fulfillment costs

HOW YOU CAN FULFILL YOUR DREAMS THROUGH THE DEVELOPMENT OF YOUR MIND. Positive thinking by philipson.

It is important to think positive in life, when one becomes positive in life it attracts the universe to unfold your heart desires. Every one in life have potentials and God given talents, you can find your potentials through your passion, The things you do with satisfaction is your passion, when you find your potentials and stay positive in life, your Success keep on increasing, we’re not living in harmony with what the universe wants to provide and it’s keeping us from making our lives more meaningful and beautiful.

Yet most folks report they are bored with their

jobs tired of living from paycheck to paycheck and

tried of seeing so much money go down the deep

dark hole of paying off a credit card debt, you

must think to harness the powerful forces of the

universe. Life is a success the bottom line is if

you’ve got inner desire to be successful that all

you need to fire up your rocket ship to succeed.

The different between a rich man and a poor man is information and information brings transformation. When your mind get developed everything around you will become positive and it attract transformation in your life. To activate this ability, we must harness our creative minds, Typically we function with our competitive minds ,But to create things with thoughts we need to activate the creative minds we can come in harmony with the universal energy through the act of expressing gratitude. Gratitude unifies our mind with all encompassing universal energy. To manifest something new simply hold an image of what you seek in your mind and express gratitude to the universe for having granted this to you.

To achieve wealth apply this same principle and hold a clear vision of wealth you hope to attain then expressing gratitude that the wealth is coming to you. You must have unwavering faith and devout gratitude, All you include in your mental image will come to you through the physical realm through the process of natural ways such as trade and commerce. Its is gesture that renders us more porous to the offering of the divine, more receptive to the prompting of the infinite, we have to launch our self’s to a journey that will lead us to the fulfillment of our dreams in life.

To subscribe to a 5days e-course on how you can fulfill your dreams through the development of your mind.Send an email thrillions@getresponse.com

Q: I need a local fulfillment operation in Canada to effectively grow my business there. How would I proceed to develop an external fulfillment operation in Canada?

A: First and foremost, you have to develop a business model for the designated selling area. This is a three- to five-year strategic plan comprised of historical data and a projected forecast. A few pieces to the model are:

 Three to five years projected sales as orders, detailed to a weekly/daily (where appropriate) plan

 Average units and lines per order shipped

 Seasonal or peak volume increases as orders shipped, average lines per order, average units per line, average cartons per order

 Method of shipment and percentage of volume by type for purchase orders (small parcel, LTL, T/L, container)

 Preferred method(s) of shipping by percent of total volume

 Average weight per order shipped

Second, identify where your projected concentration of sales will be and determine the most advantageous physical location within the new selling area for a fulfillment operation for your projected business model. Site selection is critical to managing shipping costs and to assuring there is an adequate labor pool.

Third, decide whether you should handle your own fulfillment or contract a third-party logistics provider. You must identify any tax implications related to opening a new business as an employer. Normally the least-cost method of establishing a new operation is with a 3PL provider. Unless tax concessions for new employers are significant and long-term, it will likely be more economical to operate for the first two to three years with a third party. You can use the Internet to identify potential 3PLs. However, we definitely recommend a visit to prospective partners as a preliminary to any further conversation. It is much better to have a visual image later as you review respective proposals.

Third-party fulfillment

If you do decide to explore contracting with a 3PL, you must develop a request for proposal. The primary content of the RFP is your business model. The more accurate the information you supply about your business, the more effective the proposals from 3PLs will be. Send the RFP, with a clear deadline, to three to six 3PLs that you believe are stable, industry-proven, and can effectively handle the volume from your business.

It is important to identify clearly every statement of what the candidates propose to do and not to do, and every requirement and cost within a proposal. Establish a spreadsheet so you can compare proposals and details. If your team does not possess the experience to review and negotiate agreements, pursue the services of a consultant. Next you have to negotiate all the standards of work and contract terms to assure that the 3PL can actually provide the service you expect.

Your work is not complete even after you have negotiated an agreement. Developing a successful 3PL partnership requires a significant amount of time, effort, and follow-up by the client company. You need to make clear that you have relinquished only the physical handling of your product to the 3PL, not the responsibility to manage your business.

Identify key client contacts and decision-makers who will be issuing direction to the 3PL. The 3PL provider needs to clearly understand who will provide direction and who is responsible for resolving problems.

Remember that the 3PL is proud of how it manages its business. Use the same consideration communicating with the 3PL that you would extend to your most valued associates inside your own company. Never ignore issues or problems, but be firm and respectful in resolving them. The 3PL is normally quite aware of who is paying the bills and who owns the inventory. The 3PL exists to serve; you should be a gracious ruler.

