design – Page 19 – Called To Work

Inspect the Fruit

January 18, 2023

Devotions/Partners

Matthew 7:16-17 (KJV): “Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.”

COMMENTARY: For decades, I’ve lived in a suburban farming town near Hartford, Connecticut. Over time, from winter to fall, I’ve watched the bare farmlands sprout up with new life. I’ve watched the crops grow. I’ve watched the eventual harvest, abounding in fruits and vegetables. There are many parallels between agriculture and everyday life.

APPLICATION: Many Christians in the workplace are too naive. The Holy Spirit wants to give us supernatural discernment and wisdom, but we presume too much and get ourselves into messy situations because we don’t take the time to prayerfully and diligently inspect the fruit.

When hiring new employees, ALWAYS check references, even if they’re Christians.

When selecting new suppliers, ALWAYS check references, even if they’re Christians.

When serving new customers, ALWAYS check references and credit records, even if they’re Christians.

When considering purchasing or merging with a business, ALWAYS check references and credit records, even if they’re Christians.

As for the fruit and harvest of your life, make a commitment to the Lord in prayer to be a good tree that bears good fruit; not by “striving” to be a good Christian, but by “abiding” in the Holy Spirit. He is the vine, you are the branch. Without Him, you can do nothing.

As you give the Holy Spirit permission to fill you, His supernatural love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness and self-control will spring forth. The spiritual gifts that He has divinely chosen to give you will flow. You’ll be an abundant tree of life to those around you.

Joyfully yours,

Drew

For Further Exploration

For further exploration about Matthew 7:16-17 (KJV), read Moral Guidance (Matthew 7) from the Theology of Work Bible Commentary.

Idol-Free is the Way to Be

Devotions/Partners

Exodus 20:3-4 (KJV): “Thou shalt have no other gods before me. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.”

COMMENTARY: Trust in God only. People will disappoint you. God created you, He loves you, and has a wonderful plan for your life. He is too good to do wrong, and too wise to make a mistake, even when you are surrounded by challenges and problems. Let His peace abide in you.

God created us to live in social environments, and to be “knit together in love.” We need other people. However, we’re all sinners living in a fallen world full of sinful people. We have an adversary who constantly seeks to steal, kill, and destroy.

In the final analysis, you must place your complete trust in the Living God and in Him alone. The danger in trusting other people is that they can become gods. If we’re not careful, we can start living and planning our lives based on “their” leadership, “their” opinions and “their” performance. Then, when things don’t go as planned or hoped, we’re capable of going into emotional, mental, physical or spiritual tailspins.

APPLICATION: Who among us has had a career or a business plan that panned out perfectly? Who among us has not experienced major business or career curveballs?

Be of good cheer: God sees everything and knows everything. God has a wonderful way of working things out for good–often in mysterious and unexpected ways. As the old-time hymn goes, “Trust and obey…there’s just no other way…to be happy in Jesus…than to trust and obey!”

Joyfully yours,

Drew

For Further Exploration

For further exploration about Exodus 20:3-4 (KJV) , read The Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:1-17) from the Theology of Work Bible Commentary.

How Well Are You Maintaining?

Devotions/Partners

Ecclesiastes 10:18 (KJV): “By much slothfulness the building decayeth; and through idleness of the hands the house droppeth through.”

COMMENTARY: Would you agree that some aspects of the workplace are more glamorous and exciting than others? This passage applies to every workplace, even if it’s a small home-based business. The reality is that there are mundane aspects of maintaining your facility that are easy to ignore or miss. There are also bigger aspects of maintaining your facility that are easy to dismiss and delay because they are a significant expense. This passage reveals that the root cause of much facility decay is sheer laziness. Companies aren’t willing to allocate the funds and aren’t motivated to maintain their facilities because it’s just too much of a hassle and expense. So, they coast.

APPLICATION: “Pay me now, or pay me later” and “mind the store” are common expressions that apply to your facility today. It’s much wiser to nip problems in the bud now, than to hold off on required maintenance until things reach crisis or emergency mode. You may not be the facilities manager where you work, but you can help by taking good care of your own workspace; reporting areas of concern to your supervisor, facilities manager or landlord; and making constructive suggestions about how your facilities can be kept in tip-top shape without breaking the budget.

