his face and he was I.
I got there early in themorning, he was already drunk
and I got to lay hands on himand uh, and that day he invited
the lord jesus christ.
(30:33):
I went to do a delivery, butthe delivery that I did it
wasn't of sod, mulch and dirt,but it was a delivery.
But the delivery that I did, itwasn't of sod, mulch and dirt,
but it was a delivery of thegospel unto salvation.
And so many people people thathave gone to jail, they call me,
people that their kidscommitted suicide, and the Lord
used the business to bringcomfort to their lives.
(30:55):
So the Lord used the workplaceto glorify himself.
Speaker 2 (31:01):
You know we'll come back to a lot of that, but
something that comes to mind and, omar, you kind of touched on
it.
Well, you didn't touch on it,you said it plainly hey, if
you're out there representingChrist, you're going to get
pushback, you know.
But I think you know it'sinteresting, I've seen both.
So a little story from when Iwas working in a restaurant and
hopefully this will get you guysthinking of a similar story
(31:24):
from your own life.
I was working in a restaurantand this was it's funny I got
saved when I was a teenager.
This was the first job that Icame into as a Christian.
So I got saved at the lastplace and then I, you know, when
they met me, I was a believeralready at this new job, at this
(31:44):
new restaurant.
Long story short, I was carryinga big tray full of food, a
couple hundred dollars worth offood, big party, big table.
I dropped it, dropped the wholething on the floor, spilled
some on a guest and I broke astatue, a very expensive statue
in the restaurant, broke itsthumb off, the statue I remember
it was the thumbless statue.
And so I'm there cleaning andI'm already saying I'm out of
here, I'm fired, I'm some kid Iwas 17, 18 at the time.
They're going to get rid of me,replace me.
(32:05):
It cost us whatever $100 it was.
And I'm there cleaning and thegeneral manager this was the
lead manager at the restauranthe kneels down beside me, he's
cleaning up.
He said, hey, you know, if thiswas any other person, they'd be
fired, right.
I said yes, sir.
He said finish cleaning and getback to work.
I said yes, sir, and so I gotto think that part of that was
(32:27):
my testimony, my work ethic, theLord's favor and grace, because
obviously it's not all me, butI think it could go either way,
or we've had both experiences inlife where, as you live for
Christ, it's a it's, it'ssomething that attracts people,
something that blesses people,and sometimes you get that
pushback.
So I wonder if any of thosestories come to mind for you,
(32:49):
men, where it's it's beensomething that's attractive,
it's been something that's, Iguess you could say, given you
success in the workplace andbusiness, if that's a way to
phrase it, or if a story ofactually it quote unquote hurt
me in the business realm when Istood up for Christ.
Speaker 4 (33:04):
One of the things that I think is so important for
us as Christians in theworkplace is to use prayer,
prayer, as one of the biggestweapons we have.
And let me tell you why.
I don't care if you're theworst heathen in the world.
If you're known in yourbusiness as a praying man, you
will be surprised if you go toanybody that is going through
(33:25):
problems, medical issues withthe family and they don't
believe in the lord.
If you say to them, can I prayfor you, they will come to you.
And it's an thing we have to beknown as people, first of all,
that walk the walk and talk thetalk.
That's very important.
But then to be prayer warriorsand not to pray in front of
(33:47):
people all the time but peopleknow in your company that when
they have an issue they'rewilling to pray.
You talk about Muslims.
I've yet to meet a Muslim whereyou go to them and say, can I
pray for your family?
You ask the most hardcoreMuslim if you can pray for them
and they will say, sure, that'samazing.
So the whole idea of prayer inthe workplace to be an unselfish
(34:11):
and a humble prayer warriorbecause you will attract people
that in that company will notcome to you unless something's
going on yeah and guess what?
Speaker 2 (34:21):
you're the guy they're gonna go to yeah, yeah,
um, jose or caesar, anythingcome to mind where either you
living for christ and standingup for christ benefited you in
the business and work realm, ora story that comes to mind where
it it really didn't help, butyou did it anyway.
Speaker 3 (34:37):
Well, thank you.
If I may say one point that inmy life has been powerful, is
that the Word of God from.
Genesis to Revelation is a bookthat equips you for life and for
business.
It's a powerful force, becauseyou just mentioned about lows
(35:00):
and highs.
The word of God will sustainyou and will give you the
strength through the momentsthat you believe that you're in
the lows.
The Lord is the shepherd, I'msorry.
The Lord is my shepherd.
I should not want that.
Is a powerful message in theword of God.
But if you see the life ofJoseph, because of the jealousy
(35:23):
of their brothers and whathappened through him and now
becoming the most powerful man,basically in Egypt, but also
Daniel and if you see thedifferent aspects of their lives
, that that sustain you, that nomatter what comes our way, yeah
, it will be bad moments, itwill be good moments, yeah, but
(35:46):
the word of god will sustain youyou know, it's amazing that you
bring up those two biblicalnarratives because you think
about it right and I love the,the context right.
Speaker 2 (35:54):
If you look at it from the practical, joseph is
like what do you say?
Cfo, coo, you knowO of thenation, in a sense.
And then Daniel, same thing, Imean the king's right-hand man,
in a sense.
And then even them, when theystood up for God, they suffered
for it.
But then, especially Daniel, hesays wow, your God has saved
(36:15):
you.
Oh, my goodness, and it's atestimony, we have somebody on
the line.
Let's welcome them.
You're live on God's Way Radio.
Where are you calling us from?
Speaker 7 (36:23):
Calling from the FIU area to South Miami Heights.
Speaker 2 (36:27):
FIU area.
Man, we know you have aconnection with CBMC as well.
Man, let me just give you theline to ask or share what you
wanted to share.
But, man, let me just give youthe line to ask or share what
you wanted to share.
Speaker 7 (36:39):
I just thought of a Bible verse with, as I hear, the
men talking and agreeing right,the prayer question is just
such a great way to introduceGod into the picture in any
moment.
But the word is in 2Corinthians 5, verse 15, and it
(37:06):
says For we are to God thefragrance of Christ among those
who are being saved and amongthose who are perishing.
To the one, we are the aroma ofdeath leading to death, and to
the other, the aroma of lifeleading to life.
And so, yeah, we are the aromaof death leading to death, and
to the other, the aroma of lifeleading to life.
And so, yeah, we will haveenemies.
We will have maybe some, butthat's man.
There's so many that are justready to receive right, the
(37:28):
fields, man, they're ready forharvest.
So God has us in specificplaces and he puts those words
to that person that needs tohear it.
Man, that's life you're justbringing to that moment.
So, uh, so just thought aboutthat bible verse concerning
those comments great verse yeah,that's that.
Speaker 5 (37:51):
That's great.
Uh, the the cool thing is thisum, even in the in the business
room, when, when you haveopposition and usually the
greatest opposition is when youdo a job for somebody and then
they don't pay you and they oweyou money.
How are you going to react?
And then, as a business ownerfor 30 years 29 years there was
(38:17):
hundreds of thousands of dollarsthat were all to me and they
were not paid.
And I remember one time, on the67th property, a guy owe me a
tremendous amount of money, thatwe were starting the business
and we desperately needed thatmoney to pay bills.
And we did this job for thisguy, so we did it correctly and
(38:40):
we did it on a professional way,but the guy chose not to pay us
.
So Pastor Rask did theWednesday night service and then
I tell Belkis, hey, we got togo to this guy's house and she
said, uh-oh, is it the old Joseor is it the new and improved
Jose?
So I said we got to drive.
(39:00):
So we drove to the guy's houseat 10 o'clock at night and I
knocked on his door.
When he said who is it?
And I told him my name, theydidn't know whether to call the
cops or what to do.
So they finally opened the doorand I told them I came here not
to do you any harm.
I just came here because theLord compelled me to come here
(39:22):
to tell you that you don't oweme no money, as this day forward
the money that you owe me.
The Lord Jesus Christ has wipedthat slate.
Clean the money now that youowe.
You owe it to the Lord JesusChrist, so if you want to pay it
, you pay it to him, and I wasable to walk out of there with
(39:45):
clean hands before the Lord andwith clean hands before my
enemies.
So, as a business owner, whereit counts is when people owe you
money, when people wronged you,when people backstabbed you.
As a Christian business owner,do you act like everybody else.
(40:05):
Do you get lawyers involved, Doyou get people involved to go
after them and destroy them, oryou say and you trust by faith,
that where God guides, Godprovides.
And as a testimony unto thatevent afterwards, the Lord
provided more work than I couldtake in the sense, because what
(40:28):
I was all to me, the Lordblessed it.
And not everything in life youcan measure with monetarily
blessings.
There's blessings that comewith it.
Whether your kids marrysomebody that is a Christian,
whether your grandkids, theywake up in the morning and they
pray as we partake of our meals.
(40:48):
So the Lord wants to instill onus blessings.
But people always think that,OK, if I give this unto the Lord
, I expect to receive monetarilygains as a result of it.
So we have to make sure that wedon't count our blessings
(41:09):
always to be monetarily.
Blessings there are measured bythis world by spiritual
blessings.
There are blessed blessingsthat come from heaven.
Speaker 4 (41:19):
So we got to keep our spiritual glasses on this, this
, this dovetails into thesubject of forgiveness.
Yes, um, many, many years ago,when I was in, in the middle of
my being a federal agent, adeacon at the church I attended
was an informant for thegovernment and, and to make a
long story short, as a result offalse information, I was
(41:42):
suspended from my job, wow, andI was prepared to be indicted.
I think, yeah, all right, Ithink you were.
And I was driving down theparallel between Coral Way and
Byrd Road and I'm saying to theLord Lord, a fellow deacon would
do this to me.
This is horrible.
You need to go get him.
You need to really make him pay, and I'll never forget this.
(42:05):
He said to me in such a clearvoice, even though he doesn't
talk to me, but I can feel him.
He said, omar, I will take careof him.
What he did to you was awful.
And then, because you're justas big a sinner as he is, I will
take care of you afterwards.
Hmm, and I said to the Lord asI got to Byrd Road please do not
(42:25):
touch him.
Because I recognized that Icould not afford to pay the
price of what I had done.
So therefore, I forgave,because I recognize how much had
been forgiven for me, andforgiveness is part of
dovetailing of what Pastor Josejust talked about.
Speaker 2 (42:44):
Blessed are those who are merciful, for they shall
obtain mercy.
I love that, you know.
I love that encounter you hadwith the Lord.
You know, like you said, Ididn't hear his voice, but I
felt his voice, I knew he wastalking to me and you know God
talks to us how we need to hearhim.
