iWork4Him PowerThought

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.

Your work matters to God, and God has strategically placed you in your workplace to be his representative. But what exactly does it mean to be a representative of God? 1 John:4 says, that God IS love. So, when we genuinely love people, we are giving them a taste of who God is – it's as easy as that! Being a representative of God in the workplace doesn't mean that you need to be a pastor, an evangelist, or an apologist – all you need to do is love God and love the people around you with authenticity, transparency, and humility. So, when you go to work, remember that you have an opportunity to be a representative of God by showing care and respect to those around you. Pick one way this week to show your coworkers that you genuinely love them, and so does God!

I almost finished a 500 piece puzzle the other day, but one piece was missing. I searched high and low but I couldn't find it anywhere. In the end, I couldn't complete the picture with just 499 pieces… I needed the last one. 1 Corinthians 12:27 says, "You are the body of Christ. Each one of you is a part of it." YOU are a part of the body of Christ and YOU bring something unique to this world - something only you can bring! Your skills, gifts, and passions help reveal who Jesus is to the world. But… if you aren't engaging, the puzzle is missing an essential piece and the picture is incomplete! God wants to use you, right where you are, to reflect Himself to your coworkers, bosses, friends and neighbors. Are you using your skills and gifts for the glory of Christ today?

So often, we notice the people we work with are struggling. We can see that they're down and out and that they sometimes just need a hug. Since hugging isn't always acceptable at work, the second best thing we can do is ask them how they're doing. It opens up a door of opportunity for us to listen. But even after that opportunity to listen, comes the opportunity to pray. When someone has shared something significant with me, I always ask if I can pray with them about that right now. When we pray with people, it opens the door to heaven for them. When we pray with people, they see that God is real. When we pray with people, they can experience God right alongside us. Look for those opportunities to pray with people and see the difference it makes in your relationships at work.

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?

How many decisions do you need to make in a day? What time to get up? What clothes to wear? What route should I drive to work? What should I eat for breakfast, lunch, or dinner? We make decisions all day long. When was the last time you said, "God what do you want me to wear today?" Or "God, what do you want me to do with you today at work?" I think it's incredible that I lived more than 50 years before I realized that God wanted to be involved in the intimate details of my work every day. God wants to work with me, and He wants me to ask Him questions about what I am dealing with at work. As you make the paradigm shift from iWork4Him to I work with him, ask him questions and see what a difference it makes.

It took me a long time to realize that my workplace was my assigned place of ministry. I didn't need to quit my job to go into full-time ministry. That my life as an insurance guy was the life that God had put me into so that I could touch the people around me. At first, I thought it was just a job, and then I realized that these jobs were a means to an incredible end. I needed to see that I was working with God on His mission that He was allowing me to be a part of. It's humbling to realize that God loves me so much that He wants me to be involved with Him in my work and with the people I work with. Not just the people but also the work that I do. God wants to work with me; will you let Him work with you, too?

Working with God instead of for God involves a paradigm shift. Moses, Joseph, Joshua, David, and Elijah did it, and of course Jesus did too. Each one of them worked with God on the mission He had them on. They were accomplishing things with God and at His direction. God has placed you uniquely in a workplace with people He loves dearly. He is already working on their hearts, and He'd like you to join Him in loving them, too. They might be difficult to love, and some of them might be almost impossible to love. But God has chosen you to be Him in your workplace. God has chosen you to introduce Jesus to these people He's been working on since the day they were born. This year, decide to work with God on loving the people you work around.

iWork4Him, iWork4Him, iWork4Him, this is the mantra we've been speaking into your life for the last 11 years. It's what we needed to learn. It's the reality we needed to be in touch with. We needed to understand that our work matters to God. We need to understand that our workplace is our place of ministry. We need to understand that our workplace is our mission field, full of lost and hopeless people who need to meet Jesus. It's time to take it to the next level. New Year, new challenge. God wants you to go so much deeper with Him. So we need to switch from iWork4Him to i work with Him. God & you are involved in the details of your daily work life. But we have to invite Him in. It's no longer going to work for Him; it's going to work with Him, right where He is involved in the people's lives around you. Don't miss the uniqueness of this calling.

2024 is bound to be filled with awesome adventures with the Lord. There are so many things to look forward to. What is it that the Lord has placed on your heart to look forward to? I have been praying for years that I could just hear my heavenly father's voice in my daily interactions and my transactions so that no matter what I'm doing, I'm doing it with him. I spent many years working for God, but in 2024, I want to complete the transition to working with God, to seeing where he is at work And working with him at what he is trying to accomplish. I want to notice people before they notice me. I want to love the least of these and be an example for others of what it means to be a great husband, father, and son. Set your sites on 2024 and what God has in store for you. Happy New Year.