This passage also applies to your personal home. Are you being a diligent steward of your home, or are you foolishly and lazily allowing it to decay? As the owner of a log home for decades, I can tell you that if I’m lazy about taking care of my logs, my home will eventually rot. Not on my watch!

Joyfully yours,

Drew

For Further Exploration

For further exploration about Ecclesiastes 10:18 (KJV), read There is No Way to Know What Comes Afterwards (Eccl 9:1-11:6) from the Theology of Work Bible Commentary.

Honor Your Boss… to a Point!

Devotions/Partners

Exodus 20:12 (KJV): “Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.”

COMMENTARY: Parent-child relationships are often the most difficult relationships in life, and so are employer-employee relationships. In a sense, your employer is a type of “parent” when you’re on-the-job. While it’s not a Scriptural promise, honoring your boss is certainly conducive to long-term employment at your firm. Plus, in Ephesians 6:5-8, we are instructed to obey our masters (employers) as unto Christ.

APPLICATION: Be careful about having a bad attitude about your boss. You should respect and obey your boss, because you do not know what it’s like to be in his or her shoes. Plus, your ultimate boss is the Lord. Serve Him faithfully on the job, and He will bless you.

Earlier in my career, I was a hard worker, very reliable and giving. I made a significant contribution to the firm I worked for. However, I had a bad attitude about my boss. After I started my business and hired people, I experienced how it felt to be “the boss.” I remembered how I had treated my boss, and the Lord led me to humble myself and send him a letter apologizing for being an insensitive fool.

Perhaps you should write some letters to former bosses, too! Perhaps you need to respect and obey your boss more than you have been. But there are limits. If he or she commands you to do something illegal or immoral, contrary to Scripture and grieving to the Holy Spirit, then you must make a stand and obey God rather than man. You are an ambassador for Christ, not a prostitute!

Joyfully yours,

Drew

For Further Exploration

For further exploration about Exodus 20:12 (KJV), read The Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:1-17) from the Theology of Work Bible Commentary.

Hindering Wisdom: 12 Sources of Static

Devotions/Partners

Proverbs 18:1 (KJV): “Through desire a man, having separated himself, seeketh and intermeddleth with all wisdom.”

COMMENTARY: Wisdom is always crying out. It’s never a matter of “message sent,” but always a matter of “message received.” If you have the Holy Spirit inside, then you have the awesome capacity to tune into wisdom like never before.

APPLICATION: Through our carnal nature, we can actually meddle with wisdom. Here are twelve sources of static from the entire chapter of Proverbs 18 that can interfere with your receptivity to wisdom:

1) Desire of fame, fortune or fantasy.

2) Selfishness.

3) Condoning evil.

4) Trying to “win” every discussion.

5) Incessant talking.

6) Laziness.

7) Trusting in your riches.

8) Excessive self-confidence.

9) Jumping to conclusions.

10) Allowing your wounds to make you insensitive or ultrasensitive.

11) Overzealousness.

12) Building walls between you and those who have offended you.

After reading this list, is it any wonder that wisdom seems to be lacking in so many workplaces today? If you want wisdom to prevail in your workplace, it begins with you. Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal and remove sources of static in your heart and mind.

Joyfully yours,

Drew

For Further Exploration

For further exploration about Proverbs 18:1 (KJV), read Proverbs and Work from the Theology of Work Bible Commentary.

Hiding from Your Calling?

Devotions/Partners

I Samuel 10:22 (KJV): “Therefore they enquired of the LORD further, if the man should come thither. And the LORD answered, Behold, he hath hid himself among the stuff.”

COMMENTARY: In this passage, the people were not content just to have a supernatural King. Through Samuel the prophet, God declared that he would satisfy their need for a physical, human king by raising up Saul. But Saul was hiding from God and the people, among the stuff!

