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Work I |
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Work I 12/5 retreat/hunting
Entanglement
(weight – assuming emotional responsibility beyond actual)
Luke 8:14 “seed among thorns, as they go on their way they are choked with 1) worries 2) riches
3) pleasures of this life”
How do you know if this is happening to you?
1) preoccupation with temporal vs. eternal – not involved people incl. Family
2) inability to “walk away”
3) an over reaction when problems arise
4) your wife says “there’s nothing left for your family”
you are not emotionally engaged – “your mind is somewhere else”
5) you have no joy in your relationship with your heavenly Father
What can you do about it? How can you determine if true of you?
1) quiet time
2) find someone to help you disentangle
Why is this a particularly strong temptation to businessmen?
1) compensation plans designed to appeal to this
2) promotion comes to those who over commit
3) sole proprietors? Survival or big money up to you
4) family businesses? Mixed agenda
5) partnerships? Interpersonal conflicts
Work
Introduction
Why does calling to marketplace create more tension than vocational Christian workers?
à pastors – work doesn’t matter save souls
Tension of ministry vs. work à business - believe/work you can be rich/succeed What is the difference between Christian in marketplace vs. VCW?
Tension – funding – front lines w/ culture (engaged)
What is wrong with the term “full-time Christian worker”—as in, “should I go ‘full time’ in the ministry?”
Implies everyone else is part time
Why do we go to work?
Commanded by God: 2 elements
Gen. 2:15 “cultivate and keep garden”
Gen. 3:17-19 “by sweat of your face you shall eat bread”
Matt. 5:16 context people
Matt. 28:19-20 as you are going make disciples
Why work is good for man
1) created with abilities to make beautiful, bring order out of chaos, imitate God
in creation (entrep) mechanics, builders, entrep, managers
2)serve mankind (lawyers, doctors, CPA’s, counselors, mangers, sales)
(Q. How does sales help mankind?)
1) Most active context – Matt. 5:16 meet people
-most opportunity evangelism
-most opportunity encouragement
-most opportunity prayer
2) Sales should be solving problems (serving)
-save $$
-better service
-better products
-organize a mess for someone
How do we define success in sales – or any other prof?
Matt. 20:25-28
What is it not?
What does it look like?
Col. 3:23
Whatever we do, do it to glory of God – 2 aspects
-to the best of your ability, wholeheartedly
-recognizing God as your primary audience
illus. Doug football
Two scenarios
Good vs. Bad sales day
real success 1)serving Phil 2:20 2) God pleased
1) Authority
Prov. 21:1, 29:26, Ecc. 7:14, Ps. 75:6-7, Is. 45;6-7
What are the principles in these verses as relates to work
a) all authority on earth is controlled by heavenly authority (ex. Joseph, Pharaoh, Daniel)
So what? How do I apply?
1. my fate is not determined by politics or foolish bosses
2. my ultimate complaint or grumbling should be directed towards God
3. God is in control of my position of authority – He places me there
Matt. 6:32 – assume resp. comensor.
How does this apply outside business world
1. training children
2. wives/daughters
3. ministry
Eph. 6:5
1) we are really serving Christ not our bosses, He is the one we ultimately serve
a. we can please God by not our bosses
b. dangers of man pleasing which is really
-not understanding God’s sovereignty
-service for wrong motive – if what I can get (approval, $$, power,
promotion) vs. pleasing God
application parenting
2) money and materialism
particularly vulnerable -- sin which easily entangles
Ps. 49:10-13
Ps. 90:10-12
Matt. 6:19-21
Principle—this world is passing away and only have a few days
1) be careful about what you give your
precious few hours to Eph. 5:16
-actual spending time
-mental energy
2) live your life with a view that this is temporary
-for a short time – heaven is forever
-this is not our home
-we can labor for a short time only then rest.
-John 9:4 “we must work the works of Him who sent
me as long as it is day; night is coming when no man
can work”
3) God determines our level of wealth
-Deut. 8:17-18
-Prov. 10:22
-Hos. 2:8
-Ecc. 9:10-11
-Matt. 6:25-26
Next week à Does Bible say direct correlation how hard we work and how much $$ we make?
Having said this what is normal reaction for businessmen?
“I’m going to invest where I can get greatest return, if this world is temporal then I need
to go ‘full time’ in ministry”
How does this statement sound to you, “There are only two things eternal, word of God
and people?”
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