iWork4Him PowerThought

This week we paid special attention to you, the everyday workplace believer, and your role in bringing God's Kingdom here to earth.  Just because you're not a pulpit pastor or a foreign missionary doesn't mean that you're not in full-time ministry.  Your workplace is your mission field!  You might be the only representative of Jesus that your coworker, vendor, supervisor, or client ever comes into contact with.  Every work day is an opportunity for you to be the hands and feet of Jesus.  So, stop thinking less of yourself if you don't have a job in vocational ministry.  Where you work and who you work with – none of it's an accident!  Practice being intentional at work, especially with those who would never step foot inside the walls of a church.  Your full-time ministry has already begun, and the workplace is the largest mission field in the world.

·      Jim: Welcome to the iWork4Him Power thought for the day, we are Jim and Martha Brangenberg with iWork4Him   ·      Martha: When Jim & I were 13 we committed our lives to full-time Christian Ministry.  So naturally I thought I would be a pastor's wife or a missionary.  ·      Jim: I thought I was going to be a youth pastor.    ·      Martha: When we got married, I naturally thought that ministry was in our future.  ·      Jim: Martha was right about that.  But we were both wrong about the location of our ministry. We kept thinking we were headed for church ministry.   ·      Martha: But Jim and I are both good at business and we ran an insurance agency. We didn't know our ministry was right there in front of us. We treated people well.   ·      Jim: But we never saw it as a ministry. In fact, no one ever spoke into our lives that we could have a ministry in our workplace.  ·      Martha: But we were in ministry and our workplace ministry calling perfectly matched our God given gifts, talents, and abilities.    ·      Jim: So, are you committed to full-time Christian Ministry? You'll find it at your workplace today!  ·      Martha:  For more about iWork4Him and the iWork4Him podcast, go to iWork4Him dot com.  That's iWork the number 4 Him dot com. 

Perhaps the single most devastating sentence I ever hear is this "I have decided to quit my job and go into full-time Ministry." Ugh…This one sentence describes the condition of the hearts and minds of millions of Christians. It is a misunderstanding that stops today. You don't need to quit your job to go into full-time ministry. You are already a full time fully funded, fully trained missionary. You are fully equipped and fully enabled to enter your mission field. You understand the language and the culture, and you already love the people. You know your mission. As a Jesus Follower, everything about you has been changing, and everyone around you is now benefitting from your faith, whether they believe in Jesus or not. May your vibrant faith pave the way into life-transforming conversations as you love your neighbor on your workplace mission field. 

Do you want to see your workplace as a place to live out your faith? Your work is a place where you finally get that chance to be involved in fulltime ministry. Then do these things. 1st Start praying for those you work around, by name every day. 2nd look for ways to serve those same people over and above what your job requires you to do. 3rd look for ways to build a friendship with those you work with, outside of work, where real relationships can develop. 4th Look for ways to pray with people when you see them having a rough day. And 5th, all along be a person of excellence, in your work. Do these things and you will see your workplace transformed by God right before your eyes. We call this the iWork4Him Nation Covenant. 

Modern church culture emphasizes the importance and prestige of working in full-time ministry as a pastor, foreign missionary, or the like.  But here at iWork4Him, we want to help resurrect the original idea behind the idea of ministry.  There's a theological misunderstanding that the top jobs in the Kingdom are missionary and pastor, but that's simply not true!  There are no tiers in the kingdom.  No 1st tier jobs and then 2nd tier jobs supporting 1st tier ministers.  We should be ministering wherever we go and in whatever we do.  Call to mind the familiar Bible verse 1 Corinthians 10:31: "So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God." That means that our work should be worship – and that's awesome!  Take a few minutes to reflect on how you can glorify God today through your full-time ministry at work, at home, and in your community. 

What do you do when you're faced with a problem at work? If you're like me, you probably go about trying to find a solution, usually starting with Google!  We met and interviewed a remarkable woman named Susan. She went to God first, not google. She asked HIM for the answer to the problem. And kept praying in earnest expectation until He answered.  She said to us "God has the answer to every problem, if we'd just ask Him."  So, how about you? Are you depending on yourself, Google or asking others first? Or are you praying to the one who has ALL the answers?  We invite you, the very next time you're faced with a work challenge, to stop, pray and ask God to give you the answer.

