iWork4Him PowerThought

It's a fact that love is spelled T.I.M.E. .... In today's workplace, we can get so caught up in the fast pace that we forget that as Christ followers, we're to be mindful and intentional with every task, and every person. How DO you slow down during the workday? One good way is to STOP multitasking and focus your FULL attention on each task and conversation at a time. Another great way is to use a Prayer Prompter app on your phone that can remind you to: pray, give thanks, to ask for wisdom and discernment, and to be AWARE of the needs around you. We are called to LOVE our neighbors (which are our co-workers). How well are YOU showing love to YOUR co-workers with YOUR TIME?

I heard an outrageous comment from a partner of a Christian farm equipment company in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. He said "Common sense has NO PLACE in the life of a spirit-led follower of Christ." Here's what I think he meant. When we are attuned to the Holy Spirit, what He guides us to do in the moment often seems contrary to what we think of as "logical", And that reminded me that Christ's actions were "counter-cultural" meaning: a set of attitudes opposed to the prevailing social norm. And if Christ is counter-cultural, then we should be too. We should look different, .... smell different ...., think different, .... act different. .... 2 How will YOU be a counter-cultural spirit-led follower of Christ in YOUR WORKPLACE today?

You know, it's time. It's time for all of us Christ followers to take on another word to describe who we are. That word is MISSIONARY. WHAT? "I'm a lawyer, a receptionist, a plumber, a CPA." So listen to the definition and see if it fits: a person sent on a religious mission, especially one sent to promote Christianity in a foreign country. You ARE a person on a mission, if you are a Christ follower (per the Great Commission) ….and your foreign country is YOUR WORKPLACE! …. Would our Lord agree? Would He want YOU to be this with each person you work with? Matthew 28:19 says it all. 9 Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, [a] baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Will YOU, starting today, add the label missionary onto YOUR professional title?

James 4:17 says Remember, it is a sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it. This is so important, let's hear it again. Remember, it is a sin to know WHAT you ought to do and then NOT DO IT. When you are MOVED at work during the day, by hearing about or seeing an injustice, do you pray and ask the Lord what He would have you do? .... Or do you just shrug it off and ignore it? The only way we, the body of Christ, will win people for Christ is for each of us to respond and DO our part. And that includes standing against injustice EVERYWHERE we are, including our workplace. .... What will YOU do today, when you see an injustice at work?

There's a new diversity in town: GENERATIONAL diversity. .... While it's not "new", it's "new" because we are now shining a light on it, naming it, and weighing the pros and cons of it. Of what it means in our work relationships, and in our organizations. How DO we take this reality and use it to build the body of Christ where we work? .... By respecting each other's differences and seeing the benefit of every generation and their unique perspectives and contributions. As Paul wrote in Ephesians: But their evil intentions will be exposed when the light shines on them, 14 for the light makes everything visible. .... Where do you need to shine the light on generational diversity in YOUR workplace today?

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.

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."

Do you want to see your workplace transformed and have God unlock His purpose for you in your work? I thought so. Step one of the iWork4Him Nation Covenant is the most powerful step you can take at work to transform your workplace and your heart. Prayer - Start praying for those you work alongside every day. Pray for your co-workers, bosses, and employees by name. You can even pray for their spouses and kids. After you have done this for a few months, have a conversation like this "Hey, I have been praying for you, is there anything I can pray about specifically?" 1 Timothy 2:1 says, "I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf and give thanks for them". Start Praying today and watch the transformation begin.

We all have a calling, have you heard this before? Some of us get called to the pulpit and some to the foreign mission field but most of us get called to our cubicles, construction sites, care facilities or whatever your job site may be. Your Workplace, It's your mission field and in that mission field, you and me, we may be the only Jesus our co-workers, employees and bosses may ever meet. That Job that you hold and the work that you do, and the people that you work with, none of that is by chance. The people that you work with need to meet Jesus and you may be their only chance. So, as you contemplate the value of your work today, realize this…You don't need to quit your job in order to go into fulltime ministry. You are already in fulltime ministry, right there where you work.

It is a known tenant of organizational leadership, that as the leader goes, so goes the organization. Simon Sinek tweaked it for today's culture by saying "So goes the leader, so goes the culture. So goes the culture, so goes the company." .... Anyone who has tried to change the culture of a team, an organization, or a company can testify to the truth of this. The top leadership and WHO they are being, and their INTEGRITY will dictate the success of the organization. .... C.S. Lewis said it best: "Integrity is doing the right thing, even when no one is watching." If the leaders lack integrity, the organization's ability to succeed is small to none. How's YOUR integrity? How's the integrity of YOUR organization's leadership?

How many times have we said to ourselves, "I wish I had time to go on a mission trip." Well guess what, you DO! Your workplace IS your mission field. Your daily commute IS your mission travel. And your workplace has been crafted perfectly by God, specifically tailored to you, and your giftings. We can all begin to view our workplace and every co-worker as "the mission". We can prepare, pray, plan and then serve our colleagues in the same way we would as if we hopped on a plane and flew to another country. Charles Spurgeon the Reformed preacher said "Every Christian is either a missionary or an impostor." So which are YOU? What would it take for you to start tomorrow, to shift your mindset and intentionally serve your workplace as YOUR mission field?

