A Key to Gideon’s Calling (and yours!)

Episode #120

This episode highlights an often overlooked aspect of Gideon’s story that is critical to fulfilling our own calling from God.

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EPISODE TRANSCRIPT

DISCLAIMER: The below transcript was automatically generated and has not been reviewed to ensure complete accuracy. Any references or quotes should be taken directly from the audio recording and not the below transcript.

(00:00): Preview

Well, on this episode, we are going to get into Gideon’s story in judges six, but we’re going to talk about a specific aspect of that story that often goes overlooked and it has the potential to be life changing for you. So stick around for the whole episode. Let’s get into it right now.

(00:19): Introduction

Hey, this is Ryan S. Howard. Thanks for tuning into my podcast. I call it your faith at work, because we want to get your faith out of the church and into the world. We want our faith to be active, and I’m here to help you get unstuck and fulfill all the God-given potential that you were created with. I’m going to help you find your God-given assignment so that you can advance the kingdom every single day. We’re going to do that and work in the culture and in life, visit Ryan S howard.com to learn more well,

(00:49): Episode

We’ll be in judges six today, and I’m going to highlight something that, as I said in the introduction has the potential to be life-changing. It’s a small aspect of this story of this history that often goes overlooked. And you may not have heard it highlighted before. And you may not have seen it there before, but we’re going to highlight that because it has an impact on everything that we do in every area of life. Everything God calls us to do, this is one key aspect. It’s like a Lynch pin. And before we get into the details there, let’s read judges chapter six, verses 12 to 16. So it says when the angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon, he said, the Lord is with you mighty warrior. Pardon me? My Lord, Gideon replied. But if the Lord is with us, why has all this happened to us?

(01:44):

Where are all his wonders that our ancestors told us about? When they said did not the Lord bring us up out of Egypt, but now the Lord has abandoned us. And given us into the hand of Midian, the Lord turned to him and said, go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian’s hand. Am I not sending you? Pardon me? My Lord, Gideon replied, but how can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family. The Lord answered. I will be with you and you will strike down all the Midianites, leaving none alive. And then it goes on to talk about how he accepted that call and got his man. And they went and tore down. They started with, by tearing down the altar of bale and cutting down the Asherah pole. They did that at night and some men wanted to kill him, others disagreed.

(02:37):

And you know, he went on and to have the, the 300 men and they conquered these tens and tens of thousands and thousands of thousands of soldiers in these other armies. And he did it with just 300 men, but I want to go back and highlight something specific here. If you look at what took place with this little interaction here, just these few verses, now God was with Gideon. But you know, as it said in verse 12, you know, the angel appeared and said, the Lord is with you mighty warrior. And God was with him, but he asked, well, if the Lord is with us, then why has this all happened to us? You know, he asked, you know, where are the wonders that we heard about? And, you know, he, it appeared that he believed that the Lord had abandoned them and abandoned Israel.

(03:24):

And you see, God gave no answer, though. He didn’t give an explanation. He just moved right into his assignment for Gideon. God simply offered, you know, am I not sending you? In other words, you know, what else is needed? What evidence, you know, that that should be that’s enough. That’s convincing enough. He didn’t bother spending time. And it could be that maybe he, you know, we don’t hate it. Didn’t have the capacity to really understand what was going on there, or just wasn’t the time to explain it. And God doesn’t need to explain that, but it’s just incredible. He just went right into his assignment and then Gideon responds by giving another question. But it’s about him personally, you know, Gideon believed see that the angel called him mighty warrior or a man of standing. This is that’s what this word means. You know, it designates a person who has a responsibility or is a upstanding individual in the community, or you know, a man of standing really speaks about their importance.

