The Word Before Work

Sign-up for my free 20-day devotional, The Word Before Work Foundations, at http://TWBWFoundations.com -- Series: 7 Biblical Principles for Resolving Conflict at Work Devotional: 5 of 7 Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. (Psalm 51:10) We’re in a series exploring 7 biblical principles for resolving conflict at work. And let me tell you, this is as much for me as...

Sign-up for my free 20-day devotional, The Word Before Work Foundations, at http://TWBWFoundations.com -- Series: 7 Biblical Principles for Resolving Conflict at Work Devotional: 4 of 7 Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, “Let me take the speck out of your eye,” when all the time there is...

Sign-up for my free 20-day devotional, The Word Before Work Foundations, at http://TWBWFoundations.com -- Series: 7 Biblical Principles for Resolving Conflict at Work Devotional: 3 of 7 A person’s insight gives him patience, and his virtue is to overlook an offense. (Proverbs 19:11) We’re in a series exploring seven biblical principles for resolving conflict at work. Here’s the third… Principle #3...

Sign-up for my free 20-day devotional, The Word Before Work Foundations, at http://TWBWFoundations.com -- Series: 7 Biblical Principles for Resolving Conflict at Work Devotional: 2 of 7 If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. (Romans 12:18) I’m ashamed to admit that I’ve been waiting eight years for someone to make the first move in pursuing peace with me.  Fro...

Sign-up for my free 20-day devotional, The Word Before Work Foundations, at http://TWBWFoundations.com -- Series: 7 Biblical Principles for Resolving Conflict at Work Devotional: 1 of 7 Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. (Matthew 5:9) In his excellent book The Peacemaker (which was hugely influential in my writing of this series), author Ken Sande defines conflic...

Sign-up for my free 20-day devotional, The Word Before Work Foundations, at http://TWBWFoundations.com -- Series: Work in Heaven Devotional: 5 of 5 They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads….And they will reign for ever and ever. (Revelation 22:4-5) Today concludes our series exploring 5 biblical truths about work on the New Earth. Here they are again: Truth #1: We who are in...

Sign-up for my free 20-day devotional, The Word Before Work Foundations, at http://TWBWFoundations.com -- Series: Work in Heaven Devotional: 4 of 5 No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him…And they will reign for ever and ever. (Revelation 22:3,5) There are dozens of jobs I would love to try: write a musical, be a tra...

Sign-up for my free 20-day devotional, The Word Before Work Foundations, at http://TWBWFoundations.com -- Series: Work in Heaven Devotional: 3 of 5 Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on…for their deeds will follow them. (Revelation 14:13) A fortune teller once told Walt Disney that he would die on his birthday before he turned thirty-five. As Disney biographer Bob Thomas explains, “...

Sign-up for my free 20-day devotional, The Word Before Work Foundations, at http://TWBWFoundations.com -- Series: Work in Heaven Devotional: 2 of 5 “Well done, my good servant!” his master replied. “Because you have been trustworthy in a very small matter, take charge of ten cities.” (Luke 19:17) We’re in a series exploring 5 biblical truths about work on the New Earth. Today’s passage hints at th...

Sign-up for my free 20-day devotional, The Word Before Work Foundations, at http://TWBWFoundations.com -- Series: Work in Heaven Devotional: 1 of 5 See, I will create new heavens and a new earth….my chosen ones will long enjoy the work of their hands. They will not labor in vain. (Isaiah 65:17, 22-23) I talk a lot about the work God’s Word promises we will do for eternity. But I know this is a wil...

Sign-up for my free 20-day devotional, The Word Before Work Foundations, at http://TWBWFoundations.com -- Series: Double-Sided Wisdom Devotional: 5 of 5 Be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” (Hebrews 13:5) Today concludes our series exploring couplets of biblical truths that God calls us to hold in tension. Here’s our final piece o...

Sign-up for my free 20-day devotional, The Word Before Work Foundations, at http://TWBWFoundations.com -- Series: Double-Sided Wisdom Devotional: 4 of 5 Such confidence we have through Christ before God. Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God. (2 Corinthians 3:4-5) We’re in a series exploring five pieces of “double-sided wisdom” we...

