
Episodes
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volume_upJuly 30, 2025 Fran and Jesus on the Job: Dealing with a Difficult Manager – 3
Fran, our workplace woman has just received a very unfair and vindictive appraisal from her manager. This means Fran will be officially \"on notice,\" and could lose her job in three months. She went into panic mode, but with Jesus right beside her, she hears him tell her exactly what to say.
Fran turns to Marilyn, her boss, \"Well, Marilyn, I think the procedures give me the right to voice my objection to this appraisal. I'd like to express my feelings.\"
Marilyn's face gets redder, and she stands over Fran intimidatingly. \"You can do whatever you like, but it won't get you anywhere. I've reviewed all this with Ed, Vice President of Human Resources, and he's in total agreement with what I've done. Insubordination is an offense for which any employee can be fired. You'll find it in the personnel handbook, if you don't believe me.\"
\"Oh, I believe you, Marilyn,\" Fran replies, \"but I don't feel I've been insubordinate, and I'd like to follow the procedures for expressing how I feel.” Fran is amazed at the calmness in her voice, and the peaceful feeling she has. She's also amazed at Marilyn's lack of control; she's never seen her so angry and hateful.
Jesus whispers in Fran's ear, \"Please remember that Marilyn is angry because you did the right thing. You were a light shining in her darkness, and she didn't like it. Don't take it personally; I'm going to get you through this, Fran, I promise.\"
Just hearing his voice assures Fran, and the peace that passes understanding sweeps over her. But somehow, the more peaceful she feels, the more upset and out of control Marilyn seems to be.
After pacing in front of Fran, Marilyn turns and says, \"There's a place on page 3 of the appraisal for your comments, if you insist on getting yourself in further trouble. After you write them, return the appraisal to me. I'll take it to Ed.\"
\"Marilyn,\" Fran says, \"I can request an interview with Ed, isn't that right?\"
When Fran sees how angry this makes Marilyn, she says to Jesus, \"Oops, I think I said the wrong thing. Guess I shouldn't have brought that up, huh Lord?\"
\"No,\" Jesus responds, \"it's okay, Fran. Marilyn is uncomfortable because she's been lying to you, and she knows you could get her in a bunch of trouble if you go talk to Ed.\"
\"Lying to me? Why, of course,\" Fran replies. Suddenly it's all so clear to Fran. Marilyn is bluffing about Ed, trying to frighten Fran. She never dreamed Fran would think of talking to Ed. And now Fran has the advantage over Marilyn. All she has to do is insist on her right to talk to Ed, and Marilyn will be in trouble. What will Fran do now?
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volume_upJuly 29, 2025 Fran and Jesus on the Job: Dealing with a Difficult Manager – 2
Our friend, Fran, a workplace woman, was headed into her boss's office for her annual appraisal. But thankfully, she's not going there alone; she is aware Jesus is right beside her.
\"Come on in, Fran,\" Marilyn says in a rather rigid voice, as she closes the door behind her. \"I've already completed your appraisal, and what I'd like you to do is look it over and then we'll discuss it.” She hands Fran the appraisal form.
Fran's eyes begin to focus on the appraisal form and slowly she realizes she has been given a very poor appraisal. Marilyn has given her the grade of \"Does not meet the requirements of the job,\" which means Fran will be put on notice. By being put on notice, she is given three months to improve and if not, she will be fired. She gulps hard and silently prays.
\"Lord, do you see this? Can you believe it? There's no way she can justify this poor rating. It means I get no raise, and I may get fired. Lord!\"
\"Yes, Fran, I see it. The important thing now is to stay calm. Remember, you prayed about your words, so be very careful what you say. Measure your words carefully,\" Jesus assures her.
With her heart beating like crazy, Fran looks up at Marilyn. \"I guess you can see that this appraisal is very shocking to me. I really don't understand how you can honestly appraise my work as not meeting the requirements. Here are my sales figures; as you know, I'm second in the whole office in volume and first in customer retention. I just don't understand,\" Fran says to Marilyn, as she hands her the sales figures.
\"Listen, Fran, numbers don't tell the whole story. You demonstrated a total unwillingness to obey orders, you were insubordinate, and as a result we lost the D3 University business. I could fire you for that, Fran, but I'm giving you a break. You have three months to shape up and decide if you're a team player or not. Otherwise, you'll be looking for another job.\"
Fran can't believe her ears. \"Jesus,\" she says, \"are you going to let her get by with this? You know how unfair this is; after all, I was doing what you told me, I was doing the right thing, and now I'm about to lose my job. Jesus, where are you?\"
\"I'm right here, Fran; I haven't moved an inch,\" he says comfortingly to her. \"Have I ever failed you?\" he asks Fran. \"Have I ever left you or forsaken you?\"
\"No,\" Fran replies, \"but this is different. I'm really in trouble. What do I do?\"
\"I thought you'd never ask,\" says Jesus, and he begins to put into her mind what to say to Marilyn.
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volume_upJuly 26, 2025 Working By the Jesus Rules
Jesus tells a parable in Matthew 20 that is a puzzle for us to understand. It’s the story of an employer who offers to hire workers for a certain amount, the workers agree to the pay, and they go to work in his vineyard. Some start working early in the morning and work all day, others are hired throughout the day, and finally at five o’clock this employer hires even more people to come and work in the vineyard for the last hour of the day.
At the end of the workday, the employer pays them the exact same amount, even though some have worked twelve hours, some ten, and some just one hour. Well, as you can understand, those who worked the entire day were not happy campers.
When they received the pay they had agreed to, they began to grumble against the landowner. ‘These who were hired last worked only one hour,’ they said, ‘and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the work and the heat of the day’ (Matthew 20:11-12).
To our human minds, this just seems wrong! It’s not fair! Those are probably some of the first words you ever uttered: It’s not fair! We’re born with an “it’s not fair” attitude—wanting things to be equal, fair, right. But this parable emphasizes the fact that the Kingdom of God is not a fair kingdom! Grace is not fair. God pours his grace and blessings on us though we never deserve them. The Kingdom of God is run on Jesus rules—and those are totally different than the way the world works.
Jesus tells this parable to help his followers understand that he will bless those he chooses to bless and be generous to those he chooses, and we should always remember how unfairly God has treated us—and be very grateful. He doesn’t deal with us as our sins deserve. He doesn’t dispense grace to us based on our performance. His kingdom is not like ours; his rules are usually the opposite of what the world’s rules are.
As Jesus tells this parable, this is how the landowner responds:
But he answered one of them, ‘I am not being unfair to you, friend. Didn’t you agree to work for a denarius? Take your pay and go. I want to give the one who was hired last the same as I gave you. Don’t I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?’ (Matthew 20:13-15).
Jesus is trying to show us that God is God, and he runs the show. He rules the universe. It runs on the Jesus rules. But here’s the thing—the Jesus rules are meant to bring us peace and contentment, and they do when we live by them. It’s upside-down living, I know, but it brings immediate and eternal joy.
His message in this parable is that we are to work without envy. We are not to compare ourselves to others and envy what others get or have or do. Envy will eat you alive. Proverbs 14:30 says: A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones.
Is there some envy in your heart today—toward coworkers or others? It will rot your bones—destroy your health, shorten your life. If you want to work by Jesus rules, then you need to clean out the envy in your heart. Believe me, you’ll be so glad you did.
In Matthew 21 Jesus tells the parable of the two sons. The father told the first son to go work in the vineyard. That son refused to go, but later he changed his mind and went. The second son agreed to go, but then he didn’t. Jesus asked, Which of the two did what his father wanted? Obviously the first son did what his father asked.
One of the things this parable teaches us is that we should walk our talk. The second son gave the right answer, he looked and sounded good, but he failed to deliver. He was all talk and no walk. A good rule of thumb is “Under promise and over deliver.” That’s what the first son did. He delivered more than he promised. His talk wasn’t very impressive, but he actually went out and got the work done.
Have you known people who could talk a really good game but never put the elbow-grease behind their talk?
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volume_upJuly 25, 2025 When Conflict Arises – 5
Presented by Lauren Stibgen
What is clear is that as followers of Jesus Christ we are called to handle conflict differently.
In verse 1 of John 16, Jesus says to his disciples, all this I have told you so that you will not fall away. Why is this significant? This singular verse follows John 15, and Jesus teaching about abiding. Just as we discussed earlier this week, Jesus knew we would face conflict. In fact, he is even more specific about this conflict in John 15:18. Jesus reminds us that if the world hates us know that it hated him before it hated you or me. Now let’s put this together. Jesus wants us to abide, because he knows we will need him. He knows we need his love, his friendship, his counsel and his joy.
The conflicts in our day to day are heavy, but sometimes our Father is using these conflicts to help us to bear more fruit for his Kingdom. Yes, I said it. God uses these conflicts to grow us! John 15:2 states, every branch that does bear fruit he prunes that it will bear more fruit. Pruning is a verb meant to trim by cutting away dead or overgrown branches or stems, especially to increase fruitfulness and growth. Sometimes conflict happens to remove things from our lives that don’t belong. That could be at work too. God can use these moments to shine a light of our need for a greater reliance or abiding with him. Another word used in these verses in place of abide is remain. Remain or stay. How often are we not remaining with Jesus? Are we wandering too far from the perfect, life-giving vine of Jesus Christ?
This is the vine of perfect love—a vine that says we can ask whatever we wish in Jesus’ name! A vine that doesn’t consider us servants but friends. A vine that apart from, we can do nothing. Don’t ever forget this. Apart from Jesus we can do nothing. This means conflict. We should not engage in conflict without seeking Jesus.
Now, conflict isn’t the only pruning God uses in our lives, but surely when we are in the midst of conflict, God’s number one goal for us is how we seek him in the trial!
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volume_upJuly 23, 2025 When Conflict Arises – 3
Presented by Lauren Stibgen
Staying quiet when you are in conflict is hard! I know I have been guilty of saying too much during a conflict—especially if it is something I am passionate about!
Getting wound-up during a conflict is easy. You have a point of view, and you think it is the right point of view. Maybe you have stated your point of view, but it seems like no one is listening. Perhaps you are experiencing a conflict and don’t know what to say, or you feel plain defeated in trying to continually do the right things and it doesn’t seem to get you anywhere.
Are your words empty? The Bible cautions of the words that we use.
And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words (Matthew 6:7).
Are you talking a lot but without a lot of substance?
Proverbs 21:35 in the message translation also warns,
Watch your words and hold your tongue; you’ll save a lot of grief (Proverbs 21:23).
In the heat of a conflict, you can often say things you don’t want to say.
My greatest encouragement is to tell you to remember it is ultimately God that fights your battles. He even calls us to be silent.
The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still (Exodus 14:14).
Have you ever tried deploying silence and waiting for the Lord to work on your behalf in a conflict? In the world this is counter intuitive. We are told to speak up and to fight for our point of view.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight (Proverbs 3:5-6).
In this silence and waiting, turn to the Lord in prayer. Those empty words that you may say during a conflict are better used in a silent prayer to God to step in for you. Prayer is powerful. It draws you near to the Lord and helps you increase your trust that he knows the plans he has for you.
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volume_upJuly 22, 2025 When Conflict Arises – 2
Presented by Lauren Stibgen
Sometimes when we are in the midst of a conflict, we talk about it with others to seek counsel. Seeking counsel from others is not a bad thing. In fact, Proverbs 15:22 tells us that without counsel plans fail, but with many advisers they succeed, and in Proverbs 24:6 we learn surely you need guidance to wage war, and victory is won through many advisers.
Sometimes during a conflict, we seek counsel from people who may tell us what we want to hear instead of what we need to hear. You know that group of friends or colleagues that always seems to share your point of view, the ones that cheer you on and will tell you the other party is just plain wrong. In industrial psychology, we call this group think. Irving Janus, a Yale psychologist defines group think as a mode of thinking that people in a group engage in where striving for unanimity overrides the motivation to realistically appraise alternative courses of action.
Finding people that will agree with us can certainly feel good in the moment, but it can have monumental consequences when it comes to resolving a conflict.
In 1 Kings 22 Jehoshaphat sought counsel to discern whether he should go to battle. The prophets that he would typically take counsel from told him to go … for the Lord will give it into the king’s hand (1 Kings 22:6). When he asked if there was another prophet that he could inquire of, Micaiah was suggested. Jehoshaphat states, I hate him because he never prophesies anything good about me, but always bad (1 Kings 22:8). In the remaining verses of 1 Kings 22 we learn Jehosaphat goes to battle after not listening to Micaiah, and he lost his life.
When you are seeking advice during a conflict, are you listening to wise counsel or are you listening to the voices that always agree with you? And more importantly are you seeking counsel from other believers?
Good counsel asks questions; it challenges you and will seek to help you maintain and discern how you can come to a good resolution to a conflict. Good counsel will turn you toward God’s Word and to your relationship with Jesus as you look for solutions in whatever situation you are in.
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volume_upJuly 21, 2025 When Conflict Arises
Presented by Lauren Stibgen
Sometimes the headlines are too much. These days the news is full of conflict, and it seems like this conflict has made its way into work in many ways. Whether it is continued conflict about gender or racial bias, income inequality, views on sustainability or environment or politics, we can count on people at work having differing opinions. And these opinions can bubble over into conflict when we least expect it.
In John 16:33 we are reminded by Jesus in this world we will have tribulation. Tribulation is defined as great trouble or suffering. You can see how each of these issues we just mentioned can cause great trouble and suffering. Beyond these macro level issues that we are all aware of, what about the day-to-day conflicts at work? It could be something as simple as a colleague not completing their work in a timely fashion which causes your work to be late, or a boss that requires you to be in the office every day but only comes in once a week.
While Jesus promises us all this conflict, he also tells us to take heart because he has overcome the world. Earlier in John 16:33, Jesus also tells us that in him, we will have peace.
How can you find the peace of Jesus in these conflict moments? This week we will look at ways we can find the peace that Jesus offers. Perhaps some of your conflicts are self-inflicted. Are you listening to wise counsel? Are you listening and staying silent enough? Maybe you are saying too much, when it is God you should be reliant on.
How closely you abide to your peace, Jesus, will be indicative of your greatest success or failure during times of conflict. Remember, Jesus promises us this conflict, but he also offers us the greatest solution in himself!
If you are feeling overwhelmed by a macro level conflict in our world today, Jesus isn’t calling you to avoid it, he is calling you to rely on him! If you are going through a micro level conflict at work or at home, he isn’t calling you to avoid it either, he is calling you to rely on him!
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volume_upJuly 19, 2025 Making Our Way to Peace
Presented by Lauren Stibgen
As a follower of Jesus Christ, I have thought a lot about what God wants me to do with conflict, and I’ve realized I can only control how I react and engage. I can’t control the other person or people with whom I may be in conflict.
I have thought about different types of conflict, and while all require personal engagement, there are some in business that boil down to contracts and paperwork and have nothing to do with an interpersonal spat between two people. In both circumstances, God calls us to walk in a manner that reflects our kingdom status as we walk as ambassadors at work and in this world.
Conflicts at work can be weighty. They can impact you personally, and they can impact an organization’s culture. Conflicts can ruin long-standing relationships and creative divides that close a business for good—especially a family-owned business.
But one thing I learned about conflict, especially as a believer in Jesus Christ, is that God uses conflict to prune me. He uses these moments, whether personal or in business, to make me better for his kingdom. John 15:2 states: every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will bear more fruit.
Pruning is a verb meant to trim by cutting away dead or overgrown branches or stems, especially to increase fruitfulness and growth. Pruning is good. Pruning is meant to help you and me do more for the kingdom. Pruning is meant to show us what to do more or less of. Pruning can remove people- it may even remove a job.
I was curious about workplace conflict statistics, and I learned that at the high end, statistics state that 85% of employees report conflict at work. A study from the Peaceful Leaders Academy estimates that employees spend an average of 33.3 minutes a day in negative discussions about other colleagues! Even in a small company, let’s say 25 people, this results in 13.875 hours of time spent in potential conflict! Of employees who report conflict, 57% of them have seen this escalate to the level of physical altercation!
A recent Harvard Business Review article reports that most conflicts at work are caused by differing perspectives or different personalities.
I have learned that you can’t manage what you can’t measure, and apparently measuring conflict is important!
We cannot avoid conflict, but we can strive for peace with others. What does this peacemaking look like and how do we do it? As we look at resolving conflict through our biblical lens, is it possible that others can align with us if they don’t believe what we do? The answer is mostly yes, and sometimes, no. However, if we are honest, even conflict with other believers can go unresolved. The answer is still sometimes yes and sometimes no.
Matthew 5:9 tells us: “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called the children of God.”
One of my all-time favorite books is The Peacemaker by Ken Sande. I have had this book since 2007 on my shelf and find that I have referenced it many times over the years to describe the good and bad of handling conflict. Sande’s visual of what he calls the slippery slope of conflict outlines what he calls peace-making, peace-faking and peace-breaking. Of course, the goal is to be in peace-making mode, but what about the other end of this spectrum? Peace-faking is described as an escape response to conflict with the ultimate response of suicide. Peace-breaking is described as an attack response to conflict with the ultimate end of murder. I just mentioned that 57% of employees have seen a conflict escalating to a physical altercation; let’s think about this as peace-breaking. Obviously, this is an attack response and is on the slippery slope to something even worse.
What are the roots of most conflicts? I just mentioned the Harvard Business Review which said that differing perspectives and differing personalities cause most conflict, but it is much more specific than this.
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volume_upJuly 18, 2025 Constructive Confrontation – 5
God sent Moses to confront Pharaoh several times, to try to resolve their impasse in a way that would be best for both. Moses told Pharaoh, “Let my people go,” but Pharaoh refused to take the advice, and he paid a big price for it.
As we’ve talked about constructive confrontation, I’ve encouraged you not to avoid confrontation when it is the right thing to do. But we also have to be aware that even constructive confrontation doesn’t always work, because we do not have control over how the other person will react.
It’s important to remember even when we do the right thing in the right way, the confrontation may not have an immediate good result. The other person must ultimately choose how he or she will respond, and sometimes it doesn’t work out the way we had hoped. That doesn’t mean we failed.
Jesus was often rejected by those he confronted with the truth, and he allowed people to walk away. Even when you believe you know what is best for other people, ultimately, you must be reconciled to the fact that they make their own choices.
In some situations, you may have the power or the authority to execute an ultimatum if the other person refuses to conform. For example, if you confront an employee about their poor work habits and they refuse to change, they may indeed face the consequence of losing their job. But before you present the ultimatum to that person, try to achieve the desired result—changing that person’s poor work habits in a more conciliatory manner. It may work, and you won’t need to issue the ultimatum.
In other situations, you may be powerless to enforce the change you are trying to achieve. Then, depending on the relationship, you must be prepared to live with it without allowing it to ruin your life, or you have to make changes if you are not prepared to live with it.
I want to encourage you to get past your fear and resistance to confrontation and learn how to confront when it is right to do. It is good to speak the truth in love even if it is painful.
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volume_upJuly 16, 2025 Constructive Confrontation – 3
Confrontation can be very constructive and helpful when it is done for the right reason, at the right time, and in the right way. Yesterday, I talked about searching our hearts to make certain our motives are pure. Always pray in advance so you don’t confront out of anger or selfishness.
Confronting at the right time is very important. Let’s say you need to confront someone on your job because their poor work habits are affecting others, and it’s affecting the quality of the work effort of your organization. You know this situation needs to be confronted.
Pick the right time and place. Never confront when others are present. It should always be a one-on-one encounter. Embarrassing or humiliating someone is sure to backfire on you, so choose a place that is private and conducive to a confidential conversation. Consider an off-site location. That often works best in business confrontations. Consider confronting over a meal. It seems to break down some barriers when we share a meal with someone. But again, it needs to be in a private setting.
Timing needs to be carefully considered. Make sure you time your confrontation when you are in control of your own emotions. It’s not a bad idea to follow the “sleep on it” rule of thumb before confronting. Also time it when you have carefully considered what you will say.
Consider timing as it relates to the other person as well. If you know this is the busiest week of the month for that person, you might be well advised to wait until next week. Or if you are aware that this person has recently experienced a personal problem or a health issue, take those things into consideration. Someone who is already struggling with another issue likely will not handle one more thing very well.
Wise Solomon wrote: a prudent man gives thought to his steps (Proverbs 14:15) and a patient man has great understanding, but a quick-tempered man displays folly (Proverbs 14:29). Patience and prudence are very important as we think about confronting someone.
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volume_upJuly 14, 2025 Constructive Confrontation
If we took a survey of the things we don’t like to do, confrontation would come out somewhere near the top. Whether on the job or in our personal lives, most of us struggle with how and when to confront someone. It is not a pleasant experience, and therefore, we often avoid or postpone it.
Confrontation can be one of the most constructive things we can do when it is done at the right time, for the right reason, in the right way.
Let’s talk about what happens when we avoid confrontation. Suppose you and I worked together, and you were doing something that caused me difficulty in some way or another—you were doing something wrong. But instead of bringing it out in the open with you and trying to find a solution, I just let it boil up inside me until what was a small issue became a major stumbling block in my mind.
Now in this hypothetical situation, instead of addressing the issue in a constructive way, I go into gossip and complaining mode about you. I tell another coworker what I don’t like about you. This other person is influenced by what I’ve told her about you, so now, instead of solving the problem, I’ve spread the problem further because I’ve infected someone else with my gossip.
You can see how this could continue to spiral throughout the organization, until we have a major conflict involving not just two people, but several others as well. Has the problem been solved? No, not at all, because the one person who needs to be confronted is the object of gossip and backbiting, and she may not even realize her behavior has caused a problem.
Suppose instead I decided to confront you, and I did it in such a way that there was a possibility you might handle it well. And suppose indeed you do handle it well. Now, you are in a position to correct whatever it is that is causing a problem—or to correct my perception—and you and I have an improved relationship. Nobody else needs to ever know anything about it. By constructive confrontation, we’ve eliminated tons of unnecessary stress and avoided all kinds of unpleasant encounters. Good idea? I think so.
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volume_upJuly 12, 2025 Fran and Jesus on the Job – Dishonest Coworker Part 2
As our story unfolded in part one, Louise, Fran's Christian coworker, is asked to approve an expense account of a senior account rep in her group—Jerry—and Louise knows he has included meals that were not with clients but were with his girlfriend. Louise talks with Fran about this dilemma, and Fran invites her over in the evening for prayer and a search of Scripture so Louise will know what to do. That's where our story left off.
Just as Fran gets her children ready for bed, the doorbell rings, and Louise arrives.
\"Whew,\" Fran says to Louise, \"as much as I love them, it's always nice to have the peace and quiet that comes once they're in bed.\"
\"But they're so nice, Fran,\" Louise says. \"They really are nice.\"
\"Thanks, Louise,\" Fran replies.
\"Well, have you given the problem any more thought?\" Louise asks.
\"Off and on all afternoon,\" Fran says. \"I couldn't come up with a specific verse which I thought gave a specific answer, could you?\"
\"Well, not exactly,\" Louise says. \"But I know it would be wrong for me to approve the report, since I know Jerry is cheating. That much I know.\"
\"Right, I agree,\" Fran says. \"So now we just have to consider your other options.\"
\"Let's start with prayer,\" Louise suggests, and they spend considerable time praying together. Both pray for wisdom from above, and Louise again confirms to the Lord that she is willing to do his will no matter what the cost will be to her. Fran prays their minds will be renewed by God's Spirit so they won't think incorrectly, and they will know God's good and perfect will.
\"Louise,\" Fran says, \"I suggest we start by listing all the options you have.\"
\"Good idea,\" Louise agrees, and they get a pad to write on. After some discussion, they come up with only two options:
Turn in the report without Louise's approval on it and see what happens.
Return the report to Jerry and ask him to complete it and turn it in himself.
No longer is any consideration given to approving the report as it is, or lying in any way. They both agree that is not a biblical option.
\"Let's think about what will happen in each case,\" Fran suggests. So, she and Louise write down everything they can think of. Option 1, they decide, is simply postponing the inevitable. The report would come back to Louise for completion, and she'd still be faced with the dilemma. Option 2 would mean a direct confrontation with Jerry and would undoubtedly cause him to be very upset with Louise. And Louise is fearful of retribution on his part. After all, Jerry’s been around a long time and has some pull in the company.
\"You know,\" Louise says, \"it's not like Jerry would even miss the $87, Fran. He makes plenty of money. You'd think I was talking about $87,000, the way he acts about this.\"
\"Remember Louise,\" Fran responds, \"money makes people do crazy things—even small amounts of money. That's why Jesus said you can't serve God and Money, with a capital M. It has power over people to cause them to do all kinds of dishonest things, and often totally out of proportion to the amount.\"
\"You know, you're right,\" Louise says. \"I remember last week I was filling out an expense account for myself and I was really tempted to put down a meal I didn't have to pay for. I had to force myself not to do it, because I wanted to pick up $15.\"
\"Oh, it's happened to me many times,\" Fran says, \"and I haven't always done the right thing.\"
\"I guess I can't be too hard on poor Jerry,\" Louise says. \"After all, if it weren't for Jesus, I'm sure I'd do the same thing. And even with Jesus, I'm tempted to cheat for a few measly dollars.\"
\"Yeah, you're right,\" Fran agrees. \"You know, Louise, we didn't pray for Jerry. We should.\"
And with that, they stop where they are to pray for Jerry, for his salvation, for his family, for Gail, his girlfriend, and for a change of heart to be willing to do the right thing. \"I hadn't thought about praying for him,\" Louise says as they finish.
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volume_upJuly 10, 2025 Getting Along with Coworkers – 4
Let me ask you, have you ever had to deal with a condescending and arrogant coworker? They talk down to you; they know everything; they're unteachable; they're always right. They're not very easy to endure!
I have a friend who worked in a bank, and she was having trouble getting along with an arrogant-type coworker. After prayer and consideration, she started \"Project Love,\" her name for a planned program on her part to bridge the gap between her and her coworker. First, she invited her to have lunch with her. The coworker was a little surprised, but she accepted. Through this, they got to know each other, and my friend discovered underneath the arrogant attitude was a very insecure, fearful person with many personal problems. Now they've become friends, and this woman has frequently turned to my friend for counsel and help.
Thankfully my friend was willing to submerge her own normal resentment toward this arrogant, prejudicial coworker and extend herself to make a bridge. Jesus taught us to love our enemies, and this is an example of how we put that principle into practice. It's helpful to remember we don't have to like others to love them. Loving them means acting toward them in considerate and loving ways, even though you may not feel it.
Dealing with a domineering coworker
Have you ever worked with someone who tried to manage everyone, including their manager? They're always telling you what to do, and everything in you wants to say, \"Hey, you're not the boss around here!”
Jesus told us to humble ourselves, and that's an important lesson for us to learn. Did you ever think we could use these relationships with domineering people to help us learn humility? It is humbling to keep your mouth shut and not bark back. It is even more humbling to take their direction! There may be times when that's the right thing for us to do. God is interested in developing Christ-like characteristics in us, and sometimes he uses unfair and uncomfortable circumstances for that purpose.
Learning humility is how we become more and more transformed into the likeness of Jesus. If God has you in humility school right now, trust him to bring you through, and while you're there, learn your lessons well. Don't rebel and get bitter. Use it as a tool for righteousness. God is so good at doing that for us.
Remember, if a confrontation is called for, our motives have to be carefully examined to make certain we're confronting for the other person's good, not just to vent our frustration.
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volume_upJuly 9, 2025 Getting Along with Coworkers – 3
Have you ever had a problem getting along with someone you work with? Most of us have, and it surely can cause a lot of grief, can't it? I can tell you Christians certainly are not immune to these interpersonal conflicts. We need some biblical principles to guide us. Let's consider the problems that arise when we deal with a negative coworker.
Dealing with a negative coworker
Our worlds are full of negative thinking and talking people. It seems they have nothing good or encouraging to say about anything or anyone. If you've ever had to work closely with a very negative individual (and who hasn't!), you know just how tough it is to be around that person.
This is one of those times when you need lots of compassion, because compassion lengthens your tolerance and helps you think about where the other person is coming from and what's causing them to be so negative. I think without Christ, I'd be negative in this world most of the time.
There are a couple of proverbs which apply here.
A cheerful look brings joy to the heart (Proverbs 15:30). One way to fight the irritation is to keep your own spirits up, and a smile on your face will help do that. Have you learned the secret of smiling?
I know when I'm feeling down, frustrated, or irritated, if I can make myself smile, it starts to change the way I feel. I think God gave us the ability to smile to keep us going in the middle of tough situations. I encourage you to try smiling a lot more.
An anxious heart weighs a man down, but a kind word cheers him up (Proverbs 12:25). Some kind words spoken to that negative person might be the key to getting him or her to open up and share their real feelings with you, and in so doing, you may discover their negative attitude is a cover-up for fear or anxiety. If they can share that with you, it gives you an opportunity to be of help to them. It doesn’t always work that way, but it's worth a try. Give them some kind words, in spite of their negativism.
One warning here. Be careful you don't allow them to bring you down to their negative levels. Fight back by humming choruses to yourself. Quote Scripture to yourself. Change the conversation to something positive. Often, we allow negative people to set the tone and drag everybody else down with them. Guard your own mind against the onslaught of negativism.
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volume_upJuly 8, 2025 Getting Along with Coworkers – 2
I wonder how many of you are in a work environment where there is conflict among coworkers, perhaps even a personal conflict you are facing. It happens quite frequently, and as Christians, we need to be aware of biblical principles in dealing with these difficult coworkers.
Yesterday we were talking about the lazy coworker, who doesn't do his or her share of the work. We pointed out one principle to consider is the extra-mile principle given in Matthew 5.
I can hear some of you saying, \"What? Are Christians supposed to be doormats? I don't buy that.” What I find myself and other Christians doing so often is rationalizing and watering down God's principles based on our own reasoning processes and the influence of this world's thinking on us.
We think Jesus taught us to go the extra mile and love our enemies and all that, but he wasn't referring to this type of situation. And we begin to pick and choose our beliefs from Scripture. You know, I've decided if I'm going to make an error in applying God's Word, I'd like to err in favor of going too far rather than not doing enough, for a change.
Now, let me assure you I don't think it's right for people to be lazy. But how other people act and react shouldn't change our commitment to God's principles. Matthew 5 gives principles for dealing with people who are doing the wrong thing; people who are against us, people who cause us problems and difficulties.
I'm not saying we should do the lazy person's work forever, and never say anything. There are times when an open confrontation with the lazy coworker and\/or with management is appropriate. Jesus confronted people frequently, but never to vent his own frustrations. He always confronted for their good and benefit, and I think that has to be our guiding principle in determining who and when to confront.
What we must guard against is this build-up of bitterness, which can quickly happen when we're dealing with lazy coworkers. We can't blame bitterness on others. It's our responsibility to keep a root of bitterness from growing within us.
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volume_upJuly 5, 2025 Fran and Jesus on the Job – Dishonest Coworker Part 1
I want to emphasize that the purpose of these stories is to help us remember that Jesus is with us all day every day on the job, and he wants to give us comfort, help, guidance, and strength. We must learn to practice his presence. Fran has some conversations with Jesus, which are obviously imaginary but based on Scripture. After all, that’s how Jesus speaks to us—through his Word and his Spirit. So, with that, let's begin our story.
\"Fran, you got time for lunch today?\" Louise asks as she pokes her head around Fran's door. Louise and Fran have become good friends, and it's great to have a fellow believer on the job to talk to. They meet for lunch once a week to pray for the company and for the people they work with. It has been a wonderful time of fellowship, and they've seen lots of answers to prayer.
But this is not their prayer day, so Fran asks, \"Something wrong?\"
\"Well, kinda,\" Louise replies. \"I just need some advice, but I know how busy you are so...\"
\"No, let's do it,\" Fran answers. And with that they head to the cafeteria. Sitting down in a quiet corner, Fran says to Louise, \"You look worried. I have a feeling something is bothering you.\"
\"Yeah, you're right,\" Louise agrees.
After asking God's blessing on the food, Louise says, \"Fran, you know how Marilyn made such a point in the staff meeting last week about our expense accounts and what’s allowed and what isn’t, especially as it relates to meals.\"
\"Yeah,\" Fran replies. \"She told me that some people have really taken advantage of that policy.\"
\"Well,\" Louise says, lowering her voice, \"I’m supposed to approve all expense accounts for those in my group before they go to Marilyn, and she made it clear we’re supposed to make certain all the charges are in compliance with company policy. That's what I'm upset about. Jerry is—well—he's lying about his expenses, charging meals to the company that are not business related, and today we had some words about it.” Jerry is the senior account manager in Louise’s group.
\"What kind of words?\" Fran asks.
\"He turned in his expenses with receipts for meals that were not with clients,\" Louise explains. \"So, I gave them back to him with a note about the meals policy, and he calls me in his office, shuts the door and says, 'Since when are you telling me what meals I can charge and what I can’t?'\"
Louise lowers her voice further. \"I told him these were the new instructions I had received from Marilyn and that it was my responsibility to make sure all charges were accurate. Then he said, 'Well, I've been working for this company for twelve years, and I won’t have someone checking my expense accounts.’”
Louise looks at Fran and shakes her head. \"What did you say?\" Fran asks.
\"I said something like 'Jerry, I'm just following instructions. Marilyn told us to be responsible for these expenses and make sure they’re right. What do you want me to tell her?'\"
Louise takes a deep breath. \"He threw the report at me and said, 'You just note those meals are client meals.’ Then he gave me names of two clients to put on the report, but I knew it wasn’t true. So, I said, 'Gee, Jerry, I think you must be mistaken.' And I reminded him they weren’t client meals. He stared at me with a look that could kill, and said, 'You're supposed to do as I direct you to do, so just do it, Louise. Don't make a big deal out of it.'\"
\"Oh, great,\" Fran says to Louise, \"he really put you in a tough spot. What happened then?\"
\"Fran, I'm ashamed to tell you, but I didn't have the guts to stand up to him. He is so intimidating,\" Louise replies. \"So, I just took the report and walked out.\"
Louise is obviously very upset with herself. \"Fran, I didn't do the right thing. You know, I just kept thinking about how much I need this job, and I know Jerry. He is politically connected, and I would never win in a fight against him.” Louise puts her fork down and pushes back from the table, very agitated.
\"Louise,
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volume_upJuly 4, 2025 Be Kind to Everyone – 5
I was asked a very interesting question by a woman who had come to hear me speak. She said to me, \"Are you a liberated woman?” That question caused me to stop and ask: \"What is a liberated woman?” Women's liberation became a much-used term during the last two or three decades, and on this day as we celebrate the freedom we have in our country, it’s a good idea to ask that question again: What is a liberated woman?
For some women, to be liberated means they are free from the control of men, or from the traditional roles that women have been confined to in the past. There are some women who would say a liberated woman is one who is free from the sexual restraints of the past and has sexual freedom. Often liberated women are defined by their status: how far up the ladder they have climbed; how much money they make; how much power they have, assuming the higher you climb, the more you make and the more power you have, the freer you are.
What does that term mean to you: a liberated woman? Are you one? Do you know any? How do you recognize one when you see her?
Let me begin by saying I consider myself a very liberated woman! Indeed I do! I'm liberated, set free, because I've been set free by Jesus Christ. Feminism does not offer me that freedom, no organization can offer me that. No job can offer me that. No amount of money or power can give me freedom. No other person can liberate me. But Jesus has set me free.
I can certainly understand the desire and passion for freedom and liberation that women feel. Everybody wants to be free. And throughout world history we've seen incredible struggles for freedom from slavery, freedom from aggression, freedom from abuse, freedom from discrimination. All of those struggles are understandable and legitimate.
I appreciate the freedom women now have to pursue any career for which they are qualified. It wasn't long ago that many of those opportunities were either denied to women or made extremely difficult.
But my friends, as one who has pioneered some new paths for women, let me tell you that you won't find true, lasting liberation in a career, no matter how good it may be, nor in new role definitions or worldly success or status or money or power. Freedom is found only in Jesus. That is not a trite cliché'; it is truth.
That’s the freedom to celebrate—the freedom that comes in knowing your sins are forgiven and eternity with Christ is sure. I’m a liberated woman! I hope you know the same freedom only Christ can give.
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volume_upJuly 2, 2025 Be Kind to Everyone – 3
There is a story in Joshua 9, which is very relevant to us today. Joshua and his people were doing very well, and all the neighboring countries were frightened of them because of their victories and the power they had from the Lord.
One of their neighbors, the Gibeonites, decided to trick Joshua into a peace treaty. They made themselves look tired and dirty, like they had traveled a long way, and came to Joshua asking for a treaty. Verses 14 and 15 tell us:
The Israelites sampled their provisions but did not inquire of the Lord. Then Joshua made a treaty of peace with them to let them live, and the leaders of the assembly ratified it by oath (Joshua 9:14-15).
Here was a business transaction facing the Israelites. A group of people made them an offer. The men of Israel looked at the outward evidence, decided it looked like a good deal to them, and signed the bottom line.
They found out later they had been deceived. The facts were not as they appeared to be, and they had made a strategic mistake. Why? Because they trusted in their eyes and their minds, and did not inquire of the Lord.
There are times we don't think we need to consult the Lord; it's just a cut and dried situation in our view. We make decisions in our own strength, based on our human reasoning. And that gets us in trouble.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight (Proverbs 3:5-6).
Do you remember when Jesus told Peter to go fishing? Peter's own understanding of fishing told him there were no fish there, since he had fished all night and caught nothing. Besides, it was the wrong time and place to fish. But because Jesus told him to, Peter went fishing and caught more fish than ever before. Peter had to learn, as do we, you can't just depend on your own understanding.
Leaning on our own understanding is the norm especially in the business world. But, as Christians, we should take all our decisions to the Lord and ask for his wisdom. Sometimes our own understanding is very shortsighted and incomplete. We need the eternal wisdom of our Savior; we need to inquire of the Lord.
Remember to inquire of the Lord in any decision you face. Don't lean solely on your own understanding. That can get you in trouble.
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volume_upJuly 1, 2025 Be Kind to Everyone – 2
You know, everybody needs encouragement and help at times. As I read 2 Corinthians 7, I realized even the great Apostle Paul had difficult times when he needed other people. He said in verse 5:
For when we came into Macedonia, this body of ours had no rest, but we were harassed at every turn—conflicts on the outside, fears within (2 Corinthians 7:5).
Doesn't that describe the way you feel at times? Conflicts without, fears within? But this is the spiritual giant, Paul, and it surprises us to realize he would have these same feelings. We really need to remember that positions of prominence do not isolate anyone from being human. Paul was tired and fearful. He needed help.
Where did his help come from? He goes on to say, but God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the coming of Titus (2 Corinthians 7:6). He needed a friend at his side to comfort him, and so Titus came along. We could say to Paul, \"But wasn't it enough to have the Lord there?” And Paul would respond, \"The Lord was there in the person of Titus. He comforted me by sending Titus.\"
That's how the Body of Christ should function. God wants to use us in each other's lives as messengers of comfort and encouragement, to pick up each other at those weary and frightened moments of our lives. God has given us each other for that purpose.
Paul goes on to say he was comforted by the good report Titus brought to him of the concern for his welfare by his friends in Corinth. Paul needed to know they cared, they hadn't forgotten him, they still loved him.
How often do we miss these opportunities to be God's comfort in the lives of others? How often do we need to be by a friend's side when they're experiencing dark days? Or send a message to them—by email or snail mail or on the phone—just to say, I care.
Hallmark Cards has coined the phrase, \"When you care enough to send the very best.” When we as Christians care enough about each other, we can send our very best, which is the comfort of God pouring through us to those who need it.
Is there someone in your life today who needs a Titus? Ask God to show you and allow him to use you as his agent of comfort and encouragement.
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volume_upJune 30, 2025 Be Kind to Everyone
Have you read the verse which says, \"Be kind to everyone who is kind to you. Be kind to the people you like. Be kind when you want to impress someone, or when there's something in it for you\"? No, you haven't seen that verse in Scripture, but Paul wrote to Timothy the Lord's servant must not be quarrelsome but must be kind to everyone (2 Timothy 2:24).
I once witnessed a situation in which a Christian sister was obviously unkind to a person simply because she didn't like that kind of person. Based on her prejudices and some bad experiences she had, she had classified a group of people as undesirable. So, she was obviously unkind to this person, and it was hurtful and harmful. Another person with whom she is sympathetic came in, and she was very kind and caring to her.
I watched that interaction and my heart hurt to see a Christian treat someone unkindly. Then I realized I probably do similar things all too often. I mean, it's easy to be kind to people who seem to deserve our kindness. But the Bible says we are to be kind to everyone. That includes strangers, people who irritate us, people who are not kind to us—everyone includes everyone!
Once I was unkind to a clerk at a hotel who was not very efficient at her job. Her lack of efficiency inconvenienced me just a bit, and though I didn't say anything, I'm sure the look on my face and my body language was most unkind.
How easy it would have been for me to say something kind to her, to make her feel a little more comfortable, to forget my minor inconvenience and try to help her a bit. The Holy Spirit convicted my heart as I walked away, reminding me the Lord's servant must be kind to everyone—even people who don't do their jobs as well as they should.
Praise the Lord we don't have to do this in ourselves, because we'd never make it. The Holy Spirit within us is there to give us the power to be kind to everyone. I'm praying specifically now that God will help me be kind to strangers, for that seems to be an area where I often fail.
Where do you often fail to be kind? Shore that area up with prayer, and ask God to help you be kind, as the servant of the Lord should be, to everyone.
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volume_upJune 28, 2025 Becoming a Grace Dispenser
I have to admit, I am not a graceful person. In my first Christmas break of college, my mother lined up private lessons with a woman who coached me on how to be graceful. Now, for my mother to spend money on such lessons was an indication of how much help I needed! I was not then—and still am not to this day—graceful.
But I’m happy to report that though I may never be graceful, I can be grace-full—full of grace. That is not contingent on my agility or nimbleness or any physical attributes. It is, instead, contingent on my openness to the grace of God and my willingness to let it fill my life.
In writing of our Savior, John says, The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth (John 1:14). Jesus was and still is full of grace. As believers in Jesus Christ, you and I are in the process of being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory. We are to be filled with his Spirit, and therefore, we have the incredible opportunity to be filled with grace. Like Jesus, we can be full of grace.
When asked what the one thing that sets apart Christianity from all other religions, C. S. Lewis responded, “Oh, that’s easy. It’s grace.” No other religion offers God’s love and redemption coming to us free of charge, as a gift, no strings attached, no performance required, no standards to meet. Only Christianity dares to make God’s love unconditional. That’s because Christianity has the only qualified Savior, Jesus Christ.
I want to encourage you to become very intentional about being a woman—or a man—who is grace-full; full of God’s grace. It must become more than a cliché, more than words we say or songs we sing. God’s grace needs to permeate every corner of our being so we are living examples of his grace. And then, when we are full of God’s grace, we can become grace dispensers.
The song, “Amazing Grace,” is sung all over the world by people who have no understanding of its message of salvation through Jesus. But the idea of grace appeals to everyone.
But what does it mean for you and me in our world today to live grace-full lives? What does that look like? I’d like to give you the ABCs of grace-full living. Here is “A”:
A- Abundant
Jesus said, “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full” (John 10:10b). Jesus wasn’t talking about being full of money, earthly success, or freedom from problems. He was talking about a life that is grace-full!
In 2 Corinthians 9:8 we read: And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. When the grace of God fills us, then it must flow out to others in the form of good works. What good works? The good works you were created to do. Ephesians 2:10 says, We are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
Here are a few examples of how we dispense grace to others:
Someone is sick; you minister to their needs.
Someone is rejoicing over good news; you rejoice with them.
Someone has a broken heart. You cry with them, listen to them, sit with them, and console them.
Someone is wandering away from God. You confront them in love, admonish them, and help them to come back into fellowship.
Someone is lost in sin, without Christ. You share the gospel in every way you can, lovingly planting seeds of truth in her life.
Someone needs financial help. You give out of love and concern.
You teach the Word of God in a small group; you organize prayer for your company; you begin a Bible study at work or at home; you invite others to hear the Word of God.
These are just a few ways we become grace dispensers to others, abounding in good works.
I can testify to you from personal experience that the abundant life Jesus promised us comes in knowing God is using you in the lives of...
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volume_upJune 27, 2025 Biblical Hospitality – 5
Presented by Julie Busteed
We’ve explored what it means to practice hospitality in everyday life, but how does that translate to our jobs? Today, there’s an entire hospitality industry—hotels, restaurants, travel, and event services. You can even earn a degree in hospitality management! For those working in that field, hospitality is built into the job: welcoming strangers, serving with kindness, offering guidance, and meeting the practical needs of guests.
But even if you don’t work in that industry, the call to hospitality still applies. In the workplace, it might look like showing patience and grace to coworkers and clients, offering help when someone is overwhelmed, or simply pausing your own agenda to listen. It’s that same outward focus—seeing others and responding with care.
The greatest example of hospitality is Jesus himself. He consistently met people’s practical needs with compassion and love.
In Mark 8, he responds to a hungry crowd.
“I have compassion for these people; they have already been with me three days and have nothing to eat. If I send them home hungry, they will collapse on the way, because some of them have come a long distance” (Mark 8:2-3).
Jesus saw their need—and he acted. He miraculously provided food when none was available.
In Mark 1, a man with leprosy begs Jesus for healing.
Moved with compassion, Jesus reached out and touched him. ‘I am willing,’ he said. ‘Be healed!’ Instantly the leprosy disappeared, and the man was healed (Mark 1:41-42 NLT).
Jesus saw the unseen people. He touched the untouchable, welcomed the outcasts, and made space for the overlooked—women, children, lepers, Gentiles, and sinners.
Then of course when Jesus washed his disciples’ feet at the last supper he beautifully demonstrated how to practice hospitality—to show God’s love in practical ways and serve them—all for his glory.
Hospitality isn’t all about entertaining. It’s about seeing others and serving them with love. Whether it’s a kind word, a helping hand, or a listening ear, it’s all for God’s glory.
I hope you’re encouraged to practice hospitality wherever you are—including your workplace. Because when we serve others, we reflect the heart of Christ.
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volume_upJune 26, 2025 Biblical Hospitality – 4
Presented by Julie Busteed
Have you ever caught yourself grumbling about serving others? The Apostle Peter addresses this issue in 1 Peter 4:9-11.
“Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen (1 Peter 4:9-11).
Did you catch that? You and I are called to offer hospitality without grumbling! That means showing God’s love by serving others with the gifts he’s given us—and doing so without complaining.
Peter gives examples of how to serve others using our God-given gifts. Whether it’s through speaking truthfully from God’s Word or helping one another with all our strength. Everything you and I have is from him, and we are called to use it for his purposes.
Hospitality can take many forms:
Listening with care
Sending an encouraging message
Reaching out to someone who’s struggling
Praying with or for someone
Helping with a task or technology
Running errands or grocery shopping
Visiting someone who is homebound
Peter emphasizes we’re not to complain about this kind of service. Why? So that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. When we serve others with a willing heart, we reflect Christ and bring glory to God.
Offering hospitality can be inconvenient, expensive, even aggravating at times. But you and I are called to pursue this with a good attitude. It pleases God and is a witness to how Christians are meant to love and care for one another.
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volume_upJune 25, 2025 Biblical Hospitality – 3
Presented by Julie Busteed
Have you ever been described as a “Martha?” When I say “Martha,” I’m referring to the account of Mary and Martha in Luke 10 which says:
As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!” “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her” (Luke 10:38-42).
Can you relate to Martha? I certainly can. I often find myself caught up in the preparations—focused on the details, planning, organizing—because I genuinely enjoy it. But sometimes like Martha, I get so consumed by all the things that serving becomes a burden rather than a joy.
Jesus gently reminded Martha—and me—that “few things are needed and indeed only one!” I need that reminder: to keep my focus on my guests, to be present, listen, and offer encouragement.
Hospitality should be outward-focused. It’s not that preparation is wrong. It’s good and necessary—but it shouldn’t take center stage. The priority is the guest, not the checklist.
It seems to me that Martha truly wanted to give her best. She opened her home and gave of herself and time, but she became frustrated when her sister Mary had a different priority.
Interestingly in John’s gospel we see a later moment in Mary’s life. After Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, she and her siblings hosted Jesus and his disciples again:
Here a dinner was given in Jesus’ honor. Martha served (John 12:2a).
Martha is still serving, still practicing hospitality, but it seems to me she’s not distracted. Her priorities have changed.
That’s my prayer for me and you. That we would continue to practice hospitality—showing God’s love through our service, without letting the details overshadow the purpose.
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volume_upJune 23, 2025 Biblical Hospitality
Presented by Julie Busteed
What is the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the word hospitality? Do you picture having friends over for dinner or hosting overnight guests? We are looking at what it means to show hospitality from a biblical perspective.
When I have guests over it usually involves a lot of planning and preparation ahead of time. I’m thinking about menus, making lists, going grocery shopping, planning activities, cleaning the house—all to make guests feel comfortable and welcome. And I enjoy doing it. But is that really what the Apostle Paul is talking about in Romans 12?
Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality (Romans 12:13).
What does it mean to practice hospitality? It’s an unusual phrase to me; it stands out to me. The definition of practice means to put something into action—not just think about it. Hospitality comes from the Latin word “hospes” meaning host, visitor, or stranger. It focuses on the treatment of strangers and visitors, not just friends.
This is not the first thing that comes to mind when I think of hospitality. But I think it’s what Paul means: actively seek to welcome and care for those you don’t already know. The ESV translation puts it this way, seek to show hospitality. It’s not just about entertaining—it’s about looking for people in need and reaching out.
I also like the way The Message paraphrases it: be inventive in hospitality. Be creative about showing God’s love to others who are in need. There’s not just one way to practice hospitality. Use the gifts God has given you to practice hospitality.
Biblical hospitality goes beyond dinner parties. It’s about seeing and serving others—especially those who might feel overlooked or alone. Maybe it’s inviting someone who needs encouragement or having a homesick student over for a meal.
The Bible doesn’t say this is a requirement for only certain people with specific gifts—not just for those of us who like to entertain guests. I think all of us are called to “practice” hospitality. It’s not dependent on our own feelings, living conditions, talents, or resources. It’s about putting God’s love into action in practical and meaningful ways.
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volume_upJune 21, 2025 Ways You Block God’s Love in Your Life
Presented by Lauren Stibgen
Love. This rich, often misused word in our culture is all over the Bible. We seem to hold it loosely in today’s culture. Using the word love to say we love a particular food, the way something looks, or how we feel about things, people, and activities. How many times have you proclaimed, “I love this and such!”
These cultural exhortations don’t meet the biblical standard of love we are commanded to show as followers of Jesus Christ.
As followers of Jesus Christ, we are called to the greatest commandment in Matthew 22:37-39. We are told, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind…and you shall love your neighbor as yourself.
1 John 4:19 gives us the added standard of we love because he (God) first loved us.
How did Jesus love us? Sacrificially, unconditionally, and wholly. He loved us so much he died for our sins.
God’s love is not loose. God’s love is described as steadfast and enduring, sacrificial, unconditional, personal, and transformative. This is a hesed love. Often translated as lovingkindness, mercy, and steadfast love. It encompasses how much God loves us, and how he shows love for us.
As we focus on how to show God’s love to others and remember that God’s love is constant, we also need to be honest with ourselves. There are worldly blocks that keep us from showing God’s love to others. As the world creeps in, the love we are called to show gets dimmed.
One of the fruits of the spirit I often need to work on is patience or long-suffering. Of course, the opposite of patience is impatience. One of the ways we can show people God’s love is through how we display patience. When we are the opposite—impatient—we can scarcely show love.
How patient was God with you in your sin? In your wandering? Before you accepted Jesus? What about after? Clearly, we are having a conversation about being impatient believers. Guess what, God is still patient with us, bearing with us in our sin.
Impatience can show itself in how we deal with others and how we deal with situations. Sometimes at the same time!
Romans 12:12 tells us to rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.
It is natural to impatiently await the end of a hard trial in our lives. Whether it is a health hardship, financial hardship, or something else, what matters is how we show others how we are dealing with whatever it is. Part of showing God’s love in tribulation is modeling how our understanding and belief in his faithfulness. It can open conversations with others about why we are different and give us a wonderful opportunity to talk about God’s love for us!
We may also be impatiently waiting to hear about something good! Perhaps it is a promotion or a new job. Again, are you impatiently displaying your waiting, or are you telling others how you trust God’s timing for you. Being filled with impatience whether in the waiting or a trial doesn’t leave us much room to think about how we can love others.
Ephesians 4:2 tells us we should act with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love.
But what about when you don’t feel very patient and loving? Is there a person at work who is on your last nerve? Whether it is a colleague, boss or subordinate, how can you be patient with them even when you really don’t want to?
Romans 12:12 offers some of the best advice—be constant in prayer. When I am feeling impatient, this is my go-to. I pray to God to give me the patience he has shown to me. And I ask others to pray very specifically for my patience!
I find a close follower of impatience to be judgement. Whether it is judging ourselves harshly or judging someone else, we clearly block both experiencing God’s love ourselves or showing it to others.
2 Corinthians 5:10 reminds us that we all must appear before the judgement seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the ...
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volume_upJune 19, 2025 Busyness and Loose Definitions: Blocking God’s Love – 4
Presented by Lauren Stibgen
Have you set some goals lately: personal or professional? How are they impacting how you show God’s love? Goals are important: personally and professionally. In the context of work, goals help us understand our part in a larger vision or project that impact our organization. Outside of work, goals can help us focus on achieving in other aspects of our life like health or finance.
I would argue any good goal can go bad, especially when it takes us away from what is most important to God. Again, Scripture tells us God wants us to love him and love others as we love ourselves.
How full is your goal set both at work and personally? Is this filling your time so much that you are not able to love God or love others? We live in a metric-based, title-hungry culture. When we set goals, how are we being measured, and what is the reward?
When the measurement and reward become more important than God, we start walking down that slippery slope.
Are you in sales? Perhaps you take an extra lead or two that will help win a trip or sweeten a bonus, but this causes a colleague to miss their goal by a margin. Or maybe you end up staying late to get more done and skip a church commitment.
Are you working a lot of overtime to make your metrics look better than others at work and miss time connecting with a friend in prayer?
Perhaps you feel like you are pulling a lot of weight on a project and complain about a colleague, not knowing they are suffering a personal hardship.
Personally, have you set goals that compromise your time spent in God’s Word, or are you doing activities you enjoy but keep you away from showing love to your family?
Measurement and reward: They are not bad but can become bad when they are not balanced with our thoughts about God and our love for others.
We are already winning in the eyes of God if we have accepted Jesus as our Lord and Savior. How can we show this to others? Maybe you pass those sales leads along, help balance the workload to make your team look better or ask questions when a colleague is falling behind on a project. We are called to walk differently. Our reward is much greater than any trip or title we could ever achieve here on earth!
How can we show others this type of love? Not the pizza and coffee love. Not the “I love my dog” love. Not the “I love the way the color looks on you” love. I mean the “I want to share life with you” love—the proverbial “I would give to someone event if it hurt” love. The love that weeps with those who weep and rejoices when others rejoice.
When we are too busy, it is easy to give the glossy heart and flowers love. It is harder to focus on and think about how God wants us to show his love to others.
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volume_upJune 18, 2025 Busyness and Loose Definitions: Blocking God’s Love – 3
Presented by Lauren Stibgen
A culture of busyness can keep us from showing God’s love. How loosely do we hold this word? Like our notions about time, we also confuse love. A large part of our problem is we love everything and everyone. So, when you pause to think about how to show God’s love to others or to explain to them what God’s love feels like, maybe it gets lost in the emptiness we often attribute to this word.
We all love. When thinking about using the word love, my mind is filled with red and pink hearts, flowers, candies, and other visual or physical ways we see or experience love. I also think about how many times I have used the word love in the prior weeks. I love having coffee with my friends. I love the flowers I buy from a local farmstand. I love my husband. I love my dogs. I proclaim how much I love a friend’s dress. I love pizza. I loved our zoom gathering this month. I think you see my point.
We fly loosely with the word love, and if we are too busy to reflect on how special God’s love for us is, it will be very hard to show it to others. While everything I noted already can help us show God’s love to others, we need to go deeper into the meaning of what God wants us to show others.
God’s love is described as steadfast and enduring, sacrificial, unconditional, personal, and transformative. Perhaps you have heard the word Hesed. This is the deep conventual love in action that God gives to us as a promise.
There is nothing we can do to change God’s love for us. It never fades. We feel God’s sacrificial love in John 3:16.
For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16).
We see his steadfast and enduring love for those that, even though they wander like Israel, God still loves them.
We see his transformational love in Jesus’ abundant healing ministry.
How can we show others this type of love? Not the pizza and coffee love. Not the “I love my dog” love. Not the “I love the way the color looks on you” love. I mean the “I want to share life with you” love—the proverbial “I would give to someone event if it hurt” love. The love that weeps with those who weep and rejoices when others rejoice.
When we are too busy, it is easy to give the glossy heart and flowers love. It is harder to focus on and think about how God wants us to show his love to others.
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volume_upJune 17, 2025 Busyness and Loose Definitions: Blocking God’s Love – 2
Presented by Lauren Stibgen
How are you filling your calendar each day? These days, it is harder to be disconnected and unseen. Even through the lens of work, digital connection and the importance of social media can fill our moments more than we realize. Most companies have an entire marketing and social media strategy, but now we live in a time where personal branding and social media strategies are noted as important for our careers.
Gone are the simple days of a resume, and if you are in a job search, it can feel overwhelming. The traditional outplacement or career coach has taken on a new role that focuses on image, connection, and perhaps even developing a website. While the first use of the term personal brand dates back to 1997 in an article in Fast Company Magazine, the notion of personal brands as a strategic career asset is relatively recent. While created in 2003, LinkedIn has exploded in the recent years alongside other platforms.
You may be thinking, Lauren, what does this have to do with how I show God’s love?! My answer—simply, if we don’t pay enough attention to the need for our own attention, it is easy to keep the focus on ourselves and not on others. Now, I am not suggesting a personal brand is bad, but I do want us to think about the time it takes. What are you doing in your spare moments to create your personal brand? If you are in a job search this may be a greater amount of time, but if you are working full-time, this easily creeps into spare moments and evenings. How much time are you spending focused on yourself? And if you are focused on your personal brand, how can you first spend that all important time with God? And how can you show God’s love if you are constantly consumed with the social and digital aspects of this personal brand culture?
Have you ever paused to consider what the Lord wants for our self-promotion? How would God want us to get noticed? How is God part of your personal brand?
And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you (Matthew 6:5-6).
First, as we balance showing our faith at work, we need to consider our intentions always. Are our intentions genuine, or are we trying to be seen? Second, invite God into this practice through prayer. How can he guide how you present yourself? Finally, pause and make sure you are looking at the needs of your neighbors. Don’t spend so much time consumed with your digital brand that you forget the importance of connecting with others. Maybe they are struggling with some of the same things. How can you invite God and others into this new era of extra busyness that can easily cause too much self-focus?
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volume_upJune 14, 2025 Become a Barnabas on the Job
I’m sure there have been people in your life you thought, “I’d like to be like her—or like him.” You saw things in that person which were attractive and endearing, and you desired those qualities for yourself. Well, I want to encourage you to have that attitude toward a man named Joseph. His name was Joseph, but the apostles called him Barnabas, which means Son of Encouragement. You can read about him in Acts 4.
Imagine people calling you by a name that signified you were an encouraging person. I can’t think of a greater compliment, can you? I want to show you how you can become a Barnabas in your workplace; you can be known as a person who encourages others. A good friend, Traci Mason, has compiled these ideas and allowed me to share them with you.
We all recognize our workplaces can be full of discouragement, especially in these days of economic uncertainty. But this gives us a perfect opportunity to help others by becoming an encouraging person. Now, mind you, this will take some time and effort on your part, but the return on your investment will be eternal!
So, here are some practical ways you can become a Barnabas where you work:
Write notes. Handwritten notes are almost extinct. Keep a supply of note cards and encourage colleagues by placing a note on their desk, in their mailbox, or in their hand. It’s easy to make personalized cards on our computers now; so, get creative and write a note just to encourage someone.
Send e-cards. It’s really easy to send an e-card to your coworkers to let them know you are thinking of them. You can even send the same card to multiple addresses. Employees receive messages that make requests and give instructions. They would surely welcome something more pleasant in their inbox, and an e-card would be a pleasant surprise.
Remember birthdays. Find out the birthdates of coworkers, put them on your calendar, and simply give each coworker a birthday card to help them celebrate their special day. We send birthday cards here each month, and I’ve been amazed at how many people are encouraged to receive a special birthday card. It’s so easy to do!
Smile! Did you realize a simple smile can cheer up and encourage someone? Smiles are contagious and can brighten the atmosphere where you work. When talking to or passing by others, just turn up the corners of your mouth and flash them a radiant smile. It costs you nothing, and it can really make a difference in someone’s day.
Greet people! As you enter the workplace, greet coworkers with a simple, “Good morning.” You never know the energy it took for others to arrive at work. A pleasant greeting can start a person’s day off right and possibly help them forget about their troubles.
Be the Welcome Committee. When a new employee joins the team, introduce yourself and offer to be of assistance. Help that person find his or her way around, offer to have lunch together. Think how comforting it could be for that new colleague, because being the new person can be challenging and a little frightening.
Share your lunch. Purposely take more than you can eat for lunch and invite a coworker to eat with you. Or if you baked something special and have some leftovers, bring it in for others to enjoy. You could go the extra mile and ask them ahead of time to share lunch with you the next day.
You may be thinking these don’t sound very impressive or important, but it is so often the little things we do can touch someone else. These things help them see they are not forgotten, and they are encouraged. Become an encourager on the job. It will make a difference.
Here are some more creative ways you can be a Barnabas on the job:
Offer to help your boss. That’s what I said—offer to help your boss. Instead of running from work or assignments, ask your boss what you can do today to help him or her, especially if you know your boss is under a lot of pressure. Bosses need help just like everybody else, yet often they are overlooked.
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volume_upJune 13, 2025 The Transforming Power of Love – 5
When was the last time you told someone, “I love you”? I hope it hasn’t been long since you expressed love to someone, and I hope it hasn’t been long since someone returned that expression of love to you. Love has the power to transform us, both as givers and receivers of love.
I’m not speaking necessarily of romantic love, though of course that certainly can transform us, can’t it? Rather, just love in general—knowing that we are loved and being able to love others can change you, put a smile on your face, put a lift in your step, transform the mundaneness of life into something meaningful. All because we are loved and are loving.
That’s why Paul wrote to the Corinthians that love never fails. What else in life can you say never fails? The best computer you can buy can and does fail. The best friend can fail you. The best job can fail to deliver what you need or want. God can never fail you, and God is love. Love never fails.
It never fails to transform a person who is difficult, though it may take longer than you want. I remember when a friend of mine, Beth, worked for a very difficult manager. No one liked her; she was demanding, unfriendly, sour—just a miserable person. God used a verse—Proverbs 19:6—to tell Beth how to show love to this woman. That verse says, “Many curry favor with a ruler, and everyone is the friend of one who gives gifts.” She knew God wanted her to give this woman a gift on her birthday.
She bought something small but thoughtful, wrote a note thanking her for pursuing excellence, and left it on her desk on her birthday. This simple act of love transformed that woman, and she and Beth became friends from that point on. With tears in her eyes, she said to Beth that no one had ever given her a birthday gift before. Because Beth was willing to obey God’s voice to show love to this woman, it transformed her, filling up a huge empty space inside of her and changing that relationship.
Love is powerful. It never fails. I hope you will bask in the incredibly good news that God loves you and nothing can separate you from his love. And then you will become more and more intentional about loving others. It has the power to transform you, your relationships, your attitude, your productivity—love transforms us. Believe me, it’s true.
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volume_upJune 11, 2025 The Transforming Power of Love – 3
I’m examining how love transforms people—it truly does! Researchers tell us that loving and being loved actually changes our brains, our thought patterns, and our reactions.
That’s what God’s love for us can do. It has the power to make us productive, grateful, kind, and generous toward everyone, even people who are not easy to love. For example, here’s one of the changes we will see in others as we become better and better at sharing God’s love with them: Love has the power to inspire someone to greatness.
Do you know someone who is wasting their potential? Maybe they don’t even know they have potential, or perhaps they’re fearful of trying. I wonder—if they knew you see potential in them, if you loved them by encouraging them, could it empower them to reach their potential?
Do you remember when Jesus called Simon as a disciple and gave him the name of Peter? He referred to Peter as a rock and said Peter would play a pivotal role in establishing the early church and spreading the gospel. Was Simon Peter a rock when Jesus called him? No, he had a long way to go before he reached “rock status,” but Jesus called him what he would become, and Peter became the rock of the early church.
I have a dear friend who many years ago was bothered by a stutter. But I saw potential in her; she had the instincts of a performer, and I encouraged her to take small parts in a ministry at church that put her in front of people. She loved doing it, so she joined Toastmasters, where she learned to make presentations. Now she is very polished and gifted as a speaker and actor, and that stutter has been conquered. I just loved the potential I saw in her, and she has done what she never thought she could do as a result.
Your love of encouragement could transform someone’s life. Don’t underestimate the transforming power of love.
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volume_upJune 10, 2025 The Transforming Power of Love – 2
Love transforms people. The Bible is full of stories of transformational love; we are admonished throughout Scripture to love as we have been loved by God. We know God not only loves, but he also is love. That’s his very nature, and we are created by this God to love and be loved.
It is God’s love for us that transforms us, and then, it is our privilege and responsibility to share that love with others. Romans 5:5 tells us God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us. When we are born into God’s family through faith in Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit comes to live in us, and he simply pours God’s love into our hearts. If others are going to know God’s love, they must experience his love through me and you as God’s love in us is shared with them.
Is there someone in your life right now who is trouble for you? It could be a coworker or a boss, a child or a mate, a friend or foe. You know what they need? Love. I know—they’re probably not very lovable, but that doesn’t change the fact that they need love! What could you do today to show love to that person—undeserved, unconditional love? Maybe it’s a phone call or a note or a gift or a listening ear. Maybe it’s a lack of criticism and condemnation, a willingness to love them as they are in their unlovable condition.
We often get so busy in our day-to-day lives we forget to stop and express love. Frankly, we’re always ready to receive love but not always prepared to give it. I find I must become intentional about expressing love; I have to remember to do it. I often take for granted the love I receive from others—my family and friends—without focusing on the love they need from me.
Maybe you’re feeling very unloved. If you’re waiting to be loved before you give love, you’ve got the cart before the horse. It’s the principle of sowing and reaping—you reap what you sow. You need love? Then love someone else and love will come back to you. We can only receive love when we are intentional about giving love.
Love is transformational—and we can become God’s agents of change to people in our lives by simply taking time each day to give love—and love can be given in many ways. Think of some new ways to share God’s love today; it will transform your day, I promise.
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volume_upJune 7, 2025 How to Love the People You Don’t Like
The Bible doesn’t tell us to like everyone, but we are commanded to love everyone. Here are just a few of the scriptures that make it clear:
1 John 4:21: And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister.
1 John 4:8: Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.
Luke 6:32 & 35 Jesus said: Love your enemies. If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them.
Leviticus 19:18: Love your neighbor as yourself.
In fact, Jesus said there are two great and primary commandments (Matthew 22:37-40) and simply put, they are: Love God and love people. In fact, Jesus said all the commandments hang on these two; they are foundational to our faith. Easy to say, right? Love God, love people—but when you run into unlikable people, you feel like you've hit the spiritual brick wall. Since we cannot like them, we usually conclude we cannot love them either. Isn’t it true that we just naturally think you have to like someone before you can love them? Like is the first step, the beginning of love. So how can you love someone you don't like?
Part of the problem is that love has different definitions, and we sometimes get them confused. In the Bible we find three types of love in the original language. The first is Philo, which is the love we have toward friends, family, and others in our lives. Philo love is what Paul describes in Romans 12:10: Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.
Then there is Eros love, which is a more physical form of love. It’s the kind of love shared between a husband and wife, hopefully accompanied by Philo love as well.
Then there is Agape love, which is the unconditional love God has for you and me. Nothing you do can change how God loves you. Ephesians 2:4-5 describe this Agape love:
But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.
This is love which loves because its own inherent nature is to love. That's why the Bible says, God is love (1 John 4:8). Love is his nature.
The kind of love we need to love people we don't like is agape love. Now, agape love is not necessarily a feeling. We can love with agape love whether the feelings are present or absent, whether they are good or bad, whether this love is reciprocated or not. It is not based on feelings.
Agape love is an action. That’s how it's always described in Scripture. The Bible tells us we know God loves us because he sent his Son into the world to redeem us. We know Jesus loves us because he gave his life for us. The Bible says, Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends (John 15:13). And Jesus said that we know that we have come to know him if we keep his commands (1 Johnn 2:3).
God's kind of love is an action, not a feeling. Now, that really is good news, because it means we can love people toward whom we do not necessarily have good feelings. You can love people toward whom you have no feelings at all. Since love is an action, you can obey God's command to love everyone.
First Corinthians 13 is a good place to look for a practical description of love. A few of these are:
Patience: When you act with patience toward someone, you are loving them. Keep in mind that love is not a feeling, so we don't have to feel patient. Can you remember acting with patience even when you did not feel patient? That is agape love.
Kindness: When you feel like saying something sarcastic or cutting or angry, but instead you say something kind, that is a love action.
Not Jealous: When you refuse to behave jealously or possessively, you are showing love.
Has Good Manners: Just plain courtesy is a love action. How often we forget good manners, like not interrupting others when they're talking, letting others go ahead of us, etc.
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volume_upJune 6, 2025 A Plan to Practice Love – 5
Would you like to become known as a person of extraordinary love? It is possible for you and me to become really good at loving other people the way God wants us to. But it won’t just happen. We have to learn how to practice love in our everyday lives.
My challenge to you is to truly focus on loving like Jesus loves. I am offering you a two-week plan to learn to practice love, which is based on the description of love found in 1 Corinthians 13. God’s love is an action, not a feeling, so we can learn to be a true lover as we learn to practice those attributes of love found in this wonderful chapter.
This plan is available to you right now online at christianworkingwoman.org. It’s simple, easy, and doesn’t take much time. But it could be absolutely life-changing for you because as the famous chapter reminds us, love never fails. It never fails to transform us as we learn how to love better and better, and it transforms those to whom we extend God’s love.
Our motivation and power for learning to practice love has to come from God’s love for us. John wrote:
See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are (1 John 3:1)!
In his Gospel, John identifies himself as “the one Jesus loves.” That was his identity, his motivation, his inspiration—Jesus loved him, and he lived in that love.
As you and I live more and more in the truth that we are loved by the eternal God, that nothing can ever separate us from the love that is in Christ Jesus, and that God’s love for us will never change, the more we are capable of loving others. Then we will have the love of God to give to others, and we can truly practice love on a daily basis and become powerful transmitters of God’s love to our world.
I hope you will join me and make loving God and loving people your primary focus. I believe my simple plan will help you, but however you do it, make love your life’s goal. Pray that you will be more and more rooted and grounded in love. Remember, that two-week plan is available now at christianworkingwoman.org.
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volume_upJune 5, 2025 A Plan to Practice Love – 4
If I asked you to define love, you might come up with an emotional description, because we typically think of love as it relates to our feelings. We have warm feelings for people we love, or our dogs, or any number of other things that we “love.” But the Bible’s definition of love as found in 1 Corinthians 13 is all about actions and attitudes, not about feelings.
Did you know love is a skill you can learn? Like any other skill, the more you practice love, the better lover you become. In 1 Timothy 4, Paul exhorts Timothy to set an example for believers in the way he loves. And he says,
Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress (1 Timothy 4:15).
I’ve come up with a two-week plan to learn to practice love, based on 1 Corinthians 13. This plan will help you to be diligent in learning to practice love, and believe me, your progress will be very evident.
It’s an easy plan; it won’t take a lot of time. You just read 1 Corinthians 13 every day for the two weeks, and then you focus each day on one of the specific attributes of love found in that chapter. For example, on Day 6 the focus is on Verse 5, which says, love is not rude, it is not self-seeking. The challenge for that day is to practice very good manners. Just simple things, like remembering to say thank you, to let others go ahead of you, to open doors for others, to let other cars in your lane of traffic, to relinquish your seat to someone else.
Love is not rude, but sometimes I can be careless in my attention to simple everyday manners, and that means I need to practice love by having better manners. And to do that, I must intentionally work at it. Now, the secret to success in learning to practice love is to pray these love actions into your life. On Day 6 pray that God would remind you to be aware of practicing good manners—to go out of your way to be polite. When you do, you’re practicing love.
If you seriously started each day with a focus on becoming a better lover, by God’s standards, can you not see how it could truly make a difference in you? I urge you to join me; go to our website—christianworkingwoman.org—and print out the two-week plan or call us and we’ll mail it to you.
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volume_upJune 4, 2025 A Plan to Practice Love – 3
No doubt you know this one verse from the Bible that says God is love. But what does that mean? This verse in 1 John 4 goes on to say,
Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him (1 John 4:16).
Living in love—that’s my focus, and I’m challenging you to join me as we undertake a two-week plan to learn to live in love.