You know the Bible's the Bible.
You know that's written, butwhen he speaks to your heart,
(43:07):
you know I love when God,especially with men, you know
we're here and this is kind oflike brought to you by Christian
Businessmen's Connection.
They're a sponsor of the radio,they're a dear partner in
ministry and man, especially men, sometimes god needs to talk to
us tough, you know, and so ohyeah, okay, I'll come, I'll come
to you after and oh yeah, godtalks like that sometimes I was
(43:30):
scared to death because I was,so I said yeah.
Speaker 4 (43:32):
When he said to me oh yeah, I'll get him, I was so
happy.
And then one second later hesaid but then if I go up to him,
I gotta come after you.
And I said oh no, no, no, no,no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no,
don't do anything to him,because I recognize I was
probably worse than the guy whodid that to me um, we have a
text here, man, great stuff, youknow, and this always happens.
Speaker 2 (43:53):
Not always.
This often happens.
We get rolling and then youlook at the clock and we're
almost short on time in a senseFamily.
If you're listening, let megive you a few pieces of
information.
We're getting into the 16minutes left mark here.
This is Refresh live on God'sWay Radio.
We're live every single weekday3.30 to 4.30 pm, and if you're
listening November the 25th,you're listening live.
(44:14):
And if you're listening afterthe fact, you're still getting
some good stuff and you didright by downloading or
streaming this.
But if you're listening live,you can participate by texting
or calling 786-313-3115.
Whether it's a question, a wordof encouragement, you want to
ask them to elaborate onsomething?
Whatever it is, you canparticipate.
(44:36):
I'm going to read this textexactly how it has come in, and
I think that any one of youcould chime in on this and
hopefully all of you will havesomething to say.
I would like for you to askthem if, at any time, they felt
that success and havingeverything right became a
distraction that took them awayfrom God and their family
(44:58):
priority.
If so, how do they recognizewhen this is happening and how
do they recognize that theirpriorities are compromised?
Speaker 5 (45:11):
Wow.
Speaker 2 (45:12):
Good question.
Speaker 5 (45:13):
That's an awesome question.
For me, I have the main thingthat we have to have in life to
make sure that we have ourpriorities set in order in our
homes, because if we don't havethe right priorities set in our
(45:38):
home, then we're is to have Godto be the priority above
everything that happens in mylife.
The second priority is my wife,and that includes my kids, my
grandkids and all.
And then it comes to theworkplace workplace, because if
(46:01):
I have all those things, if I'm,if I don't provide for my house
, I'm worse than an infidel, sothen I'm not qualified to do
ministry.
But once I get the first threein order, then the fourth one is
to serve the Lord Jesus Christ.
Um, when it comes and andthat's I'm talking about me
personally, because other peoplemight say the priority of God,
(46:23):
and then the wife and then theworkplace is, if they work for a
church as a full staff pastor,then that's the priority changes
because the workplace isserving the Lord Jesus Christ.
So three and four are together.
But when you do well in thebusiness realm and the Lord
(46:44):
provides, we got to make surethat we don't abhor and we don't
think that the Lord is blessingonly for me, because one of the
things that the Lord providesfor you is to bless the kingdom
of God.
And then we have to make surethat our left hand doesn't let
(47:05):
the right hand know what it'sdoing, in the sense that we
don't boast on what the Lord isdoing financially within our
lives to bring negativeattention to me and myself.
So in the sense, is the Lordthrough finances to have money
to run a church?
It takes money to turn on theelectricity, to have the stuff
(47:27):
that we need to do in church.
So it costs money and a lot ofpeople.
They don't take priority whenit comes to the giving back to
the Lord.
So the tithing principle isjust a principle of the minimal.
Speaker 2 (47:43):
Right.
The tithing just give 10%.
I was just thinking, but a lotof people.
Speaker 5 (47:47):
They think that that's the standard.
No, if the Lord has given toyou abundantly, you can tithe,
but then you can sponsorsomebody on a mission trip, then
you can give to somebody thatcan't go to the couples retreat,
then you can bless.
Or if there is a church projectwithout you being told, you
(48:08):
give.
And here at Calvary, the way wedo it is where God guides, god
provides, god is not broke.
We don't have to beg for bread,we don't have to ask for money,
because the lord provides forus and has blessed us.
But for the monetarily, uh, uh,you know, blessing you have to
make sure that you don't focusonly on the, on the stuff that
(48:33):
is monetarily that you can, uh,just give back to the kingdom of
God.
Speaker 2 (48:39):
You know it's funny.
A quick comment on that.
I was thinking about the samething.
When you talk about tithing,you know people say, oh, I've
heard this comment, I don't knowhow many people say this
anymore.
Oh, you know, that's solegalistic.
Why do I have to give 10%?
So if you want to be legalistic, you got to give 10% here.
(49:01):
10% here, the first fruits here.
That's legalistic.
This is the minimum.
This is jesus using the print.
Like you just said.
I'm repeating what you said theprinciple of tithing to teach
us about generosity as achristian.
But I still have the, thequestion, up here.
I don't know if you guys cansee it from there.
I'd love to get a little bit ofinput from the the rest of you
men.
Basically it's you know, haveyou ever found yourself
compromising family and, uh, youknow, for the sake of success
and how you dealt with that andhow you see that, how you catch
(49:23):
that.
I'm just summarizing thequestion.
Speaker 3 (49:25):
Yes, the answer is yes, definitely, and it's a
major distraction.
Whatever you believe thatyou're very successful, it's a
total distraction and it's a lie.
The same way we lost Paradise,we are losing in a business
world when you think that you'revery successful and you're just
thinking about the dollar.
(49:46):
In my particular case, it tookme to go rock bottom to realize
that it was a lie.
To have that encounter withJesus and through him, my life
changed.
And I remember that that verysame week that I gave my life to
Jesus.
The following Monday, I rememberlike now that I was driving and
(50:10):
I didn't have enough money forgas.
Wow, and I stopped in the BlueLagoon area and I got stuck and
it was me calling a friend thatcame to rescue me.
So at that moment I rememberthat I prayed and something that
Omar mentioned the powerfulweapon that we have in praying.
(50:32):
I pray and I pray and I prayand with that friend I got the
gas.
Then we'll have coffee, then wetalk.
I share with him about church.
He went to church.
We built a deeper relationship.
That same week that I felt, wow, I really don't have any hope,
(50:55):
but I pray.
And I remember that by ThursdayI was working again under a
management of a new company thatI got a job.
I got my biggest sale in thatwhole year.
Speaker 7 (51:08):
God just needed to show you and teach you.
Speaker 3 (51:10):
And I just remember praying in the middle of that
situation waiting in the car,that surrender, that
surrendering to the Lord.
Speaker 4 (51:18):
Sharing the success with your family is very
important.
There was a disconnect with mebecause I was very, very
successful but I didn't sharethat success with my wife and my
child.
As a result, they were justadd-ons and we need to.
Whatever success, whetherspiritual or in the business
world, it must be shared success.
(51:40):
Let me give you an example.
When I was undercover and myname was Omar Azam and I was a
big shot undercover guy, onFriday evening I would come home
as Omar Azam flying my ownprivate jet, and I would come
home and my wife would say to mechange the diaper and mow the
lawn.
And I would look at her and saydo you know who you're talking?
I don't do that.
(52:00):
I'm on mars, I don't do thatkind of stuff.
In other words, there was acomplete, complete disconnect
between the success I was havingyeah and you know what I would
not share yeah
Speaker 2 (52:13):
my success because we become like it's mine, and and
and I and that's also a safetynet, and I just remind you guys
that we have people of all ageslistening.
But it's mine and that's also asafety net, and I just remind
you guys that we have people ofall ages listening, but it's
still a topic that needs to bebusierious.
When you don't share yoursuccess at home, there might be
a lady at work that you'resharing success with your
secretary.
And again, I'm trying to beserious.
(52:33):
This is not a funny matter atall and we have kids of all ages
listening.
But guys, guys tell me abouthow important it is to not have
a separate work home life, thatthat could be dangerous as well.
Men that have been in thebusiness world talk to me.
Speaker 5 (52:47):
yeah, um, even, uh, for us, uh, for many years, um,
a I'm talking after I got saved,me and belkis got back uh, it
was cool because we got to worktogether as husband and wife and
then we worked together for aseason and then she moved on.
But after I got home from workthen she always asked me hey,
(53:11):
how was work, what happened, howwas everything?
And I kind of didn't want totalk about it because I spent
the whole day at work.
And I kind of didn't want totalk about it because I spent
the whole day at work and now Ihad to relive all the stuff that
I went through the day with her.
But I always after, you know, Igot saved I make sure that I
(53:33):
talk to my wife about all thisstuff that I do, you know, at
work.
I brought it home and we got totalk about all this stuff.
It wasn't just I have my worklife and then my personal life,
you know, and then even with myson, junior worked with me for
many years.
(53:53):
So in the sense, my work lifeit became part of the family
life too.
So everything worked togetheras one awesome for me for me.
Speaker 4 (54:02):
It took me a long time, a long time to really
recognize, understand and putinto practice the fact that
we're one flesh husband and wifeI never.
I never quite understood that,because I was never able to love
another human being as much asI loved myself is when I
recognized that I could do thatwith the person God gave me,
(54:25):
that gave me that freedom to beopen and say you know, I didn't
make it here, I screwed up there.
And to have that kind ofintimacy is not a bedroom
intimacy.
Intimacy is a spiritualintimacy.
Speaker 6 (54:38):
Amen.
Speaker 4 (54:39):
And I had intimacy all of my life until I
understood that I am one fleshand that he put our marriage
together.
I'm incapable of marrying mywife.
I know that God put us togetherand you know what.
That's what makes it so mucheasier for me to be more
transparent, because I neverhave been a transparent guy.
Speaker 2 (54:58):
Very, very good stuff .
Anything on that topic In myparticular case going to the
Word.
Speaker 3 (55:04):
It hit me when God says my Word will not return
void.
And listening to Pastor Cassand Omar, I remember that prior
to me giving my life to Jesus, Iprobably made three or four
times more but I was not able toshow anything.
(55:26):
And once I gave my life toJesus I was able to save in
things that before I was makingmore money, but now I was making
the right money, but I wasunder god's economy yeah, and
everything was we mentioned thatearlier, yeah, yeah and blessed
, and blessed, and that hit me,and it has hit me even to today
(55:52):
that I can't explain myself howthat happened yeah, only
Speaker 2 (55:56):
yeah, knowing that through the world and it ties
right back to the question,because it's what does the bible
say?
