Monthly Archives: January 2023

Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men. (Ephesians 6:7)

There are many different callings for the people of God, but only one Boss – and His name is Jesus Christ. Regardless of where you work and serve, and regardless of who signs your paycheck, ultimately the One you work for is Jesus. Think about this truth for a moment: At this level of living for the Lord, your work becomes a witness. Whatever those in authority ask of you on the job should be viewed as coming from the Lord (as long, of course, as it does not violate the revealed truth of sacred Scripture).

Do you see how this understanding is a complete game-changer for the energy and attitude we bring to our work? First of all, it means there is no such thing as “menial labor” when that labor is being done for the glory of God. Second, it means your work has eternal value, because it is being done for the glory of the Eternal One.

At this point you may be thinking, “Pastor, you just don’t know the job I currently have, and you definitely don’t know the boss I work for!” That’s true. But God certainly does know, and He has not only called you to your current position, but He has given you everything you need to work with excellence.

Check out the very next verse Paul wrote in his letter to the Ephesians:

The Lord will reward everyone for whatever good he does, whether he is slave or free. (Ephesians 6:8)

Wow! If you work wholeheartedly and serve the Lord, regardless of where you are working, you can expect the Lord’s reward! Now, it’s not as though we can make God our debtor when we are serving Him. God, in His amazing grace, determined in eternity past to pour out His blessings on those who are working and living in the light of eternity. That means that nothing you do on your job is done in vain. Your boss may not acknowledge you. Your boss may not even remember your name! But your real Boss does — He knows your every thought, word, and deed — and He delights in blessing you.

As you consider the truth of today’s message, do you see the importance of the job you currently have? Remember, your work may not be deemed “important” in the eyes of man, but it is eternally important in God’s eyes. And if it is important to God, it really doesn’t matter what anyone else thinks about it. God has promised to reward you, not so much for your fruitfulness, but rather for your faithfulness. Press on, Christian, and remember that your real Boss is cheering you on!

This is the Gospel. This is grace for your race. NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!

The Lord has given them special skills . . . (Exodus 35:35)

The book of Exodus provides us with a detailed account of the construction of the Tabernacle, the place that God would occupy in the midst of His people as they made their way into the Promised Land. Of course, workers were needed to build the Tabernacle, and these workers were given specialized skills to get the job done.

Did you know that God has given all His children special supernatural skills to assist in the building project of expanding His kingdom in this world? It’s important to remember that God never calls the equipped for His work; rather, God equips all those He calls. Every child of God has been equipped for the work of ministry in the expansion of His kingdom. Among the artisans who built the Tabernacle, some where skilled as designers, weavers, jewelers, embroiderers, or wood carvers, all of them possessing the wisdom and intelligence needed to complete what God directed to be done.

Let me ask you a very important question: What supernatural skills has God given to you?

Whatever you are good at, whatever you enjoy doing, whatever you do that seems to fit you like a glove, these are areas in your life that God has equipped you to excel in the expansion of His kingdom. Your gifts, talents, and abilities are unique to you, which makes you invaluable to the place God has called you to expand His kingdom. Perhaps you are gifted in administration, hospitality, or teaching. Maybe you are gifted as an encourager or as a prayer warrior or at visiting the sick or shut-ins.

If you aren’t sure what your supernatural skill set might be, consider what those closest to you would say. These friends and/or family members will provide valuable insight into your supernatural wiring and point you toward where you may best be able to plug in.

Here is a truth that I hope will prove to be as encouraging as it is empowering: God does not need any of us to accomplish His purposes in this world, but He wants all of us, and He gives us exactly what we need in order to do what He is calling us to do.

Let’s close today’s message with these words from the apostle Paul:

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)

This is the Gospel. This is grace for your race. NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!

My dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain. (1 Corinthians 15:58)

Because the Christian life is a series of ups and downs . . . highs and lows . . . victories and defeats . . . we all must come to terms with the challenging concept of cosmic continuance, because the fact of the matter is that the life of the Christian will continue in a series of ups and downs . . . highs and lows . . . victories and defeats.

In every culture except the culture of Christianity, our identity is found in our performance. In the more traditional Eastern cultures, identity is wrapped up in the family or community. When you are serving the family or community well, you feel good about yourself; when you are not serving them well, you don’t. In the West, identity is wrapped up in the individual. The good of the individual trumps all other goods, including the good of the family or the community. When you are doing well, you feel good about yourself; when you are not doing so well, you don’t. Only in Christianity is your identify fixed, regardless of your performance, creating a never-ending state of cosmic continuance.

You see, in Christ, you are not looking to your performance to find your value and worth. Rather, you are looking to the Person of Jesus Christ, who has fixed your true value and worth in Him. And when you locate your value and worth in Christ, nothing can diminish or discontinue it in any way. You are now living at the level of cosmic continuance.

Look, your performance will always vary, depending on the circumstances you are facing, and so will your settled sense of value and worth — if you are looking to your performance. That lack of continuance in your Christian life will be deeply disappointing to you and a difficult burden to bear. But if you are looking to the person of Jesus, you will be rooted in a cosmic continuance that is unchanging, unwavering, and immovable.

So remember, when you are dealing with the inevitable ups and downs . . . highs and lows . . . victories and defeats in the Christian life, you must look past yourself to your Savior for your value and worth. That is the only way to find yourself grounded in a cosmic continuance that nothing in either life nor death can take away. And if any of life’s extreme downs, disappointments, or defeats are pressing in on you, remember these words from Jesus, “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).

This is the Gospel. This is grace for your race. NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!