iWork4Him PowerThought

It comes as no surprise that less than 20 percent of Americans regularly attend church.  But just about all Americans have a job. So, we COULD say that not everybody has a pastor, but just about everybody has a boss.  So how will the other 80% of Americans find out about Jesus Christ if they are not stepping into a church?  The current population of the US is about 330 million. So that's 264 Million people that WE can witness to through our daily interactions in our jobs.  You are the one that has been chosen. You ARE CHRIST'S AMBASSADOR, for such a time as this. Today, won't YOU PRAY AND COMMIT to BE Christ-like at work, to everyone you work with? 

The body of Christ is made up of many parts; none is more important than the other.  Do you ever feel unimportant in the Kingdom of God?  Like who you are and what you do is on a lower tier while others are on a higher one?  In 1 Corinthians 12, God lets us know that each of us plays an important role in the body of Christ.  Verse 18 says, "Our bodies have many parts, but God has put each part just where He wants it." Are you letting God use you right where you are, or are you too busy comparing your talents, resources, and position with others?  Stop scrolling through social media, thinking you're not enough.  You are an essential part of God's plan, and He desires to use you!  So, when you're feeling unimportant, remember – there are no tiers in the Kingdom! 

Your voice matters. No matter what you've experienced or been told, your ideas, creativity, and perspectives are important contributions to your work. Unfortunately, many women have been ignored, overlooked, and had their ideas stolen by others. Someone may have assumed you are more junior than you are. As difficult and discouraging as those experiences can be, other people don't get the final say about our value or our contribution. We are God's co-workers, called to partner with Him in our work. Bring those difficult situations before God in prayer. Ask the Holy Spirit to show you what He wants you to do and say. Pray for your co-workers and for your organization, then do the next right thing with boldness and courage. The tougher the situation, the more glory God gets. Praise Him and thank Him in advance, then watch God work on your behalf. 

We all have two voices speaking to us daily—God's still, small, loving voice and the accusing, fear-ridden, loud voice of the enemy. How can you tell the difference? If it's encouraging, uplifting, life-affirming, convicting yet loving, aligned with Truth, you can be sure it is from God. If it brings fear, insecurity, anger, condemnation, or confusion, you can be sure it's from the enemy. Whose voice should you listen to? I recommend choosing God. Every. Time. We all face battles at work that make us vulnerable to a myriad of thoughts. But God gives us the victory. Whether you're facing unfair treatment, conflict, failure, or just feel stuck, turn to your Father. Pray for that difficult boss or co-worker. Pray for wisdom in that challenging circumstance. Ask God to turn your situation around for good. Listen for His direction and take obedient action. Then anticipate a miracle! Remember, God is for you! 

You, dear sister, were created in God's image. Man and woman were given the same cultural mandate to fill and subdue the earth. Your talents and desire to make an impact through your work are planted in you by your Creator. Your purpose is to steward those talents for His glory by continually leaning on Him. No one else will use your talents in quite the same way you do. You will reach, impact, and connect with people who others never will. God needs every single one of us to work like He is our CEO—Chief Eternal Officer. What you do in partnership with God for His glory will have eternal impact. So today, as you tackle the mundane and struggle to climb the mountains, keep your eyes fixed on Jesus and your goal to bring Him glory. Because it doesn't all depend on you—it depends on you depending on Him!  

Who you are is not the sum of your past mistakes, successes, or talents. You are a daughter of the one true King, created in Christ Jesus, to do work that brings glory to God in your own unique way. Even when no one else seems to notice you, God sees everything you do to support others, contribute to the success of your organization, and share His love. God hears every prayer you whisper, cry, or scream. He is working even when you don't see it. There is nothing He allows that He won't redeem. Today, through the challenges and hard work, pause and acknowledge God's presence with you. He's right there, and He wants to give you strength, joy, peace, and rest, dear sister. All you have to do is ask. He loves you more than you could possibly know. 

