What Does Freedom Mean to You?

The Fourth of July is right around the corner, a holiday that is dedicated to, in a word, FREEDOM. Freedom from tyranny. Freedom from taxation without representation. Freedom from government intrusion in our religion. Freedom of expression. Freedom of speech. Freedom to be stupid when we want to.

Over 200 years ago, our forefathers wrote, presented, accepted, and signed the Declaration of Independence, effectively setting the stage for the greatest Nation on earth to rise. But that freedom came at a high cost during the Revolutionary War. In fact, all freedom comes at a cost.

For example, as Christians, we have been given freedom through Christ – a freedom that came at the cost of the cross. Jesus made the ultimate sacrifice so that that you and I could be restored to a right relationship with God. And when we say yes to this incredible freedom from the power of sin, freedom from death through Christ Jesus our Lord – it comes at the cost of no longer serving ourselves and our sinful desires.

“We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin. For when we died with Christ we were set free from the power of sin… When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the obligation to do right. And what was the result? You are now ashamed of the things you used to do, things that end in eternal doom. But now you are free from the power of sin and have become slaves of God. Now you do those things that lead to holiness and result in eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.” – Romans 6: 6-7, 20-23

Our country, a nation built on the value of freedom, is a mess… but not for the reason you think. It’s largely a mess because many of those who call themselves “Christians” have chosen to live in freedom from the obligation to do right and freedom to pursue self-interest under the guise of the “American Dream,” rather than in Jesus’ freedom. They have chosen to live encumbered by debt, burdened by massive amounts of stuff, and enslaved to the pursuit of promotions and status symbols.

But here’s the thing, when we live in the freedom of the “America Dream” instead of the freedom that Christ provides, everyone suffers because we choose to be free from righteousness and goodness. But when we live in the freedom that Christ provides, choosing to be free from the power of sin, everyone around us benefits.

Unfortunately, the reality is that our communities and our culture are suffering because Christ-followers are not living in the freedom and abundance of Jesus. So, ask yourself this Fourth of July weekend: What kind of freedom are you choosing? The Freedom of the American Dream? Or the Freedom of Christ? Is everybody around you benefiting from your faith in Jesus whether they believe in him or not?

If you are looking for ideas on how to live out your freedom in a way that honors God and is a powerful cultural influence both at work and at home, I encourage you to check out our new book iWork4Him. And remember, Jesus has a calling on your life – right where you are!

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 iRetire4Him Lifestyle

I have a friend who was enjoying what I like to call "Retirement, American Dream Style" – aka days filled with golf, tennis, and bike riding. He even lives in one of those golf neighborhoods, where you can walk from your front door right onto the green.

Then one day, without any warning, my friend ended up in the hospital. Let me tell you, nothing will get your attention like a heart attack will. And his heart attack could have been the BIG ONE, but by God's grace, it wasn't. My friend has been given a new lease on life, one he doesn't want to waste.

With his newfound passion, my friend decided to try and become a mentor through his church. Unfortunately, his church didn't know what to do with a retired executive, and he got put out in the proverbial pasture. So many retired friends of ours have had the same issue. Time on their hands, wisdom in their minds, and willingness in their heart but no place to put all of that into action.

Until now.

iRetire4Him: Unlock God's Purpose for Your Retirement was written with you in mind. Whether you are preparing for retirement or already in retirement, you have a calling on your life, and your calling doesn't retire. Living a life of intentionality in retirement may include golf, tennis, and bike riding. Still, all those activities should be a part of living out your faith for others to see. iRetire4Him can help you know what that may look like in your life.

My friend got a second chance at retirement; not everyone does. iRetire4Him is a lifestyle AND a statement of purpose and faith. Try it on for size today!

Jim

We would love to share the first chapter of our soon-to-release book with you:  Download here.

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!

A Donation of Life

I got to do the coolest thing on December 10, 2018 - I had the incredible privilege of donating one of my kidneys to my friend Bill. It’s a long story and has been covered in a previous blog and a few shows, but the point I want to get across is that this kidney shortage is a serious thing. About a year ago, Joe Carrol from BLE in San Antonio, TX, told me about his friend Larry needing a kidney. Joe had tried to get qualified, but his kidneys are not able to be shared for medical reasons. Martha and I offered to do a show for Larry so that he could share it with potential donors and see if he could round up a new kidney to replace his failing ones. We did the show, and many people stepped up to get tested, and one made it all the way to the finish line. Larry’s lifesaving surgery will hopefully be scheduled in the next couple of months.