Walk in the light, whether it'sfinances, whether it's how
you're doing the deal, whetherit's you know what.
You're spending the money onwhat.
When everything's in the light,then you're in the light with
your spouse, you're in the lightat church.
You're just walking in thelight.
There's nothing to hide.
Guys, with just minutes left,you know, and again, I mean this
(56:17):
, I mean this seriously.
Maybe you'll tell me, joey,that's the wrong question.
You haven't heard anything.
We've said all the whole hour.
But you know, I tried to writeit down to make it clear.
You know.
You know I joked at thebeginning.
Oh, people think this is goingto be the secret to a million
dollar, happy, successful life.
Not exactly, but this is what Iwant to ask you guys.
I think most men they would saythis I, but this is what I want
to ask you guys.
I think most men they would saythis I want to be successful, I
(56:41):
want to make money, I want tohave retirement, I want to leave
something for my kids and Iwant to do it without
compromising on Jesus.
I want to do it while havingJesus as the priority.
Guys, are there any principles,are there any lessons that you
could share with a man listeningthat says I do want to be
successful and I do want to besuccessful and I do want to
honor the Lord.
I want to do both.
Speaker 5 (57:02):
To me since I got saved, one of the priorities in
my life.
I want to leave a legacy ofgodliness to my family and to
people that come in contact withme, not necessarily a high
priority on finances, but that Itaught and I trained up my kids
(57:22):
and my grandkids in the waythat they should go in their
walk with the Lord.
And yeah, it tells us, you knowin the word for us to leave, you
know, a legacy to our kids andour grandkids.
You know, when it comes tofinances, but the thing is that
(57:43):
if you want to be successful inanything that you do, you got to
have good work habits.
You know you got to have adiscipline in your life.
You got to know how to manageyour money.
Well, a lot of people even Isee it in the Christian, in
churches that people, when itcomes to priorities and managing
(58:07):
money, they don't do a good job.
They waste a lot of money onstuff that is nonsense and then
when it comes to the importantthings of life, then they don't
have the resources available.
So for them to be disciplinedwith their monies, with their
finances, and be disciplined inwork habits, because if you
don't got good work habits,you're never going to be
(58:29):
successful.
Speaker 2 (58:31):
Thank you.
Speaker 4 (58:31):
I want to pass it to Cesar, but I want to mention
something.
If you guys have enjoyedhearing what Pastor Jose is
going to say.
I really enjoyed hearing whatPastor Jose is going to say.
Yes, yes, he is going to be ourguest speaker at the CBMC West
Doral Lunch on December 3rd atthe 97th Air Squadron Restaurant
, beginning at 1230.
Speaker 2 (58:50):
And the beauty of it.
Speaker 4 (58:51):
We just got the appetizer Right and the beauty
of it is that I'm going to beinterviewing him, which means I
only have two or three questions, because you know what's going
to happen with.
Speaker 1 (58:59):
Pastor Jose.
Speaker 4 (59:00):
He's got a goal and a diet drive and I really love it
.
But for you guys, december 3rdlunch, cbmc 97th Air Squadron,
pastor Jose Casas, I pass it onto Cesar.
Speaker 2 (59:15):
Before we do.
Before we do and I want to comeback to you because I want your
two cents on this as well whatis the best way to get that
information again?
Or to sign up, or is there adirect website?
Should they contact us at god'sradio?
Speaker 4 (59:25):
yeah, they can.
They can contact you or theycan go to cbmc south florida,
cbmc south florida, and therethey can register for the lunch.
Perfect.
Speaker 2 (59:34):
Perfect.
Thank you, caesar.
Speaker 3 (59:37):
Thank you.
That question, joy, is very,very important because that's
what I mentioned earlier that asbusinessmen, as people in
business, we got so many forcesattacking us and pushing us and
so many lies from the devil interms of being successful or not
(59:59):
.
And the Word of God has amessage.
It says in Matthew 6.33, butseek first the kingdom of God
and His righteousness, and allthese things shall be added to
you.
Therefore, do not worry abouttomorrow, for tomorrow will
worry about its own things.
(01:00:20):
Sufficient, for the day is inits own trouble.
We got so many issues andchallenges.
Put God first.
Face those challenges.
One day will be maybe that youare victorious One day.
Maybe you're not, but you gotthe force that will sustain you
(01:00:40):
and will get you through thefinish line.
Speaker 2 (01:00:42):
You know, I'm so thankful you shared that verse
and I'm so thankful.
I'm just so thankful becauseand I hope this comes across
clearly Hopefully it hitsdifferent, hopefully it hits
with a new freshness.
It's not just a pastor, it'snot just hearing it at church,
it's hearing it from successfulbusinessmen.
The same scripture, the sameprinciple.
(01:01:04):
Omar, I want to hear youranswer to that question, but
also I want to leave time, so,whatever order you want to do it
in, I realize we've beenthanking CBMC, we've been giving
them a shout out, but we reallyhaven't said too much what it
is and how people can getconnected.
So if you could give a coupleminutes to that and a couple
minutes to your answer.
Speaker 4 (01:01:24):
Yeah, the Christian businessman connection has been
around for a hundred years InSouth Florida in the last 20
some years there's only a onetrick pony, one place, which is
the downtown tower club, and wehad a lunch there.
But right now we have spread inmany areas.
We have three lunches, likewe're going to have with Jose,
(01:01:46):
but we also have cigar nightswhere guys can go in and
actually talk about theirbusinesses and the walk of
Christ.
But we also have discipleshipOperation Timothy where we
disciple folks in terms ofspiritual issues.
We also have programs for youngprofessionals, we have programs
for seasoned executives and wehave Connect Three to connect
(01:02:09):
men to men.
So CBMC is not just going to alunch.
We network at a lunch.
But that's the beginning ofwhat we do at CBMC.
So, for instance, jose is goingto be meeting some people on
December 3rd that may beinterested in going a little
further in discipleship, becausethe whole idea is to build
(01:02:30):
workplace ambassadors.
That's what we're all isworkplace ambassadors.
We're trying to build disciples.
We're trying to go fromnonbelievers to believers, to
disciples, and you cannot becomea disciple by going to build
disciples.
We're trying to go fromnon-believers to believers, to
disciples, and you cannot becomea disciple by going to a lunch,
but the longest journey beginswith the first step, and that
first step oftentimes is eithera cigar night or a lunch, like
(01:02:52):
our brother Jose.
And the other question was I'man old?
Speaker 2 (01:02:55):
man, I don't remember what you asked me.
You know the question is thebig one, right?
Hey, I want to be successful.
I don't remember what you askedme.
You know the question is thebig one, right?
Hey, I want to be successful, Iwant to make money, I want to
do it all.
I want to honor the Lord.
I don't want to compromise onthe Lord.
You guys have done it.
How do I do it?
You know a man that's listening, that he wants to.
You know, which I think is adesire most men have successful
in finance and family withoutcompromising on the Lord.
(01:03:17):
What principle, what lesson doyou have for them?
Speaker 4 (01:03:20):
For me it's before you become successful in the
workplace, you have to becomesuccessful at home.
It does you no good to besuccessful in the workplace.
So therefore, where do youtrain to be successful in the
workplace?
You train to be a successfulleader at home.
In other words, you become aservant leader with your wife
and children and then you takethat to the workplace, become a
(01:03:44):
servant leader there, and intime God will take that and make
you a successful businessman.
But don't put the cart beforethe horse.
Where do you learn to be aservant leader With the ones you
love, with the people God gaveyou?
Speaker 2 (01:03:59):
Guys, gentlemen, I can't thank you enough for
coming by today.
I can't, if he's listening,Steve.
Thank you for bringing us alltogether in a sense.
Thank you CBMC for theirsupport of God's Way Radio and
their partnership, and thisgospel ministry.
Again, gentlemen, thank you.
God bless you all.
Thank you, this has been God'sWay Radio and if you want more,
(01:04:20):
you can find us onlinegodswayradiocom.
If you're listening live, thisis going to be on the Friends
and Family podcast.
If you've listened on thepodcast, keep scrolling through.
There are tons of conversationsand interviews like this.
Until next time, grace andpeace.
Speaker 1 (01:04:36):
We hope you enjoyed Friends and Familyique
conversations recorded andproduced in our studios, where
you get a chance to hear whatGod is doing in people's lives.
Jesus tells us in John 15,verse 15 I have called you
friends For all things that Iheard from my Father I have made
known to you.
So that's why we love to sharethese exclusive interviews with
you.
Our hope is that through theirstories God will be made known
(01:04:59):
to you, but you can only findthem here on God's Way Radio.
Just check godswayradiocom forour full program schedule.
You're tuned in to Friends and Family, a God's Way
Radio exclusive where weintroduce you to some amazing
people.
In John, chapter 15, verse 15,jesus says I have called you
friends for all things that Iheard from my Father I have made
known to you.
That's our aim that God wouldbe made known to you.
Stay with us until the end ofour conversation for more
(00:22):
information on this program andother unique offerings from
God's Way Radio.
Speaker 2 (00:27):
Good afternoon God's Way Radio family.
I have a little different setuphere today because we are full
in the studio with guests, andit's a blessing.
You know, if you listen verycarefully to God's Way Radio,
you will hear our businesssponsors, our supporters
(00:48):
throughout the day.
And one of them is CBMC,christian Businessmen's
Connection.
And if you've heard them on theradio, you know they want to
just equip men, equip men in theworkforce to represent the Lord
and to just be witnesses toChrist, and so we're so thankful
for their support.
(01:08):
And one of the gentlemen thathelps lead that ministry, steve
Solomon.
He said man, I got three guys.
They're good guys, they'regodly guys.
I think it will be a wonderfultime with them in the studio.
And I said I think so too.
Some of them.
You may know their voice fromdifferent places Calvary Chapel,
maybe Ask a Cop.
(01:29):
You know it's amazing how theLord has these men, has us all
at the same table.
It's amazing.
So only God could do it.
So, gentlemen, I'd like tostart over here and just give
you a moment to introduceyourself, please.
Speaker 3 (01:42):
Thank you so much, pastor Joey.
Good afternoon to God's WayRadio listeners and thank you
for this invitation, and my nameis Cesar De La Rosa and I'm
very blessed and very gratefulto be part of this panel.
Speaker 2 (01:56):
Thank you.
Speaker 4 (01:57):
Well, thank you very much.
It's a privilege to besurrounded by these wonderful
guys.
My name is Omar Aleman and itis a privilege to be part of
this group.
Speaker 5 (02:09):
Good afternoon, dear family.