(04:25):

And he, he mentions that he’s the part of the, his family was the weakest clan and that he was the least in his family. And so he’s basically saying, you know, I, he, I don’t even have standing in my own family and how am I going to lead? All the claim were from the weakest clan. I’m how am I going to lead all the clans, all the Israelites, all the tribes, all the families to go and into battle. How am I going to do that? You know, he didn’t, he believed he didn’t have the ability. He didn’t have the authority and he didn’t have the standing. And he saw himself as, not as a mighty warrior, as, as the angel called him as a man of standing, he saw himself as a weak unimportant man with no authority and with no standing. And well, did he sit there and continue to argue with the angel about it?

(05:18):

Or did he argue with God about it? He didn’t, he, he, he moved on God, responded and said, I will be with you and you will strike down the Midianites. He didn’t sit there and try and convince Gideon that he had everything it took in himself. And he had to do all this stuff on his own. Of course he has a big part to play in this, but God is the one that’s going to do it through him. And God simply offers. I will be with you verse 16, and you will strike down all the Midianites period. End of stories. Simple as that. And Gideon had a choice, meaning he could accept what the angel said about him, what God said about him, that he was a man of standing, that he was a mighty warrior, or he could accept what he already thought in his head about himself was that he was weak unimportant no authority you know, from this weaker family, all that he could have accepted that.

(06:16):

Now that is the linchpin that I’m talking about. Look at all that he did when he accepted the identity and the call that God gave to him, regardless of his background. And regardless of what he thought of himself, you know, he went on to unite, Israel to take down these high places, these places of idol worship. And then he went on to conquer the Midianites and on and on and on and on and all these great conquests, but it all started when he accepted what God said about him. And, you know, he looked at what he would’ve missed out on. If he continued to deny his true identity and see himself as just this week, unimportant man with no authority and no standing, but praise God that he didn’t. And he, but he would have missed out on all of that. But if he continued to argue with God about that, and so he didn’t though, and his background didn’t matter.

(07:13):

He needed to change his self image to do what God had called him to do. I say that again, he needed to change his self image to do what God called him to do. How does he see himself? He needed to see himself the way God saw him otherwise, how’s he going to pick up that trumpet to blow it and have the men come and follow him, come and go to battle with him, go to war with him. You know, he’s going to have to hear from God, he’s going to have to do and take the, take the action. But if he doesn’t really see himself that way, it’s not going to have confidence. It’s not going to do, you know, he needs to see himself the way God’s saw him. And, but it’s, it’s not because of his abilities. It’s because God is with him.

(07:56):

God has called him and God will, God will, has given assurances of the victory. And so and God is sending him. So the question I have is what identity has God given you to have? Are you accepting it or are you arguing with God about it? Do you keep going back and forth or are you just accepting it? Has he called you to a certain career? Has he called you to a certain way to manage your family? Has he called you to a certain group of people? Has he called you to start a company to start a business? You know, whatever it is, maybe something smaller. Has he called you to lead a Bible study? Has he called you to disciple someone? Has he called you to share Jesus with somebody? Has he called you to pray for someone while I’m not that kind of person?

(08:45):

I don’t really pray out loud. I don’t really put myself out there really. Is that what God says about you or what you say about you? You know, so really you need to put it through the ringer. And this has been huge for me. I have, this has been monumental change for me, you know, throughout my life, where if you just see yourself, the way God sees you and the right way where you want to be, well, then you can go there and you actually will act differently. You will act as though you are that versus not acting that someday, you know, someday. So this, this mindset, the way you see yourself is very important. And what I think is really interesting is when God didn’t try to convince Gideon that he had everything that was needed to do what God called him to do.

(09:34):

He, he said, God told Gideon that it was because God was going to be with him. And because God was sending him, that’s why he should see himself that way. That’s why he will have the victory and he needed to go forward. He needed to accept that. So do you see yourself as someone who’s weak and lowly and no authority and no standing, or has a messed up past, or has made the same mistakes over and over, or doesn’t have the right background or doesn’t have the strength needed? Or do you see yourself as someone God has called and someone that God is with someone that God has equipped someone that God has given power and authority to do everything that he has called you to do. That is how you need to see yourself. You are someone God has called, and you are someone that God is with period.

