Prayer Changes Things

I remember growing up in the 70s & 80s, and there was this trite little statement: “Prayer changes things.“ I don’t think I really understood what that statement meant. I read my Bible and knew that prayer was powerful, but I didn’t understand the phrase, “Prayer changes things.”  But I do now.  

When I began the journey that ended up being iWork4Him, I started that journey by praying during my morning commute. I was praying for my bosses, my coworkers, and my employees. I thought that my prayers would change them. I thought that by praying for them, their spouses, and their children, I would start seeing a miraculous difference in them. Do you know what I really found out? Prayer changes things. But the thing I noticed that changed first was that it changed me.  

I started to see these people differently. I began to have more empathy for them. Less anger or frustration for them. I started to see them as creations of God, and it changed things. It changed me. That was something I didn’t anticipate. Now, mind you, I also saw that my change started to impact them. I started to be more loving, more kind, more merciful, and more graceful. As I prayed for them, I became more palatable to them. It opened up opportunities for me to pray with them, and they started to see that I really cared about them. 

Now, not all of my bosses appreciated that. I had four bosses then, and one didn’t want to hear about Jesus at all. He thought I was an idiot because I was a Jesus follower. That’s unfortunate, but the other three bosses really appreciated it. One of my bosses became a believer. Another re-dedicated his life to Christ. The other boss didn’t have a life-transforming experience that I know of, but he often thanked me when I prayed with him.  

My challenge to you today is to recognize that the statement “prayer changes things” is, in fact, totally true. When you start to pray for people, it starts to change you. And that’s the beginning of the transformation of becoming a workplace minister. We need to change so that others can benefit from us living out our faith vibrantly at work. Prayer changes things. Guaranteed! 

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About the Author, Jim Brangenberg

Jim's Mission: We are called to be examples of Christ to those around us. With that in mind, Jim is passionate about helping Christ followers connect their faith to their work!

Your Fruit is Your Testimony

We’ve been talking a lot about fruit this month. I live in Florida, and February is the month where fruit comes alive. The strawberries are monstrous, the oranges are fantastic, the tomatoes are delicious - February is fruit month for sure. It may seem weird for those of you that live in the tundra, but it’s gorgeous down here in February. 

 Today, I want to finish talking about our fruit tree, as in our very body that is the temple of the living God (1 Corinthians 6:19). Over the last few blogs, we have talked about many aspects of being a believer who produces ripe, lasting spiritual fruit. But one thing we haven’t discussed is what good fruit actually looks like and the impact it has on those around us. The way I see it, our hearts and thoughts grow our attitudes, words, and actions - aka our fruit. They determine if what comes out of us is good or bad. In Mark 7:21-23, Jesus says, 

“Evil originates from inside a person. Coming out of a human heart are evil schemes, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, wickedness, treachery, debauchery, jealousy, slander, arrogance, and recklessness. All these corrupt things emerge from within and constantly defile a person.” (TPT) 

 Evil thoughts will grow rotten fruit. Holy thoughts will grow good fruit. And the quality of our fruit - of our attitudes, words, and actions – will either attract people to God or leave them with a bad taste in their mouth. 

 The Apostle Paul writes that the fruit of the Holy Spirit, which lives inside you and me, is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23). When you demonstrate these fruits in all areas of your life, people will notice… they are going to be left wanting more. This is our testimony, our witness to a world dying for a taste of who God is. 

 So, how do we ensure that this is the kind of fruit we are producing? 

 Simple. We must take good care of our tree – our body, mind, and heart. Because the reality is that good, healthy trees will naturally produce good fruit (even if it takes some time). This blog post on Good Fruit Starts at the Root is an excellent starting point if you want to find out more about how to do this! 

 When I look at my own life, I recognize a couple of fruits of the Spirit that I struggle with: gentleness and self-control. I often pray that people will see gentleness in me and know that I am a transformed person because, on my own, I’m not particularly known for my gentleness. This trait, this good fruit, is the evidence of Christ at work in me. In fact, my prayer is that before I meet my Savior face-to-face, everyone I encounter will know me and come to know Christ by my good fruit - especially gentleness and self-control. 

 What fruits of the Spirit do you want to produce more of in 2022? How can you cultivate a healthier “tree” in order to produce better fruit in the days to come?

- Jim

About the Author, Jim Brangenberg

Jim's Mission: We are called to be examples of Christ to those around us. With that in mind, Jim is passionate about helping Christ followers connect their faith to their work!