You may be wondering, Jim, why are you talking about kidneys? Two reasons. First, someone you know may need a new kidney to continue living, and you’ve got an extra! But the bigger reason is that Martha and I have been given a platform, and we want to use it to help people find life – through faith, and yes, sometimes through a kidney.

The incredible thing is that you, too, have been given a platform: your workplace. Your skills and position open the door to amazing conversations that no pastor or church would ever be able to have. You have been given the gift of life in Jesus, and you can share that unique gift through thoughtful, loving conversation. Sure, the conversation may cost you something, maybe even a friend, but it may also lead to someone gaining a whole new eternal life because of your generosity and willingness to share.

Maybe you are like me, you are generous, and you are loving, but you always looked at your work as second class compared to being a pastor or missionary. That lie kept me quiet in my faith and alienated many who needed to meet Jesus. My work is not second class, not when I was selling insurance and not when I was selling used cars. My work was God’s work, and He wanted me to be a blessing to everyone around me, even if they don’t believe that Jesus died for them.

Maybe you can donate a kidney, and that will lengthen someone’s earthly life (check out the link below for more information). Regardless, you can share a Jesus story that will extend their life forever. Pretty awesome.

For my story about me and Bill check out this link here -  https://www.iwork4him.com/podcast/2019/3/one-incredible-kidney  https://www.iwork4him.com/podcast/2019/1/behind-the-scenes-of-a-miracle
https://www.iwork4him.com/blog/2019/1/a-gift-at-christmas
.
For Larry’s story –  this link. 

For your story…it’s still being written…

Link to more info about donating a kidney.

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!

Hearing God’s Call to the Workplace Mission Field

Growing up, I always wanted to be a businesswoman. I loved numbers and would daydream about walking into an accounting office in a tailored blue suit. But I was never sure if my passion for business was actually something God wanted me to do. Sure, I was gifted in it, but no one in the Church ever talked about business being a God-given calling; it was never endorsed from the pulpit as such. Then, when I was 13-years-old, I felt strongly like God’s purpose for me was to go into full-time Christian ministry. It’s not that my passion for business ever left, just that I couldn’t figure out how to connect those two callings on my life into one. I wanted to serve the Lord, and I wanted to be in business, but NO ONE could connect those dots for me.

After Jim and I got married, we decided the next logical step was to enroll in seminary. Although we both had graduated college with business degrees, we had also committed our lives to full-time ministry and believed that seminary was the obvious right thing to do. But God had different ideas. He stepped in the way of that seminary education and set us off on the path to realizing that business and ministry are connected, that they are both callings from God. 

It took until I was nearly 40-years-old to realize that God truly had called me to both business and ministry, that He had called me to be a full-time minister inside the world of business. My giftings in administration and organization, my love for people, God, and business are all beautifully intertwined in my specific calling. And it is the Holy Spirit who empowers me to live out a life of ministry inside a life of work.

So, what about you? Have you heard God’s voice calling you to full-time Christian ministry? Have you also felt a call towards the marketplace, government or education, health care or the arts?

It’s okay! It's way better than okay, it's great! 

God has gifted you uniquely to carry out the calling He has for your life. It’s time for us to flip the switch; to recognize that God’s will can include both full-time ministry and a role in the workplace.

Your workplace is your mission field, a place of full-time ministry. Celebrate it! Tell everyone around you that you are called to work, and your work is from God.

This month I’ve been talking with Catherine Gates and Nadya Dickson about the unique struggles and triumphs that women face every day as they seek to live out their faith at work.  We are preparing for a new Podcast, sheWorks4Him that will be hosted by Catherine, Nadya, and me. If you are looking for encouragement, resources, and great connections, tune in to our first episode on 4/19/21 and online at www.iWork4Him.com/sheWorks4him

By Martha Brangenberg

About the Author, Martha Brangenberg

Born into an entrepreneurial family, Martha has been involved in small business her entire life. Gifted with an attention to detail and a sweet sensitive spirit, Martha is a servant leader with a deep faith in Jesus.