(10:24):

End of story. Victory is already won. It’s already assured. And we just get to enjoy God while we’re doing this. And see. So like I said, Gideon went on to unite the Israelites against their common enemy, but he defeated them. He United them, he defeated them. He did this assignment, he did this, he fulfilled his calling with God’s power after he accepted what God said about him and that it would was in God’s strength that he was going to do it. And this, the spirit of the Lord was on Gideon. When he sounded the trumpet, all the warriors came to join him in the fight. It wasn’t sound the trumpet and then go and try and figure out how to scheme and get all these men to come join him. No, God put it in their hearts. God gave him the assignment. He accepted it, accepted the identity, and then God made everything happen around him.

(11:20):

And, but that was the linchpin. He had to accept the assignment. He had to accept his identity, what God said about him and, and, and well, what, what is it that you need to accept? And so he went on to fight and have all these great conquests and these victories that God did through him. So what is it for you? What is it that God has called you to do? Who is it that God has called you to be what’s in your heart right now? What is coming up to the top? What is it that you need that you’re looking for permission to see, as you know, if somebody came to you with what you’re thinking about right now, what advice would you give them? Would you tell them, you just need to own it. You need to own that. You need to accept that about yourself, what God says you need to move forward and, or, you know, would you be a little more discouraging?

(12:11):

No, that you wouldn’t, you would be very encouraging. You would lift them up. So why talk to yourself differently? So, so what is it commit, see yourself that way. Start to tell yourself, start to start to imagine what life would be like, seeing yourself that way. And if you really have no idea, nothing’s coming up. See what about mighty warrior man of standing or woman of standing and authority, spiritual authority, and things will change around you, that you had nothing to do with God is doing it, but see yourself the right way. And you will start to see these shifts happening. Just your mentality will be different things that you used to get caught up in mentally before. Just not there anymore. So take a step. What is it for you? Actually write it down, write it down and come back and look at it later today or tonight, and then look at it again tomorrow and look at it again the next day and look throughout the day. Just keep reminding yourself and keep, actually visualizing it and making sure that it happens and takes, takes fast action. Do something with this today, right now. What is it going to be, be committed to only believing about yourself, what God says about you, and you will see that it will make the world of difference in you accomplishing everything that God has created you and assigned you to do.

(13:37): Outro

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3 Reasons to Partner with God in Your Work

Should you rely on God in your work every day? We know God partners with people in the Bible, but does He operate that way today?

 In this post, we will explore three reasons for you to partner with God in your work every day.

1. Partnership with God is the Biblical Model

Work is a significant theme throughout the Bible and can often be overlooked. When you read the Bible with an eye for work, you can see that it is everywhere.

Working together with God is a common thread throughout the Bible. We see it in the work of Noah, when God gave him the plans for the Ark, and we see it with Joseph when God revealed how to prepare for a famine.

God clearly partnered with His people throughout scripture and wants to do the same today.

It goes without saying that the work we partner with God in doing must be righteous and honorable to Him. But beyond that requirement, the Bible makes no distinctions in the kind of work people should partner with God in doing. He wants to partner with us in our daily work just as much as in our volunteering and our church-related work.

The Bible also says a lot about the quality of work we should do and how we should do it.

2. Paul Explicitly Says to Partner with God

Paul writes that we are God’s fellow workers (1 Cor. 3:9). He even shows how it can work by giving God the credit for the growth while we do the planting and watering (1 Cor. 3:6-7).

There is a clear role for us to fill and a clear role for God to fill. Could you imagine if you prayed for rain so your garden could flourish but didn’t plant anything? Would you expect anything to grow?

Ephesians 2:10 says that we are God’s workmanship and that He prepares good works for us to walk in. God is always working on us and on those around us.

3. God Has Infinite Wisdom and Knowledge

James 4:2 says that we do not have because 1) we do not ask, or 2) we ask with wrong motives. Our motives shouldn’t be to get ahead for our own glory, but to glorify God and steward what He gave us well.