Workplace politics. If you're working, you're involved in them. And as Christians, we don't have to disengage just because the term is distasteful. "Workplace politics" are the strategies people use to gain advantage for themselves or to support a cause. What if, we employed biblical wisdom and strategies to deal with the politics? .... such as Matthew 10:16 "I am sending you out like sheep with wolves all around you. Be wise like snakes and gentle like doves. If you've chosen to "not participate" or given up trying to, you can't be an influence in your workplace. .... How about praying today for wisdom at work, and in the politics in your workplace, and then participate, for God's Glory

In today's culture, respect for our elders and wisdom, has been replaced by idolizing youth and outward appearances. As Christians, we believe that ALL human beings are created by God in His image. Therefore every person has inherent dignity and creator-ordained worth. To be created in the likeness of God means that each person bears His image and with it, a value beyond our unique characteristics or individual attributes. Do you treat ALL people at work with the same respect? Do you say hello, and look into the eyes of the janitor or the server at lunch? The FedEx guy? Do you know their names? We challenge you this week to treat everyone you meet with the dignity and respect you previously reserved for only those "who merit it."

I heard recently from a retired army guy that he was taught to run TOWARDS the problem, not away from it. .... I wonder how many of us run towards OUR work problems vs. away from them. Perhaps we think "confrontation" is un-Christ-like…but how did Jesus deal with problems? With the woman at the well, He confronted her, asked and answered questions. In the temple, He confronted with over-turning the tables and admonishing. Did he EVER run away from a problem? Never. His way to address problems were spirit-based AND involved action of some kind. But He never opted out, avoided or ignored the situation. Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding.6 Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take. Won't YOU use Proverbs 3 to run towards YOUR problems at work today?

Businesses always seem to be searching for "the magic bullet" that will propel them into the "big leagues". We've heard hundreds of stories of eternally successful companies and their practices and believe we know the secret. It's excellence. Excellence as unto the Lord. Not being great at what you do, but EXCELLENT. .... It's the very top level. Consider these synonyms for excellence: high quality · superiority · brilliance · greatness · eminence · supremacy · peerlessness. Remind you of anyone? These words describe Jesus Christ. And since our entire purpose is to conform to His likeness, these words should be describing US, and our work, and our organization. .... DO they?

Have you ever tried to ignore God and His direction in your work or career? Tried to go your own way, and kept running into roadblocks, un-ending NO's and shut doors? Sometimes in our career, we try to LOGIC our way towards our calling, to where WE want to be, but God has His plans. Remember the Israelites? It took them 40 YEARS to make a 14 day journey. That's 14, 600 days of blindness, vs. 14 days of obedience. That's A LOT of resistance. So, the next time you're being led somewhere you don't want to go, try praying about it, asking several devote friends to join you in praying for an answer. If you're paying attention, God is probably speaking through others to you as well, to guide you. You can fight God every step of the way, but we don't recommend it! We challenge you today, to PRAY your way through your career options and challenges.

I recently had my concept of "neighbor" challenged. Does neighbor mean only the people in my neighborhood? The ones we live near? Actually, in a broader sense, it is anyone "living or located near another". That means the folks all around us at work, in the next cubicle. The teacher in the next classroom. The person exercising next to us at the gym. Our neighbors are everywhere and the Lord had a great deal to say about them. Some Hebrew origins of the word, also translate it to mean "fellow man". Matthew 22:37-39 Jesus replied, "'You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.'[a] 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 A second is equally important: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' Today, how will YOU show love to ALL THOSE who you work around all day long?

Do you want to see your workplace as a place to live out your faith? Your work is a place where you finally get that chance to be involved in fulltime ministry. Then do these things. 1st Start praying for those you work around, by name every day. 2nd look for ways to serve those same people over and above what your job requires you to do. 3rd look for ways to build a friendship with those you work with, outside of work, where real relationships can develop. 4th Look for ways to pray with people when you see them having a rough day. And 5th, all along be a person of excellence, in your work. Do these things and you will see your workplace transformed by God right before your eyes. We call this the iWork4Him Nation Covenant.

There is a common phrase that many people, especially working moms use. It's "stretched too thin". In the shadow of that statement is the often ignored concept of "self-care". Many people have been taught growing up to put themselves last, after their spouse, children, their home and their work. So it's no wonder many of us fail to take care of anything having to do with our own health and well-being. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 Don't you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body. The word of God says we are to care for ourselves, so we can THEN care for others. What will you do today, this week, to take better care of yourself?

Sacrifice. It's defined as surrender of something for the sake of something else. We are called to do it in our life as a Christ follower, just as He did. 1 Corinthians 13:3 If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn't love others, I would have gained nothing. What does love-based sacrifice look like in our workplace? .... We sacrifice pride, to choose what's best for the organization, over our own ideas. .... We sacrifice time, when we put a co-worker's needs before our own. .... We sacrifice "top sales numbers" to do what's best for the client, not our own paycheck. HOW are YOU willing to be sacrificial in your workplace this week?