Living in love takes practice. This plan suggests reading 1 Corinthians 13 every day for two weeks. It’s a short chapter—won’t take you long at all—but after two weeks of soaking truth into your mind, you will have a much clearer understanding of what living in love means.
Then, on each of those 14 days, I suggest you focus on one specific attribute of love. For example, on Day 10 the focus is “looking for the good in others.” That’s because 1 Corinthians 13:6 says love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. That means you’re intentionally looking for the good in others instead of focusing on the things that irritate you.
That could be someone you really don’t like, so you pray God will show you something about this person that is good. Or it could be your mate or someone close to you. Maybe you’ve been so focused on what you don’t like about them you’ve forgotten all the good things you do like. If you pray and sincerely look for the good in others, you will be practicing love—you will be loving like Jesus loves. How exciting is that?!
God taught me this principle many years ago when I worked for a difficult man. All I saw was his bad points. Then I finally asked God to help me see him the way God saw him, and it changed me. I saw that he had outstanding business knowledge and acumen which I could learn from him, but until I intentionally prayed and looked for the good in him, I couldn’t see it at all.
We just have to get serious and specific about living in love. I hope you’ll take my challenge to get my two-week plan on our website and join me in this adventure.
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volume_upJune 2, 2025 A Plan to Practice Love
Everyone talks about love, so what in the world could I say about love that hasn’t already been said thousands of time and much more eloquently? I find talking about love is pretty easy, but putting it into practice can be quite challenging.
Love is such an abused word that it almost becomes meaningless in today’s culture. But when we understand the Bible’s definition of love, it becomes quite a challenge. If you and I are going to be the kind of lovers the Bible says we should be, we’ll need some help in knowing how to practice love. That’s my goal.
I’ve prepared a two-week plan to help you and me learn to practice love by the Bible’s definition. The truth is, if you’re not intentional about putting God’s principles into practice, they just remain words on the pages of your Bible. They don’t become transformational in your life. That’s why I often use specific plans, in writing, to keep me on track and help me do what I really want to do.
This two-week plan is based on 1 Corinthians 13, which gives us very explicit and practical instruction on just what it means to love. It has very little to do with our emotions, but it has everything to do with our attitudes and our actions. This plan will help you focus on one thing at a time—one characteristic of real love each day—and give you ideas on how to implement them in your life.
The Apostle Paul prayed for the believers in Ephesus that they would be “rooted and established in love.” In John 13, Jesus says to his disciples,
A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another (John 13:34-35).
I think it’s so interesting Jesus says this is a new command; loving one another wasn’t required under the Law but under the New Covenant, under grace, we have a new commandment, and it is to love as we have been loved by Jesus.
I invite you to join me in this two-week plan to practice love. It’s important we take this love thing seriously, and if you will join me in learning to practice love, I think it will be transformational for you and me.
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volume_upMay 31, 2025 Sharing the Gospel with People Who Don’t Care
I want to begin by saying that God has put each of us who are Christ-followers in this time, in this place in history, as we read in Esther, “for such a time as this.” So, we must first see this as an opportunity, privilege, and blessing to be part of God’s plan for this time. It’s no accident that we are living in this culture.
Now, here’s my first suggestion for sharing the gospel with people who don’t care: Share your life. If anyone is going to be open to the gospel, it will be because they sense we are real people and we really care about them.
Don’t you hate those cold calls you get trying to sell you something? Usually, they try to sound so friendly and make you think they really care about you personally when they’re selling a new cable system or whatever. But no matter how slick their presentation may be, you know they don’t know you and they don’t really care about you. They’re just trying to make a sale.
If we come off that way when we talk about our faith in Jesus Christ, it simply won’t work. In reaching the people in Thessalonica, the Apostle Paul wrote that: we dared to tell you this gospel in spite of strong opposition. For the appeal we make does not spring from error or impure motives, nor are we trying to trick you (1 Thessalonians 2:2-3). He was facing very similar circumstances there as we do here, and he made it known that he was sharing the gospel with them because he cared for them. His motivation was transparent and pure. There was no hidden agenda with him.
He further wrote: We loved you so much that we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well, because you had become so dear to us (1 Thessalonians 2:8). When people believe we are sharing our faith in Jesus Christ with them because they are dear to us and that we are sharing not only our faith, but our lives with them, then there’s hope that they will begin to believe the gospel is relevant, real, and worthy of consideration.
So, if there are some people in your life right now who just simply don’t seem to care about things of God, about hearing the truth of the gospel, don’t be discouraged and don’t give up. Share your life with them and let them know you care about them personally. That is a big step one in sharing the gospel with people who don’t care.
Here’s another suggestion that can be powerful—tell stories. I never cease to be amazed at the power of storytelling. Jesus used parables almost exclusively in his short ministry on earth. That should give us the first clue that storytelling is an effective way of sharing truth because you and I will listen to a story, give it our full attention, and remember it better than anything else. Stories stick with you.
Stories from the Bible are, of course, very powerful, so the more familiar you are with the stories of Scripture, the more you can tell them to others. For example, suppose you have a friend who is grieving over a wayward son or daughter. You could at an appropriate time tell them the story of the prodigal son (Luke 15:11-32) and encourage them to believe that there is hope for their child, too. Or if you’re in a discussion about social issues, helping the poor, homeless people, or something similar, you could tell the story of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37). You don’t have to read from the Bible; just tell the stories of the Bible in your own words.
I think of a friend, Kate, who spent five years in Afghanistan in a culture totally opposed to the gospel. She was very effective at sharing the gospel in that environment. Besides loving the people and caring about them, she also found that telling the stories of the Bible was the best way possible to share truth with them. Time and again God opened a door for her to share a Bible story. The women listened and learned, and many came to saving faith.
Keep in mind it is not your job to win people to Christ. Only the Holy Spirit can do that.
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volume_upMay 29, 2025 Ambassador, How We Show Up! – 4
Presented by Lauren Stibgen
How will God use me as an ambassador? I have such a terrible past and I really don’t know how he will ever use me! How often do thoughts of your past life as a citizen of this world creep into your mind? Are you overcome with thinking God cannot use you as an ambassador for Jesus at work?
I hope you are a regular reader of the Bible and abiding in this way! If not, I want to take this moment to encourage you to pick up a Bible reading plan because this is the best way to see how God can redeem and use anyone for his glory! Even if you are not in the Word daily, you surely have heard of the apostle Paul. In fact, Paul was used by God to write the most books in the Bible!
What do you know about Paul? What I can tell you is he was one of the most ardent adversaries of the followers of Jesus Christ. In fact, many of the followers at that time were met in persecution and even execution for their faith under the direction of Paul who was, at the time, named Saul.
But Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off both men and women and put them in prison (Acts 8:3).
He speaks of his life contrary to following Jesus in Acts 26:9-11.
But God changed Saul in an instant and redeemed him to be one of his greatest ambassadors! Saul is renamed Paul. You can read about this in Acts 9:1-19.
Was this you? Were you walking in a way contrary to leading people to faith in Jesus? Maybe you were making fun of the Christian lifestyle, but now you whole heartedly follow Jesus.
Paul went to prison for his belief in Jesus. He worshiped in prison. He wrote letters (the Epistles) to tell the early church to repent and follow the ways of Christ. Paul was beaten for his faith. All of this was after an entire life persecuting the church!
Paul was able to use his past life to be a testimony of the huge change Jesus made in his life. Have you prepared to share your testimony? Sometimes sharing your testimony can be one of the most powerful ways Jesus uses you as his ambassador.
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volume_upMay 28, 2025 Ambassador, How We Show Up! – 3
Presented by Lauren Stibgen
We know we are to renew our minds daily! How can we focus on being ambassadors of Jesus? What happens when we are overcome and fail to be the best representatives of Jesus? Let’s look at two examples of this. One ends in despair, and the other ends with beautiful redemption and an even deeper commitment to being an ambassador for Jesus.
Temptation is around every corner in this world. It was back in the time of Jesus, and it is today. We got a sneak peek into the heart of Judas yesterday with his rebuke of Mary in the anointing of Jesus feet. We also know Judas betrayed Jesus.
In Matthew 26:14-16 we see Judas’s greed take over.
Then one of the Twelve—the one called Judas Iscariot—went to the chief priests and asked, “What are you willing to give me if I deliver him over to you?” So they counted out for him thirty pieces of silver. From then on Judas watched for an opportunity to hand him over (Matthew 26:14-16).
In the end, after Jesus’ death, we know Judas is grieved and tries to return the money! When he cannot, he ends up taking his own life. He had betrayed Jesus!
But we also see the other side of this in the story of Peter’s denial in Luke 22:54-62. Not only did Jesus predict Peter would deny knowing him, we see how grieved Peter is when he realizes this! The rooster crows three times, Peter sees the Lord, remembers the Lord’s words, and weeps bitterly.
Peter’s heart was grieved. One can consider he had a repentant heart. When Peter meets the resurrected Jesus on the shores, we see Jesus question him in John 21:17. Do you love me? He does this three times. And then Jesus commands him to feed my sheep.
Your role as an ambassador will not be easy. Temptations will come and sometimes it will be easier to deny Jesus than it will be to boldly speak of your faith. If you do end up like Judas (hopefully not) or Peter, your repentance and return to Jesus are critical to your future kingdom work as an ambassador for Jesus! Jesus sees your heart; he knows and feels your repentance.
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volume_upMay 27, 2025 Ambassador, How We Show Up! – 2
Presented by Lauren Stibgen
One of the ways we can show up as ambassadors for Jesus at work is in the sacrifices we make for others. This can show up in different ways. Maybe it is a financial sacrifice or perhaps it is the sacrifice of time or even placing yourself aside to shine the light on someone other than yourself. All of this can feel costly! And most of the actions we will take as ambassadors of Jesus in this world will be counter to what the culture of this world tells us we should do.
In John 12:1-8, we see a costly and counter sacrifice.
Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus lived, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. Here a dinner was given in Jesus’ honor. Martha served, while Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with him. Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him, objected, “Why wasn’t this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year’s wages.” He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it (John 12:1-6).
In the remaining verses we see Jesus rebuke Judas and tell him to leave her alone for he would not always be with them.
In this time, her sacrifice was costly. What about today? If you are a leader with a budget and times are tight with the company, how will this impact pay increases and rewards for your people? Would you be willing to forgo an increase, so your team can be properly rewarded for their hard work? This would be counter to what culture tells you to do.
Perhaps your team had a big win for the company. In a meeting, the CEO praises you very specifically for this win. Rather than accepting all this praise, how are you shining the light back to the contributions of your team?
Perhaps it is as simple as time, which also can be costly. Are you seeing a colleague struggle with a project? Perhaps you offer to help them.
Maybe the cost is defending your faith at work. In a way, we see Mary representing her faith in Jesus with the costly sacrifice of this anointing. She did what was counter to the culture. Is someone making fun of people who believe in Jesus? It may feel costly to speak up, but it is one way you can be an ambassador for the kingdom you serve.
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volume_upMay 24, 2025 Unwelcomed Ambassador
Jesus promised us many good things, but he also warned of the sacrifice we would face as his followers and more importantly in our work as his ambassadors. As we consider how we represent Jesus as ambassadors in the workplace, we really need to consider what Jesus says about the reality of this role and take counsel from how some of the best ambassadors in the Bible handled this.
In John 15:18-20a Jesus told his disciples:
“If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you.”
The word ambassador comes from the Latin root of ambacus, meaning servant. The servant or ambassador in these verses from John is not greater than his master. If your master is Jesus, you can count on all the hatred and persecution that he experienced. But how might this hatred or persecution show up for us as we represent Christ at work by serving others?
First, let’s really think about why we are persecuted in this world—at work or in general. We are in a foreign country, ruled by the prince of the power of the air, not in the heavenly realms. More specifically, we can count on the devil trying to thwart our good efforts to serve God's Kingdom!
1 Peter 5:8 states: Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.
We must be watchful and aware that this can happen at any time, and when we are feeling discouraged in our serving, we need to consider this verse.
We have all faced this, especially when we are sharing our faith with someone at work. The enemy wants to sow the seeds of self-doubt to thwart our efforts!
You have been there. People notice you are different. Maybe you are positive when it seems like you shouldn’t be. Perhaps it is how you lead and provide feedback to your team. Are you more uplifting than anyone in your office—always looking to be a mighty encourager, and coach? Are you offering help? Maybe you have even bought a coffee for someone who was having a bad day.
As ambassadors we show our faith by saying no to certain things that others engage in at work. Whether it is gossip or not attending a happy hour that seems to happen often, you may feel like you don’t fit in with your colleagues. Rest assured your absence from both gossip and even a wild happy hour honors the Lord, and you are being his servant at work by not engaging.
Are you showing up and reporting something that needs to be brought to light? Maybe it is a simple compliance issue, or it could be something more egregious like theft. This is being Christ’s ambassador.
All these actions are your faith at work 1.0—ways to be an ambassador without even telling people about your faith.
But what if someone calls you out for sitting out? How will you answer? It is easy to walk away from gossip and to reply no to an outing, but what if someone asks why? What happens if someone gets upset when you report the wrongdoing?
Or what about when someone inserts a small comment, “Gosh you are so different than everyone else here,” Or “Why are you so positive all the time?” They simply want to know about your joy!
1 Peter 3:13-17 outlines the expectation of our reply!
Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good? But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. “Do not fear their threats; do not be frightened.” But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.
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volume_upMay 23, 2025 Fran and Jesus on the Job – Witnessing – 5
Fran has to deal with a coworker who often is profane and obscene. In a meeting he makes a point of using the Lord's name in vain and then sarcastically apologizes to Fran for hurting her feelings. Jesus helps Fran to respond.
\"Actually, Bud, you didn't hurt my feelings; you hurt my heart,\" Fran answers.
Suddenly the whole room gets quiet, and everyone is watching Bud and Fran. Nobody is really fond of Bud's vile language, but he's been in the company for years. So, no one confronts him, not even upper management.
Bud gives a nervous laugh. \"Hurt your heart? What do you mean, Fran?\"
\"Well, I just mean when you use the name of Jesus like that, it really hurts me because he's the most important person in my life. He's my best friend. How would you like it if I used the name of your best friend—or someone close to you—in a derogatory way? I think it would hurt your heart, Bud, just like you hurt mine,\" Fran says. She thinks, Lord, were those words from you? I never planned to say that!
\"Oh, Fran, you take things too personally. That's just the way people talk,\" Bud replies, obviously unnerved by Fran's response. The air is full of electricity.
Jesus nudges Fran, “It's time to get this conversation out of this public arena. Invite him to lunch.”
“Invite him to lunch, Lord? Bud? I don't want to have lunch with him—and besides he would never accept,” Fran replies, but Jesus is insistent. Invite him to lunch, Fran.
When Jesus tugs at her like that, she knows she has to obey, so Fran turns to Bud, \"You know, Bud, this would make for an interesting conversation over lunch today. How about it—my treat?\"
\"You're inviting me to lunch? You think you can endure me that long, Fran?\" Bud asks with a big laugh.
\"I'm sure of it—if you think you can put up with me that long,\" Fran answers with a laugh.
\"Okay, you got a deal. I never turn down a free lunch,\" Bud replies.
All through the meeting Fran communicates to Jesus about this upcoming lunch with Bud. “Lord, what am I'm going to say to Bud?”
“You're going to become friends with Bud, Fran, and let him see what I'm like, living in you. How can you ever do that if you never get to know him?” Jesus explains to Fran.
“Well, okay, but it's probably wasted effort. Bud's a hopeless case,” Fran thinks.
“Oh, Fran, many times the people who look the least likely to want to know me are the ones most hungry. You may be surprised,” Jesus informs her.
Fran is learning that witnessing begins with loving people, spending time with them, getting to know them—even the people who seem to be the least likely candidates.
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volume_upMay 21, 2025 Fran and Jesus on the Job – Witnessing – 3
Fran has run into a neighbor who needs a friend, and although Fran had planned a quiet evening for herself, at Jesus' prodding, she gives Sue a call.
\"Hi, Sue, this is Fran. Listen, I don't have anything I have to do tonight. Why don't you come on over in a little while. The kids go to bed around 8:30 or 9:00. We'll have some time then to talk. I've got good ears, Sue, and I'm willing to listen,\" Fran invites Sue over.
\"Yeah, I'm sure; see you later,” Sue responds.
As she hangs up the phone, Fran smiles. \"You know, Lord, I didn't really plan to do that, but when I started thinking about Sue and how I'd feel if I were in her shoes, well...\" Fran's voice trails off.
\"Yes, Fran, you just put on compassion. You have prayed that I would help you to be a compassionate person, so I just answered that prayer,\" Jesus tells her. \"When you care about someone, when you feel compassion toward them, it's not so difficult to be a servant to them, is it?\"
\"Oh, I didn't think of it as being a servant; I just wanted to help her. I hope I can,\" Fran replies.
\"True servanthood,\" he says, \"is when you are a servant and don't even realize it. And that happened, Fran, as soon as you stopped thinking about how inconvenient it was and how you had a right to have a night all your own. Instead, you thought about Sue.\"
\"I get the picture, Lord,\" Fran replies. \"Keep praying for compassion, keep putting myself in other's shoes, and day by day, you will answer my prayer and make me more like you—compassionate. It really is amazing to see how you can change me,” Fran says.
She helps the kids with their homework, and as they're getting ready for bed, Sue knocks on the door. It turns out to be a late night for Fran, as Sue talks for several hours and pours out her hurt and pain from her broken relationship.
Fran falls in bed about midnight, exhausted, praying for Sue as she goes to sleep.
Jesus reminds her Sue is desperate for love. She doesn't know his love, so she's looking for it in a man. That happens a lot, doesn’t it? She and Jesus talk a bit about Sue's dilemma, and before she knows it, Fran has reached for the phone and dialed Sue's number.
Fran continues with Sue: \"I'm sure this has been very hurtful for you, Sue. Sorry. I didn't know.\"
\"Well, maybe I could talk with you sometime when you have time. I know how busy you are...\" Sue looks at Fran with hopeful eyes.
\"Of course, we'll get together soon, I promise,\" Fran replies, and with that they each head for the check-out stand.
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volume_upMay 20, 2025 Fran and Jesus on the Job – Witnessing – 2
Have you ever wondered how you can befriend a non-believer whose lifestyle is sinful, without appearing to approve of the sin? Fran is facing that dilemma. On the way home from work, she runs into a neighbor, Sue, who tells Fran that her live-in boyfriend has just moved out. Sue is obviously upset and wants to talk, and Fran promises to call her soon.
In the check-out line, Jesus says to Fran, \"You know, Sue is really needing a friend right now, Fran. Why didn't you invite her to come over tonight and talk?\"
\"Tonight? Well, Lord, you know this is the first night in two weeks I've had to myself. I just want to be alone and read after the kids go to bed,\" Fran replies, sounding a bit defensive.
\"Yeah, I understand, Fran, but can you afford to pass up an opportunity like this to reach out to someone who was obviously asking you to help her?\" Jesus asks.
\"Well, I'll call her and set up a date next week for pizza or something,\" Fran answers, hoping that will satisfy Jesus.
\"Next week?\" he replies. \"Next week is a long time off when you're hurting like Sue is.\"
As she heads for the car, Jesus doesn't say anything else, but Fran is very uncomfortable. She pulls into her driveway, and says, \"Lord, you really think I should give up my one free night and ask Sue over tonight? I mean, don't I have a right to one night to myself?\"
\"A right? Well, think about that, Fran,” Jesus says. “I gave up my rights to all that was coming to me when I left heaven to come to earth. The essence of the Christian life is that we give our rights over to God and allow him to run things for us. You remember I said, 'Not my will, but thine be done.'\"
Fran remembers in a flash all she has been learning about giving up her rights and being a servant. But when the rubber hits the road, as it has this evening, she finds it a bit difficult. \"Guess I really don't like being a servant sometimes, Lord,\" Fran replies, as she sits in the car a few more minutes. \"It's not always convenient, is it,\" Fran says with a smile.
\"No, sometimes it's terribly inconvenient and requires sacrifice. But the rewards are good, Fran,\" Jesus reminds her.
As she makes dinner for the kids, her mind again goes to Sue. She thinks Sue must be devastated. Ed was her whole life, and now he's gone. Fran knew he would never marry her, but Sue thought for sure if they just lived together for a few months, then he'd want to get married.
Jesus reminds her Sue is desperate for love. She doesn't know his love, so she's looking for it in a man. That happens a lot, doesn’t it? She and Jesus talk a bit about Sue's dilemma, and before she knows it, Fran has reached for the phone and dialed Sue's number.
Fran continues with Sue: \"I'm sure this has been very hurtful for you, Sue. Sorry. I didn't know.\"
\"Well, maybe I could talk with you sometime when you have time. I know how busy you are...\" Sue looks at Fran with hopeful eyes.
\"Of course, we'll get together soon, I promise,\" Fran replies, and with that they each head for the check-out stand.
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volume_upMay 19, 2025 Fran and Jesus on the Job – Witnessing
Knowing how to witness to others is often a perplexing question for many of us. Our friend Fran is facing that issue. This on-going story of Fran and Jesus is told as though Jesus was with her all day, and she talks to him and he to her. Of course, Jesus is with us all the time, but sometimes we forget. Hopefully, these stories of Fran and Jesus will help us remember to practice the presence of Jesus everyday everywhere.
Fran is hurrying home from work. \"It seems like I always have to stop at the store for something,\" Fran thinks. \"You know, Lord, if I didn't have to buy groceries, I'd be rich,\" she muses. “But with a growing nine-year-old boy, he just seems to never get enough. I'm thankful you told us not to worry about what we eat or wear, because you know we have need of these things,\" Fran says to Jesus. She is reassured by the promise Jesus will never leave her or forsake and has indeed promised to supply all her needs according to his riches in glory.
She pulls into the grocery parking lot and dashes into the store, practically running through the aisles to find the things she needs. In the midst of her hurry, she hears a voice, \"Hey, Fran!” She turns and sees her neighbor.
\"Sue, hi. How are you? Goodness, I haven't seen you in several weeks. Good to see you,\" Fran says in a friendly way.
\"Yeah, I've been thinking about calling and stopping in to talk, but—well, I know how busy you are with the kids and everything,\" Sue says.
\"How about your job, Sue? Did you get that new job you were hoping for?\" Fran asks.
\"No, I decided not to even apply for it, Fran,\" Sue answers. \"I'm sure I didn't have a chance, and besides. . .\" her voice trails off, and Fran can tell something is wrong.
\"What's wrong, Sue? You look a little upset,\" Fran encourages her to talk.
Sue looks around, uncomfortable talking in the middle of the store. \"Well, Ed moved out a couple of weeks ago, and I've just been upset, I guess.\"
\"Oh, I see,\" Fran replies. \"I'm, well I'm...” What can I say, Lord? Fran asks Jesus. I'm not sorry Ed moved out; they shouldn't have been living together anyway.
“Just show her some love, Fran,” Jesus responds. “You can show love for people even if you don't approve of what they're doing.”
Fran continues with Sue: \"I'm sure this has been very hurtful for you, Sue. Sorry. I didn't know.\"
\"Well, maybe I could talk with you sometime when you have time. I know how busy you are...\" Sue looks at Fran with hopeful eyes.
\"Of course, we'll get together soon, I promise,\" Fran replies, and with that they each head for the check-out stand.
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volume_upMay 17, 2025 What is Your Banana Ministry?
My friend Judy was a missionary living in Nairobi, Kenya. She traveled a good deal in and around Nairobi, and if you’ve ever been there, you know it’s pretty much a continual traffic jam. And there are always people lined up on the streets selling everything you can imagine—including to my horror, puppies.
One day Judy was traveling with her driver, Baraza, and she saw a woman selling bananas, with a baby strapped to her back and two others playing at her feet. Judy told Baraza, “Pull over; I want to buy some bananas.” She gave him the equivalent of about two dollars and told him to buy all her bananas—about 20. “But Sister,” he said, “why are you buying 20 bananas? You can’t eat that many.” “Just buy them,” she told him.
He was baffled as to why Judy would want so many bananas, since she lives alone, but he did as she insisted. When he paid the lady for all her bananas, her face lit up with a huge, incredulous smile. That probably represented two days of food for her and her family. Baraza said, “Sister, did you see how happy she was. You did a good thing for her.”
Then they traveled on, and Judy saw a crippled man with only one leg by the side of the road. She told Baraza to stop and give him some bananas. Once again, Baraza saw how thrilled the man was to get the bananas. This went on for their entire journey until Judy had given away all the bananas. Baraza—who is a wonderful believer—said, “Sister, this was so good. I can do this. I can give away bananas.” And as a result, Baraza began to carry bananas, apples, and other fruit with him to give to people randomly as God led him. So, he had a banana ministry.
What do you have in your hands that could easily become gifts of love to the people in your life—strangers, coworkers, family, friends—whoever? I’m suggesting that every one of us should look for our banana ministry—something we intentionally do to share the love of God.
You’re probably familiar with the phrase “random acts of kindness.” Actually, it has become a movement, encouraging people to purposely plan and perform kind acts for others. Lots of research has been done that shows the incredible benefits for the person who decides to plan and execute random acts of kindness. According to research from Emory University, when you are kind to another person, your brain’s pleasure and reward centers light up, as if you were the recipient of the good deed—not the giver. This phenomenon is called the “helper’s high.”
Isn’t it interesting that when people follow the principles of Scripture, whether they are believers or not, they discover it benefits everyone. The Apostle Paul wrote to Timothy: And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but must be kind to everyone. . . (2 Timothy 2:24). And to the church in Colossae he wrote: Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience (Colossians 3:12). He was preaching “random acts of kindness” long before the term was coined.
Certainly, as followers of Jesus Christ, we should share “random acts of kindness” more than any others because we have the Holy Spirit, and we also have the great privilege of showing God’s love to a loveless, often cruel world. And then, as the studies show, we discover what Jesus told us—it is truly more blessed to give than to receive.
Let me tell you about my friend, Kiyoko, a Japanese woman in my church. She was inspired to use her creativity to share the gospel. So, she made beautiful little bookmarks with a Bible verses, using things people throw away, like candy wrappers.
She carried her bookmarks with her and whenever she had an opportunity—with a stranger, a store clerk, someone she sat by on the bus or airplane—she gave them one of her bookmarks. She called them “born-again bookmarks,” and explained how she makes them from scraps of paper that people throw away. This opened the door for her to tell them that her born-again boo...
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volume_upMay 16, 2025 Be a Risk Taker – 5
Are you a risk taker? Jesus asks us to take risks for him. He challenges us to lose our lives for the sake of the Gospel. He warned us our lives might incur hard times and persecutions, just as his did. But you can be sure of this: It is better to lose your life than it is to waste it.
Let me quote from John Piper’s booklet, Risk Is Right:
“Therefore, it is right to risk for the cause of Christ. It is right to engage the enemy and say, ‘May the Lord do what seems good to him.’ It is right to serve the people of God, and say, ‘If I perish, I perish!’ It is right to stand before the fiery furnace of affliction and refuse to bow down to the gods of the world. At the end of every other road—secure and risk-free—we will put our face in our hands and say, ‘I’ve wasted it!’ But at the end of the road of risk, taken in reliance on the blood-bought promises of God, there will be fullness of joy and pleasures forevermore.”
The kind of risk-taking we should do for Jesus is not the impulse of being a hero, or the lust for adventure. If our motives are to heap praise and glory for ourselves, we are doing it for the wrong reasons. And we don’t take risks for Jesus to earn his acceptance or gain his approval. It has to be about doing it for the love of Christ—nothing more, nothing less.
For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again (2 Corinthians 5:14-15).
When the love of Christ compels you, then the risk is a no-brainer. You just have to do it because Jesus loves you so much, and he has redeemed your life and given you hope and purpose. And now you have the privilege to do something risky out of love for him.
Regardless of what God is leading you to do, I can promise you it will be bigger than you are, and it will be risky. It will require you to live by faith and not by sight. It will test you and frighten you, but that’s where the blessing is, where the abundant life is. Don’t miss it. If God is for you, who can be against you?
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volume_upMay 15, 2025 Be a Risk Taker – 4
Do you know someone who has taken a big risk for Jesus? We’ve looked at two women in Scripture who took great risks—Esther and Deborah. But what about a contemporary risk-taker?
Let me tell you about my dear friend, Donnita Travis, who left her very successful career in marketing to begin an after-school ministry for under-served children in the poorest neighborhoods of Chicago. In 2001 she began with 16 children, coming three days each week to our church for tutoring, teaching, and nourishing. Now there are over 1,200 children involved in By the Hand Club in four different locations in our city, and it is absolutely mind-boggling to see how God is using this ministry to bring children hope and love and help them reach their potential. These children not only improve in their schoolwork, but they also hear the gospel clearly and are loved by the staff. The success stories are abundant. You can learn the whole story by going to bythehand.org.
I look at Donnita and think, if only I had faith like she does, or if only I had her management and marketing skills. And of course, she is uniquely gifted. But it’s much more than that. Donnita heard God’s call on her life, and she simply said, like Esther, “God has put me here for such a time as this.” She took enormous risks and for over twenty-five years has boldly moved forward with ever-growing impact on our city.
But let me tell you one more thing: It’s been loads of hard work, long days, many serious safety and legal issues to resolve. It’s not an easy road. There are days I see her and know she is simply tired to the bone. But she keeps doing what God has put her here to do, and God is blessing.
I know God doesn’t call all of us to such highly visible tasks, but I know he calls each of us to step out on faith, take a risk, and be willing to let him do through us what he alone can do. Are you standing on the brink of a new challenge? Does your heart tell you this is what God wants you to do?
The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it (1 Thessalonians 5:24).
Don’t miss the great thing God has for you to do because you’re not willing to take the risk.
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volume_upMay 14, 2025 Be a Risk Taker – 3
Do you know the story of Deborah, who was a judge in Israel? Deborah was a risk-taker for the Lord.
This woman was way ahead of her time. She had to take an enormous risk—and that was to go herself and lead her army into battle. Barak was the leader of the army, but he said, “If you go with me, I will go; but if you don’t go with me, I won’t go.” Maybe he thought she never would agree to go into battle and that would get him off the hook. If so, she fooled him. She said, “Very well, I will go with you. But because of the way you are going about this, the honor will not be yours…” Obviously she recognized he was not the brave leader he should be. So, she took a risk. You can read her story in Judges 4—an amazing story of how God gave her and her army victory over their much larger enemy.
I wonder what it is that makes one person willing to take a risk for God and another is not. Isn’t it true we are prone to trust those we know, but if we don’t know someone too well, we’re less willing to trust them? No doubt our trust in God has a lot to do with our willingness to take a risk for him. It’s at these times—when there is some risk involved—that we find out just whether we trust God or not—or how much we trust him. God wants us to take risks as he leads us and allow him to do through us what we could never do on our own. We should attempt something so great for God that only he could do it.
You provide a broad path for my feet, so that my ankles do not give way (Psalm 18:36).
Ron Hutchcraft tells the story of how he had to overcome a fear of walking across a slippery pipe to cross a stream so he could see an incredible waterfall. He was afraid to do it and was ready to back out, but his friends encouraged him to walk across the pipe so he could see this beautiful waterfall. He finally took the risk and made it across. And he reports the risk was more than worth it because the view was awesome. When we start across a pipe that looks risky, that \"faith pipe\" that will take us to new territory for Jesus, the pipe becomes a broad path, and our ankles don't turn! Jesus broadens the path beneath our feet. I love that image.
Walk across the pipe today. Don't miss the view. Don't miss what Jesus wants to do in you and through you. Don't stay where it's comfortable. Be willing to be an entrepreneur for Jesus. That’s where the abundant life is—doing what only he can do through you.
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volume_upMay 12, 2025 Be a Risk Taker
Are you a risk taker? Some people would tell you not to ever take a risk, because it’s risky! Play it safe would be their motto.
Taking risks is not always a smart thing to do. But if you were to talk to any successful person in any field, no doubt they would tell you about some time in their life when they took a risk. They exposed themselves to failure and maybe even ridicule, but that’s what it took for them to be successful.
As we live our lives for Jesus, there will be times when we need to take a risk, move out of our comfort zones, attempt something that looks difficult, and even run the possibility of failing. For example, maybe God has been prompting you to share your faith with a coworker, but you’ve been reluctant to do so because it’s risky. You think: That coworker may react negatively, or I may botch it and say all the wrong things, or maybe it’s against the law to share my faith on the job! And so fear keeps you from taking the risk.
Have you ever thought about how many times you’ve missed out on so much of what God wants you to do and the blessings that come when you obey, simply because you were not willing to take a risk? Obviously, you should always proceed with prayer and caution, but if you’re afraid of any risk, you will simply never do all the good things God has put you here to do. You’ll miss so much of God’s blessing in your life.
In his insightful booklet, Risk Is Right, John Piper says his aim is to explode the myth of safety and deliver us from the enchantment of security, because it’s a mirage. It doesn’t exist. None of us know what the next moment holds, not to mention tomorrow. God never takes any risks because he knows the end from the beginning. We don’t know the end, and God doesn’t tell us. He intends for us to live by faith not by sight, and so our lives are risky.[1]
Fear of risks keeps many of us paralyzed. Bonhoeffer wrote: “To delay or fail to make decisions may be more sinful than to make wrong decisions out of faith and love.”[2]
I’m exploring people in the Bible who took great risks, and I hope you’ll be inspired to step out on faith and take whatever risks you need to in order to follow Christ and his plans for you.
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[1] Piper, J. (2013). Risk Is Right. Crossway.
[2] Eric Metaxas. (2010). Bonhoeffer : Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy. Thomas Nelson.
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volume_upMay 10, 2025 Ready to Give an Answer
I want to begin by asking some questions.
Have you ever preached a sermon at work?
Have you given the four spiritual laws over the PA system in your office?
Do your coworkers beg you to take them to church with you?
Do you read the Bible out loud to your coworkers each day?
I’m guessing not many of you answered yes, but neither did I. Does that mean none of us are effectively witnessing for Jesus on our jobs?
Effectively witnessing on our jobs. That thought frightens most Christians in the marketplace. For most of us, the idea of witnessing conjures up visions of cornering someone against their will, or passing out tracts, or badgering a coworker to go to church with us, resulting in being labeled as a religious fanatic, etc. Does that sound familiar? And yet, we know we should be sharing the good news of Jesus because there is likely someone in our work environment who really wants to know the truth. Besides, Jesus has called us to be his witnesses to the whole world.
Well, let me ask you another question: Has someone on your job ever asked you a question or made a comment that opened a door for you to talk about your faith in Jesus—maybe just a little bit?
Now all of us should have our hands up on that one, because if we're living our faith out in our everyday worlds as we should be, someone will ask us a question and open a door for us to share what Jesus means to us.
Peter wrote:
But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect (1 Peter 3:15).
I believe question-answering is the most effective means we have to share who Jesus is and the good news of his gospel with the people we interact with daily.
Jesus was the master of this technique. Nicodemus was fascinated with what he'd seen and heard about Jesus, so he came quietly to him to ask some questions. Jesus answered Nicodemus’s questions, explaining what it meant to be born again because Nicodemus found that a baffling statement.
His interaction with the rich young ruler was a series of questions and answers. With the Samaritan woman at the well, his behavior was so unusual it caused her to ask questions. And Jesus kept leading her to ask other questions. By the time he answered her questions, he'd revealed to her that he was the Messiah, and she went back to town to tell everyone else about him. Effective witnessing, wouldn't you say? No meeting, no altar call, no one-two-three formulas. Those techniques would not have been appropriate at those times. But Jesus lived a life that generated questions, and he was prepared to answer them.
Throughout our history, Christians have spread the good news of Jesus by this one-on-one question and answer method. Just look at the Church in China or any of the countries where Christians have endured persecution for years. Not only have they been unable to wipe out Christianity, as Stalin claimed he would do in Russia, but the Church grew and increased amid persecution.
And how did the Church survive? They could not hold evangelical meetings; most of their churches were closed; they could not speak openly about Jesus. Yet they continued and grew because they infiltrated their society. They became living examples and question-answerers. Their presence could not be ignored because their lives told a story that caused people to ask questions.
Your calling and mine is exactly the same as theirs: To infiltrate our worlds for Jesus. And I firmly believe the American marketplace is one of the last frontiers for infiltration. It's a ready-made mission field. You're already there; and you're there on equal footing with everyone else who is working with you. Your presence is legitimate, and you are there for long hours every day. What better opportunity could you ask for?
Now, how do you infiltrate your world?
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volume_upMay 8, 2025 Your Job and Your Work – 4
Does your job cause you a lot of frustration? Do you often feel you're just spinning your wheels or running on a treadmill, getting nowhere in your daily job? I'm talking about the differences between your job and your work. And one major difference is:
Your job may sometimes produce frustration; your work will most often produce fruit.
Jobs carry no guarantee of inner tranquility or accomplishment. You can work as hard as possible and never feel like you've done a whole lot. You may never get appropriate recognition for the job you do, and indeed others may take credit for what you have done. You may discover the harder you work at your job, the more frustrating it is. Often our jobs bring a great deal of frustration into our lives, for all kinds of reasons.
On the other hand, your work will energize you because you know you're doing something eternally significant. Your work will bring satisfaction. You will be rewarded for your work and receive recognition from the ultimate manager, God your Father. You surely can grow weary in doing your work, but you won't grow weary of the work God has planned for you to do.
Your job will end in retirement; your work will not end until death.
Jobs come to an end. Either you retire or you walk away from the job, or the job is eliminated. Work, however, has no termination age. As long as life remains, there is work to be done, and it gives substance and value to every day at any age. Your work most likely will take some turns and changes as you progress through life, but there is always work to do.
You may be thinking, \"You mean, I can't expect to find a job I really love?” No, you can educate yourself and look for a job using your talents and strengths, and you can do your work while you’re doing your job. God plans for all of us to be lights in a dark world, so part of your work may be to shine the light and love of Jesus right there on your job.
Also, God often uses our jobs to prepare us to do his work. The skills and experience I gained in my job have become a tool in God’s plan to touch lives in ways I could not have done without that job.
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volume_upMay 7, 2025 Your Job and Your Work – 3
What is the difference between your job and your work? Your work will give you an opportunity to exercise the gifts you have—the abilities God has given you, whereas your job may not use your gifts. The use of our gifts always brings fulfillment and joy into our lives.
Another difference is:
Your job will result in income; your work may never result in income.
Most people go to their jobs each day primarily because they get paid to do it. I'm not saying you can't enjoy doing your job and that there aren't other motivational factors involved. But there are very few who would continue going to their job each day without compensation.
Your work may never pay you a dollar, but it will pay benefits that cannot be valued in earthly terms. When you are doing your work, what God has called you to do, you're putting deposits in God's heavenly bank, where thieves can't steal it, and rust cannot destroy it. Your work certainly brings compensation, but it's deposited in a different bank and held as a long-term invest
In our society where people are valued by the size of their salaries and bank accounts, this is a totally different perspective for a Christian, and one we have to adjust to. It's one of those areas where we must fight not to allow the world to shove us into its mold or way of thinking.
There is always someone else who can do your job; there is no one else who can do your work.
If you called your employer tomorrow and said, \"I'm not coming back; you won't see me again,\" guess what? They would survive. It might cause some temporary problems, but somebody soon would move into your role, learn your job and do it.
However, you are indispensable when it comes to your work. If you don't do the work God has called you to do, it will go undone. How do you know God has work for you to do? Because of Ephesians 2:10.
For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do (Ephesians 2:10).
God has a to-do list just for you, and if you miss it, you’ll miss the abundant joy of doing the work God planned for you to do.
If you told me I could never use the gifts God has given me, I would feel empty. Life would be tasteless. My gifts are the activities that bring meaning and joy to my life.
Your job may employ your gifts, and if so, that is a blessing. If not, you still have work to do that is very meaningful. You just need to have a clear understanding, based on God’s Word, of the difference in your job and your work.
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volume_upMay 6, 2025 Your Job and Your Work – 2
Let me ask you: As a Christian, is it essential for you to have a job that is personally fulfilling? Is that your right? Should we assume something is missing or wrong in our lives just because our job isn't what we hoped and expected it to be?
Have you come to the point of acknowledging that your job is not fulfilling, and you’ve worked long enough to know no job is going to be the exciting adventure you hoped it would be? The good news is your job may never be all you want it to be, but your life can be purposeful and fulfilling when you know the work God has given you to do, and that will fill your life with meaningful and important activity.
Let's consider some significant differences in your job and your work:
Your job may employ none of your gifts; your work employs all your gifts.
Now, first, do you know what your gifts are? All Christ-followers have at least one spiritual gift, and many times several. Romans 12 is a good starting place to learn about these gifts, and there are many good helps on this topic. If you don't know what your gifts are, start a research program and ask God to show you.
The really neat thing about our gifts is what we've been gifted to do, we love to do, and it doesn't come hard for us. God is an incredibly smart manager of his human resources. He knows if I love to do what I have to do, I'm going to do it much better.
It's a joy to exercise your gifts, isn't it? Now, that doesn't mean you never grow tired or weary or don't want to run away once in a while. But a few days away from doing my work, and I'm restless. I'm ready to go back.
If you told me I could never use the gifts God has given me, I would feel empty. Life would be tasteless. My gifts are the activities that bring meaning and joy to my life.
Your job may employ your gifts, and if so, that is a blessing. If not, you still have work to do that is very meaningful. You just need to have a clear understanding, based on God’s Word, of the difference in your job and your work.
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volume_upMay 3, 2025 The Freedom of Self-Forgetfulness
If you will remember, this message of needing to feel good about yourself and have really good self-esteem became an unquestioned truth for most people. It became prominent in the 1980’s, when it was taught in some schools. However, the concept of self-esteem itself has roots much earlier, with certain philosophers. The general theme of this teaching was that the troubles that plague our society—crime, addictions, failed marriages, and abuse—is attributable to low self-esteem. It was thought and taught that if we could just help people think about themselves in more positive ways, then they wouldn’t do negative things and our societal problems would go away.
But as I looked at myself and others, God made it clear to me that self is not my solution; self is my problem! And looking back at the topics I covered early in this ministry, I see ways I was trying to communicate this truth as early as 1989. Trying to get people to feel good about themselves will not reach into the depths of their souls and bring healing. And that’s because each of us was born in sin, we commit sin willfully, and we simply have a sin problem. The Bible says there is nothing good in ourselves—that all the righteous things we try to do are like filthy rags to God.
Well, that doesn’t exactly fit with the good self-esteem message, does it? Recently I found a transcript of a sermon by Tim Keller entitled The Freedom of Self-Forgetfulness[1]. Tim did such a good job of explaining how this idea of low self-esteem causing society’s big problems is just not true.
I want share some of Tim’s thoughts, which are echoes of what I’ve tried to say for many years on this topic of self-esteem. The title of his booklet gives you a clue to where he’s going: The Freedom of Self-Forgetfulness. When you and I can come to a place where life is not all about us, we begin to walk in the freedom Jesus came to give us. Believe me when I tell you: Self is your problem and not your solution, and when you grasp the incredible freedom of forgetting about yourself, you are going to love it.
Tim asserts that up until the twentieth century, almost all cultures believed and taught that having too high a view of yourself was the root cause of all the evil in the world. Human pride, selfishness, greed, and evil were presented as the cause for all bad behavior.
But in our modern western culture, we have developed a completely opposite idea. Now our educational systems, our counseling curriculums, our treatment of prisoners, and much of our legislation starts with the viewpoint that all we need is to feel good about ourselves. Think of some evil in our world today—such as abuse of children. This philosophy would have us believe this evil would go away if those who abused children didn’t have such low self-esteem.
Even secular psychologists have come to see the error of this belief system. Some have reported there is no evidence that low self-esteem is a big problem in society, but rather, people with high self-esteem pose a greater threat to those around them. This is hard for people to accept. As Tim wrote: “The thing about the low self-esteem theory of misbehavior is that it is very attractive. You do not have to make any moral judgments in order to deal with society’s problems.”[2]
And elsewhere Tim wrote: “If someone has a problem with low self-esteem we, in our modern world, seem to have only one way of dealing with it. That is remedying it with high self-esteem. We tell someone that they need to see that they are a great person, they need to see how wonderful they are.”
Do you like people to tell you things like that? I sure do—who doesn’t? But guess what: No matter how many times people tell you that you are a great person, it doesn’t change who you are, does it? The only way you and I can truly be changed into a person of worth is when we allow God to do it in us. And that happens when we are born into God’s family through faith in Jesus Christ.
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volume_upMay 2, 2025 A Disposable Identity – 5
Presented by Lauren Stibgen
Are you an expert at something? Perhaps you have gone to school for an advanced degree in a specific subject. Your deep knowledge uniquely qualifies you among your peers and shows people just how qualified you are, but suddenly your expertise is no longer welcomed. People don’t seem to appreciate what you have to say or care about your accomplishments and accolades.
We have considered different people in the Bible who seemed disposable. Let’s explore an ultimate expert who was easily dismissed or disposed of—Jesus.
In Scripture, we learn of Jesus’ innate knowledge of the Word. In Luke 2:42-47, Jesus is only 12 years old when his parents take him to Jerusalem for the customary Passover. When the feast ends, they leave, but Jesus stays. Frantically searching as parents would, they go back and find him.
After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. Everyone who heard him was amazed at his understanding and his answers (Luke 2:46-47).
Surely, we know Jesus is the Son of God, which is ultimately why he knows the Word, but here Jesus establishes this at the young age of 12.
After his baptism by John, we know Jesus is led into the wilderness for 40 days and tempted by Satan. When Satan tempts him in his hunger, Jesus answered, “It is written: Man shall not live on bread alone” (Luke 4:4).
Again, he establishes for us a deep knowledge and reliance on the Word of God.
As he began his ministry, Jesus taught in the synagogues of Galilee and was glorified by all (Luke 4:15). But then he went home to Nazareth. Going to the synagogue he read from Isaiah, and while they spoke well of him and marveled, someone asks, “Isn’t this Joseph’s son?” You can read more about this interaction in Luke 4, but it ends with them driving Jesus to the edge of town, attempting to throw him off a cliff. Why? Because he quotes Scripture about himself, and no prophet is acceptable in his hometown.
Throughout the Gospels, we read about Jesus’ rebuke of the religious leaders for their actions and, well, inactions. Using Scripture the leaders of the day knew richly, he showed their hypocrisy repeatedly, ultimately leading to such great jealousy that they called for his crucifixion.
Those of us who have accepted Jesus as our Lord and Savior know all of this was part of God’s plan to redeem his people and the world. Jesus lived as an expert to the ultimate sacrifice of being disposed on the cross, but he rose on the third day and has eternal life at the right hand of the Father! God’s plans are always greater.
When you feel dismissed for your expertise and deep knowledge, rather than leaning into discouragement, pray to the Lord! How will he use your unique talents and gifts for his glory?
Today our professional experience and expertise are always on display. From LinkedIn to TedX, to being a member of a coveted organization, if you aren’t on display, it can feel like you aren’t qualified for what is next professionally. Maybe it is a title or the way someone dresses at work. Perhaps you hope to attend meetings or a company offsite but weren’t selected.
Remember, like Leah, God has a plan just for you!
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volume_upApril 30, 2025 A Disposable Identity – 3
Presented by Lauren Stibgen
Have your dreams and ideas ever impacted you at work? Or maybe how much positive attention you receive from a boss? Either way, big ideas and favor from up top can often intimidate others, and it can sometimes leave you feeling easily dismissed, disposable by your peers.
One of the greatest leaders in all of Israel’s history had dreams of his greatness. His name was Joseph. One could argue he should have had a little more emotional intelligence than to share such a bold dream with his jealous brothers, but it was all part of God’s plan to have Joseph save Israel. In Genesis 37 we learn Joseph was loved by Jacob more than any of his other brothers.
When his brothers saw that their father loved him more than any of them, they hated him and could not speak a kind word to him (Genesis 37:4).
On top of the favoritism shown to Joseph by his father, he shared his dreams which indicated that his brothers, mother, and father would one day bow down to him. In Genesis 37:11, we learn his brothers are jealous of him.
Following these dreams, we learn Jacob sends Joseph to check on his brothers and bring back information on their well-being. This is when the jealousy gets the best of his brothers. First, they contemplate killing Joseph. Then, they find more benefit in selling him into slavery. Moreover, they faked his death and told poor Jacob he had died by an animal attack.
The story of what happens to Joseph continues in Genesis 38-46. Being disposed of by his jealous brothers wasn’t the end of his hardship. However, we see God had great plans for him. When the famine was bad, his brothers set out to Egypt for food. Joseph, now overseeing all of Pharoah’s kingdom, saved his brothers and father from starvation.
But God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance (Genesis 45:7).
Clearly, God chose Joseph to be a leader. He placed dreams in Joseph’s mind that perhaps gave him hope during some of the worst trials we could ever imagine. To his brothers, he was disposable. For God’s plans, he was not.
Being in leadership as a trusted advisor is a coveted position that can often lead to isolation and attack from peers and even subordinates. Jealousy and covetousness creep in and peers at work soon can work against you. This can lead to feelings of being thrown away or disposed of.
In these times, trust that the Lord may be bringing you closer to him, and into a new position for his glory.
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volume_upApril 29, 2025 A Disposable Identity – 2
Presented by Lauren Stibgen
The last several years of praying with women has opened my eyes to how physical and mental health can impact people at work. A physical disability (seen or unseen) or mental health challenges like anxiety or depression can lead to feelings of being no longer useful or dismissed—disposable.
In Matthew, Mark and Luke, we find the story of the bleeding woman. Mark 5:25-34 tells us this woman has suffered from a discharge of blood for 12 years. She has suffered, seen many physicians, spent all she had, and was no better for it. Culturally, this woman would have been unclean. While this is not written, let’s pause to think of her. First, she is in physical discomfort. Perhaps she is constantly tired because she is constantly bleeding. Because she was unclean, she was socially isolated and could not work—even if she wanted to. This isolation likely created even more loneliness and despair. The financial burden would have only compounded this.
If we were to transport her to today perhaps, she would be unable to work due to this condition. Her mental and financial state likely would be similar. If she needed to work, imagine the stress of managing this bleeding every day.
While this woman was disposable to society, she was not disposable to Jesus. Her desperation and faith in knowing that Jesus was healing people led her into the crowds to simply touch the hem of his garment. This woman was instantly healed.
Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering (Mark 5:34).
Throughout Scripture, we see Jesus healing people who were outcasts. He gladly touched and healed the lepers, the blind, the disabled. It was his mercy and their faith in his healing power that was on display. None of them were disposable to Jesus!
Are you invertedly causing some employees to feel disposable? One of the women I am blessed to be in community with has lived with a hidden disability for many years. It can cause her severe physical pain, migraines, and gastrointestinal issues. One look at this executive leader and you would never know how much she endures to get through her days. Recently she has become an advocate for herself and for others at work who cannot participate in physical activities planned during a retreat. Golf, pickleball, and horseback riding are not possible for her. She advocated for an alternative and helped her CEO see how these activities made her feel “dispensed with” while others were having fun.
As followers of Jesus Christ, how can we see others as Jesus saw the bleeding woman, the lepers, the blind, and disabled? We are called to love them like Jesus did. To him, they were perfect.
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volume_upApril 28, 2025 A Disposable Identity
Presented by Lauren Stibgen
During one of our recent Walking Worthy podcast conversations with a fellow ministry leader and friend, we talked about the sensitive feeling of being disposable. This word sums up being cast away or used up and can summon thoughts of some of our deepest hurts whether at work or in other aspects of our lives. But being disposable is not part of our God-given identity.
As an adjective, the word disposable is defined as intended to be used once, or until no longer useful, and then thrown away; or to be able to be dispensed with or easily dismissed. As a noun, disposable is defined as readily available for use as required, or an article to be thrown away after use.
When we focus our identity on what the world says of us, this definition can truly impact how we feel. I would argue this is one of the roots of imposter syndrome in our work culture today.
Feeling like our talent is no longer useful or valued can play on repeat in our professional mind, leading us to feel like we’re no longer qualified for the work we set forth to accomplish. In fact, I see this repeatedly with executive level women. The worst part is women in leadership roles are contributing to this feeling in other women! Intentional or not, our actions and words and our inaction or lack of words can leave those around us feeling disposable.
Let’s explore this worldly “disposable” identity through a biblical lens. There are truly remarkable heroes in the Bible the world disposed of, but God used for his glory! Perhaps in our reading of them, we may not have stopped to consider their feelings. I have learned throughout the years that we often focus on the glory without pausing to see ourselves in the feelings of those God has truly used for his purposes.
Do you have a hidden or other disability which has caused you to feel disposed? Maybe you have a vision of greatness of which has been disposed. Have you ever felt less than or not good enough? Perhaps you were the perfect expert for a job but simply were rejected.
All these situations exist in God’s Word! They play out in the lives of real people who had a greater identity to God than they did to their fellow man or woman!
I will not stop reminding you of Ephesians 2:10, but today I want to phrase it for you simply. You are created perfectly as you are by God in Christ Jesus to do just what you are doing right now. God prepared your path before you were even born. All you need to do is walk forward. You are not disposable.
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volume_upApril 26, 2025 A Humble Identity
Presented by Lauren Stibgen
This year marked my third reading of the Bible cover to cover in a year. It isn’t a literal page by page turn from cover to cover, but a reading plan that jumps between the Old and New Testaments and a Psalm each day. My experience with reading the Bible in its entirety has proved that the Word of God continues to have new revelation to me as a believer with every read—even when I have already seen the words countless times.
Recently, I have been lingering with one single verse in Psalm. Psalm 84:10 reads: Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere; I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked.
Numerous things about this verse jumped out to me but the one-word title I cannot ignore is doorkeeper—simply, the person on duty at the entrance of a building. My mind was flooded with doorkeepers. Do they still exist today? They do. The person who greets you at a nice hotel, someone taking a ticket at a movie theater, a guard at an office building.
As I pondered the vocation of being a doorkeeper, I thought about describing my role to someone if they asked me about what I do for a living. I thought about what financial compensation a doorkeeper would receive. If this was my profession, would I have pride in my work or feel lowly? Simply, would I be content being a doorkeeper in the house my God? After so many years of exploring education and training in leadership and law, would I be OK just greeting people at the door?
I thought about the spaces this verse described. God’s courts and the tents of wickedness. Courts feel grand, lovely, important, royal. Tents feel dirty, small, out in the wilderness, primitive. Where would I want to dwell?
Often, we choose a tent. While it may not be intentional, we are easily caught up in the worldly aspects of what success looks like in the form of a title or our position on the corporate ladder. We settle for the tent of wickedness and forget to look at the glorious, beautiful royal courts in the house of God.
When we are caught up in this world, we miss that the doorkeeper has a position of great importance. She is a doorkeeper in the house of God. If we stop and take a humble approach to our identity at work (leadership), we can see that we are doorkeepers to the house of God right where we are at work, and there is no better position we could every enjoy.
Jesus is clear in his call to us as his followers. In Mathew 28:19-20 he exhorts, Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the father, and of the son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them all I have commanded you.
How do we show up with the posture of a humble doorkeeper? Whether we are truly a doorkeeper or if we hold positions of leadership, we should consider this royal appointment with humility. If we consider our identity with God, we can take comfort.
Throughout the Bible, God appointed the lowly to do great things. Consider Moses. Moses was truly resistant to the calling God had for his life to the point that he even begged God to give the job to someone else!
Now Moses was a very humble man, more humble than anyone else on the face of the earth (Numbers 12:3).
As we read about Moses’ leadership of the Israelites, we see how he constantly leaned on the greatness of God to help him lead the people. In Numbers 11 we see everyone complaining about food and water and wandering. Moses is displeased and “the anger of the Lord blazed hotly” (Numbers 11:10). So, Moses grows sick of the complaining, and God is just plain mad. Since they are in this leading together, Moses tells God he cannot carry the burden alone—the burden was too heavy for him.
God answers and says, Bring me seventy men of the elders of Israel...Have them come to the tent of meeting, that they may stand there with you. I will come down and speak with you there, and I will take some of the power of the Spirit t...
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volume_upApril 25, 2025 What God Teaches You through Your Job – 5
What is God trying to teach you through your job? Recently a friend shared with me God is teaching her how to get along with all kinds of people, even those with whom she has some strong disagreements. These are coworkers who really needed to know Jesus, coming from different religious backgrounds and very different beliefs. She said through the years she was not—in her words—“very nice to my unbelieving coworkers.” Their discussions would often end with not so pleasant words of condemnation. She said, “I have not been quiet about it when I think they’re wrong.” When a new coworker joined their company who was very lovely, bright, and energetic, she liked her a lot, and then she discovered she was living an unbiblical lifestyle. She said, “I think the Lord has given me another chance here.”
She is learning on her job how to love the “lost sheep”—people who don’t know Jesus. She’s learning how to communicate with them in loving ways, not in harsh, condemning ways. That’s a lesson we all need, isn’t it, but you can never learn that lesson if you never interact with unbelievers. In most situations your job puts you right in the middle of many people who do not share your faith, do not know Jesus, or even people who may think your commitment to Christ is fanatical. How do you build friends and share the love of Jesus with people like that? You can learn a Christ-like attitude right there on your job.
Can you see how God is teaching you many valuable lessons through your job? You learn critical lessons about relationships—cooperation, fairness, flexibility, humility, patience—all fruits of God’s Spirit that help you to shine as a light in a dark place. You learn to forgive people who may never ask you to forgive them—who don’t even recognize or care that they have hurt you. You learn to persevere, to hang in there even when you think you can’t hang in any longer.
Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything (James 1:2-4).
That is the path all Christ-followers are on—growing mature and complete. Perseverance helps us get there. Maybe your job is very frustrating right now and you’re thinking of leaving. Could it be that you don’t need a different job? You just need a different attitude toward the job you have.
You can grow spiritually right there where you work. Sometimes we think our spiritual growth only comes through Bible studies, church attendance, prayer, and they are all important in our lives. But you can grow much faster and in so many diverse ways if you see your job not only as a mission field but also as a classroom. Don’t miss what God wants to teach you through your job.
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volume_upApril 24, 2025 What God Teaches You through Your Job – 4
What are some of the most valuable things God has taught you through your job? I think we can sometimes get so weighed down with the day-to-day busyness and difficulties of our jobs that we fail to see all the good things God is doing in us and through us through those jobs. One valuable lesson you often learn in a job is how to get along with people you may not like that much.
Another thing you can learn through your job is how to cast all your care on Jesus because he cares for you. Instead of taking those problems home with you every day and dumping on your family or friends, you can learn to trust God to work all things out for your good and leave those cares and concerns in his hands, so you can spend a carefree evening with your loved ones. Do you realize how absolutely important it is to learn to draw boundaries in your thought life? To not allow yourself to think about things over which you have no control? To cast all your care on Jesus regularly—everyday—so the joy of the Lord can be your strength? That’s an eternally important thing you can learn through your job.
Jesus said to his disciples:
Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all (Mark 9:35).
When you were young, did you ever tell anyone you wanted to be a servant when you grew up? I doubt it. Yet, Jesus made it clear his disciples must learn to be a servant to all. And what better place to learn that lesson than on your job each day!
The way we serve God is by serving others, and developing a servant heart and attitude takes practice. You have to be intentional about it; you have to be humble and do it out of love for Jesus, not to get recognition. Think of ways you could serve your coworkers, your management, your employees.
You could serve by choosing to go the extra mile and help someone get their job done (even though you think they could have done it themselves if they hadn’t wasted time talking on the phone!), help someone learn a new skill, stay late to give a helping hand to your boss, doing things for which you may get no credit or recognition. These are everyday things that can teach you the joy of being a servant, and that means you’re growing more like Jesus.
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volume_upApril 23, 2025 What God Teaches You through Your Job – 3
What does God want to teach you through your job? I think toward the top of that list would be learning to love people you may not like that much! Your coworkers may not necessarily people you would choose to be with five days a week, eight hours a day. No doubt you have discovered not everyone is “your type,” and so you are challenged to get along with people who are not that easy to get along with.
In 1 Corinthians 13, the Bible teaches us the true definition of love. It is patient, it is kind, it looks for the good in people, not the bad, it doesn’t hold grudges, it hangs in with someone when others have given up, and it endures all things.
God’s love is an action, not necessarily a feeling, and you can choose to love someone by showing them these kinds of actions, even if you don’t like the way they behave, the way they treat you, their work habits, or their lifestyle.
Almost any job you have—and that includes working in a Christian environment—places you in the company of other people, and you have the privilege, the great opportunity, to learn to love people with God’s kind of love. That means you become more and more like Jesus, as you follow his commandment to “love one another.”
Of course, you also have the option of refusing to learn this lesson, and instead just being continually irritated and negative about the people you work with or for. You can choose to gripe and complain and blame others for your bad attitude. But all that gets you are bitter roots growing in your heart, which will cause you great pain and affect those around you, as well. But if you can see what God wants to teach you through working with difficult people, you then can turn a desert into a garden and use that tough place as your training grounds to teach you this incredibly useful and critical ability to love and get along with people you don’t like that much.
And just consider this—as you accept and learn what God wants to teach you through your job, your light for Jesus shines so much brighter. You have the great privilege of demonstrating through the way you work and the way you treat others the difference it makes when Jesus is the central focus of your life. I want to encourage you not to miss what God wants to teach you through your job. They are worthwhile lessons that will make a difference in your life and your testimony for Jesus.
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volume_upApril 21, 2025 What God Teaches You through Your Job
Have you ever thought of your workplace as God’s classroom for you? This may be a totally new thought for you—that God can use your job, the people you work with and for, and the atmosphere where you work as a training course. I must confess I didn’t always see my job that way. But God never wastes anything in our lives. He uses every experience, every person, every struggle, even our failures and sinful choices to teach us something we need to learn, so we can move forward—becoming more like Jesus.
Having this attitude about your job—looking at it as a training course, so to speak—could make it a bit easier to get up and go to work every day. It gives new meaning to your workdays, even if those days aren’t always pleasant. When you start to see the lessons God wants to teach you through your job, it’s a paradigm shift; a new perspective that gives meaning even to mundane and tedious work, even to irritating relationships, even to a demanding boss or heavy workload.
Think about this: No matter what you do on your job each day, you have developed skills and abilities through that job that are valuable. I have a friend who is teaching communication skills in a very different and difficult cross-cultural environment. As she was telling me what she does and how she has learned to communicate in this challenging setting, I told her what she is learning through her experience in this job, though difficult at times, is giving her skills and abilities that are rare and very valuable. She’s learning “on the job” as we say, and that knowledge and skill is giving her very important and marketable skills you could not learn in a classroom.
Certainly, that’s been true in my life, as well, as I spent many years conducting training seminars in my company and for many other companies across the country. That experience of putting together and making an effective presentation is a skill God was teaching me through my job—and one he now uses for ministry purposes.
Think about what you’ve learned through your jobs and how God is—or maybe how God wants to use that in his service.
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volume_upApril 19, 2025 The Women at the Cross
Having been to Israel many times, leading tours, I have a much clearer vision of what a crucifixion was really like and how horrendous it must have been to have watched anyone dying on a cross. We have tended to romanticize the cross a bit, with our jewelry and pictures of a cross on a hill far away, but actually the place of crucifixion was the most horrible place in Jerusalem. It would have been by a busy road so everyone could see and mock and be terrified by a crucifixion. It was meant to be a deterrent to crime and rebellion, to cause anyone who thought they might challenge the rule of Rome to think twice, because they would have to endure this horrible death.
Knowing how awful a crucifixion was, it is amazing to read in Matthew 27:55 that: Many women were there, watching from a distance. They had followed Jesus from Galilee to care for his needs. Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Moses, and the mother of Zebedee’s sons. In Mark 15:40 we read: Some women were watching from a distance. Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joses, and Salome. In Galilee these women had followed him and cared for his needs. Many other women who had come up with him to Jerusalem were also there.
Luke tells us that: A large number of people followed him, including women who mourned and wailed for him (Luke 23:27). And John tells us: Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene (John 19:25).
By my count, there are seven women who are identified in the four Gospels, but we know there were many others as well. It’s interesting that the women are named, and yet there are no named men at the cross. Certainly, there were men there, but how many were the friends and disciples of Jesus Christ? We only know for sure that John was there, because Jesus refers to him in John 19:26-27, as he instructs him to care for his mother. Where were the other disciples?
And why were all these women there at this ugly scene? It was not a place for a woman; unless it was your close relative, no woman would have intentionally gone to such a horrible place. Yet, there were all these women at the cross of Jesus. These women had gathered there to mourn and to wail the crucifixion of their Savior, Jesus Christ.
They were there because they loved Jesus. They had been delivered from their sins and their pasts by Jesus, and they were determined to stay with him until the end, as ugly as it was. Can you even imagine what it meant for these women to stay there throughout the whole crucifixion?
Mary Magdalene was there. We know Jesus had delivered her from seven demons. There have been some scurrilous writings and suggestions that Jesus had a romantic relationship with Mary Magdalene. That is a lie and totally unsubstantiated by Scripture or history. But for sure, this woman had deep feelings for Jesus because he had delivered her from her past. And it was an awful past.
Can you even imagine being possessed by seven demons? What could be worse than to be indwelled by seven demons from hell? No doubt she had been abused and suffered great harm from these demons for many years. No doubt she was full of guilt and gloom and despair, fearing she would live all her days possessed by them.
And then she met Jesus. In Mark 16:9 we read that Jesus had driven out those demons. However he did that, it had to be dramatic—perhaps painful—but no doubt the best day of her life. She was set free from her past, her guilt, her shame.
And because Jesus has risen from the dead, he is able to do the same for you today. It may not be demons you are dealing with, but whatever haunts you from your past, Jesus is a qualified Savior because he is risen from the dead. He can deliver you, too.
We are told that Mary, his mother, was at the cross. As she stood there, she must have remembered the prophecy told to her by Simeon when they took baby Jesus ...
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volume_upApril 17, 2025 Celebrating an Empty Tomb – 4
There is no other religion that claims to have a risen savior; Jesus is the only qualified Savior because he conquered death. We worship a risen Savior who gives us victory over death.
I wonder if you could articulate why you believe in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Josh McDowell’s book, Evidence for the Resurrection[1], goes into this in great detail. Here are some of the facts that prove the resurrection:
#1: The broken Roman seal
Because the religious leaders were afraid the disciples would steal the body and claim Jesus was risen, they asked Pilate to put the seal of the Roman Empire on the tomb. The consequences of breaking that seal would give pause to anyone who might try to steal the body, because that would have been a crime punishable by death. The disciples were not a courageous body of men at this time. They were hiding from authorities after fleeing from the Garden of Gethsemane. There’s no way they would have tried to steal Jesus’ body, and they certainly would have been too frightened to break the Roman seal.
#2: The large stone was moved
All the Gospel writers mention the huge stone in front of the tomb had been moved. John said it was removed from the entrance. Luke and Mark say it was rolled away from the tomb; Matthew records an angel from heaven came down and rolled back the stone. This stone weighed one and a half to two tons, so it would take several very strong men to roll it even a few inches. McDowell writes, “Now, I ask you, if the disciples had wanted to come in, tiptoe around the sleeping guards, and then roll the stone over and steal Jesus’ body, how could they have done that without the guards’ awareness?”
#3: The behavior of the disciples
Consider once the disciples knew Jesus was raised from the dead, and they were empowered by the Holy Spirit, they didn’t go to some faraway place to preach the gospel. They went right back to Jerusalem, where, if what they were teaching was false, it would be most evident. That would be the last place they’d want to go if they had not seen the risen Christ and knew the tomb was empty. They preached the gospel of the resurrected Christ in Jerusalem, and there was no doubt Jesus had risen.
I encourage you to meditate on the resurrection of Jesus Christ, see that empty tomb, and celebrate the risen Savior.
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[1] Mcdowell, J., & Mcdowell, S. (2008). Evidence for the Resurrection: What it means for Your Relationship with God. Baker Publishing Group.
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volume_upApril 16, 2025 Celebrating an Empty Tomb – 3
For many years, I was privileged to lead groups on a visit to Israel, the Holy Land. The highlight of those days in Israel is the last day when we visit a site in Jerusalem that could well be the place where Jesus was crucified. Next to is, there is a garden with an ancient tomb, dating back to the time of Jesus. There is much evidence to believe this could be the garden where Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus took the body of Jesus and placed it in that tomb.
Each of us goes into that tomb and comes back out, and the word on our lips is always, “It is empty; he is risen!” I always imagine what it must have been like for Mary Magdalene and Peter and John as they discovered the empty tomb. In John 20 we read that Simon Peter went into the tomb, where he saw the strips of linen lying there, as well as the cloth that had been wrapped around Jesus’ head. The cloth was still lying in its place, separate from the linen (John 20:7).
It’s an interesting little detail John gives us, and you might wonder why he made sure it was recorded that the cloth was folded up by itself. In order to understand this, you have to understand a little bit about Hebrew tradition of that day. The folded napkin had to do with the master and servant, and every Jewish person knew this tradition. When the servant set the dinner table for the master, he made sure it was exactly the way the master wanted it. The table was furnished perfectly, and then the servant would wait just out of sight, until the master had finished eating. The servant would not dare touch that table, until the master was finished.
When he finished, he would rise from the table, wipe his fingers, his mouth, and his beard and would wad up that napkin and toss it onto the table. The servant would then know to clear the table, for in those days, the wadded napkin meant, “I’m done.” But if the master got up from the table, and folded his napkin, and laid it beside his plate, the servant would not dare touch the table, because the servant knew the folded napkin meant, “I’m not finished yet.” The folded napkin meant, “I’m coming back!”
John is careful to record the napkin was folded, because he knew it would be very meaningful to the disciples! He’s coming back! He’s not dead; he’s alive.
You and I need to be just as thrilled and excited as Peter and John and Mary Magdalene were the day they walked into that empty tomb.
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volume_upApril 15, 2025 Celebrating an Empty Tomb – 2
Are you preparing to celebrate the empty tomb this Sunday? As Christians, all our hope is vested in the good news that we serve a risen Savior.
Have you ever thought how depressing it would be to worship a savior who was dead? Death is the enemy; death is the reason we need a savior, to make sure we’re ready to die. But how can I be ready to die if the one I worship is dead? What can a dead savior do for me?
The Apostle Paul reminds us in his letter to the Corinthians, if only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied (1 Corinthians 15:19). He’s saying if Jesus were just a good man who lived for 33 years and then died, why would we put our hope in him? Why would we trust him to bring us to eternal life? But, Paul continues, Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep (1 Corinthians 15:20).
How do we know Christ is risen from the dead? First, because the Bible makes it abundantly clear he rose bodily, and he now lives in his resurrection body at the right hand of the Father in heaven. But beyond that, there is much evidence for the resurrection.
For example, a scholar of Classics from Auckland University, E. M. Blailock, says, “I claim to be a historian. My approach to Classics is historical. And I tell you that the evidence for the life, the death, and the resurrection of Christ is better authenticated than most of the facts of ancient history.”
Obviously, all ancient history we know and believe is based on eyewitnesses from the time who wrote about it. And all four Gospel writers have given us eyewitness accounts that are totally compatible and indisputable.
Another evidence is the disciples, those who saw the risen Christ, were willing to give their lives for him, and they did. They were depressed and defeated when Jesus was crucified; they thought it was over; they were frightened of the leaders. Only a risen Christ, whom they saw, to whom they talked, could invoke such devotion and commitment from them. They knew he was risen.
And personally, we who have been born from above know he is risen, because he has brought new life to us and only a risen Savior could do that! Celebrate the empty tomb! Jesus Christ is risen from the tomb!
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volume_upApril 12, 2025 Interview with Maribeth Foley Part Two
What should you do when suddenly you lose your job? I’m Mary Lowman and Maribeth Foley is here with me again this week. That’s where she is right now, as she walks through the stress and fears that can grip you when you need a job and nothing is happening. Her story will encourage you, so please listen in.
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volume_upApril 11, 2025 Who You Are in Christ – 5
Presented by Julie Busteed
We have been talking about our identity. How we identify ourselves, how we think about ourselves. Here’s a definition of identity: it is the set of qualities, beliefs, personality traits, appearance, or expressions that characterize a person.
Unfortunately, finding your identity is never as easy as looking up the definition. There are so many factors that come into play. For example, culture will tell you how to deal with an identity crisis: they advise you to ground yourself in your core values, be aware of your emotions, create a mental fitness plan, enlist the help of a coach, and stay optimistic about the future.
While these may “sound” good, they are really all dependent on you. They rely on your own strength and might, and that is daunting. But if your foundation is the Word of God, you have a trustworthy and reliable source that is relevant to your life today.
If you are in Christ, a Christ-follower, then you have the mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:16).
Back to the dictionary. Webster defines the mind as the part of a person that feels, perceives, thinks, wills, and reasons. Since we have the mind of Christ, we have the Holy Spirit. The Spirit who knows the thoughts of God, teaches us, guides us, helps us to obey, brings joy and freedom, produces fruit in us, transforms us, and the list goes on. In every area of our life, we can have the mind of Christ and understand spiritual things.
What would happen if you made it your goal to constantly pursue the mind of Christ? What would happen if that became your identity?
As we continue on this journey of realizing our true identity in Christ, we will be changed to be more and more like him. I pray as Paul does for the Ephesians:
I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe (Ephesians 1:18-19).