One day a friend of mine called me and said “Jim, I have been trying to mentor and disciple my friend for 2 years now.  He is hopeless.  Maybe He will listen to you.” That was almost 10 years ago now.  My new mentee was not a believer yet, was struggling with issues from the battlefield that impacted his marriage, and was very skeptical of church culture.  For 3 years, we wrestled about faith topics in person, by phone, and by text.  Finally, he surrendered his life to Jesus, which is hard for war vets to do, and then the real work began.  For the next 7 years, we read and studied the Bible together, discussing family, work, faith, and parenting issues.  Today he is challenging me with things about my faith.  God has worked a miracle.  Mentoring this young man has made a difference for eternity.  Pour your Jesus Life into someone today. 

For the first two decades of our marriage, Jim and I did youth ministry as volunteers.  We spent thousands of hours with kids from various backgrounds and family structures.  I worked with girls who were daughters of pastors and daughters of high-powered executives, some from broken families and some from healthy solid families.  These relationships often started when these girls were 11 or 12 and continued until they graduated from high school.  However, two special relationships have lasted over 35 years.  These two young ladies I invested my Jesus life into are now parents of teenagers.  To have lived a lifetime with them has been such a reward to me and my faith.  Are you intentionally investing your Jesus life in someone today?  You are surrounded by others who need you to live life alongside them.   

My husband Jim and I are very different.  He has done a lot of formal mentoring, and I tend to do more informal mentoring.  Over the years, I have taken the time to live life alongside so many different women.  Some older than me, some younger than me.  Since Jim and I are involved in marriage mentoring with Christian Entrepreneurial couples, I often spend time with the wives working life out with them.  You see, mentoring for me looks like phone calls, drop-in visits, shopping trips, and texting.  The women I pour my Jesus life into rarely have time to meet for coffee, but we can share coffee over the phone or Facetime just the same.  My mentoring often looks scattered and informal, but I am available when needed and recognize that just stepping out for a call is part of my discipleship ministry.  Who do you pour your Jesus Life into? 

If there is one thing I learned from my first mentor, Mike, it is that mentoring and discipleship is something to be done in the context of life and not in a hurry.  It was not a box to be checked but time to be set aside.  It was an investment of Mike's life into mine and, honestly, as it turns out, an investment of my life into Mikes.  Since I experience God differently than Mike, he learned things from me too.  It's important to understand that every time you pour your Jesus life into someone else, you will, in return, have their Jesus Life poured into you.  This interchange is part of the process of disciple-making.  Mentoring with discipleship takes time, but it is an investment that pays lifelong & eternal rewards.  Pour your Jesus life into someone and watch them pour back into you.  It will change your life for the better. 

As a 16-year-old and a new believer of just 3 years, I needed someone to invest their life in mine.  Was that discipleship or mentorship that I needed?  Enter - Mike.  Many would argue that being a disciple-maker is inherently different than being a mentor.  Mentors often help someone become more like the mentor; Disciple makers help someone become more like JESUS.  Discipleship invites someone to follow us as we follow Jesus and then step aside so that we can learn directly from the Master Himself.  I argue that Mike poured his Jesus life into my life and taught me not just about Jesus but about life and Jesus – no matter what you call it.  As believers, everyone needs a Paul figure that will pour their Jesus Life into them and a Timothy to pour their Jesus life into.  Being mentored and mentoring others has rapidly deepened my faith.  Get a mentor and start mentoring today. 

When you retire, does your calling retire too? Does our calling run out when Social Security kicks in? I don't think so. Your mission field assignment may or may not change later on in life. Some of you have a career that could go until very late in life. Just because you're 65 doesn't mean that you're done working. Sure, maybe you need to change things up or perhaps you need to work fewer hours. But it's important to realize that as a Jesus follower, everywhere you go, everyone around you should be benefiting from your faith, whether they believe in Jesus or not. What better place to invest your life than in an industry you have spent your life learning? The American dream of retirement is a lie. 30 years of vacation is not a dream; it's a nightmare. Ask God what He has for you in retirement. 