APPLICATION: Is God raising you up to be a leader in your family, business, church and community, but you are afraid to answer His call? Like Saul, are you hiding among your stuff, hoping to avoid detection and attention? Are you too content with, and focused upon, your stuff that you are not willing to step out by faith and do God’s Will?

Now is a great time to finally hearken to God’s call in your life. Stop hiding in the shadows. Stop telling God and the people that you can’t and you won’t. This fallen, sinful world needs God-inspired, Holy-Spirit powered leadership in every field, every sphere of influence, every nook and cranny of human existence. Will you rise to the challenge and make a Godly difference for eternity?

Remember: God created you for a divine purpose. He has a divine call upon every Christian, including you. The sooner you know what His call is, and abide in it, the sooner you’ll discover the abundant life He has promised to every believer. There is no greater success in life than knowing and abiding in God’s call.

Joyfully yours,

Drew

For Further Exploration

For further exploration about I Samuel 10:22 (KJV), read The Task of Choosing a King (1 Samuel 9-16) from the Theology of Work Bible Commentary.

God’s Preparation & Timing

January 10, 2023

Devotions/Partners

Image by Gerd Altmann / Pixabay . Used with Permission.

1 Samuel 17:37 (KJV): “David said moreover, The LORD that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine. And Saul said unto David, Go, and the LORD be with thee.”

COMMENTARY: In business terms, “preparation” is the equivalent of education and experience. The Bible is full of men and women whom the Lord prepared for His purposes, in His way and in His time. In this passage, I picture the Lord as a Master Chef, creating a recipe (plan) for David’s life, carefully mixing personality ingredients, adding the salt of His Word, and cooking up experiences that will equip David for Godly service in the future. Unknown to David at the time, his experiences with wild beasts prepared him to face Goliath, and his diligent care over his father Jesse’s flock prepared him to serve as king of God’s people. His daily experiences also prepared him to compose and sing Psalms.

APPLICATION: As you go about your daily work, don’t be impatient when it comes to climbing the corporate ladder. God is methodically preparing you for what’s up ahead. Don’t jump the gun. If you are not achieving what you believe to be God-given goals, trust that He will bring it about in His time and in His way. You may be right with the vision, but wrong on the timing. You may need more seasoning!

There have been several specific instances of this in my career. There was a time when I was impatient about being promoted to vice president at the advertising agency where I worked. However, after

I came to Christ, He gave me the desire of my heart and I was promoted. I had turned this promotion into an idol, and until I was broken of my idolatry and made the Lord #1, He withheld the promotion I desired.

There was a time when I was impatient about starting my own business. Thank God that I have a Godly wife. She urged me to hold off until the time was right. In God’s time, He gave both of us peace about moving forward, and it came to pass. I’ve now operated the firm for decades.

Joyfully yours,

Drew

#76 – for week Dec 12, 2022

For Further Exploration

For further exploration about I Samuel 10:22 (KJV)，read The Task of Choosing a King (1 Samuel 9-16) from the Theology of Work Bible Commentary.

God’s Awesome Employee Benefits Package

Devotions/Partners

Revelation 22:12 (KJV): “And behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.”

COMMENTARY: Please know that God wants you to labor and to enjoy the fruits of your labors. He is a faithful, just, fair and perfect “employer.” He knows all and sees all. He rewards those who diligently labor for Him. In the eternal Big Picture, you can bank on it.

APPLICATION: Here is what God’s Employee Benefits Package looks like:

(1) If you labor, you’ll profit (Proverbs 14:23). If you don’t, you won’t.

(2) If you labor, you’ll be happy (Psalms 128:1-2). If you don’t, you won’t.

(3) If you labor, your needs will be supplied (Acts 20:33-35, Eph. 4:28). If you don’t, they won’t.

(4) If you labor, your sleep will be sweet (Ecclesiastes 5:12). If you don’t, it won’t.

(5) If you labor in the Lord, your labors will never be a waste (1 Cor. 15:58). If you don’t, they may be.

Enjoy and celebrate time off, but return to work with the right attitude. God will bless you if you maintain a strong work ethic over the course of your career and lifetime.