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volume_upApril 9, 2025 Who You Are in Christ – 3
Presented by Julie Busteed
Have you ever wanted to be chosen for something and not been picked? There are many opportunities in our life when we can be chosen. For example, as a child you get picked to be on a sports team based on your size and skill. When you are interviewing for a job or a promotion, you are being evaluated and chosen by the degrees you have and your work history and performance.
The Apostle Peter tells us:
You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light (1 Peter 2:9).
We are chosen by God. Have you ever tried to really wrap your head around that truth? It’s not based on anything we have done. In fact, he chose us before the creation of the world (Ephesians 1:4). We are his treasured possession (Deuteronomy 7:6).
God accepts us, chooses us, loves us as we are right now. You don’t have to put your resume together with a great cover letter and references and prepare for an interview. His choosing you is not based on your past successes or failures. It’s all because of Christ’s saving grace and sacrifice on the cross.
Since we are chosen, how then does this affect our daily lives? The Apostle Paul told the Colossians:
Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience (Colossians 3:12).
Because we are chosen by God, we are to act with compassion toward everyone, even those who annoy us. We are to be kind to people, even those who are unkind to us.
We are to act with humility and to quote C.S. Lewis, “Humility is not thinking less of yourself, but thinking of yourself less.” And we also need to be gentle and patient with one another. Be gentle with your words to coworkers. Be patient with loved ones.
Practicing these things—also known as the fruit of the Spirit—will not only honor God, but it also will cause others to notice the difference in your life. God has chosen you. He is calling you into a relationship with himself.
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volume_upApril 8, 2025 Who You Are in Christ – 2
How do you introduce yourself? What’s the first thing you tell others about yourself when meeting someone new?
The Apostle John writes:
See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him (1 John 3:1).
I’m in awe that the Father has lavished his great love on me. God almighty is extravagantly generous with his great love toward his children. It is his heart.
To know your identity is a child of God and that he loves you, should give you such peace and rest and confidence and security.
But, what if you’re not “feeling” loved right now. How do you continue to rest and walk in God’s love? Let’s look at how the Bible defines love. The Apostle John continues:
This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us (1 John 3:16).
And Paul in Romans tells us:
But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8).
Not only does God lavish his love on us, but he’s the one who sent his son to die for us to save us and to reconcile us to himself. We don’t have to earn his love. It is a free gift.
If you’re in a hard place right now—uncertain about the future of your job, in a difficult season in a relationship, or struggling with your health—it can be difficult to feel like God is with you and loves you. But you especially need to preach this truth to yourself during these times. Keep reminding yourself he does love you. Your feelings are not always to be relied on! When you consistently read God’s word, meditate on it in your heart and mind, study, and even memorize it, you will be able to recall his truth when you are in a difficult place.
My prayer for us echoes Paul’s prayer for the Ephesians:
I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God (Ephesians 3:17-19).
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volume_upApril 5, 2025 Interview with Maribeth Foley Part One
If you’ve ever found yourself suddenly out of a job, for whatever reason, you know the trauma that can bring into your life. How should a Christian respond when you’re in job hunting mode through no fault of your own? I, Mary Lowman, have a friend who will share her story with you and I believe you will be encouraged. So, please join us.
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volume_upApril 4, 2025 Walk in Freedom – 5
I’d like you to think of someone you know who you consider to be a truly godly, mature Christian. What is the major characteristic you admire about that person? I doubt you would say, “They have very high self-esteem.” And yet we often hear you must have high self-esteem in order to be successful.
In his booklet, The Freedom of Self-Forgetfulness, Tim Keller talks about gospel-humility, which he defines as not needing to think about yourself. That is a lesson God has been teaching me for years—that self is not my solution, it’s my problem. The more I can forget myself, the better off I am. When you don’t need to think about yourself, it means you have a very good understanding of who you are in Christ, and that’s all you need to know.
Tim writes, “True gospel-humility means I stop connecting every experience, every conversation, with myself. In fact, I stop thinking about myself.” It’s not something we try to do; it’s something that happens as we more and more know our true identity in Christ.
A truly gospel-humble person doesn’t hate herself; she just doesn’t think about herself. This self-forgetful person would never be terribly hurt by criticism because she doesn’t put much value on what other people think about her, any more than what she thinks about herself.
Not long ago someone was very upset with me, due mainly to miscommunication, and she let me know it. Although her response didn’t make me happy, I was amazed to see it did not devastate me. I’m slowly getting to the place where my self-worth depends less and less on what other people think about me—even on what I think about myself. Criticism or praise from others is not what my identity is built on any longer—at least not like it has been in the past. And my friends, this is wonderful freedom.
There is true freedom in self-forgetfulness. You get to that place by immersing yourself in the truth of God’s Word, making loving God and loving others your highest priority, and then you discover gradually you are thinking less and less about yourself, about your hurt feelings, about how you compare to others or what others think about you. It is marvelous freedom, and every Christian should know and live in this freedom.
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volume_upApril 3, 2025 Walk in Freedom – 4
If you were asked to name the greatest Christian in all of history, who would you name? The Apostle Paul would be high on most of our lists—maybe top. What a great man of God who did so much to birth the early church. With his track record, he should have had very high self-esteem, don’t you think?
Listen to what he wrote about himself well into his years of ministry:
Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst (1 Timothy 1:15).
He didn’t say he was the worst sinner, but he said: “I am the worst sinner.” As Tim Keller points out in his booklet, The Freedom of Self-Forgetfulness, this is incomprehensible to our modern western ears. “We are not used to someone who has incredible confidence volunteering the opinion that they are one of the worst people. We are not used to someone who is totally honest and totally aware of all sorts of moral flaws—yet has incredible poise and confidence.”
Paul understood fully he was a sinner, but he did not allow his sins to become his identity. Tim writes: “He does not see a sin and let it destroy his sense of identity.” In the same way, he does not connect his accomplishments with his identity.
Think of how differently we think. If I see myself as a bad person, then I assume I can’t do anything worthwhile, and I have no confidence. But not the Apostle Paul. As Tim writes: “Paul has reached the place where he is not thinking about himself anymore. When he does something wrong or something good, he does not connect it to himself anymore.”
That doesn’t mean he is no longer accountable, but it simply means his identity is based on what Christ has done for him and what Christ has declared to be true—that he is a new creation, and he is counted righteous because he has been given the righteousness of Christ. The more you get that, the less you have to think about yourself, and the less you think about yourself, the more you become like Christ. It is our self-absorption, our self-centeredness that drives us to despair and keeps us in bondage. Incredible freedom is ours as we more and more don’t think about ourselves.
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volume_upApril 2, 2025 Walk in Freedom – 3
I’m sharing some thoughts from Tim Keller’s booklet, The Freedom of Self-Forgetfulness.
Tim writes: “If someone has a problem with low self-esteem, we, in our modern world, seem to have only one way of dealing with it. That is remedying it with high self-esteem. We tell someone that they need to see that they are a great person, they need to see how wonderful they are.”
Do you like people to tell you things like that? I sure do—who doesn’t? But guess what: No matter how many times people tell you that you are a great person, it doesn’t change who you are, does it? The only way you and I can truly be changed into a person of worth is when we allow God to do it in us. And that happens when we are born into God’s family through faith in Jesus Christ, and then the Holy Spirit takes up residence in us and begins transforming us into the likeness of Jesus Christ, with ever increasing glory, as we read in 2 Corinthians 3:18.
One clear proof you are no longer trapped in this false belief about the need for high self-esteem is you truly forget yourself. You are not the first person you think of in the morning—at least not every morning! You don’t compare yourself to others and feel either superior or inferior, because you just don’t think about comparing yourself to others. That happens when you are learning to be content with who you are, the way God created you, and how God has gifted you.
As Tim writes: “Boosting our self-esteem by living up to our own standards or someone else’s sounds like a great solution. But it does not deliver. It cannot deliver.” If you’re missing the freedom that is rightfully yours as a daughter or son of God through faith in Jesus Christ, if you’re trapped in a pursuit of good self-esteem, I invite you to find real freedom by learning what it means to live in the joy of self-forgetfulness. This is not to degrade yourself or deny your gifting. Rather it is coming to a place where you are not always plagued with trying to be what others want you to be or trying to make yourself look good. You’re just not very concerned with what others think about you, because you are just not thinking about yourself that much.
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volume_upMarch 31, 2025 Walk in Freedom
Since 1984 we’ve been broadcasting the good news that God’s Word is relevant to all areas of our lives, and most definitely to our jobs and careers. Very early on in this ministry, God began to show me the error of the self-esteem teaching that seemed to be sweeping the country.
The general theme of this teaching was the troubles that plague our society—crime and addictions and failed marriages and abuse—all of it is attributable to low self-esteem. It was thought and taught that if we could just help people think about themselves in more positive ways, then they wouldn’t do these things, and our societal problems would go away.
As I looked at myself and others, God made it clear to me that self is not my solution; self is my problem! And looking back at the topics I covered early in this ministry, I see that early on I was trying to communicate this truth. Trying to get people to feel good about themselves will not reach into the depths of their souls and bring healing. And that’s because each of us was born in sin, we commit sin willfully, and we simply have a sin problem. The Bible says there is nothing good in our selves—that all the righteous things we try to do are like filthy rags to God.
That doesn’t exactly fit with the good self-esteem message, does it? Recently I found a booklet by Tim Keller entitled The Freedom of Self-Forgetfulness[1]. Tim did such a good job of explaining how this idea that low self-esteem is society’s big problem is just not true.
I want share some of Tim’s thoughts, which are echoes of what I’ve tried to say for many years on this topic of self-esteem. The title gives you a clue to where he’s going: The Freedom of Self-Forgetfulness. When you and I can come to a place where life is not all about us, we begin to walk in the freedom Jesus came to give us. Believe me when I tell you: Self is your problem, not your solution, and when you grasp the incredible freedom of forgetting about yourself, you are going to love it.
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[1] Keller, T. J. (2014). The Freedom of Self-Forgetfulness: The path to true Christian joy. 10Publishing.
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volume_upMarch 29, 2025 What To Do When You Don’t Know What To Do Part 2
In part one I introduced you to the story of Jehoshaphat, one of the kings of Judah. It is found in 2 Chronicles 20 and is one of my favorite chapters in the Bible. I encourage you to read it for yourself; if you have time now, open your Bible to the 20th chapter of 2 Chronicles and follow along with me. Judah was the smallest of the two Israeli nations, with only two tribes. They were headquartered in Jerusalem, but they were small and not really equipped to fight a large enemy army.
Yet, in this chapter we learn that all of a sudden three enemy armies are headed their way with the full intent to destroy all of them and take over their land. We saw how Jehoshaphat responded when he heard this frightening news. He was alarmed, as you would expect, but his first move was to inquire of the Lord. Then, from his prayer, we are gleaning seven R’s that tell us what we should do when we don’t know what to do. Truly Jehoshaphat had no plan of how they could ever defeat this great army coming against them. But instead of feeling sorry for himself or running away or giving up, he inquired of the Lord.
First, he recited who God was, so he and his people would be God-centered instead of problem-focused. Then he remembered how God had been faithful to them in times past—he remembered how God had always been with them. So, the first two R’s are:
Recite who God is.
Remember what God has done for you in the past.
Now, we begin with the third R:
#3: Recall God's promises.
That’s what Jehoshaphat does next. He says:
If calamity comes upon us...we will stand in your presence before this temple that bears your Name and will cry out to you in our distress, and you will hear us and save us (2 Chronicles 20:9).
God had given them the promise that if they would stand in his presence before the temple and cry out to God, he would hear and save them. Jehoshaphat was claiming that promise. He didn’t need to remind God of his promise; he needed to recall it himself and the people of Judah needed to remember how God had promised to take care of them.
The Bible has promises there just for you, did you know that? Have you learned to turn to God's Word and ask for a promise when you face an impossible situation?
I remember when I first started this ministry in 1984 on one station in Chicago. That's all I ever figured it would be, and I was thrilled that God had given me that opportunity. Then shortly after, opportunities began to open, and it dawned on me that this ministry could grow and become much larger than I'd ever imagined. And I was frightened; I knew how inadequate I was for such an assignment. I knew how inexperienced I was. And I really wanted to back out. But I couldn't deny that God had opened the doors in a miraculous way.
So, I sat down with my Bible and prayed, \"Lord, if this is a ministry you have for me, then please, give me a promise to hang on to as I embark upon it, because I know there will be days and times when I will want to quit.” Well, my reading that day included Isaiah 50, and right there in that wonderful chapter is God's promise for me. Let me share it with you:
The Sovereign Lord has given me an instructed tongue, to know the word that sustains the weary. . . Because the Sovereign Lord helps me, I will not be disgraced. Therefore I have set my face like flint, and I know I will not be put to shame (Isaiah 50: 4-7).
I knew that was God’s promise to me. Those verses are now framed in my office, and I can't tell you how many times I've gone back to them when I've been discouraged, when I've been tired, when I've been wearied of the responsibility. And that promise has sustained me and strengthened me to set my face like flint and claim the promise that I would not be put to shame.
Do you need a promise from God right now? Go to his Word and ask for it; God will give one to you, too.
#4: Restate the problem to God.
Now, after Jehoshaphat has recited who God is,
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volume_upMarch 27, 2025 Defeating Discouragement – 4
Are you discouraged? If so, don't feel guilty about it, but don't wallow in it either. It's not a fun place to be. I examine some biblical ways to defeat discouragement.
Encourage others
One way to cure your own discouragement is to encourage others. Proverbs 11:25 says, ...he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed. Instead of looking for someone to pick you up, look around and see who you can encourage. Thank goodness we can be encouragers even when we feel discouraged. And as we become encouragers to others, our own discouragement is lessened.
Get to work
One good cure for discouragement is simply to get to work. Often when we're discouraged, we're unmotivated, so we do nothing. Then because we've gotten nothing done, we feel guilty, and that makes it even harder for us to get something done. Remember, you begin with the first step, so when discouragement seems to be overtaking you, find something that needs to be done. Then start doing it.
Get some rest
Of course, you may be discouraged because you've been going too hard and too long, and your body simply needs a rest. Elijah discovered how vulnerable he was to discouragement when he was physically exhausted, so God put him in a spot where he could recuperate and be refreshed with food and sleep. If your body is constantly on the verge of exhaustion, you can't expect to avoid discouragement.
Ignore the discouragers around you
Are there people around you who are discouraging you with their negativity? Are you listening to others more than you are listening to God? Remember when Jairus pleaded with Jesus to come and heal his little daughter? On the way to Jairus' house some men came from his house and said, \"Don't bother coming—she's dead already.” But we read in Mark 5, ignoring what they said, Jesus told the synagogue ruler, “Don't be afraid; just believe.”
Others will discourage you if you allow them to. You must learn to listen to Jesus and tune out—ignore—the people who would discourage you. Tune them out; avoid them where possible; change the subject—whatever you must do—but don't let negative people discourage you. Don't catch their disease. Think about what is true, noble, right, pure, lovely and admirable—the good reports, not the bad ones.
Remember, being discouraged is not a sin, but refusing to take steps out of discouragement is. These biblical principles will work if you practice them.
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volume_upMarch 26, 2025 Defeating Discouragement – 3
If you've been discouraged lately, you've probably also felt guilty about being discouraged. But it's good to remember everyone goes through periods of discouragement. I think it's important to emphasize being discouraged is not a sin. God uses people who are discouraged; God understands discouragement; discouragement is a normal and unavoidable emotion we must all deal with. It comes to us in different ways, for different reasons, and at different times, but none of us escape discouragement.
However, wallowing in discouragement—that's a different story. Jesus warned us, In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! He said, \"I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).
Discouragement becomes sinful when we refuse to take heart, as Jesus told us to do.
What does it mean to take heart? I think we can learn from David, who often fought discouragement. In Psalm 42, David says, My tears have been my food day and night. David is obviously discouraged. He continues, My soul is downcast within me. I say to God my Rock, “Why have you forgotten me?”
Identify the discouragement
David begins to defeat his discouragement by identifying it to the Lord. No need to put on a face and act like everything's okay. Until you get it out in the open and call it what it is, it will just continue to fester underneath. David is open and honest with the Lord, and he says just what he feels. We need to do the same thing. But note David talked to the Lord about his problems; that's the way we should do it rather than dumping it on others.
Talk encouragingly to yourself
But he doesn't stop there. After identifying his discouragement, David talks to himself and says, \"Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.” In the space of eleven verses, David repeats these words to himself three times. He keeps on reminding himself of who God is and who he belongs to.
What do you say to yourself when you are discouraged? More discouraging words? That's what most of us do, and we make a major mistake. Sure, you need to pour it all out, but once you get it said, then start saying the right things to yourself. Give a sacrifice of praise—praising when you don't feel it or you don't even want to.
One great way to do this is to start reciting all you have to be thankful for—out loud if possible. Sometimes I use the alphabet praise method—finding something about God to thank him for with each letter of the alphabet. It's a great cure for discouragement.
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volume_upMarch 25, 2025 Defeating Discouragement – 2
When you're having a problem or a struggle, doesn't it help to know others have faced the same situations? David, Elijah, and Hannah were discouraged. Here are some other discouraged people in the Bible.
4. Naomi
Naomi was discouraged because of financial difficulties and terrible loss. Her husband and two sons had both died, and she was left penniless and homeless. \"Don't call me Naomi,\" she told her friends. \"Call me Mara (meaning bitter), because the Almighty has made my life very bitter…” (Ruth 1:20-21). It's easy enough to understand her discouragement. Financial difficulties cause a great deal of discouragement for many of us.
5. Mary and Martha
Mary and Martha were discouraged because they lost someone they loved, and they had really expected Jesus to save him. After all, Jesus had been healing all kinds of other people; surely, he would come and save his beloved friend, Lazarus, they reasoned. And when he didn't, they were very discouraged; Jesus had disappointed them. \"Lord,\" Martha said to Jesus, \"if you had been here, my brother would not have died\" (John 11:21).
Have you ever set an agenda out for the Lord, expecting him to work on your timetable, and then been disappointed when he didn't come through? That can be discouraging.
6. Peter
Peter was discouraged because of his own failure. After he denied the Lord three times, Peter went out and wept bitterly, we are told. I imagine he felt he had blown it for good, and he must have been terribly discouraged with himself. How could he deny the Lord, the one he promised never to deny?
When I look at myself and see how inadequate I am, how often I fail, how I go back and do the same things over and over I know I shouldn't do, I get very discouraged. In fact, that discourages me probably more than anything else, how about you?
7. Jesus
Even Jesus fought discouragement when his friends failed him; when he was misunderstood; when he tried to help, and his help was refused. That really hurts when you have totally good motives, and yet people don't approve or understand or support you. In fact, they may reject you, as they did Jesus. Easy to be discouraged then.
Well, it is encouraging to see even these great people of God went through times of discouragement. But now we want to know how they learned to defeat it.
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volume_upMarch 22, 2025 What To Do When You Don’t Know What To Do Part 1
The Old Testament gives us the history of God’s people, the Israelites, before the coming of their long-awaited Messiah, Jesus Christ. And throughout their history they had good times and bad times—times when they obeyed God and times when they went far astray. Eventually, they split into two nations, Israel and Judah, with ten of the tribes forming the Israel nation and two forming the nation of Judah.
I want to focus your attention to one of the most wonderful chapters in the Bible, in my opinion, 2 Chronicles 20, which tells us about Jehoshaphat, king of Judah. Jehoshaphat was one of the godly kings who obeyed the Lord and led his people to follow Yahweh. But they were a small nation, not well fortified, and therefore very vulnerable to their enemies.
In chapter 20 of 2 Chronicles, Jehoshaphat finds himself and his nation in a truly frightening predicament. Here are the first four verses of that chapter:
After this, the Moabites and Ammonites with some of the Meunites came to make war on Jehoshaphat. Some men came and told Jehoshaphat, \"A vast army is coming against you from Edom, from the other side of the Seas. It is already in En Gedi.” Alarmed, Jehoshaphat resolved to inquire of the Lord, and he proclaimed a fast for all Judah. The people of Judah came together to seek help from the Lord; indeed, they came from every town in Judah to seek him.
Jehoshaphat is faced with a grave dilemma. His entire army and his entire country could be wiped out by this enemy army. And he is alarmed. Who wouldn't be? But notice what Jehoshaphat does in his alarmed condition: He resolves to inquire of the Lord.
He could have inquired of his political advisers. They would have undoubtedly told him to try to make a peace treaty with this vast enemy and save their necks, even if it meant giving up the land. He could have inquired of his military advisers, who would have told him to retreat and get out as fast as possible, because there was no way they could defeat this great military army coming against them. But Jehoshaphat didn't inquire of people or counselors or advisers. He inquired of the Lord.
Where have you been running for answers as you face your impossible situation? Is the Lord the first one you turn to? Amazing how often we do everything else except inquire of the Lord.
This should be the first thing we do when we don’t know what to do: Inquire of the Lord. Notice that Jehoshaphat resolved to inquire of the Lord; he set his will to do it. I can imagine his feelings were taking him in different directions. I can believe he wanted to start running fast and take some kind of action immediately. But he knew he would only find answers by inquiring of the Lord, so whether he felt like it or not, he resolved to do that.
Many times, we run with our emotions when we're up against impossibilities. And our emotions take us to hasty action, to running away, to seeking advice from the wrong people, etc. If we would first inquire of the Lord, sit down with his Word and ask for direction, spend time in prayer to listen to his voice, we would find the answers we need.
I remember at one point in my life, many years ago now, when I was suddenly faced with what seemed at the time to be a potentially disastrous situation, and I truly didn’t know what to do. So, what did I do? I picked up the phone to call my best friend and ask her what to do! Now, there’s nothing wrong with seeking godly advice from trusted advisors, but that’s not the first place we should go, is it? Well, wouldn’t you know she wasn’t there. This was long before we all had cell phones, and so I couldn’t reach her. I just kept redialing and redialing her number, pacing the floor, and becoming angry with her for not being there when I needed her.
It was one of those teaching moments in my life, when I could hear the voice of God in my head clearly saying to me, “Why would you call her before you call me?
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volume_upMarch 21, 2025 Peace in This World – 5
Presented by Lauren Stibgen
As we wrap up talking about some of the worldly ways we try to calm our anxiety that typically don’t work, I want to address the fine line of talking it out with a friend verses gossip. I admit, sometimes talking to a close friend about something that is causing anxiety is helpful. Do you ever feel like this verse:
Do not be misled: Bad company corrupts good character (1 Corinthians 15:33).
These days I am very selective about who I seek counsel from. First and foremost, I look for fellow Christ-followers. I saw a note today that said, “The best kind of friend is a praying friend.” Seeking this kind of community is essential to keeping us close to our peacekeeper Jesus.
After all, the bible tells us that,
The way of fools seems right to them, but the wise listen to advice (Proverbs 12:15).
I want to be sure the advice I am seeking from others is based in biblical truth. Proverbs 15:22 states Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed.
I have spent time focusing on how to build this bench of advisers and dear friends I can count on when I need an ear.
Carefully discerning how I work through some of the things that cause anxiety can also be important. I want to be mindful that my talk doesn’t turn into gossip. Shared friends and relationships can sometimes lead to hurt feelings. If I am ever needing advice within a shared friend group, I always make sure I am seeking it outside of that group of friends. When you find yourself naming names and bringing up things that maybe aren’t kind, make sure your intentions are headed in the right direction. Are you talking about it just to vent or gossip, or are you seeking wise counsel to help you work through this stressor?
Back to that phrase, “The best kind of friend is a praying friend.” Another one you may have heard is, “Have you prayed about it as much as you have talked about it.”
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God (Philippians 4:6).
Having a confidant to pray with you about what is making you anxious can surely be a help.
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volume_upMarch 19, 2025 Peace in This World – 3
Presented by Lauren Stibgen
Does the busyness of your daily life make you feel like you should just get away? Perhaps it’s a weekend away with friends or with your spouse. You want to recharge from the anxiety you feel in the daily grind of work and home.
I wasn’t sure, but I had a hunch there would be articles about vacation anxiety. I was right. While the benefits of getting away include lowering stress, improving heart health, boosting creativity, strengthening relationships and keeping you healthy, it seems we need more rules of the road to take a good vacation these days.
Taking this time away can add anxiety—financial, the care of your children or pets, leaving projects at work, and countless others. The truth is none of the things that cause you daily anxiety will disappear. They will be there when you come back.
How can you incorporate the ultimate peace into your getaway, so it isn’t just a runaway from your daily stress and anxiety? You know what I mean. How can you include Jesus in this time? How can you draw closer to Jesus in faith?
Jesus is a proponent of getting away.
“Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.” So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place (Mark 6:31-32).
You know the feeling of coming and going—days of no leisure and nothing to eat! We have all had these days.
Knowing Jesus invited his disciples to recharge, you can be encouraged he wants this for you too. Be mindful of how you consider this time. It isn’t an escape, but it can be a time to rest and be in God’s Word. If you are spending the time to get away, make sure it is time spent reconnecting with your peace, Jesus.
The only real escape for us in this world is Jesus. Abiding with Christ can give us a foretaste of the glory we will have in heaven. We know in heaven Jesus has prepared a space for us, and the Father’s house has many rooms. One of the descriptors I love is in Revelation 4:6.
… in front of the throne there was what looked like a sea of glass, clear as crystal (Revelation 4:6).
If you have ever been near still and serene water, you will know why this is so striking. It feels so calm. I am in awe knowing heaven has a sea of glass that I can enjoy for eternity.
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volume_upMarch 18, 2025 Peace in This World – 2
Presented by Lauren Stibgen
What do you turn to during times of stress? Some of the most common outlets for stress and anxiety in our world are related to addictions. These addictions can quickly become idols and can keep us further away from our true peace: Jesus Christ.
You know the addictions you or other struggle with—stress eating or drowning our sorrows in a glass of wine, a cocktail, you name it. Food and alcohol rank in the top of legal addictive substances. With work, access to these habits can increase. Maybe it is a consistent happy hour after work or meals with colleagues and customers. However, our long days, filled with anxieties, can be enough to drive us to these habits even when we are not engaging in them because of work. Culture has taught us that alcohol can help us have a good time and unwind from a long week. Food has become a little more taboo with the diet culture, but eating fast food with low nutrition value can seem easy when you are balancing work and life.
Did you know alcohol can actually increase your levels of anxiety? There is research to read, but if you find yourself in a pattern of consuming alcohol to reduce anxiety, you are not doing yourself any favors. Considering the other health issues that can come from excessive drinking including cancer, you may want to reconsider this as a peace-giving habit.
Stress eating can also cause health issues including weight gain.
None of this is peaceful and life giving. Advice about food and alcohol in the Bible is mixed, but one thing is for sure. Anything that is a stumbling block or an idol standing in your way to your relationship with our ultimate peace—Jesus—is not a good thing!
Do not join those who drink too much wine or gorge themselves on meat, for drunkards and gluttons become poor, and drowsiness clothes them in rags (Proverbs 23: 20-21).
We must also be sober minded. 1 Peter 5:8 exhorts us to be watchful for the devil that prowls around like a roaring lion.
Talk about a peace stealer. Satan is the ultimate stealer of peace! If you and I are walking around salving our anxiety with alcohol, we will be prone to the attacks of the devil. My prayer today is that you rethink these habits and turn to Jesus!
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volume_upMarch 17, 2025 Peace in This World
Presented by Lauren Stibgen
Work is only one element of our life that can bring stress. Marriage, children, family, health issues, and anything else we add into the mix of our days can make us anxious too.
Honestly, thinking about how to find peace from all of this can be yet one more thing we add to our mix. Is seeking fleeting peace only adding to your anxiety?
We can feel anxiety as we are waiting for this elusive moment for peace. Maybe you have even tried to plan it out. We experience anxiety in our waiting when our perceived outcome doesn’t happen within the perceived time we have set in our mind. If you have blocked out a time for peace on your calendar each day and it keeps getting run over by life, I can imagine this can make you more anxious!
I have felt all of this. In fact, there was a large part of my professional and mom life that I told my husband I felt like I was wearing a high heel and a gym shoe at the same time. Try walking like this—a heel on one foot and a gym shoe on another—unbalanced, kind of messy, out of sorts! I was consumed by so many things and not turning to where I truly could find the peace I needed: Jesus.
Jesus promises us trouble here in this world. He knows we will be experiencing the feelings of being consumed, out of balance.
I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace (John 16:33).
Jesus is clear. In him I can have peace. I know this sounds silly, but when I think of the peace of Jesus that gives rest, I think of my most comfortable, fluffy house slippers. I am not fancy; I am not running anywhere. I am keeping a slow pace and finding rest.
Too often we are trying to plan our own peace when we need to be turning to Jesus. While some of the ways we seek peace in this world aren’t “bad,” they will never be a complete salve for the anxiety we feel.
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volume_upMarch 15, 2025 Inner Peace
Presented by Lauren Stibgen
I love to learn. In fact, learning is one of the things I do best. Relying on God’s Word as my guide in all aspects of my life means that, as a Christ follower I should always be discerning about the world’s advice no matter how good it seems! With the Bible as my guide, I am always keen to get advice about things in business!
Don’t get me wrong, there are many experts I trust who are not believers in Jesus Christ, but when it comes to something truly personal, like the term inner peace, my guard comes up.
What is inner peace? For sake of ease, let’s go with the Wikipedia version—a deliberate state of psychological or spiritual calm despite the potential presence of stressors.
There are many more technical versions of this definition from research articles, but all of them seem to reference the same spiritual calm and religious aspect of this sometimes-elusive state of being. Some of the other words and phrases associated with inner peace are:
Tranquility of mind
No sufferings or mental disturbances like worry or anxiety, greed, hatred, ill-will
To keep strong in the state of stress[1]
Luke 12:15 warns: Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.
1 Timothy 6:10a: For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil.
1 John 2:9 exhorts: Anyone that claims to be I the light but hates a brother or sister is still in the darkness.
Proverbs 10:12: Hatred stirs up conflict, but love covers all wrongs.
Here’s what our culture gets right. Inner peace is, in fact, spiritual. For those of us who have accepted Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, we know Jesus is that peace.
I also find it interesting that some of the words above greed, hatred, and ill-will are exactly the things we, as Christ followers are commanded not to do. In fact, they are considered sinful. In the verses above, the Bible tells us we should guard against greed; it is the root of all kinds of evil. Hatred of another person means you are still in darkness, and it stirs up conflict. None of this sounds peaceful to me.
Now, since so many people are seeking this inner peace, how do we get it? Out of three separate articles I read, the top three reoccurring ways to “find inner peace” include: meditation, nature, and practicing gratitude.
First, what is meditation. We hear about this a lot. Books, apps, and classes tout meditation as a way to reduce anxiety and get better sleep. Most of these resources use reflective thinking, some breathing exercises, and practices to help declutter your mind and be present in the moment. We can already see the issue of this for those of us who follow Jesus Christ. This method is devoid of a Savior who is our peace.
The Bible does suggest meditation. In Joshua 1:8 we read, Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. We are also instructed to meditate on God’s unfailing love, on his work and mighty deeds, on his precepts and ways, and on his promises. All these instructions are found in the Psalms.
So, the world tells you to declutter and clear your mind, but when you stop meditation, what creeps right back in? You guessed it—the same things that were there before! The difference with God’s instruction about meditation is clear. You are to think about his laws, his unfailing love, his ways, and his promises.
This is peaceful. The verse in Joshua also tells us to do this day and night which highlights the importance of the frequency of filling our mind with the Word and the wonderful ways of the Lord!
So, how can you do this? I suggest several things. First, start and end your day in the Word of the Lord. There is a wonderful devotional by Charles H. Spurgeon titled Morning and Evening that offers a devotional—you guessed it—in the morning and evening...
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volume_upMarch 14, 2025 Fran and Jesus on the Job: Dealing with Depression – 5
Through our on-going story of Fran, we’ve been talking about the topic of clinical depression. Fran has encouraged her good friend, Louise, to seek medical help for her depressed state of mind, and Louise is now beginning to take a prescribed drug to see if indeed it will help her to emerge from this depression.
The next day Fran is talking with her doctor friend at church, Anne. “I sure hope this helps Louise,” she says. “But what if it doesn’t?”
“Well, Fran, if Louise has other issues, such as sin in her life, medication won’t fix it. But you indicated that you don’t know of any existing problem like that, so it could be that this medication can help her get herself back, if you know what I mean.”
“Oh, that would be wonderful,” Fran says.
“But remember, sometimes the doctors have to try several different kinds of medication before they find the right one,” Anne reminds her.
“Yes, that’s what Dr. Monroe warned us about yesterday,” Fran says. “And she highly recommended that Louise also go for some counseling as well. I think that bothered Louise. What do you think?”
“Well, rarely are these depressions caused solely by physical reasons. It’s usually a combination of stress or perfectionism or workaholism along with a chemical imbalance,” Anne informs her. “So, I would concur that Louise should see a Christian counselor, at least to make sure she’s not living in denial about other areas that could be contributing to her problem.”
“I’m going to encourage her to do that,” Fran says. “And I’m going to encourage her to spend even more time in the Bible and prayer. She says it has been very difficult to read her Bible or pray since this depression hit her.”
“That’s a typical reaction, Fran, and I’m sure the enemy of our soul moves in at times like these to make matters worse,” Anne says.
“Well, I’m going to pray for her more and pray with her more. At least I can do that for her, while she’s finding it difficult to pray herself,” Fran says.
With a good friend like Fran, Louise will have the support she needs to help her recover from this depression. All of us need to be more sensitive and aware of the needs of others who may be going through something like this. It’s a time to gather around that person and help them, not abandon them.
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volume_upMarch 13, 2025 Fran and Jesus on the Job: Dealing with Depression – 4
If you’ve ever gone through a depression, whether long or short term, you can empathize with Louise, Fran’s friend. In our on-going story of Fran and Jesus on the Job, Fran is trying to help Louise, a fellow believer on her job, who has been going through a serious depressed state for reasons unknown. Fran has made an appointment for her with a well-recommended doctor and is taking her there this afternoon.
Louise doesn’t talk the whole way to the doctor’s office and Fran decides it’s no time for small talk, so she just prays silently for her while she is driving. As they arrive, Louise is reluctant to get out of the car. “It won’t do any good, Fran,” she says. “I’m just wasting your time and my money.”
Fran gently takes her arm and helps her out of the car. “Don’t worry about that; it’s worth a try, Louise.” And so, slowly, Louise walks with Fran into the doctor’s office. When her name is called, Louise can barely lift herself out of the chair. With Fran’s help she goes into the doctor’s office. “Why don’t you stay with her,” Doctor Monroe suggests, seeing how frightened Louise is.
Louise grabs her hand, “Yes, Fran, please stay.” So, she sits down.
“How can I help you, Louise?” the doctor asks.
“I don’t think you can,” she replies, “but Fran thought I should find out if my problem is physical.” And with that Louise begins slowly to tell the doctor of her experience with depression over the past few weeks.
“Louise,” the doctor responds, “what you have described sounds like a textbook case of clinical depression. That means that it is likely to have a physical connection, and medication may be able to help you.”
“I don’t know about taking medication,” Louise says. “That scares me. Sounds like I should be admitted to a mental institution or something.”
“Oh, no,” the doctor assures her, “no, Louise, it just means we need to find out if this sudden depression has a physical cause. I see many people with similar symptoms, Louise, and many times some medication is able to get them back to a somewhat normal state so they can begin to work on other issues that may be contributing to their feelings. If you had any other kind of physical imbalance, you would have no qualms about receiving some medication for it, and if these symptoms are caused by a physical imbalance, then why not take some medicine for them as well?”
After more discussion, Louise agrees to the doctor’s suggestion and leaves there with a prescription.
Clinical depression is a problem many people face—yes, even Christians. And we need to be informed about how best to help those who suffer from these bouts of depression.
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volume_upMarch 12, 2025 Fran and Jesus on the Job: Dealing with Depression – 3
Listen to the words of King David:
My heart is in anguish within me; the terrors of death assail me. Fear and trembling have beset me; horror has overwhelmed me. I said, ‘Oh that I had the wings of a dove! I would fly away and be at rest. I would flee far away and stay in the desert…’ (Psalm 55:4-7).
Would you describe those as the words of a man in depression? Let’s continue the story of Fran and Jesus on the Job.
Fran’s friend, Louise, has been feeling depressed for the past month or so, but she has kept it inside and not told anyone because she was ashamed to admit it. Fran has reassured her even Christians can be depressed.
She says to her, “You’ve heard the name Charles Spurgeon, Louise? He was a great preacher in England, the prince of preachers they called him. And he fought feelings of depression all of his life.”
“Really?” Louise says. “I figured a strong Christian would never be depressed.”
“Well, that’s just a wrong notion, so are you willing to go see a doctor?” she asks.
“I’m ready for some help, Fran,” Louise says. “I just can’t go on this way much longer. I can hardly get out of bed each morning; and I know I’m going to get fired if I don’t concentrate better at work. But I just don’t care about anything anymore—except going home and locking the doors against the world.”
Fran calls a woman at her church who is a doctor and asks her for a recommendation for Louise. The next day at work she gives the name and number to Louise. “Here’s a doctor I can recommend for you, Louise. All you have to do is call and make an appointment.”
But somehow Fran can sense even making a phone call is too much for Louise. She looks dejected and lifeless today. “Hey, better still, let me call and make an appointment for you, okay?” And with that, she dials the number and asks if the doctor has any cancellations today. Sure enough, she is able to make Louise an appointment late in the afternoon.
“Would you like me to go with you, Louise?” Fran asks. Louise doesn’t answer. “I will go with you. In fact, I’ll drive you. We need to leave here about 4:00. I’ll come by and pick you up.” Louise doesn’t object.
All through the day Fran prays for Louise and for the doctor to have wisdom in helping her. It breaks her heart to see her good friend in such a condition.
Do you know someone in a depressed state? There can be causes beyond his or her control, and that person needs your friendship right now.
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volume_upMarch 10, 2025 Fran and Jesus on the Job: Dealing with Depression
Is depression an indication of sin in a believer’s life? I think many Christians struggle with how to deal with depression, their own and other’s. In fact, our friend, Fran, faces that situation as we catch up with what’s been happening in her life.
If you’ve been reading these devotionals a long time, you know I periodically tell this on-going story of a fictional workplace woman named Fran who is in the process of learning to be aware of the truth that Jesus is with her at all times, even at work.
Fran has a very good friend where she works, Louise, who is also a believer, and they meet each week to pray for their company and coworkers. Over the years, they have seen God answer many prayers. But lately Fran has noticed Louise is just not herself. In fact, for the past two weeks she has canceled their prayer time with what seemed like last minute flimsy excuses. It has Fran baffled really, because it just isn’t like Louise. She can sense Louise is backing away from her.
Fran has been talking to Jesus about this situation. “Lord,” she says, “I’m puzzled as to what is wrong with Louise. Have I offended her in some way? Have I failed to be the friend she needs? Lord, please show me what I am supposed to do; make me aware of any hidden errors on my part; give me wisdom to be a good friend to Louise as she has been to me so many times.”
After much prayer Fran finally decides she needs to say something to Louise. She prays about what to say and when, and the next day at work she catches her just as she’s leaving for the day.
“Oh, Louise, I’m so glad I caught you now. I just have to know if I have done anything to offend you. Please tell me because I can sense something is wrong, and I just don’t know what to do.” Fran looks at her and realizes Louise has begun to softly cry. “Oh, my,” Fran says, “I have done something, haven’t I?”
Quietly Louise replies, “No, no, Fran, it’s not you. I don’t know what it is. I’m just…just…depressed, I guess.” And with those words, Louise runs out of the building to the parking lot and drives away without giving Fran a chance to respond.
“Depressed?” Fran thinks. “Why is Louise depressed?”
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volume_upMarch 8, 2025 When There Are No Answers
If you're like me, you want answers. I don't like unanswered questions, do you? I don't like loose ends and unfinished business. Yet, life is full of them.
Maybe you are right now in the midst of some situation for which you can find no answer. God is silent. The heavens are like stone. You've begged for explanations, but none have come. What do we do when there are no answers?
Mary and Martha faced that dilemma when Lazarus died. You know the story. They sent for Jesus to come and heal Lazarus. They were confident Jesus could heal him and prevent his death, and that he would do so, for they knew how Jesus loved Lazarus and them.
They sent out their cry for help, but we read in John 11:6 that ...when Jesus heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was two more days. He loved them, but he didn't come to their rescue. Why? I can see Martha and Mary waiting by the side of their sick brother, expecting Jesus to walk through the door any minute. They knew he could have been there shortly, but as hour by hour and day by day passed, Jesus didn't show up. And Lazarus got worse and worse, and they watched him die.
Do you think they wondered if Jesus really loved them during that time? Don't you imagine they must have felt abandoned and forsaken by Jesus, to realize he could have come and healed their brother, but he chose not to? Have you felt that way? I think we all go through similar reactions when there are no answers.
When Jesus finally arrived, it was too late; Lazarus was already dead. Martha was upset with Jesus, and we read her words to him in John 11:21, \"Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” She asked him for an answer to her question: Why didn't you come, Lord?
I find Jesus' words to her very interesting. He did not defend his actions; he did not say, \"Martha, let me explain exactly what I did and why.” No, when Martha was looking for answers to her unanswered question, Jesus took her back to basics.
Jesus said to her, \"I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?” (John 11:25-26). He confronted Martha with the reality of who he was and caused her to change her thinking.
You see, if Martha believed that Jesus was the resurrection and the life and that because Lazarus had believed in him, Lazarus would live forever, then this temporary separation would look very differently to Martha. Jesus wanted her to think beyond the immediate and look at the eternal. He wanted her to think about who he was and what kind of power he had. And she confessed out loud, Yes, Lord, I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who was to come into the world (John 11:27).
When you don't have answers, stop and ask a different question: Who do you believe Jesus is? Do you believe he is the resurrection and the life? If so, confess out loud exactly what you believe about the person of Jesus. It's important that you say it out loud, I think, so you can hear your own confession of faith.
We may never know some of the answers we're looking for on this side of heaven, but we can always confidently know the answer to the question: Who do you think Jesus is? By concentrating your thoughts on who he is, you will have the peace and strength you need for those unanswered questions. If that was the question Jesus asked Martha when she wanted answers, then surely it is the starting place for us today when we want answers.
We all remember the end of this story; Jesus did meet their need by performing an incredible miracle and raising Lazarus from the dead. In this case, Mary and Martha finally got answers, as they saw their brother come forth after four days in that tomb. And that miracle was the talk of the town for days and weeks, as you can imagine. As a matter of fact, many people believed in Jesus when they saw and heard about Lazarus.
So,
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volume_upMarch 6, 2025 Worrying Is Worthless – 4
I remember a song we sang when I was young: Why worry when you can pray? Well, it’s a good question, isn’t it? Why do we worry when Jesus has clearly told us not to worry? Worrying is truly worthless!
We’ve looked at three reasons we should not worry from Matthew 6. They are:
Because of who we are. We are more valuable than birds.
Because it never does any good.
Because it’s a bad testimony.
Now we’re looking at three ways to stop worrying. We can stop worrying when we think about how our Heavenly Father takes care of us. I want to emphasize again our problem with worrying is in our thoughts. Worrying takes place in your mind, and in 2 Corinthians 10:5 we read we are to take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.
The battle is in your mind, and you stop worrying when you change your thought patterns. I’ve written a whole book on this topic—Think About What You Think About—because I believe most of our problems begin with wrong thinking. It’s certainly true in my life; as soon as I allow my thoughts to get out of control, to think about things I should not be thinking about, that’s when worrying moves in and I become a worrywart, as we say!
Philippians 4:8 says we are to think about what is true, noble, right, pure, lovely admirable, excellent and praiseworthy. When you’re worrying, it is often not true, certainly not noble, never admirable or excellent or praiseworthy. We need to stop worrying. And you do that by replacing wrong thoughts with right ones.
When you find yourself in worry mode, stop and intentionally change your thoughts, replacing those worrying thoughts with how your Heavenly Father has promised to take care of you, to never leave you or forsake how, and how he loves you and cherishes you. It may only last for a few minutes before you start worrying again, but if you simply keep replacing wrong thoughts with right ones, soon you will build spiritual muscle. You’ll discover you’re not worrying nearly as much as you used to.
Please remember: Worrying is a useless and worthless activity. And you have the power, through Jesus Christ, to be rid of it.
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volume_upMarch 5, 2025 Worrying Is Worthless – 3
My dictionary defines worry as “to feel uneasy or anxious; fret; torment oneself with or suffer from disturbing thoughts.” Did you ever realize when you worry, you are inflicting torment on yourself? Worry is self-inflicted suffering, and it never produces anything good.
We’ve looked at three reasons Jesus gave for not worrying: First, because of who you are as a child of God. Second, because it never does any good, and third, because it is a poor testimony to those around you who observe you worrying. Now, we’ll see how we can stop worrying.
Worry is a function of your mind, your thoughts. In order to stop worrying, you have to change your thought patterns. And in order to change your thought patterns, you have to replace wrong thoughts with right thoughts. Here is the thought that can stop you from worrying:
You have a heavenly Father who is taking care of you.
Jesus said in Matthew 6 our Heavenly Father knows what we need and will provide for our needs when we seek first his kingdom and his righteousness. Now, this may cause you to ask some questions, like why doesn’t God answer all my prayers if he is taking care of me? That’s what we expect a father to do, right? I think of my own father, and I am certain if he could meet any need I had, he would, and he often did.
It often seems like our earthly father is more predictable than our Heavenly Father. Most earthly fathers can be counted on to do anything they can for their children. Yet often our Heavenly Father doesn’t come through for us the way we think he should, or the way we want him to. Does he love us less than our earthly father? Why doesn’t he act like my earthly father would?
Well, it’s quite simple. He has a different agenda for us than our earthly fathers. He has an eternal agenda, and his purpose is to conform us to the image of Jesus Christ. This daily transformation often comes through unexpected—and unwanted—ways.
Spurgeon, a great preacher of the 19th Century, wrote: “O blessed acts of sorrow that cut a pathway to our God by chopping down the tall trees of human comfort.” Even when you’re in the midst of difficulty and you don’t see how God is taking care of you, you should not worry, because he is working everything out for your good.
In all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose (Rom. 8:28).
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volume_upMarch 4, 2025 Worrying Is Worthless – 2
What is it right now you are worrying about? I’m reminding you—and me—of how useless and worthless it is to worry, as Jesus clearly told us in Matthew 6. Whatever you are worrying about at this moment is a total waste of time.
Jesus gave us three reasons not to worry. First, we should not worry because of who we are—we are far more valuable than the birds, and God takes care of the birds. As believers in Jesus Christ, we are protected by our Heavenly Father, and he provides for our needs. Nothing happens to us outside of his permissive will, and he is totally in control of our days. And because of who we are, we should not worry.
A second reason Jesus tells us not to worry is that it just simply does no good whatsoever. Jesus said, who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? Worrying is totally worthless. It never produces any good results, but instead it causes us to lose our peace, to lose our joy, to waste our energy. Do you know how much energy it takes to worry? You are spending lots of emotional and mental energy when you’re in worry mode—and has it ever done you one bit of good? No, of course not. Worrying is worthless! That’s a really good reason for any sensible person to refuse to worry.
Then Jesus gives us another strong reason not to worry.
For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them (Matthew 6:32).
All these things Jesus refers to include what you eat, what you drink, and what you wear. Jesus told his disciples that those who are not believers are always worrying about these things.
Isn’t it true most people around you are worrying? Just think about the conversations you have with people, particularly people who are not yet believers in Jesus Christ. You’ll observe they are worrying a lot. If those of us who are disciples of Jesus Christ worry just like everyone else, what kind of testimony is that?
If you are a real worrier, you can be sure people know it because you talk about it, it shows on your face and body language, and it’s not particularly attractive. Do an honest assessment of yourself: Are you prone to worry too much? According to Jesus, any worry is too much. He told us not to worry so when you do, you are disobeying him, right? Worrying is evidence you’re not trusting Jesus in that particular situation. And it’s not a good testimony for the difference Jesus makes in our lives.
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volume_upMarch 1, 2025 Annoying Habits of Coworkers
I often think of the famous quote from Charlie Brown, “I love mankind; it’s people I can’t stand.” It’s the everyday little annoying habits of the people we associate with that can be more tiresome, more frustrating than more significant issues, don’t you think? Of course, we’re not quite so aware of our own little annoying bad habits that others may find troublesome, but no doubt we all have them. So, I want to explore with you some of these little annoyances which can become obstacles in good relationships.
Annoying Habit Number One:
You work with a person who makes daily calls to his or her mate or partner, and since you work in an open setting, you can’t help but hear the conversation. Depending on how they are getting along on any particular day, you may hear a nasty conversation with anger and accusations, or you may hear what sounds like sweet murmurings of baby talk.
Obviously, if you hold a supervisory position over this person, it should be addressed directly with clear instructions—those kinds of conversations should be on personal time rather than on company time. However, if you are not this person’s manager, you may be able to bring this to your coworker’s attention in such a way they will see the benefit of changing that annoying habit.
Proverbs 17:27 says: The one who has knowledge uses words with restraint, and whoever has understanding is even-tempered. Your words would need to be carefully chosen, delivered kindly, and done with the right motivation.
For example, you might find the right moment—a private moment—to say something like, “You probably are not aware that your conversations with your mate can be heard by other people. I thought I’d let you know because, I know if it were me, I wouldn’t want others to listen in to my personal conversations. You might want to reserve those calls for times when you’re alone.”
There’s a lesson for all of us to learn in this: Use our working time to work, not to rob our employer of the time which we are paid to work with elongated personal conversations, whether they’re overheard by others or not.
As Christians in the workplace, these little annoying habits can do damage to our testimony for Jesus Christ, so we should make sure we’re not guilty of these.
Annoying Habit Number Two:
You have a coworker who just can’t ever seem to make it to work on time. Someone who is habitually late is not committing a great offense—this is simply an annoying bad habit.
I find many who are guilty of habitual lateness frequently want to justify it by saying they work late to make up for it, or they have a very long commute—all of which may be true. But the facts are this: If your company has a certain start time, everyone should be there on time consistently. Why? Because it’s the right thing to do.
This is a management issue. If it’s important for people to be on time, management must set the priorities, communicate them clearly, and hold people accountable. There would have to be some kind of negative consequence for the person who will not change theannoying habit.
However, if you’re not this person’s manager, there’s not a whole lot you can do. One thing you don’t want to do is make snide remarks or communicate your annoyance with body language or harsh words. Unfortunately, this happens too often. People don’t confront the real issue and instead display their displeasure in other ineffective and unkind ways.
If a coworker’s habitual lateness is having a direct negative impact on your ability to get your job done, it might be an indication that it needs to be addressed. First, try to kindly explain to the coworker the need you have for them to be on time and see if that works. But remember, unless you’re the manager, you don’t have the authority to demand anything from that person.
Isn’t it interesting how something so small as this annoying habit can so easily turn into a real issue between two people and eventually lead to other,
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volume_upFebruary 28, 2025 Good and Bad Integrity – 5
Presented by Lauren Stibgen
As we think about having integrity at work, there is no greater example to us than our savior, Jesus Christ. Perfect in every way he showed great integrity in his work. In every way, Jesus was true to those around him.
Part of showing integrity is being faithful with your work and to the people who depend on you. What does faithful work look like? Again, let’s think about Jesus. His work was to spread the gospel alongside his disciples. It included healing the sick and blind and providing attentive hope to people who were outcasts in society at the time. He showed up to bring the truth to crowds of people from sunup to sundown. One could never question he had an incredible work ethic.
How do you show up for your employer? What about your colleagues? Something simple like being on time for work or even being on time for a meeting goes a long way. Perhaps you offer to help a colleague struggling to complete a project or having a health struggle. Is it sharing an encouragement to someone who is feeling down? Can you pray with someone who has a hardship? Maybe you stick to a difficult project and see it through when everyone else complains. Like Jesus, can you stand up for the oppressed?
Jesus, God as man was faithful to fulfill his purpose on the cross to take away the sins of the world, and he also asked God for help.
Jesus calls out to God, “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done” (Luke 22:42).
Jesus cried out for help, but he ultimately knew God’s will would be done.
This goes for you too! When you don’t feel like you can endure and be faithful to your work, cry out to Jesus for help!
What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? (Romans 8:31)
God is for you. He also established every step of your life beforehand.
Your faithfulness to your work and reflecting Jesus will help others see your integrity.
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volume_upFebruary 26, 2025 Good and Bad Integrity – 3
Presented by Lauren Stibgen
A sellout. Have you been one? Or have you experienced this at work? You confided in someone, placed trust in them. Maybe you shared a personal secret, juicy bit of office gossip, or maybe you even asked for help discreetly without someone knowing. Suddenly, everyone seems to know! It is terrible. You are the talk of the office and didn’t even mean to be. A sellout.
Part of integrity is knowing when to mind your words and when to keep confidences at work. Your integrity in this manner can earn you deep trust with colleagues and bosses but if you fail in this, it can have devastating consequences on you or the person you sellout.
Our Lord Jesus had a sellout at work—Judas. Now, Jesus had the advantage of being all knowing and knew Judas was part of the plan for the salvation of the world from sin and death. But he still had someone he worked with every day, trusted with the money, and dined with turn on him—literally to the point of his death on the cross. Judas did it for money. The picture we receive of the betrayal is even worse. Judas kissed Jesus on the cheek to indicate to the soldiers which one was Jesus.
Ultimately, Judas regrets his deep betrayal of Jesus. He tries to give the money back and ultimately takes his own life in terror and grief over what he had done.
Keeping your integrity of faith at work is reliant on you not being like Judas! At work, you won’t sellout someone to the point of death, but you could very well impact how someone is perceived. The Bible warns of the tongue’s power repeatedly.
The soothing tongue is a tree of life, but a perverse tongue crushes the spirit (Proverbs 15:4).
The heart of the righteous weighs its answers, but the mouth of the wicked gushes evil (Proverbs 15:28).
Remind the people to be subject to the rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good, to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and to be gentle toward everyone (Titus 3:1-2).
Simply, don’t be a sellout! Keeping your integrity of faith at work is incumbent upon how you choose to keep confidences and lift others up—not tear them down.
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volume_upFebruary 25, 2025 Good and Bad Integrity – 2
Presented by Lauren Stibgen
Are you making work an idol? Idol’s surrounding work can impact the integrity of your faith. What are some of the idols that can crop up?
Remember, an idol is a person or thing other than God that you worship more than God. The most common way work can become an idol is the amount of time you spend working and how it keeps you away from your time with God. Perhaps it is constantly missing small group Bible study because you are working late or not taking quiet time in the morning because you are rushing off to work. Have you worked on Sundays and stayed away from worshiping at church?
What about people we encounter during the course of our business? A boss, an expert, maybe even a colleague. The boss asks a lot of you, and it is taking you away from God. Or you are hanging on the achievements of an expert in your field or a colleague’s great success that leads you to talk more about them than God.
Does the killer of comparison have you working extra hard on your work or your overall image at work? How much energy do you give this?
As followers of Jesus, we are called to worship the Lord our God with all our heart, mind, and strength and to give God glory, not man. In the Bible, we can turn to Daniel’s example of the faithful integrity. Daniel worked for King Nebuchadnezzar. He was one of a handful of the Israelites who was deemed smart enough to serve. We notice first Daniel did not accept the name given to him by the king.
He also did not eat of the foods the king gave and only ate fruits and vegetables since the meat was unclean by Old Testament standards. Most notably, Daniel did not bow down to the statue erected of the king. He held the integrity of his faith and did not worship the idols of the king. You can read more about this in Daniel 2-6.
In the workplace we need to be mindful of the idols that may creep in to challenge the integrity of our faith. Again, as professional followers of Jesus, we are sometimes the first introduction to Jesus someone will have! How are you holding this integrity at work?
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volume_upFebruary 24, 2025 Good and Bad Integrity
Presented by Lauren Stibgen
Let’s face it, unless we are working in a faith-based organization, our work can bring us closer to walking in the way of the world than we would like. Not everyone we come into contact with whether a boss, colleague, customer, or vendor will be an example of how we should walk in our work life as Christ followers. And, even if we are working for a faith-based organization or are in ministry, we are not immune to running into sin!
We often think of integrity at work as being honest. While this is one way we can reflect integrity, as Christians we are called to a higher standard of the integrity of our faith. If you profess your faith at work, this is especially important- does your walk match the talk or could someone who doesn’t know Jesus question the integrity of your faith?
Temptations that take you farther from the integrity of your faith can come around the corner when we least expect them. Perhaps it is falling into using language that isn’t honoring God. Being around people who use a lot of, well, “choice words” can lead us into using the same. Perhaps it is other behavior like attending happy hour after work instead of heading home.
However, sometimes we are not the problem. In the case of Joseph, he held his integrity while his employer did not. He consistently had to withstand advances from his employer’s wife. After denying her many times and even running away from her, she lied and said Joseph came after her! Joseph’s integrity and her lack thereof, landed him in jail!
In many cases, unwelcomed advances at work are considered harassment and should be reported to a manager or to another authority at work. While you should be afforded protections from this type of unwanted advance at work, sometimes maintaining your integrity can feel very costly. I don’t think any of you would end up in jail, but I won’t make light of what may happen if you hold your integrity and deny someone’s advances at work!
Relational integrity at work can take many forms other than the unwanted advances—or harassment—we see in the story of Joseph. Work can also be a place where the door of infidelity creeps open all too often. According to Forbes, 40% of people have cheated on a partner with a colleague. Proximity, time, late nights in the office and work trips all contribute to this. And the higher someone climbs the ladder, the more likely they are to engage in infidelity.
Stay faithful in your walk with God and guard yourself against temptation.
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volume_upFebruary 22, 2025 The Integrity of Faith and Confession
Presented by Lauren Stibgen
Have you ever thought about the integrity of your faith? I would challenge you with the following questions:
Is the state of your faith whole and undivided? And, how strong and built up is your faith? What is the level of your integrity?
For the sake of our thinking, I want to bring us back to the fairy tale of the three little pigs. Maybe I am dating myself, and I am not sure if younger generations even know of this fable.
Three little pigs set off to build their houses to protect themselves from the bad wolf. The wolf, of course, wanted to eat those three little pigs. The first little pig built his house with straw, the second with sticks, and the third pig used bricks. The wolf easily overcame the first two pigs’ homes made of straw and sticks, and they quickly ran to the third pig’s house made of bricks. Which pig’s house had the most integrity? The one of bricks, of course! Of course this is far from a Bible story, but now let’s consider the integrity of our faith.
Our big bad wolf- Satan, manifests in the world today in so many ways. Inside and outside our houses, at work, everywhere.
In Ephesians 2:1-2, the Word exhorts, As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient.
Clearly, those who are not of Jesus are controlled in this world by the power of Satan.
1 Peter 5:8-9a reminds us to be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith.
The most poignant example of Satan’s desire to tempt us away from God is the temptation of Jesus Christ in the wilderness. The three temptations that are offered to Jesus are bread, safety, and power\/fame. Satan tests God\/Jesus to make bread from rocks, jump off a pinnacle, and worship him and receive all the kingdoms.
Jesus replies in Matthew 4:10b, Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.
Satan tried to tempt the untemptable!
Who is the wolf? Satan. Where is he? Everywhere in the world. In fact, in 2 Corinthians 4:4 the Word tells us, The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God
The world is blinded by Satan. So, what do we do?
First, rest assured, Jesus has overcome this world. We can see this in the account of his temptation. He withstood. He has overcome death and Satan. For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16).
Those of us who have accepted Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior have an armor that withstands the eternal condemnation from Satan.
This does not mean he will not attack. In fact, we are promised he will. 1 Peter 5:8 tells us to be alert for the devil prowling around to devour. Even Jesus gave us the promise of trouble in John 16:33: I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.
Jesus gives us his teaching because he knows we will have trouble. He also reminds us to “take heart because he has overcome the world!”
Now, back to those three pigs. I want you to think about yourself—your mind, body and soul—as the house that needs to withstand and weather the attacks of Satan in this world.
1 Corinthians 6:19 reminds us that out bodies are a temple of the Holy Spirit within us who we have from God. We are not our own.
Mark 3:25 says, And if a house be divided against itself, that house cannot stand.
You cannot serve both God and this world. What is your faith house made of? Straw, sticks or bricks? What is the integrity of your home. Is it whole and undivided?
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volume_upFebruary 21, 2025 Five Things the Bible Does NOT Say – 5
How much money do you need right now to solve all your problems? I wonder: Do you daydream about how good it would be if you just found a lot of money or somebody left you a lot in their will or you won the lottery?
It’s easy to think more money would make life so much better—solve all your problems and take away all your fears. Money gets a hold on your heart faster than anything else. The Bible says money is the root of all evil, right? No, wrong! The Bible does not say that. I’m pointing out things we think the Bible says, but it really doesn’t. It doesn’t say money is the root of all evil, but rather the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil (1 Timothy 6:10).
You see, you could be broke, homeless, and penniless and still be afflicted with this sin of loving money. In our consumer society where we judge success by how much you make and how much you own, money is on the throne of many people’s hearts—including Christians. It crawls up and takes over first place in your heart at the drop of a hat—fast and furious!
Jesus said, Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions (Luke 12:15).
Greed is the poisonous fruit that comes from loving money—not necessarily from having money, just from loving it, wanting it.
When you think about it, greed is pride. It is a desire in us to show the world who we are by our status in life, our possessions, and our fame. Greed is also contagious. If you're around people who have lots of things and who focus their life on getting more and more things, you'll discover it's very difficult not to be swept right along into that greedy mindset for things. Furthermore, greed is cancerous. It grows fast, and it consumes and destroys everything it touches. No wonder Jesus said we must be on our guard against all kinds of greed!
Jesus went on to say a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions. He said life is more than food or clothes; rather, life is peace and contentment. Those can't be bought; they are found only in Jesus.
Remember loving money produces all kinds of greed, and greed will corrupt your heart and create many problems for you.
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volume_upFebruary 20, 2025 Five Things the Bible Does NOT Say – 4
Has anyone ever told you God will not give you more than you can handle? I’m pointing out five things the Bible does not say, and it does not say God will not give you more than you can handle.
The truth is, you and I cannot handle a lot of what life throws at us—not on our own, by our own work or our own strength. Think of people in the Bible who were faced with something they could not handle, but God could and did. David facing Goliath comes to mind. Goliath looked at David and despised him, saying he would give his flesh to the birds and wild animals. No way this boy was going to defeat Goliath! It was more than David could handle.
But David said to Goliath:
This day the Lord will deliver you into my hands…All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the Lord saves; for the battle is the Lord’s, and he will give all of you into our hands (1 Samuel 17:46-47).
Paul wrote to the Corinthians that when they were tempted, God would provide a way of escape for them. You and I are not equipped to handle all the temptations Satan throws at us. It is only because God provides a way to escape that we can stand against the enemy and be pure and faithful.
Let’s face it—we cannot handle everything that comes our way! If we could, we would be able to take care of our sin problem. But we can’t, and that’s why we need Jesus all day, every day, giving us the motivation, the desire, the strength and the power to stand true to whatever comes our way.
You often will face a lot more than you can handle, but if you’re born from above, you have the power of the Holy Spirit alive in you to equip and enable you to handle anything and everything.
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volume_upFebruary 19, 2025 Five Things the Bible Does NOT Say – 3
Do you believe cleanliness is next to godliness? You’ve heard it many times, haven’t you? It sounds like it’s straight out of the Bible, but it’s not! I’m pointing out five things the Bible does not say and let me assure you that the Bible does not say: Cleanliness is next to godliness.
Now of course it’s good to be clean and to keep your environment clean. God doesn’t approve of sloppiness or unsterile places or people. But to suggest you must be clean to be godly is certainly not true. Furthermore, to say because you are dirty, you can’t be close to God or know God is never right.
Don’t you think sometimes we isolate ourselves from people we might consider “unclean,” whose standards of dress or way of life is below what we might call acceptable? Jesus never did that, you know. He associated with lowly people—poor and needy people.
Many times in my visits to Africa, I visited very basic homes—mud huts, small shacks in the slums of Nairobi, simple dwellings with very few comforts. I found some of the most godly people I’ve met in those places. The widows I visited in the slums of Nairobi told me how thankful they were for their home and how blessed they were to have a safe place for their children. Not one of them complained about their tin roofs or mud floors.
I have a friend in Kenya whose home is very simple with few furnishings. Her kitchen is a cooking pit with large pans for washing. She grows her own vegetables and milks her own cows. She is one of the hardest working women I know, and she loves Jesus. Her influence in that part of Kenya is amazing. Most of us would not call her home sufficiently clean or sterile, but her godly life is a testimony and encouragement to all who know her.
You know, God doesn’t care about your outer cleanliness nearly as much as your inner cleanliness. Remember what he said to the very clean religious Pharisees:
Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. . .on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness (Matthew 23:25,28).
Cleanliness is not next to godliness. Loving Jesus and living for him is what makes us godly.
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volume_upFebruary 17, 2025 Five Things the Bible Does NOT Say
It’s amazing how many sayings are believed to have come from the Bible, when they do not. Some are harmless, like the customs that have grown up surrounding the birth of Jesus. For example, we don’t know if there was an innkeeper, much less what he said. We have no idea how many wise men came to visit Jesus and, when they did, he was not in a manger but in a home, probably close to two years old. These are inaccuracies, but they do not do injustice to scriptural truth.
The five things I want to point out are often accepted as truth, but they are actually opposed to Scripture. Here’s the first one:
God helps those who help themselves.
You won’t find that in the Bible! Instead, Romans 5:8 says just the opposite:
But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8).
There was and is nothing we can do to take care of our sin problem. Jesus paid it all—while we were still sinners and could do nothing to help ourselves!
This readily accepted saying—God helps those who help themselves—seems to imply that we can force God to help us if and when we do something to show him we are helping ourselves. In other words, we can place God in our debt—force him to help us because, after all, we are helping ourselves. Furthermore, if we don’t do something to help ourselves, God will not help us.
There is so much in Scripture contrary to this belief. It’s true God does not honor or approve of laziness. The parable of the talents teaches us to be diligent in the stewardship of what God has given us—talents, money, and skills. But our work for God, our obedience to him, must come from a heart of love and gratitude, not to force God’s hand, as it were. Additionally, when we start to believe God helps those who help themselves, then we can easily start to take credit for our accomplishments.
When you hear someone say, “God helps those who help themselves,” remind yourself God helps those who are totally helpless because of his great love and amazing grace, not from any obligation imposed on him because we “helped ourselves.”
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volume_upFebruary 15, 2025 Do You React or Respond?
When the doctor taps your knee with the mallet to test your reflexes, your leg automatically swings, doesn't it? That's a reaction. It's an involuntary, uncontrolled action resulting from external stimuli of some sort. When you answer an email or a text, editing it for errors and choosing your words carefully, that's a response. It's carefully thought through, controlled, and intentional. I want to talk about reacting versus responding because I think many times we are in react mode when we should be in respond mode.
Let me give you an example of reacting versus responding. Suppose you have a coworker who is very negative, and every time he or she opens his or her mouth, it seems that bad news comes out. This person never has anything nice to say about anyone or anything, and all day long you are forced to listen to his or her negative chatter.
What does this negative person do to you? If you're in react mode, this person makes you angry, irritated, and frustrated. Having to listen to all that negative talk starts to make you think and talk negatively. That's a reaction. It's your automatic involuntary behavior which is caused by that external stimuli—a negative coworker.
Now, instead of allowing that person to have a detrimental effect on you and your behavior, you can decide to respond instead of reacting. A response might be a smile when he or she says something negative to you. Or you may say something positive in response to his or her negative words. That positive response will help to keep you from being irritated and frustrated, and it will offset the person’s negative input by your positive one, keeping you from getting negative like your coworker. Another response to this negative coworker might be that you simply remove yourself from his or her company when you can, to avoid being exposed to that negativity.
You can see a response takes some self-control and discipline on your part. First, you must know you have a tendency to react poorly to this negative person, and then you must have an alternate strategy that guides your response so you don’t react.
One of my favorite stories about Jesus is the time when they asked him to prove by what authority he was doing his miracles. You'll find the story in Mark 11. The chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders came to him. ‘By what authority are you doing these things?’ they asked. ‘And who gave you authority to do this?’ (Mark 11:27b-28).
Consider what a reaction might have been. Jesus could have torn them apart piece by piece with words, had he so chosen. How dare they question his authority? How dare they ask for proof? Who were they to demand such from the Son of God? Everything Jesus had done was to help people and deliver them from sin and sickness. Yet, they would be so arrogant as to ask where he got his authority? He could have argued with them. He could have played one-upsman with them. He could have waged a war with words.
But notice how Jesus responds:
“I will ask you one question. Answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I am doing these things. John's baptism—was it from heaven, or of human origin? Tell me!”
They discussed it among themselves and said, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will ask, ‘Then why didn't you believe him?’ But if we say, ‘Of human origin’....” (They feared the people, for everyone held that John really was a prophet.)
So they answered Jesus, “We don’t know.”
Jesus said, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things” (Mark 11:29-33).
Isn't that an incredible response? Don't you love it?! Jesus refused to be pulled into playing their petty games, he did not allow them to bring him down to their level, and in a thoughtful response to their stupid accusation, he pinned them against the wall—but in such a way they couldn't even argue with him. Masterful, wouldn't you agree?
One thing we need to learn about our reactions and our responses is that frequently we m...
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volume_upFebruary 13, 2025 Incivility in the Workplace – 4
Incivility leads to many harmful effects on employees and organizations. Coworker incivility has been linked to higher levels of employee burnout and lots of strain and stress. For the organization or the company, incivility has been related to decreased satisfaction and eventually decreased performance.
And here’s the thing about incivility: it is contagious! An employee who is subjected to lack of civility, lack of good manners, lack of anyone seeming to care about them, often retaliates with uncivil acts of their own. It can spiral out of control within an organization rather quickly. But the good news is courtesy and good manners can be contagious, too.
Remember Jesus has called us as his followers to be lights in a dark world. This means we not only are not caught up in workplace incivility, but we also actively and intentionally try to change the culture. But how?
As I’ve often said, everything starts at the top, so if you are in a management job or in a place of influence, you should model what civil and courteous behavior looks like. Your level of courtesy and consideration toward others will trickle down to those who work for you and with you. As a manager, you are always “on,” which means you don’t have the luxury of letting down your guard, because your behavior has more impact than others. By setting the tone for the organization, managers and those in places of influence can help create a culture of simple courtesy, good manners, and caring about others.
As Christ followers, here is our standard:
Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others (Philippians 2:3-4).
That is very civil behavior, and with the power of God’s Spirit, you can be a person who values others above yourself.
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volume_upFebruary 12, 2025 Incivility in the Workplace – 3
I’ve given two specific things you can do if you are intentional about bringing back simple common courtesy and civil behavior where you work. First, use the words please and thank you all day every day—as often as it is appropriate. You can’t overdo it! Second, ask at least one person a day how they are and then sincerely listen to their answer and respond appropriately. That just means caring about others. As Christ-followers, courtesy and caring should be the norm for us.
The third suggestion is: Watch out for sarcasm because it can become a weapon that hurts others, whether intentionally or not. At my church, one of the pastors said he realized he was too sarcastic, just too often responding with sarcasm. It wasn’t intended to harm anyone—indeed it was done as a joke or a clever retort. But he felt it had become a bit much among the staff. So, he put a jar out and suggested that every time someone used sarcasm, they put a dollar in the jar, and then they would give that money to our fellowship fund, for people facing financial hardship.
I don’t know how much he raised for the fellowship fund, but I know it caused everyone to be aware that sometimes those clever sarcastic words can be hurtful and sound anything but civil and polite. I’m not saying that you must walk on eggshells for fear of saying the wrong thing. But I have noticed my own tendency to let go of a quick response, intended as a joke, and I need to be careful it doesn’t come across as ridicule and hurtful.
For those of us who are prone to use sarcasm, we should keep in mind what we may have meant as a clever response was instead hurtful to someone else. As Christians, we can do much to change a culture of incivility to one of caring and good manners. If there’s too much sarcasm in your world it just might contribute to this problem of incivility. Be on guard for this.
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volume_upFebruary 11, 2025 Incivility in the Workplace – 2
As followers of Jesus Christ, we should lead the way in our worlds to try to stamp out these bad habits of rudeness and replace them with simple courtesies. Good manners do not have to remain a quaint memory from the past.
Examples of workplace incivility include insulting comments, disparaging someone’s work, spreading false rumors, and social isolation. I propose you take this as your personal challenge—to do everything you can to stop incivility in your world.
Here’s my second suggestion: Be sure to ask at least one person every day how they are doing and then listen to their answer. Don’t let them get by with the typical response of “I’m fine” but probe a bit. Maybe you know they haven’t felt good lately, so ask how they’re feeling. Perhaps they are under a great deal of stress in their job, and you can ask about that. The most important part of this suggestion is you sincerely ask, and you sincerely listen. Sometimes this can open a door for you to assure them that you will pray for them.