What am I looking forward to in 2024? More adventure, more challenges, more time with my kids and grandkids. More time crafting and more time in my garden. I want more time with my mom and maybe some vacation time with Jim. What I know that I'll get in 2024 is more stretching by my heavenly father. I know I will get More time with him because that's what I need. I want 2024 to be the year where I shift my thinking from always completing a to-do list as iWork4Him to resting and abiding in him and listening for his still, small voice as I learn to work with him. What about you? What is your goal for 2024? Will you learn to work with him this next year? Happy New Year!

Coming to the end of 2023, do I have any regrets? No. I learned in 2023 that regrets or shame cannot define my life. Regrets and shame come from the enemy, and that's not how my heavenly father wants me to view my life. Did I make some mistakes? Absolutely. Did I screw up many things? Absolutely. Did I love my wife like Christ loves the church every day? Nope, but I wanted to. Did I love every person God brought before me? Nope, but I wanted to. Did I live my life in a way that pointed people to Jesus? Most of the time. That, to me, is a victory. 2023 will go down in the annals of "Jim's history" as a year where God showed himself not in my activity but in my obedience. Happy New Year!

As I look back on 2023, I see that God used adversity in my life to take me from who I am to who he can use more effectively. He taught me how to wait, he taught me how to abide, and he kept reminding me that I needed to do more resting. I struggle with all these things as Jim and I tried to learn them together, but 2023 will always go down in our lives as a year when we learned just to be with God. When you look back on 2023, what will it remind you of? What was the one thing God was trying to work on in your life all year long? Whatever it is, make sure you learn it so 2024 can be a whole new adventure. Happy New Year!

We are coming up to the new year. Which means we're coming to the end of another year. Are we going to celebrate both or just one or the other? I think we need to do both this week. Today, I want to focus on how God has done amazing things in my life this year. He loved me too much to leave me as I was. He stretched me, he taught me, he loved me, and he guided me. As I come to the end of 2023, I recognize that I'll never be the same guy I was in 2022. I love my Heavenly Father for that, and I can't wait to see what he has for me in 2024. What about you? Are you grateful for 2023 and looking forward to 2024? I know I am. Happy New Year.

It's the last workday before Christmas, and all through the house are Christmas presents wrapped and hidden in closets, hanging out with a mouse. Did you know that some people won't have gifts this Christmas? Not only will they not have presents but they'll also be alone on Christmas day. As you consider your Christmas plans, do they include someone new? Before leaving your workplace today, make sure that nobody you work with will be alone on Christmas day. If you find out somebody will be alone, would you invite them over for Christmas dinner? It could be the most impactful thing you do for 2023. The greatest gift you can give this year to a co-worker may be the gift of your friendship. Wrap that up with a bow and give someone a very Merry Christmas.

You know, I'm not a very good listener. I mean to be a good listener, but I get distracted pretty easily. I find that when I'm not being a very good listener to my wife Martha, she gets frustrated. She would like me to be a good listener all the time. And I would like to be a good listener all the time. I am working on it, but it sure doesn't come easy. Do you know why? Cause I like to TALK! Did you know that being a good listener can be a great gift to somebody? Every day, we work alongside people who are hurting. Some of them are lost and hopeless, too. When we ask them how they're doing, one of the greatest gifts we can give them is to listen to their answer. You can give this gift all year long, but start this week by being a good listener at work. Merry Christmas.

One of the greatest gifts we can give others, is to be present with them. Not give them presents, although everybody loves to get gifts, but to be present with them. So often, we're so busy this time of year; We are too busy for conversations. We're too busy to sit down with people. We spend so much time looking for presents for them that we miss the opportunity to be present with them. Jesus taught us to be present with them. That is the gift they need. Take time to sit down over a cup of coffee, hot chocolate, or, in Jim's case, maybe an eggnog. Being present with people could be one of the greatest Christmas gifts they get this year. Find a way to be present with somebody from work this week, and Merry Christmas.

Christmas is an incredibly influential season in our country. People ramp up and get prepared for Christmas months in advance. But when it comes right down to it, and we're cramming through the malls to do our shopping, people aren't always very kind. As a believer in the workplace, can you be exceptionally kind to those you work with? Not everybody is nice this time of year, but we have everything to be excited about as believers. Christmas represents the beginning of God's rescue plan—sending his son to earth. We have everything to be grateful for and have every reason to be kind to those we work alongside. What does kindness look like in your workplace? Sometimes it's just a smile. It may be an encouraging word or some kind of other action. Be kind to those you work with. It says a lot. Merry Christmas!

