iWork4Him PowerThought

Have you ever thought about what you want to be known for ?   Stephen, an executive we interviewed, says it starts with your personal brand. And your personal brand starts with asking  yourself  "What do I want to be known for?"  So how about you ?   If your co-workers were asked about you, and who you are, what would they say?   We challenge you today, to take this question "What do I want to be...

H ow do you measure your work success ?   We're  referring to  eternal success  in your work .   One way is to ask yourself:   Is my workplace better off because of having me work there? Have I changed it for the better ?   Would my co-workers say that I am a blessing to work with ?   A roofing business owner in Florida told us he takes an inventory every year, looks back at the year to see what b...

Humility. The term "humility" comes from the Latin word  humilitas , a noun related to the adjective humilis, which can be translated as "humble", but also as "grounded", or "from the earth", since it derives from  HUmus  (earth) .   The greatest leaders, including our  Lord  have it. CS Lewis said: "Humility is not thinking less of yourself, it's thinking of YOURSELF LESS."  What if TODAY, you an...

Wisdom.  It's  defined as  knowledge of what is true or right coupled with just judgment as to  action.   Wisdom  goes beyond KNOWING what is right and into DOING what is right. God calls us to be wise in everything that we do – constantly seeking out what is true and right in his eyes and then acting on it. James 3:17 says, " The wisdom from above is first of all pure, then peaceable, gentle, ope...

As Christians everything about us should be changing. When we were born again, it  wasn't  just a one-time event. We are to be changing daily…remember the word "sanctified"? We are being "set apart" to be dedicated to God's use .   And to that end,  we're  to be changing and growing more Christ-like every day, to be conformed to His image. So how about you? Would those you work with say  you're  a...

Kathy Branzell, President of the National Day of Prayer says:  there's  the idea that when I work, I work, but when I pray, God works .   So how about YOU? Are you  working, when   you should  be praying ?   Are you starting work first, before you pray? Are you taking God's place for the results by over-working ?   There's  a beautiful balance we can obtain between work and prayer. We can choose t...

Heard this the other day:  The  principles never change,  but the  methods  always do .   What a solid management philosophy this makes for us Christ followers. Principles are defined as:   fundamental truths that serve as the foundation for a system of beliefs.  Our biblical core beliefs are the basis of who we are and what we do. And that applies to how we  work,  lead  and manage . But the meth...

Are there ROCKS in YOUR schedule? ROCKS are IMMOVABLE commitments. Those  priorities that  are unchangeable .   As a working Christ-follower, what are some of YOUR ROCKS? Here are some of mine: Time with the Lord. Family commitments. And anything I have given my word to, to be there .   Is WORK one of YOUR ROCKS? If it is,  maybe it's  time to look at that rock, and decrease its size, or the amoun...

Some things in life are more challenging than others.  Like   finances . And even more challenging: How do we glorify God with our finances ?   If you think  you've  mastered your finances,  there's  a next step, a better way to glorify God with them. To transform the  money  we make from working for the  Lord, and  seeing that it is invested in Kingdom building.  It's  called Biblically Responsib...

When people around you at work succeed, do you find yourself happy for them or  feeling  bad for yourself? It can be easy to compare our career path to someone else's and come out feeling like we missed our chance at moving up - but the truth is that everyone's journey will look different. Galatians 6:4 says, " Pay careful attention to your own work, for then you will get the satisfaction of a job...

There is a truth about work that has been lost to much of our culture since the creation of the world. It is that GOD CREATED WORK. He created work for us, to do together and for HIS glory. Genesis 2:19  -   " So the Lord God formed from the ground all the wild animals and all the birds of the sky. He brought them to the man to see what he would call them, and the man chose a name for each one . "...

I heard a clever quip the other day about trying to take control from God's hands. God is  writing  the story of your life:  so  STOP TRYING TO GRAB THE PEN FROM HIS HAND! This applies to our work as well. Sometimes we think we are living God's plan for us in our work when we are  actually just  "taking Jesus with us ".   And only praying to Him to ask for blessings on what we are doing at work. H...