Why are you retiring? Is it because you're too old to work? Is it because you're ready for a break? Is it because you're ready for a change? We need to recognize why we want to retire. Change is OK. But it doesn't mean that retirement is an end to our work. God gave us work as a gift. That gift continues throughout our lives until the very last breath. Our work is meant to glorify God. If you're retiring because you're just tired of the job that you're in or the industry that you're in, maybe God has something new and fresh for you. Remember this. You have a lifetime of wisdom that the next generations need. The next generations desperately need you to pour your life into them. Retire with a purpose, and pour your life into others. 

So many retirees in America have spent a lifetime preparing for retirement. Well, I should say they're preparing their financial means for retirement, but are they preparing for what God has them to do in their retirement? The answer is almost categorically no. How much time have you spent preparing for how God will use you when you retire? Does that planning include how you will use your gifts, talents, and spiritual abilities for God's glory in a community that needs you? Or is most of that time spent dreaming about how you will relax in the sunshine and always have a perpetual tan? You've heard it said that many people who retire with no purpose end up returning to work or dying. Why don't you ask God for His plan for you and your retirement? 

The American dream of retirement is a lie. The American dream says that we will retire and live out the remainder of our lives on vacation, enjoying sunsets on the beach where every day is filled with pleasure and deep satisfaction. One problem. It never works out this way. Most of us know what we are going to retire from. We're retiring from a job we just want to be done with. It has paid our bills and provided a living for our family, but we're ready for some change. Does God desire that change to be a 30-year vacation? I don't think so. It's easy to know what you're retiring from, but what are you retiring to? God has been investing in you for a lifetime. You have a hoard of wisdom. God's plan for you is to use that wisdom in your next life stage. 

The American Dream of Retirement is a lie. It's also not biblical. God never intended for us to retire from work and then go on a perpetual vacation. Retirement is only mentioned once in the Bible and only for levitical priests. However, when they retired, their next role was to train up the next generation of levitical priests. We can learn a lot from that model. If you are retired or almost retired, God has a plan for the remaining years of your life. That plan is to use your lifetime of experiences wherever you go. Will it involve some vacation time? Absolutely. But as long as you are not dead, God is not done with you. Our Retirement years can be the most fulfilling years of our lives as Jesus Followers because we walk in wisdom and can impact the next generations of our family and our community. 

It shouldn't surprise us. Our God, who is a God of order, design, and truth, knows what our priorities should look like. The number five priority should be our hobbies and volunteer work. God, Spouse, Kids, Work – they all come first. When your church volunteering gets in the way of family, spouse, and even work time, everyone gets disgruntled. If your volunteer work causes you to neglect your kids or spouse, that's upside down. When something attacks the fabric of society (Marriage and Family), it is out of line with God's original intent. After a week of evaluating your priorities, did you find things in order or out of order? Submit your priorities to God and He will lead you out of the mess. But you have to let Go and Let God—time for the weekend. Celebrate God and Family and put everything else aside. 

It shouldn't surprise us. Our God, who is a God of order, design, and truth, has a clear answer for our priorities. Our Number 4 priority should be our work. Work is a gift from God, just as our relationships are. Work is necessary to shape our character and pay our bills. Work is designed to have a start and an end every day. Everything unravels when work is a higher priority than our families and God. Marriages struggle, kids struggle, and we become strangers with God. When Work is put in its proper place, it is a blessing that causes flourishing for us, our coworkers, bosses, employees, customers, and vendors. Avodah is the Hebrew word for Work and Worship. That is what God intended- for our work to be worship at the same time. Keep it in check, and life will be good. 

It shouldn't surprise us. Our God, who is a God of order, design, and truth, has a clear answer for our priorities. Our Number 3 priority should be our relationship with our kids. I know that not everyone listening has kids but listen for your friends. When our kids run our priorities list instead of being in 3rd place, the whole family is a mess, especially you. Our lives are not supposed to revolve around our kids. Our kids should clearly be in place behind God and our spouse. When this is done properly, our kids will understand three important things, God is important, marriage is critical, and the world is not all about them. Do your kids a favor today and tell them their priority in your life. Today is a great day to start showing them the truth. 