This is Pastor Jose Casas forCalvary, miami, here, just
honored to be here with thisgroup of fellows this afternoon.
Awesome.
Speaker 2 (02:22):
You know, just to start off with a bit of humor,
you know, I said steve called meand or texted me.
He said, hey, these are theguys.
I said, man, I haven't beenable to get jose in the studio,
so if you could do it, man, Iknow it's the lord, so it's the
lord jose.
You know, one of the things Iwant to talk about and just hear
from you guys is just yourpersonal testimony, because, uh,
(02:42):
you know, that's really the themain thing, if not the only
thing sometimes, that reallybinds us all together, that
brings us together is issalvation by the lord.
So how'd you come to know thelord jose?
Speaker 5 (02:56):
uh, the lord has done so much in my life.
Uh, so I was sharing more omarto whom much is given.
Much is required In just mytestimony.
To be brief, me and my wifeBelkis, we were married for 10
years.
After 10 years of marriage, ourmarriage failed.
(03:16):
We were separated and divorcedfor a period of almost two years
and Belkis took the time ofthose two years to pray for this
crazy old guy.
And after interceding for mefor a long period of time, the
(03:37):
Lord, just a harvest crusade,just opened my eyes and then I
surrendered my life to Him andit seemed like I was going at
100 miles per hour for the enemyand the Lord just picked me up
and turned me over to go 100miles for Him.
Speaker 2 (03:58):
Amen.
You know, where were you at inyour work life?
Were you working construction?
Were you already doing realestate?
Where were you at in thatmoment when God got your heart?
I?
Speaker 5 (04:11):
was a mechanical engineer for eight years.
Then I started a developmentcompany in building houses and
apartment units and during thatperiod of time, you know, we did
very well financially and then,after we had everything that
(04:31):
this world could offer, we werebankrupt spiritually.
And that's when the Lordactually allowed for us to go
through this difficult time inour lives and, you know, and
that's when me and Belkis gotseparated and divorced.
Speaker 2 (04:46):
So when the Lord got a hold of your heart, you were
already, you know, growing inthe business realm.
You said construction,developer, yeah, developer, yeah
, interesting.
Speaker 5 (04:56):
Yeah, yeah, I spent all those years.
Belkis was a real estate broker, so it seemed like we were a
team.
I would build the apartmentunits, the houses, and then she
would sell them.
So we were good as a team, butthen in our own personal life it
was falling apart.
Speaker 2 (05:17):
Very interesting and we might come back to that.
Omar, again, I know it's hardbecause we've heard a lot of it
on on Ask a Cop, one of thepodcasts that we do.
But briefly, just how Jesus gotahold of your heart.
Speaker 4 (05:29):
Yeah, I was born and reared in Cuba, came to the
United States, ended up with ascholarship to play ball at
Florida State.
Couldn't make it to the Yankees, ended up as a federal agent,
worked a lot of undercover,never understood what the Lord
was all about.
I came to the Lord reluctantlyquote unquote in 1983, became an
(05:49):
undercover Christian by sittingin the back of the church and
pretending to be a Christianjust on Sundays.
And then I went on.
The Panama invasion arrestedNoriega the dictator, and at
that time, even though that Iwas a Christian I never shared.
And that day I realized thatboth him and I were prisoners.
He was a prisoner of justice, Iwas a prisoner from God and I
(06:10):
decided that day to share mytestimony with him.
And since then things havechanged, because I am no longer
afraid of sharing my testimony,because if I can do it in that
international stage, I can do itanywhere.
So God took the fear.
Speaker 2 (06:26):
In fact, I was more afraid of being a Christian than
I was ever afraid of being inundercover.
Speaker 7 (06:30):
Wow.
Speaker 4 (06:30):
Wow.
Speaker 2 (06:31):
You know I mean so much there, so much there.
You went from being undercoverto saying man, how can I do this
?
You know how can I continue tobe undercover and taking
advantage of that opportunity?
And again we'll come back tothis.
But after your career in lawenforcement, did you engage in
other business ventures as well?
Speaker 4 (06:52):
Yeah, I opened a company called Aleman Associates
.
We did a lot of security SuperBowl security.
We were very successful.
And then, about 10 years ago,jesus offered me a deal I
couldn't refuse.
He said to me I want you tosell me your company and I want
(07:13):
you to be a subsidiary of Jesusand Associates.
And he put me in the insurancedepartment.
I said, well, I know nothingabout insurance.
He says, yes, all I want you tosell is death insurance.
What's death insurance?
Make sure that peopleunderstand that the most
important thing in their life iswhere they're going to go after
they die.
Speaker 7 (07:26):
Amen.
Speaker 4 (07:27):
So I am an insurance salesman for Jesus Associates
and I sell death insurance.
I like it, I like it.
Speaker 2 (07:33):
You got to find a way to get their attention.
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord.
We have somebody actually onthe line already, so we'll take
this call, and it just remindsme I was going to actually give
the phone number.
We're live here in the studio,november the 25th.
I'm about to go to this call,so hang tight for me.
But if you're listening live onNovember the 25th, I encourage
you to call or text and be apart of our conversation, be a
(07:56):
part of the program today.
You might have a question, youmight have a word of
encouragement, something thatthese guys say you.
You might have a word ofencouragement, something that
these guys say you might say hey, can you elaborate on that?
You can call or text us here inthe studio, 786-313-315.
Good afternoon, thank you forcalling.
Speaker 6 (08:18):
You're live on God's Way Radio.
Well, you guys know me fromDoral and Sweetwater.
It's good to hear you guys inthe voice.
Man, what?
Speaker 2 (08:25):
a blessing.
Good to hear you Lookingforward to what you want to
share.
Speaker 6 (08:31):
A couple of things.
I want to share that happyThanksgiving to everyone that's
listening in Miami, whereveryou're at man.
The Thanksgiving.
Don't forget, man.
Share the gospel when you'reeating at the table, praying for
the food.
You know, do that and I justwant to share barely.
(08:52):
How do you know when you'releaving a place?
You're called by the.
How do you know?
How do you know you?
You got to come from Miami toSan P or I'm out right now how
do you?
know that from the Lord.
The word in the scripture.
Read the word in the scriptures.
(09:12):
Yeah well, god will confirm you, or maybe through a Sunday
service, wednesday night service, but you got to be connected to
the word if you're notconnected to the word and you're
not reading.
Don't expect, or where is god?
He's there.
Speaker 2 (09:28):
Open the book amen, good encouragement, thank you.
Thank you, my brother and Ihave a feeling that's going to
come back around in ourconversation.
You know a lot of thesedecisions that these guys made,
the, the risks or you would saythe steps of faith, even in
business and in their career,I'm sure it was led by the word
of fellowship with the lord,seeking the lord.
Speaker 6 (09:50):
So, my brother, I thank you for calling and, uh,
it's always good to hear fromyou, okay yeah, we're praying
for each other man praying forcarrie chapel here at uh at uh
uh, san peterburg, and that wego forward, thank you.
Speaker 2 (10:03):
god bless you.
Thank you, you know.
You know, I love it.
I love it.
If you're listening and you'rethinking, man, st Petersburg,
how is this guy listening?
Well, we have an app.
It's free on your iPhone oryour Android phone.
We also have the website whereyou can listen godswayradiocom.
But, cesar, I didn't forgetabout you, your testimony of
(10:27):
coming to jesus.
Speaker 3 (10:27):
Uh, please, oh, thank you.
Thank you, pastor joey, ofcourse.
Um, even though I grew up in achristian family, it was in 2004
, 20 years ago, where I hit rockbottom.
Uh, I used to be very proud andI thought that I was very
successful, and at that moment,in that year, 2004, I hit rock
(10:51):
bottom.
So the many things that Ithought was power was not there.
And the first thing that I wantto share about that is the
persistence and persevere of afamily member that it was keep
inviting me, keep talking to me,with that patient, with that
(11:14):
love, that at that moment he hitme and he invited me to church.
I the invitation.
It was a Calvary Chapel, partof the family, and that day I
accepted Jesus and it changed mylife.
(11:34):
It changed my life, especiallyat the level that I was in the
middle of a big crisis in mypersonal and business, and since
then it has been a completelygame changer.
Speaker 4 (11:49):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (11:50):
And in that particular church I met my at
that time was not my girlfriend,it was at that time was my
girlfriend I'm sorry, lisetteand we married.
Speaker 5 (12:02):
Awesome.
Speaker 3 (12:03):
And since then I am a changed man, Amen.
Thanks to Jesus Christ.
Speaker 2 (12:10):
And that's it.
You know, no, hey, that's notit, that's all of it.
That's the work of the Lord,that's the power of the Lord.
You know it sounds like andcorrect me if I'm wrong, and
this is kind of where I want togo next.
You know, it sounds like evenin your career, even in the
money, even in the success, it'snot enough.
You know, if there's anybodylistening that that you think,
(12:31):
oh, they did Christianbusinessman connection, oh, I'm
gonna get the secret.
How to make a million dollarsin a year with the Bible, jesus,
no, no, no.
You know, the first thing wewant to look at is man, how.
That can't be the, the focus.
That can't be in its wrongplace.
And Cesar, just continuing withwhat you mentioned, you said
you had it, but it wasn't allthat you thought it was.
(12:54):
Can you elaborate on how it?
Speaker 3 (12:55):
wasn't enough.
Well, you mentioned a pointthat is clever and is that God
has a connection with eachperson, and sometimes we get
discouraged when we share withfamily members, when we share
with friends, but we need tounderstand that God has mercy
with us and we have to do thesame, because the moment that
(13:20):
you less expect it, that personwill say yes and that will
change the life of a family.
It changed the life ofdaughters, sons, and it will
impact many aspects of aparticular life.
So you asked me to elaborate.
I can tell you that, with thatdecision and knowing the Lord,
(13:43):
the Word of God and reading theWord of God, every person will
have a personal connection, andeven people that are listening
to us right now, that maybe theyare in the middle of a palmetto
, or maybe they are in ashopping center, or maybe they
are at work.
You never will experience thepower of God connecting with you
(14:07):
.
It's special, it's pricelessand it's especially the gift and
the blessing of Jesus Christ isamazing.
Speaker 4 (14:20):
And that's why the CBMC, the Christian Businessman
Connection, is so important.
The first word is Christ,christian.
The last word is connection.
Speaker 7 (14:28):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (14:28):
So we first connect to Christ and then we come to
the middle, the businessman part.
So we first have to connect toChrist before we can connect our
business life.
Speaker 7 (14:40):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (14:41):
And that's why it's called the Christian Businessman
Connection.
Yeah, absolutely life.