Good Fruit Starts at the Root

I love fruit. If I have to choose between eating fruit and eating vegetables, I always go for the fruit. Why? Because it tastes better, of course! Compare the taste of a fresh Kiwi to that of a fresh brussel sprout. There’s no comparison! Good fruit leaves a great taste in your mouth and leaves you wanting more. 

 But how do you get good fruit? Simple. You have to have a healthy tree. And how do you have a healthy tree? The tree needs to be planted in good soil, well-watered, fertilized, and pruned each year. 

 A tree in good soil that is well-watered, well-fertilized, and well-pruned will produce the most incredible fruit. 

 In a lot of ways, we are like fruit trees or vines. In fact, Jesus directly compares his followers to them in John 15 where he says, “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches... I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce lasting fruit.” (v. 15, 16)

 To produce the kind of “good fruit” that leaves a great taste in the mouth of everyone we encounter, we must have a healthy spiritual life. This means being planted in good soil, rooted in faith and nothing else. It means being well-watered through the wise counsel and teaching of those spiritually more mature than us. It requires being regularly fertilized and fed through daily time with God through Scripture reading, praying, journaling, and stillness. And, although perhaps a frightening thought, it means allowing God to prune away the parts of our lives that are no longer serving him. Or as Jesus says in John 15:2, “He cuts off every branch of. Mine that doesn’t produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more.“

 When we, as believers, plant ourselves in good soil and are well-watered, well-fertilized, and well-pruned, our roots will be strong, and the fruit that we produce will be fantastic! A great fruit tree will not produce great fruit until its roots are strong and it’s had time to mature. 

 So, if you find yourself in a season that feels barren or if God is pruning something away in your life - be patient; the good fruit is coming. 

 For more encouragement on cultivating a healthy, fruitful, and integrated life, I encourage you to check out this podcast interview with Heidi Lewerenz on sheWorks4Him. 

- Jim

About the Author, Jim Brangenberg

Jim's Mission: We are called to be examples of Christ to those around us. With that in mind, Jim is passionate about helping Christ followers connect their faith to their work!

New Year’s Resolution: Pray for My Coworkers

It’s January, and in the classic western tradition, most of us are thinking about things we can change to make this year better than the last. Whether it’s eating healthier, going to bed earlier, or hitting the gym… New Year’s is the time to commit to healthier habits. But for Christ-followers, it’s also a time to consider what spiritual habits should be cultivated in our lives so that our faith can grow and make a powerful, eternal impact.  

In Matthew 28:19, Jesus told His disciples to “go and make disciples of all nations,” and this is what He asks His followers to do today as well. 

 But how do we carry out this great commission in our everyday lives? How do we make disciples of every coworker and customer, and vendor?  

The simplest way to start? Prayer.

And by prayer, I mean praying for your coworkers, employees, bosses, clients, and vendors by name each and every day. When you pray for people by name, God starts to transform your heart to see those people the way He sees them, and that, in turn, changes how you interact with them. 

It makes it easier to love those who are a little unlovable, it makes it easier to stop and listen to those who sometimes talk too much, and it opens the door for you to do real, life-changing ministry. 

If you want to transform your workplace and have your life transformed at the same time, start praying for those you have often contact with, by name, each weekday. Do it on your way to work or your lunch break, and see what happens! 

Oh, and if you want to join a community of other Christ-followers with this same spiritual New Year’s resolution of prayer, check out the iWork4Him Nation Covenant. 

-       Jim

About the Author, Jim Brangenberg

Jim's Mission: We are called to be examples of Christ to those around us. With that in mind, Jim is passionate about helping Christ followers connect their faith to their work!

The Four Gifts of Advent: Prayer

Here we are in the season of Advent. For those unfamiliar with this term, it comes from the Latin word adventus, meaning “arrival,” and it is used to refer to the four weeks leading up to Christmas. During Advent, we reflect and prepare for the celebration of Christ’s birth - the ultimate gift.

So, in the spirit of Advent, we’re talking about the four greatest gifts that we, as Christ-followers, can give to those around us. And no, I’m not talking about a vacation in a warm part of the world during winter; I’m talking about the kind of gifts that leave a lasting impact on others. 

The gift we are focusing on today is one that I have been giving away for about 15 years. That’s right. We’re talking about the gift of PRAYER. 

So why is prayer a gift, and why is it so special to give? 

One of the main reasons is because prayer gives to God, others, AND ourselves. Three birds, one stone - talk about a gift that keeps giving! 