It shouldn't surprise us. Our God, who is a God of order, design, and truth, has a clear answer for our priorities. Our Number 2 priority should be your relationship with your spouse if you are married. Everything else but God should be prioritized behind your spouse. So often, this gets really messed up. We put work first, and everything else just    ends up in a mess. When we get married, we are marrying our best friend—someone we want to spend our lives with – all of our lives. When we neglect time with our spouse and our priorities get out of whack, our marriage and everyone around us suffer. Do you know what usually pushes your spouse's relationship out of order? Your kids. We will talk about them tomorrow. Want to keep your marriage intact and flourishing? Prioritize your spouse over kids and work, and under God. 

It shouldn't surprise us. Our God, who is a God of order, design, and truth, has a clear answer for our priorities. Our Number one priority should be our relationship with Him. Our quiet time, our calendars, our checkbooks and our screen time reflect this. When God doesn't take first place in our lives, we always seem to be hurried and harried, never getting enough done. When our daily schedule reflects God as our number one priority, with first place in our day, things fall into place, time moves productively, and things just work. When God is number one, your work will reflect your relationship with Him, and others will be attracted. Who's number one in your life? What's it going to take to put God back on top? You will benefit the most if you get this done. 

What's the purpose of business? God designed business to be a blessing to your community. What does that look like? It means that the service you provide is always done with excellence. It means your product is safe and does exactly what you say it will do. Your community is everybody you serve. But the community also means the area around where your business resides. Being a blessing to your community can look like investing in your city's infrastructure and in ministries that touch the lives of people there. Being a blessing to your community means much more than just writing a check. It means unleashing your employees in the community as volunteers on a regular basis. If you asked the local civic officials if your business was a blessing to the community, what would they say? 

What's the purpose of business? God designed business to be a blessing to the employees of the business. What's that look like? It means paying your people well, treating your people nicely, providing a safe work environment, and listening to them. There are so many things you can do to be a blessing to your employees, but number one is they need to be loved… Have you ever asked your employees how you're doing? Have you ever asked them if they feel blessed to work for you as a business owner? If you haven't, maybe today is the day you start asking those tough questions. If your business isn't being a blessing to your employees, then they're likely not being a blessing to your customers, and eventually, your business will run out of steam and close its doors. Jesus said love your neighbor. Start doing that with your employees today. 

What's the purpose of business? God designed business to be a blessing to the vendors that supply your business. What does that look like? It means ordering your supplies well in advance. It means being respectful on the phone when you're making your orders. It means paying your bills on time. It means telling others about the quality of service you receive from the vendors. If your business is blessing your vendors, then they will be a blessing to your business, because you're one of their customers. If your vendors aren't happy with how you treat them, then there's something wrong with your business. As Jesus followers, how we treat others really matters. It's one of the two things Jesus said was more important than anything else. Love God and love people. How are you treating your vendors today? 

What's the purpose of business? God designed business to be a blessing to the customers of the business. That may sound oversimplified, but if your customers aren't feeling blessed by your product or service, then you won't have a business for very long. What does it look like to be a blessing to your customers? It means that the product that you provide is well-built, long-lasting, and meets the needs of the customer. It means that the service you provide is done with excellence, on time, and exactly what you told the customer you would do. Do you ever survey your customers to see if they're satisfied? To see if you're a blessing to them? There really is no point in being in business if your business isn't a blessing to your customers. Ask them today how you're doing. 

What's the purpose of business? God designed business to be a blessing to the business owner and his/her family. What does that look like? A paycheck, or is it more? Of course, a business needs to provide an income to the owner, but it must also help his/her marriage and family to flourish. If your business is robbing your family of your time, then it's not a blessing. If your business isn't providing consistent income, maybe your business model needs a little work. God designed business to be a blessing, to have purpose in meeting the needs of those the business serves. But first and foremost, if the business isn't a blessing to the business owner and their family, something has to change. Is your business a blessing to your family? 