Wisdom is the right application of knowledge and God has wisdom He wants to share with us for the unique situations we encounter every day.

In the Bible, Solomon was a man who sought God for wisdom unique to his circumstances. In 1 Kings 3:16-28, God gave him wisdom on how to determine which of two women was the real mother of a baby.

The Foundation of Fellowship

In order to have a partnership, you must have a relationship. Following Christ is not about memorizing the right answers and just living morally. It is about fellowship and intimacy with Jesus Christ.

Partnering with God in our work and life is no different. Working with God is much more than just applying principles. We must prioritize having a strong relationship with God.

We spend a lot of time in our work. Why would God want to waste that opportunity?

Do you seek God for how to handle situations in your work regularly? How can you partner with God in your work this week? He is ready and waiting to get engaged and share the unique wisdom He has for you and your work.

Do You Work With Excellence?

God does not do half-hearted work. It is in His nature to do the best work possible. But does He expect the same from us today?

Our Biblical Example

The Bible is filled with examples that demonstrate not only the importance of working with excellence, but also the requirement of working with excellence.

In the Bible, Daniel worked with a spirit of excellence that was even recognized by others (Dan. 6:3, Dan. 5:12). God was able to trust Daniel with delicate situations because he was faithful to Him and always did excellent work.

What has God already trusted you with? God often wants to see our faithfulness in small things before He can trust us with bigger things.

Joseph is another paramount example of working with excellence. Everything he did was to the best of his ability. So much so that his managers were concerned about nothing that was under his responsibility (Gen. 39:6, Gen. 39:23).

Often times we may not feel that we have the right abilities, but are we truly using all the abilities we do have?

Your Work is A Witness

The greatest witness a Christian can provide is often through their actions rather than their words. We have a great opportunity to demonstrate our faithfulness to the One we serve by the excellence of our work.

As author Tom Nelson writes in his book, Work Matters, “The excellence of our work often gives us the credibility to speak of the excellence of our Lord Jesus.” Nelson also recognizes that diligent stewardship is an authenticating mark of a true follower of Christ.

Would you want to listen to someone talk about Jesus if they were careless, complaining or lazy in their work?

Jesus and the Apostle Paul

The apostle Paul wrote his second letter to the Corinthians under the assumption that they would excel in everything (2 Cor. 8:7). He wrote to Colossians that they should do their work with their whole heart as though they were working for God and not for man (Col. 3:23).

How often do we just see our work as something we simply do, rather than something we do for God?

Jesus told His followers to let their light shine for others to see, so they could glorify their Father in heaven (Matt. 5:16). Our light should shine in how we talk, how we act, and in the kind of work we do.

It seems quite difficult to imagine Jesus or the apostle Paul doing work that wasn’t done to the best of their ability. How much confidence would you have in buying a tent made by the apostle Paul?

Do people have that kind of confidence in the work we do every day?

What About You?

Sometimes we can become complacent if we aren’t careful. It’s good to take time to reflect and ask ourselves whether we are truly giving our best in everything we do.

Are you stuck or lacking motivation? Get alone with the Lord and ask Him to help. He has prepared everything for you to walk in and has exactly what you need to move forward with confidence and purpose.

Is it important to you to do your best work? What will you do this week to work with excellence?

Is Work Important in the Bible?

Does work matter in the Bible? What does the Bible even say about the topic of work? The answers to these questions are foundational to our faith at work journey. You might be surprised to find out just how prominent work actually is in the Bible. You may be equally surprised at how much God uses work.

Work is a primary means God uses to bring about His will and His plans for mankind. Once we recognize it, it becomes clear that it is everywhere from Genesis to Revelation.

Major Ideas of Work in the Bible

The Bible has a lot to say about work. The Bible speaks directly to how we should work and even provides countless examples for us to follow. The Bible includes many different types of work, ranging from manual labor and household duties to teaching, managing, and leading.