When Jim came home one day and said, I think we should hire a prayer intercessor for iWork4Him, I didn't know what to think. We had heard from and interviewed business leaders and organization leaders from around the country with prayer intercessors on their staff. I thought it was powerful, but  I had never considered that someone should be paid to pray. We pay people to do all kinds of other things around our workplaces. Why wouldn't we pay for them to spend time interceding on our behalf with our heavenly father? It's a radical idea today, but it totally makes sense. It has changed how we do business each and every day. Consider hiring an intercessor for your business or organization today and see what a difference it makes when you have an additional set of ears listening to Him.

I have to be honest with you. I never thought prayer and work had anything to do with each other. I'm guessing I'm not alone. Prayer seemed like the kind of thing you did at church and around a meal at home, but in a business meeting or around the conference table? Not a chance. I never thought prayer would become an active part of my work life. But that's been part of the transformation process in my life. Maybe you're not ready to pray out loud in a meeting, but my challenge to you today is to pray before you go into any meeting or start any formal conversation. Ask God to be a part of it. When you have a busy day with lots to do, ask God to help you concentrate and work with excellence. Involve your heavenly Father in your work. See what happens.

I grew up in a household where faith and work were lived out daily. My mom and my dad prayed over their business all the time. So it wasn't new for me to see a connection between faith and work and prayer when Jim and I got married. However, we had never been discipled to understand the relationship between faith and work. I saw it lived out in my dad's and my mom's lives, but Jim had never seen that done. I saw my mom and dad put prayer at the center of all of their major decisions at work. I saw God rescue my parents from financial peril in business and bless them as they took steps of faith in business. Prayer works and is a critical part of everyday business. Can you give it a try today – and pray before you act? 

In praying for those I worked with, serving them above what my job required me to do and in developing real relationships with them outside of "Work", I began to notice when their demeanor changed and they were having a bad day. I learned to ask, "How are you doing today?" I really wanted to know the answer. They would respond with "I'm Fine", then I would respond, really? Freaked out, Insecure, Neurotic, and Emotional? Really, how are you doing? Then I would be quiet and let them share what was really going on because they knew I genuinely cared. When they were done sharing, I learned to say, "Thanks for sharing that with me, can I pray about that with you right now?" I never got turned down.  Mind you this took a couple of years to develop but you can do it too. You can start by simply asking "How are you doing today?"

Do you need to be removed?  Sometimes, we start something and think we are supposed to stay in it, lead it, and serve it. And, we stay IN IT…sometimes too long. We no longer seek the Lord's counsel about IF we should still BE where He placed us. Sometimes He just wants us to START something, sometimes He wants us to "help get it off the ground", NOT stay and lead it or serve it. Sometimes, the BEST thing we can do for the work He asked us to start is to leave. So how about you? Are you staying in some work or ministry too long? When's the last time you prayed about what God would have you do next?  We invite you today, to take your work to the cross and ask "Lord where do you want me? And what would you have me do?"   

Have you ever experienced a major upheaval in your business or work life?  Something that looked like it was taking you in the opposite direction of where you were headed?  Or was (you thought) the next logical step? It's highly possible that God is using this to move you to exactly where HE wants you to be.  For HIS work, in HIS time, for THIS season. Let Romans 8:28 encourage you today, and we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. God is orchestrating it all, for His glory. This week, as you experience upheaval in your work life, why not turn to Romans 8:28? And even place a copy of it on your desk?         

Life-work balance. How many of us have fallen for that myth and tried to make it happen?  Only to fail over and over…a business coach we interviewed has a better concept. How about living an INTEGRATED LIFE?  One that brings Christ into each aspect of our life and work, so that we are putting The Lord, not our futile "balance" efforts, first.  So how about you?  Are you ready to live ONE INTEGRATED LIFE, where you represent the Lord, you listen to the Lord, and let Him show you your priorities every day? Join us in this prayer: Father, today, I submit my day, my plans to you. Please show me YOUR PRIORITIES for my day. In Jesus's Name, Amen 

As a business leader, if you turned your business over to God, what would that look like? What would be the result? Hundreds of business owners we've interviewed over the past eight years have done it. They say the result is a DEEP sense of peace vs. stress, pressure, and tension. And a new, deepening understanding of their role as a STEWARD of God's business, vs. "being the OWNER of it".  What would it take for YOU to be ready to turn YOUR organization over to the Lord's ownership today?  We invite you to place Christ in your org. chart as CEO, and commit right now, to shift your mindset from "OWNER to STEWARD". 