There are very few people in this world who will object to you praying for them, even if they don’t pray themselves. When people feel cared for, when they believe at least one person appreciates what they do or what they’re going through, it will affect the way they treat others. And this could cause a chain reaction of people caring for others. Imagine how that would improve the morale in your workplace!
Putting these two suggestions together, make it your intention to say please and thank you every time it’s appropriate and show care and concern to at least one person every day. It will make a difference—you will make a difference—and Jesus will be honored by your actions.
Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience (Colossians 3:12).
Put on these beautiful attributes each day and I promise you will make a huge dent in turning around incivility in your world.
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volume_upFebruary 8, 2025 Fran and Jesus on the Job – Convictions Part 2
If you were able to read part one, you know Louise, Fran’s close Christian friend at work, just lost a new account, and it's become obvious she lost it because of her strong Christian principles. Fran had more trouble accepting this than Louise, but after talking to Jesus, she realized this was not a fight that can be undertaken with the weapons of the world. Rather, it must be fought with prayer.
Now, this Saturday morning, Fran is thinking of what special thing she can do for Louise to make up for this disappointment, and she gets an idea. She calls Louise and says, \"Hey, if you’re not busy tonight, why don’t you come over. We can watch a good movie or something—the kids want to see Toy Story 2 again—and I’ll cook spaghetti. We can have our own private party, to celebrate the victory that God has given you and the good he's going to bring out of this bad situation!\"
\"Hey, Fran,\" Louise says, \"you're so kind to think of that, but did you forget? We promised Claire and Maritza we'd have dinner with them and catch a movie.”
\"Oh, right,\" Fran says, \"I did forget. Bummer! I better make sure Mom can watch the kids tonight. Thanks for reminding me.\"
Louise says, \"Well, Claire and Maritza are new at church, and we need to get to know them better.\"
So, Fran gets busy with all her Saturday chores and errands before it's time to go out. They meet Claire and Maritza at a nice little Italian restaurant and enjoy some good pasta.
\"Hey, what movie do you want to see?\" Louise asks. They discuss two or three and Claire suggests one that is rated R.
“You know,” Fran says, “I just have a rule for myself that I don’t see R rated movies. But I know there is one rated PG-13 at the Plaza that sounds kinda cute. That okay with you guys?”
Everyone agrees it sounds okay. Claire says, “You mean, you never go to an R rated movie? But some of them are really good.”
“Well, the acting may be good and things like that, but I just don’t want to fill up my mind with scenes of violence or sex or inappropriate language or lifestyles. You know, what you see with your eyes has a stronger impact on you than anything else,” Fran responds.
It’s obvious this is a whole new thought for Claire, and they talk about it a bit more. Louise joins in to say she has learned to be very selective about the movies she watches at home, in the theater, Netflix—whatever. “I’ve discovered once I see those images, they are very difficult to get out of my head. In fact, when they started invading my prayer time, that’s when I knew I had to be more selective in what I watched.”
As they wait in line for tickets, Louise says to Fran on the side, \"I wonder about this movie, don't you, Louise? What if it's no good?\"
\"We'll leave,\" Fran says quietly.
\"You mean, just leave Claire and Maritza?\" Louise says, somewhat concerned.
\"We don't watch junk, right, Louise,\" Fran says as they go into the theater. They get settled into their seats with their popcorn, looking forward to a lighthearted funny movie.
About ten minutes into the movie, Fran begins to feel nervous. This is not the wholesome movie it is advertised to be. The lead couple are not married, living together, as though there’s nothing wrong with it. And the language is not all that wholesome, either. She can tell Louise is also not comfortable with it.
After a few more minutes, Louise whispers in her ear, \"We can't sit through this movie, Fran. This is trash. I think we have to leave, don’t you?\"
\"I agree it's a rotten movie,\" she whispers back, \"but I don’t want to embarrass Claire and Maritza.\"
\"I'll take care of that, Fran, don't worry,\" she says, and with that she whispers something to Claire then motions to Fran to head out of the theater.
As they get to the lobby, Fran asks “What did you tell Claire?\"
\"I just said we were uncomfortable with the movie, and we'd meet them right outside the lobby when it's over. C'mon, let's go get a cup of coffee.\"
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volume_upFebruary 7, 2025 Integrity at Work – 5
As you are aware, the world around us has lowered its standards of honesty and integrity to the point that lack of integrity has become acceptable behavior in many respects. Yet this lack of integrity is costing American businesses millions of dollars every year, and even non-believers are waking up to the fact that integrity on the job is a bottom-line issue.
It certainly is a bottom-line issue with the Lord, and as Christ-followers, we must be so careful not to compromise biblical standards of integrity as workers in today's marketplace. Access to the internet has become a major issue in many organizations. Employees are known to surf the internet, play games during company time, and even watch pornography during work hours.
Most companies have rules to govern this issue and have put controls on their system to block certain websites. But, of course, many have learned how to skirt those rules and controls. If you’re thinking using a little company time for personal things is no big deal, I'd warn you you're starting down a dangerous road.
Our enemy will find very subtle ways to get us sidetracked and cause us to damage our witness for Jesus Christ. He'll start with something like wasting some company time on personal interests or business, and then when we've lowered our standard a little bit, we're vulnerable to further temptation.
Peter wrote:
Live such good lives among the pagans that … they may see your good deeds and glorify God … (I Peter 2:12).
Remember, it is wrong to use significant company time for your own personal benefit or business. And don't forget, the best way to represent Jesus on your job is to live such a good life among your coworkers that they will see the difference in you and that will bring glory to God. Make sure you're not damaging your testimony for the Lord through lack of attention to these issues of honesty.
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volume_upFebruary 5, 2025 Integrity at Work – 3
Here's a real-life business issue some of you have faced. You're in sales and your manager has asked you to talk only about the good aspects of your product and ignore, or seriously downplay, the negatives. You feel uncomfortable because this seems so close to lying. What do you do?
My career began in sales, so I understand the dilemma. One thing to remember is all products have their strengths and weaknesses. The sales job is to emphasize the benefits of the strengths and overcome the objections to the weaknesses. That is marketing, and done correctly, it is not dishonest.
Hopefully you have a product which you believe in and which you can honestly sell as a benefit to your customers. If that is not the case and instead you feel you have an inferior product, which is misleading and\/or faulty, then you must decide if you're working for the right company. A prerequisite for a Christian in sales, in my opinion, is to have a product or service that brings benefits to your customers.
While your sales pitch does not have to include the negatives, you must be prepared, as a good sales person and more importantly an honest one, to discuss your product deficiencies. If the prospect asks questions that expose those deficiencies, you should be very honest about it. In no way would it be right for you to deny or cover up the weaknesses of your product or service deliberately.
Of course, you should be prepared to offset the deficiency with a benefit. This is the skill of selling; it's called \"handling objections,\" and good sales people learn how to do that. But as a Christian, you should never do that at the cost of honesty.
If you feel you are being asked to do something dishonest and it bothers your conscience, then you need to act.
Romans 14:14 tells us if anyone regards something as unclean, then for him it is unclean. And verse 23 says the person who partakes of something which he thinks is wrong is condemned, because he is not acting in faith.
Give it prayer, and if it continues to bother you, God will show you what action to take. Don't go against your conscience. You'll be miserable, and you won't be able to sell very well, either.
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volume_upFebruary 4, 2025 Integrity at Work – 2
I thought I'd share a situation another listener is facing, since I imagine there are many of you who have similar questions.
This listener's company is very production oriented, and they have strict guidelines about working quickly, taking many calls, handling questions fast, and getting off the phone in order to take more calls. The number and length of their calls are monitored and reported, and much pressure is applied to work very fast.
She felt in doing this, she was forced to treat callers somewhat abruptly, not really helping them like she should, and this was quite frustrating to her. But her management was not impressed with her desire to answer each call completely and thoroughly; their only interest seemed to be productivity.
I think there are many situations where we feel something is not being managed in the most customer-oriented way and we'd like to do it better, but the guidelines get in our way. What should be a Christian's response? Do it the way we think it should be done, or follow instructions?
I think as long as the instructions you're given are not dishonest or illegal, your responsibility is to obey those in authority. After all, management has the right to run the company as they please, even if they choose to run it in the ground. Unfortunately, many companies operate without a real customer orientation.
I believe strongly every organization reflects the attitudes and philosophy of the person at the top. And if the person at the top of your company chooses productivity over quality, that's the way it's going to be. Obviously, not only is it symptomatic of a lack of human care and concern, but it also lacks good business sense. Eventually, poor quality and inadequate customer service will ruin a business.
As Christians in the marketplace, we should try to treat all people, including customers, with care. Not only is your customer the person who pays your salary, they are also people created and loved by God, individuals who are important. And for those reasons, it's imperative to do your best to give them good service. When that is in conflict with company policy, you should look for opportunities to try to change the system, if possible. But I recognize it isn't always that easy to do.
No one said it would be easy, but living for Jesus in the marketplace gives us incredible opportunities to show the world his love and care. So, don't get discouraged; keep praying for guidance and God will give you strength.
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volume_upFebruary 3, 2025 Integrity at Work
What does it mean to be able to laugh at the days to come?
She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come (Proverbs 31:25).
For me, it means as I look at my future, I know regardless of what happens to me, my future destiny is secure. I've got eternal life right now because I've accepted Jesus as my Savior. So, regardless of what the days hold for me, I'm not beset with the fears and worries of those who don't know Jesus as their Savior; I can laugh at the days to come.
It means I can face an uncertain financial future and laugh at it. I can't be certain I'll have an income next week or next month or next year. But because my safety net is Jesus Christ, I can laugh at that prospect and say, \"Never fear! God has promised to supply all my needs. Laugh at the days to come!\"
As I look at the trouble in the Middle East and see how tenuous things are in this world, I realize it would only take a small spark to put us on the brink of another awful war. And while that certainly isn't a laughing matter, I can laugh at the fear and the oppression of those thoughts, because my God is sovereign, and nothing is going to happen in this world without his purpose being served.
Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God (Psalm 20:7).
You may be facing many uncertainties, and you just don't know what the future will bring. But if your trust is in God—not in people, not in money, not in possessions or position—then you can laugh at the days ahead.
Paul put it another way:
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God (Philippians 4:6).
A great way to avoid anxiety and worry is to laugh at the days ahead—those days are in God's hands, and he is perfectly capable of taking you through whatever they may hold.
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volume_upFebruary 1, 2025 Fran and Jesus on the Job – Convictions Part 1
For those who aren't familiar with these stories, Fran is a young widow with two school-aged children, who has a job in a marketing organization. We've been following her story since she went back to work after her husband's untimely death, and several years have passed. She has found a good friend where she works, Louise, who is a strong Christian, and their friendship has become very close and supportive. It is a blessing in Fran’s life.
She and Louise are account reps with good track records and success. Their hard work and honesty have paid off, and they are respected by their management and coworkers. This Thursday morning Fran is really excited for Louise because she expects Louise will be awarded a big new national account. She's the right person for that account, and their manager, Marilyn, has indicated she recommended her. The final decision is to be made today, so it's been hard for Fran to stay focused.
The phone rings just about lunchtime, and it's Andy, a friend in the art department. \"Hi, Fran,\" Andy says, \"just wanted to tell you how sorry I am for Louise.\"
\"What do you mean, Andy?\" Fran asks with a lump in her throat.
\"Oh, no, you haven't heard! Oh, I'm sorry. Louise didn't get the new account; it went to Lloyd.\"
\"Lloyd? Why Lloyd?\" Fran asks in bewilderment. \"Lloyd isn't nearly as qualified as Louise, and Marilyn told Louise. . .\"
\"I know, I know,\" Andy says, \"nobody knows why Lloyd got it instead of Louise. I just feel so bad for her.\"
\"Thanks for letting me know, Andy,\" Fran says. \"I need to find Louise. Talk to you later.\"
She hangs up and dials Louise's number, no answer. Her office is up on the next floor, but she just can't sit still and wait any longer. So, she heads for her office, taking the shortcut up the stairwell. As she's going up, Louise is coming down.
\"Oh, Louise,\" Fran says, \"I was headed for your office. Andy just told me. . .\"
\"Yeah, can you believe it?” Louise looks at her with a slight grin. \"Marilyn told me Lloyd was selected because of his quote 'experience with entertaining large national accounts.'\"
\"What did she mean?\" Fran asks.
\"Oh, I think it's clear; somebody decided I wouldn't be willing to wine and dine this client as they expect to be,\" Louise replies.
\"You mean because you're a Christian and they know you don't do the ‘party-thing’?\" Fran replies. \"Louise, that's discrimination. Didn't you protest to Marilyn?\"
\"Look, she feels as badly about it as I do,\" Louise says, \"so I'm not going to hassle her, Fran.\"
\"You mean, you're not going to fight this, Louise?” Fran can't believe her ears.
\"No, I prayed about it, and I have to trust God and let it go,\" Louise tells her.
\"But Louise, this is a matter of principle. It's wrong for the company to discriminate against you because of your convictions,\" Fran says. \"You're just letting them get by with inappropriate—and might I add—illegal behavior. It's not right!\"
\"Well, Fran, I have to do what I think is right, and this is one of those 'turn the other cheek' times. I can't prove they've discriminated against me, and even if I could, it would not be a good testimony for me to start demanding my rights,\" Louise replies. \"The company has basically been good to me, Fran, and I just have to deal with this disappointment.\"
\"But Louise, not only is this wrong for you, but it’s also wrong for the company,\" Fran argues. \"You're much better at your job than Lloyd is; you'd do a much better job for that client.\"
\"Fran,\" Louise says, \"please, don't take this so hard. I really appreciate your concern for me, but I just don't believe this is a matter over which I should raise an issue. The Lord just keeps telling me to let it go, Fran, so that's what I have to do.\"
Tears come to Fran's eyes and start down her cheeks as she stands in the stairwell with Louise. She tries to cover up but Louise notices. More than anything, they are tears of anger because of this unfair thing that has h...
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volume_upJanuary 31, 2025 Finding Balance in Daily Rest Habits – 5
Presented by Lauren Stibgen
Does finding rest in community sound counterintuitive? We have talked about some very individual ways to engage in rest the last few days. After all, sleep and solitude don’t really match up with connection and community! They do help prepare you, however, to find rest in this very special way.
We find connection in community. We can also find that Jesus calls us to be in community with him! I have learned having other faithful believers in my midst helps me see how Jesus is my one place for rest. Community connection is a beautiful give and take of carrying each other’s joys and burdens as we are told in Romans 12:15, and it is a reminder of what Jesus tells us in scripture:
Come to me all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest (Matthew 11:28).
Jesus doesn’t tell us to be alone. He tells us to come to him for rest. Even in the other rest habits of sleep and solitude, we know we are truly never alone.
As all of us are called to be Christ’s ambassadors, one of the ways we can do this is by considering the simple words come to me. How are you opening yourself up to the rest habit of being in community? Are you in a small group at church? Do you have a Bible study that you participate in? Maybe you are part of one of our ministry offerings here at The Christian Working Woman.
The most important part of being part of any community is being consistent. You cannot reap the benefits of having someone rejoice with you or weep with you if you do not connect consistently. This is one of the things Jesus was so good at. He was always on the ready!
And think of all the ways we see him in community with his disciples. They attended a wedding together, they dined together, they celebrated important holidays together, they traveled together. Each and every opportunity was a chance for the disciples to get to know the heart of Jesus more and more.
We have focused on small daily habits that can help us find more rest. I know being in community like the disciples isn’t a realistic daily habit most of us can employ, but what about even one person? Do you have a connection in faith that can help you see Jesus?
Is it sending an encouraging text to let someone know you are praying for something specific? Perhaps you can bring this person a meal during a stressful season. Even a greeting card can go a long way in making a person feel loved.
After all, the greatest commandment is love. In great love, there is great rest.
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volume_upJanuary 30, 2025 Finding Balance in Daily Rest Habits – 4
Presented by Lauren Stibgen
Solitude is the state of being alone or being removed from the hustle and bustle of a day. As we consider daily rest that can help us with work-life balance, I was intrigued by solitude. Simply, this isn’t something I do well, but I know it is a habit that can help draw me closer to God.
I know we say we want alone time, especially in the hurried pace of each day and competing priorities, but do we really like solitude? How do we quiet our minds when we do find this time? What could this look like?
We can look to our best model of rest once again: Jesus. First, when did Jesus find solitude and where? From Scripture, we know Jesus would often rise up in the morning while it was still dark to head to desolate places like a mountaintop to be in solitude. He knew doing this before the hustle of the day started would mean less interruption. He also knew it wasn’t a matter of just rolling out of bed or resting quietly in bed to find this space. He physically went somewhere else.
Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went to a solitary place… (Mark 1:35).
Yesterday, we talked about the importance of sleep, so maybe rising early isn’t something you feel you can do yet! Getting your sleep habits in order can get you into the holy rest habit of rising early like Jesus to find solitude! If you live somewhere where the weather is good so you can be in nature, that’s amazing! But, for many of us who balance work and children, the solitary place may look a little different. Just like you work on small changes to your sleep habits, how can you adjust in small ways to find solitude in your home space? Is there a nook, or a corner or a comfy chair calling to you?
Why did Jesus seek solitude, and what did he do when he was truly alone? He considered important matters and prayed to God. It is also how he dealt with the heavy emotions like the loss of a dear friend or the stress of the multitudes seeking him in need.
Does this sound like you? I know as a Christian working woman you have many important matters to consider. You have stress from the day and quite often, you experience things which trouble your soul. If you are not finding moments of holy rest in solitude, how can you commune with the Lord to help discern important decisions or simply tell him your feelings?
Can you set that alarm even 15 minutes earlier tomorrow? Let rest be your motivation!
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volume_upJanuary 29, 2025 Finding Balance in Daily Rest Habits – 3
Presented by Lauren Stibgen
We know rest is an important part of our wellbeing and balance. Rest is a command; it is holy, and it improves most everything God cares about for you from your physical and mental health to relationships! So, how are you finding rest in sleep?
A quick Google search defines sleep as “a condition of body and mind that typically recurs for several hours each night, in which the eyes are closed, muscles are relaxed, and the activity of the brain is altered.”
Sleep is something God created our human bodies to do, and, while we know God rested on the seventh day, we also know God is all present, all knowing, and all mighty! One would say God is always on the job, and he is always on the job so we can depend on him—even for sleep.
Jesus was the ultimate example of how important it is to sleep and wholeheartedly depend on God.
In Mark 4:37-38 we can picture this. A small boat being tossed to and fro in the waves with its passengers clinging to the sides, and there is Jesus, asleep on a cushion!
Is this a picture of your life right now? How much is your boat being tossed to and fro, and is it disrupting the most important rest, sleep? Lack of sleep can deeply hurt your immune system, your emotions, your ability to think and do good work, and it can even lead to increased depression and anxiety! If God created us for good works which he prepared beforehand (Ephesians 2:10), I would surely say he also created us for sleep! Without this we cannot do his good work!
In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat—for he grants sleep to those he loves (Psalm 127:2).
There are countless readings you can do on good sleep hygiene. I have the pleasure of knowing a functional medicine doctor, Dr. Stacie Stephenson, who talks about the need for preparing your sleep space on a regular basis. Making small changes to your space can make all the difference in winding down for the night. She suggests: a cool, dark space. Make sure you eliminate blue light. You should also try to not engage with your phone or any media (like tv) an hour before bedtime. Taking a warm bath or enjoying an herbal tea can also help you wind down. Don’t be overly ambitious with all these changes at once. Pick one or two small habit changes you can implement.
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volume_upJanuary 27, 2025 Finding Balance in Daily Rest Habits
Presented by Lauren Stibgen
Why do we desire rest? What are the benefits of rest? And what do you consider rest? Is it physical? Mental? Or is it both. The years seem to roll by quickly, and with a new calendar comes new intentions that can often sputter out just as quickly as they came to mind. I want to consider rest, and how critical it is to this elusive work-life balance we often strive for.
We desire rest because it is how God created us—in his image—Imago Dei. Our God is a working God. We see this intentionality in scripture from the beginning. God gave us the first look at rest on the seventh day of creation after he had made everything—the heavens and earth and all created things.
By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done (Genesis 2: 1-3).
Not only is rest one of the ways we are like God in his image but rest itself is holy.
Holy. How is this word defined? Dedicated and consecrated to God, sacred, devoted to the service of God, morally and spiritually excellent.
From this, we learn in rest we: dedicate ourselves to God, serve him in our rest, and display excellence both morally and spiritually! This makes me want to rest!
Although I know the ultimate model of this rest is truly the commanded Sabbath, making small habit changes each and every day can help bring you one step closer to learning how to find this seemingly elusive rest. After all, the benefits to you both physically and mentally are significant.
Leadership articles for work are wrought with commentary about rest. In fact, one Forbes business article states, “Rest is a fundamental part of success…” Benefits include improved mental health, boosted creativity, increased productivity, well-being, reduced stress, improved mood, and strengthened relationships.
I know God is in the business of all these things! He wants us to be healthy. He wants us to create like he did and does, and he most definitely wants our relationships with those closest to us to be strong. Even if business tells us rest will bring success, our God says, remember, you are made in my image. Seek my ways, for they are best.
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volume_upJanuary 25, 2025 How Balanced is Your Life
Presented by Lauren Stibgen
Picture for me the wheel on a bicycle. In the center you have a hub. From the hub you have many spokes that connect to the outer circle of the wheel to make it round and keep it round. These spoke form pie-slice sections in the wheel to create stability. All these parts work together to move the bicycle down the road smoothly.
Now, I want you to picture what happens when you remove the hub. Suddenly, all those spokes have no connection and the structure just fails. Or maybe the hub is there but you have a few spokes that are shorter than the others. Your wheel becomes very wobbly, and you simply fall flat. That bicycle is going nowhere fast! And hopefully none of this happened while you were cruising down the road quickly!
You might be thinking, what in the world does any of this have to do with Jesus or our walk. Well, let me repaint this wheel for you. At the center of your wheel is Jesus. He is our hub that holds all the spokes together. The spokes represent different areas of our life, that if left unattended consistently, become out of shape or have different levels of “fullness” to create a perfect rounded life. The visual is meant to help you find a balance while remembering that Jesus must be in the center of all areas to have true success! And here’s a news flash: I have been using this exercise for over 8 years, and my wheel has never been perfectly round. However, came into better shape when I took my relationship with Jesus out of the spokes and made him the hub!
Let’s consider this hub. How do we evaluate our walk with Jesus? What are some of the commandments and spiritual disciplines we are called to keep that help ensure we have a hub for our wheel? I consider these the elements of abiding.
John 15:4-5 exhorts, Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”
Jesus is very clear. He is the vine (or hub), and my life is made up of these branches (or spokes). If I am not abiding in him, I simply can’t do anything. I could nurture my branches and water them and try everything I know how to do, but if I am severed from the vine, none of my efforts will ever bear fruit! So, how do we abide? Here are a few practices and some Scripture that point to the goodness of each.
First, simply be in God’s Word. You cannot expect a fully abiding relationship with Jesus if you never read your Bible and study it in a deeper way. Every time I read a book of the Bible again, I receive a new revelation that is perfect for me in that time. It is like God knows what I need, when I need it! Imagine that! Just like a vine that provides perfect nourishment for the branch, God is nourishing me with his Word in the most perfect way. If I am not reading, he is not feeding!
Deuteronomy 8:3 states that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes out of the mouth of the Lord.
In John 6:35 Jesus further clarifies, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.”
Another practice of abiding is prayer. Are you taking time to talk to God? Or do your days hurry frenetically, filled with stress? If you are on social media, I know you have seen the quote, “Have you prayed about it more than you’ve talked about it”? If I am honest, there are many times I find myself steeped in idle talk with others rather than praying to God about a problem. As we discover the spokes of our wheel, we’ll see why this is problematic.
Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak (Matthew 26:41).
There are countless verses about prayer, but this one is critical for our balanced life.
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volume_upJanuary 23, 2025 It’s Not My Job! – 4
Everybody needs encouragement and help at times, don't they? As I read 2 Corinthians 7, I realized even the great Apostle Paul had his bad times when he needed other people.
For when we came into Macedonia, this body of ours had no rest, but we were harassed at every turn—conflicts on the outside, fears within (2 Corinthians 7:5).
Doesn't that describe the way you feel at times? Conflicts without fears within? But this is the spiritual giant, Paul, and it surprises us to realize he would have these feelings. We just need to remember that positions of prominence or responsibility do not isolate anyone from being human. Paul was tired and fearful. He needed help.
Where did his help come from? He goes on to say,
But God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the coming of Titus (2 Corinthians 7:6).
He needed a friend at his side to comfort him, and so Titus came along. We could say to Paul, “But wasn't it enough to have the Lord there?” And Paul would respond, “The Lord was there in the person of Titus. He comforted me by sending Titus.”
Yes indeed, that's how the Body of Christ should function. God wants to use us in each other's lives as messengers of comfort and encouragement, to pick up each other at those weary and frightened moments of our lives. God has given us each other for that purpose.
Paul goes on to say he was comforted by the good report Titus brought to him of the concern for his welfare by his friends in Corinth. Paul needed to know they cared, they hadn't forgotten him, and they still loved him.
How often do we miss these opportunities to be God's comfort in the lives of others? How often do we need to be by a friend's side when they're experiencing dark days? Or send a message to them—by text or snail mail or on the phone—just to say, I care.
Hallmark Cards has coined the phrase, \"When you care enough to send the very best.” When we as Christians care enough about each other, we can send our very best, which is the comfort of God pouring through us to those who need it.
Is there someone in your life today that needs a Titus? Ask God to show you and allow him to use you as his agent of comfort and encouragement.
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volume_upJanuary 22, 2025 It’s Not My Job! – 3
It's highly likely the burnout you and I experience, the frazzled nerves and frayed edges, are a result of taking on jobs God never intended for us, trying to be superwomen or supermen, thinking we can be all things to all people, never saying, “It's not my job.” And amid all those urgent voices, you and I have shortchanged what is important: the Word of God and prayer.
You cannot allow others—no matter how well intentioned—to cause you to try to be or do what you're not supposed to be or do. You may disappoint them, but if you're going to be effective for God, you have to avoid the tendency to try to be all things to all people.
It doesn't mean a life of ease with no pressures. I'm sure the hours will sometimes still be long, and exhaustion will still be a part of your life. But the more you submerge yourself into God's Word, the less frantic you’ll be, the more you'll know what God wants you to do and what he doesn't, the more peaceful and calm you can be as you face your heavy schedule.
In his booklet, The Tyranny of the Urgent, Charles Hummel has a suggestion, which I think is excellent. He suggests in addition to that daily time of getting to know God, you set aside one hour a week for spiritual inventory, to evaluate what's happened over the past week and plan for the week ahead. To make certain your to-do list has the important things at the top.[1]
To help you and me in that process, I've written a simple guideline to use for that spiritual inventory. If you are serious about getting your priorities in line, about spending time getting to know God, about weeding out the unimportant things on your list of priorities and putting God's Word and prayer at the top of your list, then you may find this guide for a weekly spiritual inventory helpful.
You’ll find it here.
I hope many of you will consider using this each week. I believe it will be a great help in getting you out of crisis mode and into a more God-centered lifestyle.
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[1] Hummel, C. E. (1967). The Tyranny of the Urgent. Downers Grove, IL; Intervarsity Christian Fellowship.
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volume_upJanuary 21, 2025 It’s Not My Job! – 2
Jesus could say at the end of his short earthly life, “I have finished the work which you gave me to do.” But I wonder how many of us will be able to say that. Are you doing what God has given you to do, or are you distracted and burned-out by trying to do urgent things that are not truly important?
Though Jesus did much during his short earthly life, he didn't do everything everybody wanted him to do. He didn't heal all the sick, he didn't reach everyone. When so much was left undone, how could Jesus say he had finished his work? In his pamphlet, The Tyranny of the Urgent, Charles Hummel puts it so well, “Here is the secret of Jesus' life and work for God: He prayerfully waited for his Father's instructions and for the strength to follow them. Jesus...discerned the Father's will day by day in a life of prayer. By this means he warded off the urgent and accomplished the important.”[1]
If you want to be free from burnout, free from being victimized by the loud voices of urgency that often surround you, you must remember what Jesus told us: If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth and the truth will make you free (John 8:31-32). A life of prayer and a life of daily abiding in the Word of God is our key. How easy it is to let these truly important things be shoved aside by all those urgent voices.
Urgent things usually have deadlines and time frames, while important things may not. Therefore, it's quite easy to do the urgent things, but leave the important things undone.
Could it be you need to find balance in your life by making the main thing the main thing and not allowing those urgent voices to dictate your schedule? And at the top of your important list should be the commitment to spend substantial time in your pursuit of knowing the living God.
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[1] Hummel, C. E. (1967). The Tyranny of the Urgent. Downers Grove, IL; Intervarsity Christian Fellowship.
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volume_upJanuary 18, 2025 Are You Too Busy?
I much prefer to be busy. Having nothing interesting or important to do is not where I want to be, and I find a full schedule forces me to be efficient, to manage my time more carefully, and therefore to get more accomplished.
Frankly, I would be miserable if I were not busy. God designed us to be busy. Jesus was busy; the disciples were busy. They were no doubt stressed out at times. I don’t believe you’ll ever meet or know anyone whom you admire who is not a busy person.
But I want to take a look at the downside of busyness; the potential bondage of busyness; the traps that are ready to swallow us if we don’t know how to set boundaries on busyness.
As I see it—at least for myself—busyness issues come down to six questions we need to ask ourselves:
Am I busy for the right reasons?
This will cause you to look at what you’re doing and make sure you are doing what God wants you to do. It will cause you to examine your priorities. It should cause you to pray more about your activities and where you’re expending your time and energy.
Ephesians 2:10: For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
God has a to-do list for you, and you will be busy when you know and do God’s will. For sure, God doesn’t approve of laziness or sitting on the sidelines and letting everyone else do the work. He wants us to be busy—but busy doing the right things, the things he has prepared in advance for each of us to do.
If you’re busy just to achieve some personal success, or to prove something, or because you need to win the approval of someone else, then you’re busy for the wrong reasons. That kind of busyness will lead to burnout and stress, and it will never give the satisfaction you’re looking for.
So, question number one is: Are you busy for the right reasons?
Has busyness become my identity?
We live in a world that honors busyness, that judges people based on how busy they are, and it is very easy to get caught up in this busy cycle as a sense of who we are. Since I tend to over-schedule at times and setting boundaries on my own busyness continues to be a challenge, I often do a self-check and make sure my self-worth is not based on my busyness. For me, that means offering up to God all I’m doing and once again acknowledging I am not my own, my schedule is not my own. My heavenly Father has a perfect right to change my schedule, to slow me down, to put me in another place with a totally different agenda.
If you frequently talk about how busy you are and you’re uncomfortable or feel guilty when you have a free moment to yourself, it could be you’ve allowed busyness to become your identity, your sense of well-being, and that is not a good place to be.
Do I take pride in my busyness?
Have you noticed how some people play one-upmanship about how busy they are? They seem to be in competition to win the prize as the busiest pers
Some years ago, God began to reveal to me that I actually could be addicted to busyness, and I did take pride in it. People would make comments about my busyness, and I would take them as compliments. But then I began to see that being recognized for being busy was not necessarily a good thing. Did I really want that kind of image, so that people just thought of me as busy?
So, I began to pray about this tendency, and I became intentional about not talking about how busy I was. Now, honestly, I cringe if anyone says something about how busy I am. Number one, I’m not that much busier than anyone else, but more importantly, that’s not how I want to be seen.
In fact, I worked at changing my attitude toward my busyness. Instead of thinking of all I had to do and giving a litany of my to-do list, as a point of pride and\/or a complaint, I began to say, “Aren’t you blessed to have a lot to do today? Wouldn’t you be miserable if you had nothing of value to do today?
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volume_upJanuary 17, 2025 Creating Unity in Community – 5
Presented by Lisa Bishop
I want to examine something essential for our spiritual lives and for fostering unity in our Christian community, and that’s abiding in Jesus.
Jesus himself gave us a key to unity in the body of Christ when he invited us to abide in him.
Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me (John 15:4).
When we abide in Jesus we remain, we dwell, we stay connected to him. It’s not just about having a fleeting connection with Jesus. It’s about staying deeply rooted in him—having a continual, ongoing relationship where his presence and love permeate every part of our lives.
Unity in the community of believers flows from our connection to Jesus. In John 15:5, Jesus declares,
I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing (John 15:5).
When we are rooted in Jesus, we are drawn together in a shared experience of his love, grace, and truth.
Think about it. If every individual Christian is abiding in Jesus, then we are all being shaped and transformed by him. We are being aligned with his heart, his will, and his purpose. This is the foundation of unity. When we stay close to Jesus, we’re not just growing individually; we’re growing together as one body in him.
When we abide in Jesus, we are spiritually nourished and empowered to live lives that reflect his character—lives marked by love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23).
As you and I bear spiritual fruit, we contribute to the overall health and unity of the body of Christ that reflects the power of God.
In any community, there inevitably will be challenges and differences. But when we abide in Jesus, he gives us the grace to overcome division. His love and his truth unite us even in conflict. Unity in the body of Christ is not something we can manufacture on our own. It’s not about our efforts to get along with or to work things out in our own strength. True unity comes when we, as individuals and as a community, abide in him.
How are you abiding in Jesus? Spending time in God’s word and prayer are ways we stay connected and grow. And remember that prayer is a dialogue, not a monologue. Create space for God to speak into your circumstances and relationships and to transform your life. When we take time to simply be still, practice gratitude, and praise him for who he is, we develop a stronger connection and sense of his presence. When we abide in Jesus, we not only benefit but his love binds us together in perfect unity.
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volume_upJanuary 15, 2025 Creating Unity in Community – 3
Presented by Lisa Bishop
I’m glad you have joined me today. This week we’re looking at attitudes and behaviors that foster unity in community. Community matters to God, and how we act toward one another is essential, as we carry out our calling as ambassadors of Jesus.
So today, let’s look at what 1 Peter 3:8-9 has to teach us about living out our oneness in Christ.
Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble. Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing (1 Peter 3:8-9).
When Peter says to be of one mind, he is not saying that we will agree on everything. He is implying a unity of aim and purpose. When we seek to live in unity with one another, it is a mindset and a heart set on honoring and glorifying Jesus with the way we conduct ourselves. We know our aim on this earth is to love and follow Jesus and to live out the great command to make disciples of all nations—to draw people to a saving relationship with Christ. And we cannot do that well if we do not love each other well.
We need to love one another, guard against a prideful attitude, and demonstrate humility; be compassionate toward one another and mindful to guard against all unnecessary contention. And perhaps Peter gives one of the most difficult challenges when he tells us to not repay evil for evil. It can be so easy to fight back when we feel offended or mistreated. Paybacks can feel good and justified in the moment, but revenge is an act of the flesh. It takes a lot of self-control and a working of the Holy Spirit to instead pay back with a blessing. And it’s not the southern expression, “Oh bless your heart” type of blessing that Peter is talking about, which is really no blessing at all. It’s instead truly wishing good for that person. I can say is not always my first inclination to heap blessings on people especially when I feel wronged, but when we genuinely bless people, it is a demonstration to the power of Christ working in us. We are no longer controlled by our earthly nature that wants to get even or counterattack.
We strongly heed the instruction of Galatians 5:16-17.
Walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh (Galatians 5:16-17).
We bestow blessing because it is an act of obedience, it is what God has called us to do. And we know whenever God calls you and I to do something, he also equips and empowers us to carry it out. That is the power of the gospel at work in our lives. When we are so easily triggered and reactive, we fail to recognize that we can in fact instead be controlled by the Holy Spirit and allow him to help us with our actions and reactions. But it requires surrender. When you find yourself tempted to be reactionary and retaliate with your words when you feel wronged, take time to pause. Confess your feelings to the Lord and ask the Holy Spirit to take control. When the fruit of the Spirit is evident in our lives, we show the world a better way and live out our purpose to point people to Jesus.
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volume_upJanuary 14, 2025 Creating Unity in Community – 2
Presented by Lisa Bishop
Unity is a powerful force, isn’t it? It strengthens relationships, enables us to accomplish more together, and most importantly, reflects the love and nature of God to the world around us. But unity is not something that just happens automatically. It requires intentional effort, humility, and a focus on our common purpose in Christ.
I don’t know about you but when I think about the idea of unity, I automatically think it means agreement. But the truth is we will not always see eye to eye, think exactly alike, or have the same opinions. Yet, we can still be a community that puts the love of Jesus on display and lives in unity even when we disagree. And it’s not if we will disagree, it’s when. Ultimately, what matters is how we show up in the midst of our conflicts.
Unity is an attitude of heart and is possible even when we see things from opposing perspectives. We need to be reminded as believers we are all united in Christ which unites us with one another. How we act towards each other matters. It’s critical to our witness as followers of Jesus. If we are backbiting, dissing, or speaking in disparaging ways toward others, especially fellow followers of Christ, we are giving the world a terrible representation of the gospel. As God’s image bearers we must, by the power of the Holy Spirit, show the world a higher and better way and point them to Christ by the way we act toward one another.
Ephesians 4:29-32 gives us sound instruction on attitudes and behaviors to get rid of and pursue to work toward unity:
Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you (Ephesians 4:29-32).
If you were to take inventory of your words this past week, did they benefit those who heard them, or were they, as Paul says, unwholesome—meaning useless, rotten, or unfit for use? Do our words sow discord or harmony? It can be so easy, especially these days, to get riled up and let our flesh draw us into bitterness, rage, anger, brawling, and slander. But we must realize and resist the schemes of the enemy and instead be overpowered by the Holy Spirit. In order to be overpowered by the Spirit we need to be in tune with the Spirit, and we can only do that when we regularly spend time in God’s Word and meditate on scripture, which grows our ability to sense God’s presence, hear his voice, and follow his ways.
And finally, let’s remember we grieve the Holy Spirit when we fail to maintain peace and harmony in the body of Christ so let’s instead follow Paul's words and choose to act in ways that create unity.
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volume_upJanuary 13, 2025 Creating Unity in Community
Presented by Lisa Bishop
Are you self-righteous? What an opening question, isn’t it? I would venture to say there are times in our lives when we have been self-righteous, and self-righteous behavior can jeopardize relationships and destroy community. As followers of Jesus, you and I are called to be a community that loves one another. But how do we do that well?
We’re looking at what the Bible says about our dispositions, mindsets, and attitudes and how we are to behave in a way that fosters unity.
All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus (Romans 3:23-24).
All have sinned and fallen short. That includes you and me. This biblical truth should keep us humble. But when we focus on the shortcomings of others and forget to look in the mirror, self-righteousness can rear its ugly head and wreak havoc on community. Self-righteousness often sneaks into our lives when we start comparing ourselves and our actions to others instead of measuring ourselves against God's perfect standard.
We can fall into the self-righteousness trap when we are critical and judgmental of others and become overly confident in ourselves and our own moral superiority.
We might think, “I’m more faithful than that person,” or “At least I don’t act that way or struggle with that sin.”
Jesus gave us a powerful warning about self-righteousness in Luke 18, when he told this parable.
Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’
But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’
I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted (Luke 18:10-14).
The irony of self-righteousness is it not only blinds us to our sin, but it also prevents us from loving others as Jesus commands. When you and I remember that we fall short of God’s perfect standard, we will be less inclined to point the finger when people around us do too.
How might you be acting in hyper-critical, superior, or fault-finding ways toward others? Rather than being self-righteous, let’s remember we all fall short and live in light of the righteousness that is ours because of our faith in Christ. When we live this way, we display unity and draw others to Jesus.
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volume_upJanuary 11, 2025 Who Are Your Lifelines?
Presented by Lisa Bishop
Do you remember the game show, “Who Wants to be a Millionaire?” The show featured a quiz competition where contestants could win a top prize of $1,000,000 if they correctly answered a series of 15 multiple-choice questions. When the contestant picked the right answer, they banked some cash and advanced to the next question. The questions increased in difficulty, and for every correct answer, the amount of prize money increased. If the contestant was stumped and did not know the answer, they were given three lifelines to use throughout the game. The lifelines allowed them to seek help and advice in choosing the correct answer so they could keep playing.
One of the lifelines was appropriately named, “phone a friend.”
If the contestant found themselves in a pickle and did not know the correct answer, the gameshow got the friend on the line, read them the question, and together they would discern the best answer.
Before appearing on the game show the contestant had already discerned and picked who they would call if they needed some wisdom. I assume they gave it some hard-earned and measured thought knowing their chance of advancing in the game or going home empty rode on the wisdom and input from their friend. The probability of staying in the game and winning wasn’t a solo act. It was only possible when the contestant reached out to their lifelines for assistance.
As I reflected on the “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire” lifelines, it got me thinking about the importance of lifelines in everyday life. So often, these lifelines come in the form of community—the relationships where we act as one another’s lifelines. Who are your lifelines? In other words, who are the people in your life who you prayerfully and intentionally choose to surround yourself with? Who are the people you do life with, invest in, call on for wisdom, or simply for genuine connection?
Who is your community? There is a richness to life and thriving in our faith that is only possible when we take the time and make the effort to build up and sow into relationships. It can be easy and tempting to drift into isolation or not make intentional time to forge and deepen connections. But having people in your life, especially fellow believers, is important if you want to flourish in your personal life, work life, home life, really any aspects of life.
This applies whether you are single, married, have kids, or don’t. If you are married and have a family of your own, even you need to venture out of the walls of your household and create deep connections with others. This can seem obvious, right? Yet, sometimes it is easier said than done.
Now you may be thinking, “I’m good. I have solid relationships in my life.” That’s great! Hang with me, because even if you do, I’m confident you will take something away. And if you are on the opposite end of the spectrum, finding yourself lacking kinship, my hope is that you will be encouraged to find connection and build authentic community.
We know from a biblical perspective, community is not presented as an option. It’s a central part of God's design. From the very beginning in Genesis, after creating Adam, God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone” (Genesis 2:18). God deemed that we are created to build relationships and be part of something bigger than ourselves. You and I are wired for connection, companionship, and the unique bond that comes when we share our lives, our experiences, and our faith with each other.
Jesus himself modeled this beautifully. Throughout his ministry, we rarely see him alone. Instead, he gathered himself around a community of disciples. He poured into their lives, taught them, served with them, prayed with them, and even in moments of hardship, he surrounded himself with others. It was in this community that he revealed some of his deepest teachings and shared some of his most powerful moments.
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volume_upJanuary 10, 2025 Is Your Life Out of Balance? – 5
What is it that uses up your emotional, physical, and spiritual energy and leaves you living in \"overdrawn\" mode too much of the time? I conclude my thoughts today on living a balanced life. I mentioned you spend energy needlessly when you try to do more than you should, and when you surround yourself with too much stuff.
Your strength is also used up when you have money problems. Credit cards can be our downfall. You might need to get on a budget and stop this drain on your life.
Your strength is used up when you are not disciplined. Proverbs says we die from lack of discipline, and I believe with all my heart many of us are drained of energy because we refuse needed discipline in our lives.
I've started to think about it this way: Each day I start out with a certain amount in my emotional, physical and spiritual account—and they are very much interrelated. I must learn to spend that amount wisely. Let's say I start with $100 in that account today.
Now, early in the day I get frustrated because of traffic problems and I foolishly spend $20 of energy on it. As I arrive at work, I encounter a rude customer on the phone, and I spend $25 of emotional energy on that. Then that co-worker irritates me again, and without realizing it, I've spent $15 there. My boss puts another deadline on me, and that stress costs me $30. Then I make a mistake and get mad at myself for that failure and spend $20 on that, and before noon I'm broke! I'm overdrawn!
Now the rest of the day I'm living out of balance, so I'm much more likely to say things I shouldn't say, react poorly, have a bad attitude, feel fatigued, depressed, discouraged, etc. Tell the truth, did you ever have that kind of day when you foolishly spent your energy on things that didn't really matter?
We have to get better, by God's grace, at spending our energy. Pick your fights; don't let the little stuff beat you down. Pray at all those points of irritation—quick prayers asking God to give you perspective and put that energy back into your account so it's there for the important things.
Remember, to live in balanced mode, not overdrawing your emotional, physical, and spiritual accounts. You've got to make the right deposits and then spend your energy wisely on things that have some significance. This will help you make better choices about priorities and keep your perspective on what's important and what isn't. I encourage you to make it your goal, by God's grace, to live in a balanced way.
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volume_upJanuary 9, 2025 Is Your Life Out of Balance? – 4
Where do you get the strength you need to love others and to keep from being burned-out and frayed around the edges all too often? I've examined what you need to deposit into your energy bank account so you are not living an out-of-balance life.
A.W. Tozer once say, “Shakespeare said something to the effect that no man could be a philosopher when he had a toothache! While it is possible to be a weary saint, it is scarcely possible to be weary and feel saintly.”[1]
When your body is not in the best condition, either from sickness or fatigue, your strength can fail. That's why it’s important to be a good steward of your body, doing everything you can to keep it strong and vital.
Now, let's talk about the things which drain our energy. First, there are the inescapable drains on our energy, such as getting up in the morning, children, mates, family, housework, jobs. But many times, we expend energy, even in these areas, unnecessarily. Let's identify a few of the foolish things that often drain our strength:
Your strength is used up when you try to do more than you can do. God has not called you to be all things to all people.
Jesus was careful where he went to minister. He didn't try to go to every city; he didn't heal every sick person; he didn't preach to everyone on the face of the earth. Yet he could say at the end of a very short three-year ministry that he had accomplished what his father sent him to do.
Have you got too many irons in the fire? Are you trying to prove something to yourself by taking on too much? Or perhaps, like me, you just have so much you want to do you can't resist. Maybe you have a hard time saying \"No.” Whatever causes you to over-commit, you need to get this area under control.
Your strength is used up when you have too much stuff. Did you know the more you have, the more energy it takes out of you?
Cleaned your closets out lately? Might be a good idea. A home or apartment full of valued \"treasures\" can be a real drainer of energy. Now I'm not suggesting we can't have things we enjoy, but the question is, do you enjoy them or are they just sapping your time and energy?
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[1] Tozer, A. W. (n.d.). Taking Time to Rest. SermonIndex.net. https:\/\/www.sermonindex.net\/modules\/articles\/index.php?view=article&aid=5278
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volume_upJanuary 8, 2025 Is Your Life Out of Balance? – 3
Is your life out of balance? Are you spending more from your spiritual, emotional, and physical account than you're putting in? I'm examining what we can do to put energy into our reserves, so we don't live in an overdrawn, out-of-balance condition. We saw yesterday that one great source of energy is joy.
Another source of strength comes from fellowship with other believers and loving relationships with friends and family.
They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer (Acts 2:42).
One of the great things about being a marketplace Christian the way your job forces you into daily interaction with non-believers. But living and working with those who do not share your faith and your love of Jesus can be a large drain on your inner resources. You need times of fellowship to give you strength; you need church every week; you need small support groups of Bible study and prayer.
I strongly encourage you to be involved in a small support group. You need a few people you regularly interact with, where you can be open and honest, where you are accountable, and where you are totally accepted. People you could call in the middle of the night, if necessary, for prayer support. If you have one or two people like that in your life, it will pour enormous strength into you, spiritually, emotionally and mentally.
If you don't, cultivate such a support group. Start it yourself. I'm sure you can find one or two others who feel like you do and need your support, as you do theirs. It will strengthen you immensely.
We also need those personal relationships from which we gain strength. You may be married to someone who truly strengthens you. Marriage was intended by God to be a source of strength.
We need close relationships with friends and family. You don't have to have a lot, but you need one or two. Do you have that person who really cares about the details of your life, where you can let your hair down and be understood and accepted even when you don't have it all together? If not, I encourage you to pray for that relationship and be that kind of support to someone else.
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volume_upJanuary 6, 2025 Is Your Life Out of Balance?
Have you ever tried to take more out of your bank account than you put in? If so, then you know the meaning of the term \"overdrawn.” Could it be you are living emotionally, physically, and spiritually in the overdrawn mode? Your life truly can be very out of balance when you don't deposit enough in your emotional, spiritual, and physical accounts to cover the checks you draw on them. When that happens, you live an overdrawn, out-of-balance life, and you fight fatigue, discouragement, and depression.
This type of out-of-balance living is often because we don't deposit the right things in our accounts, and at other times it's because we spend our energy very foolishly. We need to know what it is that feeds energy and strength to us and make certain we're pouring into our lives the right resources and the right amount. Then we need to determine what uses our resources and drains our strength so we can balance the two.
This calls for an accounting procedure, and that's something we need to do regularly. You have to check the balance in your bank account and make sure it’s in good order. The same is true of your emotional, spiritual, and physical accounts.
Ask yourself: Am I spending more from my spiritual and physical account than I put in? Frankly, I continually have to face this problem because I often need to re-learn that I cannot be all things to all people, nor can I do all the things I want to do. I must set priorities, learn when to say no, and take time to replenish my accounts so I can keep doing the things God wants me to do.
Now, that doesn't mean I'm never tired, never feel stressed or rushed or stretched, but it does mean if I'm living in that out-of-balance mode all the time, something's wrong. My priorities are confused, or my discipline has broken down, or my calendar is too full, or I don't know how to say no—or some combination of all the above.
This week I'm going to try to give you some help in this process of bringing your emotional, physical, and spiritual accounts into balance. And I do this mostly because I need to re-learn it too. Wouldn't it be nice if we only had to learn our lessons once! But we’re often in retraining mode.
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volume_upJanuary 4, 2025 Your One Word for 2025
The subtitle for the book, My One Word, is “Change your life with just one word.” You may be thinking, “How can one word change my life?” I admit, it sounds like a bit of an overstatement, but words have power. When you look at the 29 times words are referred to in Proverbs, you will see words can be perverse and seductive; they can ensnare you and pierce you like a sword. Or, on the other hand, words can be wise and insightful. They can be just and pure. They can bring healing and comfort; they can be gracious and sweet. Words have the power of life and death.
So, choosing a word—the right word—to focus on for an entire year can indeed bring personal change and spiritual formation in your life. It’s not a self-help program; it’s a way to change your thought life—to see things through God’s eyes. And when you and I become truly focused on changing our attitudes and our thought patterns, we open ourselves to wonderful changes by the power of God’s Spirit.
How do you choose your one word for 2025? Well, first think about some things you would like to change about yourself. For example, patience might be an area you know you need improvement. Or discernment; that was one of my words in the past, as I recognized I am not naturally a discerning person.
Or you might choose a word that exemplifies areas where you want to grow, such as wisdom or thankfulness. As you think and pray about what your one word will be for 2025, you will be amazed at how that process will lead you to the right word for you.
Here is an example from the book of a word that someone chose:
My word for the year is PAUSE. In my busy life there are so many times I need to pause. Pause to remember these days, for they will fly by so quickly. Pause to say yes...and no. Pause to give thanks. Pause before I speak in anger, judgment, or criticism. Pause to say I’m sorry. Pause to dwell on God’s goodness and mercy.[1]
What a great word to choose for 2025. Do you see how many areas of your life could be dramatically affected if you focused on the word pause for one year? To focus on your one word just means you will pray about it regularly—daily—and seek God’s power to effect the changes he wants to make in your life through that word. Then you would do a search in the Bible for passages relating to your one word.
For example, if pause were your word, some verses you might choose are:
Psalm 46:10: “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”
Psalm 91:1: Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
Psalm 116:7: Return to your rest, my soul, for the Lord has been good to you.
I would recommend that after you choose your one word, you begin a journal of how God is using this one word in your life. Keep track of all the verses that come to you throughout the year as a reminder of what this one word means for your life. If you seriously commit to focusing on that one word, praying it into your life, and asking God to empower you to make it a reality in your life, you will be amazed at how your one word has truly changed your life.
Here’s what another woman wrote about her one word:
I am an intensely shy person. I avoid confrontation at all costs. And I only share my faith when it happens into a conversation. The idea of BOLDNESS, of being a truly bold Christian, is seriously out of my comfort zone. But it seems that this is God’s challenge for me this year. I am to actively pursue BOLDNESS and be transformed in the process. So here I go—man, this is intimidating![2]
This is an example of choosing a word that pushes you out of your comfort zone and teaches you to trust God in new ways. God might put this kind of word on your heart—something that even frightens you, but you know God wants to do a new work in you in that area. For example, that word might be boundaries, where you recognize your weakness in setting appropriate boundar...
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volume_upJanuary 2, 2025 Strength in the Names of God – 4
Presented by Lauren Stibgen
Yesterday we learned God is omnipresent—in all places, at all times, at once. He sees us. But God also hears us, even when we are not speaking!
You have searched me, Lord, and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar (Psalm 139: 1-2).
Psalm 139 is clear. God can discern our thoughts. Even when you are thinking something, God is Elohim Shama—a God who hears.
Even so, God loves when we talk to him directly though prayer!
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:6-7).
Work, family, and life in general can be frustrating. Sometimes, absent of someone to vent to, we can keep our feelings stored up. This can add to stress and even cause despair if it goes on for long enough. Especially at work, there can be challenges that are hard to speak with others about. Maybe it is a conflict with a colleague or boss, or perhaps you are contemplating a new position. Perhaps you were unhappy about feedback you received. Or, on the opposite end of this, you are happy you received a great review. God wants to hear from us!
He asks we bring everything to him. Everything. With “everything” in mind, think about the last time you were angry with God about something. What about that time you told a small lie? Or maybe you are weighing a very heavy personal decision. God wants to hear about this too. In fact, you honor God in prayer because he already knows and discerns your every thought!
Maybe you feel like you don’t know what to pray or how to pray. That’s ok too. The Holy Spirit can help us in our weakness.
We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans (Romans 8:26).
The Holy Spirit intercedes for us! Whether it is God discerning our thoughts, or the Holy Spirit interceding, we also need to give thanksgiving to God.
In the moments when we feel defeated and unheard, sometimes the only thing we can give to God is the thanksgiving that you know he is Elohim Shama—the God who hears you.
God provides for me, sees me, hears me.
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volume_upJanuary 1, 2025 Strength in the Names of God – 3
Presented by Lauren Stibgen
Sometimes it just feels like I blend in. Do I really matter at all? If I am honest, this mantra can play out in every area of my life: work, home, ministry, parenting. You name it. I feel small, unseen. I know I am not alone, and much of this small and unseen feeling stems from forgetting our identity starts with El Roi—a God who sees me.
I am sure most of you have heard the terms omniscient, omnipresent, and omnipotent. For now, let’s focus on omnipresent. This means God is present everywhere at the same time. In this big world he created, he sees me and you right now—in this moment. As we start this new year, let’s rest in this omnipresence of God. Pause for a moment and think about it. Maybe you are setting forth plans for this year or reminiscing on what was. Maybe you are feeling small and unseen. Maybe you are dealing with sin that is hidden. In each of these scenarios God is El Roi—a God who sees.
Just when you think you are alone, whether it is with a thought, feeling, or, well, sin, you realize you are always seen. You are seen in each moment, watched over in your rest. God sees.
Perhaps this is comforting to you, like it was to Hagar. In Genesis we learn Sarai gives Hagar to Abram to bear a child because she is barren. When she becomes pregnant, Sarai becomes cruel and Hagar departs, alone into the desert. God provides for her, and even speaks to her in this low moment!
She gave this name to the Lord who spoke to her: “You are the God who sees me,” for she said, “I have now seen the One who sees me” (Genesis 16:13).
I have felt put off, alone, wandering, and in need of provision. I can empathize with Hagar. She was doing what she was asked by someone she trusted. The result was not what she expected. She was alone—except she wasn’t.
Perhaps the thought of God seeing you causes fear. The path you are on has some unrepented sin he sees. There is not one moment you are not alone with God. The good news is this is the best time to talk to God!
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9).
Whether comfort or fear, take heart. El Roi—the God who sees—loves you and wants for your good.
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volume_upDecember 31, 2024 Strength in the Names of God – 2
Presented by Lauren Stibgen
As a working woman, you could have several different reasons you go to work. God created us for work.
Sometimes this “work” can be paid. Sometimes this “work” can be volunteer based. Either way, we are Christian working women. Our roles span from grocery clerks to CEOs, ministry workers to sole proprietors running our own business. Whatever “work” we find ourselves doing, we need to look for our strength in God—Jehovah Jireh, God our provider.
Maybe like me, you are the sole financial provider for your family. Or you work alongside your spouse to provide for your family’s needs. Perhaps your work is as an unpaid volunteer. There isn’t one right or wrong reason to go to work whether the work is paid or unpaid, but the implications of financial security for ourselves and our loved ones can create stress and a reliance on self that isn’t what God wants for us at all. In revealing himself to us as Jehovah Jireh, we can better understand his will for our work.
Maybe your work just seems impossible. It is something you must do, but it isn’t something you really love to do. Perhaps you aren’t making enough to make ends meet, which makes the going even more difficult. Maybe you have been an unpaid volunteer, but with tight finances, you need to go back to work. All of this can be a drain on our strength and can lead us into deep self-reliance.
God often will call us to do hard things. In Genesis 22:13-14 God calls Abraham to hard work. God calls Abraham to sacrifice his beloved son Isaac. In obedience and great faith, Abraham sets out in obedience to God. And, just in the final moments, God provides a ram to take the place of Isaac. In the right moment God supplies Abraham with just what he needs.
If your work seems impossible, the stress of financial needs seems insurmountable, or the job hunt seems never ending, know the Lord will provide for you. His will for our work is to seek him first in all things, because God is our ultimate provider.
And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:19).
Are you leaning into God as Jehovah Jireh? What do you need to lay before him today?
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volume_upDecember 28, 2024 Ezer-Helper, You are Not Subordinate!
Presented by Lauren Stibgen
For many women the creation story in Genesis feels like a story of their subordination to men. Afterall, God made Adam first. In Genesis 2:18, God says, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper suitable for him.” Out of everything in creation there was “not a helper found fit for him.” Different than everything in creation, even Adam, Eve was made from the rib of Adam. She was the only part of creation that was not formed from the ground.
While we are blessed with the details in Genesis 2, we learn in Genesis 1 that God created man “in our image, after our likeness.” Specifically in Genesis 1:27 it says, “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.” And in verse 28, “And God blessed them.”
Although God created Adam first and Eve specially for him, we forget this happened on the 6th day. There wasn’t some terrific lag in time, and there was certainly not a connotation of the woman being less. Both man and woman were created in Imago Dei—the image of God.
Genesis 2:18 is where we see the reference to “Ezer” or helper. As it is with many Bible translations, our definition of helper in English in not adequate to describe Ezer.
In the Oxford dictionary, we see help as a verb, noun and an exclamation. The verb help is defined as making it easier for someone to do something by offering services, or to serve someone with food or drink. The noun is the action of helping someone. And the exclamation—needing urgent assistance. All this insinuates assistance in some form or fashion.
Now, don’t get me wrong. God absolutely wants us to be this type of helper—and I will come back to this—but the definition and its connotations fail in comparison to the type of helper God made the first woman to be (and arguably every woman thereafter made in God’s image). If we know God is described as Jehovah Ezrah and we also know women are created to bare the image of God, we can begin to imagine just how significant it is to be an Ezer in the kingdom of God.
Unfortunately, after the fall in Genesis 4, the sin nature of man shifted to a dominating, patriarchal role, but this does not mean this is God’s plan for women and men! We know God is redeeming both men and women in his Kingdom through salvation in Christ Jesus, but we are still sinful. This, coupled with our poor English translation has created patterns in how we think of women and work that have made certain roles feel “less than”.
Culturally, the word helper has been used for roles that women would take to offer assistance. Teacher’s helper, Sunday school helper, lunchroom helper, field trip helper. Somewhere along the line we became more sophisticated and inserted the word chaperone, but helper was very prevalent. These roles in a classroom or at a school were reserved for stay-at-home moms. Women who worked could not find a place as this type of helper. While I think this is less pervasive today with more women at work, I know this is something many of the women in our ministry struggle with.
As working women, they often cannot be this type of helper, and they would like to be. Or perhaps they have a husband who fills the role of helper in this way. Men often face being one among many women still to this day. I know my husband is the primary teacher for our homeschooled son, and he is the only male hall helper in our homeschool cooperative.
Beyond these helper titles in settings that involve children, there are connotations surrounding titles that women hold at work. While some men are holding these titles today, we spent a lot of time making women “helpers” in the workforce. What do I mean by this? Assistants. These positions were held only by women. Honestly, what type of candidate pool of Administrative Assistant staff are men? Even today? Men make up on 11% of the administrative pool in the United States. Why the gender imbalance? Well,
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volume_upDecember 27, 2024 Christmas Medley – 5
Everybody needs encouragement and help at times, don't they? As I read 2 Corinthians 7, I realized even the great Apostle Paul had his bad times when he needed other people.
For when we came into Macedonia, this body of ours had no rest, but we were harassed at every turn—conflicts on the outside, fears within (2 Corinthians 7:5).
Doesn't that describe the way you feel at times? Conflicts without, fears within? But this is the spiritual giant, Paul, and it surprises us to realize he would have these same feelings. We really need to remember that positions of prominence do not isolate anyone from being human. Paul was tired and fearful. He needed help.
Where did his help come from? He goes on to say, \"But God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the coming of Titus.” He needed a friend at his side to comfort him, and so Titus came along. We could say to Paul, \"But wasn't it enough to have the Lord there?” And Paul would respond, \"The Lord was there in the person of Titus. He comforted me by sending Titus.\"
Yes indeed, that's how the Body of Christ should function. God wants to use us in each other's lives as messengers of comfort and encouragement, to pick up each other at those weary and frightening moments of our lives. God has given us each other for that purpose.
Paul goes on to say he was comforted by the good report Titus brought to him of his friend’s concern for his welfare. Paul needed to know they cared. They hadn't forgotten him; they still loved him.
How often do we miss these opportunities to be God's comfort in the lives of others? How often do we need to be by a friend's side when they're experiencing dark days? Or send a message to them—by email, on the phone—just to say, I care.
Hallmark Cards has coined the phrase, \"When you care enough to send the very best.” When we as Christians care enough about each other, we can send our very best, which is the comfort of God pouring through us to those who need it.
Is there someone in your life today that needs a Titus? Ask God to show you and allow him to use you as his agent of comfort and encouragement.
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volume_upDecember 25, 2024 Christmas Medley – 3
Merry Christmas! Perhaps you’re gathering with family to open gifts and eat great food, or maybe it’s a quiet day for you. However you are celebrating today, the team here at The Christian Working Woman is here to wish you a blessed day. We just want to send you words of joy, reminding all of us of the miracle we are celebrating today.
I’ll begin with this passage from Mary’s Magnificat, the amazing words she spoke as she visited her cousin Elizabeth. Here she is, a very young woman who will bear the Son of God, and she said:
My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant. For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed; for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name (Luke 1:46-49).
Here’s a familiar passage from the prophet Isaiah:
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this (Isaiah 9:5-7).
And the Apostle Paul said this:
Who, [Jesus Christ] being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father (Philippians 2:6-11).
Remember—you are deeply loved by the Savior of the world who came to sacrifice himself for our sake.
Let me close with this reminder that what we are truly celebrating today is Jesus is our salvation:
God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God (2 Corinthians 5:21).
Merry Christmas!
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volume_upDecember 24, 2024 Christmas Medley – 2
Are you feeling anxious about something today? Are you very disturbed over a situation in your life? Does it seem impossible to find any rest and peace right now? Recently, a passage in Isaiah 48 gave me some insight into the reasons behind the anxiety and unrest I was experiencing.
This is what the Lord says—your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: I am the Lord your God who teaches you what is best for you, who directs you in the way you should go. If only you had paid attention to my commands, your peace would have been like a river, your righteousness like the waves of the sea (Isaiah 48:17-18).
How incisively the Word of God cuts through and exposes the real issues. I was reminded anxiety and unrest are often a result of my failure to pay attention to what I know about God. Rarely do I need some new truth or principle to help me out; I just need to practice what I know already.
God's direction and commands are there for all of us to see and understand. We know the basics, don't we? And yet our feet tend to stray. We leave off something here and something else there, which we know we should be doing, and we fail to completely follow the commands of God, which are clearly understood.
I find I rarely make a deliberate decision to wander from God's principles. It's simply a failure to pay attention to what I know already. My focus becomes fractured. I move slightly off-center, simply because I haven't paid attention like I should.
And when that happens, the results are anxiety, frustration, and loss of peace and rest. When you start to dig underneath those outward effects, you often discover the cause is a failure to pay attention to God's commands. It may be something that seems very small, but if we walk away from doing it God's way, we can expect to lose the peace and rest we so need.
The Lord told his people, \"If only you had paid attention to my commands, your peace would have been like a river.” If you're missing peace in your life today, check out the obedience department and see if there's some area where you're not paying attention to God. Once you get that straightened out, that wonderful, marvelous, indescribable peace will return, like a river, flooding your heart and calming your nerves.
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volume_upDecember 23, 2024 Christmas Medley
Do you have days when you feel like the score is: The World - 100; God - 0? Does it sometimes appear you're on the losing team?
Maybe you go to a job where God is irrelevant to the people around you—where his name is used only in profanity, and they seemingly give no thought to God as Creator, Ruler, or Sovereign. You're in a daily environment where a commitment to Jesus Christ is looked upon as foolish, naive, or laughable. When you apply biblical principles in your everyday world, people take advantage of you, ignore you, or discount your ideas altogether.
Let's face it, that's the way it seems at times. You're walking the straight and narrow, but what for? Where does it get you? The other team does what they please and gets ahead for it. Do you sometimes feel like joining the other team? Are you tired of being in the minority all the time—seemingly losing all these skirmishes you face every day?
Well, I want to encourage you today to remember one thing: The final chapter has been written, and we know what the end will be. I think of the young boy who was reading a thrilling mystery book when his mom insisted he put the book down and do his chores. \"But, mom, I'm in the fourth chapter and the villain has the hero in his clutches. Looks like he's going to die! I can't quit now.” But mom insisted so hurriedly he flips to the last chapter and reads the final page. He then bounds into the kitchen where his mother is waiting and says, \"Wow, that old villain is doing real good in Chapter 4, but just wait till he gets to the end of the book. Is he in for a surprise.” It looked liked disaster in Chapter 4, but when you know the end, then Chapter 4 takes on a whole new perspective.
Maybe you're in Chapter 4 today, and you need to flip to the end and read the last page. It's already been written, and I can tell you the outcome: Jesus wins and those of us who are his followers will win and reign with him. Read Revelations 20, 21, and 22 today.
Remember, God has not lost control of this world. He is bringing it to its end in his time and for his purposes. He is Sovereign and he still reigns in heaven.
As you head into a world where it may appear the score is unevenly in favor of the world's crowd, remember the last chapter, and don't let Chapter 4 get you down. If you know Christ as your Savior, you're on the winning team!
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volume_upDecember 21, 2024 It’s All Plan A! Part 2
It took me ten years before I came to that place of letting go of my dreams and relinquishing them for God’s plan for my life. Ten years of doing my own thing, running my show, determined to get what I wanted. In those ten years had you asked me if I wanted to live according to God’s plan for my life, I probably would have said yes, but it would have just been a cover-up because in truth, I wanted God to bless my plans. I wanted my dream to come true—hopefully with God along for the ride—but one way or another, it was my way or the highway. Is that where you are?
Take it from me: Don’t waste ten years or ten minutes trying to make your dreams come true. Trust a trustworthy God who has better plans than yours and who loves you unconditionally. During the eighteen months of grieving the loss of my dream, there were days when I just about didn’t make it. I came so close so many times to taking back the controls of my life into my own hands. But thankfully, I was spending time in God’s Word, I was getting to know God, and I knew I just couldn’t turn back.
What finally became so clear to me was that my basic problem was my fear of trusting God. And then I realized not only how stupid that was, but how sinful it was for me to trust myself and not the God who made me.
Jeremiah 29:11: “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
There is no reason for you to fear God’s plans for your life. Satan has told you lies about how miserable your life will be if God it is in control, and he’s a good liar. The God of heaven and earth is a trustworthy God. You can trust him.
Moses is a case study of a man who came to understand God had a plan for his life, and it was a good one. You know how his life was saved as a baby by a very creative mother and sister. As Moses grew to manhood, he was educated as an Egyptian with all the privileges that came from being raised as Pharaoh’s daughter. No doubt his future looked bright and promising because he was the adopted son of Pharaoh’s daughter.
But he never forgot he was a Jew, one of God’s chosen people, so he wanted to help his people. Pharaoh kept the Jewish people in bitter servitude, and they were sorely mistreated. One day when Moses saw an Egyptian beating one of his Hebrew brothers, he killed the Egyptian and hid his body in the sand. He thought he was doing the right thing to defend his countryman, but the next day, when he saw two Hebrews fighting each other and tried to stop them, they turned on him and said, “Who made you ruler and judge over us? Are you thinking of killing me as you killed the Egyptian?” (Exodus 2:14).
Well, this just blew Moses away. He thought his murderous act was a secret, but now he realized it wasn’t, and when Pharaoh heard about it, he tried to kill Moses. So, Moses fled from Pharaoh and lived in Midian, where he became a lowly, humble shepherd. For 40 years, Moses lived in exile in Midian. His life and dreams were changed overnight. And it was because of something he did; something he should not have done. Regardless of the reason, murdering another man was wrong. So, through his own actions his dream died. Now Moses figured his Plan A was ruined; he had to settle for Plan B.
Is this your story, too? Have you brought grief on yourself because of a foolish decision or choice? Has your disobedience—your sin—caused you to live with regret, think that you’ve lost your dream, and settle for the best you can do? You’re now relegated to Plan B—or C or D?
Moses figured he had blown it so badly, that God would never use him again. But he was wrong. After 40 years, as Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law at Horeb, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush. God clearly spoke to him and gave him a new assignment—to go and set his people free from Pharaoh.
Moses is now a humbled man,
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volume_upDecember 20, 2024 Fran and Jesus on the Job: Christmas – 5
Have you been so busy getting ready for Christmas that you've lost sight of its real meaning? That is easy to do. I've been trying to encourage all of us to see the Christmas season as an opportunity for evangelistic outreach.
Louise and Fran decided to have a Christmas party for their friends at work, and at the end of the party they gave a Christmas play, with the help of Fran's kids. Then Louise briefly shared her testimony and closed their party in prayer.
As their guests were leaving, everyone commented on how nice the party was. Andy, Fran's good friend from the Art Department, said to her, \"This was the nicest Christmas party I've ever been to. Really makes you stop and remember what Christmas is all about.\"
Fran noticed Janice and George kept hanging around, as though they were reluctant to leave. Finally, everyone had gone except them, and Fran said, \"You guys want to have another cup of coffee before you hit the road?\" She expected them to refuse, but to her surprise, they stayed. Fran sent her kids off to bed, and the four of them sat around the table.
Janice said, \"Fran, thanks for inviting us. I'm really glad we've gotten to know each other. Your kids are so cute.\"
\"Thanks, Janice,\" Fran says.
\"I couldn't believe how much they had memorized,\" Janice comments.
\"Well, they've been quoting the Christmas story at church since they could talk, practically, so they know it pretty good,\" Fran says.
\"I wish our kids…\" Janice starts, then catches herself.
\"What she started to say,\" George adds quietly, \"is that she wishes our kids went to church like yours. But, well, I just don't believe in God so why should they waste their time? However, after watching your kids tonight, I can see how much they enjoyed it. Maybe I should let 'em go at Christmas time.\"
\"Oh, honey, that would be wonderful,\" Janice lights up.
For over an hour Janice and George sit at the table with Fran and Louise talking about why George decided to be an atheist and why Fran and Louise believe in God and Jesus. It was an absolutely amazing conversation.
\"Wow, hon, it's after midnight,\" George finally says. \"We need to go.\"
\"I'm so glad you stayed,\" Fran says. \"Listen, George, why don't you come with the family to our Christmas concert tomorrow night. We'd love to have you.\"
\"I don't know,\" he says, \"I'll think about it. This is kinda heavy for me.\"
\"Well, you think about it,\" Louise says, \"and we'll talk to you tomorrow.\"
As they leave, Louise and Fran take time to pray God will continue to work on George's heart. \"Underneath that tough exterior is a man who knows he doesn't have all the answers, Fran,\" Louise says, and they agree that this party was a divine appointment for George.
Look for your divine opportunities this Christmas.
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volume_upDecember 19, 2024 Fran and Jesus on the Job: Christmas – 4
Have you been to any Christmas parties yet this season? Fran and Louise have decided to have a different party this year. Instead of inviting their Christian friends from church, they've invited all their friends at the office, most of whom are not Christians.
Fran gets up early this Saturday morning, knowing she has lots to do to get ready for the party tonight. Louise comes over later in the morning to help. She's been cooking all week to have everything ready, and the kids are excited to help, too.
About mid-afternoon, Fran says, \"Hey, you guys, we need to practice our Christmas play.\" They decided after everyone eats and they have some fun games, the four of them will re-enact the Christmas story. Fran brought costumes home from church, Louise made a manger, Alice put her best doll in the manger, and Drew made cardboard cut outs of a sheep and a cow.
The evening goes really nice. Fran is so pleased that twenty-three people came, including Janice and her husband, George. She whispered to Fran, \"I'd never get him to church, but he's always ready for a party!\" George says he is an atheist.
