Podcasts about iwork4him

Why do you go to work? Something gets you out of bed and on the clock. Is it for a paycheck, to get experience, or to feel like you're making a difference? All of us have a reason. If you paused and assessed yours, what would the answer be? For nine years we have opened the iWork4Him radio show and podcast by asking: Who do you work for, really? This simple question gets at the heart of the matter because when it comes down to it, there are only two people you can be working for: yourself or God. Either you are laboring for the things of this world – your comfort, wealth, status, and pride. Or you are laboring for the things of eternity – a harvest of righteousness and the fruit of the gospel. Your work matters to God – invite Him in! 

FEATURING: Jim & Martha Brangenberg Jim and Martha Brangenberg are only 58 – so what do they really know about retirement? A lot more than you’d think! After living in a retirement community for over two decades, they’ve seen firsthand what works (and what doesn’t) when it comes to life after a paycheck. In this episode, they challenge the American dream of retirement and explore the biblical perspective: Is retirement really about endless relaxation, or is there a greater purpose? They unpack what the Bible says, share stories of retirees who are thriving, and discuss how to prepare – mentally, spiritually, and practically – for a life of impact in your later years. If you’ve ever wondered what comes next after work, this episode will shift your perspective. Because if you have a pulse, you have a purpose! Get a copy of iRetire4Him at iWork4Him.com/bookstore Share your retirement story: 866-713-9675 Let’s redefine retirement – together. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When I graduated from high school, I had my life all planned out. For years I had felt God calling me into ministry, so naturally I planned to attend Seminary…. But then God asked me to take a right turn in my vocation - He asked me to go into business. At the time I didn't understand how I could feel called to ministry AND the marketplace, but today I can look back and see that all those years WERE ministry and that he was laying the groundwork for iWork4Him. Isaiah 55:8 says, “My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts…And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine.” We don't have the big picture, but GOD DOES! So, how about you? Are you saying NO or NEVER to something that God is asking you to consider? Try removing the word NEVER from your prayer life – and see what God does. 

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. 

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? 

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.  

In 2006 I started a new job commuting 90 miles each way to work. I made a commitment to not turn on the radio on my way into work. I wanted to dedicate that time to pray for my family, my bosses and their families, my co-workers, and my employees. I learned to be quiet and I learned to make notes when I heard things from the Lord in my prayer time.  I like to say that it Changed my life.  Over the 4 years of this commute, I watched one of my Bosses come to be a Jesus follower and one rededicate his life to Christ. I was able to pray many times with my employees and I was able to demonstrate through service and friendship that my life was changed by Jesus. iWork4Him was launched through this prayer time and the iWork4Him Nation Covenant was birthed out of the process God took me through. 

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. 

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! 

Martha: As you woke up today, did you find yourself celebrating the end of the work week?  Jim: We have all been trained to celebrate weekends and to dread our work.  Martha: But is that the way God feels?  Jim: I grew up thinking that work was a result of original sin. That the reason work was evil was that it came from evil.  Martha: But that was a lie. God created work long before Adam and Eve sinned. God gave us work to be fulfilled and for us to flourish.  Jim: Now work did get more difficult after Adam and Eve Sinned, but God still wants to walk alongside us in our work. Want proof? Read the biblical history on Abraham and his corporate empire or Joseph and Daniel on their government jobs.  Martha: God wants to join us in our work, and that is worth celebrating. God has a purpose for your work too. So TGIF today, that's okay but prepare yourself for TGIM come Monday.  Jim:  For more about iWork4Him and the iWork4Him podcast, go to iWork4Him dot com.  That's iWork the number 4 Him dot com. 

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.  

With the new reality that my work was in fact my place of ministry, my workplace mission field, I modified my workplace commute prayer time. I still prayed for my family, but I added my bosses, my coworkers, and eventually my employees. I noticed a funny thing happening. I started to see these people differently - the way God saw them. I grew in empathy and love for them, and I really started seeing myself as a minister in my workplace. In addition to the demands of my new job, I started to serve my co-workers over and above what I was required to do. This selfless serving of others caused them to see that something was different about me. I started to see my faith relevant to my work. My paradigm was shifting, and my heart was encouraged. Who can you start praying for today?  And then watch what God does to your heart. 

It all started with my new job. Commuting 90 miles to work. I made a commitment to not turn on the radio for the morning commute. I wanted to learn how to pray. My new job had so much adventure built in, but I wanted this job to be different. I prayed for my family on the way to work and others who had specific prayer requests but then God rocked my world. One day, in my email in box, my friend Bob sent me the Today God is First devotional from Os Hillman. For the first time, I learned that God loved my work and that my workplace was my mission field. I was floored. For years I had tried to go into full-time ministry in a church, but this devotional told me that I was already in ministry at my work.  You are in your mission field at work.  Let that sink in today. 

  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. 

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. 

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.

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. 

Changing the world. We all have that secret desire, don't we?  Changing the world in Kingdom terms is not measured in the BIG, the BIGGER and the BIGGEST actions in our life and work. It's the opposite. Changing the world happens, one person, one word and one action at a time. It can be as small as a smile, a kind word, or a self-less act of service. It's counter-intuitive, just like the work of Christ. So how about you?  Would you like to change the world? Would you be willing to start today, changing the corner of the world where God has placed YOU?  We invite you to start changing the world RIGHT NOW, with ONE smile, ONE kind word, and ONE kind action.

