Participants: Eric Kelly
Series Code: WTD
Program Code: WTD000007A
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00:30 Hi, welcome to "Working the Dream"
00:32 I'm your host Eric Kelly and today we're going to 00:35 share why your personal relationship with God 00:37 will dictate your success. 00:40 So, let's recap why this is important... 00:43 Our acronym for career success is "P-I-E-S" 00:48 P - is for performance. 00:49 You must be a topnotch performer to be considered 00:53 of value to any team that you're on. 00:55 I - is for image. 00:57 It should reflect the accepted image of your company. 01:00 E - is for exposure. 01:02 How many people know you and know you positively. 01:06 S - which is really the most important is for spirituality, 01:10 the secret weapon for defeating workplace evil. 01:14 Now, please don't get spirituality and religion 01:19 confused... I did for so many years. 01:21 It took me a while to learn what God was trying to 01:24 teach me while listening to sermons week after week. 01:27 I remember going to church and trying to put 01:30 work people in Bible Stories, like when David slew Goliath 01:35 and cut off his head... I inserted my work giant 01:38 by the name of "Darla," rocks, swords, hmm. 01:43 Oh and the story of Pharaoh drowning in the Red Sea, 01:46 that definitely would be our division manager, Walter, 01:51 and his entire team of henchmen. 01:53 And oh, the story in 1 Samuel 14 when the king went out to 01:58 fight the Philistines and found them killing themselves, 02:02 oh yes! Everybody and the technical support group 02:05 should have been in that story. 02:06 You see, I was missing what the stories were really teaching... 02:11 And that is that God is bigger than your problem, 02:13 or problems no matter what their names are. 02:16 The biggest test of our spirituality will be at work 02:20 and dealing with people. 02:23 Years ago, I complained to my dad about one person or another 02:26 in expectation that he would side with me over 02:29 how unfairly I was being treated. 02:32 I was often disappointed because he would quote 02:35 Ephesians 6:12- as follows... 02:49 His point was, "Don't look at the person, look behind the 02:52 person with spiritual eyes and you may see who is really 02:57 pulling their strings." 02:59 My friend, there are only two forces in the world... 03:02 That is the force of good led by Jesus Christ, 03:04 and the forces of evil devised 03:07 and championed by Satan. 03:09 And here's the issue, you will not always 03:11 be able to tell which force you are encountering. 03:15 We tend to think of people as neutral and when they do 03:17 something that riles us, we're angry at them, 03:20 but was it all them or were they being led by a 03:24 force that was malignantly evil? 03:27 Let me ask you a question... 03:29 Some days, are you the person not being led by the 03:32 Holy Spirit doing something to someone else? 03:35 One morning, I got up and I read my Bible, 03:40 and I loved the verses that I read and then I prayed 03:44 and I felt so connected, I felt a little, maybe a little 03:48 lofty - it was great! 03:50 So I got in my car, I drove to the road, 03:54 and as I entered the freeway, I was cut off by a 03:57 landscaping truck. 03:59 Now at that moment, I felt like I should catch up 04:03 so that I could witness to the gentleman driving the truck... 04:08 Is it still wrong if you don't say the bad words? 04:12 Anyway, in the moment that I was rushing the truck, 04:18 I could kind of feel something from my devotional. 04:21 I could hear God almost tell me, "You know that's one of mine." 04:26 Oh my God, please forgive me, bless him, let him get 04:29 more lawns to do, but the tests of spirituality 04:33 will not happen in church, it will happen in your daily life. 04:37 So, let me give you the beginning of your daily 04:40 work experience - tell me if any of this touches home. 04:45 You get in your car and you immediately get into rush hour. 04:48 I have NO IDEA why they call it "rush hour" because 04:51 nobody is rushing anywhere. 04:53 You are going encounter some bad drivers. 04:56 During the week, I was going down the freeway 04:58 and there was a lady next to me who was putting on 05:01 makeup, drinking coffee and talking on the cell phone. 05:05 I sped up because I had no idea whose hands 05:07 were on the wheel. 05:09 I mean, they have accidents on a clear day when there's 05:11 no ice, no water on the ground, 05:13 and people just bang into each other. 05:15 Now, if you happen to have the news on, 05:19 ahh - you day starts terribly... 05:20 Robbery, murdering, cheating executives, dishonest leaders, 05:25 just an unfair life. 05:27 I heard someone put it this way, "That the news is 05:31 simply an announcement of all the things that Satan was able 05:35 to accomplish in the last 24 hours." 05:37 Oh, and then you get to work and somebody is already in 05:41 your parking space! 05:42 Then you walk into an early morning meeting... 05:45 on a topic that you absolutely hate... 05:49 Oh and by the way, you're sitting next to a 05:51 know-it-all coworker and the meeting is run by a 05:55 smart alec boss. 05:57 Oh, also in the meeting - no matter what you say, 06:00 you're kind of getting bitten in the back by another 06:03 coworker. 06:06 You need God at work! 06:09 Sadly, money and greed run many of the corporations 06:13 that we work for. 06:14 Now the sole determinate of many executive decisions is simply... 06:18 "What will this decision do to our stock price?" 06:21 "So if laying off 500 people will cut the labor cost 06:24 line and reduce our expenses, let's do it." 06:27 "If we can sweep this mistake under the rug and not own it, 06:30 let's not be completely honest about absolutely everything." 