Don’t just improve… Be transformed! Transform Your Work February 14, 2016

Work  God has always been working – Jn 5:17  God gave work to Adam in the beginning – Gen 2:15  It can be hard, but it is good  God’s blessing makes work enjoyable! – Ecc 3:13  You are God’s masterpiece and he created you to do good works  Eph 2:10 - For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Experience Doesn’t Always Match Theory  How can we transform our work from  Drudgery to joy?  Boredom to excitement?  Meaningless to our purpose?  Stepping stone to our goal?

4 Steps to Transformed Work 1. Pray for God’s Favor 2. Approach Work as a Servant 3. Strive for Excellence 4. See God’s Perspective

The Life of Joseph Overview 1. Brothers jealous of him 2. Sold as a slave by brothers 3. Servant in Egypt 4. Prisoner in Egypt 5. Ruler of Egypt  Genesis 39:3-4 - When his master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord gave him success in everything he did, 4 Joseph found favor in his eyes and became his attendant. Potiphar put him in charge of his household  Genesis 39: the Lord was with him; he showed him kindness and granted him favor in the eyes of the prison warden. 22 So the warden put Joseph in charge of all those held in the prison

Pray For God’s Favor  Need God to be with you 1. Sin separates us from God and his blessing – Ps 66:18 2. Broken promises cause God to work against us – Ecc 5:6 3. Confess and repent – God will forgive – 1 Jn 1:9 4. Surrender your life to God – Romans 12:1  Pray for God’s blessing and favor

Approach Work as a Servant  Servant of God  Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ. 6 Obey them not only to win their favor when their eye is on you, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart. 7 Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not people, 8 because you know that the Lord will reward each one for whatever good they do, whether they are slave or free. Eph 6:5-8  Servant of others  Jesus’ example: For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many – Mark 10:45

Strive For Excellence  Proverbs 22:29 - Do you see someone skilled in their work? They will serve before kings; they will not serve before officials of low rank.  Go the extra mile  Ask “What can I do to help?”  Look for ways to serve others  Look for ways to do your work better  Seek training

See God’s Perspective  God disciples us with work  Our work is God’s work  Our work is God’s gift to us  Join God in His Work  Your work is spiritual work  Ask God where to work

Handling Difficult Situations  Difficult Boss/Co-worker  Look to serve  Forgive them  Give them gifts  Pray for them  Setback – Lost job, demotion, pay decrease  Pray for help  Check for sin  Serve God in hardship

4 Steps to Transformed Work 1. Pray for God’s Favor 2. Approach Work as a Servant 3. Strive for Excellence 4. See God’s Perspective