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Introduction
During my lifetime, I have seen a steady decline in good work habits. The work ethics of my great grandfather were far from those of my children. We, in the West, have misplaced the understanding of why and how we should work for both God and man. The process began in our hearts many years ago. As an epidemic, it spread through our families and homes. We carried it into our schools and, finally, into our workplaces.
Gradually, we lost sight of God's plan on this important part of our daily lives. Inattentively, we overlooked the loss. Therefore, each successive generation accepted and increased the damage in their souls.
Regardless of how we justify it, indifference to God's ways weary our souls. Today, we lose in the workplace because of it. Think of your workplace and see the similarity.
The intent of this book is to teach you how to be successful in the workplace. Real success, God sanctioned, comes through applying our spiritual abilities. Therefore, our work success depends directly on our spiritual growth. This book is to be a tool in that growth. I trust it will be useful in opening the answers to your life's questions. Perhaps you will find all the answers to your whys.
"Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth." 3 John 1:2
This book is also centered on becoming a success in the eyes of God and man. All the information shared in this book is in the Bible. When learned in your heart, it will direct you to use your talents in the workplace. Therefore, employ your given talents; expand your given grace.
Since the instant the Lord found you, has your life been perfect, of course not. Your life, at salvation, was no longer haphazard or without direction. You gave your life to the Lord. Instantly, He placed you on His path. Today, however, your life could have conflicting interests. These interests or diversions may lead you away from Jesus Christ. Decide if this was the way your life transformed.
After a certain man received Christ, there arose a quarrelling within him. The root of this condition was a spiritual war. It began at the moment of his salvation. No longer did the man want to serve self as he had done all his prior life. Now..., he wanted to do well in his job for Christ's sake, and he wanted others to know Jesus for their sake. His heart's desire was to influence his co-workers to receive the living Son of God, Jesus Christ.
Excitedly, he pursued the only path in his infant view. He began evangelizing the workforce during breaks and lunch. With zealous words on his tongue and fire in his eyes, he went forth. He told everyone, regardless of their reception, what Jesus had done for him and them. He wanted all men to receive Christ and to have what he had for eternity, salvation.
Quickly, his co-workers tagged him a religious fanatic and a pushy misfit. They began ignoring and shunning him. Shortly after these continued rejections, frustration entered his life. He began to stumble in his self-appointed course. He had started with a bang, but was fizzling fast.
Bewildered, he compromised his intended goal. He drifted into a passive position between a handful of friends and a slight guilt for failing in his quest. In his mind, he justified his breach by saying to himself, "others have failed."
It was a baffling life, but he dealt with it on a day-to-day basis without too much inner conflict. He consoled his nagging guilt by remembering the continuous forgiveness of Jesus Christ. The rewards for his predicament were these three: superficial friends, guilt, and embarrassment.
About the time he thought his life had a livable balance, his supervisor called him to the office and let him go. He was told the discharge was necessary because of a cutback in labor. Apologizing, his supervisor said he was sorry. His eyes, however, had the look of deceit.
This short account was my experience many years ago. For my selfish motives, I received my deserved reward. In my eyes, I was doing for Christ, a case of self-deception. I was busy doing the Lord's work yet had no time for the Lord's wisdom or His guidance. Now, I seek the Lord's Word to show me the work He requires of me and the way He wants me to do it.
The Lord gave His Word long before He created earth. He gave laws, words, and principles by which man should work and grow in the workplace. Throughout the Bible, we find these truths stated in the male gender. Therefore, this book is also written in like gender for clarity and coherence with scripture. The Holy Spirit is the personality, power, and will of Christ, but without gender.
God wrote His truths in the heart of everyone. They either have the Law of Sin and Death or the Spirit of Life (Romans 8:2). Because we know the Lord neither changes nor deviates from His ways, God makes no exceptions in keeping all His spoken or written word. The Bible says that Jesus Christ is the fulfillment of God's word. Therefore, the Word of God is Jesus Christ. Like His grace, His Word stands eternal.