Mere Christianity - He Will Make You Perfect

I am a reader; I love to read. The volumes I pick up are often about the faith and work movement or are specific books to prepare for an iWork4Him podcast, but I also enjoy a good novel. In particular, the fiction of C.S. Lewis has been a longtime favorite, but I’ll be the first to admit that his non-fiction has always been a bit of a stretch for me. Three times in the last 40 years, I have picked up his book Mere Christianity, started it, and then not finished.

I was recently inspired to pick up Mere Christianity again when I heard that it was based on C.S. Lewis’s radio appearances during World War II. Apparently, Lewis was asked by the UK Government to come on air and tell people about Christianity, to share his hope in a time that was incredibly dark for Europe. For many nights, C.S. Lewis talked about how he went from being an Atheist to becoming an all-out Christ Follower and Christian Apologist. He had the opportunity to educate a nation in peril about eternal hope found in truth.

As a radio host myself, this story was intriguing enough to help me finish Mere Christianity. In the book, there is a particular quote of Lewis’s that stuck with me. In it, he expounds on Matthew 5:48, “You, therefore, must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”

“The command Be ye perfect is not idealistic gas. Nor is it a command to do the impossible. He is going to make us into creatures that can obey that command. He said (in the Bible) that we were “gods,” and He is going to make good His words. If we let Him—for we can prevent Him, if we choose—He will make the feeblest and filthiest of us into a god or goddess, a dazzling, radiant, immortal creature, pulsating all through with such energy and joy and wisdom and love as we cannot now imagine, a bright stainless mirror which reflects back to God perfectly (though, of course, on a smaller scale) His own boundless power and delight and goodness. The process will be long and, in parts, very painful; but that is what we are in for. Nothing less. He meant what He said.”

Talk about a game-changer! All the pain, suffering, adversity, difficult days and years - they all have a purpose. God is using them to make us perfect, to make us into the image of His Son. Wow. This reality has been rocking my world!

As a Christ Follower at work, this fact is a game-changer for you too. God is delivering on His promise to make you perfect, and He is using everything that happens in your life to make you more dependent on Him and His words and His Spirit. He is creating a new heart, mind, and soul in you so that you can minister to those you work alongside and introduce them to the same divine rescue plan.

Think about it. You are on your way to perfect, and He will use it to attract others to Him. Awesome. And do you know what the best part is? It doesn’t depend on our strength or abilities; it’s all on Him! All you have to do is be willing to lay yourself down, to “let Him make the feeblest, filthiest of us into… a bright stainless mirror which reflects God perfectly… His boundless power and delight and goodness.”

God’s will for you today, His purpose for you at work, is that you might be a living reflection of Him to a world desperately in need of eternal hope found in truth.

For more encouragement and support about living a life worthy of Christ during your work week, I encourage you to pick up a copy of our new book iWork4Him and check out the Awaken Podcast Network, a gathering place for over a 100 different podcasts from the faith and work movement!

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 Calling Doesn’t Expire When You Retire

Heads up: the subject of this blog might make you uncomfortable, BUT it will be worth it, I promise! In fact, I believe that the future of the Church depends on what we are talking about today: the fact that you have a God-given calling and that calling doesn’t retire.

Over the last seven decades, an enormous new industry has developed to meet the pleasure needs of the over 100 million retired folks in America. We have whole towns dedicated to retirees. We have a camping industry that thrives on selling motorhomes to retirees and building campgrounds for retirees to park their motorhomes and hang out with other retirees. There are tennis and golf clubs, condos on the beach, endless cruises... all targeted at retired Americans. But why? What is the purpose of it all?

Pleasure. We have come to equate retirement with pleasure.

King Solomon had the dream retirement budget - more than Bill Gates, Elon Musk, or Warren Buffet. He had power, money, notoriety, and his life centered on maximizing pleasure. In fact, he wrote a whole book about his pursuit of it - The Book of Ecclesiastes. And in chapter 2, verse 1, he wrote,

“I said to myself, “Come on, let’s try pleasure. Let’s look for the ‘good things’ in life.” But I found that this, too, was meaningless.”