Martha: Welcome to the iWork4Him Power thought for the day, we are Jim and Martha Brangenberg with iWork4Him   Jim: When you woke up today did you find yourself celebrating the first day of the work week or did you find yourself dreading it?  Martha: It seems that most of us suffer from TGIF syndrome instead of adopting the TGIM revolution. We need to start Thanking God its Monday.   Jim: you see, God designed our work to have purpose and fulfillment. He also designed it so that He could work alongside us, bringing us His wisdom along the way.  Martha: What is it going to take for you to switch from dreading Monday to celebrating it?    Jim: If you are like me, it is going to take a Romans 12:2 Paradigm Shift. We have to stop copying the Behavior and Customs of this world and allow ourselves to be transformed and allow God to change the way we think.   Martha:  Every Day your work matters to God. Let's start celebrating Mondays.   For more about the iWork4Him podcast, go to iWork4Him dot com.  That's iWork the number 4 Him dot com. 

Relationship. Relational. Is there any better word to describe Christianity that sets our "religion" apart from all others? Our faith is based solely on relationship. And is there any better model for us to follow? In our life, in our work?  And the basis of this relationship model is LOVE. 1 Corinthians 13:1-2 If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn't love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God's secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn't love others, I would be nothing.   Are you a NOISY GONG in YOUR workplace? We invite you to SHIFT to LOVE in your workplace today. 

72% of people who get up and go to work every day think "nobody cares about me". That's a WHOLE LOT of hurting people that will never experience God's love. So, what if we just took God's love to them? What if there was a chaplain in the workplace that looks just like them, that meets them where they are; to just listen, pray and love them?  Workplace chaplains DO exist and are more and more common in today's workplaces! And THAT is the gospel!  Echoing Paul's words in 1 Corinthians 9, "When I am with those who are weak, I share their weakness, for I want to bring the weak to Christ. Yes, I try to find common ground with everyone, doing everything I can to save some. I do everything to spread the Good News and share in its blessings."  So, we challenge you, look into finding a chaplain for your people and transform your workplace into a place where people are loved. 

Per a 2015 Barna Group study, only 20 percent of Christian adults are involved in some sort of discipleship activity.  And, less than one-quarter of Christian adults (23%) are currently being discipled by someone one-on-one.  Discipleship in the context of work is known as "mentorship". How about YOU?  Are you allowing someone to mentor you as a Christ follower in your work?  And if you are a "seasoned" professional, Are YOU making it a priority to intentionally mentor a next generation co-worker? We encourage you to pray about mentorship this week and ask the Lord "Who would you like me to mentor Lord?" and "Would you provide a God-honoring mentor for me?" 

After years of meeting with and interviewing people from all types of work and all organizational levels, there is one major truth that keeps bubbling up to the surface. The investment IN PEOPLE, above all else, pays not only Kingdom dividends, but business dividends as well. This is what Christ did, and it is the ultimate example of Christ's holy character: Matthew 20:28  says "For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many." When we invest in our employees, the next generation, or future leaders in our workplace, we are giving away our life as a true Christ follower.  What is ONE commitment you will make today, to start investing in the life of another in YOUR workplace? 

There is a word that defines the bible, defines Christ, and defines leadership. That word is LOVE. But isn't love seemingly contrary to business and how it operates? Or IS IT?  Did you ever have a bad boss?  What quality of work did you do for them? Did you ever have a great boss? One that got the absolute best work from you? What was the difference in those two bosses? I'll bet it was LOVE. Love that respects, listens, appreciates and builds up. 1 John 3:11 This is the message you have heard from the beginning: We should love one another. Said another way, control disconnects. Love connects. This connection (which is actually LOVE) translates to the bottom line.  We invite you to pick ONE DAY AT WORK THIS WEEK, and TRY IT. 

Are you feeling as though you're just going to work on auto-pilot? That you can do your work now, with your eyes closed, with one arm tied behind your back?  When's the last time you asked God to stretch YOU, in your work? Comfort is not a place Christ-followers should be camping out in. .... So how about you? Are you brave enough, to ask "Lord, will you stretch me today? Will you put me to better use, in the place where you would have me be? Will you bless me today with the work you have chosen for me, at this time in my life?  .... Hebrews 11:6: And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him. 