We can spend a whole year preparing for a short-term mission trip.  But how much time have you spent preparing for your workplace mission field?  We need to prepare our openness to God's leading as we work.  All day long, decisions need to be made.  You will also be presented with opportunities for conversations.  How often do you stop before you make that decision and say, “God, what do you want me to do here?” How often do you stop before talking with someone and say, " God, what do you want me to say here?” Too often at work, we are so busy checking things off our to-do list that we miss the opportunities to involve God in our daily work.  Prepare yourself today to be directed by God in all that you decide and in all your conversations. 

We can spend a whole year preparing for a short-term mission trip.  But how much time have you spent preparing for your workplace mission field?  We need to prepare our strength daily.  I'm not sure who said it first, but whoever said it was right.  Breakfast is the most important meal of the day.  Exercise isn't a bad idea either.  If you never get to eat a decent breakfast and never get a chance to exercise, how can your strength be prepared for your workplace ministry?  We need to be ready to battle the enemy who wants to keep the lost souls of our workplace neighbors entrapped in eternal damnation.  We need to be at the top of our game every day.  We must eat right, grow strong, and keep our face to the Son and our feet on the rock.  Are you at your full strength today? 

We can spend a whole year preparing for a short-term mission trip.  But how much time have you spent preparing for your workplace mission field?  We need to prepare our souls daily as we get ready for work.  What does that mean?  So often, our souls have been hurt and damaged by the people we work with and the people we live with.  Preparing our souls means forgiving those who have sinned against us.  Remember, forgiving isn't for them it's for you.  If you don't forgive others, your soul will never be prepared for your workplace mission field.  Do you have people at work that you need to forgive?  If our souls are not prepared through forgiving others who have hurt us, we will not be able to prepare others for the soul repairing that Jesus can do for them.  Is your soul prepared today? 

We can spend a whole year preparing for a short-term mission trip.  How much time have you spent preparing for your workplace mission field?  We need to prepare our minds daily as we get ready for work.  What does that mean?  Spending time in God's word, prayer, journaling, and just plain quiet time.  If we jump out of bed, get ready for work, and take off down the driveway, our minds will be filled with furious thoughts about everything we want to accomplish in the day.  If we prepare our minds, we will focus on the people we work with and how we need to love on them and pray for them.  If you don't prepare your mind, your workplace mission field is in danger today.  If you do prepare your mind, those people you work with, they're in danger of meeting Jesus. 

We can spend a whole year preparing for a short-term mission trip.  But how much time have you spent preparing for your workplace mission field?  We need to prepare our hearts daily as we get ready for work.  What does that mean?  It means confessing our sins to our heavenly Father before our day starts.  Confessing just means agreeing with God for what He already knows about our attitudes and actions.  So often we carry negative attitudes and actions towards those we work with because of frustrations at our jobs.  Our hearts need to be prepared with love for those in our workplaces.  Whether that be our bosses, our vendors, our customers, or fellow employees, our hearts need to be ready to hear the voice of God and respond lovingly to those around us.  Have you prepared your heart for today? 

I have never worked a manufacturing line.  But I know this.  If people don't do their jobs at the manufacturing plants, then many items we count on wouldn't be made.  If you feel like you're just a manufacturing worker and want to quit your job to go into full-time ministry.  Don't!  That's a disaster.  Your job is so critical to the lives of thousands of people, perhaps millions.  God has gifted you uniquely to be able to build things, fix things, and package things.  Without manufacturing, we'd still be in the dark ages.  Every day as a worker in a manufacturing environment, you have the unique ability to touch the lives of everyone around you and impact the lives of people you'll never meet.  Please stay at your job and keep making a difference.  Imagine a world where everybody in a manufacturing environment quit their job to work at a church.  That's not a world I want to live in. 

