by Colleen Donahue
"Do you see a man skilled in his work? He will serve before kings; he will not serve before obscure men." Proverbs 22:29
There are many that would say, "Business is dirty and certainly not to be touched by people that love God." But God says we MUST be IN the world. We MUST be the world's salt and light. Jesus is now manifested to the world through you and me doing our everyday jobs and living the lives He gave us. Many will never find Jesus at church. But, they might find Him through you as you give personal service in your shop or office.
If you could raise your hands and be counted, my guess is that at least 75 percent of you (i.e. reading this study) are working in some business. The rest of you may have just left the work force or are about to enter it. Some of you have your own business while the majority of us are working for an employer. You may be part of a big corporation or just a small business. Regardless of your situation, God has left for us principles, suggestions, and advice on how we ought to deal in the day to day world of business.
God will not tell you specifically in the Bible whether you should sell clothing or cosmetics. You won't find anything about where to work, how much money you can make or what you should pay your employees. Most details in the day to day work world He leaves for us to decide. Yet, God does give us a big picture and enough sign posts that enable our business to truly be the light and salt in the market place today. Let's look this month at.....
GOD'S GUIDANCE FOR THE BUSINESS WORLD TODAY
Day 1- How do you succeed in life and business?
Deuteronomy 5:32-33 / Proverbs 11:25
Day 2 -What does God have to say about money?
Ecclesiastes 5:10 / Ecclesiastes 5:12-16 / Ecclesiastes 7:12 / Luke 16:13 / Hebrews 13:5 /
I Timothy 6:6-10
Day 3 -What is detestable business behavior in the eyes of God?
Deuteronomy 25:13-16 / Proverbs 11:1 / Ezekiel 45:9-12
Day 4 -If your life is full of sin, what may be the consequences in your life and work?
Micah 6:13-15
Day 5 -How does God use even the disappointments in business?-i.e...... slow days, stolen goods, mistakes in ordering etc.?
James 1:2-4
Day 6- What should our attitude be toward trying new ideas in our business?
Ecclesiastes 11:6
Day 7- For those of us called to the business world, what is God's admonition to us?
Hebrews 10:35-39
Day 8 -What is an employer's responsibility to his employees concerning their wages?
Leviticus 19:13 / Deuteronomy 24:14-15 / I Timothy 5:18
Day 9 -The presence of a "union spirit" among employees usually begins with...
2 Timothy 2:16-17...which we are told to avoid.
Day 10- What should be our position when there is a divisive person working for or with us?
Titus 3:10-11
Day 11- What should our heart attitude be towards our employer?
Titus 2:9-10 / Titus 3:1-2 / I Timothy 6:1-2 /Romans 13:1-2
Day 12- If you are a manager or have a leadership role in business, then you must be a servant to your employees and customers.
Nehemiah 5:14-16 / Mark 9:35/ Matthew 20:25-28
Day 13 -What kind of workers are we to be?
Proverbs 10:4-5 / Ecclesiastes 9:10a
Day 14 -When we are faithful in the small details of a business, what is also true?
Luke 16:10
Day 15 -What do we gain by all our labor?
Ecclesiastes 2:10 / Ecclesiastes 3:13 & 22 / Ecclesiastes 5:18-20
Day 16 -The business world says that power, money and size allows for effectiveness in the world. What kind of person does God say will be running things?
Matthew 5:5
Day 17 -Whatever our business, however big or small, we need to develop and nurture it. For whatever the Lord gives us should be returned to Him with interest.
Matthew 25:14-30 / Luke 19:11-26
Day 18- What is needed to be sure our businesses maintain a Godly standard?
2 Timothy 2:2
Day 19 -The Bible has an accurate description of most men and women at work today.
Ecclesiastes 2:23 / 4:4,7-8 / 6:7
Day 20 -Without the Lord filling our work, everything is meaningless.
Ecclesiastes 2:11, 24-26
Day 21 -We are to pay to the "state" or government what belongs to them and give to God that which is His. God deserves the BEST of what we have--NOT the leftovers.
Exodus 23:16,19 / Leviticus 27:30 / Malachi 1:6-10,14
Day 22 -The western world is fast consuming Sunday as the day to "catch up" on shopping, errands, household work and business of all kinds. God says the 7th day is a holy day--a day for rest. He is so strong about this that you'll be amazed at the many times He repeats Himself. Here are a few...
Exodus 31:13-18 / 34:21 / 35:2 / Deuteronomy 5:12-15 / Nehemiah 10:31 / 13:15-22 / Jeremiah 17:24
Day 23 -What part of our salaries, or business revenue belongs to God?
Genesis 14:20 / 28:22 / Deuteronomy 16:17
Day 24 -What should our first response be when we are faced with new directions or decisions?
2 Samuel 5:19a
Day 25 -What will NOT contribute to the profit of a business?
Proverbs 10:2 / I Timothy 6:6-10
Day 26 -If we have a dispute with another believer how should things be settled?
I Corinthians 6:1-11
Day 27 Here are a few selling tips!
I Corinthians 2:4 / I Corinthians 9:19
Day 28 -Whenever God opens the door for effective work and ministry what will also happen?
I Corinthians 16:9
What does God exhort us to do ?
I Corinthians 16:13
Day 29 -How should ALL work be done?
I Corinthians 15:58