iWork4Him PowerThought

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.

Are you dreading Monday? Do you start to lose your joy come Sunday evening? .... What if instead of dreading Monday, you LOOKED FORWARD TO IT? What if instead of moaning about Monday, you prayed away your dread, and replaced it with thanks, and joy and intention? .... To pray that come Monday morning, you would FEEL GOD in your work, as you work. That your work would glorify God, that you would be the best Ambassador for God your workplace has ever seen? .... So how about you? Are you ready to be used by God in your work? To see Monday as a tremendous opportunity, to enjoy your work and to glorify God, and maybe even give your co-workers a glimpse of our Heavenly Father.

What if today, we committed to operate our businesses from a philosophy of "It's not about WHAT we sell or HOW MUCH we sell, it's about the LIVES we TOUCH and CHANGE." That's "God's way of doing business". And it's the exact OPPOSITE of everything we have been taught as professional business people. But isn't that always God's way? This counter-cultural philosophy is rooted in Matthew 6:33: But seek first HIS kingdom and HIS righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. What is the Lord asking YOU TO DO as a next step in seeking first HIS Kingdom in YOUR workplace?