I've been in sales before.  For 10 years, I worked in Christian retail.  I actually worked at a Christian bookstore inside of a church.  Every day I had to manage employees, manage stock, keep track of sales, and please the people that owned the store.  I loved selling people things they needed.  I sold lots of Bibles.  I sold lots of books.  I sold lots of gifts.  I sold a lot of music.  I saw the joy of matching the right product with the right customer.  I knew I wasn't just a salesperson.  I knew I wasn't just a bookstore manager.  I knew that I was in full-time ministry in a Christian bookstore.  I knew that what I did every day was making a difference.  Imagine a world where all the salespeople quit to go into full-time ministry.  That's not a world I want to live in. 

You might say, All I ever do is clean up after people.  As a janitor, I'm sweeping floors day in and day out.  I clean them, and other people get them dirty.  I clean the bathrooms, and they get dirty again.  I just want a job that matters.  I'm gonna quit my job and go into full-time ministry.  STOP.  You are not just a janitor.  You have a unique set of gifts, talents, and abilities that God has given you to see dirt and know how to clean.  You see a mess and know how to bring order.  You know how to fix things.  You know how to clean things.  You know how to make things safe.  All of that stuff is very important.  You are gifted, and you are called.  Just imagine a world where everyone who is a janitor quits their job to go into full-time ministry.  That's not a world I want to live in. 

I had a conversation the other day with a friend of mine.  She said to me “ I'm a really good accountant but I'm thinking about quitting my job and going to work in a church. I just want my work to make a difference.  I want my work to matter to God.” So I said, “ You are not just an accountant.  You are someone uniquely gifted by God to work with numbers.  You organize those numbers so they make sense.  Without your set of unique gifts, talents, and abilities to work with numbers, the entire world would collapse.  God designed you right from the start to love working with numbers.  Embrace it.”  Now just imagine a world where everybody who's an accountant quit their jobs so they could go work in a church.  That's not a world I want to live in. 

If I hear one more person say that their job doesn't make a difference so they're going to quit their job and go work in full time ministry - I'm gonna explode.  You're not just a plumber.  You're a plumber who loves Jesus and who's really good at keeping people's water flowing, their toilets flushing, their drains draining and their hot water hot.  You're a blessing to everybody you serve because they depend on you for reliable plumbing.  And when you do an excellent job, God is glorified and you have an opportunity to tell people why you do things with excellence.  So you're not just a plumber, you're a Jesus follower who is a plumber.  You are gifted and you are called.  Just imagine a world where everybody who's a plumber quits their job and goes to work in a church.  That's not a world I wanna live in. 

Our country needs healing, and it starts with bringing healing to your workplace.   Frederick Buechner once said, "The place God calls you to is the place where your deep gladness and the world's deep hunger meet." I believe the greatest need is the healing of the lost and broken. Likely you have noticed brokenness in your workplace that needs to be healed. What are you doing about it? Praying about it? Seeking to understand it? Trying to find the person who is causing the brokenness? In our workplaces, we often find broken people bring their brokenness to work with them, and it multiplies. It's one reason you as a Jesus-follower are there. That brokenness needs healing, and you know the best healer in the world. Remember, since we follow Jesus, we are healers too. 

Our country needs healing, and it starts with bringing healing to your workplace.    Frederick Buechner said, "Pay attention to the things that bring a tear to your eye or a lump in your throat because they are signs that the Holy is drawing near." What injustice in your community brings you to tears? Homelessness, poverty, joblessness, sexual exploitation? What can you do about it? God provided you with a job and an income. What is that income for? For providing for your family and for bringing healing to your community. God asks that you Consider 10% of your income for ministering to the needs of the lost and broken. Sometimes those lost and broken are right next to you at work. Remember, Jesus is a healer, and since we follow Jesus, we are healers too. 