Communicate daily with 3PL management and visit the site as frequently as travel restrictions permit. Discuss the basics of the previous day’s operations-receiving, shipping, inventory management-and always inquire what you can do to assist them to achieve their goals and objectives. If possible, visit monthly, but no less than quarterly. This sort of relationship can become a classic case of “out of sight, out of mind.”

The client has to be diligent in managing the 3PL through daily reporting. You are now managing a remote location, and therefore your best source of information is the 3PL’s daily reporting and invoices. This is no different than managing your own operation. Master the information reporting so you can identify trends and immediately spot issues as they appear.

Inventory management is the most important reporting in managing a 3PL. The client has to know where to look for issues such as lost or damaged inventory, out-of-stock, and when the inventory records indicate adequate supply. These are indications of performance concerns requiring the client’s follow-up and resolution.

Receiving performance reports and inbound scheduling are next in importance for daily follow-up. The client has to know if there are vendor delivery problems or 3PL receiving issues that will affect the customer service level. This is also where the daily phone follow-up will indicate any “carry-over” receiving issues on a purchase order.

Normal daily shipping follow-up is important, but the most important point is to know what did not ship.

Returns reporting is crucial not only to identifying customers’ satisfaction with your product, but also to discovering any 3PL -related performance issues. Detailed reason code reporting is imperative, and cumulative graphing is valuable in discussions with the 3PL.

Growing a business by expanding operations to Canada is an exciting and challenging prospect. If you take the time to lay the groundwork by developing a comprehensive business model and researching site selection and possible 3PL involvement carefully, you will significantly reduce the challenges and increase your chances of success.

You’re ready to sell online, but are you ready to handle all those orders?

You’ve spent time developing your ecommerce website and you have ploughed a great deal of effort into marketing your online presence.

But what happens when the orders start pouring in? How will you fulfil them all and at the same time maintain good customer relations and create a positive impression so that buyers return in the future?

Often online sellers think that the do-it-yourself system is the more economical alternative. But is it?

More and more businesses are outsourcing various aspects of their daily routines these days, and the reason for this is that it can actually provide substantial cost savings. Consider this:

How much space do you have to store stock?
If you had more space, could you place larger orders from suppliers and enjoy keener pricing?

What is your average order turnaround time?
If it was shorter, would more customers return rather than defect to a competitor who can supply them faster?

How much are you spending on printing invoices and despatch paperwork?
What do you think your average wastage is through print problems and errors? Now what do you think your expenditure on paperwork is?

Do you employ packing staff?
Are they busy all the time, or are you paying them during slower periods when you could do without their services?

How much are you spending on postage?
Are you in a position to negotiate postage discounts?

If you could spend less time on order fulfilment would you be freed up to market your business?
Would you be able to increase your turnover as a result?

 

Do you still think DIY order fulfilment is a more economical option?

Outsourcing to an ecommerce fulfilment could completely change the way your business functions: for the better. They will take the weight off burdened shoulders by managing the entire process, from the point of order acceptance and payment to the moment the package goes out of the door.

Their systems are professional and efficient and create a slick image for your company, making it one that buyers will return to and recommend to others. What’s more, you only pay them for the work they do, so if your sales are experiencing a seasonal low, you won’t be paying staff to do nothing!

They are able to offer savings on postage, and will keep you fully up to date with stock levels. Their ample storage space means you can order larger quantities from your suppliers. And they will leave you free to concentrate on generating more sales. So it’s good news all the way!

People who feel fulfilled with their life are more likely to do well at work, be less stressed, and have fewer sick days and psychological or social problems. During the last five years, there has been increasing evidence supporting the association of happiness/fulfillment with life and being able to use your strengths. In addition, there is definitive information which tells us which strengths are necessary and the ingredients the brain needs to experience fulfillment.

Do you have these key strengths and ingredients?

First you need to know what the brain needs. Gregory Berns a neuroscientist and psychiatrist at Emory University, believes the feeling of satisfaction is necessary to feel fulfilled in life. In his book, Satisfaction: the Science of Finding True Fulfillment, he concludes that fulfillment requires two important ingredients that nature has designed our brains to crave: novelty and challenge.

Novelty in life releases the neurotransmitter dopamine which is associated with feelings of happiness and well-being. Stress which is associated with a challenge releases the hormone cortisol. In high levels, cortisone is damaging to our body mentally and physically. However, in smaller amounts, it can elevate mood, increase concentration and improve memory making you more effective. When these two chemicals interact, the stage is set for strong feelings of fulfillment.