In the past couple of months, I've heard one word repeatedly out of the mouths of followers of Christ who bring their faith into the workplace. INTENTIONALITY. Intentionality is a concept defined as "the power of a mind to stand for things, properties and states of affairs".  WAS and IS Jesus intentional? You bet. Should WE be intentional?  You bet. HOW DO we shift to this state of intentionality? By starting with the Lord and asking what His intention is for OUR DAY? For OUR WORK?  For OUR TEAM and the clients we serve. By the way, the opposite of intentionality is unconsciously or unknowingly. How will YOU shift the mindset of YOUR work from unconscious to INTENTIONAL, for HIS glory? 

When's the last time you were UNCOMFORTABLE, OR PUT YOURSELF IN A POSITION TO BE UNCOMFORTABLE in your work? Discomfort = growth, and comfort = stagnation. The people doing the most growing are the ones that submit to spiritual and personal growth, like having a group of fellow Christ followers, who challenge them and hold them accountable, in their professional life, their leadership and business. You know what they say, if you're not growing, you're dying. The wisdom of Proverbs 27:17 says As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend. John Maxwell said it best: If we're growing, we're always going to be out of our comfort zone.  What will YOU do this week, in your professional life, to be challenged and GROW? 

After a conversation with Dr. Emerson Eggerichs, of Love & Respect, I'm rethinking the way I go about being a peace-keeper. Here's what he said: Sometimes, as peace keepers we hedge on the truth, or just lie, to keep the peace. .... So let's apply that to our workplace. Are you unknowingly hedging on speaking the truth in work situations, to keep the peace? How can you know? You'll probably have a niggling in your spirit, an unsettledness. So what can we do to know when to speak the truth: We can check in with the Holy Spirit in the moment, before conversing, and pray for wisdom for how and when to speak.  Keeping the peace may not be what best serves the organization. But speaking the truth is.  So how about you? 

If you're someone who watches or reads the news, then you know that there are a lot of bad things going on in the world today. From pandemics and civil wars to inflation and genocides, there is no shortage of darkness in the twenty-first century. How does all this sorrow and hardship affect your life? How about your work? Do you take it with you to the office? Do you chat with your co-workers about it? Do you live in fear or frustration? Bad news was going on during Jesus's day as well, but the Apostle Paul writes in Philippians 4:8, "Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise." Today, I invite you to fix your mind on what is GOOD and then speak about it to your co-workers, who desperately need the hope of Christ. 

We spend more than one-third of our life at work. Yet sadly, Barna research shows nearly two-thirds of churched adults say it has been at least three years or more since they heard church teachings on work and career, and yet, the workplace is where most Americans spend the biggest share of their waking hours.  What can YOU do to introduce your church to the importance of faith and work? Invite your pastor to your office and ask him or her to pray for your team, your clients and your year for maximum impact for the Kingdom.  What day this month will YOU invite YOUR pastor to work? For more recommended resources and ideas, go to our Resources page on iwork4him.com. 

What's the difference between a career and a vocation? Career is defined as an occupation undertaken for a significant period of a person's life with opportunities for progress. A VOCATION, on the other hand, is defined as a person's main occupation, especially regarded as particularly worthy and requiring great dedication. WOW. That's a big difference. We heard recently that as a Christ-follower, we should seek to have a VOCATION vs. a career. Because having a vocation keeps us focused on building the Kingdom and living and working FOR the Kingdom of God. Which one do YOU have? What could you do this month, to shift YOUR CAREER into a VOCATION? 

·      Jim: Welcome to the iWork4Him Power thought for the day, we are Jim and Martha Brangenberg with iWork4Him   ·      Martha: Do you ever feel like quitting your job? Even though it's a good job and it pays well.  ·      Jim: We mean quit your perfectly good job so you can go into full time ministry. Have you ever had that thought?  ·      Martha: If you are like us, you feel the need for significance in your work and you feel like a job in a church or a Christian non-profit is the only way to go.  ·      Jim: We are here to help stop the madness. The job that you hold, the work that you do and the people that you work with, none of that is by chance.  ·      Martha: The people that you work with need to meet Jesus and you may be their only chance.  ·      Jim:  Try this thought on for size. Your workplace is your mission field. Pay attention today at work and see if you meet any people who need to meet Jesus – and don't quit your job.   ·      Martha: For more about iWork4Him and the iWork4Him podcast, go to iWork4Him dot com.  That's iWork the number 4 Him dot com. 