Many overarching work-related themes are found in the Bible – here are just a few:

  • God works through people and partners with them in their work
  • God uses the work of His people to accomplish His will
  • God uses work to shape and develop people
  • God doesn’t waste anything when it comes to the work of people and the circumstances of their lives
  • God uses the work of people to extend His Kingdom on earth and expand His influence

These important work-related ideas, along with many others, are found throughout the whole of Scripture.

Work in the Old Testament

The Bible begins with a description of the work God did in creation and points to God as a worker. Did you know that the first words God said to His created man and woman together were directions to do work?

Since God is a worker and we are made in His image, when we work, we are putting God’s nature on display.

It is fascinating to note that work existed before sin entered the world. While the fall of man and sin brought a curse upon the earth and changed human’s experience of work, the nature of work remained good.

The Old Testament includes examples of massive work, such as Noah building the Ark, and Moses leading the people of Israel out of Egypt. It also includes smaller work, like pouring oil into jars or baking bread. And we can’t forget the important work of the priests, prophets, judges and kings.

Joseph and Daniel stand as incredible examples of what it is to work for God and in partnership with Him. Have you thought about how everything they did was working with God?

Proverbs, Psalms, and Ecclesiastes give practical advice when it comes to work and applying God’s wisdom to daily life.

Work in the New Testament

Work and the marketplace played significant roles in the Gospels. The disciples were not pulled from the religious leadership of the time. Jesus found them in the marketplace where they were doing everyday work. The Gospels were written by workers, including a medical doctor, a tax collector and a fisherman.

The Rabbi’s at the time were expected to learn a trade to support themselves while they taught students. Paul was a tentmaker and Jesus was a carpenter.

Paul wrote about the basic expectations of work, including the importance of doing our work for God and not for man. He even warned the Thessalonians against idleness and went so far as to say that those who were unwilling to work should not eat.

Have you noticed that much of the apostle’s ministry activity was done in the marketplace?

Many of the parables of Jesus were related to work and included different types of work, such as management, farming, gardening, construction and shepherding.

Summing it Up

The prominence of the topic of work in the Bible speaks to its significance. The Bible contains work found in all segments of society, including: education, religion, family, business, government, arts, entertainment, and media.

From beginning to end, the Bible clearly reveals the sanctity and dignity of work. Work is found within the Creator Himself and humanity is called to continue God’s work on earth.

What About Today?

The breadth of work in the Bible has clear implications for today.

Can you see the significance of work in the Bible? Can you see the pattern of how God works together in partnership with people?

What do you think about the prominence of work in the Bible? How does what you see in the Bible about work affect how you see the work you do? Will you engage God in your work this week?

5 Steps to Connect Your Faith and Work

Did you know that God created you with your work in mind? He already knew the work you would be doing right now. Whether you love what you’re doing or are in a tough place, God wants to be with you in your work. But how can you make the connection between God and your work?

Here are 5 steps that will help you make that connection.

1. Think biblically about your work

God is a worker and He created you in His image. When you work, you are putting God’s nature on display.

You don’t have to be a pastor or a missionary to do God’s work. God anoints people for many different kinds of work – He did in the Bible and He does today. Whether you take care of children, cut grass or run your own company, you must recognize that your work matters to God and is filled with purpose.

The way we think feeds our attitude, how we act and how we react. How do you think about your work? Do you see that your work matters to God?

2. Invite God into your work

After you recognize that God cares about your work, you must open the door for Him to lead. God desires to be your partner. He has big plans for your work and everything He wants to do through you, but you must let Him drive.

You can start by simply asking God where He wants to get engaged. He is the source of all wisdom and knows exactly what you need in your work.

Is God welcome in your work? How can you partner with Him this week?

3. Make room for God to speak

If we want to work the way God created us to, we must prioritize intimacy with Him. We can’t hear from God if our minds and bodies are always preoccupied. We need to carve out time to be alone with God.

