by Mark Bilton | May 4, 2020 | Create, Grow, Provide, Serve, Witness, Work, Worship
“God blessed them and said to them, ‘Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.’ ” (Gen 1:28)
God called us to work from the very beginning. Work’s intrinsic value is not determined by whether it is set in a secular or sacred environment. It is sacred because it is ordained by God. In our modern Christian culture, we have a heretical hierarchical view of vocations. Priests, pastors, missionaries, and monks are all sacred callings, followed by the serving vocations of nurse, teacher, etc. Merchant bankers, politicians, and lawyers reside further down the scale. This is a cultural bias, not a God-given one.
God values a call to business as any other call. A sacred vocation is made sacred because it is mandated by God. He uses it to fulfill His purpose in our lives and calls us to serve in a way that is in line with His way: virtuous, ethical, and with excellence, “as if serving the Lord.”
Quick Prayer: Thank You for the validity of my calling. Thank You for work. Amen.
by Mark Bilton | Apr 27, 2020 | Create, Grow, Provide, Serve, Witness, Work, Worship
“The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.” (Gen 2:15)
What was one of the first things God did for man? He took man and put him in a place where he was supposed to work. This was not an act of slavery or a consequence of the fall. This was before sin and not a consequence of our fallen state.
God placed man in the perfect place so he could work. Here in this pure world that was uncorrupted and unspoiled by sin, God called man to work. Work is from God and a good thing. It is ordained by a Creator who knows what is important for us. He created a garden that needed some work to be done and knew that it was good for man to work.
Work is not a curse; it is a gift of God.
Quick Prayer: I acknowledge that work came from You, not from the curse. Amen.
by Mark Bilton | Apr 20, 2020 | Create, Grow, Provide, Serve, Witness, Work, Worship
“In everything he did he had great success, because the Lord was with him.” (1 Sam 18:14)
How is your business going? If you are working for another, how is your workplace going? Have you invited God and His blessing into your business? Success comes from Him.
I have seen Him turn around the worst of circumstances. He can move in a commercial environment that is almost beyond redemption and restore profitability, growth, and success.
Each win we have, each sale we get, and every order that comes through the door has contributed to our success, and it has all been ordained by God. If we truly understood that truth, I wonder how thankful and prayerful we would be.
Quick Prayer: All the success I have experienced has come from You. Amen.
by Mark Bilton | Apr 13, 2020 | Create, Grow, Provide, Serve, Witness, Work, Worship
“Give me the wisdom and knowledge to rule them properly, for who could possibly govern this great people of yours?” (2 Chr 1:10 NLT)
If you are a leader, you are going to need some things. How about an increase in wisdom and knowledge? You will find them in God, in His Word, and manifest in His Spirit.
He will equip you for what He has called you to. Anything else would be unreasonable, don’t you think? Ask Him for what you need, and watch Him provide.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with leadership aspirations. These desires may well be part of God enabling you to fulfill His purposes in you. However, if you are under the mistaken thought that you can do it without Him, please reconsider.
Quick Prayer: May I have Your wisdom, Lord. I need it to do what You have called me to. Amen.
by Mark Bilton | Apr 6, 2020 | Create, Grow, Provide, Serve, Witness, Work, Worship
“Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts.” (Heb 3:7–8)
God can talk to us in many ways, but it is up to us to choose to listen. First we must shift our hearts and open our minds and spirits to expect to hear from Him.
If you want insight in business, if you want to know what to expect in the future, and if you want to know how to adjust your life to align with the will of God, spend some time with Him. But be willing to change. He will surprise you and soften your heart.
Come to Him in expectation. He is vitally interested in you and your work life. If you haven’t experienced this truth, go to Him and ask Him to reveal it to you. You may well get a life-changing revelation.
Quick Prayer: Soften my heart, and help me to hear You, Jesus. Amen.
by Mark Bilton | Mar 30, 2020 | Create, Grow, Provide, Serve, Witness, Work, Worship
“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” (Rom 8:28)
We serve the God of the breakthrough—the God of the impossible! There is nothing you are facing today He was surprised by. He has the answer, and in many cases, it is already on its way. Please don’t try to cope on your own. Invite Him into your problems, small and large. Sometimes you will get an instant miracle and other times a slow recovery.
Occasionally we are put under pressure to produce fruit, change, and be molded in the furnace. We can face these things in the knowledge that He loves us and that all things work together for good for those who love Jesus.
Quick Prayer: Lord, help me to understand Your will in this situation and to pray accordingly. Help me in my time of need. Amen.
by Mark Bilton | Mar 23, 2020 | Create, Grow, Provide, Serve, Witness, Work, Worship
“In all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” (Pro 3:6)
What a great promise—a straight path, true, accurate, full of purpose and direction, with a sense of accomplishment. The required condition is surrender. Giving it all to God is a constant state, not a onetime event. We often see submission in a negative context, but here we learn that its outcome is positive and beneficial.
This is particularly true in business, where we are making decisions constantly and busy in a rapidly changing environment. Pause, take a moment, and submit your situation to God. You will be surprised by how straight that path can be.
Quick Prayer: I submit all I am doing to You, Lord. Amen.
by Mark Bilton | Mar 16, 2020 | Create, Grow, Provide, Serve, Witness, Work, Worship
“In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps.” (Pro 16:9)
If we have given our lives to God, He will guide our paths. What a reassurance that He is indeed in control. So should we stop planning? No, of course not. But in our planning, let’s invite God to participate. He will anyway, so why not get an inside view? It can often be an easier journey.
We will plan and push out in a direction, but it is God who will establish our steps, God who will watch over the direction, and ultimately He who will determine the way. I take a lot of comfort in that.
Quick Prayer: Establish my steps according to Your Word, Lord. Amen.
