Taking God to Work
Taking God to Work
Matthew 5:16 (NIV) “In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”
At your place of work…
Have faith in who God is, not what you see God doing.
Jeremiah 17:5 (NIV) This is what the LORD says: “Cursed is the one who trusts in man, who draws strength from mere flesh and whose heart turns away from the LORD.”
Ecclesiastes 11:5 (NIV) As you do not know the path of the wind, or how the body is formed in a mother’s womb, so you cannot understand the work of God, the Maker of all things.
Hebrews 11:1 (NIV) Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.
In everything you do, do it unto the Lord.
Ecclesiastes 9:10 (NIV) Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might…
Colossians 3:23 (NIV) Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters…
Living out your faith at work
1. Stay alert to what God is doing and give him the credit.
Genesis 39:1-6 (NIV) 1Now Joseph had been taken down to Egypt. Potiphar, an Egyptian who was one of Pharaoh’s officials, the captain of the guard, bought him from the Ishmaelites who had taken him there. 2The Lord was with Joseph so that he prospered, and he lived in the house of his Egyptian master. 3When his master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord gave him success in everything he did, Joseph found favor in his eyes and became his attendant. 4Potiphar put him in charge of his household, and he entrusted to his care everything he owned. 5From the time he put him in charge of his household and of all that he owned, the Lord blessed the household of the Egyptian because of Joseph. The blessing of the Lord was on everything Potiphar had, both in the house and in the field. 6So Potiphar left everything he had in Joseph’s care; with Joseph in charge, he did not concern himself with anything except the food he ate.
2. Don’t compromise who God’s called you to be.
Genesis 39:7-10 (NIV) 7Now Joseph was well-built and handsome, and after a while his master’s wife took notice of Joseph and said, “Come to bed with me!” 8But he refused. “With me in charge,” he told her, “my master does not concern himself with anything in the house; everything he owns he has entrusted to my care. 9No one is greater in this house than I am. My master has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?” 10And though she spoke to Joseph day after day, he refused to go to bed with her or even be with her.
3. Hold onto your integrity while trusting God for advancement.
Genesis 39:11-12 (NIV) One day he went into the house to attend to his duties, and none of the household servants was inside. She caught him by his cloak and said, “Come to bed with me!” But he left his cloak in her hand and ran out of the house.
Growing Deeper Together (Group Discussion Questions)
Use these points throughout the week as part of your quiet time, in your small group, or over coffee with a friend to help you apply what you learned in today’s message.
What is your biggest takeaway from the message today?
When it comes to your character in the workplace, what have you learned – maybe even the hard way?
The centurion in Luke 7:1-10, like Joseph, found himself in a chaotic situation that humbled and moved him toward trusting God. As you read his story, what took place that caused the centurion to humbly trust God? What are some other ways he could have potentially responded?
Are there any actions or character weaknesses in your life that could have the potential to hinder your relationships or diminish your influence? What steps can you take today to avoid these weaknesses damaging your reputation in the future?
In what way can you sense that “the Lord is with you,” as he was with Joseph, in the midst of pressure? If you could ask God to do one thing to help you cope, what would you request?
Transformed messages & group materials have been adapted from 50 Days of Transformation by Saddleback Church 2014