It could be a walk, quiet time, Bible reading, devotionals, worship, journaling or any other practice that can help you to quiet your mind. We just need to carve out the time.

God is already speaking to us, we simply need to get tuned-in to the right station. How will you make sure you are tuned into what God is already speaking?

4. Recognize how God has already used your work

God doesn’t waste anything. He uses everything in our lives to shape us to become more like Christ. God wants to use your work to transform you, the people around you, and even the atmosphere around you.

If we don’t recognize that God wants to use something, we can easily get distracted by its difficulty or begin to feel sorry for ourselves. Instead, we should always seek to allow God to use what we are going through.

Think about how God has already challenged you to grow through your work. Is there anything going on now that He may have plans to use?

5. Work by faith

As followers of Christ, we must walk and work by faith. That means to walk in trust. To trust in what God has said in His Word and what He will do with our work. If you consistently work by faith, you won’t be easily distracted by the many things around you.

What do you need to trust God with today? A situation? A relationship? A tough project? Submit it to Him and watch what He will do. Ask yourself if you really trust Him with it.

Take the next step

You might be surprised to know that God has significant plans for everything that comes to you in your work.

Did God bring anything to mind while reading this post? What steps will you take today to connect your faith to your daily work?

One Resource With All the Answers

Do you have go-to person or resource for when you’re not sure what to do? Could you imagine if that resource had all the answers and knew all the outcomes before they arrived? What if using that resource also guaranteed that whatever you were going through would not be wasted?

As a follower of Jesus, we have exactly that kind of resource available to us today.

It is a wise approach to seek help for solutions to issues we face. To talk to people, seek advice, search online, learn more, get direction and to get information for making decisions. I do this practically every day. But there is another resource that we can not forget. It contains all the wisdom necessary to navigate life. That resource is God’s Word.

We must feed ourselves regularly on God’s Word. The benefits are both practical and supernatural. In the Bible, we see wisdom stated directly and we also see wisdom through how people handle situations together with God. Do you read your Bible with an eye to see this wisdom?

If not, I want to encourage you to do so. The Bible is much more practical than most people realize. It is not just a list of commands but a love story and the history of a nation. That love story is about how people were separated from God and how God came to earth to rescue and reconnect humankind to Himself. Jesus didn’t die for us just so we could follow rules and fend for ourselves. He wants to support and help us through everything. He wants us to rely on Him. He wants a relationship.

You must have a living ongoing relationship with God’s Word. After all, Jesus is the living Word. As we use the Bible, our senses are sharpened. There is a supernatural effect that takes place. The lens we see through and think through becomes more and more infused with God’s perspective.

I often spend time researching ideas for solving problems and getting input from others. But I then take it to God to see how to best go forward. Even though situations can be complicated, He will always simplify it for me and give me a clear next step. He will even set the situation up so I can take that next step. But I must give Him the time for Him to speak to me. God wants to do the same for you.

Knowledge is what we can get when we seek help for solutions – wherever we happen to look. Wisdom is what we get when we rightly apply that knowledge. God can give us both, but we need to come to Him to receive it.

We can often spend a lot of time mulling over decisions and possible actions in our mind. It can feel cloudy and complicated, like a glass of water with mixed with sand. But if we stop stirring the water and let the sand settle to the bottom, we will quickly see through the clear water. It is the same with our minds. Things can get complicated, but we need to let the dust settle so we can see clearly to move forward. When we come to God and learn to relax, our minds can settle so He can give us clear direction.

God speaks to us in many ways. He can speak to us through other people, through situations, through an impression we get and many other forms. But the primary way that God speaks to His people is through His Word. We learn to hear His voice specificly for us through spending time with Him and in His Word.

Pastor Bill Johnson once said, “In the natural you get hungry by not eating. In the spiritual you get hungry by eating.” This means that the more we pursue our relationship with God, the more we will want to do so. The more we know God, the more we will want to know Him. So, how hungry are you?