Prayer is a direct line of communication with God, an open invitation to come to Him whenever we would like. When we pray, it honors God first and foremost – because we invite God to speak and move in us and through us. Prayer is a form of praise as much as it is a petition. 

Prayer also gives to us because usually, when we pray for someone, it doesn’t change them; it changes US, the intercessor. It changes our hearts and how we see “the other.” When we pray for someone long enough, we start to see them how God sees them, and we begin to look a bit more like Jesus does. 

Then, as our hearts begin to be transformed, so do our attitudes and way of interacting with those we pray for. We begin to not only SEE them how Jesus does but also ACT towards them how Jesus would! And it is in this transformation of our attitudes, words, and behaviors that the person you are praying for will truly be impacted and blessed by the gift of prayer.  

Won’t you give the gift of prayer this Christmas season? Of course, you should pray for your family and friends, but I would also like to challenge you to pray for the people you work alongside each and every day by name. That’s a great start!

If you’re interested in giving the gift of prayer all year round, I encourage you to join the iWork4Him Nation Covenant! To find out more, simply CLICK HERE or go to: iwork4him.com/jointhenation 

Jim

About the Author, Jim Brangenberg

Jim's Mission: We are called to be examples of Christ to those around us. With that in mind, Jim is passionate about helping Christ followers connect their faith to their work!

The Walls Are Coming Down

For the last 13 months, our country has been caught in a holding pattern. Most people have been stuck within the confines of their home, removed from any social interaction outside their immediate household due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The rub is, we were created for relationship, for community – and without it, we begin to break down.

As the U.S. starts to open back up, Christ-followers have an unprecedented opportunity to engage with the lonely, the hopeless, and the socially starving. However you define “your community” – whether work, neighbors, or friends - I guarantee there are those inside it who need healing, who need hope, who need Jesus.

Wherever you are, and wherever you go, you carry the light of God with you. Matthew 5:15-16 says, “Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead, they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others…” You see, God has placed you right where you are on purpose and for a purpose. He wants to use you as a lamp in the darkness to bring light and encouragement to all those around you who don’t know him yet – to those who are stuck in isolation and hopelessness.

So, as you begin to go back out into the wide world, stop and look around you. Who doesn’t know Jesus yet? What can you do to bring hope, light, love, and healing to them today?

The iWork4Him Nation Covenant lays out a simple plan for transforming your workplace into a mission field, but that same plan can help us activate a ministry of healing in our community.

• Start praying for those in your community.

• Look for ways to serve those around you.

• Work to befriend others.

• Offer to pray with your community members.

Whether you stop to talk to your neighbor in the front yard, invite your coworker to lunch on the first day back to the office, or offer to pray with your boss - be a person that’s a good listener, that demonstrates excellence, that authentically cares, and that brings the light of Christ into the dark places.

The walls are coming down in our country, and as those walls come down, people are ready to hear about Jesus. Don’t miss this opportunity to be a cultural influence for Christ. If you are looking for more inspiration and encouragement about how to share your faith at work and at home, tune in to The Awaken Podcast Network.

Jim

About the Author, Jim Brangenberg

Jim's Mission: We are called to be examples of Christ to those around us. With that in mind, Jim is passionate about helping Christ followers connect their faith to their work!

What does obedience look like in your life?

It’s an exciting week here at iWork4Him! On April 15th of 2021, iWork4Him celebrates 8 years as a media ministry focused on the intersection of faith and work. We have interviewed over 3000 people on over 1800 shows resulting in thousands of hours of video/audio available to a nation of workplace believers hungry for encouragement and resources to help them live out their faith at work. But it might not have happened if Martha and I weren’t obedient to the call of God on our lives…Read on.

On February 19th, 2013, I was speaking before a small crowd on five ways to incorporate your faith in your work (now the iWork4Him Nation Covenant). After finishing, I sat down next to the only person in the group I didn’t know, a woman named Deborah Roseman who owned a Christian talk radio station in St. Pete, FL. She said to me, “You should talk about that ‘faith and work’ on the radio.” I immediately dismissed her and told her she was crazy. Deborah responded that she was serious. I was flattered and told her if she was serious, I would send her an executive summary I had been working on for the last several years about the intersection of faith and work.

Well, I sent the executive summary, and within an hour, Deborah called to arrange a lunch with Martha and me. We were told that our show was needed but would cost $200 an hour to be on the air. I immediately shut down and thought, How ridiculous! I can hear my voice for free; I don’t have to pay $200 to listen to myself.