Everybody seems to be having a great time; there's lots of laughter and clean fun. Finally, it's time for the play. Louise says, \"Well, since this is a Christmas party, we wanted to have something special—a Christmas play, with the help of Drew and Alice.\"
At first people seem a little uncomfortable, but as Louise and Fran get the manger in place, everyone finds a seat so they can watch. Alice is an angel, and she quotes from Luke 2: Behold I bring you glad tidings of great joy. She looks like an angel, and everyone applauds when she finishes. Children can break down barriers between people very easily, Fran notes to herself.
They go through their prepared play, telling the story of Christmas. Drew is a shepherd, and Fran and Louise play Mary and Joseph. Then the kids sing a Christmas song they learned at church, which tells why Jesus came to a manger.
As it ends, there's not a sound in the house, and not a few are dabbing tears away. Louise says, \"Well, we just wanted to share with you what Christmas means to us. You know, lots of people are celebrating Christmas but they don't really know Jesus. I'm so glad that when I was sixteen years old, I found out who Jesus is, and he became my Savior.\"
And without embarrassment, Louise shares her testimony and then leads in a prayer at the end of their party. Let's take back Christmas and find better ways to celebrate it.
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volume_upDecember 17, 2024 Fran and Jesus on the Job: Christmas – 2
Do you sometimes feel sick at this time of year over the godless celebrations of Christmas? I want to challenge all of us to take Christmas back from its secularized version and use this time of year as an opportunity to reach out to people with the whole story of Christmas—that Jesus came as a baby for one reason, to die on a cross so that we could go to heaven.
Fran and Louise have decided they want to do something different this year. Instead of having her usual Christmas party for her friends at church, she and Louise decided to have a party for people at work. Since it will be in her home, Fran can control the menu and the tone of the party, and she and Louise have thought of a creative way to get the gospel in.
This Sunday evening, after Louise left, she and the kids decide to get out some of the decorations for Christmas. \"Oh, here's my beautiful Christmas crèche that Aunt Regina gave me,\" Fran says as she carefully unwraps each beautiful piece.
\"Are you gonna put it on the mantel again this year, Mom?\" Drew asks.
\"Yeah, I think that's the best place…” Fran starts, and then a thought overtakes her. \"Hey, kids, would you mind if I took this to the office this year? I could display it on my credenza at work, and maybe it would start some conversations.\"
\"But Mommy, we always have it on our mantel,\" Alice objects. \"It's so pretty. It might get broke at work.\"
\"I know, Alice,\" Fran says, \"and I've been so careful with it all these years. It's a beautiful treasure.\"
\"You said it cost a lot of money,\" Alice adds.
\"Hmm, I'm sure it did. But you know, Alice, if it would help someone hear about Jesus, don't you think it would be worth it to put it in my office this year?\" Fran asks.
\"Well,\" Alice says, \"since you put it that way.\"
The next day Fran takes her beautiful family treasure to the office and carefully displays it on her credenza. One of her peers, Janice, comes in just as she is putting it out.
\"What's that, Fran?\" she asks. \"Oh, a manger set. That's nice.\" She begins to look at it closely. \"Actually, it's exquisite. Where did you get it?\"
Fran explains the family history of her crèche and then says, \"I just wanted to find a way to remind myself and everybody else about the real reason we have Christmas. I think it sometimes gets lost in all the craziness, don't you?\"
\"The real reason?\" Janice says. \"What do you mean?\"
What a great question. Just what Fran had hoped for. \"You know, it would take longer than we've got right now to answer that question. How about lunch today?\"
\"Lunch with me?\" Janice seems surprised. She and Fran just never have had an opportunity to get to know each other very well. But they agree to meet for lunch, where Fran has an open door to talk about the real meaning of Christmas.
What could you do in your office or workplace this Christmas that might start a meaningful conversation? Think about it.
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volume_upDecember 16, 2024 Fran and Jesus on the Job: Christmas
As we all find ourselves swallowed up by our preparations for Christmas, it's good to remember Christmas holds no true meaning unless we know that Jesus came for one purpose: to die on a cross and be raised again so we could be redeemed from our sins.
I believe we have a great opportunity during Christmas to reach out to people with the good news of the gospel because typically people are more open to talking about religious matters at this time of year. This week I have another Fran and Jesus story as Fran begins to see what she can do during this Christmas season to tell the story of Jesus—the whole story—to her friends at work.
She and her friend Louise are driving home from church this Sunday afternoon and Louise says, \"Pastor's sermon was very challenging, don't you think, Fran?\"
\"You mean about finding ways to reach people during Christmas?\" she responds. \"Yeah, it made me think about what I could do at the office.\"
\"It just makes me sick the way Christmas is treated around there,\" Louise comments. \"I mean, nobody even mentions Jesus. It's just an excuse for parties and drinking and…\"
\"Yeah, do you remember last year's Christmas party?\" Fran continues. \"I left after dinner; it was too crazy for me.\"
\"I stayed awhile longer, but I wished I had left when you did,” Louise says. \"Well, what do you think we could do to try to change that and make people see what Christmas is all about?\"
\"We could invite people to our church concert,\" Fran says. \"I did that last year, and Andy brought his family. They really enjoyed the music.\"
\"That's a good idea,\" Louise says. \"But there must be something we can do right in the office…\"
\"Oh, you have to be careful,\" Fran says, \"or we'll be accused of being politically incorrect!\"
\"Hey, Mom,\" Drew pipes in from the back seat, \"why don't you and Louise have your own party at our house.\"
\"Well, hon, I don't think… \" Fran starts and then stops. \"Drew, you know, that's not a bad idea.\"
\"Actually, it's a great idea, Drew,\" Louise says. \"Why don't we, Fran? Then we can control what goes on, have some great fun, and somehow get the gospel in.\"
\"Let's do it, Louise,\" Fran says with enthusiasm.
\"And we'll help, Mom,\" Alice volunteers.
\"You bet,\" they agree. All afternoon they plan the party, write the invitations, and then they pray God will use it to help them tell the true story of Christmas. What could you do to reach out during this Christmas season? It's a great opportunity. Don't let it get lost in the frenzy of celebrations.
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volume_upDecember 14, 2024 It’s All Plan A! Part 1
For a long time, I used to say I was living in God’s Plan B for my life, and that even though it was Plan B, it was still a good plan. I really thought that because I messed up my life so much, God had to come up with a different plan for my life and let me settle for something less than he had planned for me. It’s as though I thought God looked down at my mess and said, “Goodness, what am I going to do now? How did Mary get herself in such a mess? Guess I’ll have to come up with Plan B.”
That’s because I really messed up. Whatever “baggage” I have brought into my life has been bags I’ve packed myself. I have no one to blame but me. I made poor choices, wrong decisions, and chose sinful paths for about ten years of my young adult life.
Briefly, when my daughter was eight years old, I found myself going through a divorce. This was the last thing I ever thought would happen to me; it was the last thing my family or friends ever imagined would happen. After all, I was raised in a good Christian home, graduated from a Christian college, and was the music director at my church! But there it was—I was divorced and I had to earn a living and my entire life dramatically changed.
I was so insecure about my value as a woman and so desperately needed to feel loved and valued, that as the old song goes, I looked for love in all the wrong places. And for ten long years, I covered up, pretended I was totally in control, climbed the corporate career ladder, earned more money, got promotions, bought more stuff—and all the time the little girl in me was crying for someone to say, “You are precious to me.” Sure, I had friends and a wonderful family. I should have been content with the love they had for me, but it wasn’t enough. I wanted to know that I was valued as a woman!
It took a move to Chicago, a dreadful career decision, and many broken relationships, but finally in God’s grace, like the prodigal son, I came to my senses and returned to my Father, asked for forgiveness, received it completely, and started on a new path. That was about 43 years ago. And that new path has been full of his blessing and the great privilege is mine to have this ministry. Let me assure you I do not have it all together, but I can tell you I know I am loved and precious to God, and that has satisfied my heart like nothing else ever could or did.
So that’s why I used to say I messed up Plan A, but God gave me Plan B. I t was good, but it wasn’t Plan A. It was second best—Plan B. Then not long ago I began to take a second look at my theology and realized if I truly believed in the sovereignty of God, then I had to believe God doesn’t have any Plan Bs. It’s all Plan A with God. You see, believing God is sovereign means you believe he always, at all times, has every situation in control! Nothing ever takes him by surprise. Before the world ever began, my days were written in his book.
Psalm 139:16: All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.
And then I was reading Jeremiah 1:5, where the Lord said to Jeremiah:
“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart. . .”
The Bible makes it clear that God is in ultimate control of us as individuals and of the world as well, from the international scene to a sparrow that falls.
Isaiah 46:10: I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say: My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please.
Daniel 4:35: All the peoples of the earth are regarded as nothing. He does as he pleases with the powers of heaven and the peoples of the earth. No one can hold back his hand or say to him: “What have you done?”
Psalm 115:3: Our God is in heaven; he does whatever pleases him.
Now, if you want me to explain God’s sovereignty to you, I must admit I simply cannot—and furthermore, I’m not sure anyone can totally understand or explain it. I have questions I can’t answer.
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volume_upDecember 13, 2024 An Attribute a Day Keeps the Devil Away – 5
My purpose this week is to inspire and encourage you to become more intentional about knowing God better by becoming more aware of his many wonderful attributes. And I’m offering a handout that might help you form that new habit. You’ll find it on our website, and it’s called An Attribute a Day Keeps the Devil Away.
The last attribute we will consider is the omnipotence of God. Omni equals all; potence equals power. God is all powerful. And his power is not acquired, and it does not depend on anything outside of himself. It is self-existent, self-sustained. If you or I have some power in some area, it is because someone or something has given us power. Our politicians have power because we vote them in office. But our God is omnipotent, and his power is within himself.
God created the world without any tools or materials—ex nihilo. He created the world without the use of any pre-existent matter. As you look at the universe around you, the stars, the clouds, the mountains, the seas, think of this: God spoke them into existence. He started with nothing and created them. He is all powerful.
If you have ever had power over sin, it is because God gave you the power. If you have ever had power to persuade others to accept Christ, the power is from God. If you have ever had an answer to a prayer, it is not the power of your prayer but the power of God that chose to answer your prayer, which was according to his will. Whenever God has chosen to use mankind to accomplish something, it is not because he needs their power, but because he grants power to them.
This discussion of God’s attributes doesn’t scratch the surface, but I hope it inspires you to get serious about knowing God better as you focus on his marvelous attributes. I’ve prepared a handout to help you. It’s called An Attribute a Day Keeps the Devil Away, and you’ll find it here. Use it to help you develop a good habit of meditating each day on who God is and how much he loves you.
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volume_upDecember 12, 2024 An Attribute a Day Keeps the Devil Away – 4
This week my focus is getting to know God better by becoming more aware of and thankful for his wonderful attributes. In fact, I’ve made a handout you will find on our website to help you develop a habit of focusing regularly on God’s attributes. I call it An Attribute a Day Keeps the Devil Away.
C. H. Spurgeon was called the Prince of Preachers in the 19th Century. He wrote: “There is something exceedingly improving to the mind in a contemplation of the Divinity. It is a subject so vast, that all our thoughts are lost in its immensity; so deep, that our pride is drowned in its infinity. . . No subject of contemplation will tend more to humble the mind, than thoughts of God. . . But while the subject humbles the mind, it also expands it. . . I know nothing which can so comfort the soul; so calm the swelling billows of grief and sorrow; so speak peace to the winds of trial, as a devout musing upon the subject of the Godhead.”[1]
There are so many benefits we gain when we know God better and better. For example, how would you define God’s immutability? Immutability is not a word we use frequently—right? But we should know what it means—and how wonderful it is—that our God is immutable, because that means he never changes. He is perpetually the same in every respect.
In the beginning you laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands. They will perish, but you remain; they will all wear out like a garment…But you remain the same, and your years will never end (Psalm 102:25 – 27).
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever (Hebrews 13:8).
God has neither evolved, grown, nor improved. He is unaffected by anything outside himself. He is not influenced by the passing of time. He does not age. His power can never diminish; his glory can never fade.
Aren’t you glad when you wake up each morning, you don’t have to wonder if God still loves you? You may be rightfully concerned about the love or loyalty of some people in your life, but never, never do you need to wonder if God still loves you or if he’ll leave you. That’s because he is immutable; he never changes because he has no need for change. Meditate on that today; it will change your day.
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[1] Spurgeon, C. H. (1855, January 7). The Immutability of God. The Spurgeon Center. https:\/\/www.spurgeon.org\/resource-library\/sermons\/the-immutability-of-god\/#flipbook\/
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volume_upDecember 11, 2024 An Attribute a Day Keeps the Devil Away – 3
I’m reminding you of a few of God’s marvelous attributes because the more you know about God, the more you will live in his freedom, in his love, and for his glory. Your relationship with God—which no doubt spills over to all other relationships in your life—depends in large part on how well you know God and how consistently you try to know him better.
God does not want to be taken for granted. John Piper writes: “We get anesthetized to the unspeakable and appalling insult rendered to God, day in and day out by his being ignored. It starts to feel normal—the way it’s normal not to think about air or a solid earth under our feet.”
One way to make sure you’re not taking God for granted, not ignoring him, is to consistently dwell on his many wonderful attributes. For example, have you thought lately about the truth that God is supreme? That means he outranks everyone and everything. He fears nothing or no one.
You remember after the resurrection, before returning to Heaven, Jesus said that all authority had been given to him in Heaven and on earth. All authority! Jesus is supreme.
What does the supremacy of God mean to you—in your life? Someone put it this way: “Our lives are neither the product of blind fate nor the result of capricious chance, but every detail of them was ordained from all eternity and is now ordered by the living and reigning God. Not a hair of our heads can be touched without his permission.” That’s because our God and our Savior is supreme.
Here's the thing—if you and I made it a habit to dwell on at least one attribute of God each day, to thank God for it, to remind ourselves all through each day of one particular thing about God, there is no doubt our days would be better. The very thought of Jesus changes our attitudes; makes us thankful and humble and joyful. One attribute a day—that’s not hard to do, is it? Let’s begin today by praising God all through the day and the night that he is supreme, and no one can pluck you out of his hand.
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volume_upDecember 10, 2024 An Attribute a Day Keeps the Devil Away – 2
We’re taking a very limited look at some of the attributes of God because the more we know God, the more we are able to please him, to avoid temptation, and to bring glory to his name. Yesterday we began looking at the truth that God is infinite.
Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast (Psalm 139:7-10).
You cannot go where God is not. God is infinite in all he is. Whatever attribute of God you can name, it is limitless. One of my favorite songs says:
His love has no limits, his grace has no measure,
His power has no boundaries known unto men.
For out of his infinite riches in Jesus
He giveth and giveth and giveth again.
Out of his fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given (John 1:16).
What does God’s infinity mean to you? It means he never runs out of anything. It means his understanding of you and whatever you’re going through is total. He hasn’t missed a thing. He knows far more than you do because he knows everything, and his ability to handle your situations is limitless. There is nothing too hard for God. He is infinite!
Ask yourself if your concept of God is too small. How would a larger view of God affect the way you live? I have found that reciting God’s attributes regularly, thanking God for who he is, changes me. It gives me confidence, it gives me hope, it gives me peace. You might want to journal the attributes of God—put them in writing. Then make it a part of your prayer each day to thank God for who he is—for the truth that he is infinite in every way.
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volume_upDecember 7, 2024 Don’t Fight; Just Show Up!
I must confess that I am indeed a control freak. My nature and personality tend to give me that control mentality. I tend to be impatient and hate having to wait. I want to manipulate and call the shots and direct the action, instead of letting God be God. So today I'm preaching to myself and you're welcome to listen in. I’ve titled this devotional: \"Don't fight; just show up!\"
Do you recall the story found in 2 Chronicles 20, where Jehoshaphat was facing war with a bunch of enemies who could undoubtedly wipe him off the map? He was a godly king of Judah, and when he realized this vast army was marching his way, he was alarmed, frightened, worried! Who wouldn't be? But as soon as he saw his predicament, he resolved to inquire of the Lord and he proclaimed a fast for all Judah (2 Chronicles 20:3).
Notice how he responded to a crisis: He resolved to inquire of the Lord. What is the first thing you do when facing an overwhelming enemy of some sort? It could be a relationship enemy or a financial enemy or a jobless enemy or a health enemy—they come in all types and sizes. Our first emotional reaction is alarm; that's to be expected. But what does that alarm cause you to do?
Often the first thing I do is to plan my fight. Whatever the problem is, I start figuring how I can win this battle. I can do this or that; I can talk to this person or that one; I can pull this string or another one. Surely there is something I can do to fix this situation—and fix it fast! So, I start drawing up my battle plan.
Jehoshaphat knew better. He remembered to first \"inquire of the Lord.” What is your mission impossible today, your impossible person, your mountain too high to climb? Have you inquired of the Lord yet for his guidance? Or are you struggling and working and fretting to come up with your own battle plan so you can solve that problem?
Sometimes you need to just stop right where you are and inquire of the Lord. That means tell him that you trust him, you believe he is smarter than you are, and you admit your ideas usually make matters worse rather than solve anything. So, instead of fighting your battle today, you're going to inquire of the Lord as to what to do. That's the first important step.
Now please note the end of Jehoshaphat’s prayer as he inquired of the Lord: For we have no power to face this vast army that is attacking us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are upon you. (2 Chronicles 20:12).
Have you ever prayed that prayer? Many times, God doesn't move on our behalf until we come to this place where we quit maneuvering and manipulating and planning and working and admit we don't have the foggiest notion what to do and nothing we've tried so far has worked. That may be exactly what you need to do today, right now. Stop fighting and admit your own defeat.
Often, we run the gamut of our ideas before we turn it over to the Lord. For example, with a relationship problem, you may typically try all kinds of battle plans to fight that enemy. Many times, you’ve probably tried so hard to please another person to solve the problem, and you jump through all their hoops, only to discover the situation is no better.
Or you may decide to confront, get very assertive, and tell them a thing or two, and that backfires on you. Of course, there's always nagging to fall back on if you're trying to resolve a problem with another person. Sometimes you may even get vindictive and try to get your pound of flesh. You see, your battle plans—and mine—are pretty pitiful, and they'll never defeat the enemy.
Are you ready to admit defeat today with that person who is the bane of your existence right now? Are you ready to acknowledge you have no answers, no power, no plan, and you simply do not know what to do? If so, you are poised for God to intervene and do something on your behalf.
Now, does that mean you just sit down and quit? No, as we see in this story of Jehoshaphat, he had to show up at the battlefield,
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volume_upDecember 4, 2024 Claim the Name – 3
I’m examining the names—or titles—of Jesus that we can claim for whatever need we’re facing. For example, did you know Jesus is your heavenly Advocate?
My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One (1 John 2:1).
An advocate is someone who supports you, who pleads on your behalf. What an incredible truth as believers in Jesus Christ. We can claim this name of Jesus, that he is our Advocate with the Father.
Scripture tells us Jesus is seated at the right hand of God’s throne, and he is there to intercede for you, to plead on your behalf. That means you have the privilege of going right to God’s throne in prayer, and Jesus is there to plead your case.
The Bible tells us Satan is accusing us night and day before the Father (Revelations 12:10). Do you get the picture here? Satan is accusing you, but Jesus is at the right hand of God advocating for you. It’s like a scene from a courtroom, but the verdict is already determined. Satan can accuse all he wants, but he can’t win, because we have an Advocate, Jesus Christ.
Could it be you are now facing some failure on your part—something you did or said or failed to do that you know was wrong, was sinful? You know you have disobeyed God in some way and your conscience is really bothering you.
But what do you do? You go to your Advocate, to Jesus in prayer, and you claim his name—his authority—as your Advocate to plead your case to the Father for forgiveness. Just believe what the Bible says. You have an advocate with the Father when you sin, and Jesus, your Advocate, has all authority given to him in heaven and in earth. Do you think he will win your case for you? You can be totally confident if you confess your sin, your Heavenly Father will forgive you because you come to him through Jesus, your Advocate.
Claim the name today of Jesus, your Advocate, and know the freedom that comes through forgiveness and cleansing.
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volume_upDecember 3, 2024 Claim the Name – 2
What are you facing today that has you puzzled? Our lives are full of decision points, forks in the road where the choice we make will have some significant impact in our lives. How do you make good decisions? How can you be sure you’re choosing the right path?
For those of us who have placed our trust in Jesus as our Savior, we have access to him and the power of his name. And one of the most wonderful names given to Jesus is found in Isaiah 9:6.
He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6).
In one verse we have four of the incredible names given to our Lord, and at the top of the list is Wonderful Counselor.
What is the role of a counselor? It is to give guidance and trustworthy advice, right? As you’re facing some important decisions today, have you gone to Jesus for counsel, or are you just trying to figure it out on your own? His name is Wonderful Counselor—the best Counselor. Have you claimed the name of Jesus for the guidance you need?
I remember some years ago when I was facing a dilemma in my life, one that looked potentially dire and where the wrong decision could be catastrophic. I knew I needed good advice, so what did I do? I called my best friend, who just wasn’t available to me at that moment. I kept trying to reach her but to no avail, and I actually became irritated at her for not being there when I needed her. And as I paced the floor in frustration, trying to reach my friend, so clearly the Lord reminded me Jesus is my Wonderful Counselor. He is the one I needed to turn to first and fast, because his guidance is perfect.
I stopped and claimed the name of Jesus—Wonderful Counselor—and took the whole situation to him in prayer. He calmed my spirit and assured me he would guide my steps through this situation, and I could trust him. After all, he’s not like any other counselor—those who can be mistaken; instead, he is my wonderful, perfect Counselor.
I want to encourage you today, as you’re facing some decision point, some difficult situation, to first seek counsel from Jesus. Claim his name of Wonderful Counselor and call on him for the guidance you need. He’s always available. As a Christian you have instant access to his presence—no waiting around—and he is indeed a Wonderful Counselor in whom you can totally trust. Claim that name for yourself today.
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volume_upDecember 2, 2024 Claim the Name
The Bible makes it clear the name of Jesus is to be honored and respected above all other names.
Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father (Philippians 2:9-12).
The President of the United States is called President, Leader of the Free World, Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces, Head of a Political Party—and other titles that are given to him because he was elected President. Those titles represent his authority in various areas. Similarly, but in a much more important way, Jesus has been given names by God the Father that represent his authority, and as Christ-followers, we have access to the power of his name.
I want to focus on five of the many names in the Bible that describe Jesus, and I want to encourage you as a Christ-follower to claim his name for whatever need you are facing—to “claim the name.”
In Isaiah 7:14 we read the Messiah will be called Immanuel, which means “God with us.” This is a name of Jesus you can claim.
This means in the midst of whatever you’re facing, you stop and claim the truth that Jesus is “God with you.” You are not alone. He will never leave you or forsake you. It means in the middle of your pity party, when you are feeling sorry for yourself because you’re facing something all alone and you feel as though nobody cares, you can claim the name of Immanuel and know God is with you.
For those times when you feel forsaken or abandoned, when all your friends seem to have vanished, when the person closest to you doesn’t seem to understand what you’re going through, learn to tap into the power in the name of Jesus Immanuel—God with you. It’s true, but you must claim it for yourself—claim the name of Jesus Immanuel today and be encouraged because God is with you.
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volume_upNovember 30, 2024 Gratitude for the Compassion of Jesus
Presented by Lauren Stibgen
Think about the last time you really wanted someone to help you or a friend to commiserate with. You just needed someone to see your need, to reach out, and to show you well, compassion. If you are anything like me, I deploy what many would call a resilience strategy for my life so these moments when I am truly low or even physically hurting and I want someone to come alongside me are few and far between. I have met so many women like this—especially in the executive ranks. Perhaps as my friend Catherine Gates would say in her book, The Confidence Cornerstone, we have bought into a belief system in our culture that causes us as women to go it alone. Afraid of seeming vulnerable, sometimes, even when we really need it, we don’t seek or receive compassion from others well at all.[1]
I know one woman in the Bible who didn’t want compassion. In fact, in her sorrow, she wanted to go it alone. Naomi. Most of you know this story. Naomi and her husband, Elimelech flee to Moab with their two sons. The sons take foreign wives. Eventually, the husband and both sons die leaving Naomi, Ruth, and Orpah (not Oprah) widowed and alone. Naomi decides it is time to head back to Judah. In Ruth 1:8 Naomi tells her daughters-in-law, Go back, each of you, to your mother’s home. May the Lord show you kindness, as you have shown kindness to your dead husbands and to me.
Maybe she was showing compassion and gratitude for these women. We know Orpah returns to Moab and Ruth insists on going along with the widowed Naomi. We then see Naomi is bitter; she isn’t receiving the compassion Ruth is providing by staying with her and returning to a foreign land where she may not even be welcomed culturally. In Ruth 1: 20-21, we see Naomi asking to be called Mara or bitter because she went away full and returned empty. She was blind to receiving compassion from Ruth, instead focusing on her anger.
Faithful, Ruth redeems Naomi’s family lineage by being obedient and humble—ultimately marrying Boaz. In the end, God was compassionate on these women.
We are not made to do life alone. In fact, we see this as a command over and over in Scripture. We need compassion from others in our life, but most of all we need the compassion of Jesus Christ over our lives.
When we are overburdened, Jesus calls us to him.
Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light (Matthew 11:28-30).
He offers us peace.
Peace, I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid (John 14:27).
He tells us to abide with him.
Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me (John 15:4).
To me, the most compassionate part of all of this is knowing Jesus Christ died on the cross to bear my sins. This is the only way I have access to a Savior who carries my burdens, offers me peace, and helps me bear fruit if I am abiding with him.
Jesus was compassionate to death.
God has always wanted us to have access to his compassion. We see this repeatedly in the Old Testament.
Isaiah 30:18 states: Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you; therefore, he will rise up to show you compassion. For the Lord is a God of justice.
Again, in Isaiah 49:13: Shout for joy, you heavens; rejoice, you earth, burst into song you mountains! For the Lord comforts his people and will have compassion on his afflicted ones.
God loves us as his children. Psalm 103:13 states: As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him.
The ultimate compassion from God IS Jesus Christ. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son,
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volume_upNovember 29, 2024 Showing Compassion – 5
Presented by Lauren Stibgen
The race is on! You are now officially on the countdown to Christmas. Are you shopping the black Friday deals right now? Trying to finish all your shopping in advance of your next holiday celebration? Sales on this one day are expected to reach $10 billion dollars. Yes, billion. The rush of endorphins that come from this touted day of deals can be fun, but how can you show compassion this season as you prepare to give to others? Rather than a quick rush, can you turn this feeling into a long-lasting seasonal glow?
Let’s take a moment and orient ourselves to a biblical view on giving.
First, it is the Lord who gives us power to get wealth (Deuteronomy 8:18). We are called to steward what God gives us in God’s way, not our own. Even Jesus reminds us in Matthew 6:24 that we cannot serve God and money. What would happen to these $10 billion dollars if even 10%—a tithe—went to things that God cares about? That would be $1 billion dollars! References about tithing can be found in Numbers 18:26, Malachi 3:10, and Deuteronomy 14:22.
God gives us wealth; he reminds us we cannot serve him and money and tells us to bring our first fruits to him.
Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work (2 Corinthians 9:7-8).
Now, let’s think of who God asks us to show compassion to. Jesus is our greatest example of showing compassion.
For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me (Matthew 25:35-36).
God is good to give us a list of suggestions.
As you shop on black Friday, are there deals that could help you buy gifts for children in need? Local giving trees make it easy to know what to buy. Many communities also have ways you can sponsor food for those in need or give toward a coat drive for those of our listeners in colder climates.
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volume_upNovember 28, 2024 Showing Compassion – 4
Presented by Lauren Stibgen
Today is traditionally a time for gathering with family and friends. We often find ourselves kicking off the day with a turkey trot run and watching a parade followed by eating too much food and rooting for our favorite football teams. Some of us find time to serve in our community, bringing food to the less fortunate or serving a meal. One thing I bet all of us are doing is having conversations at the table we probably shouldn’t have.
We can all list the taboo topics of the table: politics, religion, money, marriage, friendly gossip. I mean, what better time to raise an issue than when we are all together! Cue the sarcasm. The aforementioned list is what NOT to talk about during your gathering. It has become too cultural to talk about what we talk about during the holidays.
Maybe your family has gotten smart and placed some boundaries around what to talk about. With religion on the taboo list, you may think this doesn’t help those of us trying to share the gospel with a family member we hope will want to know more about Jesus. Perhaps you have had your faith attacked during the holidays. You feel hopeless when it comes to sharing your love of Jesus with those around you.
Exodus 14:14 is one of my favorite bible verses:
The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be still (Exodus 14:14).
In these tense moments, your silence can show compassion. It is a choice not to allow yourself to engage in a discussion that doesn’t bring glory to God. Having the power in silence to know the Lord is fighting for you can compel even more compassion.
Instead of speaking, show great love to those around you by being present. Take interest in a conversation or maybe serve someone who has attacked your faith in the past. You are covered in the strength and mercy of the Lord.
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volume_upNovember 26, 2024 Showing Compassion – 2
Presented by Lauren Stibgen
During these weeks, we see many spikes in feelings. Especially those of sadness and loneliness. Holidays are often steeped in traditions. We think of meals, being at someone’s house, maybe even the last conversation we had with a loved one. But maybe this year is different. It could be someone who moved far from home for a new job or maybe family who is grieving the loss of a loved one. Perhaps someone is facing illness. Whatever is causing this, the feelings are deep.
Romans 12:15 calls us to rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep. We need to show compassion as these feelings come up, and we need to consider how to address them at work. Perhaps you are the one with these feelings, and if you are, know you are not alone. If you are not filled with these feelings and instead, are filled with excitement and joy for the season, consider the command of Romans 12:15.
In either position, this verse makes one thing clear—we should not face these feelings alone or allow others around us to feel alone. A 2023 survey found 61% of Americans expect to feel lonely or sad during the holidays. Wow, that is over half our population!
What could compassion look like during this season? As a manager or even as a colleague, I would suggest being a good listener and an even better question asker! Maybe you are already aware of someone’s hardship, but often, people keep to themselves because of embarrassment or for fear of burdening others.
Ensuring those around you have the proper resources is important. Depending on how complex or deep their feelings are could orient how you should best respond. When someone shares a burden with you, here are some ways to respond with compassion.
Offer to pray! Perhaps they are sad because they aren’t celebrating the same way they are used to, or maybe there is a struggle in their family. Offering to pray can help!
Is there someone on your team spending the holiday alone? Perhaps extend an invitation to join your family for the holiday!
Is a team member facing an illness or another hardship? If they can’t come spend the holiday with you, perhaps offering to help with their meal would go a long way.
If you sense the person’s loneliness or sadness is very deep and they express anything that suggests self-harm or a lack of desire for living, this can be very troubling. Have your company’s information about employee assistance programs handy—especially during the holidays. Even suggesting they reach out to speak to someone may be the nudge they need to ask for help. Part of showing compassion is being ready!
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volume_upNovember 25, 2024 Showing Compassion
Presented by Lauren Stibgen
For many businesses, the end of the year can be one of the busiest seasons. Coupled with the holidays quickly approaching, we are managing the balance of work and family with extra care during this time. As a leader, or manager you are likely deep into planning for the next fiscal year and facing the results of the current year. As an employee, you may be thinking about the company’s results as well, and what this means for your job. Without a doubt, this season is filled with uncertainty.
What does this have to do with compassion? When we face pressures at work, especially those that are financial in nature, it is easy to feel stress, and to focus on ourselves. First, if you are in a position to help set forth the financial plans in your company, a compassionate approach to budget formation might look different. Let’s think about Jesus feeding the 4000.
Jesus called his disciples to him and said, “I have compassion for these people; they have already been with me three days and have nothing to eat. I do not want to send them away hungry, or they may collapse on the way” (Matthew 15:32).
You know the story, his disciples fret and wonder how they will feed the crowds. They have seven loaves of bread and a few fish.
Let’s think of a worldview response. You are the person with enough. You hold the bread and fish, but you keep them all for yourself instead of trying to compassionately share the little you have.
As a leadership team, are you focused on your bonuses to the point of cutting other positions? Or are you thinking of ways to retain employees? Maybe you are considering cutting benefits programs that your employees rely on.
Now, while I realize sometimes you are called to make hard choices. I would challenge you to pray and consider how Jesus would see your workforce. He sees them like the 4000. How are you seeing them?
If you absolutely cannot influence your company and need to make cuts, what are things you can do for your employees? First, clear and compassionate communication is critical. If you do face a layoff, maybe it is a wonderful reference letter or an offer to make an introduction. Can you serve as a mentor in their search?
As an employee, these seasons can be stressful as you hear the office buzz about budgets and cuts or a rumor about merit increases—maybe there will be none. The pressure mounts—especially as you try to plan holidays with family.
You can have compassion too. I could tell you about the many women I pray with in leadership roles who have true broken hearts over decisions they have tried to compassionately influence but cannot. They are faced with making cuts and even having to often deliver bad news of a layoff. Being impacted feels so personal, but many of the Christian leaders I know are truly grieved at the impact they know job loss will have on their employees. I know many of our listeners don’t always work for a Christian leader. Consider the impact you might have on the person who delivers bad news to you. Your reaction just may change their life for the kingdom. Can you leave them asking why you are so hopeful? After all, God is compassionate for all of us. He loves us lavishly.
And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:19).
God is in control.
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volume_upNovember 23, 2024 Overflowing with Thankfulness
Paul wrote to the Colossians:
So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness (Colossians 2:6-7).
Overflowing with thankfulness—that's our goal if we have received Christ Jesus as our Lord and are continuing to grow in our faith. In other words, thankfulness is supposed to be a trademark of a Christian.
Now, ask yourself this question: Would people who know you well—who are around you often and see you in real-life environments regularly—describe you as a thankful person? Do you overflow with thankfulness? If something is overflowing, people would notice, don't you think?
This is a characteristic I've been trying to cultivate more and more in my life because I want to be thankful for all my many, many blessings. But also, because being thankful is a major stress buster! I'm not kidding; one of the best things you can do to reduce your stress, lower your blood pressure, and lengthen your life is to practice thankfulness.
Notice I said, \"practice thankfulness.” You see, it's really easy to get caught up in complaining because that's what we hear around us quite often. Don't you hear a good bit of griping and complaining where you work or even in your home? Well, you might have caught that disease without realizing it. So, you need to practice thankfulness.
Ephesians 5:19b-20 says: Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. And in First Thessalonians 5:18 we're told to give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.
Seems to me we have to find ways to remind ourselves to overflow with thankfulness. If you want to play the piano, you have to practice. If you want to dunk a basketball, you have to practice. Well, if you want to overflow with thankfulness, I think you have to practice that, too.
Here are some suggestions to help you do that.
Put a sign on your desk or refrigerator or your screen saver that says, \"Overflow with thankfulness today.” I think we just sometimes need simple reminders. It sure won't hurt.
Put on thankfulness each morning before you leave home. Colossians 3:12-15 gives us a list of garments we should put on each day as God's chosen people, and at the end of this list we read: And be thankful. So, while you're buttoning your shirt or putting on your shoes, just make a little ritual each day of saying, \"And I'm also putting on thankfulness to wear all day today.\"
Do the thankful alphabet. Start with A and go through Z, naming something starting with each letter for which you are thankful. You can have some fun with this; it's a great game to play in the car with your kids and you'll be teaching them to practice thankfulness. Just start and see how far you can get: A: I’m thankful for apples. B: I’m thankful for C: I’m thankful for cousins. D: I’m thankful for my dad. E: I’m thankful for Elizabeth, my friend. F: I’m thankful for football! And on you go. It’s fun, it’s uplifting, and it fills your heart with thanks. In fact, a fun idea might be to make a deck of alphabet thankful cards, which you can use at home or church or even on the job.
Make every Tuesday a Thankful Tuesday or each Thursday a Thankful Thursday. You can share this with your family or your coworkers and have some fun with it, and it will teach the joy of practicing thankfulness. On that day be very intentional about expressing what you have to be thankful for, perhaps as the family gathers for a meal, or in a casual conversation with coworkers. Remind others that it’s Thankful Tuesday or Thursday and encourage them to recite what they have to be thankful for. You’ll be surprised how others will be willing to join in with you if you’ll just get it started.
Sing songs of thanksgiving. You could sing \"Give Thanks with a Grateful Heart\" fo...
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volume_upNovember 22, 2024 How to Love People You Don’t Like – 5
Instead of feeling guilty because you don't like certain people, acknowledge they are not likable to you, but agree with God that you are willing to love them. Love them with his kind of love—agape love—which is an action, not necessarily a feeling.
It always helps to remember we're often unlikable to God, yet he never stops loving us. And it is that kind of love that should overflow from our lives to others. When that happens—when others can see we can love people who are not likable—we will have one of the strongest witnesses of God's grace we can ever have. You know if you can learn to love people you don't like, it has to be a miracle right from God. And that miracle in your life can cause others to be thirsty for the eternal water Jesus offers, which they see demonstrated in your life.
Here's my suggestion: Make a plan to love those people you don't like. Make a list of the people you find it difficult to like. Include what it is about them that makes them unlikable to you. Then, choose one unlikable person per week to focus on. Pray for that specific person each day of that week. Pray for the things you see in their lives that make them so unlikable. Pray God will help you to see and understand them the way he does. Pray for God's love to overflow from you to that person in some specific way sometime during the week.
If you will focus on one person per week and keep going through that list, what you'll discover is God can even change your feelings toward them. But regardless, you will be showing love to those unlikable people, and the changes you will see in yourself will astound you.
When you start learning to love them, they no longer can get to you like they used to. Oh, they may still have irritating habits and personalities, but they just will not bug you like before. It's amazing how that happens. You realize, \"Wow, I'm free from that awful dread of seeing them coming or having to deal with them, because even though I don't really like them, I really do love them the way Jesus does.”
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volume_upNovember 21, 2024 How to Love People You Don’t Like – 4
I'm examining loving people we don't really like so much. And we've seen God's kind of love—agape love—is not based on feelings, but it is an action. Our job is to learn to act in loving ways toward people, even the ones we don't like.
A prerequisite to developing love actions toward unlikable people is to pray for them. Sincerely, regularly pray for their welfare. Ask God to show you what love actions to take toward them. And pray for them. . . a lot! Jesus taught us to pray for our enemies, and those who despitefully use us.
Then, as you think about a certain person you don't like, decide which love actions would be appropriate for that person. Maybe it’s a lot of patience? Or compassion or endurance? Then set your will to act with those love actions toward that person.
A good friend shared how God put her in a job with people she just didn't like very much. She applied for a promotion, looking forward to moving away from those people. The selection process narrowed down to her and one other person, but she didn't get the job. And at first, she was angry at not being selected, until she realized God had left her in that job to learn how to love those people she didn't like.
She began what she called Project Love, and she looked for ways to develop relationships with those unlikable people. Her method was to invite them to have lunch with her, one per week. And she began to build bridges to these people and develop relationships with them. Of course, in doing that, she discovered they had burdens and problems, and they discovered she was a caring person. A few months later, she got that promotion she wanted, but she continues to keep in touch with those unlikable people she has now learned to love—and indeed to like, too. Several of them have turned to her for help in troubled times.
What a good idea—Project Love. Maybe you could start to find ways to reach out to those unlikable people with the love of Jesus Christ that is within you. What miracles we could see in our relationships if we'd do this more and more.
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volume_upNovember 20, 2024 How to Love People You Don’t Like – 3
Do you have any people in your life right now you just don't like very much? Chances are you do. Yes, even Christians have to admit we run into people who just rub us the wrong way. The question I'm addressing is: how can I love the people I don't like?
God hasn't told us to like everyone. There are people we simply cannot admire or enjoy. But Scripture gives us many directives to love others. We've seen God's kind of love—agape love—is not dependent on our feelings. Love is an action, not a feeling.
Well, if love is an action, what actions then are love actions? First Corinthians 13 is a good place to look for a list of love actions. They include:
Patience: When you act with patience toward someone, you are loving him or her. Keep in mind love is not a feeling, so we don't have to feel patient. Can you remember acting with patience even when you did not feel patient? That is agape love.
Kindness: When you feel like saying something sarcastic or cutting or angry, but instead you say something kind, that is a love action.
Not Jealous: When you refuse to behave jealously or possessively, you are showing love.
Has Good Manners: Just plain courtesy is a love action. How often we forget good manners, like not interrupting others when they're talking, letting others go ahead of us, etc. Those are love actions.
Unselfish: Agape love acts in an unselfish manner, without pursuing selfish advantage or trampling over others in trying to get where you want to get. Remember, don't wait to feel unselfish; show your love by acting unselfishly.
Endurance: When other people have given up and left, agape love will still be there, hanging in with someone. It will endure all things. It will keep listening to someone, even when you think you cannot listen to another word.
These are just a few of the many love actions available to us. And we can demonstrate these attitudes and actions toward people, whether we like them or not, by God's grace. Ask God to help you today to show love through your actions, even to that person you don't really like very much. Don't feel guilty about not liking them, just act toward them in loving ways, and watch what happens.
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volume_upNovember 19, 2024 How to Love People You Don’t Like – 2
Aren't you glad God's love for us is not based on how he feels about us? He may be, and I'm sure often is, very displeased with us as individuals, yet his love and goodness toward us are constant. That encourages me, because it means God does not require me to have good feelings toward everyone, and like you, I've discovered there are people I just don't like.
You don't have to like someone to love them. Webster defines like as to \"feel an attraction, tenderness or affection for\" someone. We say \"I like you because...\" and then list the things we like about the person.
But agape love says, \"I love you in spite of...\"—in spite of the things about you I may not like. We don't have to feel guilty about not liking everyone. It's okay! But we are commanded to love others.
Write it on a piece of paper and tape it to your mirror, your desk, over your sink, on your screen saver—wherever you will see it often: Love is not a feeling, love is an action!
I'm sure there were people Jesus did not like. Ever read what he said to the religious hypocrites of his day? Pretty direct. I don't think he liked them very much at all. But I know he loved them, because he died for them. Love is not a feeling; love is an action. This is our responsibility—to love others, whether we like them or not.
Paul said in his letter to the Romans the Holy Spirit, who was given to us, has poured out the love of God within our hearts (Romans 5:5). Think about God's love for you. John wrote: To us, the greatest demonstration of God's love for us has been his sending his only Son into the world to give us life through him. We see real love, not in the fact that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son to make personal atonement for our sins.
And remember, God loves those people you don't like just as much as he loves you. Let God's love pour all over you and fill you. Remember how he loves you, even when you're not very lovable. That's the beginning of learning how to love other people, even the ones you don't like so much.
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volume_upNovember 16, 2024 The Action of Compassion
Presented by Lisa Bishop
Several years ago, someone said something that left a deep impression on me. “Treat everyone as if their heart is breaking because it probably is.” Now, that may sound strange but let me explain. We know to be human is to experience suffering. No one on the planet will go through life without some form of hardship, heartache, loss, pain, or disappointment. We all will experience seasons of suffering; there’s no escaping it. You most likely have already experienced your own version of suffering, and everyone you come into contact with, if they haven’t already, will too. And that is the sentiment behind the thought, “Treat everyone as if their heart were breaking, because it probably is” … or has or will at some future time. So be mindful that there’s often more going on with people than meets the eye.
You and I are acutely aware of our heartaches, yet we can often miss the clues when people around us are experiencing their own form of hardship. I’ve learned that suffering can wear many faces. It can express itself through anger, addiction, inflicting pain on others, outbursts, depression, anxiety, and pride, which can be an unconscious defense against vulnerability and the hidden pain of shame.
I don’t like to admit it, but I can find myself getting impatient when people act out or do not behave the way that I think they “should.” It can be easier to turn to judgment rather than curiosity. What I mean is that we can be prone to making judgments about a person’s behavior rather than taking the time to understand the underlying issues that may be driving it.
In his book, A Grief Observed, a collection of reflections on his experience of heartache following the death of his wife, theologian C.S. Lewis writes, “I sat with anger long enough until she told me her real name was grief.” [1]
Isn’t that such a deep and profound insight?
When we witness a co-worker’s outburst or a friend’s off-putting behavior, are we quick to distance ourselves or to come alongside to see what grief, pain, or disappointment they may be hiding behind? While the customs of the world teach us to criticize and condemn when people act that way, you and I, as image bearers of Jesus, are called to a higher way.
In his letter to the church in Colasse, the Apostle Paul gave a clear call to followers of Jesus. As God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, along with kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience (Colossians 3:12).
The definition of compassion is, “The deep awareness of the suffering of another accompanied by the desire to relieve it.”
To clothe yourself is to intentionally put on compassion and let it drive your heart and your actions.
Compassion goes beyond empathy. Empathy is about putting yourself in someone else’s position and feeling what they might feel in a situation. Empathy is a necessary emotion and something we should regularly make a habit of. Empathy takes time to listen to others, deeply listen, without judgment or agenda.
When you listen empathically to someone you are not trying to fix them or give them advice; you have a heart posture to truly seek to understand, be present, and listen in a way that the person feels heard and valued.
Compassion takes empathy a step further. Compassion is about recognizing someone's emotions and wanting to help them. It’s “empathy in action.” More than words or sentiments, compassion not only listens, but it also responds in a way that desires to come alongside and lend a helping hand.
We know compassion is a characteristic of God. As his image bearers, Jesus has given us the ability to feel compassion and be moved by it to act on behalf of others. We see the compassion of the Lord on display throughout the Old Testament as well as numerous stories of the compassion of Jesus in the New Testament.
In the gospel of Luke, an expert of religious law asked Jesus:
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volume_upNovember 13, 2024 Compassion Killer – 3
Presented by Lisa Bishop
Let’s examine a total hindrance to showing the tenderness of Jesus, and that’s unforgiveness.
Jesus addressed forgiveness directly in Matthew 18:21-22 when Peter asks how many times he should forgive someone who sins against him. Jesus responds, I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times. This radical call to forgive is rooted in the holy understanding that holding onto grudges only harms us and hinders our ability to love others.
When I think of forgiveness, I am always struck by the story of Joseph and his brothers. I highly recommend reading the full story in Genesis but here is the gist. Out of animosity and anger, Joseph’s older brothers plotted to kill him. While their hatred did not end in murder, they sold Joseph into slavery in Egypt, which set off a slew of circumstances, not all of them favorable for Joseph. While he initially found favor with Pharaoh and became a trusted leader in his household, in a turn of events, Joseph came under false accusation and endured jail time.
Things eventually ended up in Joseph’s favor because God’s favor was on him, but his brother's actions set off a firestorm of hardship for Joseph. Years later when Joseph was confronted with his brothers, instead of holding a grudge and exacting punishment, he chose to forgive them.
Not many of us will experience someone trying to take our life, but we may experience someone trying to ruin our reputation, a coworker or boss who acts rudely or in ways that cause us to feel belittled, a roommate who violates a living agreement or maybe a friend who betrays a confidence. I am not saying any of those things are excusable behaviors, but as followers of Jesus, we are commanded to forgive.
Unforgiveness will impact every area of your life. It quenches the work of the Holy Spirit and causes depression, anxiety, and anger. Unforgiveness leaks into other areas of our lives, and it hardens our hearts.
Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you (Ephesians 4:32).
When we cling to unforgiveness, we shut ourselves off from the very compassion we are called to extend. Who in your life may God be calling you to forgive? Can I encourage you to surrender your bitterness to Jesus? Let his compassion for your hurt transform your heart so you can overflow with compassion for others.
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volume_upNovember 12, 2024 Compassion Killer – 2
Presented by Lisa Bishop
We’re examining five compassion killers—things that can hinder our compassion toward others. Let’s tackle another compassion killer, and that’s busyness.
In our fast-paced world, it’s easy to become so preoccupied with our own lives that we are not in tune with what others around us are going through. When we’re consumed by our schedules, juggling work, family, and countless responsibilities, rushing from one task or activity to another, we may miss ways to see and step into the pain and needs of others. In his ministry, Jesus modeled a different approach. He often paused amid the chaos, offering kindness and attention and engaging with those in need, and he calls us to slow down and look around—to look for opportunities to do the same.
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God (2 Corinthians 1:3-4).
We have been comforted so we can be conduits of compassion to others. Maybe a coworker is experiencing a personal loss, disappointment in being passed over for a promotion, or another challenging life event.
A way we can show compassion is by listening empathically. When we listen empathically, we are not trying to fix someone, give them advice, or share our “that happened to me too” stories.
Rather we listen with the intent to deeply understand another person in a way they feel heard and valued. Think of the last time someone truly listened to you. In difficult times, genuine listening can help people pull through. What distractions might be blinding you to the suffering of others?
Take time this week to spend a moment in silence, reflect and ask yourself, “What in your life pulls you away from being present with others? How can you carve out time to be more aware of those around you? What would it require of you to step into the needs of others? Maybe it’s courage or sacrificing your time or comfort.
Before the start of your workday, make it a habit to pray. Ask the Holy Spirit, “Who can I demonstrate compassion toward today?”
When we slow down long enough to be present to those around us, Jesus shows us many opportunities for his compassion to flow through us.
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volume_upNovember 11, 2024 Compassion Killer
Presented by Lisa Bishop
We are examining five things that can squash our compassion for others. Let’s call them, “compassion killers.” I know, not exactly the most compelling title, but you get the point. We know compassion is a character of Jesus you and I are called to emulate, yet it can sometimes be difficult to communicate.
Let’s start out by getting a baseline understanding of compassion. Compassion is being so moved emotionally and internally when we see someone experiencing pain or suffering, that we are compelled to act outwardly in a way that comes alongside and shows care. Compassion is accompanied by a desire to help alleviate a person’s distress in some way.
What can stifle the beautiful gift of compassion in our hearts? The fact that we at times can have a hard time grasping and receiving the compassion that has been shown to us by Jesus.
As a father shows compassion to his children, so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him (Psalm 103:13).
Growing up, many of us may not have experienced a compassionate earthly father, so trying to grasp and take in the fact that God your heavenly Father longs to show you compassion can be hard.
The Lord longs to be gracious to you; therefore, he will rise up to show you compassion (Isaiah 30:18).
As a follower of Jesus, the Lord has compassion on you. If you find it difficult to receive and experience the compassion of God, it will be very difficult for you to genuinely overflow it to others.
Think about how many times you have belittled yourself, been self-critical, or berated yourself for a shortcoming or a mistake. Or I wonder how many times you have gone through a difficult time and rather than receiving the merciful voice of compassion from God, you find your self-talk saying, “just get over it.”
When we have a “suck it up” attitude rather than settling into the loving and grace-filled heart of Jesus, our hearts can grow numb and calloused and lack the capacity for compassion.
If you are struggling to feel the compassion of Jesus towards you, ask him to help you. Ask the Holy Spirit to highlight any faulty thinking about God, yourself, or false beliefs about your worth and identity in him. Wherever it is, the Lord will surely show you because he longs to be gracious to you. And when you experience compassion to greater degrees, you will be compelled to have compassion toward others.
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volume_upNovember 9, 2024 The Transforming Power of Love Part Two
God’s love has the power to transform us. Have you experienced his transforming love? Perhaps you have been born from above through faith in Jesus Christ, but you still aren’t basking in the incredible truth that the God of the universe loves you—knows your name, is intimately acquainted with all your ways, wrote all your days in his book before one of them came to be, and holds you in the palm of his hand. The Apostle John refers to himself in his Gospel as “the one Jesus loves,” not arrogantly or proudly, because of course he knew God so loved the world that he gave his only Son. But his identity was based on the knowledge that Jesus loved him.
I want to encourage you to make it a point to start each day by reminding yourself of this mind-blowing truth—you are the one Jesus loves. The more you are aware of God’s love for you, primarily displayed in Jesus, the more that love will transform you and the more you’ll be able to love others in ways that will transform them.
In part one of this talk, I encouraged you to start each day reading 1 Corinthians 13, which is the ultimate description of God’s kind of love, the love we should be expressing to others. And we saw that love is an action, not necessarily a feeling. It is choosing to act in loving ways, whether your emotions cooperate or not. And when we begin to act in loving ways, good things happen.
For example, here’s a couple of changes that are often the result of loving people with God’s kind of love:
Love has the power to inspire someone to greatness.
Do you know someone who is wasting their potential? Maybe they don’t even know they have potential, or perhaps they’re fearful of trying. I wonder if they knew you see potential in them, if you loved them by encouraging them, could it empower them to reach their potential?
Do you remember when Jesus called Simon as a disciple and gave him the name of Peter? He referred to Peter as a rock and said Peter would play a pivotal role in establishing the early church and spreading the gospel. Was Simon Peter a rock when Jesus called him? No, he had a long way to go before he reached “rock status,” but Jesus called him what he would become, and Peter became the rock of the early church.
I have a dear friend who many years ago was bothered by a stutter. But I saw potential in her; she had the instincts of a performer, and so I encouraged her to take small parts in a ministry at church that put her in front of people. She loved doing it, so she joined Toastmasters, where she learned to make presentations. Now she is very polished and gifted as a speaker and actor, and that stutter has been conquered. I just loved the potential I saw in her, and she has done what she never thought she could do as a result.
Love has the power to heal wounds and bind up the brokenhearted.
I love this verse from Isaiah 61:1
The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners.
We have the incredible privilege as we spread the love of Jesus to help people find freedom from their past, freedom from what has held them in bondage. And when you reach out to such a person because of your love for them and your desire to see them released from their darkness, you become an agent of transformation.
I think of a woman who knew something was missing in her life, even though she was very successful, had the job she always dreamed of, and made the money she planned to make. Then a coworker lived the gospel in front of her, every day showing peace and kindness and contentment in a place where chaos reigned. Finally, she started a conversation with him, and he encouraged her to read the Bible. After several months and many conversations, she came to saving faith in Jesus, and her life was totally transformed—totally.
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volume_upNovember 8, 2024 Fran and Jesus on the Job – Compassion for a Lazy Worker – 5
Fran had lunch with Joyce, an assistant in her department, who is a single mom like Fran. Jesus has asked Fran to pray for Joyce and try to get to know her.
As they eat lunch, Joyce pours out her story of her ex-husband’s negligence in paying child support and the day care center that is threatening to refuse to take her son because Joyce is behind in her payments. As Joyce brushes away tears, Fran says to her, \"Oh, Joyce, I understand; there’s nothing more important than your son and his care while you work. How much money do you owe the day care center?\"
\"I'm behind about $400. And Fran, I just don't have any money,\" Joyce replies.
\"What about your family?\" Fran asks, \"Can they help you?\"
\"Family? Are you kiddin'? My family...\" her voice trails off. It's too painful for her to even talk about.
An idea occurs to Fran, and she says, \"Look, Joyce, our church has a fund to help people who are in financial trouble. As a member, I can request help for you. Would it be okay if I request that they help you pay what you owe the day care center?\"
Joyce looks at Fran in bewilderment. \"You'd do that for me? But why?\"
\"Why? Just because you need help, and I want to help you. I'd pay it myself if I could. Now, I can't guarantee they'll do it, but at least I can ask. Okay?\"
\"Yeah, okay...” Joyce puts her head in her hands and sobs quietly.
Fran reaches across the table and takes her hand. \"You know, Joyce, it's not an accident that I invited you to lunch today, is it? I believe it's God's way of showing you he loves you and is going to take care of you.\"
Joyce looks up. \"I'm not sure I even believe there is a God, Fran, but I appreciate your help. Sorry I'm so emotional; it's just that...well, I've been so worried about Toby. You've at least given me some hope.\"
Well, Fran has discovered that Joyce is in her life so that she can show her the love of Jesus. Anybody in your life right now who needs some compassion and understanding? Remember, that person is not in your life by accident.
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volume_upNovember 7, 2024 Fran and Jesus on the Job – Compassion for a Lazy Worker – 4
Fran is learning from Jesus that she can show compassion toward people, even when she doesn't really like them. Fran's challenge from Jesus is to get to know Joyce, an assistant in her department who is negative and lazy. He has suggested she first pray for Joyce every day and then invite her to lunch.
It's the next day, and Fran did pray for Joyce before she left home and asked Jesus to help her see Joyce the way he sees her. As Fran arrives at the office, she looks for Joyce to invite her to lunch. Joyce gives Fran a sour look.
\"You got more changes to that proposal?\" she asks with irritation.
\"No,\" Fran replies with a chuckle, \"I just wanted to know if you're available for lunch, Joyce—my treat?\"
The look on Joyce's face is a mixture of surprise and suspicion. \"What's this all about?\"
\"Not about anything—just lunch,\" Fran responds. Joyce agrees, reluctantly, and they set up a time.
After her morning meeting, Fran walks out to Joyce's desk, and finds her talking on the phone to a friend. She hangs up, and they head next door to the coffee shop. As they sit down Joyce looks at Fran nervously and says, \"You've had me worried all morning. I figure you're gonna chew me out about something.\"
Fran looks in her eyes and for the first time sees the fear and loneliness there. She says, \"No, Joyce, honestly, no hidden agenda here. I just realized yesterday that you and I have worked together for six months but I really don't know you. I realized we have something in common. I'm a single mom, like you.\"
Joyce is still a little suspicious, but she starts to relax. \"Yeah, I know. It's tough, isn't it? How do you manage with two kids? I can barely make it with one.\"
Fran replies, \"Well, my kids are a little older, but I remember the terrible two's. Your son is two, right? What's his name?\"
\"Toby,\" Joyce's face lights up as she starts to talk about her son. \"Yeah, he's a hand full, but he's so cute.” She shows Fran a picture.
“Who keeps him while you work?” Fran asks.
\"Day care center—very expensive. In fact, I'm behind in paying them. My ex hasn't paid any support in months,\" Joyce pours out her story to Fran. \"I don't know what I'm going to do, Fran.” Tears start down her cheek, and she quickly tries to hide them.
Fran thinks, \"You're right, Lord, this woman needs a friend. She's not in my life by accident.”
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volume_upNovember 5, 2024 Fran and Jesus on the Job – Compassion for a Lazy Worker – 2
What does it mean to show compassion to someone who irritates you? Fran is running into that problem at work, as we continue our story of Fran and Jesus on the Job. This ongoing story is told to remind all of us that Jesus is with us at all times, and we need to be aware of his presence. It truly makes a difference, as Fran has learned many times.
Today Fran is rushing to get a proposal revised and her assistant, Joyce, tends to be lazy and less than helpful. Expecting a negative reaction, Fran heaves a sigh and heads to Joyce's desk. \"Joyce, here are the last changes to the Walton proposal. Please make those changes and reprint it for me. I'll need it before you leave today if you don't mind,\" Fran says, trying to sound pleasant.
\"If I don't mind?\" Joyce replies. \"Well, I do mind. It's 4:00, and I leave here at 4:30. Why'd you wait so late to give it to me?\" Joyce snatches it from Fran's hand as she slowly puts down the magazine she was reading.
\"Joyce, I just got the changes from Marilyn. You know it has to be done today. Sorry, but that's the way it is,\" Fran says with irritation in her voice.
Jesus nudges Fran. \"Remember, sweetness of speech increases persuasiveness.” Jesus brings a verse from Proverbs to her mind.
\"But, Lord,\" she replies, \"all I'm asking is for her to do her job. If she'd get busy, she could have it done pretty fast. I just don't feel like babying her; she doesn't deserve it.\"
\"If you run on your feelings, Fran,\" Jesus reminds her, \"you'll never be able to be a consistently compassionate person because you won’t always feel like it.”
Fran turns to Joyce again, and with great effort says, \"Look, Joyce, I know it's late; I wish I could have gotten it to you sooner. But I really would appreciate your help. I don't think you'll have to work much past 4:30. I'll be in my office if you have any questions.\"
\"Much better,\" Jesus whispers to Fran.
She says, \"Well, I said it through clinched teeth.\"
\"That's okay,\" he replies, \"you showed some compassion instead of showing your irritation.”
\"Well,\" she whispers back, \"I would never have done it if you hadn't been here.\"
\"That's the whole idea, Fran,\" Jesus says to her. \"That's why I'm with you all the time—to give you the power to do what you could never do by yourself.\"
Joyce's voice almost startles Fran. \"Okay, well, yeah—okay, I'll try to get it done.” Fran can see a slight change in her attitude.
\"Thanks, Joyce,\" she says.
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volume_upNovember 4, 2024 Fran and Jesus on the Job – Compassion for a Lazy Worker
Getting along with coworkers is not always the easiest thing to do, is it? I’m exploring our story of Fran and Jesus on the Job, as Fran runs into a problem with one of her coworkers. I continue these episodes because many of you have told me they really help you to understand that Jesus is with you all day on your job, and you've been practicing his presence better as a result.
On this particular day Fran is rushing to get a proposal finished for an early meeting tomorrow with a new prospect. She thinks, “I’ll be glad when this is finished; Marilyn made a few more changes. Now I've got to get Joyce to make the changes and reprint it. I just dread even approaching Joyce. She has such a rotten attitude. When you ask her to do anything, she's as sour as a lemon, she's lazy, and her work is poor.”
She can hear the quiet voice of Jesus say: \"Yes, she presents a challenge for you, doesn't she?\"
\"Well, challenge is a nice way to put it. She drives me crazy! After all, she is the assistant for the department. It's her job to help us with these projects. But she acts like she's doing you a favor when she does her job. I just can't stand people with lazy attitudes.” Fran expresses her feelings.
\"Fran,\" Jesus quietly responds, \"don't forget, no one is in your life by accident.\"
Fran stops in her tracks to ponder that thought. \"No one is in my life by accident? Yeah, but...” Fran pauses. \"You mean, Lord, you have purposely allowed Joyce into my life? You want to cause me grief and frustration? What good does Joyce do me?” Fran’s self-centered thoughts are showing.
Again, she can hear Jesus say, \"You may not think Joyce is doing you any good, but have you forgotten I often work in you through other people? And besides, Joyce needs you in her life.\"
Fran really doesn't want to hear that. She knows she should be compassionate and caring toward Joyce, but that's just asking too much. \"Look, Lord, all Joyce has to do is what she's paid to do. I'm not supposed to baby her when she's so lazy, am I?\"
\"No, not baby her, but love her,\" Jesus responds. \"You know, I love her—just as much as I love you.\"
Fran wrinkles her nose. Not exactly what she wanted to hear.
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volume_upNovember 2, 2024 The Transforming Power of Love Part One
When we talk about being transformed, we’re talking about something very strong. It’s not a word to throw around because it means a real change in our nature or character or appearance. It signifies a turning point, something permanent, not temporary. So, what would you identify as the transformational points in your life? What person or situation or event has made a truly significant difference in your life—for the better?
If you think carefully about it, my guess is that the transformational points in your life came as a result of love. Love has the power to transform us.
For example, getting to know Jesus and accepting his gift of salvation certainly transforms our nature, doesn’t it? The Bible says we become new creations in Christ; the new has come, the old has gone. The love of God transforms us like no other love ever could.
No wonder John 3:16 is the favorite verse in the Bible for many people. For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. It’s because of this incredible love we can have eternal life. I love the old hymn that begins “Loved with everlasting love, led by grace that love to know.” And then ends by declaring, “In a love that will not cease, I am his and he is mine.” (George Wade Robinson, “Loved with Everlasting Love,” 1838-1877).
Knowing I am the one Jesus loves has transformed me. How about you? I simply can’t get through that hymn without tears of joy just knowing how God—the God of all the universe—loves me. Love is transformational. There’s no doubt about it.
Have you been transformed by the power of the love of Jesus? Have you accepted his free gift of salvation by confessing your sins and believing that he is the Son of God who paid the price for your sin, because he loves you? If not, there is no doubt you have an empty space inside of you that is love-starved for Jesus, and I would urge you even today to simply confess your sins to him and accept the love he offers.
It is God’s love for us that transforms us, and then, it is our privilege and responsibility to share that love with others. Romans 5:5 tells us that God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us. When we are born into God’s family through faith in Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit comes to live in us, and he simply pours God’s love into our hearts.
Then, when we have received God’s unconditional love, we are admonished throughout Scripture to love as we have been loved by God.
John 13:34- 35: A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.
Romans 12:10: Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.
Matthew 22:37- 39: Jesus replied: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’
Is there someone in your life right now who is trouble for you? Could be a co-worker or a boss, a child or a mate, a friend or foe. You know what they need? Love. I know—they’re probably not very lovable right now, but that doesn’t change the fact that they need love! What could you do today to show love to that person—undeserved, unconditional love? Maybe it’s a phone call or a note or a gift or a listening ear. Maybe it’s a lack of criticism and condemnation, a willingness to love them as they are, in their unlovable condition.
But here’s the roadblock we often encounter: How can you love someone when you don’t feel it? How can you show love when someone isn’t loving you back; when they are not lovable; when they may not deserve your love? Well, this is where God’s love in us has to kick in, and the good news is, love—God’s kind of love—is expressed in actions, not necessarily in feelings.
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volume_upNovember 1, 2024 Attitudes for Everyday Life – 5
Presented by Lisa Bishop
We are examining the 5 attitudes for everyday life, and today let’s look at what the apostle Paul writes about having a Christ-like attitude.
Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus (Philippians 2:3-5).
These verses challenge us to align our attitudes with the very heart and mind of Jesus. They’re a reminder we are called to reflect Jesus in our daily lives.
But what does it mean to have a Christ-like attitude?
First, it means embracing humility. Even though he was God, Jesus didn’t cling to his divine privileges. Instead, he emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant (Philippians 2:7). A Christ-like attitude doesn’t elevate self, seek status or recognition, but is willing to serve others selflessly. When we have an attitude like Jesus we find joy in lifting others up. We find ways to be generous with our words, our finances, our resources, and our time, even when it costs us something.
Second, a Christ-like attitude is marked by love and compassion. Throughout the Gospels, we see Jesus moved with compassion, whether he’s feeding the hungry, healing the sick, or comforting the brokenhearted. His love wasn’t conditional or reserved for those who thought the same way he did or could give him something in return. Jesus’s love was freely given to all. In our daily lives, we are called to mirror this love—offering grace, kindness, and forgiveness, even when it’s hard or we think someone does not deserve it.
Third, a Christ-like attitude is characterized by obedience and surrender to God’s will. Jesus prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane, not my will, but yours be done (Luke 22:42). He was obedient to the point of death on a cross. Similarly, we are called to surrender our desires and plans to God, trusting his ways are higher, and his plans are perfect. This requires a heart that is willing to listen, to be led, and to follow wherever he may guide us.
Living with a Christ-like attitude isn’t easy when we operate in the flesh. It requires renewing our heart and mind with God’s Word and prayer, abiding in Jesus, and relying on the Holy Spirit. As we grow in our relationship with God, we display more of his character. We reflect his heart, and our attitudes bring glory to him in everything we do.
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volume_upOctober 31, 2024 Attitudes for Everyday Life – 4
Presented by Lisa Bishop
We are examining the 5 attitudes for everyday life, and today, let’s talk about the attitude of curiosity.
Have you ever found yourself in a situation where you thought you were right about something or someone only to get more information and find out you were dead wrong? I know I have too many times to count.
Our brains have a tendency to jump to conclusions rather than asking clarifying questions, and that can cause us to make assumptions. And when we do, it can damage our relationships. If we are not careful our rash reaction can impact our witness as followers of Jesus too.
My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires (James 1:19-20).
What do these verses have to do with taking on an attitude of curiosity? When we do not heed these wise words and instead find ourselves reacting with certainty rather than pausing and engaging our curiosity we tend to operate from a place of judgment. We come from an “I know I am right” attitude, but the reality is we often do not have the full picture. We have a tendency to presume we know all the facts when in reality we rarely do.
When that co-worker, spouse, or friend does or says something and you are convinced you know their motive and intention, rather than presuming to know what is true, get curious!
One way to do this is to switch from the mindset of “I bet,” to “I wonder.”
Rather than, “I bet my co-worker is withholding information from me,” switch to, “I wonder why I haven’t received an update on that project yet. There must be a variable I am unaware of.”
Or move from, “I bet my friend didn’t return my text because she’s not that interested in our friendship,” to “I wonder why my friend hasn’t replied. She must have forgotten or has a lot going on.”
Now, it may turn out your co-worker is withholding information, or your friend is distancing herself, but that’s not the point. The point is our assumptions are more often inaccurate, and we all know what assuming can do. It can make us look like a fool. The next time you are quick to judge and jump to conclusions, move from “I bet,” to “I wonder,” believe the best, and see what moving from certainty to curiosity can do.
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volume_upOctober 30, 2024 Attitudes for Everyday Life – 3
Presented by Lisa Bishop
I’m examining the 5 attitudes for everyday life, and today I want to invite you to reflect on this question, “Are you an encourager?”
Think about it. The dictionary defines encouragement as words or behavior that give someone the confidence to do something.
In other words, when we encourage someone, we give courage to them.
I was flying home from a work trip the other day when a text came through right before takeoff. It was from a woman I had not seen or talked to in two years and out of the blue her words of encouragement came through. They brought tears to my eyes and were like water to my soul.
Gracious words are like a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the body (Proverbs 16:24).
When you speak goodhearted words, it breathes life into people. The words you speak can bring healing.
A few weeks ago, I was having lunch with a friend, and I started chatting up the young man who was preparing our order. I commented about how much I appreciated his kind disposition. You should have seen the look on his face. He lit up, flashed a huge smile, and then proceeded to tell me I just made his day. I don’t say this to toot my own horn but rather to share an example of how easy it can be to breathe life into people around us every day. How do you use your words to strengthen those around you? Think about people at work. Who can you give sincere words of encouragement to? Simply point out something you appreciate about who they are and the value they bring to the team. Studies show people who feel appreciated at their job have more joy and greater satisfaction.
I don’t know why, but we can be so stingy with our words when it doesn’t take much to make a positive impact on someone. I think we can all agree there is a shortage of kindness these days. Whether in the workplace, at home, or at the grocery store, there’s no limit to the love and light of Jesus that we can spread when we use our words to water another person’s soul.
As you go about your days, look for ways to breathe life into people with your words. Be an encourager. Say a kind word. You just never know the impact you can have, and what you say may just be the boost someone needs to keep going in their day.
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volume_upOctober 29, 2024 Attitudes for Everyday Life – 2
Presented by Lisa Bishop
We’re examining the 5 attitudes for everyday life, and today, let’s look at our approachability.
How approachable are you? Do people find it easy to interact with you, or are you prickly, perhaps a bit dismissive, distracted, or disengaged?
Sometimes we can unintentionally put off an attitude that deters people from wanting to interact with us. Not too long ago, I worked with someone who frequently put off a grumpy vibe. Needless to say, it wasn’t super pleasant to work with him when his attitude was like a big dark rain cloud. As I prepared myself to go to work, I wondered, “Am I going to get the pleasant version or the wet blanket?” His demeanor created an uncomfortable atmosphere of walking on eggshells.
Now, we all have bad days, myself included, but if we find ourselves in a pattern of being easily irritated or edgy, we carry an imaginary sign that says do not disturb and disrupt our connection with people. We can damage relationships at home and the office, and our witness as followers of Jesus is hampered.
Digital distractions can also compromise our kinship with people. In this age of technology, there are way too many opportunities to check out of conversations and miss truly connecting with people around you. We want to consciously build connections with people, not send mixed signals. This can be particularly challenging when our plates are full, but we never want to be so busy we blow past investing in relationships.
When I think about ways of being that communicate approachability, I am reminded of Galatians 5:22-23.
The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23).
We need to be asking ourselves, “Does my attitude reflect the fruit of my faith?” “Do people feel loved, cared for, and included by me?” “Do I exude joy even in challenging or stress-filled circumstances?” “Am I patient and kind at work even when it’s crunch time?”
As followers of Jesus, we have a tremendous opportunity and responsibility to behave in ways becoming of Jesus; ways that put the glory of God on display. Our lives and demeanors are meant to invite people to engage with us, not turn them away. As you go about your day, how can you behave in a way that creates an invitation for connection and gives people the feeling that you are approachable?
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volume_upOctober 26, 2024 Imposter Syndrome
Presented by Lauren Stibgen
I think most of us have had moments of self-doubt. That moment when you deeply question a decision or words you used in a meeting or in discussion with a friend. Maybe you are left feeling like an imposter. Imposter syndrome is a term that first emerged in the 1970s. Although I noted that both men and women can experience feelings associated with imposter syndrome, the research was rooted in a study of how family patterns contribute to these feelings in women. The researchers, Clance and Imes, found these patterns were born of sibling comparison, and on the opposite end of these women were parents who overly praised accomplishments and supported perfectionist behaviors. Essentially, self-worth is equal to achievement. It didn’t really matter if the self-doubt was caused by comparison or by over attribution of self-worth with achievement. Both instances had the same impact.
There are also some innate personality traits that lend to imposter syndrome. These include low self-efficacy: a low sense of your own ability of success, perfectionism: overthinking of a situation or your words, neuroticism: which is linked to higher anxiety, tension, or guilt, and social anxiety: feeling like you don’t belong in a social setting.
Feelings of imposter syndrome represent a gap between your own self-perception and the way others perceive you. For example, if someone praises you, you may not believe what they say or feel you have truly earned the merit or the promotion. Playing these feelings on repeat can lead to a pattern of overwork where you feel like you need to become worthy of the role you have, make up for where you feel lacking in intelligence or even hiding from others where you feel most vulnerable.
