iWork4Him PowerThought

When we start to pray, I mean really pray, it changes our lives. When we realize that God isn't looking for just prayers over meals or on Sunday morning during church, God is looking for a conversation that is ongoing in our minds, souls, and lips all day. When we start to incorporate talking with our heavenly father all day long, our lives will never be the same. That's what God intended. He intended to walk through life with us, working with us, living with us, and transforming our lives to look more like His son Jesus. Jesus understood this and focused significant time on listening to His Father and talking with Him at length. It led Him to the Cross, and it saved you and me. Remember, Prayer changes lives; it changed mine for sure.

I grew up struggling with bitterness and anger. I don't know about you, but I never was taught how to process my feelings. Pretty much most men in America have been told not to have feelings. Let alone how to process them. So, I had a lot of bitterness in my heart; then, I was challenged to start praying for the people I was against. The people I had bitterness in my heart towards. Praying for others who had hurt me or I had hurt opened up a whole new door in my heart to let out all that bitterness and anger and bring healing. It also prompted me to seek forgiveness from those I had wronged and those who wronged me. Prayer softened my heart towards those I thought were enemies. Prayer is so powerful in this way. My softened heart is so much more effective in living out my faith at work.

I grew up thinking that prayer was like praying to a genie or putting things on my Christmas list for Santa. I thought that prayer would open the door to getting the things I wanted. Growing up in my faith as a teenager and into my 20s, I realized that my prayer life was pretty weak. But then I started praying for other people. And when I began praying for others, I saw that God opened doors for me to love those people in ways I never thought possible. Prayer opens doors that otherwise would be shut tight. What kind of doors do you need open in your life today? Pray about it. See what God has in store for you today, and let him show you how prayer is a key to unlocking His promises for you.

I think we underestimate the power of prayer. Some of us grew up in churches where prayer was boring, repetitive, used big words, and was often meaningless. However, the disciples saw something different about prayer. They experienced prayer while walking alongside the savior of the world. They saw prayer as a powerful thing. They did not see prayer as a ritual but as an interaction with their Heavenly Father. There is power in prayer because we pray to a powerful God. Remember that today as you pray on your way to and from work. Beginning your work day with prayer leads to life-changing work. Have you invited the power of prayer into your workplace? Whether the answer is yes or no, start today recognizing God wants to be involved with your work and talk with Him about it.

A pastor is a shepherd, and a shepherd/pastor spends time with his sheep, reassuring them with his voice and lending them a sympathetic ear while carrying them when they are weak, sick, in danger, or hurt. What's great about being a shepherd is that shepherds get to be good listeners. They may be talking to the sheep, but most sheep know they can just hang out with the shepherd without getting a lecture. That's a super great way for us to minister to the sheep that we've been entrusted with. Sit down and listen to people. Having your assigned sheep know you can be a listening ear without judgment is such a great gift. Practice being a shepherd today in the lives of those you work with by listening, and see how your relationship grows in trust and love.

A pastor is a shepherd, and a shepherd/pastor helps his sheep out of difficult situations. We don't have to wait for our sheep to get into dangerous situations; we can guide them away from danger. Sometimes, it's too late, and our co-workers are already in trouble. Sometimes, the people we work with don't know they're flirting with disaster, but you sure can tell. Maybe it's flirtatious behavior at work or going to the bar after work. Perhaps they just don't know that the behavior they are deep in could end in disaster. By gently guiding them away or distracting them to something healthier, you are a pastor to them. Shepherd people away from danger before they get there and be there without judgment if they get into trouble before you can stop them. A pastor/shepherd is always willing to put others first and to speak up when he sees a sheep in danger.

A pastor is a shepherd, and a shepherd/pastor protects his sheep from the enemy's attacks. What does this look like in your workplace? The enemy attacks everybody a little differently. Some he attacks with anger and bitterness. Some he attacks with making stupid decisions. Some he attacks with addictions. You can walk alongside those you work with and show them they are heading into enemy territory. That they're in danger And that you know a solution. You may even get a call on a Friday night from a co-worker who has gotten in over their head, and needs a ride home. That call only comes if a relationship exists. That relationship allows you to be a pastor to them, and a pastor protects his sheep. When you see your sheep in trouble, show them the way to safety.

A pastor is a shepherd, and as a shepherd, a pastor guides his sheep to green pastures. What does that look like in your workplace? Often, we have conversations with those we work with and they are not hanging out in Green pastures. They're hanging out in mud pits or sewer pits or drainage ditches. Many of them don't know anything different. They grew up in a drainage ditch, a mud puddle, or a sewer pit. That's what their life has always looked like. We serve a living savior who wants each one of us to live life to its fullest; as a pastor in your workplace, lead people to the green pastures, where they can eat spiritual food that will replenish, restore, and renew them. Just because someone grew up in a pretty broken place, doesn't mean our Father can't renew them. Embrace your role as Pastor and lead people to green pastures at work.

This week, we're going to focus on the role of Pastor in the marketplace. I believe that many of you have been given the gift of being a pastor/Shepherd, and that role is critical in your workplace. Pastors are guides, leaders, protectors, intercessors, and teachers. So often, we're unaware of the gifting that we've been given. For those of you who naturally Shepherd people, loving people right where they're at, your calling is so important to reaching the lost at work. You may be a CEO, a Supervisor, a Manager, or a team lead, but you know who you are, and you know that you have been given a gift to shepherd and love people. This is an incredible gift. Celebrate the fact that you are a shepherd, and look for ways to use this gift to show others the savior.

This week, we've talked about the shift from iWork4Him to I Work With Him. We've talked about seeing the people God places before you every day. We've talked about involving God in our day-to-day work as we work with Him. We've talked about involving God in our decisions as we work with him. But we also need to remember that by working with God, we also have access to the power of God. Jesus said he never did anything that the Father didn't want Him to do. When Jesus was within God's will, he had all kinds of supernatural power. And he said we would have the same power accessible to us. Do you think about the power of God flowing through you as you work with God? God is performing miraculous things across the globe every day as people allow him to work with them. Are you willing to let him do the miraculous with you today?