iWork4Him PowerThought

What's your marriage got to do with your work? On the surface, nothing. But underneath, everything. .... Your home life directly affects your mindset, your attention, attitude and perspective. When our marriage is unhappy, we are distracted, less productive, and typically more negative. Time invested in our spouse produces fruit. And that fruit sustains us and goes before us in every aspect of our family, life and work. Are you investing as much time and effort in your marriage as you are in your work? .... Rick Warren said: "The best use of life is love. The best expression of love is time. The best time to love is now."

One of my favorite topics on faith in the workplace is to delve into the legal rights of Christ followers at work. We have more rights than most Christians know. And these legal rights are extremely important for every Christ follower to be aware of: Whether you are an employee, in management or own a company or run a non-profit. WHY? We're losing ground in our rights, because WE, the people of faith, have been so silent. .... We are hiding our faith in the closet for fear of creating problems, of disruption or of retribution. We are putting our peace and comfort BEFORE our God. .... We are NOT called to comfort but to live as James 4:17 says: Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it.

When's the last time you checked in on your worldview? We invite you to re-calibrate your worldview BACK to a biblical worldview. There are 5 components involved: 1. your view of God, .... 2. Your view of creation or reality ...., 3. Your view of humanity, 4. Your view of moral order and 5. Your view of purpose. If each Christ follower woke up every day with their biblical worldview firmly set in their minds and hearts, we could change the world for Christ in a day (or maybe a week!). Romans 12:2 reminds 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. Will you start TOMORROW with your biblical worldview recalibrated?

Mission fields are EVERYWHERE – including apartment communities. Statistics show that 96% of those who live in apartments, have no connection to a church. So, as a Christ follower, if you live in an apartment complex or work in one on-site, there's an opportunity to bring Christ to those that live there. Maybe you have Christian friends that live in an apartment. Would you be willing to share this idea with them? They have an amazing opportunity to start living INTENTIONALLY, loving on and caring for their neighbors. As we are all called to do wherever we live. .... 1 Corinthians 13:1 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. Are you ONLY a noisy gong or clanging cymbal where YOU live?

Generosity. Most of us probably think about money, when we hear that word. But what if, as Christ followers that is only ONE way to be generous? .... What if we are called to be generous with our "whole being"? Our words, thoughts, time, attention and influence? .... Psalm 112:9 says They share freely and give generously to those in need. Their good deeds will be remembered forever. They will have influence and honor. That sounds like a great model for us to live by today. How will you implement being generous with your words, thoughts, time, attention and influence in your life and workplace today?

We have heard it said from just about every Kingdom company we have interviewed that it is all about relationship. That putting people first makes all the difference in the health of their business. This concept is contrary to how the world has taught us to do it. But we have heard and seen in these Kingdom companies, that when you put people first before profits, the profits will follow. .... That is a heavenly model of doing business, vs. a worldly one. .... This proves out the words of Matthew 6:33 Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. What will you do today, to implement this Kingdom model of doing business?

How many of us think we are doing business God's way, when in reality, we are just Christians who love Jesus, go to church, and believe we live by Christian values? There's another way for us to start and run a business. To work and lead our teams. It's the Kingdom way. .... Start with God as your ultimate business partner, and ask Him what HIS plan is. And then keep moving based on what He's directed you to do. The mindset is: to be Kingdom minded, Kingdom focused and Kingdom motivated. When you are in this place, the business flourishes, almost effortlessly. .... When we are doing our job in faith and obedience, the fruit is produced, by God, in His way, In His time. Proverbs 16:3 Commit your actions to the Lord, and your plans will succeed

I recently heard a new term for a business where the leader is a Christ follower. He called his business a "for-profit ministry". .... That was his dad's term for their family business, a junkyard of all places. He had a holistic approach to it. Yes, he was a businessman, who was committed to turning a profit. AND, He saw it as an opportunity to help people by giving them a job, and helping them anyway he could…like sending their children to college. There was an intentionality of bringing Christ with him to the junkyard every day. As James 4:17 exhorts us: So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin. .... What about your mindset? We invite you to try on the "for-profit ministry mindset" today, and see what happens!

Is it enough to be an ethical and hard-working owner, employee or boss, or does Jesus ask us to BE something MORE? Over the past twenty years of being a student of faith at work, we've discovered that there are costs to being a Christ follower in the workplace. Not a Christian, a CHRIST FOLLOWER. .... There's a difference. .... And there are COSTS to making Him known at work. They are born out of 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. If we don't stand out, how are people going to know Jesus has radically changed our life? .... So we're asking, do YOU stand out in YOUR workplace?

When's the last time your beliefs about another generation were challenged? Mine were recently, after interviewing a couple, whose life's work is to teach and enable "generational reconciliation" in the workplace. What on earth is generational reconciliation? .... It's helping us, and each generation to understand the other generation, to know the truth about what they believe and to know the best attributes of each, so they can be appreciated and leveraged. .... What has it got to do with faith and work? Apparently, a great deal. In the next two years, Millennials will make up 50% of the workplace. If you own a business or manage anyone from this generation, your knowledge of them will be a huge predictor of "meeting with ETERNAL and EARTHLY success". How will YOU seek generational reconciliation in YOUR WORKPLACE this week?