This Christmas season, we, as believers in the workplace, need to be a gift to the people around us. Today, I want to talk about Love. It's hard to love everybody, but Jesus told us to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us. So Jesus knew it was hard to love, but He commanded us to do it anyway. Be a gift to those that you work around by loving on them. Some days, it means you might not like them, but if you pray for them, it'll be much easier for you to love them. Christmas is a celebration of an incredible demonstration of love. The least we can do is love those we work alongside. You shouldn't have to work too hard to find someone to love on at work. Merry Christmas.

Jesus said that our unity would attract others to Christ because our unity would show that Jesus came from our heavenly father. In other words, when we walk as one in the marketplace, our neighborhoods, our communities, and our country, the message is loud and clear: Jesus has transformed the lives of all these people, and they walk as one in love. It's so important that we, as workplace believers, display our love for Jesus in unity, to attract others into conversations and, eventually, a relationship with Him. Our unity is attractive. That was Jesus's idea all along. For the remainder of this year, look for ways to walk in unity with your brothers and sisters in Christ to solve your community's problems and bring Jesus-sized solutions to those who need it.

Almost 2000 years have passed since Jesus returned to heaven. In the last 500 years, denominational segregation has plagued the body of Christ. We all go to different churches on Sunday. We live in a town of about 2000 people with 15 different churches and 15 different denominations. Very little ministry is coordinated for the ministry to this small town by the leaders of those churches. There is hope because marketplace and political leaders are unifying in Christ to bring flourishing to this town. When we are unified as followers of Jesus, outside our denominational hold, we can impact our cities and communities for good. When we face the problems together, we are so much stronger and more powerful. When Christ followers unite, no weapon of the enemy can stand against us. Those weapons may be poverty, drug addiction, broken families, et cetera. Let's unite as Jesus followers and bring good to our cities.

Do you know what's great about believers? We all experience God differently. I know this because we're all different. Not one of us is the same. Jim and I got to sit down with some friends here in our small town in Missouri just the other day. We go to different churches on Sunday, yet we share a sweet fellowship in Christ. They shared some of their traditions surrounding the giving and taking of communion. While their traditions are very different than ours, the commonality is the communion. As believers in Jesus let us work hard at focusing on the things we have in common despite the efforts of denominations to split us, and focus on the things that the Bible teaches us clearly. The power of a unified church cannot be overcome. Let's find unity by celebrating the diversity of how others worship Jesus.

What has amazed me most in the last 11 years is the incredible unity in the body of Christ out in the marketplace. On Sunday, we are the most segregated, separated people on the planet. But on Monday morning, when we go to work, nobody cares about Denominations. All they care about is, "I want to hang out with and do business with people who love Jesus. I don't care that you may show your love for Jesus in a different way than I do or sing different songs on Sunday than I do. All I care is that you love Jesus." Jesus prayed for us in John 17. He prayed that we as believers would be one so that through that oneness, the world would know that God sent Jesus. In the marketplace, I see this unity. For the sake of the people in our communities, let's lay down our denominational swords and walk in Unity as we minister to their needs in the name of Jesus.

Have you ever wondered where all of the denominations in Christianity come from? I mean really, 2000 years ago, there were the Jews and the Gentiles. Today, we have 43,000 "Christian" denominations around the world. What happened? I'll tell you what happened. People. Instead of focusing on the unity Christ talked about in John 17, Christ followers throughout the centuries have focused on differences in traditions and interpretations that broke Christianity into 43,000 pieces. On Sunday morning, the church is segregated and separated. But denominations have no place in the marketplace, so it's easy to unify on the message of Jesus. Don't let your denominational commitment on Sunday get in the way of you forming solid relationships with other believers in the marketplace on Monday.

When the internet was created, the goal was the free-flowing of shared information for the good of humanity; what resulted was much more sinister than that. How do you love the Lord your God with all your strength if you spend too much time on the internet looking and experiencing things that sap your strength? That fills you with filth, that plagues you with guilt and shame. Living in this world makes it impossible to Love God to the fullest. The enemy comes to steal, kill, and destroy; Jesus came to bring life so we can live it to the fullest. Does your internet surfing lead to life or death? Stop Ignoring the dangers of the internet at work and home and put some digital armor in place like a safe internet VPN with Web filters and anti-virus and protect your strength.

When the internet was created, the goal was the free-flowing of shared information for the good of humanity; what resulted was much more sinister than that. We are called to love the Lord our God with all our soul. What's creeping around in your soul? Is it scripture, or is it what you watched on TV last night? Is it the latest sermon you read or the pornographic videos you ingested over lunch? Is it your weekly bible study topic, or is it your deep desire to place a bet on the next race at the track? Your soul is a precious place, and our eyes are the windows to our soul. What are they seeing? Choose to protect your soul and those you work with and live with. Stop Ignoring the dangers of the internet at work and home and put some digital armor in place like a safe internet VPN with Web filters and anti-virus and protect your soul.