Yeah, and that's why it'scalled the christian businessman
connection.
Speaker 2 (14:44):
Yeah, absolutely, omar.
Even from from your story, fromyour testimony, um, you must
have had a good position in asense.
Right, you were high up thereto be the one to pick up noriega
, but when christ really got ahold of your heart, I imagine,
imagine that that dimmed alittle bit, that wasn't so
(15:05):
important anymore, that wasn'tso relevant anymore.
Can you take us back to thattime?
Speaker 4 (15:09):
Yeah, at the time I thought I'd worked for the
Department of Justice.
Because I was working for theDepartment of Justice but I
basically was working for myselfbecause I basically, because I
could work undercover, I coulddo whatever I wanted quote
unquote.
But the thing that's reallyhelped my life is this whole
idea of working for Jesus andAssociates.
Today I find myself as aemployee of Jesus.
(15:31):
My question to anybody that'slistening if you truly, truly,
truly believe that Jesus is yourboss, how would you comport
yourself with the general public, with the people around you,
with your family?
If you truly believe he is yourboss and he truly is your boss
(15:52):
and I think it's very importantI went from thinking that I was
my boss and every time I didthat, I ended up in turmoil.
It doesn't mean that I don'thave bad things in my life
happen, boy, the peace thatcomes from working for working
for jesus and, as I was tellingjose, the reason why I have
peace today is because I had onehuge problem, joey I was going
(16:14):
to hell.
Yeah, okay, the biggest problemI have has been solved okay so,
therefore, everything else isfixable.
So the the other stuff nothingpersonal, it's not minutiae, but
at the most it's like okay,it's a challenge, but the
problem has been solved.
Speaker 2 (16:35):
You know, again, that's such a big deal and
whoever wants to jump in on thisthought, I mean.
You know, pastor Zach says itall the time.
The senior pastor at CalvaryChapel, miami, heary chapel,
miami, says man, if you trustgod for eternity, you know why
don't we trust him for thesmaller things?
Speaker 5 (16:54):
you know?
I mean again, have you guysseen that?
Give me some feedback here.
Yeah, when we find ourselveseven that we have drank from all
the cisterns of this world, atthe end of it we're going to be
completely bankrupt, and all ofus have experienced that at some
point or others in our lives.
And when I was telling Omar, aswe were talking over lunch, that
(17:17):
when you spend some timewrestling with the Lord, jesus
Christ, and what direction hewants to take you and the things
that he wants to do not only inyou but through you, in your
life, and that takes a fullsurrendering to the God of the
universe, then the Lord can useyour life to do a work through
(17:45):
you, through the people that youcome in contact with, because
when it comes to finances andmoney, you can have it all, and
and there was a point in ourlives that we had everything
that we could want when it cameto the things of the world and
we were completely bankruptspiritually and.
And so you realize that therehas to be more to life than, uh,
(18:09):
just monetarily gains andpossessions and riches.
And and we have to make surebecause the enemy is subtle, uh,
he gives.
But I was telling omar that hegives, but then he collects an
interest that we cannot affordto pay.
And then that's when you findyourself, when you allow the
(18:29):
enemy to give you and give youand you don't have the right
priorities, then at the end ofit you're going to find yourself
that you're completely bankruptspiritually.
Speaker 4 (18:42):
Now I also found, in terms of of that, that god gives
us so much.
One of the things that I foundis, the more that I am willing
to give, the more that comesinto my coffers that I have no
idea where it came from.
How many times do we say, well,let's just give on faith.
We give on faith and all of asudden I look at my bank account
(19:02):
or I look at it, it's actuallymore in there than I thought
there was and it wasn't.
It's not by happenstance.
The more we we can't out giveGod, obviously, but the more we
give lovingly and in faith, themore he gives us, not only
financially.
But let me say this to you thegreatest issue I have in my life
is not money.
I can make more money.
(19:22):
My problem is time.
Today is the last day of mylife.
I have no guarantee I'm goingto be here in the morning.
Speaker 5 (19:35):
The question for me today is what am I going to do
with the rest of my life, whichis today, yeah, and can you put
a price tag on the peace thatsurpasses all understanding?
Everybody desires peace intheir lives, and you can only
find that peace when you allowJesus Christ to reign in your
life.
And then it's a gift from theLord to have that peace.
(19:56):
Not that the circumstances aregoing to be good, because
happiness comes when things aregoing your way, but peace, this
unspeakable peace that the Lordgives you is no matter what
you're going through in life,you're at rest, you don't feel
anxious, you don't have stress,and that's what the Lord offers
(20:20):
that a lot of times we don'treceive it.
Speaker 2 (20:23):
Yeah, If you just tuned in in, we have three
guests here in the studio.
They're brothers in christ.
They they've been with us inone way or another before and we
actually did get a text.
We got a text.
It says also listening fromsaint petersburg, florida.
You all have been truly ablessing.
So that's funny, family.
(20:43):
If you're listening, it soundslike we have more people in
saint petersburg than miami.
So so, Miami, you better starttexting or calling.
Let us know you're out there.
But I expect that this is goingto end up on our friends and
family podcast as well.
It's just going so well andthere's going to be so much
wisdom and so much blessingthat's shared.
I hope to get it online.
So if you're listening liveNovember, the 25th text, or call
(21:04):
us now to be part of theprogram, and if you're listening
later on the podcast, you canalways reach out to us at the
studio for anything that youmight need.
The studio phone number,whether you're listening live or
listening later, is786-313-3115.
You know, gentlemen, one of thethings I wanted to ask about and
again as it relates to the Lordright is the highs and lows
(21:27):
you've experienced, even incareer and business.
You know how God has broughtyou through those Because,
remember, the scripture says,Paul, I've learned to be content
in all things.
Right, and it's funny becausepeople think you know it's said
many different ways, but oh, youknow, if I only had this more,
you know, I would be happy orcontent.
And some people that have a lotsaid, oh, I wish I could scale
(21:49):
it back a little and I would behappy and content.
You know, really never contentwithout the Lord.
But the point being that thescripture says you know, I've
learned to be content in allthings, whether in little or in
much.
So can you take us through alittle bit of the highs and lows
of your business or career lifeand how God has brought you
through?
Speaker 3 (22:07):
In answering to what you just said, pastor Joey, one
thing that Pastor Casa justmentioned about the devil and
the attack in terms ofbusinessman and being a
businessman and the businessmarketplace.
The devil is a liar and he willalways sell you a bunch of lies
(22:33):
for you to be following thosethings that are never
sustainable and that are nevergoing to be good for you, but it
will lead you to destruction,and one of the things about CBMC
is that intention to build thebusiness the way God wants you
(22:56):
to build the business.
As a matter of fact, there is aconcept that I want to share
that I saw once.
Our brother, steve Solomon,shared with us that I found it
very powerful and it's thereaching a businessman right
where he is, to help him becomethe man God designed him to be.
(23:19):
That is very powerful becausewe got so much negative and
powerful forces that wants toattack us, that wants to tell us
what we need but we reallydon't need, because we just need
Jesus Christ but we reallydon't need because we just need
Jesus Christ.
And the emphasis that CBMC doesis that connection, build it
(23:44):
rightly build into the Word ofGod and through that connection,
the powerful forces that Godcan unleash for us.
Speaker 2 (23:54):
That's one of the things I love about Christian
businessmen's connection, cbmc,and one of the things I love
about Christian Businessmen'sConnection CBMC and one of the
things I love about having youmen here today.
We need Christian men, faithful, strong Christian men, out in
the workforce, out in the world,out in the marketplace.
If not, not everybody can justbe at church 24-7.
That's not the point.
I said it to a group of guysand then, omar, we'll go to you
(24:17):
talking about those highs andlows in business and career.
But I said it to a group ofguys and I said it and I said,
wait, is that right?
It just sounded so extreme.
But I said, hey, if you don'thave any unsaved friends or
non-Christian friends, you'redoing something wrong.
Go find some non-Christians.
Speaker 4 (24:35):
Yeah, it's an interesting thing.
I hear this all the time.
Joey is a wonderful Christianguy.
Everybody loves him.
Speaker 2 (24:42):
Oh boy.
Speaker 4 (24:42):
Well, if everybody loves Joey, he's an undercover
Christian.
Okay, because if you truly aregoing to be out there doing
things for Christ, expectfeedback that's very negative.
Uh duff, telling on what ourbrother just said.
The problem with me at thehighlight of my career was that
I was a victim of identity theft.
(25:04):
Um, when I became an undercoveragent with dea and I ended up
the high echelons of the traffic, I became omar azam.
I changed my name and I changedmy personality and I became for
personality and I became, forall practical purposes, a
criminal and for many, manyyears Satan used that and I
(25:25):
became Omar Azaim.
The greatest gift in terms ofcoming down to earth was getting
my personality back, and it'staken me a long time to find
myself, because as we go alongthrough life, we leave pieces.
I'm still trying to recover thepieces I lost along the way and
it's really, it's really a sadthing to see in now.
(25:45):
Today, as I am omar aleman, Irealize that now, finally, the
greatest gift I have is to bemyself, my job.
In life, I used to have thesehighs and lows.
What I want now is a spiritualflatline, and a spiritual
flatline means that lovingcontentment that God gives us.
When things are good, we'regood.
(26:07):
When things are bad, we'restill good, because we are in
the will of God.
We are in spiritual contentmentand not that manic, depressive
life that that the satan offersus every day.
Speaker 2 (26:19):
Yeah, yeah, you know it's interesting if I were to
summarize part of what you said.
It was like your career highwas your spiritual low without a
doubt and it's, it'sinteresting for anyone listening
, jose, again, any highs or lowsin in business or in finances
or in ventures that you've had,that stick out how the lord has
brought you through yeah, the uh, the lord, even for me, uh, you
(26:41):
know the way that, um, he usedme uh, uh for the last 20 years
as a full-time pastor andfull-time business owners.
Speaker 5 (26:51):
Is is cool because I got to be a pastor in the church
without walls and that's in thebusiness realm.
Uh, and people uh, through thatI came in contact with.
Even in the time of covid, wheneverything was shut down, the
lord was bringing me people,people still need grass?
yeah, they, they.
(27:13):
They need plants, they need allthat stuff.
But, um, they need, they needjesus, amen.
So, in the sense, people, everyday during those 29 years that
I was here in Miami running thebusiness, people brought me each
day hundreds of people.
And then the Lord used thebusiness to build up a bridge
(27:36):
for me to bring the good news ofthe gospel of Jesus Christ to
those people that desperatelyneeded Jesus Christ.