Have you ever wondered if the “American Dream” version of retirement (retirement = pleasure) is healthy? Is it what is best for the Body of Christ? I can’t help but think that if God intended us to work for 40 years and then rest and relax for 30 or 40 years, He would have said so in Scripture. Instead, what He said is that we need to learn to be content. He said that we need to weekly find peace, relax, and get refreshed in preparation for what is next… and there is a next if you are still alive. Heck, Moses didn’t start fulfilling his calling until he was 80 years old!

What this country needs, and what the Body of Christ needs, is a generation of Christ-following retirees who are itching to use the gifts God has given them to fulfill God’s purpose for them. Retirees are in the perfect position to shape and influence the lives of those coming up in the ranks of the next generations. 

So, if you are a retiree, consider ways that you can engage with young people and families. Join a small group with diverse ages, go back to work with the mindset of being a “Mom” or “Dad” to the young people you work alongside, look for ways to influence your kids/grandkids/great grandkids. Pray for the next generations - Text them. Call them. Feed into them. Show them that your wisdom and experience are valuable and tell them your story.

To find more inspiration about living out your calling into retirement, listen to the iRetire4Him Podcast or pick up a copy of our new book, iRetire4Him: Unlocking God’ Purpose for Your Retirement.

Remember, your calling didn’t die the day you retired, it got a new lease on life!

Jim

Hey, by the way – this last week’s podcast is a great next step in the conversation about retirement.  https://www.iwork4him.com/podcast/2021/3/introducing-iretire4him

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!

It's The End of The World as We Know it

It's the end of the world as we know it.

• When Jesus was killed on the Cross, likely the disciples thought these very words, in Hebrew, of course.

• When Jesus rose from the dead, they likely thought these words again but for a different reason.

• In 300 ad, when Constantine adopted Christianity as the religion of choice for the Roman empire, likely the disciples of Jesus thought these same words – It's the end of the world as we know it.

But what about today? Is the world ending? Yes. This week? This month? This year? Only our Father knows.

Will our religious freedoms be squashed as the end nears – very likely.

Will we suffer for being followers of Jesus? Very likely, we will someday.

But… and it is a big BUT.  God is not surprised by our current events.  I have read the end of The Book, and the events leading up to the end are designed to lead a stubborn people to repentance. Does the United States of America have people who need to repent…YES INDEED. Do other countries have people who need to repent…YES INDEED.

Do not fret and do not fear for the Lord your God, the God of Heavens' Armies is fighting a battle for billions of souls on this planet. The enemy wants to destroy those souls, and our Father wants to redeem them.  If your actions and thoughts are focused on the latest political discourse, it's time to change directions. Focus on the lost and hopeless that work around you. They desperately need you to focus on your mission at work…being Jesus to everyone around you.

When COVID-19 hit, it was the end of a World as we know it.  The world may have changed, but your mission has not changed.  Your workplace is your mission field, and you may be the only Jesus a co-worker or employee may ever meet.  Live each day with the end in mind.

Would you like to hear more from someone who is changing their world?  Click here to listen to a couple in Rogers, Arkansas, who started a family business: drive-through coffee… and are changing their part of the world, one coffee, and one smile at a time.

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!

Its Simple Really

If you are a listener to the iWork4Him Podcast, then you will understand when I say, “You are a workplace missionary.” Your ministry exists within your workplace – whatever that workplace looks like. As a workplace missionary, you represent the Creator God, Almighty King of the Universe, The Savior of the World, and the very Counselor of God. You are perfectly equipped to represent God in your workplace through fantastic work effort, a great work attitude, and a prayerful heart to bring Jesus with you to work every day.  With Jesus by your side and the Holy Spirit of God inside of you, no workplace responsibility is too difficult to face, and no relationship challenges too hard to bring healing.

Embrace the calling on your life as a nurse, salesperson, technician, cook, mom, elected official, business owner, etc. (too many jobs to list!) God has placed you right where He needs you to bring hope, healing, and peace to your workplace. He has you in your work to reach the lost through you. You don’t need to preach or pound people over the head with the bible, but you do need to be an open book with your life in Jesus on display.

This country needs healing, and it starts with you…right in your workplace mission field. 

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!