Responding to Your Calling

 1.  Introduction

Our vision:  “How I see Businessmen”

i)        Passionate in their commitment to Christ

ii)       Growing and succeeding in their personal life.

iii)     Growing and succeeding in their business and finance.

iv)     Releasing resources to the local church and the Kingdom of God.

v)       Impacting and influencing business people by personal life.

vi)      Mentoring the next generation = to success in life and business.

vii)    Growing in faith and ministry of the Holy Spirit.

 Our key objectives:

i)        Stimulate growth and success in your personal life.

ii)       Stimulate growth and success in your business life.

2.  Your Business life is Your Calling and Ministry:

1 Corinthians 7:20-24

i)  (v20) Your workplace is your God given calling.

·          “Calling” => purpose, part of design, a plan of God.

·          “Abide”=> Remain where you are.

·          Business success and Christian Life not apposes, incompetent.

·          Becoming Christian lifts your work to a new level, dimension.

·          Have access to life resources of God and purpose.

·          Your work is a God-given calling, not a “burden”.

ii)  (v23) You are of great value personally to Christ.

·          Men find value/ identity in work – defines them.

·          E.g. “What do you do?”Creating!

·          Work can place demands that steal personal value.

·          If value comes from work, their business will have a poor source of value.

·          New source of value – unchanging.

·          Value based on what God is willing to pay to busy you.

·          You must re-centre your life – value based on Christ’s sacrifice.

iii)  (v23) Every believer is a fulltime worker for Christ.

·          Not a slave to systems or people.

·          “Slave” = person bound, no freedom of choice.

·          Can be in ‘business bondage’ – workaholic!

·          You are the servant of Christ => freedom from bondages.

·          Who are you servant to?  One whose voice you hear and obey.

·          You must see yourself as a fulltime servant of Christ.

·          To serve Christ you must take time to listen to Him, commit to obey the Word of God.

iv)  (v24)  Every believer is called to make a difference in the workplace.

“Abide with God” => bring the presence of God into your business.

a) Ambassador = represent, speak on behalf of Christ => New set of Values, Principles, Lifestyle.  (2 Cor. 5:20)

b) Advance come of Christ => increase and influence (Genesis 1:27)

To make a difference you must start at the centre of your life. E.g. Judges 6:  “Gideon – business – agriculture – fear.”

·          God calls him mighty warrior.

·          God sees potential, possibilities.

·          Gideon fearful, saving self – God’s plan was bigger. 
Keys:  Gideon

1)      Listened to God

2)      Personally Responding

3)      Cleansed personal life

4)      Obeyed the voice of God.