When the internet was created, the goal was the free-flowing of shared information for the good of humanity; what resulted was much more sinister than that. We are called to love the Lord our God with all our mind. Are you? What do you fill your mind with? It is so easy with the internet everywhere, both in public and private, to fill our minds with EVERYTHING but God and His Love. We stream TV at levels like never before. Because we can binge-watch anything, we fill our minds with murder, horror, and sex. Without being careful, our minds can become a playground for evil. At work and home, protect your mind so you can fill it with HIM and His word. Stop Ignoring the dangers of the internet at work and home and put some digital armor in place like a safe internet VPN with Web filters and anti-virus and protect your mind.

When the internet was created, the goal was the free-flowing of shared information for the good of humanity; what resulted was much more sinister than that. We are called to love the Lord our God with our hearts, but when our hearts are distracted by the evils of the internet, God can't find a place. Do you know if your heart is safe whenever you surf the web? What about your kids, your spouse, or your grandkids when they visit? At work, are the people you work with struggling with a heart addiction to internet sins like pornography and gambling? What are you doing to help protect their hearts? Are there guardrails in place to keep the internet a healthy place at work? Stop ignoring the dangers of the internet at work and home and put some digital armor in place like a safe internet VPN with Web filters and anti-virus and protect your heart.

When the internet was created, the goal was the free-flowing of shared information for the good of humanity; what resulted was much more sinister than that. Every day, we use the internet to do our jobs, complete our shopping, and study our bible. However, if we are not careful, the internet can lead us to pornography, inappropriate relationships, gambling addictions, and more. We think we have the willpower to resist all the daily temptations on the internet, but statistics now prove we do not. Huge percentages of men and women, teens, and children have been exposed to pornography on the internet and find themselves driven to view more and more of it. Create a work and home environment where God can heal and stop this destruction. Put some digital armor in place, because the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.

Every year, people are elected to the local boards of education in your area. How many of them are believers? Less than 10%. Getting on the local school Board of Education does not require a degree; it requires a willingness and obedience to a call from God. As believers, we have walked away from the public school system for far too long, and it is time to take a stand and get involved where possible. The kids of this next public school generation need you. We celebrate you believers who are on your local school Board of Education. You are not alone, but there are far too few of you. Please consider running for your local school Board of Education and serve on a mission field that desperately needs an intervention from God.

Christ-following Principals, Vice Principals, Guidance Counselors, and office staff within the public school system serve in a massive mission field. So many in their profession have been misguided and deceived to believe that God has no place in the public schools and that in fact, He does not exist. The religion taught in our public schools today is humanism – a religion as old as Noah. We celebrate those believers who venture off to their public school administrative jobs today. Take heart, you are not alone, and God has not been kicked out of the public schools because YOU ARE THERE, and He is there in YOU. Maybe you are listening today and feel called to join your brothers and sisters in this challenging mission field. Great. You are desperately needed on the mission field of the public school system. Never underestimate the power of obedience in a believer's heart to respond to God's call.

We often think of missionaries as people who have graduated from college or seminary and being sent off overseas. I define the word missionary as someone who is a follower of Jesus who has been sent into a field of people who are lost and hopeless and need to meet Jesus. The public school system is such a mission field. Our students who know and love Jesus are the missionaries sent behind enemy lines to bring Jesus to their fellow students. We celebrate these students today and pray for them because their workplace is the education place. Their workplace involves desks and learning and studying. Their mission field surrounds them in every classroom, at every lunch table, and in every gym class. Can you take time today to Encourage a local student missionary?

I know that many of you have been told that in order to serve as a missionary, you need to go overseas. No way. The mission field of the public school system is monstrous. Teachers who enter the classroom every day serve as missionaries and representatives of God at every education level in America. This mission field is under attack. And it's been under attack for over 60 years. Maybe More. There is a desperate need for more believers to set aside their comfort and become public school teachers willingly. Your faith is needed in classrooms of every type and subject. We celebrate those believers who serve as teachers in the public school system today, but we recognize they need more backup. Please consider joining the missionary team at a public school near you. The public school students in your community need to meet Jesus, and you may be their only hope.