What is going on today that you can seek God for how to move forward? Bring it to Him and His Word and watch your hunger grow. He is the ONE with all the answers.

A Thriving Work Life Starts With a Relationship

There is one key relationship that must be in place for you to thrive in everything you were created to in your daily work. Just one that needs to be right. One that needs to be maintained and one that needs to be nurtured. This one relationship will enable you to thrive in your other relationships.

It is your relationship with Jesus. Without it, you will never become all that you were created to become. You will never experience all that you were created and designed to experience. Knowing Jesus is the fundamental starting point of a thriving spiritual life. Its the Gospel. The Good News.

But once we start the relationship, it must be cultivated. Just as you would spend time to get to know a new friend.

This is the one relationship that feeds everything else. It feeds everything. Without it, you are like a water fountain that was designed to bring refreshment, but without being hooked up to a water source, it cannot refresh anything or anyone.

Just like the water fountain, we must be plugged in to our source of refreshment. We must stay close to Jesus if we want to have the life we were created and designed to have. That is where our real spiritual life starts.

We often try to solve problems on our own and when we are at a point of desperation, we finally think to ask God to intervene. Have you been there? I know I have. But it doesn’t have to be that way. We can involve Him at every step of the way, long before the point of desperation.

I like to compare it to standing in the ocean near the beach. We can get hit by waves and keep taking a beating, wondering when it will stop. Our daily work can often feel that way. But if we have a surfboard in the ocean, we can stay on top of the waves and enjoy whatever comes at us. We don’t have to control the waves to enjoy the ride – we just need to stay on the surfboard. Waves can hit us all day at work, but if we are close to God, we can ride on top of them. We don’t need to control everything at work – we just need to stay close to Jesus.

Staying close to God makes it much easier to stay above circumstances. To have our mentality remain unaffected by whats going on in the whirlwind around us. Of course it is reasonable that God would set it up this way – for us to stay close to Him as our source to have sustained peace and joy. But just knowing that truth alone won’t get us there. The ONE relationship will.

I can tell you all about my wife and how amazing she is and how great it is to know her. But me telling you about her is not the same as you actually meeting her and talking to her. It is the same with Jesus. You must know Jesus personally – you can’t just know about Jesus. He is the one relationship that must be right.

With that relationship in place and being cultivated continually, you are ready to thrive spiritually in your daily work and all other areas of life. I want to encourage you to spend some time reflecting on this ONE relationship. Do you already know Jesus? Would you like to be closer to Him?

Just take a step toward Him. You don’t need to hit a home run every day. Make a small commitment and keep it. One step closer. Soon you will be partnering with Him in your daily work in a whole new way.

Thriving Spiritual Life at Work

We were created to thrive spiritually in all areas of life. Not just at church, in our small groups or in our Bible studies. Should the biggest demand on your time help you thrive spiritually? I believe it should. Most likely, the biggest demand on your time is your work. Whether you work for a company or government, work at home, or you are an entrepreneur, you should have a thriving spiritual life through your work.

Somehow we find it so easy to separate our lives into spiritual and non-spiritual. More than likely most of us are unaware of the separation we have in our minds; perhaps we never even gave it a thought. But we don’t find this kind of separation in the Bible.

Everything is spiritual, so why don’t we treat everything as such? When we think about the idea that “everything is spiritual” obvious things come to mind like time with family, telling the truth, how we treat others, and perhaps even how we handle money. But what about that area we call work?

What if you came to the end of the day excited about the time you spent with God at work, tackling problems, developing relationships, dealing with difficulties, overcoming failure, and getting supernatural solutions? All while serving as a personal representative of the King of heaven to everyone around you. That’s the perspective we want to cultivate. The mindset we want to develop.

When Jesus entered the room, the odds for everyone in that room changed. People were desperate and hopeless, but when they saw Jesus, they were filled excitement. They simply knew that Jesus could solve the problem before them. Do we see Jesus that way?