As we were walking out of lunch, I told Martha that this was a stupid idea, but despite the high production cost, I thought it was an answer to our prayers. You see, we had been praying that we would have a job that would lead to significance, not just a pursuit of success. We wanted a job where God would get all the credit because our success simply could not be attributed to our natural gifts, talents, and abilities. I had also prayed just 90 days earlier - on November 20th, 2012 - for a way to challenge thousands of people to live out their faith in their work. This radio gig seemed like an answer to all of these prayers, BUT it was shaped totally different than we expected. I’m a public speaker and love to be in front of crowds; radio was not a talent I possessed. I told Martha, “This is nuts, and it doesn’t make sense, but I believe we have to say yes, because it is an answer to prayer.”

We went on air on April 15th, 2013, and 8 years later, God has shown Himself in so many ways. What would have happened if we had just said no? I’m glad I don’t have to find out!

What is God asking you to do today that totally doesn’t make sense? Try being blindly obedient and see the miracles of His ways. For more of our story, get ready for our book “iWork4Him” to be released on 6/15/21.

Jim

About the Author, Jim Brangenberg

Jim's Mission: We are called to be examples of Christ to those around us. With that in mind, Jim is passionate about helping Christ followers connect their faith to their work!

What's hiding underneath?

A couple of years ago, Martha and I bought a house that didn’t have a traditional cement sidewalk. Instead, it had a paver sidewalk. Now, where we grew up in Minnesota, you could never have a paver sidewalk because of the frost and ice, but here in Florida, we don’t really have a frost problem.

So, here’s the deal, this existing home has B-E-A-U-tiful oak trees in the front yard. I have never lived in a house with large mature trees, and I love the shade and beauty they provide. However, with all this beauty came an unexpected consequence: tree roots. Here in Florida, we get a lot of rain, and I mean A LOT of rain. In the summer, it’s not unusual for us to get 60 inches of rain. So oak trees, which traditionally dig down deep with their roots to access enough water, in Florida have shallow roots because the rain keeps the soil moist.

About six months ago, I noticed one of my pavers popping up higher than those around it. I thought it might be an anomaly, but it kept getting worse and eventually became a tripping hazard. I didn’t know exactly what was under the paver causing it to pop up, but I suspected it was an evil root plotting to destroy my cool sidewalk. Yesterday, I decided to find out.

To dismantle a paver sidewalk, you have to be careful to remove the paver without chipping it, breaking it, or disturbing the other pavers. In order to get to the “root” of my problem, I had to deconstruct my sidewalk piece by piece. 

Guess what? I found gold nuggets. Tons of gold nuggets. I am rich, and this is my last blog…NO! What I found was not one root or two roots, but three roots all under one 6-inch paver, and one of the roots was two inches thick. Two inches. I actually had to remove several other pavers to get a decent amount of the big root out from under the sidewalk. This operation required the right tools to remove the pavers and cut out the evil root. Then I had to bring in fresh soil to replenish what the root had displaced and carefully put the paver back in place. After I did all of that, I again have a beautiful sidewalk.

This is so much like life as a Christian!

When we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior, the Holy Spirit moves into our hearts. 

Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 6:19, “do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you…?”

And as the new resident, the Holy Spirit has the ultimate goal of perfecting us – of getting rid of the tripping hazards in our hearts. However, to do so, he has to cut out all the evil that has rooted itself inside and which plots to destroy our lives.

Getting out the rooted evil in us can feel like surgery, like cutting off a limb. The tools the Holy Spirit uses to remove it often come in the form of adversity, or discipline, or instruction, or accountability, or trials – all of which can hurt terribly! But once the root is out, God can bring in fresh soil to replenish you and rebuild your life better than it was before!

Take some time today for self-evaluation: is there a root in your life causing a tripping hazard for you or those around you? Allow the Holy Spirit to dismantle the pavers around your heart, cut out anything that is not of Him, and replenish the soil. God’s purpose is for you to be perfected! For fresh “soil,” go to www.AwakenPodcastNetwork.com and find a podcast to supply you with encouragement, challenge, wisdom, and guidance for today and every workday.

-  Jim

About the Author, Jim Brangenberg

Jim's Mission: We are called to be examples of Christ to those around us. With that in mind, Jim is passionate about helping Christ followers connect their faith to their work!

Your Work Can Be More Than A J-O-B

When we first relocated to Florida almost 20 years ago, Martha took a job in insurance since that was our area of expertise.  She was gifted in it and learned a lot but it was evident that it was not her calling, it was a j-o-b.  She eventually ended up running the bookstore where we attended church.  This job used many of the skills that she had accumulated over the years and allowed her to nurture her staff and customers, this was a calling. 