I would argue these feelings of self-doubt have escalated tremendously with the emergence of social platforms which are used to showcase our personal to professional lives. We live in a world of over curation—thinking about how your comments or pictures “fit” into whatever social or professional landscape you may be traversing in. LinkedIn is no longer the digital resume it used to be. It is a platform for thought leadership where algorithms are fed with impressions, likes, and comments! Ted Talks, new book announcements, a conference, a new position, a promotion. Everything is heralded about our professional lives.
What about when this imposter syndrome creeps into our faith? Do you show up to Sunday service feeling different than everyone? Maybe you aren’t worshiping like everyone else, or you find it hard to understand the message? You feel like you are on the outside looking in? Or perhaps it is the opposite. You serve on many teams at church. You are part of a women’s small group and a couple's group. You lead student ministry—overdoing it to overcome a feeling that you don’t quite have it all together in your Christian faith…
One Google search of imposter syndrome will bring up many articles from top business magazines. In fact, Harvard Business Review published an entire issue of their magazine entitled, “How to Overcome Imposture Syndrome” in May of 2023. There are countless books that offer “letting go” or a “cure” for this group of feelings closely affiliated with work. All of this sounds very exhausting!
What I love about God’s Word is that I can always find someone whom God has used for the glory of his kingdom that embodies whatever I see in the world today. This includes imposter syndrome. The innate personality trait of low self-efficacy or the low sense of one’s own ability for success can be seen in the Old Testament story of Moses. In Exodus 2, we learn God has heard the cries of the Israelites in Egypt. God calls to Moses in Exodus 3:4 by name. What happens next is nothing short of something that resonates deeply with me. Moses is called by God to do something and spends a lot of time telling God how he isn’t the man for the job.
Exodus 3:10-11, Come,
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volume_upOctober 25, 2024 What to Do with the Hurt? – 5
What do you do with the hurt? It truly is important to be intentional about getting past the hurts of our lives, because when we harbor them, they become destructive forces in our lives, they rob us of joy, and they allow bitterness to take root in our hearts.
Let me close with one of my favorite passages from Isaiah 58:6-9.
Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—when you see the naked, to clothe them, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood? Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the LORD will be your rear guard. Then you will call, and the Lord will answer; you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I (Isaiah 58:6-9).
Here Isaiah tells us what to do with hurt feelings. He redefines how to respond when you’ve been hurt, when you need healing from the past. You may have some very deep hurt that just doesn’t go away quickly at all; I understand that. But look at what Isaiah tells us.
If we pursue this kind of fasting:
To help those who are wrongly treated
To reach those who are in the bondage of some addiction
To share food with hungry people and shelter with the homeless
To pay particular attention to those of your own flesh and blood who need help
Then, Isaiah says, your light will break forth and your healing will quickly appear. Letting go of your own hurt and choosing to help others who are hurting is the quickest and best way to find the healing you need, whether it’s a brief hurt you’ve gone through or one that has caused great trauma for a long time. This is God’s cure for hurt feelings, for the emotional pain you may have endured or still are enduring. Claim it for yourself, so your light will break forth and your healing will quickly appear.
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volume_upOctober 23, 2024 What to Do with the Hurt? – 3
Have you been hurt lately? Most of us can recall some fairly recent hurt feelings, can’t we? So, what do we do with the hurt? That’s what I’ve been talking about this week. All-too-often we wallow in the hurt, remembering and retelling it, and that just allows the hurt to grow.
A friend of mine wrote this in an article on hurt feelings:
“When you’re hurt, do you listen well to the Holy Spirit? Or are you so busy talking about your hurt he doesn’t have a chance to get a word in edgewise. Without a supernatural, God-response to hurt, we often wallow in self-pity and embroider around the injustice, especially to our friends or family who will listen. Repeatedly talking about hurt only confirms, convinces, consumes and sets the offense in concrete. In fact, injustice, like a fishing story, always becomes larger in the retelling.”
Think about this: The hurt exists in your mind, in your thoughts. It’s all about what you’re thinking about. The hurt continues to be painful because you continue to think about it. If you can learn to bring those hurtful thoughts into captivity and make them obedient to Christ, as we are admonished to do in 2 Corinthians 10:5, then you will begin to find freedom from the hurt.
Philippians 4:8 tells us to think of things that are a good report. Usually when our feelings have been hurt, we are thinking about some bad report. It has helped me greatly to tell myself over and over again, when I'm tempted to dwell on some hurt, \"Mary, stop thinking about the bad reports. Think about some good reports.” Think of something good that happened recently. Think of someone who loves you. Think of the wonderful truth that as a Christ-follower, you are loved by Jesus Christ, and nothing can separate you from his love.
If you want to get rid of the hurt, the first thing you have to do is to make the decision to let it go. And that means, you must carefully guard your thought life and refuse to let your thoughts go to that hurtful place. When you begin to dwell on the hurt, talk out loud to yourself and say, “Stop it. I’m not going there today. I choose to dwell on some good reports.” Let me assure you that you can change your thought patterns, by God’s grace and with his help, if you truly determine to do it.
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volume_upOctober 22, 2024 What to Do with the Hurt? – 2
What do you do with the hurt? I don’t have to tell you life is full of hurt. But it’s what you do with the hurt that will determine if it overcomes you or you have victory over the hurt.
Years ago, God began to reveal to me how hooked I was on pity parties. That was my way of dealing with hurt—I just indulged in lots of self-pity. And what came as a major revelation to me was realizing God sees it as a sin. Whether or not I have a legitimate complaint, wallowing in self-pity, nurturing my hurt feelings was not what a mature Christian should do. I wanted to grow up in Christ, to become more like Jesus, and I began to see how wrong and silly it was for me to insist on my pity parties.
I well remember the night I came home from work with my feelings hurt—again—by my insensitive boss. I was nurturing those hurt feelings by going over in my mind his hurtful words, what I wished I had said to him, what I would say to him someday, how unfair he was, ad infinitum. Instead of doing something productive, I plopped down to waste an evening by throwing another pity party. Pity parties are indeed pitiful since no one ever comes, and there is nothing to celebrate.
As I began to indulge myself by feeling sorry for myself, I stopped and thought, I don’t want to feel sorry for myself. I don’t want to be miserable. I will not throw a pity party tonight. And with that I got busy, put those hurt feelings behind me, and got over it! It was a major turning point for me, as I began to learn I didn’t have to hold onto those hurt feelings. I could, by a set of my will with the power of God’s Spirit, get over it.
See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many (Hebrews 12:15).
Hurt feelings turn into bitter roots, and those bitter roots grow up to cause trouble.
If you don’t determine to let go of the hurt, it will quickly turn into bitterness, and that is one of the most destructive forces in the world. It causes trouble and defiles many, as the writer to the Hebrews tells us. Then the hurt starts to poison everyone around you, as it spills over to others in your life. The good news is you can let go of the hurt by God’s grace. It is possible to live free from the hurts you are harboring.
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volume_upOctober 21, 2024 What to Do with the Hurt?
My topic this week is: what do you do with the hurt? None of us escape some kind of emotional pain—some hurt—and whether it’s a slight offense or some deep, ingrained trauma you’ve experienced, you have to decide what you’re going to do with that hurt. That’s the most important issue because it determines whether you’re going to let it harm you endlessly or you’re going to put it behind you somehow and move on.
What is the most common way people deal with hurt? Don’t you think the most common way is to harbor it, to blame others, to relive it time and again. It can become so all-consuming your hurt begins to define who you are. I remember a person I knew many years ago who chose to see herself as the person who had been wronged by everyone in her life. Her hurt became her identity, and in her mind, she always saw herself as a victim. That was who she was—and you didn’t have to be around her long before she communicated that in some way or another. She made herself a victim of everyone in her life, even those who were genuinely trying to help her.
Now, who lost in that situation? She did, of course. She continued to heap all kinds of hurt on herself, to exaggerate the hurt she had experienced, and to live in sadness and pain because she chose to harbor the hurt. Could it be that you have done something similar?
Why do we hang on to hurt feelings so long, thereby heaping unhappiness on our own heads? We certainly don’t get any revenge on our offenders by hanging on to hurt feelings. If you think a pity party will relieve some of your hurt, think again! Pity parties are addictive, as well as pitiful! The more you feel sorry for yourself, the more you will try to find comfort in your self-pity. It can be a vicious cycle, and, of course, it only makes matters worse.
I want to encourage you today to think about what you do with your hurt. Psalm 22:24 is a verse to hang on to.
For he has not despised or scorned the suffering of the afflicted one; he has not hidden his face from him but has listened to his cry for help (Psalm 22:24).
Our Lord sympathizes with your hurt, and he has not and will not walk away.
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volume_upOctober 19, 2024 Everyday Work
Do you believe God uses your everyday work to accomplish his redemptive Kingdom purposes in the world. I’m Lisa Bishop with The Christian Working Woman, and this is exactly what our friends at Faith and Work Chicago believe. This week, I’m excited to share a conversation with Malissa Mackey who serves as the director of Faith and Work Chicago. So join us as we reimagine daily discipleship through our everyday work.
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volume_upOctober 18, 2024 Self-Inflicted Suffering – 5
If you went to a doctor today and he told you something you are doing is going to shorten your life and cause you great physical harm, would you not be willing to listen to his advice and abandon that destructive behavior? I've been examining self-inflicted suffering. We've seen how bitterness, self-pity, lack of discipline, and negativity are always self-inflicted and cause us great harm.
Why do we so often do things that inflict great suffering on ourselves as well as on others? I think, first, because we often aren't aware of what's happening. We allow ourselves to be drawn into these destructive behaviors before we realize where we're heading. Therefore, we need to pray for awareness and discernment.
Sometimes we choose to continue in our destructive behavior because we feel we have a right—a right to be bitter, or lazy, or negative, a right to have a pity party. Just ask yourself: \"Isn't life tough enough without making your own life tougher?”
When I find myself embroiled in this kind of self-destructive behavior, I try to catch myself, stop, and ask: \"Why are you thinking of wrongs done to you? Why are you feeling sorry for yourself? Why are you focusing on negative things? Why are you refusing to be disciplined? Don't you realize what this is doing to you?” If you and I can just catch ourselves in this self-destructive behavior, we will make our own lives so much more pleasant and productive.
But a much higher motivation, and one that is far more important, is our privilege to be ambassadors for Jesus Christ in our world. When we get rid of these self-inflicted sufferings, we are freed up to be more like Jesus, more pleasing to him, a brighter light in a dark world.
Someday we'll stand before Jesus to give an account for how we lived our life here on earth. I don't want to hear that my life was not as effective as it could have been because I insisted on feeling sorry for myself, or being bitter, or being undisciplined, or staying negative. Remember, you can get rid of any of these any time you're willing to let God empower you to do what you need to do.
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volume_upOctober 17, 2024 Self-Inflicted Suffering – 4
You know, we've all got enough troubles in this world without inflicting more on ourselves unnecessarily. Obviously, the smart thing for any of us to do is to get rid of those self-inflicted sufferings.
Bitterness, self-pity and lack of discipline are the three we've discussed already this week. How about being negative? That's about as harmful as anything I can think of. Are you a negative person? Do you gripe and complain frequently? Do you tend to look on the dark side all the time? Do you focus on people's faults rather than their good points? How much of your speech is in negative territory? What about your thought life?
I sure wish someone had warned me about negativity earlier in my life. Perhaps I just didn't listen, but I now certainly recognize how important it is not to dwell in negativity. It is self-inflicted suffering.
Every time you focus on the bad things—whether it's the weather or a friend's faults or your sore throat or your workload—then you immediately add a lot of stress to your life. In addition, negativity slows you down because it wastes your energy. Your negativity harms others as well. You drag others down with you, and you drive people away.
Here's the cure for negativity: thankfulness. Paul wrote to the Colossians:
So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness (Colossians 2:6-7).
Frequently I say to myself: \"Mary, overflow with thankfulness today.” I can choose to overflow with thankfulness, or I can choose to be negative. Being negative is self-inflicted suffering. Check it out; you may not realize just how often you slide into negative territory. If you'll be more positive, you'll discover enormous benefits and great relief from that self-inflicted suffering.
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volume_upOctober 15, 2024 Self-Inflicted Suffering – 2
Most of us have enough respect for our bodies not to beat our heads against brick walls, right? And yet we may be inflicting suffering on ourselves in other ways that are even more harmful and foolish.
Yesterday we saw how bitterness is always self-inflicted suffering. The second one is self-pity. Have you had any pity parties lately? I've come to the conclusion that pity parties are pitiful! Why?
First, because almost always, pity parties cause you to waste time. I remember a time long ago when someone had hurt my feelings, and so I thought, \"I'm not going to do anything tonight; I have a right to just do nothing and feel sorry for myself.” Then it dawned on me the enemy was trying to hinder me by tempting me to throw a pity party. That’s when I began to realize how pitiful pity parties are.
Not only do pity parties waste your time, but they also waste your energy. Self-pity drains you. You spend a lot of emotional energy when you are feeling sorry for yourself. That means you don't have energy for other things that are important.
Another result of self-pity is it affects your performance. You slow down, you lose motivation, you do your work halfheartedly—or, maybe you just quit!
If you're tired of the self-inflicted suffering of pity parties, here are some suggestions:
Change your attitude about pity parties.
Ask God to give you holy anger about pity parties, to see them as he sees them, and to get sick and tired of feeling sorry for yourself.
Refuse to think about the bad reports!
In Philippians 4:8 we are told to think about things that are of a good report. Usually, when we are having a pity party, we are thinking about some bad report. It has helped me greatly to tell myself, \"Mary, stop thinking about the bad reports. Think about some good reports.”
Think about Jesus and all he endured.
Hebrews 12:2 says let us fix our eyes on Jesus… By a set of your will, stop thinking about poor me, and think about Jesus—fix your eyes on him. Think about how he suffered for you, and you will be embarrassed to feel sorry for yourself.
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volume_upOctober 14, 2024 Self-Inflicted Suffering
Did you ever see someone literally bang his or her head against a brick wall? We use that phrase a lot, but I've never seen anyone purposely do it, have you? If I did, I'd probably think that person was mentally ill. That's not normal behavior, to inflict physical suffering on your own body. Yet, how often we inflict other kinds of suffering on ourselves—self-inflicted suffering that is unnecessary and does us a great deal of damage.
Bitterness would have to be at the top of that list of self-inflicted suffering. Bitterness is the result of keeping a record of wrongs done against us. It comes from refusing to forgive. It happens when we continually re-live how our feelings were hurt, how our pride was damaged, how our toes were stepped on.
What I've discovered is when we harbor feelings of bitterness, the wrong done against us grows in our minds. It becomes greatly exaggerated until we lose our perspective, and it seems much worse than it really is.
Let me tell you the consequences of bitterness. First, it changes your physical appearance and not for the better. A bitter person ages quickly, looks tired and haggard and unattractive. I don't care how well you dress or how much makeup you wear, bitterness cannot be camouflaged. It makes you look ugly.
Second, bitterness ruins relationships. No one really wants to be with a bitter person, because they get tired of hearing their sad story all the time. Bitter people are so focused on the wrong done to them they tend to talk about it a lot. And, if you've noticed, that just drives people away in droves.
Third, bitterness shortens your life because it adds extraordinary amounts of stress and fatigue. It is one of your major energy leaks; it just keeps you exhausted.
Bitterness is self-inflicted suffering. That means anytime you decide to, you can stop suffering from bitterness. Forgiveness is your choice; forsaking your anger is your choice. Tearing up that list of wrongs done to you is your choice. Nobody can force you to be bitter if you don't want to be. I don't care how justified you may be in feeling bitter, all it does is destroy you.
Will you stop beating your head against that wall of bitterness today? It's self-inflicted suffering. Remember, you can choose to let go of the bitterness right now, by God's grace.
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volume_upOctober 12, 2024 Are You the Offender or Offended? Part Two
You know, most of us spend way too much time in the offended seat, because we allow our feelings to be hurt so easily. We start throwing pity parties, and we get stuck in that seat. Quite honestly, I’m really sick of sitting in this seat. It has taken me awhile to realize I sit in the offended seat more than I should, but I’ve finally gotten really sick of it. And it is like being let out of prison, set free from bondage, when you see how miserable it is to be the offended person and to wallow around in self-pity.
If you spend a lot of time in this seat of the offended, with your feelings hurt, and throwing your own pity parties, you probably think someone else has the responsibility to get you out of that seat. You’re thinking the person who hurt you, who offended you, should now come and do whatever is necessary to get you out of there. After all, it’s not your fault if you’re in the seat of the offender, you think, so it’s not your responsibility to get yourself out of it!
But I hope you will hear this clearly: If you are in the offended seat, it is because you are choosing to sit there. And believe it or not, there is nothing anyone in the seat of the offender can do to get you out of the seat of the offended. You will only get out of that seat when you decide you’ve had enough, when you see how wrong and sinful it is, and how self-destructive it is.
The person who offended you should apologize, especially if it was intentional. I get that. But they may never be able to apologize enough or in an acceptable way to you if you are really stuck in the seat of the offended. And of course, many times the one who offended doesn’t apologize, either because they don’t know they have offended you or they don’t care. So, if you’re waiting for the offender to extricate you from that miserable seat of the offended, you’re in for a huge disappointment.
In fact, there are people in the seat of the offended who enjoy being there, in a rather perverse way. They enjoy being a victim. After all, as long as you’re in the seat of the offended, you don’t have to take responsibility for anything you did in the seat of the offender. You can just keep shifting blame and having your pity parties—and spend your life in the offended seat.
I must tell you when you choose to keep sitting in the seat of the offended, it turns you into someone who is sour, unattractive, self-consumed, and dishonoring to Christ. Now, I know some of you have been hurt very deeply; the offense against you is deep and ingrained. Even so, God wants to deliver you from being the offended person, carrying that burden around with you all the time, wearing that chip on your shoulder. But you must be willing to give it up.
What does God say we should do when we’ve been offended?
Romans 12:14: Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.
We are to bless them, not slander them. Regardless of what they did to you, it pales in comparison to what your sin—and mine—did to the Son of God. Do you remember Jesus’ words on the cross—Father, forgive them? He blessed those who persecuted him. He gave us the model for how we are to treat those who hurt us.
Have you blessed people in the offender seat of your life? I mean literally prayed a blessing on them—asked God to bless them. That’s one way to get you out of the offended seat.
Proverbs has some very wise advice for those who have been offended.
Proverbs 19:11: A man’s wisdom gives him patience; it is to his glory to overlook an offense.
If you find yourself suddenly in the seat of the offended—someone has said something to hurt your feelings or done something that injured you—can you, by God’s grace and through the power of the Holy Spirit, give up your right to feel hurt and actually choose to overlook the offense? Now, I know some offenses should not be overlooked, but certainly with those small things that often put us in the seat of the offended, we can learn to overlook them,
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volume_upOctober 11, 2024 Hard Feelings, Jealously – 5
Presented by Lauren Stibgen
When jealousy gets to have a stronghold in your life, it can be sinful. We have seen jealousy of undeserved compassion, coveting possessions and celebrations, and the envy of someone’s perceived advantage. Today, we will consider the jealousy of exaltation or fame.
Have you ever felt a twang of jealousy when someone receives a compliment? It could be something small like a passing great job, or something bigger like a crowd cheering for someone else’s accomplishments.
In the Old Testament, Saul burned with jealousy over David. In 1 Samuel 10-31 you can read the entire saga between Saul and David. But, if you recall, the Lord had given Saul as a king to the people. God blessed Saul with much success in battle, and filled with pride, he sets up a monument for himself. Saul loved being recognized, and he loved the power of being King. God regreted appointing Saul king and sent Samuel to anoint a new king.
When David was anointed, we are told he had beautiful eyes and was handsome. David didn’t become king immediately. In fact, we aren’t even told David knew he was to become the king. He served Saul by playing the lyre to calm him and carried on as a shepherd. Eventually we know David defeated Goliath. This is where the jealousy ensues. You see, the women of Israel had celebrated Saul in his battle victories, but now they celebrated David. Saul struck down thousands and David his ten thousands.
Saul was very angry; this refrain displeased him greatly. “They have credited David with tens of thousands,” he thought, “but me with only thousands. What more can he get but the kingdom?” And from that time on Saul kept a close eye on David (1 Samuel 18:8-9).
Saul was jealous of David’s success, and the fame he received from his success—so much so the remainder of the book of 1 Samuel tells of Saul’s plots to kill David.
When jealousy over someone’s success at work stirs you to tear them down, you really have a problem. Maybe you start gossiping to highlight things that make the other person look bad. Worse, maybe this a person who works for you, and you aim to get them fired because they take the spotlight off you as a leader.
Maybe you aren’t Saul in this story, but you are David. I know I have been in this position professionally, and it has drawn me closer to God.
First, if you feel jealousy rising up, find someone to talk with about these feelings and confess them to God. If you are on the other side of someone’s jealousy, pray. But also do something practical and document your accomplishments well.
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volume_upOctober 10, 2024 Hard Feelings, Jealously – 4
Presented by Lauren Stibgen
Whether at work or at home, we can all experience the feeling of working harder than someone else. We are examining the hard feelings of jealousy. We have seen how jealousy can truly be rooted in envy, and in this case, it is envy about the perceived advantage someone may have when they don’t work as hard as we do.
For some of us this could have started back in school. Were you the one who studied and toiled on papers only to get a C while another student in class never touched a book and magically got an A? While they were off having a great time, you were stuck at the library with your nose in your books!
Fast forward, you are working on a project team. This time, it isn’t about working for a grade but to get an important project done. One of your colleagues spends all her time in the boss’s office, talking about the project deliverables, but doesn’t do any of the work. When the project is complete, she receives equal accolades for the project’s success. You are quick to schedule a meeting to tell your boss about what she didn’t do because you are jealous of the advantage she had receiving credit and not pulling her weight. To your surprise, your boss doesn’t feel this way. In fact, she tells you how much she appreciated your colleague keeping her posted about the project.
This scenario is not unlike my two favorite sisters in the New Testament, Mary and Martha. In Luke 10:38-42 we learn that Jesus goes to their house to spend time with his disciples and teach. While Martha toiled and served, Mary sat at Jesus feet to listen to his teaching. Frustrated because her sister is not working to serve alongside her, she goes to Jesus asking him to get her sister to work. If you know this story, you know Jesus says Martha is anxious and troubled about many things. She was jealous of the position Mary took at the feet of Jesus.
God doesn’t want us to compare our work to the work of others. When we fall into this comparison, it can lead to feelings of jealousy. And, as we have seen, jealousy can lead to even deeper feelings rooted in sin. Focus on doing your very best. I find when I think about what someone else is or isn’t doing it takes my eye off doing my very best.
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volume_upOctober 9, 2024 Hard Feelings, Jealously – 3
Presented by Lauren Stibgen
One of the definitions of jealousy is being protective of one’s possessions or envy. This protection over our possessions or being envious of someone else’s possessions can quickly lead us to breaking one of God’s commandments. Exodus 20:17 tells us, thou shall not covet.
Coveting is an unlawful desire to have something that doesn’t belong to you. At the root of jealous envy can be covetousness.
The Parable of the Prodigal Son in Luke 15:11-32 shows the jealousy of one brother toward the undeserved compassion and celebration of his brother who had taken his inheritance and gone away to lead a sinful life.
I think we can all picture these hard feelings. Someone you know is given a lot—maybe what they are owed. You continue to work hard and show diligence but never ask for more. Then, this other person comes back, having wasted all of what they had, and they are given more. Plus, everyone is excited to see them! Wait, what? Hello? What about me? I have been here all along with no fanfare, or celebration. Why are we celebrating this person?
In the parable of the prodigal son, we see again how the perception of another being undeserving caused deep jealousy when he was celebrated. We were told the prodigal son had already taken his inheritance, which meant when he returned, a portion of what he was given probably belonged to the brother who was working hard and being obedient. The hardworking brother was coveting what his prodigal brother was being given both in the attention he received and in the things he was being given. He was jealous, and even angry.
Jesus tells us watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions (Luke 12:15).
What are you coveting that shows up as jealousy? Are you desiring a possession that is not yours? Seeking celebration and attention because someone else has received it?
A desire to have abundance and to be celebrated is not wrong. In fact, God wants this for us! God celebrates us! In Zephaniah 3:17 we are told he rejoices over us with gladness and exults over us with loud singing!
It is wrong when this desire for abundance and celebration is born of coveting what someone else has.
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volume_upOctober 8, 2024 Hard Feelings, Jealously – 2
Presented by Lauren Stibgen
Why are they being forgiven? They really messed up! Have you ever been jealous when someone has received what seems like undeserved compassion? Perhaps the scales seemed to tip in someone’s favor that you felt wasn’t deserving of that second chance at work. Or maybe you are friends with a group at work that has welcomed someone into the group who had previously gossiped about people in the office, and you are aggravated.
Jonah was so jealous of what he felt was God’s undeserved compassion on Nineveh that he fled from God’s command! God calls to Jonah to go to Nineveh to call them out for their evil (Jonah 1:2). You know how this story goes, Jonah was so against this he got himself a ticket on a ship going the opposite direction, disobeyed God, made God angry, was thrown overboard, and was swallowed up by a giant fish. Jonah spent three days in the belly of the fish praying to God for mercy. The fish spit him out, and he begrudgingly went on his way to Nineveh where God called him in the first place. He carried out the calling from God, and the people of Nineveh repented.
When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, he relented and did not bring on them the destruction he had threatened (Jonah 3:10).
Jonah was angry God showed what he felt was undeserved compassion on the people of Nineveh. One could say he had jealous envy of God’s compassion.
If you know this story, you know this is a very short paraphrase, and when I look at this story, I am struck at how Jonah missed the compassion God showed to him in his disobedience. God kept him safe in the belly of a fish, gave him a second chance, and at the end of the story even gave Jonah shade from a plant as he sulked in his envy. He completely missed God’s compassion for him!
Have you found yourself jealous of God’s compassion on someone else? You might consider spending time reflecting on God’s undeserved compassion on you. I know this helps soften my heart when I feel someone else may not be deserving.
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volume_upOctober 5, 2024 Are You the Offender or Offended? Part One
All of us have been in both of those seats; we have offended others, sometimes intentionally, sometimes not, and we have certainly been offended. But neither place is a good place to be; a mature Christian who desires to grow up in Christ doesn’t want to spend any time in either place—either as the offended or the offender.
This episode and next, I’m going to describe what happens to us when we occupy either of these seats—the seat of the offender or the offended. And then we prepared a special handout to help you stay out of both! You’ll find it on our website at christianworkingwoman.org.
Let’s look at the seat of the offender. Offending others can either be intentional or unintentional. We must recognize both—those times when we really want to hurt someone, and those times when we have hurt someone without even realizing it.
First, what would cause us to intentionally try to hurt someone? The first thing that comes to my mind is that we strike back at someone who has hurt us. We’ve been hurt, so we hurt back. This comes in big ways and small ways. For example, someone may have said one sentence to you today that hurt your feelings, and before you know it, you reacted with a stinger of your own. Or someone may have passed you by without saying hello or treated you in what seemed like a rude way, and so the next chance you get, you respond to them in a similar fashion.
Those are small offenses that generate other small offenses. And whether the first offense was intentional, we respond in an intentionally offensive way because we assume it was intentional! Does this not ring a bell with you? You’ve seen it happen at work, at home, at church, in families, with friends and strangers, and no doubt you’ve sat in the seat of the offended in response to small offenses. The thing is, these small offenses can easily escalate to a long-term, hurtful cycle of offenses each person inflicts on the other.
There are many marriages, as well as other close relationships, that have been in a cycle like this for years, where one small offense generates another in return, and that has become the norm for that relationship—each person offends because she or he is offended, and on it goes. What is needed is for one person in that relationship to be willing to break the cycle. This is why Jesus said, “If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles” (Matthew 5:39 – 41).
Jesus is not advocating we become floor mats for people to run over, but he is saying if you will be willing to break the cycle, to be the one who refuses to return an offense for an offense, you can stop this hurtful cycle and you can find healing in the relationship. But someone has to decide to get out of the seat of the offender and not return evil for evil.
Some married friends of mine say they have learned to give each other the benefit of the doubt. In other words, if one of them is offended by the other, before they assume that the other meant to offend them, they give them the benefit of the doubt by assuming they did not mean to offend, since they both have promised not to intentionally offend each other. I like that. That will break the cycle of offense before it gets started.
If you are in the offender’s seat, I want to encourage you—to urge you—to decide to get out of it right now, today. It’s really a miserable place to be.
But I think it is often true when we do offend someone, it is unintentional. We don’t stop to realize how words, attitudes, body language, and facial expressions—and all kinds of little things—can become offensive. We truly underestimate how easily we can cause hurt. Aren’t you usually shocked when you find out someone is offended with something you said or did?
I was shocked some time ago when a person I counted as a good friend began to strike out ...
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volume_upOctober 4, 2024 The Tator Family – 5
If you've been with me this week you've met the Tator family: the father, Dick Tator, his wife, Emmy Tator, their daughter Hessie, and their son, Aggie Tator. We can learn a lot from the Tator family. There's one more member of this unique family that I'd like you to get to know. It's Grandpa Spec Tator.
Now, everybody loves Grandpa Spec; he's a comfortable, likeable person. But all his life he's been one of those people who watches what everyone else is doing, criticizes them when they make a mistake, comments freely on their performance, but never ever gets involved. Spec Tator is always on the sidelines, telling everybody else how it ought to be done, but never doing it.
Someone has said the church today is much like a football game. The majority of the people are watching a small minority perform. And those watching desperately need exercise, while those performing desperately need rest.
You know, there are an awful lot of people like Grandpa Spec Tator around today. They stay in the bleachers, yelling at everyone else, but never getting involved in the fight. The 80\/20 factor is a well-known measure in the business world. We usually get 80% of our business from 20% of our customers and 80% of our problems from 20% of our customers. Unfortunately, so often the body of Christ has that same problem. So much of the work is done by so few.
How wonderful it would be if the Spec Tators of the world would join in and pull their share of the weight. I've noticed the Spec Tators are the first to criticize, the first to find fault. A person who is involved in the performing and doing is much more understanding and tolerant than those who simply stand on the sidelines and watch.
Well, they're quite a family, this Tator family: Dick, Emmy, Hessie, Aggie and Spec Tator. If you run into them somewhere along the way, perhaps you'll remember what I've said about them. Or maybe it'll cause you to ask yourself if any of these Tators has gotten into your family—into your life.
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volume_upOctober 2, 2024 The Tator Family – 3
Have you ever met the Tator family? I have a feeling you may have met some of them before. Monday, we got to know the father in this family, Dick Tator, and yesterday, his wife, Emmy Tator. Today, I'd like you to meet their daughter, Hessie Tator.
Now, I'm quite certain you'd like Hessie all right; she's a pleasant enough person. But Hessie has a real problem. You see, she just can't seem to get going on anything. She has lots of plans and ideas, but nothing ever seems to happen as a result of her planning.
I've noticed procrastination is one of her biggest obstacles. She just keeps putting things off. Her intentions are terrific, but the follow-through breaks down very often.
Perhaps Hessie needs to remember what Jesus said to his disciples: Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them (John 13:17). Blessing comes in doing, but Hessie can't seem to get to the \"doing\" stage, so she keeps missing the blessing.
Jesus' life on earth confirms he didn't procrastinate. When he said he would travel to Jerusalem, he did so, even when he knew the cross awaited him there. What he promised, he fulfilled in every instance. Jesus was a doer, and Hessie Tator needs to allow Christ to live that unhesitating life through her.
I wonder if Hessie Tator has ever considered the parable Jesus told in Luke 6 about the one who hears the truth but does not act accordingly. Jesus said that person is like one who builds a house on the sand, and as soon as the storms come, the house collapses and is ruined because the foundation is not firm. When a person is a hearer but not a doer, they are inviting disaster into their lives and denying the blessings God has in store for them. Remember, the blessing is in doing, not in knowing.
Oh, I think sometimes Hessie Tator puts things off because she's afraid of failure. You know, whenever you do anything, you do run the risk of failing, but if that fear controls you, you'll simply never do anything. And besides, no one ever succeeded without many failures along the way. Failure is part of the process.
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volume_upOctober 1, 2024 The Tator Family – 2
This week I'm introducing you—again—to the Tator family. If you've never met them before, you'll want to get to know them. Most of us can learn a lot from the Tators. Yesterday, we met the father of this family, Dick Tator.
Today I'd like to introduce you to the mother of the Tator family, Emmy Tator. Now, Emmy is a nice lady, but to tell you the truth, she spends most of her time worrying about what other people think of her, trying to be like everyone else, trying to find acceptance by going along with the crowd. Have you ever met Emmy?
Emmy Tator is sometimes obsessed and addicted to her need for people's approval. She is often unhappy with herself and appears to be very frustrated at times. That's because she's trying to please everyone else and be like everyone else.
Now, I certainly wouldn't want Emmy to purposely set out to be different just for the sake of being different. But it's really important for her to realize there's no way in this world she'll ever please everybody. That's been a tough lesson for me to learn. I seem to think if I just try hard enough, surely everybody will like me and approve of me. But it never works. You truly cannot please all people.
Emmy Tator needs to realize she is an original, created by God to be unique, and she doesn't need to pattern herself after others. Emmy needs to be reminded when she compares herself to others and tries to be like them, she is in effect saying God has made a mistake in the way he made her, and she could have done a better job than God in his design. Instead of accepting who she is in Christ, she keeps trying to be someone else. Poor Emmy Tator. That's a frustrating way to live.
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volume_upSeptember 30, 2024 The Tator Family
I want to introduce you to a family I think you need to get to know. They're the Tator family, and every few years I re-introduce them to you, because you seem to enjoy them so much. And I think we can learn some things from the members of this Tator family.
The first Tator I'd like you to meet is the father of this family, Dick Tator. I'd have to say Dick Tator is not a very teachable person. Dick finds it difficult to admit he's wrong about anything, and I've noticed he always must have things done his way.
Have you run into Dick Tator somewhere along the way? I wish I could sit down with Dick and share a few verses with him from God's Word. Proverbs 19:20 would be appropriate for Dick.
Listen to advice and accept discipline and at the end you will be counted among the wise (Proverbs 19:20).
Dick finds it very difficult to listen to others and as a result, he does things his way, and frankly, his way is not always the best. He'd be real smart to learn to listen to others and take advice. Proverbs 15:22 could help Dick understand why his ideas frequently fall flat on their face.
Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed (Proverbs 15:22).
I sure wish Dick Tator could learn to ask others for their counsel and advice. He'd be much more successful.
Another problem Dick Tator has is he always wants to be the one up front, in control, telling everyone else what to do. Now, it's true we need leaders; people who can and will take charge and get the ball rolling. But Dick needs to learn about servant leadership. That's the best way to lead.
Jesus told us ...whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave—just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many (Matthew 20:26-28).
I don't think Dick Tator has ever stopped to understand what Jesus was teaching us. Before you can tell other people what to do, you have to do it yourself. You lead best by getting out in front and doing the job; then others can follow your example.
Lots of people are like Dick Tator; they want the glory of giving orders but aren't willing to be the servant of those they want to lead. That's the mark of a great leader. Dick Tator needs to learn servant leadership.
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volume_upSeptember 28, 2024 Missional Living – Identity
Presented by Lauren Stibgen
Oftentimes we can get our identity wrapped up in different aspects of our life. It could be a hobby or a talent, our family, or even a worthy cause. But, for many of us, we derive our identity from where we spend much of our time. If you are like me, this is time spent at work. It is spent thinking about our job titles, colleagues, companies, bosses, and subordinates. We spend our time thinking about new horizons at work, strategies, and breakthroughs. But our time is also spent in disappointments. Maybe a promotion or title not received or even the loss of a job. In all these things, it is easy to forget that for those of us who believe in Christ Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we are on a mission—the Great Commission set forth by Jesus himself in Matthew 28: 19-20a:
Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.
Jesus is commanding we declare the gospel—the good news! Now, I realize we are likely not going to baptize our coworkers, but we can look to this verse as a foundational calling and a promise. In the final sentence of verse 20, Jesus says, and behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.
We are living on a mission, and we often forget we carry this missional living to our workplaces. In this mission, we can remember our identity belongs to God.
Armed with this thinking, you may be asking yourself what discipleship looks like at work. In another segment, I talked about what I have personally deemed as Faith at Work 1.0. Don’t over complicate your thinking in this matter but show up each day knowing Jesus is with you always, to the end of the age. He is with you and asking you to become more like him each day with how you reflect his light and glory to those around you!
Matthew 5:14-16 exhorts: You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.
Shine your light. Let those around you see your good works and give glory to God! For some of us this is easy, but maybe you are in a stifling work environment. Maybe you feel heaviness each day as you get ready for work. You are putting forth your very best effort to do good work, but no one sees it.
Proverbs 15:3 reminds us that the eyes of the Lord are everywhere, keeping watch on the wicked and the good. God sees your good works and will use them for his glory, especially when you are least expecting it!
What are some practical ways to live missionally at work? And, more practically, what are “good works”? Perhaps it is as simple as being the person who does not engage in gossip. Instead, you are the opposite, always seeking the good in others and lifting them up with a positive word. Maybe you help someone who has a heavy workload or even a heavy burden. As a woman, how can you support other women at work? Are there moms balancing kids back in school with work? How can you creatively encourage them? I find the most practical mission we can be on at the office is to reflect the love of Christ to others we are around. Make them ask why you are filled with joy and have a spring in your step. Make them ask why you are so encouraged during a difficult trial at work. It will give you a chance to let them know you always have Jesus by your side!
Back to our identity. It is easy to revert to forgetting whose mission we are on. I like to keep the verse Colossians 3:23-24 front and center in my workspace.
Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward.
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volume_upSeptember 27, 2024 Live Like You’re Dying! – 5
I’ve been examining what it would look like if you and I, as Christ-followers, determined to live like we’re dying. That will look very different in all our lives. I think of a friend who had a difficult boss, and she could have filed a legitimate discrimination claim against him. Others urged her to do just that. But God showed her for the time being to simply let it go. She obeyed. God used it in her life to transform her more into the likeness of Jesus, and no doubt, as a testimony to her co-workers. She was leaving a Christ-honoring footprint there on her job.
I think of a friend whose marriage was anything but ideal. She chose through many years to stick it out, to insist he get help, and to work through all kinds of baggage. They’re still together, and it’s better, much better. She has obeyed what God told her to do concerning her marriage. She’s leaving behind a legacy of a godly woman who told God she wanted to do his will, whatever the cost.
Living like you’re dying means you simply walk through your everyday life totally dedicated to doing God’s will. It means you hold everything in open hands and give God permission to change your plans at any time.
But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare. Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming (2 Peter 3:10-12).
Living like you’re dying produces holy and godly lives, and that kind of life leaves a footprint that cannot be missed, that is priceless and eternal.
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volume_upSeptember 26, 2024 Live Like You’re Dying! – 4
I’m exploring this week about living like you’re dying. Yesterday we looked at the very short parable about the man who found a treasure in a field and then sold everything he had to buy that field and have that treasure.
Here’s the truth of that parable: Jesus is worth losing everything for. Jesus is the treasure we have, and he is worthy of everything. And when we get just a glimpse of how valuable this treasure is, giving up anything for Jesus is not a sacrifice. We do it with great joy, because we have a treasure that is unlike any other, so whatever we give up for that treasure is small in comparison. It’s not a sacrifice; it’s a smart transaction.
As Jim Elliot put it: “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.”
We cannot keep our days here on this earth. They pass one by one, and they are numbered. And nothing you do can change that. Your days and my days are fleeting. But what we do with our time and our efforts can last for eternity. We can send on ahead of us treasures of all kinds; we can have crowns to cast at Jesus’ feet when we stand before him in Heaven; we can leave behind us a legacy that leads others to believe.
Toward the end of his very short three-and-a-half-year earthly ministry, Jesus said:
I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work you gave me to do (John 17:4).
My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work (John 4:34).
For I have come down from heaven, not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me (John 6:38).
Why did Jesus leave the greatest footprints ever? Because he came to do the Father’s will, not his own. He was totally submissive and obedient to his Father.
If it’s true—and it is—that as believers we are in the process of being transformed into the likeness of Jesus with ever-increasing glory, then it should be true of us that we are here to do the Father’s will. We’re living for eternity; living like we’re dying to this world and sending treasures ahead to our eternal dwelling place.
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volume_upSeptember 24, 2024 Live Like You’re Dying! – 2
I am asking the question: How would your life be different if you lived like you were dying? I decided in my early thirties to live for myself, and my life’s priority was to find a husband and get married. That was what I was living for. I went to church and was involved in church, but I lived for me. I didn’t number my days, as we read in Psalm 90; I never thought about how fleeting my life was. I lived only for the here and now, wanting what I wanted and wanting it now. It looked at the time like the road to happiness, but it was just the opposite. It was the road to despair and disappointment and failure.
God in his incredible grace has redeemed me, forgiven me, and given me new purpose and joy. But how much better had I numbered my days, recognized this life is short and been willing to do God’s will and not my own. That’s why I’m talking this week about living like you’re dying. Living for eternity.
Think about this: If God called you home today, what would you be remembered for? Some years ago, God showed me I would be remembered as being busy. In fact, it became clear to me I found my identity in being busy, showing the world how much I could do, and then getting the recognition that came my way.
I actually had a vision of my tombstone, and on it was written, “Here lies a busy woman!” Now, understand, it was not wrong for me to be busy—to be doing what God had given me to do and using my gifting in his service. But my motivation was suspect; it was not pure. I wanted—and still do at times—the praise of people.
So, what would be written on your tombstone if today were your last day on earth?
Here lies a successful business person
Here lies a good dresser
Here lies a good singer
Here lies a great organizer
Here lies a very creative person
Here lies a really smart person
Or maybe:
Here lies a worrying woman or man
Here lies a fearful person
Here lies a lazy person
Here lies a person who had no vision
Here lies a person who refused to be disciplined
Think of the possible tombstones for some people in the Bible:
The Apostle Paul: Here lies a man who fought the good fight and finished the race and kept the faith.
Moses: Here lies the humblest man who ever lived.
Esther: Here lies a courageous woman who was willing to risk her life for others.
Mary Magdalene: Here lies a woman who lived her life for Jesus because he rescued her from her sin.
Deborah: Here lies a woman who stepped way out of her comfort zone—way out of traditional roles—to do what God called her to do.
Mary, the Mother of Jesus: Here lies the most blessed woman who ever lived.
Think about the people who have influenced your life. For example, on my mother’s tombstone I could write:
Here lies a woman who loved the Word of God.
Here lies a woman of total integrity.
Here lies a quiet, simple woman who blessed everyone in her life.
It’s really important you live like you know this life is not the end-all or be-all. You’re living for eternal values—you’re living like you’re dying.
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volume_upSeptember 23, 2024 Live Like You’re Dying!
How do you want to be remembered? I wonder, do you ever think about how you want to be remembered? Another way to ask that question is what epitaph would you want on your tombstone? That may sound like a depressing topic, but actually thinking now about how you want to be remembered could make a huge difference in the way you live.
Most of us shy away from talking about our death; it feels morbid. But one thing is for sure—unless Jesus comes again soon to rapture his church—all of us will face death and all of us will leave behind a legacy. It’s not morbid or depressing to think about how you want to be remembered; it’s smart, and it’s life changing. That’s why my title this week is “Live Like You’re Dying.”
I wonder how we would live if each of us knew exactly when we would die. Have you ever thought about that? If God revealed to you the day, month, and year when you will pass from this life into eternity, how would it affect the way you live?
Psalm 90 is titled “A prayer of Moses the man of God,” and here’s part of that prayer:
Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom (Psalm 90:12).
And King David prayed:
Show me, O Lord, my life's end and the number of my days; let me know how fleeting my life is (Psalm 39:4).
They were on the same page, even though centuries apart. They were not asking for a gift of prophecy, but rather, they were asking the Lord to help them live like they were dying—to live in the reality that their days were numbered, and their life was fleeting.
How often have you prayed such a prayer: Lord, show me how fleeting—how brief, how short, how transient—my life is? Suppose we began each of our days with this prayer, asking God to help us number our days. We would then begin to live like we were dying—live in the knowledge that this world is temporary, but eternity is forever. If you’re like me, some days you think about it but most days not so much. I want to encourage you as I do myself to give regular thought to the truth that you will leave this life one day and enter eternity. Are you living with eternity’s values in mind? That’s a good question for all of us to consider.
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volume_upSeptember 21, 2024 The Ministry of Presence
I was introduced to this term: the ministry of presence, when a young couple in our church began a ministry to the homeless people they encountered on the streets of Chicago around where they lived. It began simply by reaching out to one or two, talking to them, inviting them to church, providing Sunday lunch for them, and it grew to over 60 homeless people they served every weekend.
I love their story because it’s such a clear example of what Jesus would do. Jesus would see the needs on his doorstep, as Justin and Tara did, and he would start helping them in any way he could. In telling me their story, Justin said he had come to understand what the ministry of presence means.
You see, he made it a habit to invite one of his homeless friends to run errands with him, when possible, as he went about his everyday work and routine. One day he invited one of the guys to join him, took him along, stopped for coffee and a donut, and just generally spent some time together. No agenda, no specific purpose other than to be with this man who was homeless. As they made rounds that day, the homeless man said to him, “All my life I’ve been told I am worthless and no good; they told me I was stupid, and nobody would ever like me. But I don’t believe that anymore.” Justin asked him why, and he said, “Because if I was worthless, you wouldn’t hang out with me.”
Justin’s willingness to simply be with this man gave him a new understanding of his worth as a person. Justin went on to say what homeless people need more than anything else is not money or food, but it is a relationship—someone to simply be with them and care about them.
You know, that’s true for most of us, isn’t it? You and I need other people in our lives just to validate our worth. Can you imagine how you would feel if you believed other people did not want to be with you? The ministry of presence is real—and it’s just what Jesus would do—what he did do when he was on earth. Think of the many stories in the Gospels where Jesus was just “hanging out” with people—some of whom were considered undesirable. There was Zacchaeus and Mary Magdalene and the woman he met at the well, to mention just a few.
This is one ministry you can embrace—the ministry of presence. You and I can simply choose to be present in the lives of people who need to know they are loved by us and by God. You don’t have to preach or teach or solve their problems; you just need to be there for them and then see what God will do through you. This is a ministry every Christ-follower should take seriously, and every one of us is qualified and equipped for this ministry.
Galatians 6:2 describes it this way: Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. When we care enough about someone to carry their burden, we are practicing the ministry of presence—simply being there for others, sharing their sorrows, as well as increasing their joys by our presence. This is the fulfillment of the law of Christ, the teaching of Jesus.
In John 13:34 Jesus said, A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. The disciples knew the old commandments—the law which included the Ten Commandments. But this was a new commandment—note, not a suggestion—that Jesus gave them and us, and it should be a hallmark of our lives as Christ-followers.
So, to fulfill the law of Christ, this new commandment, you and I need to know and practice the ministry of presence—being there for people and showing them love in action. Love that comes from Jesus through us to them.
So, what I want to ask you today is: What person in your life right now could use your presence? What person needs to know someone cares and hasn’t forgotten them? Stop right now, if you can, and let God’s Spirit reveal that person to you. Perhaps a name popped right into your mind; if not, ask God to reveal that person to you.
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volume_upSeptember 20, 2024 Five Ways to Be on Mission at Work – 5
Presented by Lisa Bishop
Do you pray for your coworkers? Today we’re wrapping up our week of being on mission in the workplace with a powerful way to make an impact at work: praying for our colleagues. When we pray for our boss, the executive team, customers, and coworkers, we ask for the heart of God to move in profound ways; to bring his love, wisdom, peace, and provision into their lives. We pray people will come to have a saving faith in Jesus.
I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people (1 Timothy 2:1).
This includes our coworkers, managers, and even those we might find challenging to get along with. Praying for our colleagues is a tangible expression of our love for them and our desire to see God's best in their lives.
Think about the people you see every day at work. Each one has their own struggles, hopes, and dreams. They may be facing personal challenges, health issues, or simply the stress of daily responsibilities. When we lift them up in prayer, we invite God to work in their situations and we are partnering with God in his mission to bless and transform lives.
Prayer can also change our own hearts and attitudes. It’s hard to harbor resentment or indifference toward someone you are faithfully praying for. As we pray, God softens our hearts and fills us with his love and compassion. We begin to see our colleagues through the loving, merciful, compassionate eyes of Jesus, recognizing their inherent value and worth.
The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective (James 5:16).
This means our prayers can have a real impact. Whether it’s a silent prayer at our desk, on a Teams call, or praying for people during your quiet time, God hears your prayers and responds.
We might not always see immediate results, but we can trust God is at work in ways we cannot see.
Praying for others can open doors for deeper conversations about faith. When someone shares a need or struggle with us, offering to pray for them, or even praying with them right then, can be a profound testimony of our faith and God's love. It shows we care deeply and believe in a God who is intimately involved in our lives.
When you head into work, remember you are on mission. Let’s make it a habit to pray for those around us. Ask God to bless them, to guide them, and to reveal himself to them in powerful ways. Through our prayers, we become conduits of God's grace and love, bringing his light into our workplaces and fulfilling his mission.
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volume_upSeptember 19, 2024 Five Ways to Be on Mission at Work – 4
Presented by Lisa Bishop
How are you serving your coworkers? We are looking at 5 ways to be on mission at work: checking our attitudes, working with excellence, and acting with integrity. Now, I want to examine another way to be on mission at your place of employment: tending to the needs of your coworkers.
Many of us spend a significant portion of our lives at work. It’s easy to get caught up in our routine, focusing on tasks, deadlines, and career advancement. But as followers of Christ, we are called to a higher purpose.
Whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your [willing and humble] slave; just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many (Matthew 20:26-28).
These powerful words challenge us to rethink our approach to our daily work. Ironically these words are Jesus’s response to two brothers vying for position, trying to snag the highest place of prestige and honor by sitting at the right hand of Jesus. It’s a great lesson for us too. I’m not implying we should not have ambitions to rise through the ranks at work but how and why we do that matters.
If we are out for personal gain, people will see that, and Jesus knows our hearts. Posturing ourselves with pride puts a damper on our influence at work and the level of trust people will have in us. Are we out for our own best interest or do we desire to work for the best interest of others? Jesus had the highest position and yet he took on the attitude of humility, saw the needs of others, and served them.
Serving others in the workplace means looking beyond our own needs and ambitions. It’s about seeing our colleagues as people God loves and has placed in our lives for a reason. Each day presents multiple opportunities for us to demonstrate Christ’s love through simple acts of kindness: lending a listening ear to a coworker, giving of our time and offering to help someone with a difficult project, or even just sharing a word of appreciation and encouragement.
Who can you serve? Your genuine acts of service will model the heart of Jesus and just may open doors for deeper conversations about faith.
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volume_upSeptember 18, 2024 Five Ways to Be on Mission at Work – 3
Presented by Lisa Bishop
As we prepare to head into another workday, how can we reflect Christ in our daily jobs? Our work is not just for our bosses or for a paycheck. It's an act of worship and service to God. Being on mission at work means reflecting Christ's character in everything we do. This starts with integrity.
The integrity of the upright guides them, but the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity (Proverbs 11:3).
As Christians, we are called to be honest, reliable, and ethical in all our dealings. This not only pleases God but also sets a powerful example for those around us. Sometimes it can be tempting to fudge numbers, distort facts, or spin the truth to make ourselves look better. But that is not walking in a manner worthy of the gospel.
For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might….. (Colossians 1:9-11).
This call to action reminds us first and foremost to pray. Ask God to fill you and other believers with knowledge and wisdom from the Holy Spirit as you go about your workday so that we please God in every way, and bear fruit that lasts longer than short-term gain. Pray you are strengthened by the Holy Spirit as you make decisions, and resist relying on your flesh. Praise your heavenly Father for his power at work in you; his Holy Spirit who guides you to walk in integrity.
Living with integrity means we live in harmony with our deepest held values and beliefs as believers, standing firm for our principles, especially in the face of opposition. We are more concerned with doing what is honorable in the sight of the Lord than what’s pleasing to man. We do the righteous thing even when it’s hard to do. Will there be consequences if we do not fall into the company line? Perhaps. And I am not saying it is easy. But in the long run, God will work everything out for your good.
We damage our witness when we don’t walk the talk of our faith. When we live on mission, our daily lives match the message of the gospel and the character of Christ. We live our faith not merely profess it.
How can you walk with greater integrity this week? Ask the Lord to guide you and let the gospel shine through you.
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volume_upSeptember 17, 2024 Five Ways to Be on Mission at Work – 2
Presented by Lisa Bishop
Do you see yourself as one sent by God in your job? Many Christians don’t. We tend to see our jobs as a means to an end. A way to financially provide for ourselves and our families or to gain significance. But God has placed you where you are with a purpose. And while he gave you gifts and talents to apply to your work, our ultimate purpose as followers of Jesus is to point to him in our everyday lives.
One way we can do that in the workplace is to do our work with excellence.
Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving (Colossians 3:23-24).
Whatever you do, and yes that includes what you do on the job. In the original language, the words “with all your heart” means “to carry out or perform an action with enthusiasm.” And when we aim to perform with energetic interest at work, we honor the Lord.
What is your mindset around your role at work? Are you working with all your heart or punching a timecard, doing just enough to get by?
Faith calls us to the highest standard in all aspects of our lives. Scripture challenges us to raise the bar in how we perform in our jobs, not just doing the bare minimum but going the extra mile. Are you known for your stellar work ethic? If you are a follower of Jesus, your work should surpass mediocre; you are to strive for excellence.
Doing your best work is not the same as perfection. I can speak from experience, perfectionism can lead to a host of issues, one being that others may not think they can live up to your impossible standards. That can leave people feeling discouraged. While perfection is not the goal, excellence is.
How we do our job matters because not only are unbelievers watching us at work to see if we will set a good example, but our heavenly Father sees too.
Are you giving your best efforts on the job, or do you need to step it up a notch or two? Working heartily at all you do is part of God’s mission for you.
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volume_upSeptember 14, 2024 What’s My Calling
Presented by Lisa Bishop
Before we dive in let me tell you that the idea of discerning calling has been a journey for me. The topic of calling can be confusing and sometimes frustrating as we try to figure out how God is leading us. While I do not have all the answers, I hope to give you food for thought that fuels you to find time to spend with the Lord who will give you guidance and clarity on your calling as you seek him. As a working definition of calling, I want to look at what John Maxwell has to say.
“Calling is God’s personal invitation (for me) to work on His agenda, using the talents I (you) have been given in ways that are eternally significant.”
I love that reminder of truth. As followers of Jesus, when we live out our calling, we ultimately do so to glorify God. We steward the gifts and talents he has uniquely gifted us. When we think about calling it can be so easy to think it is about us but it’s not. Now, I do believe God wants us to experience fulfillment in the things he has for us to do, but that is not the end goal.
And as we think about calling it is so much more than just a job or career path. Ultimately whatever we do and the way we live is meant to serve God's purpose. God calls us to serve and contribute our giftings in a way that is consistent with how he created us. Discerning our calling is about learning how God has designed us to glorify him, serve his purposes, and serve others.
We will focus on the career aspect of our calling, but before we do that, we must be absolutely clear that our first calling as followers of Jesus is to a relationship with him. If we do not grasp that our highest calling is to live in vibrant, continual communion with God through the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit and to be an ambassador of Christ no matter where he places us, then we miss the point. Our specific callings cannot be properly engaged apart from a deep relationship with Jesus. Only out of our relationship with him does our subsequent calling, the work God has created us to do, come.
Everything begins and ends with the vitality of our walk with Jesus and listening to the Holy Spirit. If we do not have a consistent rhythm of spending time in Scripture, on our knees in prayer, drawing near and pressing our ear to hear the voice of the Holy Spirit, we will have little confidence that our thoughts and our walk will be in alignment with him. It is essential we cultivate true abiding with Jesus if we want a chance of discerning his voice from our own when making career and calling decisions.
We do not want to make a move without a move of the Holy Spirit, and we simply cannot take shortcuts by cutting God out of the picture and not intentionally taking the time to seek him. As we wrestle with calling, it may require fasting or even taking some time to get out of the hustle and bustle of life and into a remote location. Take time to journal, pray, listen, and respond.
Renewing your mind in the Word will be crucial to discerning your calling. Hearing God’s call requires posturing yourself to hear his voice.
And let me say this, our identity is to be found in our relationship with Christ, not in the work God calls us to or our job title.
I read a quote the other day that said, “You are not here to make a living….You are here to enrich the world” (Woodrow Wilson).
God created us to work, it's a blessing, not a curse. Our work can have eternal purpose, and our lives can have fullness and meaning through the work God calls us to.
Something to note, your calling does not necessarily have to be the way you make money. It may be. But you also may be called to serve your community or church, raise kids, or care for aging parents. Whether we use our gifts to serve in the workplace, our homes, or communities, as Colossians 3:23 says, whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters….
As it relates to our careers and calling in the...
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volume_upSeptember 13, 2024 Is There Enough Evidence to Convict You? – 5
Imagine you have to stand trial because you are a Christian. The prosecutor must show evidence you are indeed a Christian. What evidence would there be?
Evidence of Faith
Could evidence be shown to prove you really have faith in God—that you trust him with your life? You know, if you are trusting God with your life, with your future, it will show. It will be evident.
When you’re facing tough times and difficult circumstances, is it clear to others you are trusting God for those things? Are you ready and willing to tell how God has been faithful to you? Do you remember and share what God has done in your life to prove he is faithful and trustworthy? Could people who know you say, “I know she has faith in God because of the way she deals with life”?
Evidence of Purity
Living a pure life by biblical standards is not only considered impossible by many today, but totally out-of-step with today’s “progressive culture.” Purity of life includes sexual purity as well as a life of integrity, of honesty, of just simply always doing the right thing regardless of the cost. It includes your financial dealings and business practices. They should be so pure no one could find fault with them if everything was revealed.
Here’s a simple poem that says a lot:
You are writing a Gospel, a chapter each day,
By the deeds that you do and the words that you say.
People read what you write—distorted or true.
What is the Gospel according to you?[1]
People who don’t know Jesus don’t typically read the Bible. But they read the people who read the Bible.
We’re not likely to be on trial any time soon—at least not in this country—for our faith, although that day could come. But the Bible says every true believer will stand before Jesus to give an account of how we’ve lived our life. So, the real question today for us Christians is: Will Jesus find evidence in our lives that we have been faithful witnesses of who he is and what he has done for us? Will your faith stand up in that court?
[1] Paul Gilbert
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volume_upSeptember 11, 2024 Is There Enough Evidence to Convict You? – 3
The Bible tells us as Christ-followers, we are representatives on earth of Jesus and our lives should bear real evidence we are Christians. I’m asking if there would be enough evidence in your life to convict you of being a Christian. Yesterday, I talked about evidence in the way we talk. Here’s another area that witnesses will note.
Evidence in Our Conduct
Imagine someone followed you around for a month or so and looked for evidence that proved you were a Christian. Would they be able to accuse you of:
Faithful attendance to and involvement with a local Bible-believing church
Daily times of personal worship—Bible reading, prayer
Spending time helping others in various ways
Involved in small group Bible study or some other regular Bible study
Supporting God’s work with your time and money
Would they accuse you of being joyful all the time? Would they have evidence that you always spoke the truth in love? Would it be clear by your conduct that you considered others more important than yourself, and you had a servant attitude?
If someone followed you everywhere you went, would they note you were very selective about the movies you watched, and the television programs you viewed? What books would they see you reading—edifying books that inspired you?
Would the way you spend your time indicate following Jesus was your highest priority—or would they observe you wasting lots of time on things that really don’t matter? What would they say about the way you spend your money? Do you give faithfully to God’s work, or do you spend it all on yourself?
When we stop and ask ourselves questions like this, it’s a bit sobering, isn’t it? But it’s important we think about the messages our words and lives are sending to others.
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volume_upSeptember 10, 2024 Is There Enough Evidence to Convict You? – 2
If you were on trial accused of being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you? Let’s look at some of the evidence that would prove you’re a Christian.
Evidence in Your Speech
If everything you said was recorded for a day or a week, would your words be strong evidence that you are a Christ-follower, or would they sound no different than any others?
This is one of the most important ways our lives as Christians should be differentiated from others—the words we speak and the conversations we engage in. Here is the biblical standard for our speech—our words.
Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen (Ephesians 4:29).
That’s a high standard, isn’t it? And it would be easily recognized as different in our world today. No unwholesome talk—only speaking what will build others up and benefit them. That is the kind of evidence that would show you are a Christ-follower.
In your normal everyday life, how do you speak about people you don’t like? Are your words always full of condemnation and criticism, or do you speak of others—even those you don’t particularly admire—in words of kindness and understanding? If your words were recorded for a week, would we hear a lot of griping and complaining, or would those recordings be full of praise to God and thankfulness?
Someone has said our words should be true, necessary, and kind. Apply those three principles to your speech, and if you’re like me, you will say fewer words than usual!
Jesus said, a good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of (Luke 6:45).
What do you think the verdict would be? Would you be convicted of being a Christian because of the words you say, the conversations you engage in, the way you talk?
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volume_upSeptember 9, 2024 Is There Enough Evidence to Convict You?
If you were on trial because you are a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you? That’s the question I’m posing this week. It’s a question that gets to the heart of whether those of us who claim to be Christians really live by biblical principles and priorities. Whether the world around us can see any difference in the way we live, the way we respond, the priorities of our lives as compared to everyone else.
Imagine you are on trial, having been accused of being a Christian. The prosecutor would call witnesses who would be asked whether they have seen any clear evidence to convict you of being a Christian. What would they say? Is there a coworker who would confidently say, “I know she’s a Christian because. . .”? Or how about a family member? Or a neighbor?
Jesus said, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven (Matthew 5:16).
How brightly is your light shining? Does it shine consistently enough so those who are in your world know that you are a Christian?
Years ago, for a period, I was not a shining witness for Christ. The people who worked with me would not have been able to accuse me of being a Christian. I remember once telling a coworker I went to church, and he was surprised. He said, “I didn’t know you were a religious person.” And it’s true—he didn’t know because there was no evidence in my life at that time that would have convicted me of being a Christ-follower.
That’s a sad commentary for sure, but thank God it is not now the case, and thank God he puts our past behind us and opens new paths for us to serve him.
Paul wrote to his disciple, Timothy:
Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity (1 Timothy 4:12).
That’s a high bar, isn’t it—to set an example in the way we talk, in the way we conduct ourselves, in the way we love other people, in the way we trust God, and in the purity of our lives. That’s the kind of evidence that proves you have been changed by God through faith in Jesus Christ.
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volume_upSeptember 7, 2024 Are You a Risk Taker?
Risk-averse is a term often used by financial managers to describe people who do not want to take risks with their investments. They want low-risk investments, and that can be a prudent way to handle your money. But should we always be risk-averse?
Ron Hutchcraft told a story that illustrates what I’m talking about. He said he had been invited to go hiking with some friends in a gorgeous setting, to see a breathtaking waterfall. Ron was determined to see it. So, they hiked up the mountain and came to a large stream they had to cross to get to the waterfall. Ron took a look at the stream and started searching for a bridge, but there was none. He said to his companions, \"How do we get across here?\"
\"Oh,\" they said, \"you have to walk across the pipe there.” Ron looked at the pipe that bridged the stream. It was small; it was wet; it looked dangerous. And his first reaction was, \"Thanks but no thanks. I'll stay here.” But his friends urged him, \"Come on. You can't stay here. The view is on the other side. Wait ‘til you see the view and the waterfall. Come on; walk across the pipe.\"
Ron had a decision to make. Either stay where he was and miss the view or walk across the pipe. He decided to take the risky way, and he walked across. He said, \"I wouldn't have missed that view for anything. It was the most beautiful sight I've ever seen. But I had to walk the pipe to get there.\"
Yes, it was a bit risky, but it was worth the risk. You know, as we live our lives for Jesus, there will be times when we need to take a risk, move out of our comfort zones, attempt something that looks difficult, and yes, even run the possibility of failing. For example, maybe God has been prompting you to share your faith with a coworker, but you’ve been reluctant to do so because it’s risky. You think: That coworker may react negatively, or I may botch it and say all the wrong things. Or maybe it’s against the law to share my faith on the job! And so that fear keeps you from taking the risk.
I wonder how many of us are missing out on so much of what God wants us to do and the blessings that come when we obey, simply because we’re not willing to take a risk. Obviously, we shouldn’t take unnecessary risks, and we should always proceed with prayer and caution. But my friends, if you’re afraid of any risk, you may never do all the good things God has put you here to do. You’ll miss so much of God’s blessing in your life.
The Bible is full of stories of risk-takers. Esther took a great risk to rescue her people from annihilation. This young, inexperienced woman literally took her life in her hands and approached the king. Before doing that, she asked for all the Jews to pray and fast for her. That’s a good principle. You shouldn’t just go headlong into some risk without knowing God is leading you and knowing you are fortified with prayer. But once she knew she had to take this risk, she said, “I will go to the king even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish.”
Esther was a meek, humble young woman. She was not equipped for such an assignment. She could have given many legitimate excuses why she could not take this risk of approaching the king to save her people. But she knew it was a unique opportunity, and she knew it was the right thing to do. She did face the possibility of failure; she knew the extent of the risk she took, but she knew she had to do it. So, she said, “If I perish, I perish.”
You see, many of us are very willing to serve Jesus as long as it's comfortable and not terribly demanding. We have our life plan in place, and we've put Jesus in the schedule. Yes, we love him, but after all, we're not all called to be missionaries, right? So, we get to the edge of the river, and we take a look across. We see some people there who seem to soar and enjoy the other side. But we keep looking at that pipe; it's risky; it takes faith. And we decide to stay where the ground is firm, and we're not at risk.
Oh,
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volume_upSeptember 6, 2024 Missional Living – 5
Presented by Lauren Stibgen
What does love require? Part of missional living—especially at work—requires us to approach all things with love. Today we will see how Paige believes we live life on mission with each other to restore all things—even those things at work!
Paige is an executive leader of business transformations, leading the global program management for a large company that provides customers protection plans through different partners across the globe. Her current charge is being deemed a moonshot customer experience initiative. Basically, the organization knows the goals are extraordinary, and she is accountable! Not only does she hold this work as a leader, but she is a wife and mom to three children in their teens and twenties.
Paige used to think her Jesus-centered values would conflict with the way she needed to show up at work and says she couldn’t have been more wrong. A podcast on a God-centered approach to leadership helped her connect the dots. The things that made her a good leader (authenticity, integrity led, caring, clear) were the same values that come from the fruit of the Spirit. It helped her see her life as one big mission field instead of thinking about work in a totally different context.
When Paige goes to work, she views her mission as twofold.
First, she strives to authentically live out the values Jesus taught and asks herself in every situation, what does love require?
She knows this type of love requires her to be grounded and filled with the Holy Spirit and covered in prayer. It also requires that she lives with integrity and back up her words with action.
Paige recently got a tattoo on her wrist of the Hebrew and English word hesed, which is hard to pin down to a singular definition, but it basically means unimaginable loving kindness. It is the loving kindness we receive from our God, and only from him. This tattoo has opened many conversations for Paige. It serves as an opportunity to tell people what she stands for and serves as a reminder of how deeply she is loved and how her job is to deeply love others, no matter the current crisis or hot button issue that comes her way!
Second, Paige strives to create an authentic, come-as-you-are community within the teams she leads and within her leadership circles. That means creating time and space to get to know each person and time to foster trust and an inclusive community. She makes sure she takes advantage of opportunities to be vulnerable to create and build connections. Sharing the role her faith plays in her day-to-day life helps her show her authentic self and the strengths God has gifted her with as a leader.
Most of the sharing Paige does is through one-on-one conversation. She is not afraid to share how she spends her time and the things she is praying for. By sharing her life outside of work, Paige learned she was doing a spiritual fast at the same time as someone on her team. She even had a great discussion with someone else on her team about leading girls’ groups at church because she wasn't afraid to share why she had Wednesday night commitments.
Paige says, “I think God has given me a path of experiences that have uniquely positioned me to lead in the space I am now, adding value in a completely authentic way. I see him using my trials and successes as opportunities for me to share more about myself and my belief systems and then to demonstrate my values. I see him continuing to leverage me to mentor other women, and to continuously point to him.”
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volume_upSeptember 5, 2024 Missional Living – 4
Presented by Lauren Stibgen
Do you acknowledge God when you celebrate success at work? Pointing to God’s favor in your work and boldly proclaiming your faith at work can be another way to live on mission in your day to day like my friend Cathi.
Cathi is a Sr. National Director for Childhelp. Since 1959, Childhelp has saved and transformed the lives of more than 12 million children suffering from abuse and neglect. Cathi’s role is to raise the vital funds for these children. She is truly serving the least of these.
For Cathi, tragedy and grief transformed her work into a mission to share Jesus wherever she goes, even amidst profound sorrow. Two years ago, she tragically lost her son Ben to a Fentanyl overdose on the streets of Los Angeles. This devastating loss shattered her world and propelled her into a deep prayer life, considering more about what Jesus wanted her to do. Cathi finds solace in sharing her faith, particularly with those who are struggling or marginalized. She spends a great deal of her time with the homeless and drug addicts.
To Cathi, missional living is about intentionally aligning her life with a purpose that revolves around serving others. Working at Childhelp allows her the privilege to directly engage with children and families in need. She states, “As a follower of Christ, it's imperative that I serve the least of these, making a tangible difference for God's kingdom.”
Throughout her career, she has made it a point to acknowledge God's role in her successes openly. Whether securing major donations or interacting with colleagues, she gives all credit to Jesus.
Recently, during an all-staff meeting, the chief of staff highlighted this commitment, affirming her dedication to glorifying God in all she does.
Cathi has initiated a Friday morning prayer session after their team meetings for her colleagues. This time has become a sacred space where they seek God's guidance and blessings for their work at Childhelp. She firmly believes God opens doors, provides wisdom, and brings the right people to support our mission of helping abused children.
Psalm 139:1-24 holds special significance for Cathi. It's a chapter she memorized with her sons when they were young, and it remains a source of comfort and strength. As she reflects on her journey, she finds assurance in every word of this Psalm, knowing God intimately knows when she sits down and when she rises. Cathi knows God was with her boy when he took his last breath and is with her today in everything she does!
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volume_upSeptember 3, 2024 Missional Living – 2
Presented by Lauren Stibgen
Who do you really work for and how do you face challenges at work? Missional living can truly show up in how you consider who you are working for each day and how you choose to handle challenges. My friend Jenn is focused on becoming more reliant on Jesus in these challenges, and her focus on living out her faith at work truly helps her as a leader each day!
Jenn is a Chief People Officer at a multifamily development and management company. She is responsible for people and culture, which means she is truly at the helm of how people feel about their work! From leadership development and coaching to hiring and strategic planning, Jenn has a pulse on every part of her organization!
To her, living out her faith at work is a mission that she measures by how she approaches her work each day in living out her actions and through her interactions with her team, customers and partners. Focusing on her gifts of leadership and hospitality, she knows she can impact people both at work and at home.
God has changed her thinking about work; she does it all for the Lord. All her work is ultimately for him and his kingdom. Framing her thinking in this way helps Jenn do her best work regardless of the circumstances or her feelings, and she does this by keeping Colossians 3:23 top of mind.
Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters (Colossians 3:23).
God has moved most recently through her at work through the Holy Spirit calling her to share more of her own challenges vulnerably with others. She states she has found when she shares, others feel safe to share about themselves and genuine authentic relationships are built. Challenges have given Jenn an opportunity to rely more on Jesus knowing he cared for all people. Experiencing this feeling herself makes it easier for her to extend this to others.
She states, “We all face sufferings at one time or another and have an undercurrent that we are dealing with that others may not even know about or understand.” While Jenn is not thankful FOR all circumstances, she tries to be thankful IN all circumstances.
Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us (Romans 5:3-5).
For Jenn, and for me too, learning how to endure challenges is an ongoing work in progress, but she realizes how she responds in these times is a great example to those she leads and coaches at work. She leans on the grace and forgiveness we receive through Jesus when she falls short, which allows her to extend this grace and forgiveness to others.
Jenn believes work is a gift! She states “We get to work. Let’s rejoice in our ability to work for the Lord!”
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volume_upSeptember 2, 2024 Missional Living
Presented by Lauren Stibgen
Have you ever felt like you aren’t doing enough? Maybe you are like me, wondering if what I do everyday matters for the Kingdom of God. I know I don’t feel equipped in the way the church sometimes calls others to mission trips. I would sometimes wonder what was wrong with me. Why didn’t I feel an urgency to jump on a plane and bring water to a village in Africa or head to a remote village in South America to help in an orphanage? These are big deals to God!
I started to think about missional living in the places I spent the most time. For me, it was at work and at home. Before I started to focus on bringing the gospel to the world, I thought about what I was doing within the context of where I was spending the most time. And then I was honest with myself. I wasn’t living missionally at all. Much of my gospel thinking was a self-focused exercise. I was passionate about Jesus, but it was an internal passion.
I started by setting out with one word: bold. Ephesians 6:19-20 inspired this in me.
Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should (Ephesians 6:19-20).