Sign-up for my free 20-day devotional, The Word Before Work Foundations, at http://TWBWFoundations.com -- Series: Double-Sided Wisdom Devotional: 3 of 5 …because so many people were coming and going that [the apostles] did not even have a chance to eat, [Jesus] said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest. (Mark 6:31-32) Job 11:6 says that, “True wisdom has two side...

Sign-up for my free 20-day devotional, The Word Before Work Foundations, at http://TWBWFoundations.com -- Series: Double-Sided Wisdom Devotional: 2 of 5 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. (Matthew 6:34) We’re in a series exploring five pieces of “double-sided wisdom” we see in Scripture. Today we come to the couplet...

Sign-up for my free 20-day devotional, The Word Before Work Foundations, at http://TWBWFoundations.com -- Series: Double-Sided Wisdom Devotional: 1 of 5 “You study the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life.” (John 5:39-40) My readers frequently tell me that they love...

Sign-up for my free 20-day devotional, The Word Before Work Foundations, at http://TWBWFoundations.com -- Series: Wisdom for Work from Proverbs Devotional: 7 of 7 She puts her hands to the distaff, and her hands hold the spindle. She opens her hand to the poor and reaches out her hands to the needy. (Proverbs 31:19-20) The woman of Proverbs 31 described in today’s passage teaches us an important l...

Sign-up for my free 20-day devotional, The Word Before Work Foundations, at http://TWBWFoundations.com -- Series: Wisdom for Work from Proverbs Devotional: 6 of 7 Better is open rebuke than hidden love. Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses. (Proverbs 27:5-6) According to the Harvard Business Review, “By roughly a three to one margin, [employees] believe [that correct...

Sign-up for my free 20-day devotional, The Word Before Work Foundations, at http://TWBWFoundations.com -- Series: Wisdom for Work from Proverbs Devotional: 5 of 7 Like an archer who wounds at random is one who hires a fool or any passer-by. (Proverbs 26:10) In 2012, the CEO of Yahoo was fired just months after getting the job when an investor discovered that the CEO had lied on his résumé about ho...

Sign-up for my free 20-day devotional, The Word Before Work Foundations, at http://TWBWFoundations.com -- Series: Wisdom for Work from Proverbs Devotional: 4 of 7 It is a trap to dedicate something rashly and only later to consider one’s vows. (Proverbs 20:25) How many times have you and I fallen into the “trap” this proverb is warning us against? I’ve said “yes” to projects at work only to later...

Sign-up for my free 20-day devotional, The Word Before Work Foundations, at http://TWBWFoundations.com -- Series: Wisdom for Work from Proverbs Devotional: 3 of 7 One who is slack in his work is brother to one who destroys. (Proverbs 18:9) There were many causes of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster of 1986. But a culture of “slack” work was undeniably a contributing factor. In his book, Midnight in C...

Sign-up for my free 20-day devotional, The Word Before Work Foundations, at http://TWBWFoundations.com -- Series: Wisdom for Work from Proverbs Devotional: 2 of 7 Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans….In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps….The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord. (Proverbs 16:3,...

Sign-up for my free 20-day devotional, The Word Before Work Foundations, at http://TWBWFoundations.com -- Series: Wisdom for Work from Proverbs Devotional: 1 of 7 When there are many words, wrongdoing is unavoidable, but one who restrains his lips is wise. (Proverbs 10:19) Hamilton might be the fastest-moving musical of all-time. Sung at an average of 144 words per minute, the show is more than tw...

Sign-up for my free 20-day devotional, The Word Before Work Foundations, at http://TWBWFoundations.com -- Series: Working Without Idolatry Devotional: 4 of 4 Dear children, keep yourselves from idols. (1 John 5:21) We’ve seen a few helpful definitions of idolatry throughout this series. Let me offer my own: An idol is anything you can’t live without. It’s anything other than God that functions as...

Sign-up for my free 20-day devotional, The Word Before Work Foundations, at http://TWBWFoundations.com -- Series: Working Without Idolatry Devotional: 3 of 4 Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. (Colossians 3:1-2) [ Devotional ] Last week, I argued tha...

Sign-up for my free 20-day devotional, The Word Before Work Foundations, at http://TWBWFoundations.com -- Series: Working Without Idolatry Devotional: 2 of 4 “You have put more joy in my heart than they have when their grain and wine abound.” (Psalm 4:7) We’re in a series exploring four principles for enjoying our work without turning our jobs into idols. Last week we unpacked Principle #1: Insist...