The Skillful Worker

Do you see a man skilled in his work? He will serve before Kings; he will not serve before obscure men. (Proverbs 22:9).

The Lord has called each of us to be excellent in what we do. Those in whom God used in the Kingdom as marketplace ministers were skilled and exemplified excellence in their field. Not only were these men skilled, they were filled with the Spirit of God.

Then the LORD said to Moses, "See, I have chosen Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, ability and knowledge in all kinds of crafts-- to make artistic designs for work in gold, silver and bronze, to cut and set stones, to work in wood, and to engage in all kinds of craftsmanship (Exodus 31:1-5). Consider Huram, the master craftsman of bronze in whom Solomon entrusted much of the temple designs. He was a true master craftsman (I Kings 7:14).

Consider Joseph, whose skill as an administrator was known throughout Egypt and the world. Consider Daniel, who served his king with great skill and integrity. The list could go on -- David, Nehemiah, Acquilla and Priscilla.

I recall the first issue of an international publication we began. It was common to hear the comment, "It doesn't even look like a Christian magazine." They were saying the quality and excellence exceeded what they equated to Christian work. What a shame. Has inferior quality become synonymous to Christian work?

May we strive for excellence in all that we do for the Master of the universe. Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving       (Colossians 3:24).

Commentary by Francis L. Harris:

Isn’t it pleasant to be around someone that works with enthusiasm and cheerfulness? And isn’t it DRUDGERY to be around someone who moans and complains constantly? As Christians, we belong to God, and all that we do should be done willingly with joy and gusto, and not with a moan and a long face. “Ye are not your own. For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.” (1 Cor.6:20).

Hundreds of years before Jesus came to this earth He contemplated the self-denial, pain and suffering necessary to make an atonement for our sins. He says to the Father: “burnt offering and sin offering hast thou not required. Then said I, Lo, I come: in the volume of the book it is written of me, I DELIGHT to do thy will, O my God: yea thy law is within my heart.” (Psalm 40:6-8). Since Jesus cheerfully and with delight undertook all that was necessary for our salvation, let us then do ALL that we do as unto the Lord and not unto men, not grudgingly or of necessity but with joy and grace in our hearts, LOOKING UNTO JESUS, the author and finisher of our salvation.

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With Your Whole Heart

“Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might” (Ecclesiastes 9:10, NIV)

When you do something to the best of your ability because you want to honor God, it opens the door to His blessing. That means it will be easier, it will go better, and you will accomplish more. That’s why no matter what we do, we should give it our best. This is especially true even in the little things. For example, when you’re doing the dishes or mowing the lawn, don’t drag around sour and frustrated. Mow with enthusiasm! Mow like you’re on a mission from God. With every step, thank God that your legs work.

Thank Him that you’re healthy and strong. At the office, don’t just do enough to get by. You’re not working unto people; you’re working unto God. Do it with your whole heart. When you volunteer at church, don’t wake up and think, “Awe, man. Why did I volunteer? I want to sleep in!” No, serve Him with all your heart because that’s what honors God. When you honor God, He’ll honor you. He’ll open the door to His blessing, and you’ll see increase in every area of your life!

You Want Me To Do What?

"Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some" (John 21:6).

The disciples are fishing. It is after Jesus has been crucified. Peter has gone through his most agonizing moment in which he has denied Jesus three times. He has lost a friend. No doubt he probably wondered whether the last three years were a dream. What now?

It is interesting that Peter has been prepared three years. He is not going out to preach; he has gone fishing. He has returned to his trade of days gone by. He now has a level of experience with Jesus that no other human on earth can boast. This is the third encounter he is about to have with Jesus after his resurrection. Jesus looks to Peter and John in their boat and makes a suggestion. "Friends, haven't you any fish?" "No," they answered. He said, "Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some" (John 21:6).

Now, if you are as seasoned in your fishing as these guys, aren't you a bit irritated if a stranger suggests that you simply put your nets over the other side to catch some fish? Yet, we find that Peter takes this stranger's advice. Once they were obedient, the Lord revealed Himself.

When they followed the advice of Jesus, the catch was enormous, 153 fish in total. In most cases this would have broken the net. Jesus invited them to have breakfast with Him--fish and bread, and he had already started the fire. I can only imagine that this scene would resemble some buddies going out and camping together.

There is so much that we are to learn in this passage about God's ways. As a business person, we must understand that after we have spent years with Jesus, this does not always mean we must leave our professions to fully follow Jesus. Peter went back to his profession -- fishing. It was here that Jesus asked him a simple question. Do you love me and will you feed my sheep? He didn't say to him, "fishing is a waste of time for you now, Peter." This recommissioning was in the area of his original calling -- his work. We need not feel that we must go to the "mission field" to please Jesus. Our work is our mission field. We must, however, make a paradigm shift in our thinking about our place in the business world. We must have an overriding sense of mission and ministry that comes out of that business. This is what is meant when we say that we must all be circumcised before we can enter the Promised Land. When this happens, we can expect to see God fill the nets with His blessings. He wants to do this because He now owns the net, and He can trust us to manage it.

Today's Prayer:

Father, thank You for Your hand of blessing on my life. I choose today to serve You with my whole heart and do everything to the best of my ability. Thank You for Your faithfulness and blessing in my life in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Biblical Principles in Network Marketing

As a Pastor, Bill Nissen was against Network Marketing for years.  In 2003, a friend helped 
him see a new perspective.  He still dislikes the ethics of many who do it, but he sees a 
biblical perspective that allows him to not only support network marketing, but embrace it as
a way to serve people.  Watch This Video. It is longer than most (20 minutes) but carries essential information.