Our country needs healing, and it starts with bringing healing to your workplace. There is brokenness in us, in our world, work, and community. There is healing in Jesus. Today as you have zoom calls, meetings, sales calls, service calls, or power lunches, look for the broken around you through God's eyes. See people the way He sees them… as Image bearers. In following Jesus, we are to be like Him. He brought healing wherever he went. Sometimes it was physical, and sometimes it was emotional. Either way, He was a healer, and he wants you to heal too. You first, then others. By loving God and loving people, God will heal wounds through us. You are in your workplace on purpose because there is healing to be done. Remember, Jesus is a healer, and since we follow Jesus, we are healers too. 

How about praying for that bad boss or coworker who you struggle with? Most of the reason you likely struggle with them, is that they are not living or leading with the Holy Spirit's guidance, but how could we ever expect them to, if they don't know God? Now if you're like me, it's still tough to get yourself to pray for bad superiors. But again, like everyone, they have burdens, internal struggles and pain they have to deal with. And considering they're muscling through on their own steam, with no help of hope from a relationship with Jesus, maybe that thought is enough to lift them up in prayer. In fact, your prayers may be the only ones on their behalf that they ever receive. We need to have mercy on them as the Lord had on us. Pray that they follow the Father's call into the Kingdom. 

Unforgiveness can destroy us. God knows our heart of flesh can become hardened and lifeless if the wounds we have received are not allowed to heal. Jesus told all his disciples that we are to forgive others as we would like God to forgive us. In the workplace, there are people who look out for only themselves. Many times, their actions and attitudes can create in us something very unholy. We may find ourselves wishing the worst for them, secretly hoping that “they get theirs”. This mindset of hatred and bitterness is one that can fester and build over the years as more and more people make your “list”.  The Word of God is clear – we are not to harbor hate, but we are to love our enemies and forgive their misdeeds. It's hard work, but it is what Jesus demonstrated for us; and then commanded us to do likewise. 

Martha: Welcome to the iWork4Him Power thought for the day, we are Jim and Martha Brangenberg with iWork4Him   Jim: During your commute today, whether its walking down the hallway or driving down the highway, what will you think about?  Martha: Will you be caught up in the stress of the day or will you be preparing your heart for what God is going to do today, alongside you in your work?  Jim: God set the workplace standard before evil entered our world. He gave Adam a job to name all the animals. An almost impossible task, except that God brought all the animals to him.  Martha: You see, God doesn't expect us to get the job done without helping us.   Jim: What if today, on your “way” to work, you spend that time asking God to reveal His purpose in your work and your placement in your workplace. Neither are by accident.  Martha: How we spend our first moments of the day makes a huge impact on the rest of the day, especially our work. Spend your “commute” wisely today.  Jim:  For more about iWork4Him and the iWork4Him podcast, go to iWork4Him dot com.  That's iWork the number 4 Him dot com. 

God taught me how to shift the paradigm of work into a place of work interlaced with ministry, a workplace mission field. I prayed for those I worked with, I served them over and above, I befriended them, and I prayed with them. But I realized, none of these actions mattered if my work wasn't excellent. If I wasn't a great employee, with great work production, and great work relationships, no one would care about my faith. Others needed to see that my faith was real and that it applied to all of my life. Excellence needs to define who we are at work. Looking back, I made mistakes but I prayed with tons of people, made lifelong friends and even participated in leading one of my bosses to Jesus and another to rededication.  iWork4Him was born out of this story, can you say iwork4Him? 

During my morning commute to my new job, I began praying for the people I worked with and then serving them above what I was required to do but I knew that more was needed to shift my faith paradigm at work. I needed to really know these people I worked with. My wife and I started creating ways to get to know people outside of work to develop real relationships. We had people over for dinner, we went out after work, and ate lunch together. My intention was to know more about them as individuals, not just co-workers. I learned their spouses' names, their kids' names. I learned what bothered them and what encouraged them. At the same time, I let them know who I was. I shared about my family, my dreams, my struggles. We just shared life. I started to see the real people I worked with. Do you know your co-workers personally? 

