DEFINING YOUR SELF-WORTH

"I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well" (Psalm 139:14). 

What measurements do you use to define your self-worth? Do you define it based on your financial assets? Is it based on what you have achieved professionally? Perhaps you define your value based on the number of children you have.

There are many things we can use to define our self-worth. However, the scriptures tell us there is only one measure for our self-worth. Each of us has self-worth because we are made in the image of God. And because we are made in the image of God, we are valuable. Whenever you and I place a value in ourselves that is based on some other performance criteria, we have moved beyond God's view of our worth as human beings. You are never more valuable to God than you were the day you were born.

Many of us have sought to determine our self-worth based on the amount of money we have. This is a dangerous trap. Paul warns us against seeking to build wealth in order to gain greater value. Paul came to understand that the greatest riches could not compare with knowing Christ. In fact, he considered all other material things to be mere rubbish in comparison: "I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord" (Philippians 3:7-8).

Basing our self-worth on how much money we have or our achievements is an easy trap. We are bombarded with messages that say we are defined by what we drive, where we live, how many toys we own, and the size of our investment account. The media message is designed to create dissatisfaction and lust for what we don't have.

Paul said the purpose for his existence was......"to know Christ, and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death" (Philippians 3:10).

In what terms do you define yourself? Is it based on knowing Christ alone?

UNLIMITED POTENTIAL

"I can do everything through Him who gives me strength." Philippians 4:13 

What might God want to accomplish through you in your lifetime? As a workplace believer, you may yet have your greatest contribution to society. Such was the case of Cyrus McCormick, born in 1809. Raised on a farm by an inventor father, Cyrus McCormick sought to invent a mechanical reaper to harvest wheat. His father's attempts at inventing a successful machine had failed until Cyrus, at 22, created one that worked. McCormick had to overcome many setbacks including the loss of his patent 14 years after his first invention. This opened up competition. Then, in 1837 he went bankrupt due to the bank panic of 1837. However, these setbacks did not prevent McCormick from achieving his goals.

He expanded his market by trying to sell his machine to European farmers in 1851. A long series of honors compensated for the lack of recognition and praise from his American compatriots. By 1856, he was not only a world figure but his factory produced more than 4,000 reapers a year.

McCormick was a committed believer. He lived during the time of D.L. Moody and gave $10,000 to Moody to start the Chicago YMCA in 1869. That building burned along with his Chicago factory in 1871. By this time, McCormick was over 60 and wealthy enough to retire. Before his death in 1884, he had given $100,000 to help open Moody Bible Institute. His son, Cyrus Jr., was to become the first chairman of the school's board. Cyrus McCormick was a devoted Christian who passed his faith on to his son who later met up with J. Pierpoint Morgan to become the first president of a combined reaper firm, the famed International Harvester Corporation. [John Woodbridge, ed., More Than Conquerors (Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1992), 328-331.]

What might God want to accomplish through your life? Surely you can do all things through Christ who strengthens you.

THE ART OF WAITING

"By day the Lord went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them...." Exodus 13:21 

How are you at waiting on God? How do you determine if God is giving you the green light to move forward? Many workplace believers make the mistake of adding up all the pluses and then concluding that God has given them the green light. Several factors go into making a decision from the Lord.

It is important to do three things before you make a decision on a matter. First, you should gather facts. Fact gathering allows you to determine all the realities of a given situation. However, this does not ultimately drive your decision, but it can put a stop to it. For instance, if you were planning to build a shopping center and you knew the only way to lease the space was to rent to a porn shop, your decision would be made. God would not lead you to enter into unrighteous ventures.

Second, is the Holy Spirit guiding you in your decision? "If the Lord delights in a man's way, He makes his steps firm" (Ps. 37:23). George Mueller cites that the steps are also "by the Lord." God puts hedges around us, but many times we bull our way through the hedges under the guise of tenacity and perseverance. This too is unrighteousness. One wise workplace believer stated that the greatest success one can have in business is to know when it is time to pull the plug rather than keep forcing a situation. Not all businesses last forever.

Third, has your decision been confirmed? God has placed others around us to be used as instruments in our lives to confirm decisions and keep us from the deceit of our own heart. "Every matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses" (2 Cor. 13:1b). This is God's way of keeping us within the hedge of His protection.

"Write your plans in pencil and give God the eraser."

STRONGHOLDS OVER INDUSTRY

"Then the LORD said to Joshua, 'Today I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt from you'" (Josh 5:9). 

Os Hillman wrote, "A longtime subscriber, Bill called and asked for my help. I met him in Lake Tahoe and, over a three-hour lunch, he confided to me some of his struggles in his industry. He said that he'd often been lied to and exploited by others in his business. The Holy Spirit prompted me to say, "That's because the ruling spirit in this industry is mammon and deceit. I believe that God has called you to play a part in cleaning up your industry."

"But how?" he said. "I've got a federal lawsuit on my back. I'm being driven out of business."

"Bill," I said, "God has put you in a season of preparation in order to remove the 'Egypt' from your working life in order to bring His Kingdom into your industry."

God desires to bring His Kingdom into every sphere of life. When Jesus wanted to bring His Kingdom into the corrupt tax system in Jerusalem, the first thing He did was recruit Matthew, the tax collector. He began investing in his life.

The same was true of Zacheus. "Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. When Jesus reached the tree, he looked up and said to him, "Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today." So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly. All the people saw this and began to mutter, "He has gone to be the guest of a 'sinner.'" But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, "Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount" (Luke 19: 2, 6-8). Jesus' presence brought conviction to anyone who was operating in an ungodly manner.

Do you need the presence of Jesus in your industry? Invite Him in today.

HEAVEN ON EARTH

"In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven."-Matthew 6:9,10

Why was Jesus influential? It was one simple reason. He solved a problem in the life of every person he encountered. He allowed heaven to come into every situation.

When He met Peter he solved his fishing problem.

When Peter had a tax problem, He told him to go catch a fish and get the coin out of its mouth to pay his taxes.

When the disciples had to feed 5,000 people, He led them into solving the problem supernaturally.

When the blind man met Jesus, he was healed after putting mud on his eyes.

Influence in lives and culture can be accomplished when we solve a problem in a person's life. Culture does not care who solves their problem, they just want their problem solved. If you are the source of the solution, you will automatically gain influence as a fruit of your love and solution providing actions.

Someone once said, "People don't care what you know until they know that you care." Want to impact a life? Solve a problem they have. Bring heaven on earth in every aspect of life, then you will see God move through you.