Author Tom Nelson helps us think about our calling and vocation in his new book Work Matters: Connecting Sunday Worship to Monday Work.
You can sample a free chapter, The Transforming Power of Work.
Nelson also has a great (free) audio series on this same topic:
We’re working with a number of eBook distributors this month to offer a special deal on Rescuing Ambition and The Sword. To see this month’s special pricing, search for either book at any of the following stores: Amazon, Apple, Barnes & Noble, Christian Book Distributors, Kobo, eChristian, Monergism and Google.
To learn more about each title or purchase directly from Crossway.org, follow the links below.
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RESCUING AMBITION by Dave Harvey ($2.99)Ambition needs to be rescued and put to work for God’s glory. This book will encourage and embolden Christians to pursue their dreams with a godly ambition that seeks more for God and from God. |
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THE SWORD by Bryan Litfin ($1.99)Packed with page-turning action and adventure, this novel poses the question, “If a society had no knowledge of Christianity, and then a Bible were discovered, what would happen?” Part 1 of the Chiveis Trilogy. |
Is God opposed to prosperity? Where is the line between being grateful for the gifts he’s given us and idolatry?
Sometimes God offers prosperity as a blessing for faithfulness (remember Solomon?), and often it comes as a result of hard, honest work. It is certainly not wrong to provide nice things for your family, and laziness is far from condoned in Scripture.
However, our pursuit of prosperity can turn into idolatry if we are not careful. It’s easy to keep our eyes a little too focused on the prize, putting the gift above the Giver. On the other hand, if we shun prosperity for fear of idolatry, we run the risk of being ungrateful. How do we find the balance between prosperity and idolatry?
First of all, it is important to be a good steward of your gifts. Every believer is gifted in special ways, and we need to discover our gifts and use them for God’s glory. This may seem simple, but there is a deeper truth here. If we do our job because God gifted us in that area, we’re being stewards. If we do our job because there is money to be had, we’re on our way to idolatry. If one goes into medicine because he has been blessed with a scientific mind and a desire to heal the sick, wonderful. If he goes into medicine because it is the most lucrative profession he can think of, that is a different issue.
We must also prosper as God allows. Be the best you can be at whatever profession God has called you to, be it law or farming. We must also prosper in ways that are pleasing to God. Work hard, don’t cheat your boss. On a different note, we might get a job offer that sparkles with a dazzling salary and benefits package, but is in a field that may tempt us to compromise or does not honor God. It would be better to take a more modest job in a God-pleasing environment.
In the busyness of making a living and working hard, many people sacrifice their families. Some fathers are on the road 180 days a year, “bringing home the bacon.” Neglecting your spouse and missing your kids’ childhood is simply not worth the extra salary. Your bank account is not an adequate substitute for your presence. Ultimately, when you look back, you will not regret spending more time with family instead of chasing the last dollar.
From Voddie Baucham’s Family Driven Faith. Learn more or see related posts below:
Voddie Baucham equips men to model and transfer God’s truth within their homes, covering topics that span from marriage and parenting to media habits and overcoming difficult family dynamics.
Baucham recently sat down with Dane Ortlund to discuss his forthcoming new book, Family Shepherds. Watch the full video below, or jump ahead to one of these topics:
Related Posts:
It’s one thing to affirm the gospel; it’s something altogether different to experience its power where the rubber meets the road of life. How does the finished work of Christ become real to me at my point of need? How does what Christ accomplished for sinners two thousand years ago become vivid and tangible in the moment of temptation, or in the moment when I’m desperately longing for human approval and affection? As I make my way across the wilderness of this life, how does the reality of the ongoing power of the gospel change me, help me, and serve me here and now? How does the gospel connect with my daily grind?
Thinking out the deep implications of the gospel and applying its powerful reality to all parts of my life is a daily challenge and a daily adventure. Theologically I understand that the gospel didn’t just ignite my Christian life but that it’s also the fuel that keeps me going and growing every day. My challenge is understanding how this works functionally. So, here are a few questions I go back to all the time that help me make the connection between what Christ accomplished for me and my daily internal grind:
Thinking those things through, asking those questions, is the hard work I believe I’m called to do, the kind of labor Paul speaks of in Philippians 2:12—“work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.” I’m not saying the Christian life is effortless; the real question is where are we focusing our efforts? Are we working hard to perform? Or are we working hard to rest in Christ’s performance for us?
From Jesus + Nothing = Everything by Tullian Tchividjian.
Learn more, download a sample chapter, or watch the summary video for Tullian’s latest book.
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