Our God is a God of order. Look at His creation. In our bodies, every heartbeat and breath works with a thousand other systems to maintain life in every fiber of our being. The chemical balance within the kidney is precisely controlled, the fluid pressure in every cell is maintained, and our sleep tonight will initiate a series of brainwaves that defy even the experts to explain their purpose, rhythm and order. We are created in His image. We are called to be His reflection. On a regular basis, take time to create organization and order in your life. It is a Godly activity that reflects Him, His ways, and His world. It will increase your yield in your workplace, and in your everyday living, as His Word works in your life, today. Just remember, none of this is possible without a good night's sleep. 

We live in the midst of a non-stop world. Our responsibilities at home and work fill our thoughts the instant we wake up, then run with us throughout the day. Our jobs, meetings, phones, TV, personal trials and temptations are relentless, noisy invaders that drive us all our waking hours. The result – we can't hear God in our life, not enough anyway.  Would you recognize the Lord's soft voice if He walked up behind you? You would if you spent time with Him. Find a quiet place to daily ask Him about His Word, His world and your place in it. Before long you will not only know His voice, but will know Him, and be walking with Him. Start your days with your Bible in your hands not your phone. 

Do you act differently around your pastor than you do around your family or friends?  Most people do – even those who don't go to church.  We feel like we have to be on our best behavior.  We can't be our authentic selves.  On the other hand, how do coworkers act around each other?  It's usually easier to speak freely with the people we work with, especially if we've taken time to invest in a relationship with them.  As believers, that puts us in an ideal position to minister to our coworkers – a position that most pastors just don't have.  Don't lose sight of this incredible opportunity you have.  You might not speak from a pulpit, but neither did Jesus.  As Matthew 5:16 instructs:  let your light shine bright so that those around you will have no choice but to praise God!  You have more exposure to pre-believers than most pastors ever will 

You are a missionary. Mission work takes time. For many of you, you have trained for this mission, Sunday after Sunday for decades. You have studied daily for thousands of combined hours. You have worn your carpet thin with hours of interactive training with our Father. You have a calling and a gifting, and they have been combined to provide a career as a fully funded missionary. You have worked years developing a reputation of integrity and excellence. You have displayed love and understanding in a workplace where forgiveness is rare and kind words, well…not so much. You can speak the language now. You know those who are hurting most. You want those you work with to experience His love. The time you have invested in preparing the fields ripe for harvest is well spent. Begin the harvest now. 

You are a missionary. You are ready for this assignment. You are equipped with the supernatural power of the Holy Spirit inside of you, giving you access to all the power of God. You have been dispatched to your workplace on purpose because lost and hopeless people there need to meet Jesus. Because you work there, you understand the culture and the tasks at hand. You know the daily stresses and the victory of a well-served client. The person next to you in the pew and the person at the pulpit don't have the same advantage that you do in reaching the lost in your work. You are a light in a world dominated by people cloaked in darkness. You have trained for this. You are ready. Matt 5:16 says, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” 

You are a missionary. You know how I know? You are on a mission field in your workplace with lost and hopeless people who speak a different language than most people around you. Most of those around you speak in terms of hurt and disappointment. You speak a message fueled by love, forgiveness, and hope. Every day you talk with people, work with people and interact with people who have never heard the truth of the Gospel - the Good News about Jesus. They have a jaded idea about Jesus and the Bible and about church people, but most have NEVER read a single word Jesus spoke. They have never experienced the power of those transformational words. You are the bridge of hope to those you work with. Speak that truth today. 

You are a missionary. You are on a mission. Your Workplace is your mission field. Jesus said in Matthew 28:19 & 20 - Now wherever you go, make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. And teach them to faithfully follow all that I have commanded you. And never forget that I am with you every day, even to the completion of this age.” There is no question about calling – we are all called to go – wherever that is. You are a missionary to the largest unreached people group in America – Workplace Pre-Believers. Let that settle in. Lost and hopeless people surround you with an unending emptiness. Be Jesus to them today. Let your transformed life impact everything you do, and share Jesus with those you work with as you go.