You are invited to change the world!

How secure are you at work? 

The more secure you are — as a person, as a leader, as an agent for good — the more you are able to do excellent work that blesses others — changing the world! 

The insecure worker sees situations and people transactionally. They want what they are owed and they want to get all they can get for their assets and efforts. 

The insecure worker is hypocritical. They say they want to help others but they see others as a means to their own personal goals. 

The secure leader sees things very differently, they think and act relationally. They aim for what is best for all parties — putting their gifts and energy to creative use for others and fulfilling their commitments to others. Their security is based on their standing in their most important relationships.

The key to life and work is valuing and utilizing your most important relationship — communicating regularly, reverently, relentlessly and expectantly with your perfect Father in Heaven who offers complete security, provides for your every needs, and gives day to day direction.

How to Pray 

In His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus invites His followers into the deepest, most powerful relationship with The Supreme Being. 

“And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full.” - [.no-reftag]Matthew 6:5[.no-reftag]

Jesus is tough on praying like religious hypocrites who pray to show off to other people in order to elevate their own status and image.

Pray to Your Father 

“But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.” - [.no-reftag]Matthew 6:6[.no-reftag]

You are His child and He hears everything you say. What you say in secret to God when no one is looking reveals how much you believe you are loved by your Father and how much you love Him. 

“And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.” - [.no-reftag]Matthew 6:7[.no-reftag] 

Jesus is tough on pagans, who use lots of words. Lots of babble is just another form of anxiousness. 

Jesus says your Father knows what you need before you ask, because He knows you better than you know yourself because you are His. What you pray to your Father reveals how much you trust Him. 

Hallow Is Your Name! 

“This, then, is how you should pray:

‘Our Father in heaven,

hallowed be your name…’” - [.no-reftag]Matthew 6:9[.no-reftag]

Jesus says what we do in secret is what matters, because what you do in secret reveals what you value as ultimate. We praise — or hallow — what we believe is ultimate. 

We should value time with Him — knowing Him — above all else. When we make our Father the object of our highest praise everything else falls into the place it belongs. 

• Anxiety is an adoration problem
• Selfishness is an adoration problem
• Disappointment is an adoration problem
• Restlessness is an adoration problem

“All of our failures are failures of adoration. You have to get your life [and work] back into perspective.” - Tim Keller 

If you can’t praise and adore God above all things, you can’t trust anything. If you can praise and adore God above all things you will trust God in more and more situations and you can extend more trust to others. Keller says, it’s like a pendulum. The more we can praise His glory, greatness, and love the more we believe His glory, greatness, and love which can lift us up and care for us in any situation. 

The way to build trust is to extend grace, mercy, and love to others. That’s exactly what God has done for us in Jesus. Jesus gave His life for ours. Praise God! 

His Will, His Way!

“‘…Your kingdom come,

your will be done,

on earth as it is in heaven…’”  - [.no-reftag]Matthew 6:10[.no-reftag] 

Too often we seek our will our way. This is an extremely dangerous miscalculation because we have a perfect Heavenly Father who knows exactly what we need. We want to work to achieve our goals when the maker of the universe is saying to partner with Him to build what lasts. God is inviting us into His will and His way — He is inviting us to build the kingdom of God on earth now — as it is in heaven. 

[.text-color-blue]Implications for Your Work[.text-color-blue]

As you connect deeper and deeper with God— hallowing your Father above all things, and desiring His will above your own will change every part of your life and work — your purpose, your daydreams, and all of your relationships.  

• God is not distant — He is your loving Father who knows you better than anyone. That’s better than you know yourself. Ask Him what is good for you. Pray with His Word open so you can hear Him.

• God is not mad at you, don’t hide in shame — come to Him regularly. Talk to your Father about your day, and ask for His counsel about what to do next. 

• God is not your boss, don’t act like His hourly employee — act like a child of God who is loved for who you are, not what you do and then extend this same to others at work — coworkers and customers. Build a community of love and trust. 

• God is not your concierge, don’t give Him your list — ask Him His will and work with Him to do the work He made you to do. Help others get what they need to flourish. 

• God is not your landlord, don’t act like a tenant — act like a coheir of the earth. You don't have to work for your advantage now. Invite others into the deal, they could be heirs too!

God is inviting you into a kingdom building relationship to change the world one situation and a person at a time. Join Him! 

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Resources:

Sermon: Basis of Prayer: “Our Father” | Tim Keller

Sermon: Adoration: Hallowed Be Thy Name | Tim Keller

Sermon: Thy Kingdom; Thy Will | Tim Keller

Sermon: Our Deepest Prayer: Hallowed Be Your Name | John Piper

Video: The Blessing and the Calling of the Beatitudes | Howard Graham

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