Joyfully yours,

Drew

For Further Exploration

For further exploration about 1 Samuel 17:37 (KJV)，read David’s Rise to Power (1 Samuel 17-30) from the Theology of Work Bible Commentary.

Go, Go, Go!

Devotions/Partners

Hebrews 12:1-2a (KJV) “Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith.”

COMMENTARY: In 1 Corinthians 14:3, God gives us three reasons why He gives messages to His people: comfort, edification and exhortation:

(1) For those who are down, He comforts them as they recover.

(2) For those who are have recovered, He encourages them to stand up.

(3) For those who are standing, He exhorts them to move forward.

In this passage of Hebrews 12, the Lord gives us a mega-dose of all three! Imagine the sky around you as one huge, 360-degree, panoramic mega-stadium. Now picture a throng of God’s angels and called-home saints in that stadium CHEERING YOU ON TO VICTORY! Jesus knows when your life in this world is over, He’ll be waiting at your finish line to welcome you into Glory!

APPLICATION: As Christians in the workplace, we can feel lonely, isolated, rejected, misunderstood and resented. During those times when pangs of despair, confusion, hurt, discouragement and exhaustion penetrate your mind, heart and soul, remember that you’re not alone. There’s a great cloud of witnesses rooting for you, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. They never stop, even when you’re asleep!

Not only that: there are also many saints alive in the world today who are rooting for you, praying for you, ready and willing to help you to persevere. Believe it! Claim it! It’s true! Always remember that we are on the Winning Team!

Joyfully yours,

Drew

For Further Exploration

For further exploration about Revelation 22:12 (KJV)，read Babylon and the New Jerusalem: A Tale of Two Cities (Revelation 17-22) from the Theology of Work Bible Commentary.

Generosity Pays

Devotions/Partners

Image by John Hain / Pixabay . Used with Permission.

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Proverbs 11:24-25 (KJV): There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth; and there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty. The liberal soul shall be made fat: and he that watereth shall be watered also himself.

COMMENTARY: Have you discovered that “God’s Economy” functions in counter-intuitive, paradoxical ways that seem contrary to logic and intellect? The Lord truly does work in mysterious ways that you will

never be able to forecast on an Excel spreadsheet. His ways are not your ways.

From this passage, we are reminded that if we don’t let go and scatter seed, we won’t grow. If we hold back and hoard, we’ll become poor. Over the course of my decades in the workplace, I’ve seen this happen over and over again in all dimensions of life–from family and friends to church and ministry, community, businesses and associations.

APPLICATION: When the Holy Spirit tells you to give time, talent, tongue and treasure, GIVE! When the Holy Spirit tells you to scatter seed, SCATTER! When the Holy Spirit tells you to encourage and help others unconditionally, WATER!

Don’t quench and grieve the Holy Spirit. Generosity pays. In ways unexpected and mysterious, you will be blessed. You will be watered also, in God’s way and time. Just don’t try to forecast your journey with Him. Walk by faith and not by sight, and trust God for the outcomes.

This is a very peculiar and unusual way to live and work in today’s secular culture, but it’s very refreshing and liberating. If God takes care of the flowers in the field and the birds in the air, He is fully capable of providing for you. Oh, you of little faith! Must you always try to figure things out in advance?

Joyfully yours,

Drew

For Further Exploration

For further exploration about Hebrews 12:1-2a (KJV)，read Endure Hardship and Pursue Peace (Hebrews 12:1-16) from the Theology of Work Bible Commentary.

Called To Work

Author: design

Inspect the Fruit

For Further Exploration

Idol-Free is the Way to Be

For Further Exploration

How Well Are You Maintaining?

Honor Your Boss… to a Point!

For Further Exploration

Hindering Wisdom: 12 Sources of Static

For Further Exploration

Hiding from Your Calling?

For Further Exploration

God’s Preparation & Timing

For Further Exploration

God’s Awesome Employee Benefits Package

For Further Exploration

Go, Go, Go!

For Further Exploration

Generosity Pays

For Further Exploration

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