What do you think would happen to our economy, our country, if all the working Christians decided to "go into ministry"? There would be no "marketplace", our economy would collapse and we would be thrown into chaos. Could it be that is NOT God's plan or design for us? What if each of us were CALLED TO MINISTRY IN OUR WORK, right where we're planted? And that OUR JOB IS our pulpit, our work performance then becomes our Christ-like message and our co-workers our "congregation".  Now THAT'S a powerful realistic vision for building the Kingdom. James 2:14 "What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but don't show it by your actions? Can that kind of faith save anyone?" How will YOU SHIFT your work to be a ministry TODAY? 

What if our WORK WAS our WORSHIP?  The Hebrew word avodah means work, worship, and service, altogether! Work: being productive, worship: praising and glorifying God and service: a form of service to the world and our community. We are MEANT to be of service, to be PARTNERS with God in the ongoing creation of the world. The various usages of this Hebrew word that is first found in Genesis 2:15 shows us it was God's ORIGINAL DESIGN and DESIRE that our work and our worship would be a SEAMLESS WAY of living, as it was thousands of years ago. What about YOU? Are you making the work of YOUR hands every day AVODAH? You're invited today to start worshiping God with your work.   

Have you ever thought about what you want to be known for?  Stephen, an executive we interviewed, says it starts with your personal brand. And your personal brand starts with asking yourself "What do I want to be known for?"  So how about you?  If your co-workers were asked about you, and who you are, what would they say?  We challenge you today, to take this question "What do I want to be known for?" and pen and paper and sit with it until you have an answer. And then, start intentionally beginning to LIVE IT OUT, consistently where you live, work and play. Ephesians 5:15 exhorts us "So be careful how you live. Don't live like fools, but like those who are wise. Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days." 

How do you measure your work success?  We're referring to eternal success in your work.  One way is to ask yourself: Is my workplace better off because of having me work there? Have I changed it for the better?  Would my co-workers say that I am a blessing to work with?  A roofing business owner in Florida told us he takes an inventory every year, looks back at the year to see what benefit or good he has added: to his customers, his employees, his community and his family.  So how about you? WE invite YOU to incorporate this "taking inventory" process by adding it onto your calendar once a month. David Jeremiah said, "If we don't take inventory every once in a while, and give thanks to God for the great things He has done for us, we get totally out of perspective." Make sure you take time to ask the question of yourself today "IS my workplace blessed because I work there?" 

Humility. The term "humility" comes from the Latin word humilitas, a noun related to the adjective humilis, which can be translated as "humble", but also as "grounded", or "from the earth", since it derives from HUmus (earth).  The greatest leaders, including our Lord have it. CS Lewis said: "Humility is not thinking less of yourself, it's thinking of YOURSELF LESS."  What if TODAY, you and I, thought of ourselves less at work, and started to think MORE about others.  James 4:10 says it best: Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up. And how about Psalm 149:4 For the Lord takes delight in his people; he crowns the humble with victory.  How will YOU work from a place of humility today? 

Wisdom. It's defined as knowledge of what is true or right coupled with just judgment as to action. Wisdom goes beyond KNOWING what is right and into DOING what is right. God calls us to be wise in everything that we do – constantly seeking out what is true and right in his eyes and then acting on it. James 3:17 says, "The wisdom from above is first of all pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere." Are you living out the wisdom from above in your workplace? Before you speak or act this week, consider if what you are about to do is carrying forward peace, mercy, fairness, and sincerity. If it isn't, pause and ask the Holy Spirit to give you His wisdom before you move forward! 

As Christians everything about us should be changing. When we were born again, it wasn't just a one-time event. We are to be changing daily…remember the word "sanctified"? We are being "set apart" to be dedicated to God's use.  And to that end, we're to be changing and growing more Christ-like every day, to be conformed to His image. So how about you? Would those you work with say you're a better co-worker today than you were 6 months ago?  Would your manager say you're a better team member today than you were last month? Would your CEO say you're a better executive this year than you were last year? 2 Timothy reminds us:  If you keep yourself pure, you will be a special utensil for honorable use. Your life will be clean, and you will be ready for the Master to use you for every good work. We challenge you to pray to be conformed and changed today so that someone may notice and ask about it tomorrow. 