Do you have a job or a calling? A job is something you do, often for compensation. A calling defines who you are and what you are created to do.

So, what is your calling? Have you ever taken the time to consider the answer to that question? Does your calling change as you get older?

There are many ways to figure out what the calling is on your life:

1. Pray and ask the Lord to help you figure it out.

2. Ask those who know you best what they see as your natural gifting and calling.

3. Take some assessments – I love www.IdentityandDestiny.com

It's important to note that our skill sets don't define our calling, but they can allow us to complete our calling. For Instance, I like to talk. I like to sell.  I love to clean up messes. I love to build relationships. Those four skills can be applied in almost any organizational situation and have served me well in many of my jobs. Still, my overall calling has always centered on discipling newer believers and challenging them with the steps to take their faith deeper.

My calling assignment, specifically in this season of my life, is to equip and encourage workplace believers to understand that their workplace is a mission field for them and a place of ministry.

Do you wonder what your calling assignment is?  It’s never too late to explore and ask God to show you. Take a look at the steps above and start seeking the answers.

God has placed you in your current position at work for a purpose. How does your calling fit into that?  Sometimes it’s hard to understand.  We often look at our work as just a j-o-b, instead of a specific assignment from God. It’s possible that He is preparing you for something.  Don’t miss the opportunity He is giving you today.

Ask yourself these questions:

Why does God have you where He has you?

Why does God have you doing what you are doing?

Why has God placed you with the people you are doing them with?

With Prayer, wise counsel, and some research, you can understand who God created you to be, what He created you to be doing, and what your current assignment is. Then you will look at your work as more than just a j-o-b but also your calling. God has called you, are you listening?

Chip Roper with the Voca Center has a great perspective on this topic.  His interview with iWork4Him can help prepare you for your next day at work or your next career move. 

Don’t quit your j-o-b but ask God to help you see the calling at your job.  Maybe it’s been there all along and you haven’t been looking for it. For more encouragement in making your workplace your mission field, join the iWork4Him Nation.

Jim

About the Author, Jim Brangenberg

Jim's Mission: We are called to be examples of Christ to those around us. With that in mind, Jim is passionate about helping Christ followers connect their faith to their work!

3 last-minute gift ideas for your employees this Christmas

It’s the week before Christmas, and all through the house (aka workplace, school zone, and living space), everyone is going stir crazy because they are stuck in that HOUSE together. Yep, I’m sure we can all relate to the shared space dilemma.

Have you been planning for gift giving this year, or has it snuck up on you?  Do you prepare gifts for the people who help make you successful? Allow me to make 3 last-minute suggestions to give your employees this Christmas. Everyone loves to get personalized gifts, but the gifts I suggest will last all year long.

#1. Time –Time is a gift that is always appreciated. When it comes to giving your time to your people, it is a gift of YOU that they need but can’t take. You have to give it.  When you give the gift of time to an employee, you are following Jesus’ example. He gave the gift of time to everyone He met. He was never in too much of a hurry to miss the people around him. He focused on people and loved them for who they are. So for Christmas this year, commit to give your people a certain amount of your time every day for the next year and commit to dedicated relationship-building time at least once a week. www.Kingdomatwork.com emphasizes the power of one-on-one time with their people.

#2. Prayer – The people who work you need to know that God loves them.  You might not share the verbal Gospel message during work hours, but you can pray for them anytime you want, and NOBODY will suspect a thing. I suggest praying for your employees by name every day and pray for their families too. Pray that God will give you eyes to see them as He sees them. Watch and see the miracle that happens in your heart as you pray. You will find a growing empathy for them, even the most difficult one of the bunch.

#3. Resources – The people that work for us need access to developmental resources. Tools that will help them understand who they were created to be and precisely what they should be doing. Allow them to invest in themselves by gaining access to resources that will make them a better employee and have a deeper understanding of their abilities.

Some of your employees may be believers. Please do not take them for granted because they are already believers. Look for ways to enhance their relationship with Christ by putting them in touch with resources that will encourage and equip them to live out their faith wherever God has them.

Remember it’s never too late to add these gifts to your list.  Give the gift of yourself this year through your time, prayer, and resources.  Merry Christmas!

Jim

About the Author, Jim Brangenberg

Jim's Mission: We are called to be examples of Christ to those around us. With that in mind, Jim is passionate about helping Christ followers connect their faith to their work!