God declared every concept written here. As stated in Ecclesiastes: "there is no new thing under the sun." These guidelines, when applied, will improve your work-life. Over time, Christ taught me these principles through His scriptures and by His Spirit. The awareness of your surroundings will increase as you learn the Lord's teachings. I must continue to learn and do; so should you.
Work exposes us to many and varied situations, as we must interact with people. Most of these situations or circumstances are pleasant, yet the balance of them are agonizing. Being a Christian does nothing to alter circumstances. On the contrary, Christian living, Christ through us, does alter circumstances.
Regardless of where we are or what we do, all people face difficulties. Looking at an obstacle is different from overcoming that obstacle. Apathy is the attitude of only looking at an obstacle. Living brings power to conquer the obstacle. While gazing at his mountain, many a man grew faint and gave-up.
Each of us has obstacles. Our obstacles never exceed our abilities. Is the mountain before you an equal measure of your abilities? No! The measure of your abilities is what you are doing with your mountain or burden. How large is your burden? Where did it come from? The Lord never placed a burden on any one. Each man brings forth his own burdens by his words.
"And when this people, or the prophet, or a priest, shall ask thee, saying, What is the burden of the LORD? Thou shalt then say unto them, What burden? I will even forsake you, saith the LORD. And as for the prophet, and the priest, and the people, that shall say, The burden of the LORD, I will punish even that man and his house. Thus shall ye say every one to his neighbour, and every one to his brother, What hath the LORD answered? and, What hath the LORD spoken? And the burden of the LORD shall ye mention no more: for every man's word shall be his burden: for ye have perverted the words of the living God, of the LORD of hosts our God." Jeremiah 23:33-36
The Lord honored every person of mankind, whether alive or deceased. Their honor is the participation in God's eternal plan of grace or wrath. Grace results in death unto life. Wrath results in life unto death. Your heart dictates your actions. Your actions determine your rewards. The one controlling your heart is also the same one controlling your life.
What the Lord does, through Christ, He keeps. He assures that His Word remains true and stands forever. The Lord upholds the Word of God. Jesus causes a man's efforts to be fruitless when that man tries to humiliate, ridicule, or mock the Word of God.
"Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap." Galatians 6:7
Are you having mixed thoughts about this book's direction? Please, be patient. I too know the grace of our Lord and His eternal forgiveness of Sin. I also know that His ways are truth and light to our path. Our varying from His given path brings compassionate correction. He continuously teaches us the lessons we need. These lessons steady our feet on His path.
Has this ever happened to you? You were conscious of the Lord teaching you a new lesson. Later, you realized Jesus had taught you something dissimilar from your original thoughts. His wisdom is beyond our understanding.
"And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the LORD, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. If ye endure chastenings, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons." Hebrews 12:5-8
During my years in the workplace, I have met people having no outward appearance of salvation. Nevertheless, their response in a crisis might have surprised even you. Make no mistake on this point; the Lord cares for His children even if they are defiant. When a person knows Christ, he will call upon God, even in the workplace. Jesus will hear and deliver the poor soul because Christ has bound Himself to do so. The Lord keeps His children through the blood of Jesus Christ. God anchored His plan of redemption in His Son's blood. The Lord's redemption continues through the blood sacrifice His Son gave for the forgiveness of Sin.
"He that believeth on the Son hath life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him." John 3:36
I restated these truths because we are going to cover several in-depth principles in this book. The walls of a building stand only when constructed on a solid foundation. These principles will only stand in your heart when solidified on the foundation of Christ. Can you build a lasting structure if it lacks a strong foundation? You are taking the time to read, also take the time to ponder what you have read. I like the word ponder; it means more than just thinking.
Save yourself from being frustrated by asking the Lord to show you what you need to know instead of what you want to know. Read only one chapter per sitting. Read the chapters in their progressive order; each is a building block set upon the last. Give yourself a pondering time, a long break, to comprehend the relevance of what you have read. Search the scriptures for yourself to confirm or to discredit the information. If you will, memorize all the scriptures that impress your heart. They will bring comfort and strength to you in the workplace.
"Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it." Matthew 7:24-27
The LORD Is GOD Even At Work
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