Second, research by doctors Nansook Park, Christopher Peterson and Martin Seligman have found that there are five key signature/character strengths which are closely and consistently related to life satisfaction:

1. Gratitude

There are various components to Product Fulfillment Assistance.

Warehousing and Distribution: This includes order fulfillment. Most of the times it is outsourced to companies allowing a business to focus on other important areas such as sales, marketing, and product/brand management. Usually the product fulfillment companies maintain thousands of feet of warehouse space spread across US and Canada to meet your needs. Products are stored until the order for the item is made. This facility is also available for perishable items requiring refrigeration or temperature sensitive items for some additional cost. It is particularly beneficial for small companies which do not have much fund at their disposal to spend at storage facility.

Pick, Pack & Ship: Many a time all this can be outsourced to call centers who can tie up for a wide variety of products and materials for both Business-to-Business and Business to Consumer companies. All customers are provided with easy to use shopping cart utility for ease-of-access ordering. Orders can also be accepted via FTP, fax and telephone. Opt for call centers that have an in-house IT team. They will work with you for best solution. Reputed call centers work in close association with the best logistics carriers worldwide to ensure that your materials are shipped on time, and received undamaged.

Inventory Management: Call centers have web-based inventory management allows easy access to your real-time inventory levels. Call center product fulfillment systems track all receipts, adjustments and shipping, thus generating accurate reports. All receipts are processed and verified on the same day to allow quick turn around for the orders.

Kitting: Kitting and fulfillment has long been an intensely manual process, but are now made it easier by outsourcing it to call centers who have highly trained personnel and a collection of technologies to create operations that meet the standard. Kitting may include automated or hand assembly of many different elements including electronic print and mail, on-demand printing, labels, sell sheets, products and much more.

For the functioning of the above system an intelligent e-Commerce systems is a pre requisite. Such a system is adaptable and is able to integrate into clients ordering systems or even host the system ourselves. The only disadvantage of this service is indirect control and risk of damage to goods or products. For fear of loss of business most call centers do their best to minimize your risk to level zero.

Copyright (c) 2008 Healthy Bodies, Happy Minds

Have you seen the new documentary movie, Young At Heart, yet? (If not, don’t worry, I won’t spoil it). The film is about a chorus group (”Young At Heart”) of men and women between the ages of 70 and 92 who sing and perform rock and roll, with great success, all over the world.

Essentially, though, this movie is about passion, connection, and living life to the fullest despite obstacles and setbacks. In spite of fears of how they might sound, or making mistakes, or what others may think, these incredible people get out there, show up fully, and allow themselves to engage in doing what they love. The experience of being part of this group and living so authentically is truly fulfilling and life-enhancing for them.

During one powerful scene, the group performs for a group of male prisoners. I was in tears while watching this, struck by the stark difference between the internal freedom of the chorus members compared to the imprisonment of the inmates.

It struck me then that so many people – clients, friends, acquaintances, and myself more often than I like to admit – live their lives more like the inmates than the chorus members. We are not imprisoned behind bars, but by our own minds, our negative thoughts, our fears, our self-limiting beliefs, our self-consciousness and our worries.

I know I’d like to live as free as the members of “Young At Heart.” However my psyche is not always so sure that it’s safe to get out there and play “big.”

What about you? Are you holding back, hiding out, or playing it small? Do you long for fulfillment or to be “out there” playing and living in a more expressive way? Would you like to feel the excitement and passion that comes from authentically expressing who you are?

Let me ask you: where in your life are you holding back, perhaps waiting for some imaginary future time to fully engage with yourself and with your life?

What are you waiting for? Like many of my clients, perhaps you’re waiting until you’re thinner or until you feel more comfortable in your body.Or perhaps you’re like one of my insightful readers who recently told me that her extra 20 pounds has been her “suit of armor,” protecting her from recognizing what she REALLY hungered for.

Or maybe you are waiting until you get married, or have kids, or until your kids are older, or until you have more time or make more money, or until you retire. . . many of us spend a long, long time waiting for that magical moment, mistakenly thinking that when that moment arrives, we will suddenly be able to do what we need to do to be free, happy and fulfilled.

The truth is, we are all starving for fulfillment, freedom and the joy that comes from living authentically true to ourselves. And that fulfillment does not come from the outside, as most of us have been led to believe. As author Laura Whitworth defined in her book, Co-Active Coaching, “fulfillment is about being fully alive. . .the state of fully expressing who we are and doing what is right for us.” Believe it or not, that fulfillment is available right now, in the present, before that elusive time in the future.