Are you stuck in a rut or comfortably nestled in there? Have you been “doing your Christianity the same way, with the same people, in the same ministry, in the same church? In the same type of work? With the same company?” When's the last time you stopped, poked your head UP OUT OF THE daily rut and asked “Lord, am I doing your will? Am I doing ministry and my work YOUR WAY?  Where do YOU want me?”  So how about you? When's the last time you considered re-thinking how you're walking out your faith? And who you're working or ministering with?  When's the last time you got UNCOMFORTABLE, in order to follow The Lord? We invite you TODAY, to ask in prayer “Lord, where do you want me?”

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 

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?

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?”

I try to keep my heart pure and intimate with Christ, so I can be a source of light and encouragement to the people I work with. That's the faith at work philosophy of a millennial professional we interviewed. What a beautiful philosophy of how we can really prepare and BE Christ at work. So how about you?  Is your heart pure and intimate with Christ so YOU can be a source of light and encouragement to YOUR co-workers?  How about today, before stepping into work, you prayed this prayer: Father, purify my heart, that may I BE Christ to everyone I work with today. Use me Father, to be a source of light and encouragement to everyone I work with. In Jesus's name.

Heard this great reminder from a manager of a Christian Retail company “The biggest challenges in my life and work have been when I have forgotten WHO God is, or WHO I AM in Christ.” So how about you? Are you in the midst of a challenge at work? If so, CLING to the words of God. Remind yourself right now who you are IN HIM, not the words of what the world tells you. Here are just a few:     I am a child of God, I am Jesus' friend, I am a NEW creation, I am an heir with Christ, I am chosen, holy, and blameless before God and I have been blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places. 

What's the fastest way to get what you DON'T want?  Tell the Lord “I will NEVER _________________” Yep, just ask any other Christ follower who's made the mistake of saying something like that.  You WILL end up being exactly where YOU said you would NEVER be or DOING something you said you would never do.  Our thoughts are not God's thoughts and His ways are NOT our ways. We don't have the big picture, but God does.  So how about YOU? We're challenging you to remove the word NEVER from your vocabulary and to replace it with scripture, such as Matthew 6:33 Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. 

Have you ever considered that God wants to use YOUR business influence, the position He's put you in, as a “platform” for Him? A stage on which to do your work while others watch and see HOW you work? If you lead just ONE person or have interact with groups of people inside OR outside your business, like vendors or, contractors, then you have a platform. A platform designed by GOD for you, for such a time as this. That you would work for His glory, show His characteristics of caring, courage, diligence, fairness, integrity, respect, responsibility, and trustworthiness. So how about you? When they watch you work do, they see YOU, or do they see Christ? 

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. 

Have you ever met someone that lives one integrated life? They seem to flow seamlessly between their work and personal life without pause or care.  What is this? It's authenticity. And its attraction is unparalleled. How is it possible? It's living a life based on Godly values. I'd hazard a guess a person like this lives their values in this order: God, Family, and Service.  When we LIVE BY our values, decisions are easier, relationships are easier, and knowing where to invest our time, talent and treasure is easier. Because our values ARE our priority. And our heart lines up with our values, and those line up with our thoughts, our thoughts then direct our words and actions.  How are YOU living your values at work today? 

Culture. Webster's defines it in the corporate realm as: the set of shared attitudes, values, goals, and practices that characterizes an institution or organization. How aware are YOU of YOUR COMPANY'S culture? When's the last time you really stopped and took a look at it?  How does it align with your OWN personal values as a Christ follower? And if you're a leader, what are you doing to ensure your culture aligns with God's word and will?  Romans 12:2, “Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God's will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.” What is ONE ACTION you will take THIS WEEK, to align YOUR CULTURE with God's will? 

Generosity. Is it an action, a state of the heart, or a mind-set? I heard recently that generosity is BEST when it includes all three and we compare it with IMPACT.  Have you ever thought about your giving in this way? That your giving could possibly be leveraged for the highest impact for eternity? What if we all stopped and looked and prayed over the resources we have, and re-committed the 10% tithe of all our income, to MAXIMIZE impact for the Kingdom?  Isaiah 32:8 says “But generous people plan to do what is generous, and they stand firm in their generosity.”  What will you do today, to put on this new “eternal” mindset of generosity? 

Ecclesiastes 4:12 says A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken.  Are you a Christian standing alone in your work or professional life? Are YOU standing alone in OTHER areas of your life? What if you prayed and asked for a group that you could “do life and work” together with?  We, as God's creation, were BUILT for community. IF you have no community, you may be operating out of God's will or, slogging or surviving, vs. thriving.  We challenge you today, to ask a trusted Christian friend, or to go online and search for a Christ-honoring community to be a part of. 

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'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?

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. 

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? 

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. 

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? 

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? 

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. 

Money. We all need it to live. Is your view of money healthy and in alignment with biblical principles?  Is the WAY you use it serving man, or God and His Kingdom.  1 John 3:17 says If someone has enough money to live well and sees a brother or sister in need but shows no compassion—how can God's love be in that person?   How about your income? How about your company's revenue? Are you tithing from your corporate revenue stream? Have you ever considered it?  We challenge you today, to pray about your personal and corporate tithing. And ask God HOW YOU should be using the income He's blessed YOU WITH to serve your fellow man, God and His Kingdom. 

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? 

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.  

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. 

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? 

I think it's safe to say that the media focuses on, and provides negative news these days.  Should we just take it, and keep feeding ourselves this negativity? How does this affect your work? Do you take it with you?  What are you chatting with your co-workers about? And are you feeding the beast of “all that's wrong with world”?  Or are you speaking life at work. We can, and should consciously choose what we WILL and WILL NOT listen to. Philippians 4:8  exhorts us: And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. 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. We invite you today, to observe WHAT you speak at work, and shift it to glorifying God. 

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.   

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. 

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?