Kathy Branzell, President of the National Day of Prayer says: there's the idea that when I work, I work, but when I pray, God works.  So how about YOU? Are you working, when you should be praying?  Are you starting work first, before you pray? Are you taking God's place for the results by over-working?  There's a beautiful balance we can obtain between work and prayer. We can choose to pray first, then work. And then pray, staying in constant contact with the Lord to guide and direct our work, vs. all that extra-efforting stuff. Psalm 127 says: It is useless for you to work so hard from early morning until late at night, anxiously working for food to eat; for God gives rest to his loved ones."  We challenge you today, to incorporate prayer INTO your work, and trust God for the results and experience a little of His rest. 

Heard this the other day: The principles never change, but the methods always do.  What a solid management philosophy this makes for us Christ followers. Principles are defined as:  fundamental truths that serve as the foundation for a system of beliefs. Our biblical core beliefs are the basis of who we are and what we do. And that applies to how we work, lead and manage. But the methods, those change based on the circumstances and the people involved. So we need to be flexible, not rigid. Deeply rooted, but like the branches of a tree, sway with the wind. So how about you? Are your principles well rooted but flexible enough for change?

Are there ROCKS in YOUR schedule? ROCKS are IMMOVABLE commitments. Those priorities that are unchangeable.  As a working Christ-follower, what are some of YOUR ROCKS? Here are some of mine: Time with the Lord. Family commitments. And anything I have given my word to, to be there.  Is WORK one of YOUR ROCKS? If it is, maybe it's time to look at that rock, and decrease its size, or the amount of space it's taking on your calendar. Don't' let Luke 20:18 define how you live and manage your life:  "Everyone who stumbles over that stone will be broken to pieces, and it will crush anyone it falls on." So how about YOU?  Is work a stone YOU'RE stumbling over?  How about crushing that rock and use it to make a path to more time with family?

Some things in life are more challenging than others. Like finances. And even more challenging: How do we glorify God with our finances?  If you think you've mastered your finances, there's a next step, a better way to glorify God with them. To transform the money we make from working for the Lord, and seeing that it is invested in Kingdom building. It's called Biblically Responsible Investing and it's transforming the way Christians look at the money they invest, and where they invest it. So how about you and your finances? .... Are you willing to look at every dollar and steward it even more for God's Kingdom?   If you are, we invite you to pray about it, and go to our website for next steps on how to transform your finances into the ultimate Kingdom resource. 

When people around you at work succeed, do you find yourself happy for them or feeling bad for yourself? It can be easy to compare our career path to someone else's and come out feeling like we missed our chance at moving up - but the truth is that everyone's journey will look different. Galatians 6:4 says, "Pay careful attention to your own work, for then you will get the satisfaction of a job well done, and you won't need to compare yourself to anyone else." So next time the temptation to compare yourself to a coworker comes up, take the focus off of others and put it back on the work God has given you to do today. Because when you work with excellence, you bring honor to God… and that's the measure of TRUE success! 

There is a truth about work that has been lost to much of our culture since the creation of the world. It is that GOD CREATED WORK. He created work for us, to do together and for HIS glory. Genesis 2:19 - "So the Lord God formed from the ground all the wild animals and all the birds of the sky. He brought them to the man to see what he would call them, and the man chose a name for each one."  Work is NOT a PUNISHMENT, it's a GIFT. And God wants to JOIN US in it. Every day. He DELIGHTS in it. He is our team-mate, just as He was with Adam. He brought the animals TO Adam to name. So how about YOU? Won't you invite God to work WITH YOU today? WHEREVER He has placed you? 

I heard a clever quip the other day about trying to take control from God's hands. God is writing the story of your life: so STOP TRYING TO GRAB THE PEN FROM HIS HAND! This applies to our work as well. Sometimes we think we are living God's plan for us in our work when we are actually just "taking Jesus with us".  And only praying to Him to ask for blessings on what we are doing at work. How can we know when we've succeeded in FOLLOWING Christ in our work? By changing our mindset to one of FOLLOWING, vs. LEADING.  Why not start your work day with a prayer like this: Father, today, I commit my hands to YOUR work. As you lead me, may YOUR will be done and may YOU be glorified in all I do. Amen. 