Rather than being imprisoned by our negative thoughts, our fears, our hopes for the future, or our ideas of how we “should” be, we must recognize that we are the only ones who have the keys to our freedom and fulfillment. We must take the risk to shed the “suits of armor” that keep us hidden and separate from ourselves and our lives. I challenge you to join me as I live a little bit larger and let my dreams, rather than my fears, be my guide.

I would love to hear from you: What things hold you back? What is it you’d REALLY love to be doing? What is that hunger that keeps gnawing at you really trying to tell you?

Most people in the 21st century are not happy with their jobs. Either they have complaints regarding their position in the company, or the company itself. They have concerns regarding their strengths or about their effectiveness at work. And most of all, people are concerned that they are not having fun at work, which is important for satisfaction and fulfillment in the chosen career.
To find fulfillment in your career, you have to find your strengths. You have to know what jobs you are capable of doing and what role you can fulfill to the best of your abilities. Once you identify your strengths and utilize those, you will have a fulfilling career.
Step 1: Identify Values
To find fulfillment, we need to understand our strengths. To understand our strengths, we need to identify our values. Values are important to everyone. They are your beliefs and understanding of what is right and what is wrong. Values help in decision-making. Once you have your core values in place, will you be able to be a leader and a good team player.
Your values will guide you towards your strengths and this will help you find fulfillment towards your career. Remember that not only do your values matter, but also the values of those around you. Your colleagues and you should try to work towards the acceptance of a certain set of values to ensure smooth working at your workplace, as conflicts do not help in career fulfillment.
Step 2: Understand Your Personality
You need to understand your personality and the kind of person you are. This is not only important from a career point of view, but also for your personal life. Your personality spells how you work as a person with other people or in situations, how you deal with stress, with challenges and problems. It also tells you how you react to power, authority, risk and supervision.
Socializing, teamwork, performance and listening skills are also a part of your overall personality, along with loyalty, diplomacy and accuracy. Once you understand your personality, you can place yourself in the right kind of environment to get the best results out of your career.
Step 3: Recognize Your Talents
You need to understand the things that you are good at; the things that come to you easily. Once you have identified your talent, you have to work at it. You have to build and grow. Remember that skills are not talents, neither is expertise in a particular area. Talent is something that you have and you build it and make it work for you.
Finding fulfillment in your chosen career path is not impossible, but it is not an easy process either. Follow these steps and be successful and satisfied in your life and career.

Fulfillment: meaning accomplishment, achievement, realization, or completion. The word implies an ending of sorts, and therefore the implication that one “finds fulfillment” is inaccurate at best.
Fulfillment comes from a sense of “being,” not from an ending. There are 3 important elements (that can be taken in steps) to live a life of fulfillment:
1) Want Fearlessly
2) Act Courageously
3) Be willing
Desiring to know your life purpose is important; it’s a good first step or awareness to think, “I want to know why I was born.” However, desire alone isn’t enough. Desire, tends to come from an awareness of the opposing experiences in our life. Therefore, desire is focused on the negative, not on the positive.
For example, when a person moves to a foreign country, the desire for learning the language, comes from the awareness that, “I don’t want to be misunderstood or frustrated.”
The desire does NOT arrive from a “love” of the language alone. Instead the desire originates from a realization of what we don’t want: communication frustration.
Therefore, when most of us say, “I want to live my life purpose,” we are generally more focused on the feelings and thoughts such as, “This job is a dead end; I feel like I’m floundering; I don’t know what I want to do; I feel dispassionate, lethargic, undirected, disorganized, unfulfilled etc.”
As long as we are more focused on what we don’t want, instead of what we do want, fulfillment will always be one step ahead of us. Once we recognize that we’re in a place of desire, it’s essential to take the next step and WANT that desire fearlessly.
By wanting something fearlessly, we begin moving the desire into the positive realm where we will be more receptive to guidance.
Divine guidance will come forth, and we will be inspired to take the right actions to fulfill our desire, but we must be in the “positive vibrational” quadrant in order to receive it.
Courage, according to Dr. David Hawkins’ work in Power Vs. Force, is the first positive emotion, and begins at a calibration of 200 (which is in the positive vibrational quadrant.)
Therefore, the first action step will always be to take action courageously. By just saying the words, “I am courageous! I am bold!” you are beginning to vibrate with the positive energy that attracts positive experiences.
The positive feelings of fulfillment will begin right where you are. You do not have to change jobs, change mates, change your geographic demographics to find fulfillment, but instead evolve your mental attitude from “I want to know my life purpose,” to “I fearlessly want to know my life purpose,” to “I am courageously pursuing my life purpose.” Then, proceed to a willingness to be fulfilled.
This means, being fulfilled exactly where you are, beginning now. Willingness will transform your current situation, but you have to be willing – to be willing.
Six months before he was assassinated, Martin Luther King Jr. spoke to a group of students at Barratt Junior High School in Philadelphia on October 26, 1967. The following excerpt speaks clearly the message I’d like you to hear.
“And when you discover what you will be in your life, set out to do it as if God Almighty called you at this particular moment in history to do it. Don’t just set out to do a good job. Set out to do such a good job that the living, the dead or the unborn couldn’t do it any better.
If it falls your lot to be a street sweeper, sweep streets like Michelangelo painted pictures, sweep streets like Beethoven composed music, sweep streets like Leontyne Price sings before the Metropolitan Opera. Sweep streets like Shakespeare wrote poetry. Sweep streets so well that all the hosts of heaven and earth will have to pause and say: Here lived a great street sweeper who swept his job well. If you can’t be a pine at the top of the hill, be a shrub in the valley. Be the best little shrub on the side of the hill.”
When I propose to some clients that they choose to be fulfilled right where they are, I’ve noticed that it brings up the feeling of fear. They are afraid that feeling fulfilled right now, will keep their “perceived negative” experience with them. They falsely believe that “disliking” the situation protects them from complacency. It does not. Disliking a situation actually holds that situation in your experience.
Being fulfilled now, will attract fulfillment in the way of your life’s work, your life’s path, and the reason you were born. What you are learning now – is already part of your life’s path. Be grateful for it, and more things will be added to your life to be grateful for. So Want Fearlessly, Act Courageously, and Be Willing. This will put you in the right place mentally, to be inspired spiritually, to act physically.

