The Working Believer

It’s both wonderfully encouraging and devastatingly convicting to understand that my relationship and closeness to God completely hangs on my shoulders. God first loved us, and sent Christ as a ransom against our sins. This is a free gift in Grace displaying the Love of God. While extending us His patience and Mercy, he remains completely Just by pouring out His wrath for sin. Jesus, being a perfect sacrifice, was able to endure the full might of God’s judgment for our sins, and come out victorious, giving us Eternal Life by conquering death. He did all that...while we were undeserving. If we feel far from God, He is not the one who moved. We moved. We have either allowed become stagnant through a lack of discipline in our Bible reading, prayer, and worship of Him, or, like the parable suggests, have allowed the world and its concerns to grow up around us like thorns and thistles choking out the fruit of The Vine to which we are grafted. Simply stop, turn away from this world and ba...

When the storm hits, waves surge, winds gust, and rain drives...do you have an anchor? Even on the most raging seas, large ships drop their anchors which stabilize those ships through the storms. For Working Believers, Christ and His Word are that anchor. Conflicts will happen. Tempers will flare. Stress will build. And when those circumstances arise, we can be tossed to such a degree that we are tempted to doubt God and His Word. But this ought not to be the way of the Working Believer. Circumstances are never given as an excuse in Scripture for our misses, doubts, unbelief, or failings. In fact, almost all verses that call us up to Holiness do so while we are in the midst of the worst circumstances. We may be pressured, but God’s Word is never squeezed. His Word is Sure, and when the swells of negative circumstances rise...drop your anchor. Cling to Christ. Cling to His Word. Weather the storm.

When will we find time to serve the Lord? Time: have you ever noticed that some people tend to have more time to get more done? I have come to understand something about time. No one just HAS time. They don’t. There are only two ways to get more time: you either MAKE it, or your TAKE it. Every year we have 8,760 hours at our disposal. Of those, we will spend approximately 2,920 hours sleeping, leaving us 5,840 of waking hours we can spend in pursuit of life, liberty, and happiness. However, like most people, our time is not all our own: we have to work to keep the lights on, food on the table, and the roof over our heads. So when will we serve? Let’s take a look at our week. For most Christians, the process goes like this: “OK, when can I serve the Lord this week? Well, I’ll be at church Sunday morning. Then we have small group Monday night. Next I will be serving as a teacher in Wednesday night kids group while my husband volunteers with the Youth followed immediatel...

Every day that we get to see a new sunrise, we have the opportunity to push forward in the endeavors that are before us. Every day, we should set ourselves on the goal of Giving Thanks to God, through Christ Jesus, whom we represent, in whatever we do in word or deed. Keep pressing ahead, trusting that God will clarify the course with each step of faith.

The most tragic thing I see in the workplace is a Christian who knows exactly what God has revealed in His Word, and what He expects from them every day, but that knowledge never sifts down from the head to the heart.

Just because God says “No” to the thing we believe we want, does not mean that He is trying to keep us from something good; He could be preparing us for something better. When we stop bringing our expectations of HOW He ought to answer our prayers, we will be much more aware of His leading us according to HIS plan, trusting His wisdom rather than our own.

You can easily identify an apple tree by patiently waiting for it to yield fruit. So it is with us. In time, those who say, “I am a follower of Jesus,” will yield fruit, and it will either match the root claim...or it won’t. “What we pay attention to gets better,” and if we pay attention to the World, or the Cultural trends, we will get better at mirroring them. If we pay attention to God Himself through prayer, and by His revealed Word, we will get better at mirroring the Righteousness of Jesus Christ: then we will shine like the Lights unto the world we were called to be.

What’s got two thumbs and is guilty at times of being “too busy” for time with God? *both thumbs pointed at myself* This Guy. I’m confident that any Working Believer has fallen prey to the temptation to see themselves as “too busy”. Work had its demands, as does our Family and Church. But the scariest place to be in life is in the service of God, but not in His presence. As the old Hymn says, “Take time to be Holy! Walk oft’ with the Lord!” It is vital for the Working Believer to safeguard a time of quiet retreat to the prayer closet, to the mountain of worship, or the dark hours of the morning to seek the Face of God. His Word promises that despite how busy we become, these moments of time spent with our Creator will sustain us through more than we could ever imagine. Walking and not growing weary. Running without growing faint. Rising up with wings as eagles. Glory be to God!

