iWork4Him PowerThought

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 to pray first,...

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 amount of spa...

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 J...

Had a chance to interview Dr. Dan Middlebrooks, a chaplain to first responders. He shared this: What you hold onto is either going to help you or harm you. It's either going to be a tombstone or a steppingstone, the choice is yours. Wow. ....  And that got me thinking. Perhaps I'm holding onto something, something that is affecting my work . Something that is affecting my work relationships .  Or...

Decision making. We do it hundreds of times a day. What if, as Dr. Jim Harris advises us, we drop our decision making 18 inches from our head, down to our spirit? .... What if, instead of thinking about the decision, we checked in with the Holy Spirit and asked what He wants us to do? In that exact moment? .... Being spirit-led involves being connected to the Holy Spirit, and seeking His answer fi...

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 better...

Rebekah King, founder and director of Hope Works, a southside Chicago non-profit, said: To be invested in a community is to know its people and to know their needs.  And that got me thinking, to grow my "community" which is my team, within my company, does that same idea apply?  Do I need to know my people and know their needs to invest in them? Absolutely - YES!   So how about YOU?  How well do Y...

Identity. It's the fact of being who or what a person is. As Christ followers, our identity is clear: We are sons and daughters of God, and ambassadors of Christ. The question is, are you working from that identity? .... How do you do that exactly?  .... There are many books and courses today, that can lead you through the process of knowing exactly HOW God wired you, your giftings, your talents,...

Can a company thrive by saying NO? .... YES!   John DeAngelis, CEO of a Florida construction company says: Sometimes, we found the most profitable job is the one we DON'T do. Here's what he means. They have seven criteria for taking on a new project. If it doesn't meet all the criteria, they don't take it on. It's as simple as that. The criteria are based on their values, employee life balance, an...

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 submit to governing...

After a conversation with Dr. Emerson Eggerichs, of Love & Respect, I'm rethinking the way I go about being a peace-keeper. Here's what he said: Sometimes, as peace keepers we hedge on the truth, or just lie, to keep the peace. .... So let's apply that to our workplace. Are you unknowingly hedging on speaking the truth in work situations, to keep the peace? How can you know? You'll probably have a...

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. .... Author Dina Dwy...

One day Christ will come back and restore ALL things. For now, Dr. Amy Sherman tells us: A successful marriage of faith and vocation has the capacity to bring a foretaste of God's Kingdom to earth. .... She says that our WORK is INSTRUMENTAL to God's mission in the world, and it's not an accident. .... Each of us, doing our thing – our work in our workplace, with our unique giftings . And if we ar...

Rick Betenbough says this of his company Betenbough Homes: Our business exists to reveal God and His Kingdom to everyone who comes near. .... ....  What a perfect summation of what the faith and work movement is all about. So how about YOU? Can you say this as the leader in your workplace? That you exist to reveal God and His Kingdom to everyone who comes near? Can you say that about your team at...

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 workplace a...

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.  Exc...

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 d...

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. Breaki...

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...

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 spou...

There's a war going on. Carmen LaBerge recently said: The current culture war is actually being waged in all of our hearts and minds. Until all of us Christ followers allow our hearts and minds to be transformed, we cannot represent Christ in today's culture. That means in all conversations , all day long at work, we're to bring Christ, as His ambassador, into our daily interactions.  So how about...

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 methods, those...

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 desk. Before y...

If you are a local church pastor then you have a pretty tough work environment.  You work all week but you only hear from your boss on Sunday. So how do you deal with the stress of your work?  I think we all have stress but very few jobs have the stress of the pastor in the pulpit with the 400 of us bosses in the pews every Sunday. I think we deal with the stress, the way we deal with everything e...

If you're someone who watches or reads the news, then you know that there are a lot of bad things going on in the world today. From pandemics and civil wars to inflation and genocides, there is no shortage of darkness in the twenty-first century. How does all this sorrow and hardship affect your life? How about your work? Do you take it with you to the office? Do you chat with your co-workers abou...