iWork4Him PowerThought

As we start our work week, let's remind ourselves of our calling to our work and God's plan for our work. Declare this now as you head to work today, walk to your office, or sit down to do your devotions. … "My workplace is my mission field, a place of full-time ministry… My workplace ministry manual is my Bible. …My calling to my workplace is not a second-class calling…. I dedicate my workplace as a mission field for God, and because of Jesus in my life, I am committed to celebrating the work that God gave me….AMEN"

Evangelism. We're ALL called to do it, but most of us feel ill equipped to… .... But we ARE called to do it, as it says in 1 Peter 3:15: Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if someone asks about your hope as a believer, always be ready to explain it. So we need to find a way that works for US. A member of Ambassadors for Business out of Minnesota told us He keeps a mug on his desk that says "Eternity is a long time". Invariably, most people who see it ask a question that often leads into a conversation of faith, and he gets an opportunity to share HIS relationship with Christ. .... It can be just that easy. ..... What will you keep on YOUR desk that could be an eternal conversation starter?

How's your level of anxiety? On a scale of 1-10? .... If it's higher than a 3, consider another way of living. Jesus came so that we would have life and have it more abundantly. Kathy Branzell, of Love2020 and the President of the National Day of Prayer says "I just wake up and thank the Lord for the day, and ask Him "what do You have for me today?" That's it. Wow, that sounds pretty stress free. .... What does stress-free look like in the Christ-follower's work world? It looks like Proverbs 3:5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. .... How will you live a more stress-free work life in Christ today?

There is a naughty "S" word in the Christian world. And it has SEVEN LETTERS not 4. It's the word "success". The biblical definition of success is the OPPOSITE of the world's definition. .... And as a Christ-follower, our definition of success is spelled "Faith and Obedience". The bible verse Matthew 25:21 does not say "well done, my good and successful servant." It SAYS: 'Well done, my good and FAITHFUL servant." The Lord is not interested in our earthly successes OR our list of accomplishments. Success is an earthly word. What if today, we replaced it in our hearts with "faith and obedience for His glory"? Will YOU replace success in YOUR heart, with faith and obedience in YOUR work today?

Talking with author and Professor Craig McAndrews the other day, I was struck by how many people's story of how they met Christ has happened through the workplace. Many more than I would have even imagined. .... We often say, "you may be the ONLY CHRIST your co-workers will ever meet." And the amount of people we meet that is proving that to be true increases every week. .... Did you know iWork4Him's big vision is to transform the workplace of every Christian in America into a mission field? All 50 million of US. .... Join us. 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.

On the shore of the sea of Galilee, Jesus sees Peter, who at the time is a fisherman and invites him to shift his "work" from being a fisherman of fish, to a fisher of "men". If you are a Christ follower, you too, are being called to shift from being a lawyer, an engineer, a customer service rep. to being a fisher of "people". .... Right where God has placed you, in YOUR workplace. .... And Jesus called out to them, "Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people!" 20 And they left their nets at once and followed him. .... How will YOU begin to shift today from being a professional _"BLANK"___________ to being a professional fisher of people?

Do you want God to unlock His purpose for you in your work? As you execute the first 4 steps of the iWork4Him Nation Covenant: Praying for, serving, befriending, and praying with others, remember your work behavior is important. The final step of the iWork4Him Nation Covenant is to be someone of excellence in your work. Be the best and brightest example of a worker in your workplace position. Excellence makes your behavior believable and your faith real. Excellence gives you a platform for sharing your faith. As a Jesus Follower, everything about us should be changing, and everyone around you should be benefiting from your faith, whether they believe in Jesus yet, or not. Colossians 3:23 says, "23 Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters."

Does God care for the people you work with? Of course, He does. In step 4 of the iWork4Him Nation Covenant, look for opportunities to pray with others. When you continually work alongside the same people, you know their typical manners and facial expressions. When you notice someone having an off day, ask them, "How are you doing?" when they say, "I'm Fine," keep asking, "No really, how are you doing? I noticed you looked a little down today" then wait and be QUIET. When they have shared what is on their heart, ask, "Can I pray with you about that, right now?" I have never had someone say "No" when I followed these steps. Matthew 18:20 says, "For where two or three gather together as my followers, I am there among them." When you pray, you are opening the door for them to meet your savior.

Do you want to see your workplace as a mission field? In step 3 of the iWork4Him Nation Covenant, we encourage you to befriend your co-workers or employees outside of the office. Why? Our work relationships are work focused and can be shallow. When you build friendships on your own turf, outside of work, real relationships develop. When you let someone into your world, it breaks down walls. Breaking down walls builds trust. Eventually, they will trust you when you share your Jesus story, the work He has done in your life. Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 says, "Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. 10 If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble" ….Be a real friend to someone today

Do you want to see your workplace transformed and have God unlock His purpose for you in your work? Step two of the iWork4Him Nation Covenant helps transform your workplace mindset into a mission-focused workplace ministry mindset. Start looking for ways to serve your co-workers, bosses, and/or employees outside your job requirements. Why? Anyone can do a job that meets expectations, but how many people help others meet or exceed expectations? When you go out of the way to help others at work with a stressful project or a mundane responsibility, you open up a door of ministry opportunity. Galatians 5:13-14 says for you have been called to live in freedom… use your freedom to serve one another in love. 14 For the whole law can be summed up in this one command: "Love your neighbor as yourself."