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Running Towards Giants
All my life I have heard the story of David and Goliath preached with an emphasis on personal application. "Defeating Your Giants" or "Five Stones of Faith That Lead to Victory" -These typical homilies are focused on encouraging believers to slay impossible giants in their own lives. However, I believe it is time to take a fresh look at this age-old passage. I had the privilege to hear Bob Sjogren, president of UnveilinGLORY ministries, speak and he suggested something quite strange. While Goliath is usually presented as a stumbling block best avoided, Bob suggests that we run towards our giants in the name of God’s glory. Personal giants are…
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Witnesses
What comes to mind when you hear “witness”? I think of ABC’s Eyewitness News and the 1985 thriller Witness starring Harrison Ford about an Amish boy who witnesses a murder (yes, I’m dating myself). Recently, however, I’ve been challenged to step up as a witness. In fact, ALL believers are called to testify as witnesses. Not in a court of law. But in our lives and through our work. Acts 1:8 proclaims Jesus Christ’s final words before ascending into heaven, and what Jesus says still applies to all believers today: “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all…
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Work is an act of worship, not a curse
Work in any culture is…well, work. Sometimes enjoyable. Often hard and exhausting. Sometimes challenging, more likely because of the people with whom you work rather than the work itself. That applies to any kind of work. When you are working with your God-given skills (and assuming you are doing work that is legal and moral), all work can be an act of worship. Yes, I said ALL WORK, not just if you are on staff of a ministry organization. You might spend two hours a week at church or Bible Study and get the wrong message that the other 166 hours of your week are second class compared to church…
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The Gospel and Work
When you hear the word “work,” what initial thoughts come to mind? If you’re thinking, “hard, difficult, tiring, 9-5, drudgery, rat race, trying to get ahead, trading time for money, labor, productivity, climbing the corporate ladder, etc.” then you’re not alone. Most of America defines work in this way. But why is it that our ideas of work are primarily negative? Is it because we don’t enjoy what we do or the people the work with? Is it because we view work as a necessary evil, something we must do in order to eventually attain the “good life?” Or perhaps work gets in the way of pleasure and relaxation? Perhaps…