If you are like me you jump up out of bed, check for emergency text messages, check the weather, rush through your morning devotional time so you can get on to the "real work of the day." Just recently Martha and I were reading a book by Kim Avery "The Prayer Powered Entrepreneur" and she suggests a different approach. Kim suggests that when we have our morning quiet time, be quiet and ask our Lord what His priorities are for us today. Instead of letting distractions rule our day, ask the Lord to prioritize our day so His will is done. I'm going to try this from now on, and maybe you would like to do the same. Lord, what is at the top of your priority list for today? I pray that I can do this the rest of my life, what about you? 

Is God leading your work? How do you get the point where you can say YES, He is.  Here're a couple of ideas to get you started. First, read a book or listen to faith at work podcasts that introduce you to the concept of working for the Lord. Second, pray and ask God to show you how and where He is at work in your work today. Three, take a faith at work devotional and put it on your desk. Before you turn on your PC, read the devotional and pray that God lead you in your work.  This might take some consistent practice, like changing a habit, to shift your mindset. So how about you? Colossians 3:23  is a GREAT verse to put on your desk, so it reminds you WHO you work for: 23 Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. 

Being intentional seems to be a consistent hallmark of followers of Christ. Because Christ is our best example of intentionality. Intentionality is defined as being deliberate or purposeful. How about you? How are you working with intentionality today? In the office, with your co-workers, intentionally representing Christ and showing His love and patience to everyone you come in contact with? Most days we may just be unconsciously going through our work day. We invite you to begin today by going before the father and asking Him: "Here's all I have, what do YOU want me to do with it today? What is YOUR priority today, Lord?" And then living that out as we step into our work, and every other place our feet may wander. 

Are you a leader in your organization? If so, what are you doing to care for your team members? Your employees?  Are you ignoring the big stresses in their lives? If you are, it could be costing you in a big way. For example: The divorce of a $60,000 a year employee will cost $86,000 in lost productivity.  There are legal, low cost remedies to helping your employees get the help they need to calm the sometimes raging seas of their lives. So how about YOU? Are you turning a blind eye to the pain in your workplace? Wake up! Look and listen, and seek to put benefits and programs in place that make employees lives easier. And commit today, to start being the good shepherd. The one who sacrifices his life for the sheep. 

I wonder how much of our life is lived from a place of "taking". Not consciously, but just getting up and living our life, as we go to work and just delve in. I've found my unconscious self is pretty selfish. If I don't pray first, submit in obedience, my day, my hands, my mouth, eyes and ears, to serve all those I come in contact with, I'll just spend all day at work taking what I need and want. .... So how about you? Are you living your life and workday taking? .... We challenge you today, to stop unconsciously working, and living as a taker. But to set up your day from a place of "How can I be a giver today? How can I contribute to everyone I come in contact with?" 

At work, sometimes we walk away from a meeting or conversation and think to ourselves "Boy, that person sure needs some fixing." But, in reality, if we took a moment, and thought more carefully about it, maybe even looked a little deeper, we may just see what needs to be fixed is US, not them. Leaders know this. They know that the organization is a reflection of WHO they are and WHO they are being.  A leader knows that before their "team needs fixing", THEY need fixing first.  So how about YOU?  Are you a leader that leads knowing they need to fix themselves first? Or are you the leader that looks at all the fixing everyone else needs to do? We challenge you today, if you have a thought about someone else, to first look at yourself, and see what needs to change.  

Mutual respect. It's when two people show respect for each other. .... Respect is defined as the process of honoring someone by exhibiting care, concern, or consideration for their needs or feelings.  This should be a HALLMARK of us as Christ followers. And even more apparent at work, with our colleagues. To respect them as co-laborers AND as fellow sons and daughters of God. .... Author Dina Dwyer-Owens says it's been her experience that When we hold ourselves accountable and show mutual respect to others, it's amazing the respect that comes back.  So how about you? Are you living mutual respect in your work today?    

When's the last time you really saw your co-workers?  .... Saw them as real three-dimensional people?  Not just a co-worker, workplace mate or just an employee?  When's the last time you remembered, that they're a son or daughter of God? .... That they were created, like you, by God, for a purpose. That they are worthy. That they have a life, and that life is just as important as yours.  That they're on a journey, their own journey, just like we all are.  .... So how about you?  We invite you today, to put on God's view of each person you work with, and to see Christ in each of them. And then watch the supernatural transform your work relationships and your workplace.