Category: Job

Air vs. Prayer

hands-of-prayer-christian-stock-imageDo we consider breathing air an obligation, or a necessity?

Do we view eating food, or drinking water as obligations, or necessities?

All essential to life; air, food, water, yet none of them can be considered obligations, or duties.

Jesus said, “Man shall not live by bread alone.”

Job said, “I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food.”

Can our relationship with Christ be viewed as an obligation or necessity?

You may say, “I need air, food, and water to survive.”

I say you’re absolutely correct…to survive. But, to thrive, to enjoy life, and live life more abundantly, you need a relationship that is not one of obligation, but necessity with Christ.

There is a spiritual state we must strive to attain, one in which we esteem the “Spiritual necessities” with an equal or greater degree of priority in our lives.

More than our necessary food. More than the bread we eat, the water we drink, and the air we breathe, we cannot survive, let alone thrive as God ordained by neglecting the more essential thing, the one thing that cannot be taken away, a relationship; not a duty, not an obligation, but a joy, a privilege, an honor to bask in the glow of His Divine Presence; to enjoy the warmth of His tender embrace, to esteem our relationship with our Creator above all else…necessary.

How Christians Can Thrive in Any Work Environment

1.  Don’t expect to be appreciated.  Your only expectation should be to get a paycheck.  Don’t come to work to have personal relationships.  Don’t allow what you do to affect who you are.

2.  Do your job well, but remember your mission.  God put you there to be a Light.

3.  Seek opportunities to change the atmosphere without commenting on the problems.  You have a God to talk to.  You are on an assignment.  Quietness and competence shall be your strength.

4.  Don’t let your environment get inside of you.  You should influence it, not let it influence you.  Stop going to work to be fed.  You didn’t come to receive, you came to give.  Remember to Whom you belong.

5.  Increase your capacity to work with different personalities.  (They are doing this with you.)  God will often bless you through people you don’t even like!

6.  Remember where you are does not define where you are going.  This will deliver you from frustration.  God has a plan for your life.  Keep your eye on the prize. When Peter did this, he was able to walk in what made other people sink!

7.  Get the optimum results with minimal confusion.  Be effective without making the environment worse; don’t deliberately cause commotion with your personal issues.

8.  Don’t be associated with one group or clique.  Labels limit your usefulness.  God wants you to work with everybody but be labeled by nobody.  Use all your God-given gifts.

9.  Always keep your song near you.  Do what you should when nobody is watching or will ever know.  Hold on to your Priority and let it shine!

10. Understand that God anoints you for trouble.  Put on the whole armour of God before going to work.

Also remember…

  • Psalm 75: 6-7 For promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south. But God is the judge: he putteth down one, and setteth up another.
  • Proverbs 18:16 –  A man’s gift maketh room for him, and bringeth him before great men.  
  • Matthew 25:23 – His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.
  • Galatians 6:9 – And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.