John the Baptist

In A.D. 26, a prophet named John, who we know as John the Baptist, began preaching in the Desert of Judah, “Repent for the kingdom of heaven is near.” (Matthew 3:1-2) Quoting the words of Isaiah he said: “A voice of one calling in the desert, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.’ ” (Matthew 3:3)

Jesus of Nazareth

Later on in that same year, another young man (about thirty years old) began teaching in the local synagogues around Galilee. Visiting Nazareth, his hometown, he went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day. That was his normal routine, but this time he did something different. He stood up to read the lesson. The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Opening the scroll, he found the passage (Luke 4:18-19 quoting Isaiah 61:1-2):

The spirit of the Lord is on me,

because he has anointed me

to preach good news to the poor.

He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners

and recover sight for the blind,

to release the oppressed,

to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.

He read it, rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. All eyes remained fixed on him. The young Jew from Nazareth said, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.” (Luke 4:21)

Prophecies Fulfilled

Place of birth, Time of Birth, and Ancestry

Just who is this young man? His name is Jesus, a carpenter by trade. He was born in Bethlehem in 6 or 5 B.C., the son of Joseph and Mary. (Matthew 1:16) and (Luke 2:4-6) Both Gospels Matthew and Luke trace his genealogy back to King David, his father Jesse, and on back to Judah, Jacob, Isaac, and Abraham. (Matthew 1:1-17) and (Luke 3:23-34)

Other Fulfilled Prophecies

As you can see, Jesus’ place of birth, time of birth, and ancestry all match the prophecies. What did he do? He preached the good news of the kingdom of God. (Luke 4:43) He testified to the truth. (John 18:37) He taught using parables. (Matthew 13:34-35) Through his disciples, be brought salvation to the gentiles. (Acts 28:28) He served others, and gave his life as a ransom for many. (Matthew 20:28)

Well now, this Jesus does sound promising. Was he the predicted Jewish king? Let’s set that question aside for a moment and see how the other Messianic prophecies turned out.

Miracles

Did he perform miracles? Yes, more than anyone before or since. Jesus gave sight to the blind; hearing to the deaf; cured leprosy and numerous other diseases; healed those who were crippled and paralyzed. Also he healed a woman who was bleeding, a man with a shriveled hand, and another with dropsy, and a good number of people possessed by demons. That in itself is impressive, but there’s more.

We discover that Jesus’ power is not limited to healing the sick and disabled. Nature itself is subject to his command. On at least three occasions Jesus raised the dead: Jairus’ daughter, the widow’s son at Nain, and Lazarus. He fed five thousand people with a few fish and loaves of bread.

And he repeated the same miracle feeding another four thousand. Jesus caused a fish to turn up with a coin in its mouth to pay the temple tax. At his command, an unproductive fig tree withered. He turned water into wine. And twice he produced spectacular catches of fish. Jesus certainly satisfied the miracle requirement. But what about the donkey?