If you are like  me  you jump up out of bed, check for emergency text messages, check the weather, rush through your morning devotional time so you can get on to the  " real work of the day. "  Just recently Martha and I were reading a book by Kim Avery "The Prayer Powered Entrepreneur" and she suggests a different approach. Kim suggests that when we have our morning quiet time, be quiet and ask o...

Is God leading your work? How do you get the point where you can say  YES, He  is .    Here're  a couple of ideas to get you started. First, read a book or listen to faith at work podcasts that introduce you to the concept of working for the Lord. Second, pray and ask God to show you  how  and  where  He is at work in your work today. Three, take  a faith  at work devotional and put it on your des...

Being intentional seems to be a consistent hallmark of followers of Christ. Because Christ is our best example of intentionality. Intentionality is defined as being deliberate or purposeful. How about you? How are you working with intentionality today? In the office, with your co-workers, intentionally  representing  Christ and showing His love and patience to everyone you  come in contact with ?...

Are you a leader in your organization? If so, what are you doing to care for your team members? Your employees ?   Are you ignoring the big stresses in their lives? If you are, it could  be costing  you in a big way. For example: The divorce of a $60,000 a year employee will cost $86,000 in lost productivity .   There  are  legal,  low cost  remedies to helping your employees get the help they nee...

I wonder how much of our life is lived from a place of "taking ".   Not consciously, but just getting up and living our life, as we go to work and just delve in. I've found my unconscious self is  pretty selfish .   If I don't pray first, submit in obedience, my day, my hands, my mouth, eyes and ears, to serve all those I come in contact with, I'll just spend all day at work taking what I need and...

At work, sometimes we walk away from a meeting or conversation and think to ourselves "Boy, that person sure needs some fixing." But , in reality, if  we took a moment, and thought more carefully about it,  maybe even  looked a little deeper, we may just see what needs to be fixed is US, not them. Leaders know this. They know that the organization  is a reflection of  WHO they are and WHO they are...

Mutual respect.  It's  when two people show respect for each other. .... Respect is defined as the process of honoring someone by  exhibiting  care, concern, or consideration for their needs or feelings .   This should be a HALLMARK of us as Christ followers. And even more  apparent  at work, with our colleagues. To respect them as  co -laborers  AND  as fellow sons and daughters of God. .... Auth...

When's  the last time you really saw your co-workers ?   .... Saw them as real three-dimensional people ?   Not just a co-worker, workplace mate or just an employee ?   When's  the last time you  remembered,  that  they're  a son or daughter of God? .... That they were created, like you, by God, for a purpose. That they are  worthy . That they have a life, and that life is just as important as you...

Are you dreading Monday? Do you start to lose your joy  come  Sunday evening? .... What if instead of dreading Monday, you LOOKED FORWARD TO IT? What if instead of moaning about Monday, you prayed away your dread, and replaced it with thanks, and joy and intention? .... To pray that come Monday morning, you would FEEL GOD in your work, as you work. That your work would glorify God, that you would...

What if today, we committed to  operate  our businesses from a philosophy of "It's not about WHAT we sell or HOW MUCH we sell, it's about the LIVES we TOUCH and CHANGE."  That's "God's way of doing business ".  And  it's  the exact OPPOSITE of everything we have been taught as professional  business people . But isn't that always God's way? This counter-cultural philosophy is rooted in Matthew 6:3...

Every one of us  in  ministry. What? No, you say,  I'm  a CPA,  I'm  an engineer, I manage people at a construction company .   Yes, and you are called to be an Ambassador for Christ there .   The Apostle Paul agrees, as he wrote to the Ephesians, in Chapter 6 I am in chains now, still preaching this message as God's ambassador.  So  pray that I will keep on speaking boldly  for  him, as I should...

Ahhh  rebellion.  Its'  the sickness of youth  but perhaps,  there's  still some rebellion in our hearts as adults .   Is there some  ONE  or some  THING  that  you're  rebelling against at  work?... You may be doing it unknowingly… "under the  table"… undermining, backbiting, using sarcasm or pushing against another's ideas or leadership in subtle ways. Romans 13:1 and 2 is clear:  Everyone must ...

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