So people, they knew that I wasa Christian man.
I did as a Christian man didbusiness that I let my yes be
yes and my noes be no.
If I couldn't do something, Iwould tell them I couldn't do it
(27:56):
.
And if I did something, I didit with the excellence of Jesus
Christ, as a Christian businessowner.
But at the same time, peopleknew here in Miami-Dade County
that, as a Christian businessman, when they were going through a
difficult time, they didn'tcall me to do business with
(28:20):
plants and sod and soil andstuff.
They called me for me to praywith them as they were dealing
with cancer, as they were goinginto surgery, as they were going
on the verge of divorce.
And so the Lord used thebusiness to do counseling to
people that didn't know used thebusiness to do counseling to
(28:41):
people that didn't know.
So, the Lord, even in thebusiness realm a lot of people
that I talk to and I get to prayover them they come and they
always complain to me aboutwhere they're at in their
business and what they do forwork because they're the only
Christians.
And I always tell them you gotthe best job in the planet
because if you're the onlyChristian in your workplace,
then you can be a small littlelight that shines really so
(29:05):
bright.
So don't think, because you arealone in a place, that you're
the only Christian, god is goingto use you tremendously in the
business world, in in the church, that most of those people will
never come to church, but thosepeople are going to come to you
to receive instructions fromthe lord amen, amen.
Speaker 2 (29:27):
Oh man, so so much, so much.
I want to follow up on there.
I have notes here, I have atext here.
It says our family has beensuper, uh, super blessed by mr
casas as both a pastor and abusiness owner, and I know a lot
of the story behind thatcomment.
But thank you for texting anencouragement to Jose, I hope,
(29:48):
if you want to say anything tothem.
I don't know if you can see thename.
Speaker 5 (29:52):
It's Miss Tiffany, yeah yeah, the Lord used my
place of business even to blessother churches for so many years
and so many clients that I gotto go into their houses Just not
to do a service for them butalso to encourage them.
(30:13):
I remember going one time to doa delivery for a landscaper.
Um, he had like a tumor on theside of his face and he was I.
I got there early in themorning, he was already drunk
and I got to lay hands on himand uh, and that day he invited
the lord jesus christ.
(30:33):
I went to do a delivery, butthe delivery that I did it
wasn't of sod, mulch and dirt,but it was a delivery.
But the delivery that I did, itwasn't of sod, mulch and dirt,
but it was a delivery of thegospel unto salvation.
And so many people people thathave gone to jail, they call me,
people that their kidscommitted suicide, and the Lord
used the business to bringcomfort to their lives.
(30:55):
So the Lord used the workplaceto glorify himself.
Speaker 2 (31:01):
You know we'll come back to a lot of that, but
something that comes to mind and, omar, you kind of touched on
it.
Well, you didn't touch on it,you said it plainly hey, if
you're out there representingChrist, you're going to get
pushback, you know.
But I think you know it'sinteresting, I've seen both.
So a little story from when Iwas working in a restaurant and
hopefully this will get you guysthinking of a similar story
(31:24):
from your own life.
I was working in a restaurantand this was it's funny I got
saved when I was a teenager.
This was the first job that Icame into as a Christian.
So I got saved at the lastplace and then I, you know, when
they met me, I was a believeralready at this new job, at this
(31:44):
new restaurant.
Long story short, I was carryinga big tray full of food, a
couple hundred dollars worth offood, big party, big table.
I dropped it, dropped the wholething on the floor, spilled
some on a guest and I broke astatue, a very expensive statue
in the restaurant, broke itsthumb off, the statue I remember
it was the thumbless statue.
And so I'm there cleaning andI'm already saying I'm out of
here, I'm fired, I'm some kid Iwas 17, 18 at the time.
They're going to get rid of me,replace me.
(32:05):
It cost us whatever $100 it was.
And I'm there cleaning and thegeneral manager this was the
lead manager at the restauranthe kneels down beside me, he's
cleaning up.
He said, hey, you know, if thiswas any other person, they'd be
fired, right.
I said yes, sir.
He said finish cleaning and getback to work.
I said yes, sir, and so I gotto think that part of that was
(32:27):
my testimony, my work ethic, theLord's favor and grace, because
obviously it's not all me, butI think it could go either way,
or we've had both experiences inlife where, as you live for
Christ, it's a it's, it'ssomething that attracts people,
something that blesses people,and sometimes you get that
pushback.
So I wonder if any of thosestories come to mind for you,
(32:49):
men, where it's it's beensomething that's attractive,
it's been something that's, Iguess you could say, given you
success in the workplace andbusiness, if that's a way to
phrase it, or if a story ofactually it quote unquote hurt
me in the business realm when Istood up for Christ.
Speaker 4 (33:04):
One of the things that I think is so important for
us as Christians in theworkplace is to use prayer,
prayer, as one of the biggestweapons we have.
And let me tell you why.
I don't care if you're theworst heathen in the world.
If you're known in yourbusiness as a praying man, you
will be surprised if you go toanybody that is going through
(33:25):
problems, medical issues withthe family and they don't
believe in the lord.
If you say to them, can I prayfor you, they will come to you.
And it's an thing we have to beknown as people, first of all,
that walk the walk and talk thetalk.
That's very important.
But then to be prayer warriorsand not to pray in front of
(33:47):
people all the time but peopleknow in your company that when
they have an issue they'rewilling to pray.
You talk about Muslims.
I've yet to meet a Muslim whereyou go to them and say, can I
pray for your family?
You ask the most hardcoreMuslim if you can pray for them
and they will say, sure, that'samazing.
So the whole idea of prayer inthe workplace to be an unselfish
(34:11):
and a humble prayer warriorbecause you will attract people
that in that company will notcome to you unless something's
going on yeah and guess what?
Speaker 2 (34:21):
you're the guy they're gonna go to yeah, yeah,
um, jose or caesar, anythingcome to mind where either you
living for christ and standingup for christ benefited you in
the business and work realm, ora story that comes to mind where
it it really didn't help, butyou did it anyway.
Speaker 3 (34:37):
Well, thank you.
If I may say one point that inmy life has been powerful, is
that the Word of God from.
Genesis to Revelation is a bookthat equips you for life and for
business.
It's a powerful force, becauseyou just mentioned about lows
(35:00):
and highs.
The word of God will sustainyou and will give you the
strength through the momentsthat you believe that you're in
the lows.
The Lord is the shepherd, I'msorry.
The Lord is my shepherd.
I should not want that.
Is a powerful message in theword of God.
But if you see the life ofJoseph, because of the jealousy
(35:23):
of their brothers and whathappened through him and now
becoming the most powerful man,basically in Egypt, but also
Daniel and if you see thedifferent aspects of their lives
, that that sustain you, that nomatter what comes our way, yeah
, it will be bad moments, itwill be good moments, yeah, but
(35:46):
the word of god will sustain youyou know, it's amazing that you
bring up those two biblicalnarratives because you think
about it right and I love the,the context right.
Speaker 2 (35:54):
If you look at it from the practical, joseph is
like what do you say?
Cfo, coo, you knowO of thenation, in a sense.
And then Daniel, same thing, Imean the king's right-hand man,
in a sense.
And then even them, when theystood up for God, they suffered
for it.
But then, especially Daniel, hesays wow, your God has saved
(36:15):
you.
Oh, my goodness, and it's atestimony, we have somebody on
the line.
Let's welcome them.
You're live on God's Way Radio.
Where are you calling us from?
Speaker 7 (36:23):
Calling from the FIU area to South Miami Heights.
Speaker 2 (36:27):
FIU area.
Man, we know you have aconnection with CBMC as well.
Man, let me just give you theline to ask or share what you
wanted to share.
But, man, let me just give youthe line to ask or share what
you wanted to share.
Speaker 7 (36:39):
I just thought of a Bible verse with, as I hear, the
men talking and agreeing right,the prayer question is just
such a great way to introduceGod into the picture in any
moment.
But the word is in 2Corinthians 5, verse 15, and it
(37:06):
says For we are to God thefragrance of Christ among those
who are being saved and amongthose who are perishing.
To the one, we are the aroma ofdeath leading to death, and to
the other, the aroma of lifeleading to life.
And so, yeah, we are the aromaof death leading to death, and
to the other, the aroma of lifeleading to life.
And so, yeah, we will haveenemies.
We will have maybe some, butthat's man.
There's so many that are justready to receive right, the
(37:28):
fields, man, they're ready forharvest.
So God has us in specificplaces and he puts those words
to that person that needs tohear it.
Man, that's life you're justbringing to that moment.
So, uh, so just thought aboutthat bible verse concerning
those comments great verse yeah,that's that.
Speaker 5 (37:51):
That's great.
Uh, the the cool thing is thisum, even in the in the business
room, when, when you haveopposition and usually the
greatest opposition is when youdo a job for somebody and then
they don't pay you and they oweyou money.
How are you going to react?
And then, as a business ownerfor 30 years 29 years there was
(38:17):
hundreds of thousands of dollarsthat were all to me and they
were not paid.
And I remember one time, on the67th property, a guy owe me a
tremendous amount of money, thatwe were starting the business
and we desperately needed thatmoney to pay bills.
And we did this job for thisguy, so we did it correctly and
(38:40):
we did it on a professional way,but the guy chose not to pay us
.
So Pastor Rask did theWednesday night service and then
I tell Belkis, hey, we got togo to this guy's house and she
said, uh-oh, is it the old Joseor is it the new and improved
Jose?
So I said we got to drive.
(39:00):
So we drove to the guy's houseat 10 o'clock at night and I
knocked on his door.
When he said who is it?
And I told him my name, theydidn't know whether to call the
cops or what to do.
So they finally opened the doorand I told them I came here not
to do you any harm.
I just came here because theLord compelled me to come here
(39:22):
to tell you that you don't oweme no money, as this day forward
the money that you owe me.
The Lord Jesus Christ has wipedthat slate.
Clean the money now that youowe.
You owe it to the Lord JesusChrist, so if you want to pay it
, you pay it to him, and I wasable to walk out of there with
(39:45):
clean hands before the Lord andwith clean hands before my
enemies.
So, as a business owner, whereit counts is when people owe you
money, when people wronged you,when people backstabbed you.
As a Christian business owner,do you act like everybody else.
(40:05):
Do you get lawyers involved, Doyou get people involved to go
after them and destroy them, oryou say and you trust by faith,
that where God guides, Godprovides.
And as a testimony unto thatevent afterwards, the Lord
provided more work than I couldtake in the sense, because what
(40:28):
I was all to me, the Lordblessed it.
And not everything in life youcan measure with monetarily
blessings.