Donkey and Prophecies Beyond Jesus’ Control

Jesus took care to fulfill Zechariah’s five hundred year old prophecy. As he approached Jerusalem, he sent two of his disciples into a village to get a donkey. Just as prophesied, he road triumphantly into Jerusalem on that donkey. (Matthew 21:6-11) and (Luke 19:28-35)

It should be noted that other Messianic prophecies were fulfilled over which Jesus had little or no control. For instance, his own brothers had no faith in him, and his own people would not accept him. (John 7:5 and 1:11) And even after the Jews saw Jesus perform miracles, they still hated him. (John 15:24)

Betrayal

Likewise, the prophecies of Jesus’ betrayal fell in place just as they were predicted. Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve apostles betrayed Jesus with a kiss. (Matthew 26:48-49) Judas was paid exactly thirty pieces of silver for his duplicity. (Matthew 26:14-15)

After the temple guards arrested Jesus, Judas had a change of heart. He threw the money into the temple and left. The chief priests used the money to buy the potter’s field as a burial place for foreigners. (Matthew 27:5-7)

Disciples Desert and Deny Jesus

To their discredit, Jesus’ disciples fulfilled Zechariah’s grim prophecy. When Jesus was arrested, the disciples deserted him and fled. (Matthew 26:56) Peter, the most prominent and outspoken of the apostles, denied three times that he even knew Jesus. (Matthew 26:69-75)

Mocked, Abused, and Crucified

Both Jews and Romans mocked and abused Jesus. At the trial in the Sanhedrin, the Jews spat in his face, blindfolded him, struck him with their fists and said, “Prophesy to us, Christ. Who hit you?” And the guards took him and beat him. (Matthew 26:67), (Mark 14:65), and (Luke 22:63-65)

Pilate had Roman soldiers flog Jesus. The soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and placed it on his head. They clothed him in a purple robe, while yelling over and over again, “Hail, king of the Jews!” Then they hit him in the face. (John 19:1-3)

During the Sanhedrin trial, Mark reports that: “Many gave false evidence against him, but their statements did not agree.” (Mark 14:56) Matthew tells us: “The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin tried to find some allegation against Jesus that would warrant a death sentence. But they failed to find one, though many came forward with false evidence.” (Matthew 26:59-60)

The high priest asked Jesus if he would answer the charges. But Jesus remained silent. (Matthew 26:62-63) Later, before Pilate, the Chief priest and elders brought charges against him. But he made no reply. (Matthew 27:12)

Like a jigsaw puzzle, all the pieces seem to fit together – just as the prophets foresaw hundreds of years before the events. Many detailed predictions were reserved for Christ’s death. Let’s take a close look to see how they were fulfilled.

Both Jews and gentiles were involved in Jesus’ death. Jews arrested, tried, condemned, and took him to the Romans for execution. When Pilate proved reluctant, the Jews put all the pressure they could exert on the governor. Pilate, however unwilling he may have been, was the one who gave the order. His men flogged, ridiculed, and crucified Jesus.

Jesus was crucified in the usual Roman manner. His hands and feet were pierced by large dull spikes which nailed his body to the wooden cross. They crucified two robbers with him, one on either side. (Mark 15:27) and (Matthew 27:38)

After the soldiers crucified Jesus, they took his clothes, dividing them into four shares. The tunic was seamless, woven throughout in one piece. They decided it was too valuable to tear, so they cast lots for it. (John 19:23-24)

Those who passed by yelled insults. “You who are going to destroy the temple and build it again in three days, save yourself. Come down from the cross, if you are the Son of God.” (Matthew 27:39-40) The chief priest and teachers of the law added their own brand of ridicule: “He trusts in God. Let God rescue him if he wants him, for he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’” (Matthew 27:41-43)

Ironically, their very insults fulfilled Psalm 22:7-8 almost verbatim. “All who see me, hurl insults, shaking their heads: ‘He trusts in the Lord; let the Lord rescue him.’”

“At noon, darkness fell across the whole land until three o’clock.” (Matthew 27:45 NLT) Notice that’s too long for an eclipse of the sun. Amos’ eight hundred year old prophecy proved true.

While dying on the cross, Jesus said, “Father forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” (Luke 23:34) That took care of Isaiah’s “intercession for the transgressors” prophecy.

Jesus said, “I am thirsty.” They soaked a sponge in wine vinegar mixed with gall and offered it to him (John 19:28-29) and (Matthew 27:34) Quoting Psalm 22:1, Jesus cried out, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46) Then quoting Psalm 31:5 Jesus said, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” (Luke 23:46)

The next day was to be a special Sabbath. The Jews didn’t want crucified bodies left hanging in public display over the Sabbath. They requested that the legs be broken to hasten death for the three men. The soldiers complied by breaking the legs of the two robbers, but when they came to Jesus, they found he was already dead. Instead of breaking his legs, one of the Roman soldiers thrust his spear into Jesus’ side to make sure he was dead.