Paul declared this verse from prison, but I am free! This meant I needed to step out of my comfort zone and not only learn more about how to be a better disciple for God, but to choose specific situations to be bold with my faith at work.
I also realized I couldn’t do this without the support of God and the Holy Spirit, but also that I was equipped with others that wanted to share in a discipleship journey just like me. Community with other believers has served as an encouragement and a deep opportunity for mutual uplifting and development.
As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another (Proverbs 27:17).
What has followed is a rich community of women who lean in and pray for each other and encourage each other to be bold with the gospel in their work lives.
In the coming days, you will hear about Jennifer, Cathi, Tracy, and Paige. Each one of them is on a mission to share the gospel at work. And, while they all share in their foundations of success, God’s Word, the Holy Spirit and prayer empower them to be bold!
I hope you will be encouraged to be on a mission right where you are this week. God has you right where you need to be!
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volume_upAugust 31, 2024 Are You Living Life Without Joy?
If Christ’s love is in us and his joy is made complete in us like described in John 15:11, why are so many of us living a life without joy? Lisa Bishop talks with our friend Juni Felix to discuss this important question and offer some practical tips on cultivating joy in our lives. As followers of Jesus, were designed for joy!
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volume_upAugust 30, 2024 Thank God It’s Monday! – 5
Thank God it's Fri … Monday! My guess is some of you have already thanked God it's Friday, but what I've been trying to do this week is to help you see how you can truly learn to say, \"Thank God it's Monday.\" Thank God for work, for your job assignment, and for what God is going to do with you and through you in your job.
Look again at the first work assignment as given to Adam; God never left him alone. God was always there with him. If you have received Christ as Savior, you are never alone; he is with you in all your work.
In fact, he has invited us to come to him and take his yoke upon us. A yoke is a wooden block that holds two animals together while they work. Jesus wants to share his yoke with you, to have you work right beside him, and the good news is, his yoke is easy. When you go to your job each day yoked up with Jesus, working with him beside you, your job become much easier. That's one way Jesus redeems our work from the curse.
Now, think of all that contention in your workplace; that dog-eat-dog attitude that permeates your job; the unfairness and discrimination and selfishness that is rampant. It all started when work was cursed with thorns and thistles. But because Jesus became a curse for us on the cross, we don't have to live under that curse anymore, and that means we can and should have a transformed attitude toward work.
This means you can demonstrate the transforming power of Jesus Christ by your attitude toward work, because you’ve been set free from the curse of the law through faith in Jesus Christ. You may have to work in a corrupted environment, but you don't have to be corrupted by it. You can stand out in that crowd as a bright light of hope by demonstrating a transformed attitude toward your work.
You see, the only way that workplace will be changed is when the individual hearts of people are changed. And God may have you there for that very reason—to help some of those people see their need for God through the way you work. Pretty exciting, don't you think?
But it must begin with your attitude toward work—an attitude of thankfulness, an attitude of anticipation, an attitude of doing what God has called you to do. Then you can honestly say: Thank God it's Monday!
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volume_upAugust 29, 2024 Thank God It’s Monday! – 4
Thank God it's Monday! I know it's Thursday. But the title of my series this week is \"Thank God It's Monday,\" because when we are born from above, we can truly say that and mean it.
Work is a gift from God, and as intended by him, it brings contentment, fulfillment, enjoyment, and all those good things we keep looking for. The problem is, work fell under the curse when Adam and Eve sinned, and from that time on, it has been corrupted by sin. That corruption has caused many to have an unhealthy attitude toward work, and that includes Christians.
Here's the great news.
Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: 'Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.' (Galatians 3:13).
Jesus Christ came to redeem us from the curse of work. With Jesus in control of your life, you can realize the original purpose of work and be set free from the corruption that has made work a dirty word for many.
Now, to do that, you must first have a personal relationship with Jesus through faith. Then, you must make sure the work you are doing is God's assignment for you. God has work for each of his children to do, and when God gives you work, it is sacred. Whether you call it secular or sacred, if you’re doing what God wants you to do, it is sacred work.
Looking at Adam again, he was given a divine job assignment, and as long as he was willing to obey, he was living in paradise. Work was wonderful; everything was sweet. But he was also given the freedom to rebel against God's plan for his life, and unfortunately, he chose to do that. You and I have the same freedom to rebel against God's plans for our lives, but when we do, we pay the price.
If you want to transform your workday into something meaningful and worthwhile, develop the right perspective toward the work you do, and do it as unto the Lord. Think each day that you report to Jesus. You work for him, and you will be demonstrating a totally new attitude, which will show to everyone you work with and for.
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volume_upAugust 28, 2024 Thank God It’s Monday! – 3
Work as given by God can be fulfilling, rewarding, meaningful, and pleasant. Right, you're thinking, if you work for some Christian organization or church. No, that's not what I mean.
In Genesis 1 and 2 we see the first work assignment given by God to Adam and Eve. He told them to be fruitful and increase in number—to fill the earth and subdue it. To rule over the creature world, and to name all the living creatures. Then he assigned Adam the job of taking care of the garden. That was Adam's job description.
Notice as originally intended, work was assigned by God and man obeyed. And it's interesting to note the first job description would be thought of by most Christians today as a \"secular\" job. But since God assigned it, it had to be sacred, right? The same is true today. The nature of the work you do does not determine if it is sacred or not. Work is sacred when it is assigned by God.
Now, I ask you to think of your own work situation, whether you're in the workforce or working without a paycheck! Has your work been assigned to you by God? Are you confident you are in the job God wants you to be in? God doesn't ask us what we want to do. He assigns us work.
For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do (Ephesians 2:10).
God is not here to make us feel fulfilled in the career or work that we choose. We are here to do the good work that he has prepared for us to do.
Maybe going to work is hard for you because you're asking God to help you accomplish your plans, and he's waiting for you to give him the blank piece of paper and ask him to write the plan. Even when you get the job you think you want or make the money you want to earn, if it is not God's plan for your life, you're going to be miserable. Work is rewarding and fulfilling only when we are obediently doing the work God has assigned us to do.
How do you know what God wants you to do? You spend time with the Lord and his Word, you put first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and I promise you, without fail, you'll know whether God wants you where you are or whether you're supposed to be somewhere else.
When we have the job God intended for us to have, work is redeemed from the curse. It is sacred. We can do our work to God's glory, and we can enjoy work as originally intended by our Creator.
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volume_upAugust 27, 2024 Thank God It’s Monday! – 2
Tell me the truth: Were you delighted to go to work today? Or were you thinking, \"Whoa, it's only Tuesday; four more days until the weekend”?
Why do we find this fairly universal attitude toward work? Everyone seems to live for the weekends. The title of my series this week is \"Thank God It's Monday!\" because if you're a Christ-follower and have been set free from sin and its curse by faith in Jesus, then you can—and should— have a totally different view of your work. You should be able to honestly say, \"Thank God it's Monday—or Tuesday!\"
We saw yesterday God gave Adam work to do in the Garden of Eden, and until sin entered the picture, work was something to be enjoyed, something fulfilling and meaningful. Everything God created was good, so work was good. The original workplace was pleasant, a place of fellowship with others and with God, a place of cooperation and obedience. Adam's job was to take care of the garden—or farm—and that was a sacred assignment from God, not some secular job he had to do to earn a living.
But once sin entered, that original plan was corrupted. And from that point on work became drudgery. Do you wonder why your workplace seems so miserable sometimes, or why relationships are so strained where you work, or why it's so difficult to get motivated in your job? It's because work has suffered the \"thorns and thistles\" of the curse as found in Genesis 3.
In our corrupted workplaces, people reject God and often any other authority placed over them. There may be little cooperation and lots of jealousy. Seems like everybody is out for number one with little regard for the welfare of others. The workplace is ruled by human nature and that is a sinful nature.
And here you are, a born-again believer in Jesus Christ, forced to go out into that corrupted workplace five days a week! Do you sometimes just long to be set free from this sin-corrupted work environment?
Here’s the thing. Jesus came to redeem us from the curse of sin, but he purposely left us in this world. We now have the amazing opportunity to demonstrate what work is really supposed to be like—yes, even in the midst of that corrupted workplace! Have you ever thought about the privilege you have to show your world how God intended work to be? Do you do that? Would you like to?
I'll give you some suggestions starting tomorrow.
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volume_upAugust 24, 2024 God’s Faithfulness – Part Two
This year, The Christian Working Woman celebrates 40 years of ministry to women in the workplace! Lisa Bishop has the pleasure of interviewing the woman who started it all—Mary Lowman. It's remarkable what God has done through one person who was simply willing to be used by God. Join us for part two of this conversation as we recount the Lord’s faithfulness!
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volume_upAugust 23, 2024 Sharing God’s Love at Work – 5
How can you build relationships with your co-workers, so you have an opportunity to share God’s love with them, tell them of your faith journey, and be a witness for Jesus on the job? That’s what we’ve been looking at this week. I’ve offered eight suggestions so far, and if you missed any of them, they are all available on our website at christianworkingwoman.org
Today we’re looking at the last two ways we can share God’s love on the job.
9. Be ready to apologize when you need to.
My friend, Janet, says the major difference between her and her co-workers who are not yet believers is she apologizes more often! Being humble enough to apologize when you’re wrong is definitely a God thing, and it really does go a long way to breaking down barriers and solving problems.
10. Build relationships with your coworkers by using work break times as an opportunity to talk.
It is not appropriate to use any significant amount of company time for personal conversations. But there is your lunch hour and other times you can use for building relationships.
Let me tell you about my friend, Cynthia. Many years ago, she worked in a difficult environment, where she was not fully accepted as a co-equal, because she is African American. She sensed this attitude, particularly on the part of one coworker, who told her they could never be friends because of their ethnic differences. But Cynthia, determined by God’s grace to overcome those differences, began what she called Project Love. Each week, she invited one of her coworkers to have lunch with her. She even designed special invitations for them, and so one by one, she began Project Love. That began to break down those barriers as her coworkers got to know her and vice versa. And the woman who declared they could never be friends—well, as it turns out, she has become a close friend and confidant of Cynthia’s. Even though they no longer work together, they stay in touch, and Cynthia hears from her regularly.
Love never fails, my friends. If there are some difficult relationships where you work now, why don’t you ask God for your own Project Love idea, instead of giving up on those relationships.
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volume_upAugust 21, 2024 Sharing God’s Love at Work – 3
I’m offering ten suggestions for sharing God’s love where you work. If you missed the first four, you’ll find them on our website at christianworkingwoman.org. Now, here are suggestions five and six.
5. Help others with their workload when you can.
Maybe you have an assistant who helps you, and you know she or he is just overloaded with work at the moment. If you said, “Hey, I can stay an extra hour tonight and help get that done,” don’t you think that could really be an effective way to communicate God’s love? Or maybe you know a co-worker is struggling with a certain assignment. Maybe she doesn’t know how to get started. If you’ve got some experience or expertise that would help them, just stop what you’re doing and help them out.
Obviously, you have your own work to do, which cannot be neglected, but there are times when stopping to help someone else is just the right, thoughtful thing to do.
6. Look for opportunities to congratulate and compliment people any time you can.
Think about it: aren’t there times in the day when you think something nice about someone, but you don’t express it? I try to make myself verbalize the compliments I think. For example, if you like the outfit someone is wearing, and think, “That looks nice on her,” then why not say it to her? If you think, “He did a great job on that,” why not say it? I think we would be more encouraging to others if we simply determined to verbalize the compliments we think.
Also, look for ways to congratulate people on any accomplishment possible. “I noticed you stayed late last night and finished that job. Thanks.” “Your daughter made the Dean’s List this semester? Terrific!”
There are so many little things we can do on any given day to show love and concern for others, to demonstrate we are thinking about someone beside ourselves. We live in a world that is pretty self-centered, but as servants of Jesus Christ, we are called to look not only to your own interest, but also to the interests of others, as we read in Philippians 2.
These things we can do because we have the motivation of God’s Spirit within us, and the power he imparts to us, and believe me, God’s love will be felt as you intentionally seek ways to share God’s love on your job.
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volume_upAugust 20, 2024 Sharing God’s Love at Work – 2
Have you ever had an opportunity to preach the gospel where you work? If you are in a secular workplace, I seriously doubt it! Then how can Christians effectively share God’s love where they work? I’m sharing ten suggestions anyone can do to become the Bible people read, the living Word of God on our jobs. Here are suggestions three and four.
3. Go through your schedule for each day and pray for the people you know you will interact with.
I know many of you are facing added stress and pressure from your jobs these days. There seems to be more workload for fewer people, and I hear from many of you that you’re expected to do more than you can get done in a day’s time. This kind of environment can easily cause interpersonal problems with coworkers.
So, pray in advance for the people you will interact with on any given day. Remember, no one is in your life by accident, so even that difficult co-worker can be changed by God’s love. Ask God to give you wisdom in how best to deal with the difficult people on your job. Ask him to help you see them the way he sees them and to give you a loving attitude toward them. Remember, you don’t have to like someone to show them God’s love.
Make it a daily practice to pray through your day before it starts, and you will discover God supplies strength and ideas and helps to get you through the day with a loving and kind attitude toward the people you encounter.
4. Plan acts of kindness.
And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful (2 Timothy 2:24).
If you are a servant of Jesus Christ, your calling is to be kind to everyone—everyone! I think we have to remember to be kind, don’t you? You can just get so busy, trying to do your job and keep all your balls in the air, that you forget to do the kind things that matter to people. Here are two easy suggestions.
Send cards at appropriate times. You could find out the birth dates of your coworkers, put them on your calendar, and then simply send a birthday card. Even an email card would be fine. It doesn’t have to be expensive.
Celebrate significant events in the lives of co-workers—like promotions, graduations, or marriages and anniversaries. It doesn’t take much effort to bring in some goodies and have a small celebration, and it truly is meaningful. But you need to plan those acts of kindness and be intentional about them.
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volume_upAugust 19, 2024 Sharing God’s Love at Work
If you go to a secular workplace every day, you may wonder what in the world you can do in that kind of environment to share your faith in Jesus Christ, to really have an impact for the Gospel. This week I’m going to give you ten suggestions for sharing God’s love where you work.
Set aside a certain time each day or week to pray for your workplace.
I have discovered many Christians don’t really pray for their workplace. I think sometimes we separate our “secular jobs” from our spiritual life, as though the two have nothing in common. But for a Christian, everything should be sacred. We should all see ourselves in “full time Christian work,” and so our workplaces are, in effect, our mission field.
What is the best way to pray for your workplace? First, pray for those in authority, for your relationship with them, for wisdom as they make decisions. Then pray for the success of the business, that God will bless the efforts of those working there. Pray for the morale of the workers, that there will be good working relationships, a good team atmosphere, conducive to good work. And then pray for whatever distressing or troubling situations you are experiencing. For example, if the company is experiencing a difficult economic situation, pray for new business, for creative marketing ideas, and so forth.
I would encourage you to set aside a specific time to pray for your workplace, maybe on Mondays, so you have this programmed into your schedule, and you don’t overlook it.
Take prayer walks through your company\/organization\/building, live or virtual.
Now, this is a clandestine kind of prayer, not one you advertise or talk about. But it’s easy to do. If you’re working in your workplace, maybe you could take a lunch hour, say once a week, and walk through your company, up and down the various hallways and floors, inconspicuously, and quietly pray for each person and department as you walk by their office or place of work. Or if it’s a small workplace, you might walk around the building. Perhaps you might do this before work one day, when not too many people are around. This is an effective way to remember to pray for the people in your company, department, or division.
Or if you work from home, pray through a list of the people who work in your company or division.
Here are two things any of us can and should do to bring God’s love to our workplace. I truly believe you will be amazed to see how prayer can change things where you work.
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volume_upAugust 17, 2024 God’s Faithfulness
This year, The Christian Working Woman celebrates 40 years of ministry to women in the workplace! Lisa Bishop has the pleasure of interviewing the woman who started it all—Mary Lowman. It's remarkable what God has done through one person who was simply willing to be used by God. Join as we recount the Lord’s faithfulness!
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volume_upAugust 16, 2024 Attitude of Gratitude – 5
Presented by Lisa Bishop
Is there someone in your workplace who gets under your skin? Let’s wrap up with being grateful for that coworker who gets on your nerves.
I know you are probably thinking I am crazy but stick with me. Who is someone at work you find yourself murmuring under your breath about? That person who raises your blood pressure, ignites your impatience, or causes you to complain in frustration.
Did you ever consider God may have placed them there for your sanctification? The coworker who bugs you with their behavior can actually be a blessing.
When we’re triggered by the behavior of others, Galatians 5 tells us that our flesh wants to react with hostility, quarreling, jealousy, selfish ambition, envy, and outbursts of anger.
But the Holy Spirit who is living in you and me produces a different kind of fruit in our lives when we earnestly love and follow Jesus.
He turns our fleshly response upside down and instead, as Galatians 5:22-23 says,
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23).
So how is an annoying coworker a benefit? When a coworker puts you on edge consider you are being positioned for an upgrade in the fruit of the Spirit. What do I mean by that? When you are frustrated, ponder the possibility that God may want to use that situation for your sanctification.
For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of (Matthew 12:34).
We know Jesus wants us to become more and more like him and reflect his heart and he will place us in circumstances that show us where we need to grow in spiritual maturity.
This is a very kind and loving thing for him to do because he wants to transform our hearts and minds so our words and actions are in alignment with who he created us to be—carriers and conduits of his love, grace, and mercy.
Our lives are meant to be a witness to a different way of life, and when the fruit of the Holy Spirit is your go-to, others will see something different reflected in you.
The next time you find your flesh ready to respond, ask the Holy Spirit to help you with a renewed response.
When a coworker does that thing that used to bug you, stop and ask the Holy Spirit: How is this person the gateway to producing patience, kindness, or love in me?
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volume_upAugust 15, 2024 Attitude of Gratitude – 4
Presented by Lisa Bishop
We’re examining the importance of practicing thankfulness. Notice how I said practice! Being thankful is not necessarily something that comes easily to us. We tend to focus on what (or who) we want fixed. We need to proactively cultivate a mindset and habit of expressing gratitude.
The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit (Proverbs 18:21).
When we hear these verses, we can typically focus on what not to do, use our words to tear someone down, defame or smear their name with lies or gossip. But how often do we focus as much on what to do with our words? I want to use my words to breathe life into people, don’t you?
We often miss multiple opportunities to express our gratitude at home and in the workplace. We can get wrapped up in busyness, be overly self-focused, or assume someone already knows we are grateful for them and miss the chance to encourage them.
As you think about the people you work with, who is someone you can show genuine gratitude to?
Tell a coworker you are thankful for the way he or she leads projects or a boss that you are thankful for his or her leadership. And how about that person who might rub you the wrong way and get on your nerves just a bit? I bet there is something you can find that you appreciate in them too. Expressing gratitude doesn’t cost you anything and in a dog-eat-dog world, where a lot of people are vying for position and credit, you will stand out in the crowd when you give sincere kudos to others. And how about encouraging fellow believers? One of my favorite verses is:
Therefore encourage one another and build each other up as you are already doing (1 Thessalonians 5:11).
As followers of Jesus, we are to encourage fellow believers in the faith, to comfort and edify each other in times of trials. To cheer each other on. Who is someone at church, in your Bible study, a leader, or a mentor you can intentionally encourage and build up with words of thankfulness?
A few years ago, I was feeling a bit discouraged in my ministry. I wondered if what I was doing was making an impact. In God’s timing, I received a card in the mail the very next day. The front of the card said, “Thank you,” along with beautiful words to encourage me just at the right time. God knew what I needed, and he prompted this sweet woman to be his mouthpiece.
God wants to use you to encourage people in your life. Who is he calling you to say a kind and life-giving word to? Ask him to show you, and then follow through.
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volume_upAugust 13, 2024 Attitude of Gratitude – 2
Presented by Lisa Bishop
How am I supposed to be grateful when life hands me lemons? How can I be thankful when life is hard? Have you ever asked yourself that?
How can you be thankful when you are experiencing conflict at work or are overlooked for a promotion? When finances are tight, your dreams feel delayed, or when you have prayed that same prayer a million times, and your circumstances don’t seem to change? It may not be easy, but it is possible. God’s word instructs us to do more than just find the proverbial silver lining. God teaches us to be thankful in challenging circumstances because he has proven himself faithful even when life is hard.
Philippians 4:6-7 are familiar verses we often quote, but do we let them instruct us when life is sour?
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:6-7).
We often get the part about not being anxious, presenting our requests, and praying in every situation, but we tend to gloss over a key call to action—with thanksgiving.
Why be thankful when hardships happen? Because when you are thankful in hard times, you are promised peace! Now let me just say we are not called to be thankful for all of life’s challenges that come our way per se, but to give thanks because we know God is working in our circumstances.
And this is also not a call to pick yourself up by your bootstraps and muster up a pretense that everything is A-OK. You are allowed to lament when things go awry. Gratitude and being disgruntled can coexist. The key is not to let the grumbling overpower the gratitude. Get real with God but also remember his character. He is for you even if you don’t feel like it. Your feelings don’t always tell you the truth, only God’s Word is true and that is why you must renew your mind with the Word and pray with thanksgiving. As you pray and remember God’s steadfast love and faithfulness, the peace of God will guard your heart and mind in Christ.
If you are facing a trial right now, I want to remind you to stand firm. God is with you and will not allow your needs to go unnoticed or unaddressed. It may be hard but keep your eyes open and your heart attuned to how he is working on your behalf, even in this very moment.
Hang onto the truth of God’s Word to get you through hard times and be thankful.
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volume_upAugust 12, 2024 Attitude of Gratitude
Presented by Lisa Bishop
Would you consider yourself to be a thankful person? Let’s examine a topic that can transform your life—the undeniable power of a deep-seated posture of thankfulness.
A few weeks ago, I was headed to a wedding where I knew parking would be a bit of a challenge. I pulled up an app on my phone that helps you find and pay for parking spots in advance. I found my assigned spot #26, parked my car, and headed to see my friend get married. A few hours later I walked outside to go home and, you guessed it, my car was nowhere to be found. I was stunned and a bit bewildered. At first, I thought my car had been stolen. Then it dawned on me. I was parked in the wrong lot, and as a result, my car was towed.
As a side note, I have lived in Chicago for 27 years and have avoided this dreaded occurrence, but apparently, my lot was up. It was my turn to experience something I would not wish on anyone.
You might be wondering what this has to do with thankfulness. I would be lying if I told you I was thankful my car got towed. That is far from the truth. But I will say, instead of having a total meltdown in my dress and high heels, I was able to take the higher ground of gratitude, finding things I could be thankful for in the moment. While I did feel like bursting into tears, I talked myself off the ledge, focused on what I could control, and did my best to release the rest.
I kept calm and focused on what I could be grateful for even in the midst of an unpleasant situation: the Uber driver who took me to the tow lot and made sure I was safe, the fact that my car was not stolen and that I could afford the $240 fee to retrieve my vehicle.
Did you know when you make it a practice to lead a lifestyle of thankfulness, it makes you more resilient? For the past two years during my quiet time, I have been recording what I am grateful for, and I believe it prepared me for this dreadful day.
When daily stresses come your way, gratitude will help you be resilient in challenging times. Gratitude reverses that negative spiral we can all be prone to when life throws us curveballs. But you must be proactive in growing in gratitude to reap the benefits of resilience.
My daily gratitude practice prepared me not to lose my cool and kept me grounded in God.
Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus (1 Thessalonians 5:18).
Gratitude takes practice like any other skill, and when you are thankful, you are living in God’s will.
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volume_upAugust 10, 2024 Choosing Thankfulness
For the most part, we live in a very ungrateful world. All around you can see examples of children being ungrateful for all their parents have done for them; workers not appreciating their jobs; Americans not appreciating the country they live in. Thankfulness seems to be in short supply.
For many people, gratitude is difficult because life is difficult. For others, gratitude is just not on their radar at all. Life is all about them, and they think they deserve whatever good comes to them, so being thankful just doesn’t fit in with their attitudes. And others are not thankful because they simply take for granted the good things in their lives. They just never stop to say thanks.
Do you remember this story from Luke 17:11-19:
Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him. They stood at a distance and called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!â€
When he saw them, he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.â€Â And as they went, they were cleansed. One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan.
Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?†Then he said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.â€
We read that story, and we shake our heads at those nine guys who never said thanks. What’s the matter with them? Jesus healed them of a horrible disease, and they don’t even bother to return and express their gratitude? And note that Jesus finds it baffling, too. “Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?â€, he asks. Just one guy, and he wasn’t even a fellow Jew.
Why did nine go away without saying thanks? We aren’t told exactly why, but I can imagine they were so excited to be healed of leprosy that instead of thanking Jesus, they rushed right back into their lives, told their families they were healed, and picked up where they left off before their dreaded disease. It was all about them and the good news that they were healed. They just didn’t take the time or the effort to say thanks. They did not choose to be thankful.
You see, being thankful and expressing it are choices you and I make each day. Rarely does a day pass that doesn’t offer you at least one thankful moment. But I wonder, how many of your days—and mine—begin and end without one word of thankfulness coming from our lips? Jesus said, A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of (Luke 6:45). If our lips are not speaking words of thanksgiving, it’s because our hearts are not full of thankfulness. We speak what is in our hearts.
So, my challenge to you is to choose thankfulness every day. If you are a Christ-follower, this should be a no-brainer decision, because it is simply obeying the principles set down in God’s Word. Here are four examples, and there are many more:
Colossians 2:6-7: So, then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.
Ephesians 5:19b-20: Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
1 Thessalonians 5:18: Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
Psalm 100:4: Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.
So, I think we must conclude when we are truly ungrateful, either because life is hard, or we forget to be thankful, or we take our blessings for granted—whatever the reason may be—we are in disobe...
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volume_upAugust 9, 2024 The Power of Gratitude – 5
The Bible clearly teaches us to give thanks in all situations, to develop a heart of gratitude because it makes a huge difference in your growth as a follower of Jesus Christ. The more you have a spirit, a controlling attitude of gratitude for all the blessings in your life, beginning with Jesus, the more power you will have to do the good works you were put here to do, as we read in Ephesians 2:10.
I have a suggestion I believe will put you on the path to becoming a more grateful person, a person whose first response to whatever happens in your day is to give thanks. I’m going to do this with you. I believe it would be a great help if we would keep a thankful journal—a book or a tablet of some kind—where we specifically name three things in that day we are thankful for.
This is not a new idea. Many studies have been done in the secular world showing the power of gratitude. Once again, the world has unknowingly come to accept principles that are grounded in God’s truth. When you practice biblical principles, they work for your good even if you are not yet born again into God’s family.
I have journaled in different ways through the years, but this is the first time I’ve committed to a daily, end-of-day thankful journal. And it so happens a dear friend just gave me a new journal—not a coincidence, if you ask me.
Will you join me? I mean, how much trouble can it be? It’s really easy to do. Just jot down three things in each day that you are thankful for—or more. It could be a chocolate cake or a good report from your doctor or a call from a friend. Small or large, it shouldn’t be hard to name three things each day for which you are thankful and write them in your thankful journal. If you decide to do this with me, let me know, and please share your experience of how God is growing a heart of gratitude in you. It could be life-changing in many ways.
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volume_upAugust 8, 2024 The Power of Gratitude – 4
The power of gratitude. As I have been putting my thoughts together for this devotional, I’ve been amazed and inspired to realize how absolutely critical it is for us who claim Christ as our Savior to have hearts of gratitude. It’s even more important than I realized.
Someone has said thankfulness is the quickest path to joy. Joy is what we want and what we need because the joy of the Lord is our strength. Don’t you know the enemy of your soul wants to steal your joy because that weakens and sidelines you. It can happen so fast—before you realize it. How does it happen? You forget to be grateful, and you start a pity party, or you complain to someone, or you gripe in your own soul.
Gratitude and a complaining spirit don’t get along well. They cross each other out. When your heart is full of gratitude, that complaining spirit, that pity party just can’t take hold. But when you forget to do God’s clearly expressed will—to give thanks in all circumstances—then gratitude is canceled out by griping and complaining.
Gratitude has the power to give you joy no matter what. And that gratitude will cause you to fix your mind on all you have in Jesus. Jesus is the reason we can be and must be always grateful. This is how Peter put it:
Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy (1 Peter 1:8).
Inexpressible and glorious joy! Joy that does not yield to difficult circumstances, unhappy endings, unanswered prayers. True, gratitude is the quickest path to joy, and inexpressible and glorious joy is found in Jesus Christ—and in him alone. Go there when you’re tempted to be discouraged. As you express gratitude for Jesus, you will know this joy which can’t be expressed. Gratitude is very powerful.
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volume_upAugust 7, 2024 The Power of Gratitude – 3
Each year I choose a word to pray into my life for that year. My one word for this year is acceptance, and the verse I chose is 1 Timothy 6:6—godliness with contentment is great gain. I’m directing our thoughts to the power of gratitude—the incredible benefits we have as Christ-followers when we continually develop a heart of gratitude.
And acceptance is one of the great gains we receive. As I said before, gratitude is more than just being thankful for an event. It is thankfulness on steroids—taking thankfulness to the next level. When gratitude becomes a way of life, or an automatic response, it gives you the power to accept what’s coming your way.
Let’s face it: resistance comes far more naturally to us than acceptance. When life isn’t going the way you want it to, if you’re like me, your first reaction is focused on how to change it. And that often creates tons of stress and strife. We often hear and say, “Well, it is what it is,†right? And in a sense, that is the motto of acceptance—it is what it is.
Of course, that doesn’t mean we lay down and roll over when we need to do something, but life is full of so many situations we simply cannot control, cannot change, and must endure. We can do that with a heart of gratitude, accepting what we cannot change, or we can kick and complain and be miserable. Gratitude empowers you to accept what you cannot change and trust God’s promise to you.
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose (Romans 8:28).
When acceptance comes more easily for you, because of your heart of gratitude, it empowers you to take in what’s happening without needing to change or fix it. It is what it is. Focusing on being grateful allows you to quietly accept the moment and respond to it in a Christ-honoring way.
There is great power in gratitude.
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volume_upAugust 5, 2024 The Power of Gratitude
Have you ever thought about how powerful gratitude is? It has truly just begun to dawn on me that when I choose gratitude, when I am consistently thankful, I am amazingly empowered!
What do I mean? First, let’s define the difference between gratitude and thankfulness. In many ways they are the same, but gratitude is more powerful. Thankfulness is a response to an event—when something nice happens or someone does something for you—and you are thankful. You got a good review which led to a raise, and you are thankful. And of course, thankfulness is good.
Gratitude, on the other hand, is a culture you develop for yourself, and it has a positive effect on everyone in your circle of influence. Being grateful becomes a way of life, increasing over time. The frequency of thankfulness develops this attitude or culture of gratitude. So, focusing on being thankful in all circumstances leads you to an abiding attitude of gratitude. It becomes a way of life, an automatic reaction, a repetitive act that creates spiritual muscle memory.
Amazingly, God’s Word set this principle for us long before psychology caught on.
Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus (1 Thessalonians 5:18).
Always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ (Ephesians 5:20).
Paul wrote to the Colossians that they should sing to God with gratitude in their hearts (Colossians 3:16). Gratitude is a heart thing. Someone has said that gratitude is when memory is stored in the heart.
We have a ministry called The Hidden Word where we encourage you to memorize one verse per week. It is easy to do, and we help you. This month our theme is gratitude. You could join with us and develop this culture of gratitude for yourself—in your home, where you work. It is powerful; it can change the temperament and quality of your life, making an improved home life, a better workplace, a lovelier person in you, and all to the glory of God.
There is power in gratitude.
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volume_upAugust 3, 2024 Being Thankful for the Missing Pieces
I've noticed some people are truly handicapped over the missing pieces in their lives. Whatever is not there—something hoped for but not realized—many become obsessed with it. It controls their thought life, and it keeps them from enjoying or appreciating the good things they do have. What about you? Would that be true of you?
I remember talking with a friend who has been married quite a few years and has always wanted children, but she has not been able to have her own. That's a painful missing piece, and she was sharing the pain with me. But even though she recognizes an important piece is missing, she hastened to add: \"But, Mary, I have so much to be thankful for. My life is still full and meaningful,\" and she began to recite the good things—the pieces that are not missing from her life.
I said to her, \"Do you realize how unusual you are? While you acknowledge a key piece is missing from your life, and is likely to always be missing, you are focused on what is not missing.†I've known her for many years, and I can tell you she has never moaned and groaned about this missing piece. While she has felt sorrow and pain over it, she accepts that no one has everything, and life is full of missing pieces.
Have the missing pieces of your life become so overwhelming you cannot see or appreciate what you do have? For ten years I allowed what I thought was a major missing piece in my life to control me. I felt I had to be married for life to be complete, so I was consumed with pursuing and finding the right person to marry. I've shared my testimony many times before of how that obsession with finding the missing piece led me away from the Lord, away from biblical principles, into a self-focused and sinful life.
What I've come to learn—and am still learning—is that instead of being controlled by the missing pieces, I can be thankful for them. If that sounds a little \"too good to be true,\" let me assure you I don't live on another planet, and I have the same feelings and emotions and struggles as everyone else. And I emphasize I am learning this principle of being thankful for the missing pieces. But as I've started to grasp this truth, I've found such freedom and contentment.
I'd like to share a poem with you, which really helped me start down this road of being thankful for the missing pieces. I first read it several years ago, and I have it written in my prayer book as a reminder of this important biblical principle—to be thankful for the missing pieces. The poem uses old-fashioned words, but the truth is still very relevant:
An easy thing, O power Divine,
To thank Thee for these gifts of Thine!
For summer's sunshine, winter's snow,
For hearts that kindle, thoughts that glow;
But when shall I attain to this:
To thank Thee for the things I miss?
For all young fancy's early gleams,
The dreamed-of joys that still are dreams,
Hopes unfulfilled, and pleasures known
Through others' fortunes, not my own,
And blessings seen that are not given,
And ne'er will be - this side of heaven.
Had I, too, shared the joys I see,
Would there have been a heaven for me?
Could I have felt Thy presence near
Had I possessed what I held dear?
My deepest fortune, highest bliss,
Have grown, perchance, from things I miss.
Sometimes there comes an hour of calm;
Grief turns to blessing, pain to balm;
A Power that works above my will
Still leads me onward, upward still;
And then my heart attains to this:
To thank Thee for the things I miss.
-Thomas Wentworth Higginson[1]
When I first read this poem, I began to ask myself, \"Where would you be today if you had everything you wanted, if there were no missing pieces in your life?†And it was as though God drew back a curtain to let me see how having everything I wanted could have been disastrous for me. Why? Because I might have been lulled into thinking I was self-sufficient, and I may have never seen my true needy state.
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volume_upAugust 2, 2024 Waiting with God – 5
Presented by Lauren Stibgen
We are going to look at the other definition of waiting: serving or being in attendance. An adjective. How is God calling you to “waiting†in action while you are in the waiting? I know this may sound funny, but waiting doesn’t mean you need to be stuck! God calls you to action as a follower of Jesus.
I have a list of reminders I call God’s to do list when I feel stuck. Often this is in the waiting. I am seeking his wisdom or discernment, or I find myself waiting for other things we have already discussed. My reminders include: love, work as to him, be in his Word, pray, reflect and observe, repent, and give gratitude. This is not an exhaustive list, but it is a biblical list of how God calls us to action—not only in the waiting but in our everyday life as followers of Jesus Christ. In the waiting we are called to love!
But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked (Luke 6:35).
Sometimes we are waiting because of conflict—here we are called to love those we are in turmoil with.
In the waiting we are called to work!
Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving (Colossians 3:23-24).
If you are waiting for that new job, a promotion or the raise, fix your work on the Lord! In the waiting, be in the word and pray and praise!
Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18).
In all circumstances, even in the waiting, we need to pray and rejoice! In the waiting God calls us to repent.
Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper, but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy (Proverbs 28:13).
God is calling you to action in the waiting. How are you loving others? Are you in God’s Word? Are you praying in the waiting? What do you need to repent of in the waiting? Maybe feelings that are contrary to what God is wanting you to feel.
Waiting doesn’t need to keep you stuck! You can still be active in the waiting. Pray God changes your heart to what he has for you in this season.
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volume_upJuly 31, 2024 Waiting with God – 3
Presented by Lauren Stibgen
Being a faithful follower of Jesus Christ by no means makes us perfect in any way. In Romans 7 verses 18-20, Paul sums it up well.
For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it (Romans 7:18-20).
These verses above summarize the fact that even though I follow Jesus, I am still prone to sin. Often, we can see this sin in the feelings that manifest in the waiting. But what we forget is God’s timing is perfect, not ours.
This week, I defined the feelings we experience in waiting and the questions we ask God a result of the difference between what we think is a reasonable time for an answer or result and the time it takes to actually happen—even if it does happen. It is very easy for us to forget how great God is. When I say great, I am not necessarily talking about his goodness, but rather his omniscience, omnipotence, and omnipresence. All knowing, all powerful, and all present. God is everywhere, in everything at all times—even right now. God transcends any temporal and worldly notions we have of time.
A thousand years in your sight are like a day that has just gone by, or like a watch in the night (Psalm 90:4).
But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day (2 Peter 3:8).
These two verses capture how limited we are in our thinking of how God experiences time.
Ecclesiastes 3:11 is my favorite about God’s timing.
He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end (Ecclesiastes 3:11).
God makes everything beautiful in its time. And what is more beautiful is he gives us eternity with him through Christ Jesus. This good word reminds us we cannot fathom all he does!
The implications of waiting are this. God’s timing in all things is perfect and, in our waiting, we need to remember this.
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volume_upJuly 30, 2024 Waiting with God – 2
Presented by Lauren Stibgen
Yesterday we talked about how the simple noun, waiting, can cause us to ask God some hard questions. We experience feelings about a period of waiting when something doesn’t happen in the amount of time we have assigned in our minds that seems reasonable.
This waiting can lead to many different feelings. The challenge with these feelings is they can lead to other actions which may not lead to the best outcome for us.
Think about becoming impatient for an answer you are waiting for. This impatience starts to brew and bubbles into anger. We have all been there. Thinking about why someone hasn’t called back or gotten back to you. Maybe your foot is tapping, or you are pacing in your office. Finally, you erupt and in that angry moment you call and accuse the other party of stalling. Silence is on the other end of the line. The person hadn’t called back because they were sick.
Now think about waiting for a call from a recruiter for a job you not only want, but desperately need. The waiting is making you anxious. You are fearful someone else will get the job, and you won’t have enough financial provision for your family.
You have a disagreement with someone at work, and you are waiting for the right moment to apologize. You are overburdened with the feelings associated with this needed apology.
After waiting for feedback from a job interview you find out you have been passed over for a promotion. You feel worthless and lack hope because you heard through the grapevine and not the hiring manager for the job.
All your closest friends are married. You are still waiting to find love. You find yourself feeling lonely and sad. Impatient, angry, anxious, fearful, overburdened, worthless, hopeless, lonely and sad. Heavy emotions. God offers us an opportunity for other feelings in the waiting.
Loved:
Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love (1 John 4:8).
Hopeful:
There is surely a future hope for you, and your hope will not be cut off (Proverbs 23:18).
Patient:
Whoever is patient has great understanding, but one who is quick tempered displays folly (Proverbs 14:29).
Calm\/Peaceful:
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid (John 14:27).
We have all had feelings that the Lord hasn’t dealt with us fairly or answered us in our time, but he does offer us other ways to feel if we are abiding with him in the Word.
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volume_upJuly 29, 2024 Waiting with God
Presented by Lauren Stibgen
Are you waiting for something? Waiting is defined as a period of pause, interval, or delay. A noun. What are some of the things we wait for? As working women, the complexity of this list can span far beyond your day-to-day job. Waiting can be professional, but it can also be deeply personal.
At work maybe you are waiting for a promotion or a raise or even recognition and reward for a job well done. Personally, you may be waiting for health or healing, children, friendship, marriage, love, a new home, or other provision. Is it waiting to be reunited? Or reconciliation? Do you need an apology or are you waiting to give one? This list is not exhaustive.
One of the ways I reassure myself during times of waiting is in knowing I am not alone. We all experience times of waiting. Often the Bible describes this waiting as a period in the wilderness or a valley. These words, wilderness and valley seem big, deep, maybe dark, and like you may be losing your way. It can bring us to ask questions of God. The words in Psalm 77:7-9 that Asaph writes resonate:
Will the Lord reject forever?
   Will he never show his favor again?
Has his unfailing love vanished forever?
   Has his promise failed for all time?
Has God forgotten to be merciful?
   Has he in anger withheld his compassion (Psalm 77:7-9)?
This interval or delay can be as short as hours or as long as years. It’s really just any amount of time that exceeds what we have deemed as reasonable in our own mind. It is a period of time we have asked and not received, sought an answer and haven’t found it, and knocked on a door that has not yet been answered like we are told to do in Matthew 7:7-8.
When that “acceptable time passesâ€, our questions start.
The good news is there is another side of waiting we will talk about this week, because waiting isn’t only a noun.
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volume_upJuly 27, 2024 Work and Waiting
Presented by Lauren Stibgen
What are some different things we wait for when it comes to our career or work? Or does our career or work cause us to feel like we are waiting on other aspects of our life? Honestly, after being in prayer for about two years with other female executives, I can say that waiting and work impact us personally and professionally.
For women who are just starting out in the workforce, this waiting can be for a first job. A recent article in Forbes online[1] noted that two of five recent graduates do not feel their college or university properly prepared them for their transition to work. In addition to this perceived lack of preparation, employers are also biased about hiring recent college grads. Statistically, 50% of hiring managers at a supervisory level and above feel this group of candidates is not adequately prepared for the workforce. The pandemic only compounded the issues recent classes are experiencing when trying to obtain a position. And they find themselves waiting—not only for a job but simply for an interview. With this age group already feeling the impact of isolation from the pandemic, the added stressors of finding a postgraduate position can lead to discouragement.
As “an older saintâ€, as a Gospel Coalition article[2] might deem me, my role in helping these younger believers in their waiting is critical. Simply networking and providing mentorship can help encourage and connect graduates to new opportunities. It is also important to point them to encouragement in God’s Word. How many young followers of God waited for their job?
King David’s first job was that of a lowly sheep herder. His father didn’t even invite him to the dinner that was called when Samuel was sent by the Lord to anoint a new king for Israel. Even after he was anointed, David continued to tend the sheep, and was a musician for Saul. He had some odd jobs as we might say, until he finally became king. Along the way he sought encouragement from the Lord but also in dear counsel from people like Samuel and Jonathan.
While recent graduates are experiencing a hard time landing a first position, there are many women in transition at a senior level as well. In many of the calls I have with other female executives, we call ourselves “the middleâ€. We deal with the real pressures of work while also raising children and maybe managing aging parents. Not to mention, we may have our own health issues.
Using the word transition for this group of women in the workforce takes a different shape. It doesn’t just mean they are unemployed seeking employment. This transition may also look like stepping down from a leadership position, starting their own business, or looking for a promotion.  In addition, many women are experiencing ageism at work. Statistically, more older women are being forced out of the workforce than men. Some research states that women are 50% more likely to experience ageism at work than their male counterparts. Working women who have been waiting for that more senior role or promotion or who may be seeking new employment are faced with a particular worldview. This worldview is described in an article by The Kit[3] as one that made them feel “diminished, devalued, demeaned.†The article from March of 2023 also says, “For every career win for a woman over 50, there are countless humiliating losses. Some play out publicly, like when CNN morning show host Don Lemon declared U.S. presidential candidate Nikki Haley past her prime at 51.â€
For our listeners today, I would tell you I am encroaching on 50, and see so many vibrant, working women with successful careers well past 50. However, if we don’t look at the reality of how ageism can cause waiting, or even unemployment, we can’t even start to address the issue. As Christian working women, we too can experience ageism in a secular workforce. Just this week one of the women in my prayer group told us she struggles believing in her worthiness as sh...
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volume_upJuly 26, 2024 Letting Go of Joy Stealers – 5
Wise Solomon wrote,
Catch for us the foxes, the little foxes that ruin the vineyards, our vineyards that are in bloom (Song of Songs 2:15).
What are the little foxes that ruin your days and attitudes and rob you of joy and peace? We’ve looked at four of these little foxes this week: hurt feelings, petty fears, worrying, and false guilt. The final one today is the fear of trusting God.
I spent many years “doing my own thing,†as we say, not obedient to God’s voice in my life. As I look back on that time, I now recognize the underlying problem as a fear of trusting God with control of my life. I was actually fearful of allowing the God of the universe to run my show. How I could have been so stupid for so long?
Are you hanging on to the controls of your life, afraid to trust God, as if to say you know what’s better for you than God does? Of course, you don’t think those thoughts; I didn’t either. I just lived my life that way. Maybe you are, too. If you have been fearful of trusting God, I pray you will recognize it and see how foolish and sinful it is to fear trusting God.
I remember well the sleepless night when I finally said, “God, I’ll trust you.†It became clear to me he couldn’t possibly do a worse job at running my life than I was doing! That was the beginning of learning to trust God. In the intervening years, I have learned to trust him more and more, and know the joy and peace of his fellowship. And I testify to you today that God is trustworthy.
The fear of trusting God is not such a little fox that ruins our lives. It is a big one, and I pray you’ll determine to get to know God better and better, because when you do, you will trust him and you’ll gladly let go of the controls to a God with all power, who loves you and wants only the best for you.
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volume_upJuly 25, 2024 Letting Go of Joy Stealers – 4
What is false guilt? Do you know how to recognize it? I’m talking about the little foxes that can ruin our attitudes and cause harm to our Christian witness. And pretty high on that list for many of us is false guilt.
False guilt is a guilt we impose upon ourselves. We allow it to take root in our minds, to start causing all kinds of bad feelings, to feed us all kinds of lies, which we begin to believe. Here are some examples of it:
What we feel when we keep remembering what God has forgiven and forgotten!
What we feel when someone appears to be disappointed in us.
What we feel when we have to say no.
What we feel when we try to please people and fail.
What we feel when we allow others to dictate what and who we should be.
What we feel when we are unfairly accused of something.
And believe me, there are many more. Notice each one begins with what we feel. It’s a feeling—not grounded in truth—but nonetheless strong and real. One of the first signs you are dealing with false guilt is you can’t seem to pinpoint exactly why you feel guilty. If you had to state why you feel guilty, you’d say things like, “Well, I just never seem to get it right,†or “She’s always telling me that I need to improve†or “I just can’t seem to make anyone happy.â€
Perhaps the false guilt we suffer from the most is guilt over our past. We tend to go back and remember the sins of the past, and even though they are forgiven, and God remembers them no longer, we don’t seem to be able to purge our memory. Is that true of you?
The first and most important step in learning to manage false guilt is to recognize it as false. The second step is to replace wrong thinking with right thinking. You start praising the Lord, singing a good song, or reciting all your blessings. Refuse to allow the thoughts of false guilt to have a place in your mind. And the more you do this, the less false guilt you’ll have to deal with. You can have victory over this little fox through prayer and bringing your thoughts under control. Life is so much nicer when you get rid of false guilt.
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volume_upJuly 23, 2024 Letting Go of Joy Stealers – 2
What are the little foxes that are ruining your joy and causing you pain? I’m focusing on the small hurtful things that we allow to ruin our days and steal our joy. Solomon wrote:
Catch for us the foxes, the little foxes that ruin the vineyards, our vineyards that are in bloom (Song of Songs 2:15).
We want to catch those little foxes and get them out of our lives. Now we know fear is one of the enemy’s favorite weapons and we are all vulnerable to what I call “petty fears.†Let’s address a few of those smaller ones, those joy-stealing fears that are truly unnecessary.
Fear of a Dreaded Outcome: These are the fears that something bad just might happen, so to avoid that possibility we limit our activities and set unnecessary boundaries in our lives. These fears interfere with your everyday life, limit where you go and what you do, and can keep you from experiences that are often enriching and delightful.
Fear of Change: “That’s the way we’ve always done it†can be a verbal cover-up for petty fear. Change can truly bring petty fears out of the closet!
And there are lots more. Getting over petty fears doesn’t mean you get rid of the emotion that accompanies these fears. It means you go forward despite them:
You get on that airplane with your knees knocking, but you get on.
You say, “Sure, I’ll try†when asked to step out of your comfort zone.
You agree to a change in procedures, even though you wonder how you’ll ever learn that new software.
Once you take a first courageous step to overcome a fear, you begin to see new avenues of interest, new opportunities, and things to learn and do that were hidden to you before. And conquering fear in one area gives you strength to tackle other areas of fear.
Other petty fears can plague us, so if you recognize a little fox you need to get rid of, like everything else, it is done through prayer and God’s Word.
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volume_upJuly 22, 2024 Letting Go of Joy Stealers
There is a verse in Song of Songs that I want to consider this week:
Catch for us the foxes, the little foxes that ruin the vineyards, our vineyards that are in bloom (Song of Songs 2:15).
I want to talk about the “little foxes†in our lives—the things that may seem insignificant when in reality they are stealing our joy and keeping us from God’s peace. For example, harboring hurt feelings is a common “little fox†that is very harmful.
Why do we hang on to hurt feelings so long, since we heap unhappiness on our own heads? We certainly don’t get any revenge on our offenders by hanging on to hurt feelings. If you think a pity party will relieve some of your hurt, think again! The more you feel sorry for yourself, the more you will try to find comfort in self-pity—it’s a vicious cycle that never works!
Years ago, God began to reveal to me how hooked I was on pity parties. And for the first time I realized God sees it as a sin. Whether you or I have a legitimate complaint, wallowing in self-pity, nurturing our hurt feelings is simply wrong.
I recognize some hurts may indeed require some time and help for healing. But just think about the little things that hurt your feelings in your everyday life. Like when a person ignores you, a friend speaks to you in an unfriendly way, a relative didn’t call when she knew you were not feeling well, when your boss didn’t give you credit for an important project, or your husband didn’t notice your new hairdo. These are all little foxes that ruin your attitude and steal your joy.
How do you let go of these little foxes? Well, the hurt is in your mind, your thoughts, so you have to bring those hurtful thoughts into captivity, as the Bible says, and refuse to let your thoughts go there. Replace those thoughts with good ones—thankful thoughts, praising thoughts.
Easily hurt feelings produce pity parties, and they are pitiful. If this is one of your little foxes, make it a matter of regular prayer and allow the Holy Spirit to remind you to think about good things and not those little hurt feelings you tend to nurture.
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volume_upJuly 20, 2024 Making Peace with Your Future
No doubt where I am in this stage of life has something to do with my focus on the future rather than the past. My future is shorter than my past. I’ve probably lived two-thirds or three-quarters of my life—or maybe much more. No one knows the number of her days except God. But I’m confident that my number of days remaining on this earth is less than the number I’ve lived already—unless God chooses to make me the oldest woman alive or something like that!
Maybe, like me, you’re coming to grips with the reality that you’re facing a shorter future than you would like. Perhaps you’re facing a future as a single person, or so it seems, and you are fearful of not having a companion or mate. Your unknown could be some health issues that are worrying you, or some job issues. What is it about your future that concerns you?
I am not a strategic thinker. I just try to keep my head above water and get done what needs to be done each day. So, it’s not my nature to think about what life will be like in five years or ten years or twenty years. I’ve had more or less the idea that things will always be the way they are, and I’ll keep going forever. One of my favorite comebacks is “age is only a number,†meaning don’t think about it. Just keep going for Jesus.
I’m glad God made me that way, and I fully intend to keep going for Jesus. But as the number of years has continued to pile up, and as I’ve watched others even younger than me face death, and as my knee hurts sometimes, and my hair gets thinner and I forget things I never used to forget, I can no longer ignore the reality that I won’t live forever. There is no guarantee that I’ll even be here tomorrow. And furthermore, it’s mostly out of my control.
And that kind of thinking can rob my peace very easily. It’s the kind of mild depression that you don’t share with anyone very much, but it’s there. I don’t know what the future holds; I don’t know the number of my days, and when I allow my mind to go to the unknowns, my peace doesn’t flow like a river.
So, what do I mean by making peace with your future? I’m talking about making peace with the unknown. Becoming comfortable not knowing. And no matter what stage of life you are now in—no matter how many days are left for you on this earth—we all share a common discomfort about our future, do we not? I think it’s safe to say we all harbor some fear of the future.
For many of us, living in the unknown often can feel worse than receiving actual bad news. At least we know what the bad news is. But wondering when “the other shoe will fall,†letting your mind conjure up all kinds of possibilities of what the future might hold, can steal your peace faster than anything else.
Here’s the thing: You might as well make peace with your future since no amount of fear or discomfort or anxiety or your need to conquer the unknown will change the fact that the unknown is exactly that—unknown and unknowable. No person, no test, no new scientific discovery can cure you of “Unknownaphobiaâ€!
Have you caught that disease—Unknownaphobia? Do you need to make peace with your future—peace with the unknown? Well, let me give you a few suggestions—things that have helped me make peace with my future.
Learn to Live in Today
Jesus gave us this advice:
Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own (Matthew 6:34).
Jesus gives us the grace to handle today—not yesterday or tomorrow, just today. Unknownaphobia is a result of worrying about tomorrow—that’s the root cause. Why don’t you memorize this verse and just quote it to yourself several times a day. Mary, don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
You’re thinking “But it’s not that simple.† Yes, it is. Simple—not easy—but simple. You must apply God’s Word, God’s truth to what you’re facing—right then at the moment you’re going through it.
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volume_upJuly 19, 2024 Waiting on God – 5
Presented by Lisa Bishop
I want to examine the blessing of waiting on God. I know waiting and blessing may not seem like they go hand in hand, but they often do. It’s our perspective that can blind us to seeing the blessing. We live in a fast-paced world where instant gratification is the norm. Fast is at our fingertips. Yet, as followers of Jesus, our spiritual journey often requires us to wait, and waiting can test our patience, reveal our faith, and tamper with our trust in God.
But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary; they will walk and not be faint (Isaiah 40:31).
This verse is a powerful reminder that waiting on God is not passive. It is an intentional and active engagement of our faith. Isaiah teaches us it’s actually in the waiting God renews our strength, gives us endurance, and prepares us for the journey ahead. Waiting builds resilient faith because we acknowledge the sovereignty and timing when we wait on God, admitting his plans are higher than ours and his understanding surpasses our own. This act of surrender is crucial for our spiritual growth. It's easy to rush ahead and try to force our plans, but God’s timing is perfect. He sees the bigger picture we cannot see. He knows what you need and when you need it.
The story of Abraham and Sarah is an example of waiting. God promised them a son, but they had to wait 25 years for Isaac’s birth. Their time of waiting wasn’t without struggle and doubt, yet God deepened their faith as they relied on him. When you find yourself in a season of waiting it’s important to stay connected to God through prayer, Scripture, and worship. Sometimes that is the last thing we want to do because waiting can cause our hearts to grow weary toward God. Waiting involves an expectant hope, trusting God will come through at the right moment.
Waiting is also a time for preparation. God might be preparing your heart for something greater, something you’re not ready for just quite yet.
If we let it, waiting on God brings us closer to him. In our desperation and dependence, we draw near to the heart of the Father. We learn to lean on him, to trust him, and to love him more deeply.
So, if you find yourself in a season of waiting, be encouraged. God is with you. He has not forgotten you. Use this time to strengthen your faith, grow your relationship with him, and prepare for the good things he has in store.
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volume_upJuly 18, 2024 Waiting on God – 4
Presented by Lisa Bishop
What do you radiate while you wait? When you find yourself waiting on God to come through, what is your attitude? We’ll examine how we carry ourselves when we are counting on God to come through.
It is not easy to maintain a good attitude in times of waiting. We may start to complain, get impatient, grumpy, angry, jealous, or even resentful.
What is your demeanor when you have to wait? No matter what it is you are waiting on God for, it’s easy to have a negative disposition and the enemy will do his best to discourage you by getting your focus off God and fixed on the very thing you do not have.
But we can’t allow the devil to take us on a downward spiral of negative thoughts or emotions. The feelings that come with waiting will be real but when they arise, we need to bring them all to God. Talk to him and be honest about your frustration, your worry, doubt, fear, or resentment. After all, he already knows our hearts anyway.
Scripture teaches us to remain hopeful in our times of waiting. Hope, by definition, has the connotation of waiting. It is an expectation of something to happen. We can put our hope in a lot of things, but as Christians ultimately our hope is in Christ. We can always count on him to come through at his appointed time.
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:6-7).
Don’t let your feelings fool you and pull you into a negative spin cycle. I know it is easier said than done, but focus on the faithfulness of God so you can radiate the spiritual fruit of patience, peace, joy, and faithfulness as you wait.
Waiting is hard but wouldn’t you rather look back on this time knowing you didn’t get sucked into complaining but instead you practiced reigning in your thoughts and attitudes? Plus, our attitudes leak onto the people around us. We’ve all been around people who cannot seem to regulate their emotions when things don’t go their way. This doesn’t mean you aren’t allowed to feel moments of impatience, disappointment, or dismay, but as a follower of Jesus, we are called to have faith as we wait. If you find yourself waiting on God to move on your behalf, how can you focus on giving off a grateful glow because you know God is faithful as you wait? It may not be easy, but it will be worth it.
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volume_upJuly 17, 2024 Waiting on God – 3
Presented by Lisa Bishop
I want to remind you being patient with God’s timing is worth the wait.
About five years into my faith journey, I was desperately seeking answers to what I should do with my life. At that time, I was in a corporate job I could do and do well, but it wasn’t super fulfilling. I distinctly remember sitting in my living room talking to God saying, “God, I would really love to have a job where I get to do life with women, pouring into their faith and coming alongside them in every aspect of life.†Well, let’s just say that prayer was not answered until seven years later when “out of the blue,†I received a call from the church I had been a member of for 12 years. They created a new position for a director of women’s small groups, and they wanted me to apply.
Now you may think I am crazy, but I didn’t initially see this opportunity as an answer to the prayer I had prayed seven years prior. It didn’t look like what I thought it would, which is a story for another day. But after several weeks of prayer, I accepted the role. There are a couple things I want to point out in my story I hope will encourage you in the waiting.
The first is this: God does not always answer your prayers on your timeline. I know it is hard to hear. Especially if you have been waiting for quite some time. But God sees the full picture, and you don’t. While it may seem unfair, God is the one who is aware of what you need and when you need it. His timing is perfect.
The second is this. Don’t squander the time in the waiting. While my job in the corporate arena left gaps in me feeling content, I intentionally looked for ways to invest my time outside of work that were life-giving. And one of those ways was by getting deeply involved in serving at my church. Serving not only allowed me to use my gifts, but it also positioned me to practice ministry and build trust and credibility with church leadership, which ultimately resulted in being offered a full-time ministry position. All too often we can be so focused on what we want things to look like we miss God’s provision in the meantime. How might God be calling you to invest your time as you wait?
The final thing I want to mention is you will not always get what you pray for. God answers all our prayers but the way he provides may be very different from your vision of his provision. This is where determining to trust the Lord comes into play.
The answer to your prayers may not look like you thought but as Proverbs 3:5-6 reminds us,
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him and he will make your paths straight (Proverbs 3:5-6).
God’s timing is worth the wait.
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volume_upJuly 13, 2024 Waiting on God
Presented by Lisa Bishop
Before we dive in, I have a question for you. How are you? Really, how are you doing? How is your faith in Jesus these days? There is a lot going on in the world and there may even be a lot happening in your life right now. You might find yourself in a sweet season with the Lord. You may be going through a rough patch in your faith, in one of your darkest seasons, or somewhere in between. I pray you know you are not alone.
I don’t think we talk about our struggles enough. We can maintain a code of silence when life is hard or our faith wavers because we are afraid of what people will say. We wonder, “Will they think I’m not a good enough Christian if I share I am struggling?†“Will I be shunned if I am doubting or weary?†And so, we silently suffer, and our faith can suffer even more. In our silence, we run the risk of reaching a point where we isolate and withdraw from community. No matter where you are and how strong, or weak your faith is, I pray that today encourages you.
In my quiet time I’ve been reading through the book of Psalms. The Psalms are a collection of prayers, songs, and praises to God. They are filled with raw honesty as they catalog the Psalmist’s highs and lows of life, along with laments, longings, unwelcome circumstances, and crying out in long seasons of waiting. Waiting can sometimes lead to feelings of frustration and doubt. When answers don't come, we might start questioning God's goodness or presence. The Psalms remind us that God's silence is not his absence. They are a profound reminder of the faithfulness and character of God. If you have never studied the Psalms, I highly recommend you do. Not just cherry-picking verses but reading the fullness and richness of every Psalm from beginning to end. Let God renew your mind, speak into your life, and reveal his character through the cries of the Psalmist.
Romans 12:2, says, be transformed by the renewing of your mind. This verse reminds us of the power of God’s Word in creating life-long positive change. We all want change for the better, but it requires action on our part. And that action is disciplining ourselves to dwell on the Word of God. Sounds counterintuitive, doesn’t it? Dwelling in the Word and discipline. We want it to be easy. We want to feel like doing something before we actually do it. But sometimes we need the sheer act of will to do what we know is helpful and good and fruitful for us as followers of Jesus.
And that is spending time with God and his Word.
It’s really important that you and I have a rich and deep understanding of the gospel and a solid theological framework to even begin to make sense of some of the things that happen throughout the course of our lives. But too often we can settle for a Sunday faith and a sip of the gospel rather than an everyday faith that permeates every corner of our life. A faith deeply rooted in the living Word of God and empowered by the Holy Spirit.
Psalm 1:1-3 says, Blessed is the one… whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night. That person is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields fruit in its season and does not wither. That is one profound truth of immersing yourself in Scripture; it will keep you from withering.
So what does being in God’s Word have to do with waiting on God? Sometimes waiting on God can cause us to wither. We grow weary in the waiting. You may be hoping for a long-awaited answer to prayer for financial provision, a job promotion, or vindication from a wrong committed against you. Waiting for God to provide a spouse, for your marriage to be restored, or for emotional or physical healing. Waiting is hard. Whether we are waiting on something big that can be life-altering or waiting in line, on hold, or in traffic, none of us likes to wait. We get impatient. We want to burst out in anger, or we internalize the pain of the wait and find ways to cope and numb the discontentme...
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volume_upJuly 12, 2024 God’s Stop and Go Lights – 5
Are you in the bad habit of stopping on God's green lights? I wonder, what keeps you from going? Are you fearful of the future and uncertain about the path? Fear is never from God; it is always from the enemy, and it reflects our lack of trust.
Maybe you're stopping on the go light because you see yourself as inadequate for the job. You are inadequate in yourself but totally capable through Christ. The wonderful thing about our Lord is when he gives us a go light, he also supplies the motor and the fuel to drive the engine. But we have to put the gears in forward and say, \"I'm ready, Lord; let's go.â€
Or maybe you're in stop mode simply because you're lazy. Remember the parable of the talents? When the servant with one talent didn't do anything with his resource, the master reprimanded him strongly. \"You wicked, lazy slave,\" he said. Laziness is a very strong offense to God; to him it's wicked, not just a bad habit or a little character fault.
Perhaps you're stopping when you should be going because you don't want to go in the direction God is guiding you. You had a different plan for your life, and you can't imagine God's plan is best for you. Oh my, do you realize how much you're missing by refusing to go in God's direction? He has good plans for you, plans to bless you and to prosper you.
For ten years I chose to go my own way and refused to let God guide my way. I just didn't believe I could be happy doing it God's way, and so I spent ten years in selfishness and a lot of misery. But once I said, \"Lord, I will go on your green light, and allow you to guide me,\" I discovered such fulfillment and excitement and contentment in his path.
Stop or go—where are you today? Remember both are in God's will for our lives at different times. Sometimes he tells us to get going and move fast, and other times we hear his \"Be still and know that I am God.†We are most fulfilled, most satisfied and most contented when we willingly obey God's stop and go lights in our lives.
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volume_upJuly 10, 2024 God’s Stop and Go Lights – 3
Have you ever been stuck at a red light, and you think it'll never change? Sometimes it seems like God has us stuck at a red light and we're never going to get anywhere, but there's nothing we can do to make it turn green.
The waiting periods of our lives, however, are very important to our spiritual growth, for through them we learn to walk by faith and not by sight. When we can accept our waiting periods, even though we don't understand what's happening, and tell the Lord we choose to trust him anyway, we then transfer the responsibility for the situation over to God and the monkey is off our backs.
Don't we frequently misunderstand God when he has us stopped at a red light? We may even doubt his love and care for us, for our minds tell us that if he really cared, he'd move on our behalf right now. But God is willing to have us misunderstand him in order to achieve his goal for us: teaching us to walk by faith and not by sight.
I recall a three-year delay God gave me, when I so wanted to leave a job I was in. From my vantage point, no good could be served by remaining in that job another day. It was so painful to make myself go to that office each morning. So, in my usual style, I got the resume updated, and started the job search. I had full confidence I could find something suitable quickly.
Days turned into weeks and months, and jobs that looked like a shoe-in fell through. I asked:
\"Why did you let that job fall through? That would have gotten me out of this mess.†But finally, I gave him permission to keep me there as long as it served his purposes, though I couldn't imagine what good purposes could possibly be served. That's the place we must come to.
Had I left that job when I wanted to, I would have missed three years of personal development that have been essential to my walk with God and the ministry he has given me. The tough lessons I learned then molded my character significantly. And in addition, during those years I acquired business skills and experience that allowed me to be self-employed, and that turned out to be essential in beginning this ministry. God knew what he was doing.
If you're in that predicament today, wondering why God hasn't done anything yet, try to remember the day will come when you can look back and see how he was developing you in that time. Someday he'll give you a green light to go.
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volume_upJuly 9, 2024 God’s Stop and Go Lights – 2
I'm examining God's stop and go lights. He gives us clear signals and when we miss them or disobey them, we find ourselves in trouble. As I mentioned earlier, I tend to think if I'm not going, I'm not doing the right thing. But often God gives me a stop light, and I need to learn stop lights are in God's will for me, just like go lights are.
Do you remember Peter on the mount of transfiguration, when Elijah and Moses appeared with Jesus? The light dazzled them, and Peter didn't know what to say, but he talked anyway, saying “This is terrific. We should be doing something—let's build three shrines here to memorialize this occasion.†Peter had big plans and thought surely God and everyone else would be impressed. But the voice from heaven said, This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him! (Mark 9:7).
Or, in other words, \"Please be quiet, Peter; you don't know what to say so why are you talking. This is not a time to build; it's a time to listen.†Peter wanted to go; God said stop.
And then I think of Martha who told the Lord it was time for Mary to cook—to get in that kitchen and do something. But Jesus told Martha that Mary had chosen the better way, the way of listening and learning and spending time in his presence. That was hard for Martha to understand because she thought the person who was working the hardest was the one doing the right thing. Jesus taught her: Be still, Martha, and know that I am God.
Have you been going and going, trying to make things happen on your own, ignoring God's stop signals? Waiting is hard, isn't it? But all of us have to spend some time in God's waiting room, learning to look up at his cloud and wait for his signal, learning to trust him.
Waiting is difficult for me because I don't like the unknown, because I want everything in neat little rows, no problems left unsolved. Waiting is hard for me when I think I know the right solution and can see no benefit in waiting for it to happen. Waiting is hard for me because I tend to be a controlling person, and I want everything to be on schedule—my schedule, that is.
When I take a closer look, I have to conclude my problem is I don't want to let go and trust God. I'm afraid to trust God. It is a false trust in myself.
If you tend to go on God's stop lights, I want to encourage you to remember the waiting room is not wasted time; it is where you need to be sometimes while God is making your path straight.
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volume_upJuly 8, 2024 God’s Stop and Go Lights
All of us understand stop and go lights. We are controlled by them daily. Well, God has stop and go lights for us, and we need to recognize and obey them. I want to talk about what happens when we stop when God says go or go when God says stop.
In Numbers 9 we find the Israelites in the desert on their way to the Promised Land, and God had instructed them to build a tabernacle in the Tent of Testimony. This was a sacred place, which was covered with a cloud that looked like fire. Whenever the cloud lifted from above the Tent, the Israelites set out; whenever it settled over the Tent, the Israelites encamped. It was a stop and go cloud.
Sometimes they would stop only for a night's rest and then continue; the cloud would lift the next morning. And sometimes it would stay for two days or a month—or a year! They never knew; they simply had to look for God's sign, then obey. Also, I notice God did not give them explanations for the stop and go signs. All they knew was to stop or go.
Therefore, they had to trust God. If they had gone when God said stop, they would have been lost. If they had stopped when God said go, they would have missed out on important progress to the Promised Land.
Now, think, when you're driving and you decide to go on a stop light, you may run into someone you need to avoid, causing all kinds of relationship problems. You affect your own progress, and that of others as well. Then you can easily get in trouble with the authorities. If a traffic officer sees you, you're sure to get a ticket.
The same is true in our walk with God when we decide to go before he has given us the green light. We run into trouble of all kinds. If you're an action-oriented person like I am, this is a lesson you have to learn and re-learn many times. If I'm not moving, then I feel like something must be wrong.
I tend to barrel ahead, looking at the goal line, running in my own strength many times, thinking I'm getting the job done for the Lord. Often, I can find myself going ahead without prayer or guidance. But I'm having to learn when I go on a stop signal, I get in the way of what God wants to do for me and through me. Going on a stop light causes lots of problems.
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volume_upJuly 6, 2024 Fran & Jesus on the Job – Overreacting
Well, today is not such a good day for Fran. In fact, she is at the point of tears as she comes back to her office from a business meeting with her most important client. Closing her door, she plops in her chair and brushes away a tear that tries to escape. \"Why did he say that to me?\" she says out loud to herself. \"Why would he be so cruel to me? I worked so hard on that promotion, and he shot it down without even listening to my idea!\"
\"Feelings hurt today?\" Jesus softly asks, though of course he has no need to ask since he knows everything.
Fran is again reminded of his abiding presence in her life. \"Well, I don't know if it's my feelings that were hurt. . .\" she stammers; \"I think it was the crass insensitivity and unprofessionalism of Mr. Andrews. He was unnecessarily brutal.\"
\"Feelings are hurt, Fran,\" Jesus states. \"Might as well admit it; nothing to be ashamed of. Everyone gets their feelings hurt from time to time.\"
“Well, yeah, I guess he hurt my feelings. I mean, I’ve worked so hard for that account and before this he liked everything I did,†Fran explains. “Now out of the blue he hits me with this response—so unfair, you know.â€
\"What exactly did he say?\" Jesus asks.
\"You were there, Lord,\" Fran replies, with a bit of frustrated sarcasm.
Jesus laughs. \"Yes, but it would be good for you to repeat what has upset you so much.\"
Fran feels ashamed of her inappropriate reaction. \"I'm sorry. Well, he said I had not researched this promotion adequately and he was not comfortable going with my idea until I did my homework.\"
\"And what was wrong with that comment?\" Jesus asked.
\"What was wrong? I had an entire report backing up my idea. I did my homework. I always do my homework. That's what's gotten me where I am; everybody knows Fran does the job right,\" Fran responds.
“A bit defensive, are we?†Jesus quietly asks.
Fran doesn't like where this conversation is heading, so she suddenly gets busy with her work. \"Nobody understands me,\" she mumbles to herself, all the time knowing it's not true. She’s not yet ready to give up her pity party!
As she's leaving the office that afternoon, her friend, Alice, pops in. \"Hi, want to grab some pizza tonight with the kids?â€
\"Oh, Alice, I'm so glad you came by,\" Fran lights up. \"I was going to call you and see if you could come over tonight. I need to talk with you.\"
\"What about?\" she asks.
\"Oh, I had a rough meeting with Mr. Andrews. I need some advice,\" she replies.
They make plans for Alice to get the pizza while she picks up her children. After a time with the kids, some homework assignments, and a Bible story, Fran gets Drew and Alice to bed. Then the two of them settle down for their long talk. \"Okay, let me have it,\" Alice says.
Tears start to come to her eyes again and Fran says, \"Oh, it's probably no big deal but Mr. Andrews really let me have it today in front of everybody. You know that big promotion I've been working on–well, he said I didn't have sufficient research to proceed and to 'take it back to the drawing boards,' to use his words. He said there were too many unanswered questions.\"
Fran pauses and looks at Alice, waiting for her response, still fighting to hold back her tears. Alice nods and says, \"And. . .\"
\"And what?\" Fran raises her voice. \"Isn't that enough?\"
\"Well, I mean, is that all he said?\" Alice asks.
\"Don't you think that was very rude and unprofessional of him? I mean, in front of everybody. . .\" Fran says in frustration.
\"Who was there?\" Alice asks.
\"His assistant, Bernie, and Jim from the Art Department,\" Fran says.
\"Uh, huh,\" Alice cautiously responds. \"That's not exactly 'everybody', Fran,\" she says.
\"Oh, you just don't understand, Alice!\" Fran is angry. \"I guess you're thinking it was just an overreaction.â€
\"Come on, Fran, give me a break,\" Alice says.
\"How about giving me a break and trying to be understanding?\" she says.
\"Okay, I want to be understanding,
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volume_upJuly 5, 2024 Why God Waits to Answer – 5
I wonder, do you have days when you feel like the score is: the world - 100; God - 0? Does it sometimes appear you're on the losing team?