There's blessings that comewith it.
Whether your kids marrysomebody that is a Christian,
whether your grandkids, theywake up in the morning and they
pray as we partake of our meals.
(40:48):
So the Lord wants to instill onus blessings.
But people always think that,OK, if I give this unto the Lord
, I expect to receive monetarilygains as a result of it.
So we have to make sure that wedon't count our blessings
(41:09):
always to be monetarily.
Blessings there are measured bythis world by spiritual
blessings.
There are blessed blessingsthat come from heaven.
Speaker 4 (41:19):
So we got to keep our spiritual glasses on this, this
, this dovetails into thesubject of forgiveness.
Yes, um, many, many years ago,when I was in, in the middle of
my being a federal agent, adeacon at the church I attended
was an informant for thegovernment and, and to make a
long story short, as a result offalse information, I was
(41:42):
suspended from my job, wow, andI was prepared to be indicted.
I think, yeah, all right, Ithink you were.
And I was driving down theparallel between Coral Way and
Byrd Road and I'm saying to theLord Lord, a fellow deacon would
do this to me.
This is horrible.
You need to go get him.
You need to really make him pay, and I'll never forget this.
(42:05):
He said to me in such a clearvoice, even though he doesn't
talk to me, but I can feel him.
He said, omar, I will take careof him.
What he did to you was awful.
And then, because you're justas big a sinner as he is, I will
take care of you afterwards.
Hmm, and I said to the Lord asI got to Byrd Road please do not
(42:25):
touch him.
Because I recognized that Icould not afford to pay the
price of what I had done.
So therefore, I forgave,because I recognize how much had
been forgiven for me, andforgiveness is part of
dovetailing of what Pastor Josejust talked about.
Speaker 2 (42:44):
Blessed are those who are merciful, for they shall
obtain mercy.
I love that, you know.
I love that encounter you hadwith the Lord.
You know, like you said, Ididn't hear his voice, but I
felt his voice, I knew he wastalking to me and you know God
talks to us how we need to hearhim.
You know the Bible's the Bible.
You know that's written, butwhen he speaks to your heart,
(43:07):
you know I love when God,especially with men, you know
we're here and this is kind oflike brought to you by Christian
Businessmen's Connection.
They're a sponsor of the radio,they're a dear partner in
ministry and man, especially men, sometimes god needs to talk to
us tough, you know, and so ohyeah, okay, I'll come, I'll come
to you after and oh yeah, godtalks like that sometimes I was
(43:30):
scared to death because I was,so I said yeah.
Speaker 4 (43:32):
When he said to me oh yeah, I'll get him, I was so
happy.
And then one second later hesaid but then if I go up to him,
I gotta come after you.
And I said oh no, no, no, no,no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no,
don't do anything to him,because I recognize I was
probably worse than the guy whodid that to me um, we have a
text here, man, great stuff, youknow, and this always happens.
Speaker 2 (43:53):
Not always.
This often happens.
We get rolling and then youlook at the clock and we're
almost short on time in a senseFamily.
If you're listening, let megive you a few pieces of
information.
We're getting into the 16minutes left mark here.
This is Refresh live on God'sWay Radio.
We're live every single weekday3.30 to 4.30 pm, and if you're
listening November the 25th,you're listening live.
(44:14):
And if you're listening afterthe fact, you're still getting
some good stuff and you didright by downloading or
streaming this.
But if you're listening live,you can participate by texting
or calling 786-313-3115.
Whether it's a question, a wordof encouragement, you want to
ask them to elaborate onsomething?
Whatever it is, you canparticipate.
(44:36):
I'm going to read this textexactly how it has come in, and
I think that any one of youcould chime in on this and
hopefully all of you will havesomething to say.
I would like for you to askthem if, at any time, they felt
that success and havingeverything right became a
distraction that took them awayfrom God and their family
(44:58):
priority.
If so, how do they recognizewhen this is happening and how
do they recognize that theirpriorities are compromised?
Speaker 5 (45:11):
Wow.
Speaker 2 (45:12):
Good question.
Speaker 5 (45:13):
That's an awesome question.
For me, I have the main thingthat we have to have in life to
make sure that we have ourpriorities set in order in our
homes, because if we don't havethe right priorities set in our
(45:38):
home, then we're is to have Godto be the priority above
everything that happens in mylife.
The second priority is my wife,and that includes my kids, my
grandkids and all.
And then it comes to theworkplace workplace, because if
(46:01):
I have all those things, if I'm,if I don't provide for my house
, I'm worse than an infidel, sothen I'm not qualified to do
ministry.
But once I get the first threein order, then the fourth one is
to serve the Lord Jesus Christ.
Um, when it comes and andthat's I'm talking about me
personally, because other peoplemight say the priority of God,
(46:23):
and then the wife and then theworkplace is, if they work for a
church as a full staff pastor,then that's the priority changes
because the workplace isserving the Lord Jesus Christ.
So three and four are together.
But when you do well in thebusiness realm and the Lord
(46:44):
provides, we got to make surethat we don't abhor and we don't
think that the Lord is blessingonly for me, because one of the
things that the Lord providesfor you is to bless the kingdom
of God.
And then we have to make surethat our left hand doesn't let
(47:05):
the right hand know what it'sdoing, in the sense that we
don't boast on what the Lord isdoing financially within our
lives to bring negativeattention to me and myself.
So in the sense, is the Lordthrough finances to have money
to run a church?
It takes money to turn on theelectricity, to have the stuff
(47:27):
that we need to do in church.
So it costs money and a lot ofpeople.
They don't take priority whenit comes to the giving back to
the Lord.
So the tithing principle isjust a principle of the minimal.
Speaker 2 (47:43):
Right.
The tithing just give 10%.
I was just thinking, but a lotof people.
Speaker 5 (47:47):
They think that that's the standard.
No, if the Lord has given toyou abundantly, you can tithe,
but then you can sponsorsomebody on a mission trip, then
you can give to somebody thatcan't go to the couples retreat,
then you can bless.
Or if there is a church projectwithout you being told, you
(48:08):
give.
And here at Calvary, the way wedo it is where God guides, god
provides, god is not broke.
We don't have to beg for bread,we don't have to ask for money,
because the lord provides forus and has blessed us.
But for the monetarily, uh, uh,you know, blessing you have to
make sure that you don't focusonly on the, on the stuff that
(48:33):
is monetarily that you can, uh,just give back to the kingdom of
God.
Speaker 2 (48:39):
You know it's funny.
A quick comment on that.
I was thinking about the samething.
When you talk about tithing,you know people say, oh, I've
heard this comment, I don't knowhow many people say this
anymore.
Oh, you know, that's solegalistic.
Why do I have to give 10%?
So if you want to be legalistic, you got to give 10% here.
(49:01):
10% here, the first fruits here.
That's legalistic.
This is the minimum.
This is jesus using the print.
Like you just said.
I'm repeating what you said theprinciple of tithing to teach
us about generosity as achristian.
But I still have the, thequestion, up here.
I don't know if you guys cansee it from there.
I'd love to get a little bit ofinput from the the rest of you
men.
Basically it's you know, haveyou ever found yourself
compromising family and, uh, youknow, for the sake of success
and how you dealt with that andhow you see that, how you catch
(49:23):
that.
I'm just summarizing thequestion.
Speaker 3 (49:25):
Yes, the answer is yes, definitely, and it's a
major distraction.
Whatever you believe thatyou're very successful, it's a
total distraction and it's a lie.
The same way we lost Paradise,we are losing in a business
world when you think that you'revery successful and you're just
thinking about the dollar.
(49:46):
In my particular case, it tookme to go rock bottom to realize
that it was a lie.
To have that encounter withJesus and through him, my life
changed.
And I remember that that verysame week that I gave my life to
Jesus.
The following Monday, I rememberlike now that I was driving and
(50:10):
I didn't have enough money forgas.
Wow, and I stopped in the BlueLagoon area and I got stuck and
it was me calling a friend thatcame to rescue me.
So at that moment I rememberthat I prayed and something that
Omar mentioned the powerfulweapon that we have in praying.
(50:32):
I pray and I pray and I prayand with that friend I got the
gas.
Then we'll have coffee, then wetalk.
I share with him about church.
He went to church.
We built a deeper relationship.
That same week that I felt, wow, I really don't have any hope,
(50:55):
but I pray.
And I remember that by ThursdayI was working again under a
management of a new company thatI got a job.
I got my biggest sale in thatwhole year.
Speaker 7 (51:08):
God just needed to show you and teach you.
Speaker 3 (51:10):
And I just remember praying in the middle of that
situation waiting in the car,that surrender, that
surrendering to the Lord.
Speaker 4 (51:18):
Sharing the success with your family is very
important.
There was a disconnect with mebecause I was very, very
successful but I didn't sharethat success with my wife and my
child.
As a result, they were justadd-ons and we need to.
Whatever success, whetherspiritual or in the business
world, it must be shared success.
(51:40):
Let me give you an example.
When I was undercover and myname was Omar Azam and I was a
big shot undercover guy, onFriday evening I would come home
as Omar Azam flying my ownprivate jet, and I would come
home and my wife would say to mechange the diaper and mow the
lawn.
And I would look at her and saydo you know who you're talking?
I don't do that.
(52:00):
I'm on mars, I don't do thatkind of stuff.
In other words, there was acomplete, complete disconnect
between the success I was havingyeah and you know what I would
not share yeah
Speaker 2 (52:13):
my success because we become like it's mine, and and
and I and that's also a safetynet, and I just remind you guys
that we have people of all ageslistening.
But it's mine and that's also asafety net, and I just remind
you guys that we have people ofall ages listening, but it's
still a topic that needs to bebusierious.
When you don't share yoursuccess at home, there might be
a lady at work that you'resharing success with your
secretary.
And again, I'm trying to beserious.
(52:33):
This is not a funny matter atall and we have kids of all ages
listening.
But guys, guys tell me abouthow important it is to not have
a separate work home life, thatthat could be dangerous as well.
Men that have been in thebusiness world talk to me.
Speaker 5 (52:47):
yeah, um, even, uh, for us, uh, for many years, um,
a I'm talking after I got saved,me and belkis got back uh, it
was cool because we got to worktogether as husband and wife and
then we worked together for aseason and then she moved on.
But after I got home from workthen she always asked me hey,
(53:11):
how was work, what happened, howwas everything?
And I kind of didn't want totalk about it because I spent
the whole day at work.
And I kind of didn't want totalk about it because I spent
the whole day at work and now Ihad to relive all the stuff that
I went through the day with her.