John notes that these things happened so that the scriptures would be fulfilled: “Not one of his bones will be broken.” (Psalm 34:20) And: “They will look on the one they have pierced.” (Zachariah 12:10) and (John 19:36-37)

Burial and Resurrection

A rich man from Arimathea named Joseph, who was a disciple of Jesus, requested Jesus’ body. Joseph wrapped the body in a linen cloth and placed it in his own tomb carved from rock. (Matthew 27:57-60)

Peter informs us that Christ’s body didn’t decay. (Acts 2:31) The apostle goes on to say: “God raised Jesus to life, and we (meaning the now eleven apostles) were all witnesses of the fact.” (Acts 2:32)

Spiritual Kingdom

But what about the promised kingdom? When the angel Gabriel told Mary of her forthcoming son, he said: “The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end.” (Luke 1:32-33) How does that square with the facts we know about Jesus?

Jesus himself answers the question. When speaking to Pilate, he says: “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my followers would have fought the Jews when they came to arrest me. My kingdom is from another place.” (John 18:36)

Clearly Jesus is talking about something beyond the physical realm here. He is speaking of a spiritual kingdom. Paul confirms this in his letter to the Philippians: “God exalted [Jesus] to the highest place. At the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven, on earth, and under the earth.” (Philippians 2:9-10)

Spreading the Kingdom

After his resurrection, Jesus tells us: “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.” (Matthew 28:18) Then he proceeds to explain how his kingdom will be spread. Addressing the eleven apostles, Jesus orders them to: “Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” (Matthew 28:19-20)

In his Gospel, Mark adds this quote from Jesus, “Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.” (Mark 16:16)

Luke provides us with another quote commonly called the Great Commission. Jesus prophesies: “Repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in [my] name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.” (Luke 24:47)

On the day of Pentecost, Peter preached to devout Jews from every nation. He said bluntly: “God has made this Jesus, whom you have crucified, both Lord and Christ.” They believed him and asked what they should do.

Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized everyone of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off — for all whom the Lord our God will call.” (Acts 2:36-39)

With these words, Peter is telling us the promise continues and is still with us today. As Gabriel said announcing Jesus’ birth: “His kingdom will never end.” (Luke 1:33) And as Jesus himself said, “I will be with you always, to the end of time.” (Matthew 28:20 REB)

Unrecognized Messiah

Prophecy after prophecy after prophecy fell neatly into place. Over two thousand years of predictions were fulfilled in minute detail through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. As you can see, those Messianic predictions fit Jesus like a glove. No one before or since has come close to measuring up.

But if this is so obvious to us, why didn’t the religious Jews of Jesus’ day recognize it? It becomes all the more curious when we consider that Jesus was born at a time and place where Jews and others were eagerly expecting the Messiah.

When all is said and done, it comes down to this: Jesus just wasn’t what the Jews were looking for. Israel was in the clutches of the Roman empire. Most Jews didn’t like it a bit. They were hoping for political independence from Rome.

The promised Messiah was thought to be a military superstar who would liberate them from foreign domination. He, so they believed, would restore the nation to the prominence they enjoyed during David’s day.

After all, didn’t the prophet Daniel say the Messiah would crush the ruling kingdoms, and set up a new kingdom which would never be destroyed, nor left to another people? (Daniel 2:44)

This prophecy encouraged the concept of the Messiah as a reigning military hero. That’s what the public was hoping for in 30 A.D. Jesus, with his talk of love, forgiveness, and his not-of-this-world kingdom, just didn’t seem right for the job. Besides they killed him, didn’t they? He’s dead. Obviously, he was not the promised Messiah.

That is how most of the Jews viewed Jesus after his death.

From our historical vantage point, we can see that several of those Messianic prophecies have been fulfilled in ways first century Jews could never have imagined. The spiritual kingdom Christ founded began with a mere handful of dedicated men.

Despite hardships and persecutions, Christianity spread rapidly throughout the Roman empire. Within a few hundred years of his death, emperors, kings, and nobles along with hundreds of thousands of common people were bowing their knees worshipping the crucified Jew from Nazareth.

Today, almost two thousand years later, Christianity is still going strong. And its impact is felt worldwide. Jesus’ kingdom reigns in the hearts and minds of all who put their trust in him.

We have uncovered a substantial body of evidence supporting the Hebrew prophets of the Old Testament. What they said would happen, did indeed happen. They claimed their information came from God. We have no reason for disputing their claim.