To be, or not to be a Living Sacrifice; that...is the question. When we come face to face with the Grace, Mercy, and Forgiveness of the God-Man, Jesus, we ought to resign our natural state of sinfulness, and allow the Holy Spirit to awaken us to a newly created state of living: Thankfulness. It is by the mercies of God that Paul beseeches us Believers to give our whole selves unto the Lord. This being our reasonable act of service, the least we could do in light of such Love. Why then do we find it so difficult to say no to fleeting pleasures, selfish ambitions, and working for His glory while the day is still upon us? We ought to work ‘til the day is done! Finish the race! Fight the good fight with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. If this were the heartbeat of every Christian, we would soon find we did not have nearly enough pews to seat all of those coming to Christ after seeing our Light, our Love for one another, or having been encouraged and inspired by our bearing the...

Monday is not a day to be dreaded!! For the Working Believer who looks at the beginning of the week with a twisted tummy and rising stress level, I only have this to say: You are not your own anymore. You were dead in your trespasses and sin, and were made alive in Christ Jesus. It is no longer you! It is Christ. Everyday I wake up with one earthly goal: to inspire other Working Believers to take captive every moment they spend at work for the Glory of God. To represent Him well by doing great work with a thankful heart (Col. 3:17) is the foundation of our workplace ministry. How different would our working environments, or this country be, if those who believe on Christ and obey His Word started to live out what they profess to actually believe? May it never be said of us that we professed Christ, but by our works...denied Him (Titus 1:16).

There is something wonderfully simple about an IF / THEN statement. It is a basic truth of creation that roots must be connected to the trunks, vines, limbs, and branches of the plant for fruit to be produced. Jesus knew how to give us Truth in a way that we would be constantly reminded. The Fruit of a tree identifies the Root of a tree. Most people even vaguely familiar with Scripture have probably heard the Fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control. These are the OUTWARD manifestations of the INWARD reality of our hearts. For the Working Believer who longs to serve in the workplace, living and sharing the Gospel, we must take the IF / THEN statement in this verse seriously: IF we want to bear much fruit in our daily lives, THEN we must abide in Christ, and allow Him to abide in us. IF we neither abide in Christ, nor allow Him to abide in us, THEN not only will we be unfruitful, but we will not be able to do an...

I have heard way too many occurrences lately of Christians succumbing to sin. It is always sad to hear when a brother or sister in Christ loses sight of the Lord and starts sinking, like Peter, down into the waves. There are two very simple truths that we need to remember in these low moments: 1) We are NEVER alone: Psalm 73:23 “Nevertheless I am continually with You; You have taken hold of my right hand.” Galatians 6:2 “Bear one another’s burdens, and thereby fulfill the Law of Christ.” 2) We ALWAYS have something for which we can REMEMBER and GIVE THANKS: Psalm 77:11 “I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will remember Your wonders of old.” Ephesians 2:13 “But now in Christ Jesus you who were formerly far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.” So, I offer this reminder to all who carry with them the name of the Lord...please look after one another. Pray for, and with each other. Ask about one another’s lives, walks with the Lord, Bible reading, prayer lif...

As Believers in the Workplace, despite the darkness of the company culture or working environment in which we find ourselves, we should take courage: we carry the Light with us.

More often than not, the only thing we can control in tough situations is how we respond. This is something to which more Working Believers should subscribe.

The thing I love most about Scripture is how simply God lays things out for us. The sad thing I see happening a lot is the over-complication or over-intellectualization of those same simple truths. Our directives are as Simple as 1, 2, and 3 1) Love the Lord 2) Love Others 3) Make Disciples The only question is...will we?

Looking back to 2013, I would call that one of the most trying years of my life to date. However, difficult hardships are like a refining fire: everything that is not built on the Rock of the Word of God, the Grace of the Lord, or empowered by the indwelling Spirit burns away like stubble. What remains, even if it is a lowly, base thing, is surely stronger than the jumble of worldliness, sin, and self that was before the trial. Wounds, when we trust in Him to Reveal and Heal our Hearts, produce a Wonder and a Worship we could not have known otherwise. “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.” ‭‭James‬ ‭1:2-3, 12‬ ‭ESV‬‬

I have seen that the simplest ways we live out our relationship with the Lord are the most profound: caring for others, putting others first, bearing one another’s burdens, praying for them, encouraging them, and standing with them on the mountains or in the valleys. How amazing would your working environment be if ever Believer dedicated themselves to that kind of service everyday? Pretty great, right!! Be that kind of Believer: others may follow your lead.