What's the definition of a mission field? It is a place where lost and hopeless people live and work. The public school system is one massive mission field. Some incredible believers are teachers, aids, and administrators throughout the public school system, but we need more. God and the Bible have been weaseled out of every corner of our education system. But take heart: those of you serving in the mission field of the public school system are being prayed for today. Don't give up. The fields are ripe for harvest. More of you are desperately needed there to serve as teachers, aides, school board members, and administrators. So please pray for those serving in this battleground mission field and consider joining them in the fight for the souls of our public school students.

We go to work so we have money. We need money to pay our bills and to buy things. Where I spend my money matters to God, especially if I know that those companies are supporting things that are actually anti-God. We work with Inspire Investing to ensure our investments are biblically responsible. We chose a mobile carrier, Patriot Mobile, because they are pro-God, pro-family, and pro-country. We select our retailers, ensuring our dollars are not being spent to support the things we fight against every day. That may mean that sometimes we must go out of our way shopping. It also may mean that sometimes we just don't buy. Christ calls on us to be good stewards. Good stewards of our time. Good stewards of our work. And good stewards of our money. Steward it all well.

In our family, I spend most of the money at retail stores. Jim spends most of the money online. When we have the choice, we choose retailers that we know are either pro-god, pro-family, pro-country, or at least neutral on these subjects. Finding neutral companies is very difficult. Our country is polarized even in our retail environment. Years ago, we took a bullseye to a certain retailer and stopped shopping there because they supported the abortion industry. Today, they are one of the largest retail supporters of alternative lifestyles. When our money walks, our money talks. Recently, a large beverage retailer made a huge marketing blunder. It cost them billions of dollars because they didn't know who their customers were. Those customers walked, and those dollars talked. As a Jesus follower, we can make sure our money is walking and talking to a place that supports our biblical worldview.

Each one of you has a workplace that is your ministry place. A mission field full of lost and hopeless people who need to meet Jesus. The people you work with and for may be blinded to all of the destruction around them to the family and to our country. Yet they may be funding it inadvertently. Many companies support organizations whose sole aim is to destroy the family or our country because of pressure from the outside. Suppose they knew there was pressure from the inside to stop supporting those organizations; that could make a difference. Ask questions. Find out how the owners, shareholders, and stockholders are asking for your company's profits to be spent. Make sure that those in charge know how impactful those dollars can be. Be a proactive voice within your organization, helping them choose places to invest their dollars within the community that supports God, the family, and our country.

How do we know if our company is pro-Christianity, pro-God, pro-family, or pro-US of A? Is it even important for us to know these things? I think it is. Almost every organization has excess dollars that they are investing in other organizations with an agenda. What is the agenda that your company or organization is supporting? Are they supporting your values, neutral on them or working against them? What we are warning about today is making sure you're not supporting companies fighting against the very things that we know and love: God, family, and country. I hope it doesn't surprise you, but there are thousands of companies and organizations in this great country that hate your biblical morality and want to destroy your family. Find out who you really work for.

It's important to know who we work for. I don't mean the name of your boss or the name of your company. I mean, who is your company? What do they stand for? What do they support with their profits? We need to know everything about the company where we invest 40 to 50 hours weekly. I'm just saying you need to be aware of the company you're working for to make sure that they're not taking your hard-earned hours and turning them into a campaign to destroy the biblical worldview that this great country was founded upon. Who do you work for, really? It is a really important question to ask. If you are already in a job with a company that does not honor God, see how you can make a difference. But if you're searching for work, choose wisely because you were called to be a good steward, including where you invest your work time.

What does a normal Thanksgiving dinner look like for you and your family? Does it have all the fixings and smell just like grandma's house when you were growing up? Is it always exclusive to family? There are people you work with and people you live around that will be alone this year; why don't you mess up your normal Thanksgiving and invite some of them to join you? Jim and I would like to challenge you to have your last normal Thanksgiving last year. May last year be the final year when your Thanksgiving celebration didn't include your neighbors. This year we challenge you to invite people into your life and into your Thanksgiving celebration that would otherwise be home alone, probably not even celebrating Thanksgiving. What does a normal Thanksgiving look like? It looks like the power of neighboring in action.

This whole idea of practicing the power of neighboring at Thanksgiving can cause some strife at home. Not everyone wants to open up their Thanksgiving table to strangers, or people that just aren't family. I know in my family growing up we never had anybody who wasn't family over for Thanksgiving. It just wasn't done. But at Martha's house, her parents were great at inviting people who would be alone at Thanksgiving and having them join us for a family Thanksgiving celebration. Gather your family around you and share this idea with them. Share the idea that you want to solve somebody's loneliness at Thanksgiving this year and you need their help. Once you explain this to your family, I can't imagine that they won't be on board. Maybe they can even think of some people that need to be invited. Together you can change somebody's life this Thanksgiving.