It gets even better. If you know Jesus, you are filled with the same Holy Spirit. What does that mean? It means that when you walk into the room, the odds change. The odds change for everyone and every project in that room. The God of heaven who knows everyone’s heart has a direct line of communication with the people and the projects. The direct line is you.

That line is hot with power all the time, whether you are talking about Jesus and obviously ‘spiritual’ things, or talking about budgets and timelines. God can show Himself through you however He wants to. Why not – He used a donkey to  save the life of a prophet in Numbers 22:21-39.

The first step is to realize that God designed your work for you. God called you to it. God prepared it for you. Nothing that comes to you is arbitrary or takes God by surprise. Whether you are in your dream job or on your way to it. You must look to Him for meaning and purpose in it. All the time. Perhaps God wants to shape you through something? Perhaps He wants to shape others through your work? Or maybe He wants to display Himself through how you handle a difficult situation or relationship?

We must realize that our work is not about us. Our work is about God. It is for Him and His glory. God will not waste anything that comes to us at our work. Romans 8:28 is just as true in our daily work as it is in the hospital room or at church. “God will use all things for the good of those who love Him, and are called according to His purposes.”

So the question is, do you expect to have a thriving spiritual life at work? If not, its time to begin seeking one. This blog, along with the other resources that will be available will seek to help you do just that. To help you thrive spiritually in your work. To help you have a vibrant relationship with God that others will marvel at and want to know how to have the same.

Think about it. God doesn’t want to waste anything. Look to Him to help you move toward that thriving spiritual life we all want. Yes, even in our daily work.

Your Faith at Work – Join the Movement

Most people struggle to connect their faith to their daily work. It shouldn’t be that way. In reality, God cares deeply about our work. He not only cares about our work, but He is fully engaged in what we are doing. God even knows what is coming to us and how it will turn out. His plans include it.

Our work is not an arbitrary and random place we happen to find ourselves, even though sometimes it can feel that way. While there may be times when change is needed, one thing is for certain: our work is a place where God wants to meet us and partner with us.

Open your Bible and you don’t need to look far to see where God has partnered with His people. You will find that the partnership very often was surrounding things like business or daily work, not always related to church or Bible studies.

This may sound surprising, but take a step back. What about Daniel and honoring God instead of bowing to the king? Or Joseph when he interpreted the Pharaoh’s dream? Or David and Goliath? Do you recall these stories recorded in the Bible? Every one of them had something in common. Each person partnered with God right where they were. They had a relationship with God that allowed them to count on Him when they needed to. Wherever they were – it wasn’t only when they were in church or reading their Bible. It was when they found themselves in difficult situations with no way out.

In each of the stories, God was there. He knew what was coming. His followers trusted Him. God was fully engaged in what was going on in their lives. Is it the same for us today? Absolutely. God could not be more interested in our daily lives than He already is right now.

God wants us to share our daily work with Him. He wants to give us solutions to difficult problems, He wants to fix the impossible relationships, to meet the impossible timelines. He wants to give you a new idea that will give the breakthrough you have been waiting for. He even wants to give us the next innovation that will disrupt an industry.

All of this makes sense, right? The question is not whether you believe it. I’m sure you do. The question is whether you will live your daily life as though it is true. Will you expect God to move in your daily work? Will you ask Him to invade and take over the situation you are dealing with right now? Try it out. You will like the results.

I want to invite you to join the movement. The Your Faith at Work Movement. We won’t be misled anymore into believing that we aren’t doing “God’s work” if we don’t work for a church or a ministry organization. Just like God wanted to use people where they were in the Bible, He wants to use you right where you are today.

This movement will be a wild ride. We will see God show up and move like never before. We will see His supernatural solutions coming as we learn to rely on Him more throughout our day. As we learn to bring things to Him and to expect Him to move. So get excited and buckle up.

Welcome to Your Faith at Work.