God’s Plan of Redemption

Those same Hebrew prophets told us of the Messiah who was to come. They provided us with explicit details of his forthcoming life, death, and resurrection. He is to be our hope of salvation, our hope for eternal life.

Then there appears one in Galilee who matches the description.

He preaches with authority; he speaks in parables; he performs numerous extraordinary miracles. He teaches the highest form of morality. He asks us to obey him in all things and follow his example. We are to imitate him; we are to become little “Christs” following his footsteps.

He tells us he is the one and only path to salvation. He is the unblemished sacrificial lamb who was born to die in our place. All who repent of their sins and follow him will have eternal life.

With that, God reveals his plan for restoring mankind. As Adam’s single act of defiance ushered in sin and death, Christ’s perfect sacrifice, if we accept him, frees us from sin and death. That’s what Christ taught, and that’s what Christians believe.

You may be wondering if those Messianic prophecies were actual predictions of future events. Or, is it possible they were written after Jesus lived and died? Perhaps they fit Jesus so well because his proponents wrote them after the events took place. That might sound plausible until you consider the Septuagint.

The entire Old Testament, Messianic prophecies and all, were translated into the Greek Septuagint around 275 B.C. Thus we know everyone of the Biblical prophecies had to predate Jesus by at least 250 years.

After Jesus finished his assigned tasks on earth, he completed the prophecies by submitting himself to the most cruel punishment and death Rome could devise. He is crucified; he’s buried; and on the third day, he arose form the grave. He is seen by over 500 witnesses over a forty day period. Then he ascends into heaven promising he would return to judge the world. Jesus is the promise fulfilled.

Questions to Consider:

1.Did Jesus fulfill the Biblical prophecies?

2.Is there any doubt that he is the Messiah, the Christ, the promised one?

3. Is this the most important event in all of history?

Quote of the Day: “Here is a door, behind which, according to some people, the secret of the universe is waiting for you. Either that’s true, or it isn’t. And if it isn’t, then what that door really conceals is simply the greatest fraud, the most colossal ’sell’ on record. Isn’t it obviously the job of every man (that is a man and not a rabbit) to try to find out which, and then to devote his full energies either to serving this tremendous secret or to exposing and destroying this gigantic humbug?” C. S. Lewis God in the Dock “Man or Rabbit” (1945)

Note: All Scripture References are taken from the New International Version unless otherwise stated.

NLT – New Living Translation

REB – Revised English Bible

So after pondering this weekend as to what I would be writing about this coming Monday I reflected on what bothered me most over the past week. More than anything it was the lines and the crowds of the old economy, or reality (sometimes I mix them up)? What does this have to do with Online Marketing you ask? Everything.

For consumers like me who are not fans of long lines and crowded places it is giving us evermore an excuse to join the growing number of online shoppers. Well if I don’t own an online commerce business, how does this affect me? Your consumers of yesteryear who have now made their first purchase online have made a virtual quantum leap into the extent of their comfort with online services and information.

Consumers are increasingly living in a society of what can you do for me. Reminding me of an old famous Kennedy quote:

“And so, my fellow Americans, ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country.”

Are fellow Americans today live in a society of asking, ask not what a company can do to get my business, ask what a company will do to get my business?

Will they provide me free information, free services, why do I want to shop with you?

We are moving into an evermore demanding economy where traditional lines and business conditions are being destroyed, and therefore our needs demand and need for fulfillment continue to increase exponentially. Fulfillment in today’s world is reaching critical mass and what was demanded today, people wanted to see fulfilled yesterday.

Fulfillment in demand? Demand for something intangible, yes the demand for the service of being fulfilled. In a service based economy this fulfillment is a major gap that companies need to learn to close. The best example is holiday consumer demand for gaming systems. We see gaming systems bought last week in the store for $400 going for near $1,000+ on eBay talk about value of fulfilling an unreasonable holiday need. That’s a 150% increase in value only justified by the fulfillment period. On that note, hope you enjoyed your food for thought. I would love to see some responses to how your ability to fulfill has allowed you to increase your prices, is there anybody out there?

Fulfillment is a function of business that can make or break many businesses. When the holiday season comes around we can often see which businesses are positioned for continued growth or may seemingly full by the wayside because of a continuous inability to fulfill certain consumer’s needs. As you work toward growing your own business remember to focus on the importance of fulfilling clients wants and not to over extend into offering more then you can fulfill. Inventory of key products is critical to insure as you enter busy seasons so you can thrive and make certain your company is in the know of having the right items on the shelf. Best of luck this year and this holiday season.