But I always after, you know, Igot saved I make sure that I
(53:33):
talk to my wife about all thisstuff that I do, you know, at
work.
I brought it home and we got totalk about all this stuff.
It wasn't just I have my worklife and then my personal life,
you know, and then even with myson, junior worked with me for
many years.
(53:53):
So in the sense, my work lifeit became part of the family
life too.
So everything worked togetheras one awesome for me for me.
Speaker 4 (54:02):
It took me a long time, a long time to really
recognize, understand and putinto practice the fact that
we're one flesh husband and wifeI never.
I never quite understood that,because I was never able to love
another human being as much asI loved myself is when I
recognized that I could do thatwith the person God gave me,
(54:25):
that gave me that freedom to beopen and say you know, I didn't
make it here, I screwed up there.
And to have that kind ofintimacy is not a bedroom
intimacy.
Intimacy is a spiritualintimacy.
Speaker 6 (54:38):
Amen.
Speaker 4 (54:39):
And I had intimacy all of my life until I
understood that I am one fleshand that he put our marriage
together.
I'm incapable of marrying mywife.
I know that God put us togetherand you know what.
That's what makes it so mucheasier for me to be more
transparent, because I neverhave been a transparent guy.
Speaker 2 (54:58):
Very, very good stuff .
Anything on that topic In myparticular case going to the
Word.
Speaker 3 (55:04):
It hit me when God says my Word will not return
void.
And listening to Pastor Cassand Omar, I remember that prior
to me giving my life to Jesus, Iprobably made three or four
times more but I was not able toshow anything.
(55:26):
And once I gave my life toJesus I was able to save in
things that before I was makingmore money, but now I was making
the right money, but I wasunder god's economy yeah, and
everything was we mentioned thatearlier, yeah, yeah and blessed
, and blessed, and that hit me,and it has hit me even to today
(55:52):
that I can't explain myself howthat happened yeah, only
Speaker 2 (55:56):
yeah, knowing that through the world and it ties
right back to the question,because it's what does the bible
say?
Walk in the light, whether it'sfinances, whether it's how
you're doing the deal, whetherit's you know what.
You're spending the money onwhat.
When everything's in the light,then you're in the light with
your spouse, you're in the lightat church.
You're just walking in thelight.
There's nothing to hide.
Guys, with just minutes left,you know, and again, I mean this
(56:17):
, I mean this seriously.
Maybe you'll tell me, joey,that's the wrong question.
You haven't heard anything.
We've said all the whole hour.
But you know, I tried to writeit down to make it clear.
You know.
You know I joked at thebeginning.
Oh, people think this is goingto be the secret to a million
dollar, happy, successful life.
Not exactly, but this is what Iwant to ask you guys.
I think most men they would saythis I, but this is what I want
to ask you guys.
I think most men they would saythis I want to be successful, I
(56:41):
want to make money, I want tohave retirement, I want to leave
something for my kids and Iwant to do it without
compromising on Jesus.
I want to do it while havingJesus as the priority.
Guys, are there any principles,are there any lessons that you
could share with a man listeningthat says I do want to be
successful and I do want to besuccessful and I do want to
honor the Lord.
I want to do both.
Speaker 5 (57:02):
To me since I got saved, one of the priorities in
my life.
I want to leave a legacy ofgodliness to my family and to
people that come in contact withme, not necessarily a high
priority on finances, but that Itaught and I trained up my kids
(57:22):
and my grandkids in the waythat they should go in their
walk with the Lord.
And yeah, it tells us, you knowin the word for us to leave, you
know, a legacy to our kids andour grandkids.
You know, when it comes tofinances, but the thing is that
(57:43):
if you want to be successful inanything that you do, you got to
have good work habits.
You know you got to have adiscipline in your life.
You got to know how to manageyour money.
Well, a lot of people even Isee it in the Christian, in
churches that people, when itcomes to priorities and managing
(58:07):
money, they don't do a good job.
They waste a lot of money onstuff that is nonsense and then
when it comes to the importantthings of life, then they don't
have the resources available.
So for them to be disciplinedwith their monies, with their
finances, and be disciplined inwork habits, because if you
don't got good work habits,you're never going to be
(58:29):
successful.
Speaker 2 (58:31):
Thank you.
Speaker 4 (58:31):
I want to pass it to Cesar, but I want to mention
something.
If you guys have enjoyedhearing what Pastor Jose is
going to say.
I really enjoyed hearing whatPastor Jose is going to say.
Yes, yes, he is going to be ourguest speaker at the CBMC West
Doral Lunch on December 3rd atthe 97th Air Squadron Restaurant
, beginning at 1230.
Speaker 2 (58:50):
And the beauty of it.
Speaker 4 (58:51):
We just got the appetizer Right and the beauty
of it is that I'm going to beinterviewing him, which means I
only have two or three questions, because you know what's going
to happen with.
Speaker 1 (58:59):
Pastor Jose.
Speaker 4 (59:00):
He's got a goal and a diet drive and I really love it
.
But for you guys, december 3rdlunch, cbmc 97th Air Squadron,
pastor Jose Casas, I pass it onto Cesar.
Speaker 2 (59:15):
Before we do.
Before we do and I want to comeback to you because I want your
two cents on this as well whatis the best way to get that
information again?
Or to sign up, or is there adirect website?
Should they contact us at god'sradio?
Speaker 4 (59:25):
yeah, they can.
They can contact you or theycan go to cbmc south florida,
cbmc south florida, and therethey can register for the lunch.
Perfect.
Speaker 2 (59:34):
Perfect.
Thank you, caesar.
Speaker 3 (59:37):
Thank you.
That question, joy, is very,very important because that's
what I mentioned earlier that asbusinessmen, as people in
business, we got so many forcesattacking us and pushing us and
so many lies from the devil interms of being successful or not
(59:59):
.
And the Word of God has amessage.
It says in Matthew 6.33, butseek first the kingdom of God
and His righteousness, and allthese things shall be added to
you.
Therefore, do not worry abouttomorrow, for tomorrow will
worry about its own things.
(01:00:20):
Sufficient, for the day is inits own trouble.
We got so many issues andchallenges.
Put God first.
Face those challenges.
One day will be maybe that youare victorious One day.
Maybe you're not, but you gotthe force that will sustain you
(01:00:40):
and will get you through thefinish line.
Speaker 2 (01:00:42):
You know, I'm so thankful you shared that verse
and I'm so thankful.
I'm just so thankful becauseand I hope this comes across
clearly Hopefully it hitsdifferent, hopefully it hits
with a new freshness.
It's not just a pastor, it'snot just hearing it at church,
it's hearing it from successfulbusinessmen.
The same scripture, the sameprinciple.
(01:01:04):
Omar, I want to hear youranswer to that question, but
also I want to leave time, so,whatever order you want to do it
in, I realize we've beenthanking CBMC, we've been giving
them a shout out, but we reallyhaven't said too much what it
is and how people can getconnected.
So if you could give a coupleminutes to that and a couple
minutes to your answer.
Speaker 4 (01:01:24):
Yeah, the Christian businessman connection has been
around for a hundred years InSouth Florida in the last 20
some years there's only a onetrick pony, one place, which is
the downtown tower club, and wehad a lunch there.
But right now we have spread inmany areas.
We have three lunches, likewe're going to have with Jose,
(01:01:46):
but we also have cigar nightswhere guys can go in and
actually talk about theirbusinesses and the walk of
Christ.
But we also have discipleshipOperation Timothy where we
disciple folks in terms ofspiritual issues.
We also have programs for youngprofessionals, we have programs
for seasoned executives and wehave Connect Three to connect
(01:02:09):
men to men.
So CBMC is not just going to alunch.
We network at a lunch.
But that's the beginning ofwhat we do at CBMC.
So, for instance, jose is goingto be meeting some people on
December 3rd that may beinterested in going a little
further in discipleship, becausethe whole idea is to build
(01:02:30):
workplace ambassadors.
That's what we're all isworkplace ambassadors.
We're trying to build disciples.
We're trying to go fromnonbelievers to believers, to
disciples, and you cannot becomea disciple by going to build
disciples.
We're trying to go fromnon-believers to believers, to
disciples, and you cannot becomea disciple by going to a lunch,
but the longest journey beginswith the first step, and that
first step oftentimes is eithera cigar night or a lunch, like
(01:02:52):
our brother Jose.
And the other question was I'man old?
Speaker 2 (01:02:55):
man, I don't remember what you asked me.
You know the question is thebig one, right?
Hey, I want to be successful.
I don't remember what you askedme.
You know the question is thebig one, right?
Hey, I want to be successful, Iwant to make money, I want to
do it all.
I want to honor the Lord.
I don't want to compromise onthe Lord.
You guys have done it.
How do I do it?
You know a man that's listening, that he wants to.
You know, which I think is adesire most men have successful
in finance and family withoutcompromising on the Lord.
(01:03:17):
What principle, what lesson doyou have for them?
Speaker 4 (01:03:20):
For me it's before you become successful in the
workplace, you have to becomesuccessful at home.
It does you no good to besuccessful in the workplace.
So therefore, where do youtrain to be successful in the
workplace?
You train to be a successfulleader at home.
In other words, you become aservant leader with your wife
and children and then you takethat to the workplace, become a
(01:03:44):
servant leader there, and intime God will take that and make
you a successful businessman.
But don't put the cart beforethe horse.
Where do you learn to be aservant leader With the ones you
love, with the people God gaveyou?
Speaker 2 (01:03:59):
Guys, gentlemen, I can't thank you enough for
coming by today.
I can't, if he's listening,Steve.
Thank you for bringing us alltogether in a sense.
Thank you CBMC for theirsupport of God's Way Radio and
their partnership, and thisgospel ministry.
Again, gentlemen, thank you.
God bless you all.
Thank you, this has been God'sWay Radio and if you want more,
(01:04:20):
you can find us onlinegodswayradiocom.
If you're listening live, thisis going to be on the Friends
and Family podcast.
If you've listened on thepodcast, keep scrolling through.
There are tons of conversationsand interviews like this.
Until next time, grace andpeace.
Speaker 1 (01:04:36):
We hope you enjoyed Friends and Familyique
conversations recorded andproduced in our studios, where
you get a chance to hear whatGod is doing in people's lives.
Jesus tells us in John 15,verse 15 I have called you
friends For all things that Iheard from my Father I have made
known to you.
So that's why we love to sharethese exclusive interviews with
you.
Our hope is that through theirstories God will be made known
(01:04:59):
to you, but you can only findthem here on God's Way Radio.
Just check godswayradiocom forour full program schedule.
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