We all work. Even those without a "JOB" still have work to do to take care of themselves. I can remember my first job: driving the pickup truck through the hay field as my Dad and Grandfather loaded hay bales into the bed. I was four or five-years-old, but I was old enough to push the brake pedal when either of them yelled, "OK, Stop!" Even at such a young age, I understand what I was doing. I was helping take care of our cows, I was feeding our herds, I was helping ease the work load for my Dad and Grandfather; I was HELPING! And it was a big deal to me. I mean, here I am, 31 years later talking about it. As I became older, and the jobs changed, I got my first "JOB": working in the kitchen at Taco Bell in Soddy Daisy, TN. I had asked my Dad for a truck since I was about to turn 16, and his reply was simple: "Do you have a job?" I didn't like that question, but looking back, it taught me something that was absolutely invaluable: don...

There are countless instances throughout Scripture of people coming face to face with God and being changed by it. But for today, I want to look at one we probably overlook most of the time: Zacchaeus (Luke 19:1-10). Prior to his encounter with Jesus, Zacchaeus was a wee little man, and a wee little man was he. At least that’s what the song says. But truly, he was a wealthy Chief tax collector. Having heard such news about this man Jesus, he did everything possible to simply see Jesus pass by; even climb up a tree. Jesus took notice of him - It would do us well to remember that Jesus notices us - and joined Zacchaeus at his house. hashtag .After learning about Jesus first hand, he was saved, changed, and responded in two very key ways: 1) He became more mindful of others, specifically the poor 2) He took stock of his work, realized it was not glorifying to God, and cleaned up his accounts paying back any he had previously defrauded If you know the Lord, but the reality of this re...

Do you have coworkers with which you always seem to have issues? Do you have direct reports who seem to struggle with their person-to-person relationships? Do you see potential in your team, but they have yet to find it themselves? Do you want Growth for your people? If you answered ‘Yes’ to any of those questions, then I just have one more question: Are dedicating yourself to actively praying for them? This is a struggle for me: not to pray, but to be dedicated and consistent. “I’m just too busy!” “I don’t have time!” And so the excuses go. But, imagine that someone you greatly admire - past or present, respected author, theologian, professional athlete, famed business professional or entrepreneur, actor/actress, or whomever - wanted to meet with you every day for a quick coffee and conversation; no more than 15-20 minutes a day. Would you not MAKE or TAKE time?! And here, the Creator of the Universe, Author of Salvation, Who gave up His Son to have relationship with you, awaits t...

Power corrupts. I wish this statement could not be applied to Believers in Management, but sadly it can be. As you read through the Gospels, the greatest impact Jesus had on people was in the demonstration of His compassion, kindness, and Grace to those who others saw as beneath Him. His actions toward those who looked up to Him for help, healing, or truth impacted the recipient and the observer alike. As Supervisors/Managers, we need to remember how powerful our actions, words, and attitude are to those who report to us, and show them the same Compassion, Kindness, and Grace that the Lord shows us daily. Recall and Remember what all the Lord has done in your life...and Lead like you’re thankful!

Friedrich Nietzsche, the man who popularized the saying, “God is dead,” is also quoted as saying this: “If you want me to believe in your Redeemer, you are going to have to look at lot more redeemed.” He was not wrong. I would go so far to say that believers who do not take their duty to represent the Lord in every aspect of their Lives - personal, private, public, and professional - could be the very stumbling block that causes someone who desperately needs the Lord to turn away from Him. We must ALWAYS exemplify the right Attitude: we are an Ambassador, always carrying with us the Name and banner of the Lord

I’m sure we all have had to report to people who are far from being worthy of our Respect. Perhaps your current Supervisor or Manager is such a person: rude, short-sighted, incompetent, or downright mean. However bad they may be, we, as Working Believers, are called to serve them with more than just the nodding of our heads: we are called to be Sincere in our hearts, Serving them with genuine respect and Christ-honoring diligence. If we hope to have the opportunity to share more than our daily/weekly reports with our Overseers...the Sincerity of our Hearts, and the Grace we give - the same Grace by which we walk - is vitally important: it may just soften a heart, heal a broken spirit, or cast a light into the darkness of their lives in such a way that they ask, “Why do you work the way you work?” And that...is a Gospel Opportunity!

The role of Sharing the Gospel and Making Disciples is not limited to the Clergymen of the Church: those who are full-time, financially compensated servants of the Body of Believers and Followers of Jesus. If you claim the Name and Righteousness of Jesus Christ, it is your duty to carry His banner through all circles of life: Private, Personal, Public, and Professional. Regardless of your chosen career, or professional title, if you belong to Jesus then every person you encounter, on any level, by any means...is in your Mission Field. “You have never met a mere mortal.” CS Lewis