You go to a job where God is irrelevant to the people around you. Where his name is used only in profanity, and they seemingly give no thought to God as creator, ruler, or sovereign. You're in a daily environment where a commitment to Jesus Christ is looked upon as foolish, naive, laughable. When you apply biblical principles in your everyday world, people take advantage of you, ignore you, or discount your ideas altogether.
Let's face it, that's the way it seems at times. You're walking the straight and narrow, but what for? Where does it get you? The other team does what they please and get ahead for it. Do you sometimes feel like joining the other team? Are you tired of being in the minority all the time—seemingly losing all these skirmishes you face every day?
I want to encourage you today to remember one thing: The final chapter has been written, and we know what the end will be. I think of the young boy who was reading a thrilling mystery book when his mom insisted he put the book down and do his chores. \"But, mom, I'm in the fourth chapter and the villain has the hero in his clutches. Looks like he's going to die! I can't quit now.\" But mom insisted so hurriedly he flips to the last chapter and reads the final page. He then bounds into the kitchen where his mother is waiting and says, \"Wow, that old villain is doing real good in Chapter 4, but just wait till he gets to the end of the book. Is he in for a surprise.\" It looked like disaster in Chapter 4, but when you know the end, then Chapter 4 takes on a whole new perspective.
Maybe you're in Chapter 4 today, and you need to flip to the end and read the last page. It's already been written, and I can tell you the outcome: Jesus wins and those of us who are his followers will win and reign with him. Read Revelations 20, 21, and 22 today.
Remember, God has not lost control of this world. He is bringing it to its end in his time and for his purposes. He is sovereign, and he still reigns in heaven.
So, as you head into that world where it may appear the score is unevenly in favor of the world's crowd, remember the last chapter, and don't let Chapter 4 get you down. If you know Christ as your savior, you're on the winning team!
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volume_upJuly 4, 2024 Why God Waits to Answer – 4
Would you love to catch the next flight to some forgotten island and leave no forwarding address? Running away sure looks appealing sometimes, doesn't it? I sure have those feelings of wanting to run away from everything occasionally.
King David felt that way, too. He wrote, Oh, that I had the wings of a dove! I would fly away and be at rest (Psalm 55:6).
Maybe your job is just driving you crazy. Could be a difficult boss or a boring job; could be the people you work with or too much work. Or perhaps you're having troubles with relationships; they can make you want to fly away. Maybe it's your spouse, or your child, or some other family member. Could be a close friend, a romantic relationship. Undoubtedly for many people it's financial worries that make them want to run away.
Whatever it is that's giving you the run-away blues, I want you to know you're not alone. I remember when I begged God to let me out of a job I was in. I wanted out so badly, I thought I couldn't take another day. But God made it clear to me he had a purpose in keeping me there for a while longer. And finally, I agreed to submit and stay there until his time was up.
I look back and see why: I needed to learn many spiritual lessons in that spot, and now I wouldn't take anything for those lessons. There were people with whom I formed friendships and shared the meaning of the Lordship of Jesus Christ. I wouldn't have missed that opportunity for anything. And, like icing on the cake, the business knowledge I gained by hanging in another couple of years gave me the resource and experience I needed to start my own consulting company.
It's easy to see that now, but at the time all I could do was simply agree with God to persevere.
Watch out that you do not lose what we have worked for, but that you may be rewarded fully (2 John 8).
Most of us give up just before the victory! And when we do, we waste all the hard work and effort that's been poured into our lives.
I want to encourage you today to persevere. Say with King David instead of running away you will cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken (Psalm 55:22).
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volume_upJuly 2, 2024 Why God Waits to Answer – 2
Are you feeling anxious about something today? Are you very disturbed over a situation in your life? Does it seem impossible to find any rest and peace right now? Recently a passage in Isaiah 48 gave me some insight into the reasons behind the anxiety and unrest I was experiencing.
This is what the Lord says—your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: I am the Lord your God who teaches you what is best for you, who directs you in the way you should go. If only you had paid attention to my commands, your peace would have been like a river, your well-being like the waves of the sea (Isaiah 48:17-18).
How incisively the Word of God cuts through and exposes the real issues. I was reminded anxiety and unrest are often a result of my failure to pay attention to what I know about God. Rarely do I need some new truth or principle to help me out; I just need to practice what I know already.
I find I rarely make a deliberate decision to wander from God's principles. It's simply a failure to pay attention to what I know already. My focus becomes fractured. I move slightly off-center, simply because I haven't paid attention like I should.
And when that happens, the results are loss of peace, loss of rest, anxiety, frustration. When you start to dig underneath those outward effects, you often discover the cause is failure to pay attention to God's commands. It may be something that seems very small, but if we walk away from doing it God's way, we can expect to lose the peace and rest we so need.
The Lord told his people, if only you had paid attention to my commands, your peace would have been like a river (Isaiah 48:18).
If you're missing peace in your life today, check out the obedience department and see if there's some area where you're not paying attention to God. Once you get that straightened out, that wonderful, marvelous, indescribable peace will return, like a river, flooding your heart and calming your nerves.
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volume_upJuly 1, 2024 Why God Waits to Answer
Have you ever said: \"Lord, it's enough! When are you going to do something about this? Why are you waiting so long?\" Well, I don't know anyone who hasn't asked those questions of God at some time or another in their Christian walk. I certainly have.
When it looks as though God has waited too long to answer your prayers, you need to stop and realize his purposes may be quite different from yours. Frequently before he responds to your need, he is adjusting you to the trouble and helping you learn a much-needed lesson. Maybe he wants to teach you that you can face and endure trouble as long as he is with you in the trouble. Then he will take you out of it. But it will not happen until you have stopped being restless and fretful about it. He may be waiting for you to be calm and quiet. Then he can say, \"It is enough.\"
Paul Billheimer wrote in Adventures in Adversity: \"There can be no testing of character without delays...By this means, during delay, God is testing and developing character. It is easy to be impatient with God when we fail to understand the purpose of his delay. However, God is willing to be misunderstood in the universe he has made, in order to achieve his purpose of character development.\"[1]
I recall a three-year delay God gave me, when I so wanted to leave a job I was in. And if I had left when I wanted to, I would have missed three years of personal development that have been essential to my walk with God and the ministry he has given me. The tough lessons I learned then molded my character and prepared me for what was ahead.
When it was finally over, I wrote in my journal: \"I praise you it is now enough. My time in this job is over, but I praise you did not end it until you had completed your work in me.\" It's easy to say that at the end, but difficult to say it in the middle, isn't it?
If you're in that predicament today, wondering why God hasn't done anything yet, try to remember the day will come when you can look back and see how he was developing you in that time. Someday he'll say to you, \"It is enough now.\" Until then, keep trusting and believing he waits so he can be gracious unto you.
[1] Billheimer, P. (1984). Adventure in Adversity. Tyndale House Publishers.
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volume_upJune 29, 2024 Flex Your Holy Spirit Power Muscles
Presented by Lauren Stibgen
Holy Spirit power! How do you know if you have it? I must admit, thinking about Holy Spirit power had me deep into God’s Word, seeking to understand if I was experiencing this power in my own life!
Looking into God’s Word, we see the Holy Spirit present in Scripture starting in Genesis 1, throughout the Old Testament and especially in the New Testament. In fact, in Romans 8:11 we are told that the same power that raised Jesus from the grave is alive in us today! Wow!
All of this had me thinking—how could I see this power? What I found was the disciples in the early church, and especially Paul, left behind many practical ways for us to evaluate our Holy Spirit power and to flex what I am calling our Holy Spirit power muscles!
You see, just as the muscles in our body become more responsive to exercise, Holy Spirit power also becomes more responsive to how much we “exercise†or pay attention to how we display this power in our lives. I would like us to look at verses we have likely read before, but I am hoping that we look at them differently in light of Holy Spirit power.
How do you know you have Holy Spirit power? First the indwelling of the Holy Spirit is reserved for those who place their faith in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. In Acts 2:38, Peter states, Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. Once you receive this gift, how do you know its power in your life? Well, we are told in Galatians 5:22 that the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, and self-control.
I love the word fruit. Think about how fruit grows. It takes different forms of power to create fruit. Fertile soil, rain, sunshine, warmth. Just like we nurture our bodies in exercise to build muscles, plants must be nurtured to produce fruit! What kind of nurturing are you giving the fruit of the Spirit?
You have likely read Galatians 5:22 many times and even heard a sermon or two about it, but have you used it to see how the power of the Holy Spirit is moving in your life? I started to think about each one of the fruits and how much or how little it was showing up in my life. To be even more specific, how was it showing up in my work?
Love. You may be thinking love and work don’t mesh, but if you have Holy Spirit power working in your life, love is foundational to your work. And yes, this applies if you work in a secular workplace. The greatest commandment in the Bible is to love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, and soul and to love your neighbor as yourself (Luke 10:27). As we dig deeper into Scripture, we see that a neighbor is anyone in our path who may be in need. The best example of love in the Bible is Jesus. How did Jesus love others? How does God love us? Unconditionally—as we are. How are you loving people at work? Even those who are different from you?
Joy. Maybe you don’t like your job. In fact, you dread waking up to go every day. Or maybe you love your job! Often, we see the words joy and happiness used as synonyms but, what about biblical joy. I really liked this definition by John Piper:
Christian joy is a good feeling in the soul, produced by the Holy Spirit, as he causes us to see the beauty of Christ in the word and in the world.[1]
Why do I like this? First, because clearly, joy is a product of Holy Spirit power and second it tells us to see the beauty of Christ in the Word and in the world! Like me, your world includes work. Seeing the beauty of Christ could mean something as small as giving thanks for the job you have that brings financial provision, or maybe you have great relationships with the people you work with. Have you learned a new skill at work? All these seemingly mundane, worldly things can bring you joy if you see them through the lens of Christ. And when you are struggling,
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volume_upJune 28, 2024 Holy Spirit Power – 5
Presented by Lauren Stibgen
Have you ever felt drawn to talk with someone, and you didn’t know why? We will see how Holy Spirit power can often prompt us to talk with someone about a specific issue or situation.
In the book of Acts, Holy Spirit power was very present in the early church. In Acts 8 we see Philip told by the Holy Spirit to go to that chariot and stay near to it. You may know this story. The Ethiopian enuch is in the chariot reading from the book of Isaiah. Philip tells this man about Jesus. From this encounter we see one of the first gentile conversions in the early church.
Are you too busy to hear how Holy Spirit power may be leading you to approach someone in conversation? Our days are busy! But they shouldn’t be too busy to the point we ignore that feeling that we should approach someone to ask how their day is going! Holy Spirit power leading you into a conversation doesn’t always mean you are being asked to share the gospel, but it could be a step God is asking you to take that will display your faith at work through kindness.
Is there a conversation you have been meaning to have but time has not allowed it? Sometimes at work it is easy to overlook the good that is going on around you—especially if other things are not going well or your schedule is just overloaded. One of the ways I seek Holy Spirit power is in the way I need to compliment and thank people for the work they do—especially if it helps me or the organization.
Waiting for a formal opportunity or a performance review may be the norm in your organization, but I find small conversations, even in passing, that recognize a team member or colleagues’ work, can go a long way. Maybe you are like me and spend time in the morning in God’s word or in prayer. It is during this time I jot down 1-2 names and pray for an opportunity to tell them how much I appreciate them.
Perhaps it is more complex. Is there a conversation you have been avoiding? You know, the one that has a knot in your stomach? Seeking Holy Spirit power in guiding your words can give you the confidence to move ahead and have the conversation. Again, spending time in prayer can bring you closer to helping seek the words and leading to this conversation.
And, maybe Holy Spirit power is moving to tell you to share the gospel at work or invite someone to church. For some of you, this may feel like a risk at work, but taking a page from the early church in the book of Acts, we can look for ways the Holy Spirit may be moving in a conversation that allows us to have that next conversation. Perhaps it is as simple as offering to pray for a colleague in a time of need.
Today, don’t ignore the Holy Spirit power urging you on to have a conversation!
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volume_upJune 27, 2024 Holy Spirit Power – 4
Presented by Lauren Stibgen
Did you know even if you don’t hold a formal leadership position, you are called and qualified as a leader for Jesus? If you have faith in Jesus, you are his ambassador for the gospel. Did you know even Jesus sought the Holy Spirit as he selected his disciples? Just as Jesus sought this wisdom in qualifying you, Holy Spirit power can also move in both your qualification and how you seek to select others to be part of your team.
First, consider that being known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom was a qualification of those who were selected to serve in the early church. If you are truly working as a disciple of Jesus, the presence of Holy Spirit power in your life is a requirement! Not only was considering your qualification prayed over, but God is very specific in his assignments! In Acts 16 we see God set apart Barnabas and Saul to proclaim his word in Salamis. If you are working in a secular workspace, like many of us do, consider your qualification and assignment to reflect Jesus to others at work.
We are also called and qualified to keep watch over ourselves and all of the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made us overseers (Acts 20:28).
While the reference in this Scripture is to those in the early church, we know those that are on our teams have been entrusted to us—not only by the company we work for, but they are entrusted in our care by God. If we consider the power of the Holy Spirit in our watch over our flock, how would this change how we see the people on our team? Let Holy Spirit power move in you to show them care like a shepherd or overseer. But not only are we called to watch over those entrusted to us, but this passage also calls us to keep watch over ourselves. Staying mindful of how we show up as a leader and overseer is important both in being a leader at work and as an ambassador for Jesus!
Maybe you are adding to your team. How can Holy Spirit power help you in selecting team members? Every hire is important. Consider how praying for the right candidate, the right interview questions and even timing on the decision may impact the outcome. Even the practice of pausing to pray for these things can bring things to light maybe you haven’t considered before. Statistically, turnover can cost an organization up to 1.5 times the individual’s salary if the hire doesn’t work out. Not only will seeking Holy Spirit power bring you the right candidate, it may also save your organization money.
Wow! Holy Spirit power qualifies us, assigns us, and also helps us to qualify and assign others! Make sure you are seeking the Spirit in prayer regularly.
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volume_upJune 26, 2024 Holy Spirit Power – 3
Presented by Lauren Stibgen
Who do you turn to when conflict arises at work? At one time or another, we will all face conflict at work. How we respond to that conflict can have many implications—especially if the conflict is with a boss or even a close colleague. How can Holy Spirit power guide you during conflict?
Turning back to the book of Acts, we know the disciples often faced conflict with other religious leaders and local gentiles who believed in other gods. In fact, Paul’s proclamation of this gospel directly impacted the work of many craftsmen who made carved images of the local gods. Many of the conflicts; however, would occur in the church between Jews who wanted to keep customs such as circumcision and their belief that Gentile believers should hold to the same traditions as the Jews. After much debate, a letter was sent.
It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us not to burden you with anything beyond the following requirements (Acts 15:28).
To read more about how they came to write this letter, turn to Acts 15. But, for now, at a high level, here are some of the steps the disciples took—clearly seeking the Holy Spirit to guide them through the conflict.
First, they listened to both sides of the conflict. We know the Gentiles were converted and the Jews wanted them to obey the law. Second, they discussed their differences. Next, they remained rooted in facts—not feelings. They provided supporting evidence and based on this, came to a solution that was acceptable to both sides. Finally, they communicated the outcome.
While I am sure the Jews still would have liked for the Gentiles to follow the law, they were compelled by the facts and evidence that God was moving in the Gentiles.
We know by our Scripture above that it was the Holy Spirit power compelling this resolution.
How can you follow this pattern in your own conflict? Listen, discuss, present facts, provide evidence and deliver clear communication about the decision.
Seek the Holy Spirit in prayer as you move through this conversation and see how Holy Spirit power moves! Another observation from this conflict is it wasn’t just a one-on-one dialogue. I have often found when conflicts arise at work, it is almost always most helpful to have a neutral third party come alongside both parties to ensure the discussion stays on track.
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volume_upJune 24, 2024 Holy Spirit Power
Presented by Lauren Stibgen
I want to challenge your thinking. Whether you have the title or not, you are a leader. If you have found salvation in Jesus Christ, your biblical identity bestows you with some big titles! We could spend a lot of time talking about identity, but let’s focus on ambassador.
We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us (2 Corinthians 5:20).
With such a title, ambassador, how do we lead for Christ? You are a leader; God is making an appeal through you!
Even with years of leadership under my belt and a more formal title along with it, there are times when I still find myself questioning my capabilities as a leader. If I think back to my career before I knew Jesus as my Savior and Lord, there were so many fears and failures, and I really didn’t have any place to take them. That has changed tremendously over the years, but recently even my own thinking was challenged to think about how Holy Spirit power can impact my leadership.
We can sometimes miss the way the Holy Spirit is called out in Scripture and the truly remarkable ways the Spirit of the Lord has such a profound role in the lives of those who lead. The Holy Spirit is often referenced as the Spirit, the Spirit of God, and the Spirit of the Lord.
In Genesis 1:2 we get our first description of the Spirit. …and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. We don’t often think of the presence of the Holy Spirit. In this verse we see the word hovering and the where—over the face of the waters. Imagine with me the expanse and spread of the Spirit over all the face of the waters of the world!
Acts 2:3 describes tongues of fire resting on each of the disciples. The visual of fire is used many times to describe the Spirit in Scripture.
Often, we hear of the filling of the Holy Spirit or of the Holy Spirit who comes upon us. One thing is clear, the Holy Spirit brings power—the mighty power of God for those who are in Christ Jesus.
My favorite verse about the Holy Spirit is Romans 8:11.
And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you (Romans 8:11).
Wow, that is power. I think we often forget. You and I, we have a power within us that is strong enough to overcome death!
Now that you have a picture of this power consider how your leadership can be transformed.
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volume_upJune 22, 2024 Walking Bundles of Habits
I love to read old books, and I’ve been reading a collection of readings from some time-tested authors. One particular article recently caught my attention. You would have thought it was written yesterday, for it speaks so clearly to us today.
It is entitled “How to Change One’s Habits,†and the sentence which jumped off the page to me was: “Could the young but realize how soon they will become mere walking bundles of habits, they would give more heed to their conduct while in the plastic state.†Walking bundles of habits—what a clear picture that gives us of ourselves, does it not? Obviously, those can be good habits or bad habits, or some mixture of both, but I acknowledge that I am to a large degree a collection of the habits I’ve established in my life.
I want to talk about our “bundle of habits†and how we can add good ones and get rid of harmful ones.
You know, when you first start a habit that is harmful, you don’t intend for it to become a habit. Lately we see how so many have become addicted to pornography, especially on the internet. This is a devastatingly bad and evil habit, but my guess is that the person who first goes to one of those pornographic internet sites tells himself or herself they are doing it simply out of curiosity—just want to see what it’s like. And then one time leads to another and another and before they know it, they’re hooked.
I have heard it said, “Chains of habit are too light to be felt until they are too heavy to be broken.†If we dealt with our harmful habits in the beginning stages, we could pretty easily break them. This author calls it the “plastic stateâ€â€”that period of time when breaking a habit wouldn’t be too hard to do. But the longer you allow it to continue, the more likely it will become part of your bundle of habits and then it’s very difficult to overcome.
Speaking of ancient authors, the Apostle Paul addressed this issue in his letter to the Romans. He said, Don’t you know that when you offer yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one you obey—whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness?. . . Just as you used to offer yourselves as slaves to impurity and to ever-increasing wickedness, so now offer yourselves as slaves to righteousness leading to holiness (Romans 6:16, 19).
In other words, since we are all walking bundles of habit, we need to make certain that those habits lead to holiness and righteousness. Unfortunately, many times we’re controlled by bad habits. If you truly want to break a bad habit—and you have to really want to do it—begin by specifically praying about that habit.
Whether it’s what we may classify as an innocent bad habit or one that is recognized as harmful, if you are addicted to it and it’s not good for you, ask God to give you strength to overcome it. Then in order to break that habit, you need to replace it with a good habit. Habit is overcome by habit. As Paul wrote to the Romans, you and I choose whether we will be a slave to sin or a slave to righteousness—whether we will incorporate habits that are wrong or replace them with good habits.
The first part is the hardest part—getting started. You have to stop talking about it and start doing it. As Jesus said, Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them (John 13:17). The blessing is in the doing. So, how do you get started when you want to break a bad habit? After praying about it, you need to determine what new habit you will use to overcome the bad habit. Remember, habit is overcome by habit.
For example, if you watch too much television or see too many movies that are not good for you, what new thing will you do to replace the time you used to spend watching the wrong things? You could get some Christian movies to replace them; you could find a good book to read instead of watching the television. It will be most helpful if you determine in advance what new good hab...
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volume_upJune 21, 2024 A Proverb a Day Shows You the Way! – 5
Proverbs 18:17 says, in a lawsuit the first to speak seems right, until someone comes forward and cross-examines. This proverb is very good advice for us.
What it teaches us is to withhold judgment and opinions until we've heard both sides to any story. We shouldn't be gullible, and we shouldn't jump to conclusions.
This is a particularly difficult area for me, for I am very impulsive and very much an overreactor. And every time I do that, I regret it. I am by God's grace focusing prayer and attention in my life on learning to wait until I hear both sides of any story, to make sure I've got my facts straight, to remember there may be something here I just don't know yet.
I remember coming into the office on a very busy day, to find a message that irritated me at once. With only partial information, I thought this other person was doing something way out of line, and I overreacted. I went to the phone and started calling her, to get things straightened out. Thankfully, she was not in, and I didn't get to speak with her at that time.
When she did return my call and explained the situation, I realized the message had not been complete, and if I had talked with her earlier, I would have overreacted and probably hurt her feelings. God protected me that time and reminded me how much I need to learn not to overreact.
Wise Solomon warned us the first person to present their case can sound very convincing, because we haven't heard the other side of the story. We need to listen to people, but not be too quick to agree or disagree with them until we've sorted out the facts and know what we're dealing with. This is good advice for managers and employees alike.
I want to encourage you to go to the Proverbs daily for guidance. There are 31 chapters, so you can read the one that corresponds to the day of the month. I've been doing that for several years, and many times God has used the Proverbs to give me clear guidance, especially on job-related issues.
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volume_upJune 19, 2024 A Proverb a Day Shows You the Way! – 3
Proverbs is a very practical book, one which we can easily apply to our everyday lives in the working world. I'm examining a Proverb a day, which will show you the way!
Instruct the wise and they will be wiser still; teach the righteous and they will add to their learning (Proverbs 9:9).
One of the most important characteristics every Christian should have, in my opinion, is teachableness. A person who is teachable is a very wise person, and a truly humble person, who recognizes they don't know it all and there's always something new to learn.
As a manager, I can tell you it is a joy to have an employee who has a teachable spirit, who is willing to learn and looking for ways to improve. A manager will endure mistakes and learning cycles and will hang in there with you much longer if he or she sees an attitude of teachableness—wanting to learn. Nothing is more frustrating than trying to work with a person who knows it all and has no desire to learn anything new.
How about you? Are you teachable? How do you respond when you're given helpful hints or suggestions? Do you resent it? Sometimes we can learn from younger people, people in business shorter times than us, people below us in rank. But if you've got your back up or you feel threatened when someone tries to teach you something, you're likely to stagnate right where you are.
It is very smart and very mature to accept teaching, to listen to new ideas and suggestions. Managers need this quality as much—perhaps more—than anyone else. Many times, we managers fail to listen to our employees, who have very good ideas that could help us if we were more teachable.
The day you get beyond being teachable, you're in trouble, because that's the day you'll stop growing. And you don't just stand still; you go backwards.
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volume_upJune 18, 2024 A Proverb a Day Shows You the Way! – 2
I’m sharing a Proverb a Day, which will show you the way. Listen to this passage from Proverbs 6:
Go to the ant, you sluggard: consider its ways and be wise! It has no commander, no overseer or ruler, yet it stores its provision in summer and gathers its food at harvest (Proverbs 6:6-8).
In the margin of my Bible by this verse I have written \"self-motivated.†The ant is a self-motivated creature. Without anyone standing over all those ants and telling them what to do, they perform their jobs diligently and are prepared for what lies ahead.
Self-motivation is a key factor in our business world today. Very few people have it. Too many people are just trying to get by with as little as possible. They don't look beyond their noses to see what else could be done, they take no initiative, are not willing to go any extra miles.
A Christian in the workplace should be like the ant: self-motivated, willing to dig in and get the work done without prompting, without constant supervision. Does your manager trust you? Can she or he be assured you will diligently do your job whether anyone's watching or not? Certainly, a Christian should have that kind of reputation.
You know, your witness on your job will be effective if there is a difference in the way you work. If you have the \"it's not my job\" attitude that is prevalent today, if you drag your feet and do only what you’re told to do, if you gripe and complain about doing anything above and beyond your job description, how will your coworkers and management know Christ makes a difference in your life? They won't, and your verbal witness, if there is one, will fall on deaf ears.
If you are a Christ-follower, you have a power far beyond yourself to motivate you. You have God's Holy Spirit dwelling within you to give you the strength you need to be self-motivated. And when you are motivated to do what’s right, you will have an outstanding testimony because you do your work right whether anyone's watching or not, you do it to the best of your ability, and you're willing to go the extra mile.
Go to the ant and consider its ways. We can learn wisdom and self-motivation from those tiny ants.
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volume_upJune 17, 2024 A Proverb a Day Shows You the Way!
There is a book in the Bible that is just full of wisdom for our everyday lives, and that is the book of Proverbs. I’m going to share a proverb a day, which will show you the way! We’ll look at five different proverbs and see the wisdom that is there for us. I encourage you to make Proverbs a daily reading habit. There are 31 chapters, so it's easy to read the chapter that corresponds to the day of the month. I've been doing that for several years and find the practical advice has been most beneficial in my life.
Today let's look at Proverbs 22:10. It says, drive out the mocker and out goes strife; quarrels and insults are ended. Another translation reads, drive out the scoffer and contention will go out. Even strife and dishonor will cease.
Have you ever worked with a person who was a mocker and a scoffer? That's the person who makes fun of others, who ridicules people and organizations, who is arrogant and causes problems seemingly on purpose. When there's a mocker in the group, the work environment can be pretty miserable.
This proverb says by getting rid of a mocker, you get rid of strife. If you are in a management position, it's good to remember there are times when the best thing you can do is to let an employee go. Now, I hope that doesn't sound cruel, but a person who is intent on offending others—and some people are—can have very detrimental effects on an organization.
Of course, as Christians, we still must care about people regardless of how unlovable they are. And though we can never change people, the Holy Spirit can, so we shouldn't give up praying for them. But that doesn't mean we allow them to ruin the working environment for everyone else. Remember, the workplace is not a rehab center or a counseling office. We want to help people, when possible, but you don’t hire people to reform or change them; you hire them to do a job.
Solomon said, in his wisdom, you're better off to drive out the mocker and the scoffer, for by so doing, the strife and dishonor will stop, people will be able to work productively together, and everyone will benefit, including the person who is the troublemaker. Allowing him or her to continue to get by with inappropriate behavior doesn't help that individual.
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volume_upJune 15, 2024 Living a Spirit-Empowered Life
Presented by Lisa Bishop
About a year ago I was heading to dinner with a friend, and as we were about to get in her car, I noticed she opened her door without a key. She just grabbed the door handle, and the vehicle was magically unlocked. To my amazement, I blurted out, “Wow, that’s so cool! You can open your door without using the key.â€Â Surprised by my excitement, my friend looked at me a bit strangely and said, “Doesn’t your car do that?†I confidently replied, “No, but I wish it did.â€
Well, fast forward to the next day when I’m getting ready to hop in my car. Instead of clicking my key fob, I decided to reach for the door handle to see if my car had the same key-free superpower. To my surprise, I heard a “click,†and just like that, the door was unlocked with my key still in my pocket. Now, as I tell you this story, I am aware you may be thinking it’s rather odd that I am just figuring this out. But the truth is I had my car for four years yet had no clue of this amazing capability. Yes, I know, somewhat embarrassing. The power to unlock the door key-free was always there. I just didn’t know it, and because I was unaware, I was unable to experience the benefits that were mine to enjoy and appreciate.
So, what does this have to do with the Holy Spirit? Now before you think I am reducing the Holy Spirit to some superpower at our disposal, that is not the point. The point is, just like I was unaware of the power of technology right under my nose, we often neglect the presence and power of the Holy Spirit who is in us and at work in all who have surrendered their lives to love and follow Jesus. If you are a Christian, the moment you accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior you received the gift of the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity, and while humanly there is no way to perfectly and completely understand the Trinity, the Bible is clear that the one true God exists eternally in three persons: Father, Son, and Spirit. We often neglect the Holy Spirit. Sadly, many churches do not talk about or acknowledge him, and many Christians are not aware of his power and presence in their lives. Let me be the first to say I am not an expert on the Holy Spirit, but I have grown in my encounters with him and my relationship with him over the years. I have experienced his love and power at work in my life. So, I want to deepen our understanding of who the Holy Spirit is and his role in the life of every believer.
One of the first things to note is that the Holy Spirit did not first show up on the scene in the New Testament. The opening lines of Genesis tell us that the Spirit existed in the beginning. Genesis 1:1-2 says, In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.
The Holy Spirit was at work in specific people in the Old Testament, and we see his presence and power working in and through people all throughout the New Testament. He existed all along. Notice how I said, “He.†The Holy Spirit is a person, not an “it.†The Bible teaches that the Holy Spirit has all the attributes of personality and is not merely an impersonal force. In the Gospel of John, Jesus spoke of the Holy Spirit as “He.†Jesus also referred to the Holy Spirit as the Comforter or the Counselor. And we know from Scripture that in addition to many other attributes, the Holy Spirit gives hope, convicts people of sin, exhorts, comforts, strengthens, intercedes, and encourages. An impersonal force cannot do this, but the Holy Spirit, God himself, can. When we experience the presence of the Holy Spirit we are experiencing the very presence of God.
In John 16:7, 12-13 we hear the words of Jesus as he prepares the disciples for his departure from earth. He tells them, But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away,
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volume_upJune 14, 2024 Living a Spirit-Empowered Life – 5
Presented by Lisa Bishop
Does your prayer life feel weak? We have been exploring the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives and today we’ll wrap up by looking to God’s Word to power up our prayer life.
I don’t know about you but sometimes my prayer life can be really puny. There are times I just go about my day and forget to pray for God’s supernatural wisdom and power. Other times I feel like my prayers are a broken record, and I simply don’t know what to say. Have you ever felt that way?
There is good news! When you are at a loss for words, this is what Romans 8:26b-28 says,
We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God. And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose (Romans 8:26b-28).
When you do not know exactly how you should pray, or can barely squeak out a prayer, God himself (through the Holy Spirit) helps you and prays on your behalf. And he prays for you in a way that guarantees all things will work together for your good.
There is no other God like our God! Whatever you are facing, ask the Holy Spirit to intercede on your behalf; his prayer for you will make a way through.
As we end our time, I want to pray Paul’s prayer in Ephesians 3 over you. If you can, and feel comfortable, open your hands, palms up in a position of receiving this blessing from the Lord.
For this reason, I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen (Ephesians 3:14-21).
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volume_upJune 13, 2024 Living a Spirit-Empowered Life – 4
Presented by Lisa Bishop
We have been exploring the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives, and we’ll wrap up with a reminder about his presence in your life.
King David wrote Psalm 139 as a prayer and praise to God, acknowledging the Holy Spirit’s personal presence in his life.
Where can I go from your Spirit?
Where can I flee from your presence?
If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
if I settle on the far side of the sea,
even there your hand will guide me,
your right hand will hold me fast (Psalm 139 7-10).
God was with David in his lowest moments and most magnificent victories. The same is true for you. No matter what, God is always with you, my friend. In your greatest joys and in your seasons of sorrow, disappointment, fear, or despair. In your highest of highs and your darkest moments, the Holy Spirit embraces you, surrounds you on all sides, and covers you. Even in the seasons of waiting where you sense his silence and wonder if he hears you, he does. Don’t let your feelings fool you. God is always near to you. Let that sink in.
If you are in a season of feeling God is silent, don’t fear this time. There have been several times in my life where I have felt like God was silent, times when I desperately wanted an answer or direction. What I needed to be reminded of is that even though God seems silent, he is still present. In those seasons of silence, we need to ask ourselves, “Will I keep pressing on and pursuing Christ and Christ-likeness when life appears stagnant? When I don’t feel like I am progressing in my career, my vocation, in life?â€
In those times when we have a hard time sensing his presence perhaps, we are progressing in what is most important, trusting God and becoming more like him, as we wait for the timing of his response to our deepest inquiries and longing for direction.
I’m not sure what circumstances you currently find yourself in, but I pray you not only remember the Holy Spirit is present, but you experience the nearness and companionship of God’s Spirit. Take time right now to acknowledge him and thank him for his closeness, that in this moment he is grasping your hand with kindness, love, and tenderness.
Holy Spirit, we thank you that you are always with us and guiding us. Help us to experience more of you.
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volume_upJune 11, 2024 Living a Spirit-Empowered Life – 2
Presented by Lisa Bishop
We are exploring the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives.
God speaks to us. We can hear his voice when we properly position ourselves before him. Not walking in obedience will hinder our ability to be sensitive to the Spirit’s leading. But the more we walk in holiness and earnestly seek him, the more we grow in our ability to hear him.
This is realized when we regularly meditate on God’s Word, spend time in worship and prayer, and intentionally create space in our day to quiet ourselves in his presence. The reality is the Holy Spirit is always guiding you.
In John 16:13-14, Jesus says,
But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will glorify me because it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you (John 16:13-14).
When it comes to hearing the Holy Spirit, heed Jesus’s words when he says, “He will glorify me.†The Holy Spirit will never speak anything contrary to the Word of God and the teachings of Jesus. That is why it is so vital you study the Bible and continue to learn to discern God’s character. Years ago, I met with a young woman who was dating a married man at work. When I confronted her, she said she prayed about it and was convinced God told her the man was the one she was supposed to marry. How greatly deceived she was. The Holy Spirit will not go against scripture. Sometimes we want something so badly we try to convince ourselves God approves when he doesn’t. Don’t be duped. He will never lead you down paths of unrighteousness.
James 1:5 teaches us,
If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you (James 1:5).
When you attune yourself to the Holy Spirit you will experience gentle nudges or impressions that direct you to do something, and help you make discerning decisions, always in alignment with the Bible. There have been times when I have asked God for wisdom and he will highlight a song, a sermon, or something somebody says. Often the Holy Spirit will prompt me to send a text of encouragement to a friend. I can’t tell you the number of times someone responded grateful and astounded because the timing of my text was perfectly aligned with what they needed to hear at that moment. I love how the Holy Spirit works, don’t you?
Let’s make it a habit to seek the Holy Spirit and ask him to guide us in wise living. Because the truth is, he loves to lead you.
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volume_upJune 10, 2024 Living a Spirit-Empowered Life
Presented by Lisa Bishop
We are examining the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives, and we’ll look at how the Holy Spirit convicts us of our sin. Hopefully, that didn’t just make you want to tune out.
Being convicted of sin doesn't necessarily sound like something to get excited about, but when God sheds light on your sin the purpose is for you to live in greater harmony with him. As we surrender our lives to God and walk in obedience (another word that can make us cringe), the Holy Spirit begins to renew and rewire our minds and realign our affections, and that’s a good thing.
Bible teacher Priscilla Shirer says this, “After salvation, because of the Holy Spirit, certain kinds of activities, thoughts, or attitudes don’t feel comfortable to you anymore, even if they did before. Something you may have once done without concern now feels wrong and problematic—increasingly so over time. Participating in certain behaviors, entertaining certain habits, and engaging in certain relationships may become awkward and difficult with little apparent reason. Other than this: God’s Spirit is infiltrating your soul—influencing you, molding you. Your conscience is being conformed into the image of Christ.â€
When you become a follower of Jesus and order your life after him, your tastebuds change. Things that once were appealing lose their luster when we chase after Christ. As you continue to align your life with Jesus, you will become less and less captivated by your flesh and more conformed to Christ where truth is found. The Holy Spirit’s conviction is for your sanctification; to get your attention so that you, as 1 Peter 1:14-16 says,
Do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy†(1 Peter 1:14-16).
When the Holy Spirit exposes your sin, don't fight against his conviction. If you ignore and override his voice, over time you will become desensitized to him. The Holy Spirit never points things to be punitive. Remember he loves you and wants you to free you from sin, so you live life to the fullest in him.
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volume_upJune 8, 2024 What The Well-Dressed Christian Wears – 2
Let me begin by reading the passage from Colossians 3, verses 12-15.
Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.
These are the garments we should be wearing as Christians: compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, tolerance, forgiveness, peace, thankfulness, and love. And as I said in part one, these are the fruit of the Spirit of God—evidence of God's Spirit in you.
Here’s the good news about these garments we are to put on—these garments are intended for every believer; they are within your grasp, and they look wonderful on all of us. But the big question is, how do we really put on these beautiful garments? It makes a nice talk, but how does it translate into reality in our lives?
The first thing is to understand that putting on these garments is not an act of our emotions; it is an act of our will. So often in our Christian walk, we want all the feelings before we exercise faith. We want to feel gentle and humble and peaceful and thankful. And if our feelings aren't working so good on a particular day, then we assume we just can't wear those garments that day, because we don't feel them. The sooner we learn that feelings cannot be trusted and are not a barometer of our spiritual temperature, the sooner we'll be able to take these garments and wear them. And that’s done by faith, not by feelings.
When you know you're facing a day that will require, for instance, a great deal of patience, keep repeating that you will put on patience for that day. Put it on by faith, regardless of whether you feel patient or not. Your feelings will eventually give up and come along with your will, but never mind them. Will to do God’s will. He will supply the patience when you need it if you don't allow your emotions to destroy your faith.
You wear these garments by faith, just as you accepted God's gift of eternal life by faith. The act of your will is your part; God does the rest.
Secondly, wearing this wardrobe is not a function of our personalities. Many of these inner garments probably do not come naturally to your personality. But that does not keep you from wearing all of them.
I think that we often let ourselves off the hook by saying, \"Well, that's just the way I am. I can't be anyone else; I have to be myself.†We've been fed this current philosophy of \"be your own person\" so much that we use that idea to excuse ourselves from whatever we feel doesn't \"fit\" us.
Well, I can't see where God makes any exceptions for personality. He has all the garments you can ever need, and he's ready to impart them to you. Don't let your personality or “the way you are†be an excuse for not making God's best dressed list. It is possible—through Christ—for all believers to wear this entire wardrobe.
Maybe one reason you haven't put on too many of these garments is that there just isn’t any room in your closet. Could it be your closet is cluttered with all kinds of outdated, ugly clothes? In the same third chapter of Colossians, we find a list of clothes we should \"put off,\" and that list includes anger, wrath, malice, slander, abusive speech, and lying (vs. 8).
Do you have any of these ugly clothes in your closet? If so, they are taking up so much room and occupying so much of your time and thoughts that you're left with little room for the beautiful clothes you need to wear. Are you harboring anger that you refuse to deal with? Anger plus resentment equals wrath. Wearing wrath these days? I can promise you that it is unbecoming. Malice is the desire to see others suffer—wishing bad thing...
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volume_upJune 7, 2024 Turn on the Power – 5
I've been trying to help us see afresh how to be powerhouse Christians and really impact our worlds for Jesus Christ. And, my friends, there is only one way to turn on the power of God in our lives, and it's not new, it's not gimmicky, it's not overnight, and it's not tantalizing. But it works!
The power switch is prayer and God's Word. And we must pay the price for this power, just like we pay for electrical power in order to turn on the lights in our houses. The price is discipline, pure lives, and significant time in our schedules to get to know God through prayer and his Word.
Are you in bondage to your own powerless life? Are you frustrated because you never see any evidence that Christ lives in you and gives you power to live victoriously? If you're truly a believer, you've got to get back to basics and ask yourself if you've been willing to pay the price for power. And believe me, I have to do the same thing.
There's a price to pay, but wow, you get more than you pay for when you turn on God's power in your life. For example, have you been in bondage to your tongue? Well, with God's power you can have victory over that damaging tongue of yours. Or maybe there is some impurity in your life holding you prisoner.
A friend told me how she had been in bondage to trashy novels, reading as many as one a day for years. This had done a great deal of damage to her thought life and her marriage, but by memorizing scripture and praying it into her life, she has broken that bondage and gotten rid of those lousy novels. You think you can read or watch the world’s trash and it won’t do you any harm? Think again. It will keep your life impure, but thankfully my friend found freedom from the trash. Truth—the truth of God's Word—set her free! She paid the price for God's power, and now she is free.
If you're struggling in some area, I urge you to pay the price for God's power to be released in your life.
Galatians 5:16 says: So, I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. Walking by the Spirit is the way to know freedom, to have the power to live a godly life. Make it a matter of daily prayer and a commitment each day—I will by God’s grace walk by the Spirit today. You will begin to know power in your life that will amaze you!
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volume_upJune 6, 2024 Turn on the Power – 4
I’m examining how to turn the power switch on. Suppose you knew everything about your computer there is to know—a real computer whiz—but you didn't have any idea how to turn it on. What good would it do you to have all that computer know-how if you couldn't turn on the computer?
Well, as silly as that sounds, many of us Christians have never learned how to turn on the switch that allows us to be powerful for God. We have this incredible source of power within us—the Holy Spirit of God. Yet we don't know how to turn on the switch. Or could it be we don't want to?
You see, the switch that turns on God's power in our lives is prayer and God's Word. You probably know that but are you willing to use those power tools? Maybe you’re looking for easier answers. Or something different—or something that gives a quicker fix.
Let me explain. In order to have electricity in your house, you have to pay your bill. Have you noticed—the power company is very insistent about regular payments. But we do it because we want the power; our lives are much better with electricity in our homes. So, we pay the price.
There's a price to pay if you want to be a powerful Christian. The power is there, but you must be willing to pay the price.
Therefore, since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God (2 Corinthians 7:1).
Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives' tales; rather, train yourself to be godly (1 Timothy 4:7).
You must purify yourself and train yourself. That's your job, and until you're willing to pay that price, the power just doesn't come on in your life. There are no shortcuts here. What is contaminating your body and spirit? Television? Wrong reading material? A judgmental attitude? A loose tongue that speaks in anger and haste? Those are some of the more common things that can contaminate our bodies and spirits. We must clean them out if we want to have power.
Then we have to have a training program for ourselves: A disciplined life that makes time for prayer and Bible study and fellowship with God's people. That's how we train to be godly, and when we are willing to pay the price, then the power comes on in our lives. It's just that simple. I didn't say easy, but it is simple. You want to be powerful for God; pay the price and you'll discover how incredible it is to have his power flowing through you to others day in and day out.
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volume_upJune 5, 2024 Turn on the Power – 3
When was the last time you had a power outage at your house? It's the strangest feeling, isn't it, as you flip on all those switches, but nothing happens. All your electrical conveniences and appliances are useless without power. Sometimes as Christians we live as though there's a power outage. We've got a powerhouse within us because of the Holy Spirit who indwells our bodies, but maybe we just don't know how to turn on the switch.
The switch that turns on God's divine power within us is to use the divine weapons we have been given.
For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds (2 Corinthians 10:3-5).
Have you been using your divinely empowered weapons? What are these weapons:
Prayer is a divine weapon. You probably know that, but the question is, how much do you pray? Studies show the average Christian prays less than five minutes per day. Prayer is our major power source. Maybe you haven't learned how to pray. What are you doing to become more effective in your prayer life? You can take the prayer given by Jesus to use as a model for your own prayer life. I've developed a Prayer Journal to help you apply that prayer format in a very practical way, and you can find it on our website or contact us for information on it, if it would be helpful to you.
The Word of God is another divine weapon. Hebrews 4:12 tells us for the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Have you learned how to use this divine weapon, this powerhouse we have because we have the Bible?
For example, quoting Scripture is a great way to turn on the power in your life. I encourage you to memorize scripture as much as possible. Join our Hidden Word team, where together we memorize a verse each week.
When you know you are weak in a certain area, such as impure thoughts or lying or having a critical spirit, memorize verses that relate to those matters and quote them often to yourself throughout the day. You will be amazed at how that will empower you to have victory over those problems.
So, if you've been powerless in your spiritual life lately, maybe you just haven't been using these divine weapons—prayer and the Word of God. They are the switches that turn on the power, and you can have access to the power any time you're willing to use your divine weapons.
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volume_upJune 3, 2024 Turn on the Power
A term we hear a lot these days is empowerment. We're told when a person feels empowered, then they are motivated; they are capable of being all they can be. I certainly agree we need to be empowered, but my question this week is, how do we turn on the power?
New age philosophy says we need to simply get in touch with the unlimited power within us. It tries to convince us we can be anything we want to be, do anything we want to do if we believe in ourselves. That's how you turn on the power.
Many people have bought into this—even Christians—because it sounds good, and it caters to our desire for control. But if you've been trying to turn the power on yourself, you've discovered it just doesn't always work. Your internal self-powerhouse is often out of service or overloaded or has frequent power failures.
No, just as light fixtures and light bulbs are useless without electrical power, we need some outside power source flowing to us and through us if we're ever going to turn the power on. The truth of Scripture is there is only one ultimate source of power. All power rests in the hands of the Creator, who has chosen to share it on terms he alone controls. He has a monopoly and if you want to turn the power on in your life, you have to go to the source, the Eternal God who has all power.
After his resurrection before ascending into heaven, Jesus told his disciples: \"You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you...†Please note he didn't say, \"You have power in yourselves to conquer the world. Just look within yourselves and be the best you can be.†No, he said, power will be given to you from an outside source. And incredibly, that power source is going to dwell in your body.
When and how do we get this Holy Spirit power? Romans 8:9 tells us if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ.
Every true believer has received the Holy Spirit; it happens when we believe in Jesus Christ. So, we have the powerhouse within us because he is within us. It's not our personal power; it's the power of the Holy Spirit, located right inside of us.
But I find sometimes I never turn the power on, or I run on very low wattage—how about you?
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volume_upJune 1, 2024 What The Well-Dressed Christian Wears – I
I remember so well the time God implanted this truth about being properly dressed in my heart. It came as a discipline in my own life, and it has been life-changing for me. It's something we can remember and relate to, and so I want to share it with you, praying that God will use it in your life, as he has and does in mine.
The wardrobe that I want to talk about is found in Colossians the third chapter:
Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.  And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful (Colossians 3:12-15).
These are the special garments intended by God for each of us to wear, and as Christians, we have a unique opportunity to be lights in our working worlds, in our families, and everywhere we go by learning how to wear these beautiful clothes. Let's look more closely at these inner garments which we need to \"put on.\"
COMPASSION: This can be described as a deep feeling of sharing the suffering of another. You know, it's not hard to find suffering people these days. There is mental, physical, and emotional suffering everywhere, and undoubtedly you have suffering people all around you where you work and live. Are you aware of their suffering?
It seems to me that all too often I am quick to blame people and judge them without stopping to think of what they have endured, or why they are the way they are. That's especially easy to do at our jobs. If you’re not careful, you can judge your fellow workers without really understanding their suffering.
Let me assure you that compassion will look good on your job. If you wear it, you won't be so quick to condemn or judge. You'll give people room to make mistakes. Your prayer list will get longer because when you care about people, you pray for them. I encourage you to pray for the people you work with. When you do, you’ll discover that you feel much more compassionate toward them. Yes, indeed, we need to wear compassion on our jobs.
KINDNESS: Kindness is the second garment in the closet of a well-dressed Christian. Have you been too busy to wear kindness lately? Maybe, like me, you take it on and off, depending on your mood, or who you're with. Sometimes we are least kind to the people nearest to us. We seem to forget that it’s important to be kind to those people we work with every day. Sometimes we seem to save our kind behavior for people we don't see very often, as though it were in short supply. God has plenty of it, so wear it to work every day. You'll look terrific!
HUMILITY: Third in this special wardrobe is humility. The world often gives negative connotations to humility, as though it were an undesirable characteristic. It is often viewed as weakness or wimpy. Rarely do we think of humility as a necessity for getting to the top in the business world.
But that's an incorrect assessment of true humility. The Bible defines humility as a lack of pride and an awareness of who we are in comparison to who God is. God hates pride; it's the number one sin at the top of the list of things he hates. One of the indicators of humility is a teachable attitude. The person who is always willing to learn, to change, to take good advice is a truly humble person.
GENTLENESS: And then we come to gentleness. I am always overwhelmed with the amazing gentleness of Jesus Christ. Oh, how we need to wear his gentleness every day. We need that gentle and quiet spirit, which the Apostle Peter tells us should be our adornment, and which is precious in the sight of God.
Are your words tough or harsh on your job or at home? Do you have a sharp tongue or hasty actions that pierce and hurt people b...
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volume_upMay 31, 2024 Words Matter – 5
Presented by Lisa Bishop
We have been examining why our words matter, and we’ll wrap up with the power of an apology—how admitting our faults and taking ownership of our misgivings is a worthwhile way to use our words.
The power of an apology is a profound aspect of Christian living. It takes courage and maturity to acknowledge your mistakes, take responsibility for your actions, and seek forgiveness. When you apologize sincerely, you demonstrate humility. In a world where people are quick to point fingers and place blame, admitting guilt will separate you from the crowd. After all, as a follower of Jesus, you are meant to live a life set apart from the practices of the culture around you, and instead conduct yourself with Christlike character.
Who is someone you need to apologize to? Who needs to hear you say the words, “I was wrong.†I know you may feel a lump in your throat or even have an allergic reaction to those words. We sometimes falsely believe admitting a mistake shows a sign of weakness or will in some weird way give others power over us. But that is not true. Listen, saying you were wrong is not a sign of weakness; it’s a sign of strength. An apology has the power to mend broken relationships and restore trust. It can open the door to meaningful conversations and opportunities for growth.
It’s important to note that when you humble yourself and offer a heartfelt apology, you are not only saying you are sorry, but you are also demonstrating regret and your commitment to make a conscious effort to change your behavior. If you apologize and then neglect to change, you will lose credibility fast, and your future words of remorse will be rendered meaningless. A flippant apology adds insult to injury. We need to be truly sorry for our actions or words. It is important you do not offer excuses for your actions, and you are specific in your apology. If you lost your temper with someone and said hurtful words, it might sound something like this: “I am sorry for losing my temper today and saying things I should not have said. I realize my words were hurtful, and that is not the kind of person I want to be.â€
Now, you may be trying to get off the hook and be thinking of all of the reasons the other person is wrong. But this is not about them, this is about you and the part you played in causing hurt or conflict. Fessing up to your mistakes is a function of your integrity. You’re admitting that you are not the person you want to be, and you are a work in progress. As Romans 3:23 says, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Who will you apologize to today?
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volume_upMay 29, 2024 Words Matter – 3
Presented by Lisa Bishop
Do your words betray, or do they build up? We are taking a close look at our words, and why what we say matters. Now, I know we are aware that the words coming out of our mouths have an impact, and we also know as followers of Jesus, we are held to an even higher holy standard. Yet, minding our mouths can be a challenge. We don’t always think before we speak. This is a friendly reminder to make sure you train and discipline yourself to choose your words wisely.
One way to filter your words is through the lens of motive. What I mean is this. What are you trying to accomplish with your words? What is your intent? Is it positive or potentially destructive? I was reading the Gospel of Luke the other day. When I came to the account of Judas betraying Jesus, verse 4 stood out to me.
And Judas went to the chief of priests and the officers of the temple guard and discussed with them how he might betray Jesus (Luke 22:4).
Judas used his words to backstab and be disloyal to Jesus and Judas’ words ultimately caused death.
The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit (Proverbs 18:21).
You will reap the fruit of your words whether they are life-giving or life-taking. In the hustle and bustle of our work environments, it’s easy to underestimate the impact of our words. We often focus on tasks, deadlines, and goals, forgetting our words hold immense power. Negative words can bring death to morale, creativity, and productivity. Gossip, criticism, and complaining can create division and hinder progress. When we speak positive and encouraging words and are loyal to the absent, meaning we are not talking behind people’s backs, we breathe life into our colleagues and our workplace. Your words have the potential to build strong relationships, foster teamwork, and create a culture of trust and respect.
The words you speak not only give life or death to others, but they also create your legacy. As we read the New Testament, Judas’s legacy was one of betrayer. How would you like your name to be in a book that billions of people will read with that type of reputation? Not me! The point is this, people will remember the words you say, and those words impact your reputation. What will people say about your character when they remember you? Let’s choose to build people up and remember to use our words wisely.
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volume_upMay 28, 2024 Words Matter – 2
What is your self-talk? We are examining why our words matter. Let’s look at the words we speak to ourselves about ourselves.
Stop and think about it. What are the words you find yourself saying to yourself? Your self-talk is the ongoing conversation you have with yourself in your mind. Negative self-talk includes thoughts such as, “I’m worthless,†“I’ll never be good enough,†“I just can’t seem to get it right,†or “I’m so stupid,†as well as thoughts about your circumstances, “I’ll be stuck in this job forever†or “Things will never get better.â€
We all hold these kinds of ongoing conversations with ourselves, and although you might not always be aware of it, your internal conversations have a significant impact on your mood, your behaviors, and ultimately your life. Sometimes we entertain negative thoughts because of what others have said to us.
We’ve been called stupid, ugly, worthless, or worse—and when we hit a low point in our lives, these are the very words we hear on repeat in our minds. Like a hamster wheel, many of us get caught up in negative self-talk. Your words matter not only for you and your life but the words you speak to yourself also matter to God. The latest brain research shows that negative language actually releases thousands of stress-producing hormones and neurotransmitters in our brains, powerfully affecting our moods, making us feel worse and ultimately, they result in acting in ways that justify our false beliefs.
This is no surprise to God, our great creator who designed our brains, and his Word shows us the power of guiding our thoughts. Ephesians 4:23 tells us to be made new in the attitude of your minds. And Romans 12:2 says, do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.
The enemy wants nothing more than to infiltrate your thoughts with lies. You must fight back with God’s Word and speak the truth to yourself, even when, or especially when, you don’t feel like it. This is more than positive self-talk; this is the Holy Spirit-powered truth.
Begin to examine your defeating thoughts. What fears or false beliefs have become a stronghold in your life? What words do you dwell on and do you pummel yourself with? Ask yourself, “Are these thoughts in alignment with God?†If the thoughts are negative or in any way shaming or condemning, you know for certain the answer is “no.†Getting unstuck from old patterns of thinking will take effort on your part because thoughts become habits and habits can be hard to break. But you can choose the thoughts you entertain about yourself, and as you do, remember to ask God to help you.
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volume_upMay 27, 2024 Words Matter
What is your heart full of? We are examining why our words matter; and why what we say is important as followers of Jesus.
In Luke 6:43-45, Jesus shows what our words expose when he says,
No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. Each tree is recognized by its fruit. People do not pick figs from thorn bushes, or grapes from briers. A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of (Luke 6:43-45).
Jesus is explaining how we can judge a person’s character. Much like if we were to look at a tree or plant to tell if it is a “good†tree or not, our words show the fruit of our hearts.
What does the fruit of your words reveal about the condition of your heart? If you were to take inventory of the conversations and comments that flow from your tongue on a regular basis, what would you notice? When you are at the office, what pours forth from your lips, out loud, or utterances under your breath? When you are at home with your spouse, your kids, or your roommate or interacting with a stranger, what do your words display?
We can learn a lot when we pay attention to the words that come out of our mouth. If you find your words are harsh, impatient, laced with anger, self-defeating or deflating, or derogatory toward others, it’s time to examine your heart. Your words reveal what your heart feels and what’s inside you.
Your words can be the indicator light that something in your heart needs the healing touch of God.
Your heavenly Father wants to minister to the corners of your heart that are producing bad fruit—the places that are angry, bitter, wounded, weary, or hardened. Hear me when I say we all struggle with our words. Different circumstances, seasons, or people will provoke the depths of our soul to surface through our speech. When you stop long enough to observe your words and get curious about where they’re coming from you can get yourself off autopilot and intentionally invite God to search you and help you.
One of my favorite prayers comes from Psalm 19:14,
May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart
   be pleasing in your sight,
   Lord, my rock and my redeemer (Psalm 19:14).
As Christians, our hearts have been and are continually being changed by the power of God. And that change is reflected in our words.
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volume_upMay 25, 2024 The Loudest Roar
As followers of Jesus, it’s easy to get stuck in battles He's already won. I'm Mary Lowman of The Christian Working Woman, and this week, Judy Dunagan, author of The Loudest Roar, will help us understand and live in Christ’s victory. So, join us as we let God’s roar diminish the enemy’s lies to a whisper.
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volume_upMay 24, 2024 Freedom through Commitment – 5
You’ve heard it said there’s no such thing as a free lunch. That sentiment is pretty much on target, except of course for the free salvation which Jesus offers us because he paid the price for our sins. It is free for those of us who accept his offer, but he paid a big price. He made a huge commitment when he said to God, as he prayed in Gethsemane, “Not my will but thine be done.â€
I’ve been talking all week about finding freedom through commitment. Instead of running away from being committed to something or someone, we need to walk toward those commitments that God wants from us. That’s because committing ourselves to do God’s will is the pathway to real freedom, the freedom of our spirits, the freedom of knowing what we do matters to God.
For ten years I decided to run my own show and go for what I wanted. In spite of knowing better, I truly turned my back on following Jesus because I thought that would mean I could never have my way. But let me tell you what my pursuit of freedom led to. It caused me to abandon many Christian principles, which had been faithfully taught to me by my parents, teachers and pastors. It led me to live a very selfish life that was totally focused on what I thought was good for me.
Deciding not to be committed to what God wanted for my life caused me to make many poor and sinful choices—choices about relationships, about jobs, about where I lived and who were my friends. It led me to behaviors that were anything but Christ-like, to a lifestyle that blended in with the world around me. It would have been hard to distinguish me as a true believer in Jesus Christ during those years.
What I’ve learned—now over 40 years later—is that to refuse to be committed to Christ and his principles for my life is to choose disaster and chaos and total frustration. I thought I was choosing what would make me happy by choosing not to be committed to a Christian lifestyle and living my life for others. But I was so wrong.
Now, with all these years under my belt since then, I can tell you a commitment to Jesus Christ is indeed the way to freedom. And that means you commit your weeks and your days and your hours to his control. It means saying yes to what he wants you to do and no to yourself. Yes, there is a price to discipleship and Jesus asks us to count the cost, but the return on your investment is abundant and joyful and fulfilling.
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volume_upMay 23, 2024 Freedom through Commitment – 4
You remember the story of the rich young ruler who came to Jesus and asked what he needed to do to inherit eternal life. Jesus told him he needed to make a commitment: He needed to sell everything he had and give it to the poor, and then come follow Jesus. This young man became very sad when Jesus told him this, and he didn’t follow-through because the commitment was too costly for him.
He made a decision not to make a commitment, but notice it made him very sad, not happy. No doubt this was a huge commitment Jesus was asking of him, because Jesus knew money was his god. He couldn’t follow Jesus until he loved Jesus more than money. But Jesus was not asking him to do the impossible, nor was he trying to make his life miserable. Just the opposite. Jesus wanted him to have an abundant life, a life that cannot be bought with money. But he wasn’t willing to make that commitment, and he went away sad.
Commitment comes with a price tag, whether it’s a commitment to marry someone, or to take a job, or to work on a committee at church. And we should consider the cost of any commitment we make. But we should not fear commitment just because it has a cost, because commitments are the doorway to finding the freedom we’re looking for.
For example, suppose you decide to be committed to reading and studying your Bible more. To make that happen, you commit to some structure you impose on yourself to read the Bible systematically and regularly and to keep a journal of what God says to you as you read. Then you start to reap the benefits of this commitment as you see how God uses his Word to teach you, change you, comfort you and guide you.
Maybe you decide it’s finally time to do something about your eating habits, and you make a commitment to eat a healthier diet with fewer calories. Then you have to pay the price of that commitment by not buying junk food, not going to fast-food restaurants, not overeating, and putting veggies and fruits on your menu. When you pay that price, you start to reap the benefits—like, you look better and feel better, you have more energy, you sleep better. Then you realize that commitment is worth the price tag.
Perhaps you decide it’s time for you to get more involved in your church, so you sign up for a small group study, and you spend time there weekly. Eventually you offer your home for a study, and that takes a little time and effort, even a little money. But what do you benefit? New friends, a support group, good information poured into your mind, wholesome relationships. It’s a commitment worth the price.
There truly is wonderful freedom through being committed.
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volume_upMay 21, 2024 Freedom through Commitment – 2
As a leader in ministry for many years, I’m aware people are less and less willing to make a commitment. Many wait until the last minute to sign up or agree to help. It can be frustrating, but what is the reason for it?
I had a conversation with a young woman in her 20s who was working on her master’s in theology, and she explained her generation doesn’t want to feel chained—her word—to some commitment because they want to feel free to do whatever they want to do at the moment. They want to live without structure and keep their options open.
I think her analysis was pretty accurate. It’s an attitude that is prevalent among the younger generation, but believe me, it has crept into the minds of us older people, too. It’s a result of a very egocentric mindset—and we’ve encouraged this kind of thinking with our emphasis on individual rights, individual freedom, individual fulfillment. In other words, we’ve developed a cultural mindset that convinces us it’s all about me, and no doubt that is a key reason for this unwillingness to make commitments to things that might cost us some time or money or work.
It is a destructive illusion to believe you are most free when you have fewer commitments. Jesus said truth will set you free, and if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. All of us long for freedom; it’s in our genes. But so often we just bark up the wrong tree to try to find it. The freedom that will bring satisfaction, contentment, and joy to your life is found in Jesus alone. But that freedom he gives us brings commitment with it, for to be a disciple of Jesus Christ is to relinquish our rights to him and decide we’ll be committed to doing his will.
Now, that should affect our everyday lives. When we’re faced with choices, when we’re asked to make commitments, our first thought should be, “What would Jesus want me to do?†We should ask ourselves, “Am I choosing my way or God’s way?â€
When you took the job you now have, you made a commitment to that organization. Making that commitment gives you a paycheck, which affords you the freedom to pay your bills, buy some food and clothes, and keep yourself from being homeless! In the same way, we make a commitment to accept Jesus as Lord and Savior and enjoy all the incredible benefits he brings into our lives, but it also brings a responsibility to be committed—to give our lives to others, to lose our life in order to find it.
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volume_upMay 20, 2024 Freedom through Commitment
When you first read that phrase—freedom through commitment—it sounds like a contradiction, because we think commitment takes away our freedom. If I make a commitment to marry, I lose my freedom. If I agree to head up that project, I’ll be tied down. If I accept this invitation for Saturday night, something better may come along. If I sign up for that event at church, I may change my mind. How can commitment bring freedom?
Commitment is all about making a choice, and when we choose in one direction, we lose the option to choose in another direction. But what we fail to realize is choosing not to choose is still a choice we make. Deciding not to make a commitment is a decision—and that reluctance to make a commitment takes us down a certain path with its own consequences.
Jesus said, whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it (Matthew 10:39). Jesus was teaching us that if you focus on your freedom and you’re very reluctant to make commitments to anything or anyone because you want to be free, you’re going to lose your life. That means you’re going to lose the real meaning of life; you’re going to lose the real joy of life; you’re going to miss the purpose for which God put you here on earth. But if you’re willing to commit your life to God’s plan—if you lose your life, as Jesus put it—then you will find it. You will find that meaningful, purposeful life that fills you with satisfaction and contentment.
Ephesians 2:10 says, for we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. God intends for each of us who are born from above, to do the good works he planned for us to do, and that means we have to make a commitment. We have to choose one path in life, which precludes us from choosing another. We have to make one decision about what we’ll do this weekend, which means we can’t do something else. We have to say yes to being involved in a ministry, which means we can’t go to the beach that day.
The path of less commitment takes you into a less structured life. While that may sound like freedom, it is explicitly true that people who have structure and thereby commitments as part of their lifestyle have much greater satisfaction and less frustration than those who refuse to make a commitment for fear of losing their freedom. Jesus knew what he was talking about.
Commitment is at low levels these days, and yet it has not brought great joy or abundant life.
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volume_upMay 18, 2024 Becoming a Godly Role Model
Role models. I think we all recognize that the role models in our lives have had a great influence on us. Paul wrote to the Corinthians: Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ (1 Corinthians 11:1). That is the Bible’s definition of role modeling.
Maybe you’re thinking, “Well, sure, the Apostle Paul could say ‘Follow me as I follow Christ.’ After all, he was an apostle, and he was the best Christian who ever lived. But we could never be expected to seriously tell someone to follow us and do like we do, could we?â€
Well, the answer is yes; every Christian should be that kind of a godly role model. I would imagine some of you have never thought of yourself as a role model or a leader. Maybe that's because you're still young, you are not an assertive person, or you don't have leadership gifts. But all of us are role models, and there are people in your life whom you influence. Therefore, we all have a responsibility as believers to make sure we are godly role models.
I know that's a tall assignment, but we who are born from above have the power of the Holy Spirit within us. We don't have to do this on our own. God will enable us to become godly role models. However, I believe we do need to take our role modeling responsibilities seriously and consciously work at being better role models.
Godly role modeling is the natural result of a normal, growing walk with Jesus. In 2 Corinthians 3:18 we see that we are being transformed into the likeness of Jesus with ever-increasing glory. So, if our lives as believers are a continuing transformation, becoming more and more like Jesus, then we can also say, \"Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.â€
We are responsible for the people we influence. That's a sobering thought, isn't it? We are responsible to set the best example of godly living we possibly can. We are not responsible for their behavior; they still have a free will to choose to follow our example or not. But if we do not give them the role model we should, we will be held accountable to God for our failure to be a good example.
So, the first thing I would recommend is that you make a list of the people in your life over whom you have some influence. That will help you become more intentional about being a good role model. Then add to that list the names of others that you would like to influence.
If you're a parent, your children's names will be at the top of the list. If you're married, your mate's name is likely to be on that list. Your co-workers are people over whom you have influence. If you're a manager or business owner, the people who work for you definitely will be on that list. Your close friends are within your sphere of influence; other family members will be there. If you have any leadership roles in your church or other organizations, such as a teacher, you've got a list of people there for whom you are a role model.
Write those names down. You'll be surprised how wide your influence spreads. After you’ve made a list of the people in your life whom you influence or who you would like to influence in a godly way, then you want to consider some key areas where you need to set the right example.
When Paul told the Corinthians to follow his example, he said, \"Do not cause anyone to stumble. . .†(1 Corinthians 10:32). That's a good place to start when we think of our influence as role models.
Who could you cause to stumble? In Romans 14 Paul tells us to be careful with someone whose faith is weak. Do you know any new believers? Those are people who look to us more mature Christians as role models. We could cause them to stumble by gossiping or by our lack of a servant attitude, to name just two. With new believers we have a heavy responsibility to exemplify a godly lifestyle so they have a clear model of what a Christian's life should be.
If you're a parent, you could cause your children to stumble. One of the most common ways we can fail our children is to li...
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volume_upMay 17, 2024 Fran and Jesus on the Job – Incompetent Boss – 5
Ever had a new boss who came in with unrealistic demands and expectations? That’s where our friend, Fran, finds herself these days. Since Ben Mason has become their new manager, the whole department has been demoralized.
Fran notices she is praying more now and that’s one good thing this new manager has done for her. She is determined God will help her deal with this with a good attitude and a sense of joy, not fear. Her friend, Louise, is a great help, and together they often pray for the office and each other.
After a few weeks, it becomes obvious Ben’s knowledge of the industry, the competition, and the art of selling is woefully weak. But through all these difficult days, Fran continues to pray for the ability to see Ben the way God does. When she is so exasperated she doesn’t think she can take it another minute, she sees again that Ben is consumed with fear, and he covers it up with bravado.
In a meeting with him, after reviewing a proposal for a new prospect, she says, “Ben, would you like to go with me for this presentation? I think it would be impressive for the prospect to meet the boss, and I’d be glad to have your help.â€
He looks at her briefly then turns his eyes away, obviously nervous. “I. . . I, uh. . . I really don’t think I have time, Fran,†he says, and then looks at her almost like a child, “but thanks for asking me.â€
“Is there anything else I can do for you, Ben?†Fran asks, trying to give him some word of encouragement. Somehow, he senses her genuine care, and he responds quietly, “Well, if you can tell me how to get these numbers up, that would help. Instead of improving, we’ve actually done worse since I got here. I don’t know what’s happening.â€
“Ben,†Fran says, “adjusting to a new place is always a challenge. Don’t be discouraged about the numbers. They’ll improve, I’m sure.â€
And before Fran realizes it, Ben is earnestly soliciting her advice. She spends the better part of an hour giving him some help, trying to do so without hurting his pride. She suggests a different approach to the account reps and other motivational things he might do. Finally, he says, “I think you could do this job better than me,†and looks at her with a very humble smile.
“Ben, I know you want to succeed, but you need all of us on your team,†Fran says. “I just want you to know I’m on your team. I’ve been praying for you. And I believe you can succeed here.â€
“Praying for me?†Ben is astonished.
“Well, yes,†Fran says, “I believe in prayer, and I talk to the Lord about everything in my life. It really makes a difference.â€
She assures Ben she is available to help anytime. After that she and others detect some improvement in Ben’s approach and things seem to get a little better.
Well, if you’re facing a difficult manager, remember Fran’s experience. It may encourage you.
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volume_upMay 16, 2024 Fran and Jesus on the Job – Incompetent Boss – 4
Today is the day our friend Fran has her first one-on-one meeting with her new manager, Ben Mason. So, Fran is taking her lunch hour to pray for her 2pm meeting. She goes to her car, where she can have some privacy, and begins to pray.
“Lord, I know my life is in your hands and Ben does not have control over me; you do. Help me to see Ben the way you see him. Remind me that you love him as much as you love me. And guard my words carefully, Lord.â€
Thinking of her own fears, the Lord seems to impress her with this thought: Ben is afraid, too. “Of course,†Fran says to herself, “he’s trying to cover up his fear with this tough attitude.†It’s as though a veil has been lifted from her eyes, and she can see fear written all over Ben.
As she arrives at his office, Ben asks her to be seated and then says, “I see that you have been a sales leader in the office several times, Fran. I guess you think you’re pretty good,†and he looks at her with a sarcastic grin.
“I enjoy the job, Ben, and hopefully I’ve gotten better at it as the years have gone by,†Fran replies, trying to avoid any defensiveness.
“Well, if you ask me, your numbers are pretty anemic for a sales leader. You ought to be doing twice this much business if you’re that good. What’s the matter? Don’t you like going after new business?†Ben asks with an accusatory tone.
What does she say? Another silent emergency prayer goes up, and she finds some words. “Well, obviously, Ben, finding new business is the hardest part of the job. I would imagine that you must have been very good at new business, and I am looking forward to learning from you so I can do it better. I hope you’ll share your secrets.â€
“It’s hard work, Fran,†Ben says, “and I expect a lot more from you than what you’ve done in the past.â€
“If you will tell me exactly what you expect, I will certainly do my best to meet your expectations, Ben,†Fran manages to reply.
“Here’s what I expect,†Ben says, and he tells her how much revenue he expects from her in the next six months. The number is almost double her current quota, and Fran has to catch her breath. Both anger and fear begin to grip her heart and mind.
Then she remembers what God showed her about Ben—he is frightened. And she says, “Well, to tell you the truth, Ben, this number is frightening. If you were trying to put fear into me, I guess you have succeeded,†and she looks at him with a faint smile.
“Well, maybe this whole place needs a dose of fear. That’s the new quota, and I expect you to meet it,†Ben says. He then dismisses her, and that is the end of their first meeting.
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volume_upMay 15, 2024 Fran and Jesus on the Job – Incompetent Boss – 3
Today, Fran met the new manager of her department—Ben Mason—and she’s not happy about him. This evening, she calls her friend Louise to commiserate about Ben, but instead Louise refuses to get into a gossip session. Fran ended the conversation rather abruptly, but her face is glowing red, both from anger and from shame. She is angry with Louise for confronting her so forcefully, and ashamed of how she behaved.
Fran steams around the house for half an hour with a fierce battle inside her. Finally, she sits down with her Bible and begins to pray. But few words come out before the tears start. “Lord, I’m so sorry. How could I behave so badly? How could I?†Fran cries out to the Lord. She is so disappointed in herself. She knows better than to gossip. She knows how wrong it is to have such a rotten attitude. She knows to take her concerns to the Lord and not complain to people. She knows all that, and yet she has done just the opposite.
Opening her Bible to Romans 7, she reads beginning in verse 21:
So, I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord (Romans 7:21-25)!
“Wretched, Lord,†Fran prays, “that’s exactly the way I feel. I want to do your will, yet so easily, so quickly, I go back to my own self-centered way of responding. Please forgive me.†After a time of prayer and assurance that the Lord has indeed forgiven her, Fran thinks about what her next steps should be. “First, I have some apologies to make. Then I have to change my attitude toward Ben. He is my manager, and no one is in my life by accident.â€
She turns to Romans 13 and reads again the passage about those in authority:
Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves (Romans 13:1-2).
She prays for God to help her to respect Ben and his authority over her.
Before going to bed, she phones Louise back with a sincere apology, and the two of them covenant again to hold each other accountable. The next day at work Fran finds a moment alone with George to apologize for her participation in the bad words about Ben.
But now the challenge begins: She must deal directly with Ben Mason, her new boss.