Sometimes we wonder, do the little things I do even matter to God? How can I, just one person, make a difference? In 1893, a teenage girl named Helen Cadbury, daughter of the president of Cadbury Chocolates, was so excited about sharing her faith that she organized a group of girls who sewed pockets onto their dresses to carry the small New Testaments her father had printed. The girls called their group "The Pocket Testament League." Today, more than 110 MILLION gospels have been shared, and the PTL membership is now 662,000+ strong. What an AMAZING story of how God uses our tiny act of faith to move a mountain. .... What small act of faith will YOU do today, that God can multiply?

Whether we're aware of it or not, temptation is all around us at work. It didn't get left at home when we left for work today. As we take God to work with us, we should also be aware that the enemy will be working there too. Starting our day with the Lord in prayer, and putting on the FULL armor of God (Ephesians 6), are some of the best ways to keep the door shut on temptation. 1 Corinthians 10:13 says The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure. And IF you've opened the door to temptation at work, speaking and praying bible verses over it is the way to combat it. Today, will YOU fight temptation at work with the presence of the Lord and His word?

A businessman and book author recently told me: In my search for leadership knowledge, I kept coming back to the bible and realized that Proverbs is a practical business book. I don't need much more. The bible IS a source of wise counsel for us in all aspects of our life and that includes our work. .... Many Kingdom workplace leaders hold to the belief that the bible is THE BEST BUSINESS BOOK ever written. Psalms provides wisdom during challenges, to give words to our lamenting and petitions to the Lord. The leaders in the bible, such as Moses, Deborah, Abraham and Queen Esther, provide real examples of what it looks like to BE a Godly leader. When's the last time YOU went to THE WORD, for business wisdom?

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."

Do you want to see your workplace transformed and have God unlock His purpose for you in your work? I thought so. Step one of the iWork4Him Nation Covenant is the most powerful step you can take at work to transform your workplace and your heart. Prayer - Start praying for those you work alongside every day. Pray for your co-workers, bosses, and employees by name. You can even pray for their spouses and kids. After you have done this for a few months, have a conversation like this "Hey, I have been praying for you, is there anything I can pray about specifically?" 1 Timothy 2:1 says, "I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf and give thanks for them. " Start Praying today and watch the transformation begin.

The wonder-woman syndrome is alive and working in the hearts and minds of Christian women in the workplace. Women are not called to be all things to all people, to be the master of every role in their lives. Excellence yes, super-human feats of strength, and perfection, no. Corrie Ten-Boom, author of the famous book The Hiding Place says "If the devil cannot make us bad, he will make us busy." No amount of busyness will make them more valuable, not to God, not to their families and not to their organizations. Women need to know that they are created in the image of God, and that they ARE ENOUGH. Don't let the ways of this world tell YOU that you aren't enough. Instead find strength, value and confidence in the hands of Him who created you.

Seems like there is a new day dawning in the professional lives of women in the workplace. The lies women have been believing for decades are starting to crumble, and are being replaced by the strength and knowledge and truth of WHO they are in Christ. .... And the way that God created women, the natural attributes they have, are of great benefit to the workplace. Women no longer have to act like a man, or be aggressive or competitive to "get ahead" and prove themselves. .... They can rest in their gifts and be authentic. Genesis 1:27 So God created human beings[a] in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. May we each, male and female rest in our identity today

Seems like there is a new day dawning in the professional lives of women in the workplace. The lies women have been believing for decades are starting to crumble, and are being replaced by the strength and knowledge and truth of WHO they are in Christ. .... And the way that God created women, the natural attributes they have, are of great benefit to the workplace. Women no longer have to act like a man, or be aggressive or competitive to "get ahead" and prove themselves. .... They can rest in their gifts and be authentic. Genesis 1:27 So God created human beings[a] in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. May we each, male and female rest in our identity today.

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?

I heard from the owner of a financial planning firm the other day, that people who have a purpose live seven years longer than people who don't. SEVEN YEARS LONGER than those that just retire. .... So what's the other option? Well, this wise man said PIVOT instead of retire. What if the second half of our life (the "retirement years") could be just as meaningful to God or actually MORE SO? We all know retirement is NOT in the bible…But PIVOTING is .... "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.," What would it take for YOU to run the race with endurance for God right now, in YOUR season of work life?

What's the difference between believing IN God and trusting God? A San Antonio business owner got to find out, when he had to choose between going to work on Wall Street as a fat cat, or listen to God, and chose what's best for his family. .... In Matthew 6:33 God advises us to "Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need." In the midst of your business decision making today, are you seeking first the Kingdom of God? Are you seeking God first vs. YOUR success? Your TEAM's success? The BIGGER sale? The LARGER profit? .... You're invited to seek God's best and highest first, as your go about your work today

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."