06:34 And sometimes even at lower levels - what people will do 06:37 for a raise or a promotion is pure evil if they are not 06:43 connected to Jesus Christ. 06:45 It is into this workplace that God allows 06:48 many of us to matriculate. 06:49 Now it's not just so we can make money and buy 06:52 creature comforts and take our ease, but we are to be His 06:56 hands in situations that need to be addressed. 07:00 In fact, Jesus said it best when He said the following: 07:13 He wants us to go to work, do our best and represent Him 07:18 in the workplace. 07:20 Now, one of the biggest issues is integrity and honesty. 07:25 Interestingly enough, based on the financial reward system, 07:29 and it's motivation of the workplace, 07:31 your integrity and moral fiber will probably 07:34 be tested sometime in your career. 07:37 Okay, if I said I would give you a dollar for walking into your 07:40 boss's office and in one sweeping motion, 07:43 knock everything off of his or her desk onto the floor 07:48 while they are sitting in there working - you probably 07:51 would say, "Huh - no way." 07:54 Now you reason that since you probably will 07:57 be unemployed after that, that the dollar would not 08:01 be enough to even pay for your gas home 08:03 after you got fired; however, let me up the ante... 08:07 Would you do it for a thousand dollars? 08:11 Now you still may say, that's not enough to 08:13 carry me too long if I can't find another job, 08:16 so pretty much you'll decline. 08:20 Well let's continue to increase the price... 08:23 If I gave you a cool million dollars to walk into your boss's 08:29 office, knock everything off of their desk, 08:32 well, I might have your attention. 08:35 In fact, by the time I offered you a certified check for 08:38 10 million dollars to wreck their desk, 08:40 you might snatch the check off of my hand, 08:44 dance on their desk, kick the staplers and mail 08:47 trays everywhere - I mean for 10 million - you might 08:52 reek a little havoc in that office because you know 08:55 that 10 million dollars would end most of your employment 08:59 worries for a considerable amount of time; 09:02 however, the issue was never about the amount of money. 09:06 It was about - "is it right or wrong for you to knock 09:10 things off of your bosses' desks?" 09:12 Notice how easily it was to rationalize why it would 09:16 be okay for 10 million dollars. 09:19 Sadly, without the Spirit of Christ guiding us, 09:23 on any given day - we all have a price. 09:28 Let's look at a situation our friend, Cole, has to deal with. 09:34 Hello, this is Cole speaking. 09:38 Yes sir, I'll be right there. 09:46 I finally broke a hundred yesterday. 09:48 Hey, how did that happen - was it just those brand new clubs 09:53 of yours or you fixed the score? 09:56 Ha, ha, actually it was a 98. 09:59 By the way, I have a 3:30 tee time today, 10:01 why don't you come out? 10:02 Hmm, I have this piano recital, my daughter, 10:07 I don't think I can make it. 10:08 I'm glad I don't have to worry about that. 10:11 Hey! Hey! Hey! 10:13 There you are! Nice to see ya! 10:17 Cole! So how long have you been with us? 10:20 Um, 6 months, sir. 10:22 And are you enjoying what you do? 10:25 Ah yeah, definitely I'm learning a lot and this is the second 10:29 company I've worked with and by far, it's by the best. 10:33 Hm! Well, Cole, I have a question for you. Um hm 10:36 What are your career goals? 10:39 In other words, where you do see yourself 10:41 in 5 or 6 years from now? 10:43 Hmm, management definitely. Hmm! 10:46 My main goal is to be the CFO of a growing company, 10:50 and take them to the next level. Interesting. 10:53 Good! There are not very many young people with 10:59 that very clear career goals in their minds and 11:02 I have to congratulate you. Thank you. 11:04 If your 5-year plan became a one-year plan... 11:08 Meaning? 11:10 Meaning, there is an opportunity that could 11:13 fast track you to management. Okay... 11:16 Are you interested? I am, I am! 11:19 Good! 11:20 So, do you want to tell him or... 11:22 Go ahead, you go ahead. No problem. 11:24 Cole, I understand that you are a financial guru when it 11:29 comes to our reporting and you're also, 11:33 as-a-matter-of-fact, the youngest analyst 11:35 in our company's history that has been given... 11:37 that's such a great task... 11:39 Yeah well, I pride myself by learning quickly 11:44 and getting the job done. 11:46 Well we have a proposition for you... 11:48 And I'm sure that you already know that our company's 11:51 performance hasn't been great as of late and our stock 11:55 prices fell 16% last quarter which is not good news. 11:59 And this whole Enron fiasco thing, it's been very difficult 12:04 for companies to hide anything, and a deep dive into our 12:08 financials will easily expose some of the most 12:10 recent haven companies that we have. 12:14 We need you, our financial guru, to help with that. 12:18 Okay, help with what? 12:20 Let me explain, it's very simple... 12:24 Well see, he was saying... "hiding" is the key word here. 12:28 We need to protect these companies and hide 12:32 their financials and also boost our segments. 12:37 Ah but, oh oh, that's ah a little bit too much. 12:42 I mean, I can't do that. 12:44 Any auditor will sense the difference in the reports 12:46 and he will know what's in the system. 12:48 That's taken care of. 12:50 IT, accounting and treasury are all on board on this. 12:54 To make sure that the accounting and the cash are in place. 12:57 But what about the idea that this is a fraud? 13:00 Ooo ooo ooo ooo, no, no no... 13:02 Cole, Cole, this is a big company, 13:06 this is not a mom and pop operation. 13:09 This is the game... those companies out there, 13:14 they are the kings and queens, 13:16 we are just the watchers of the throne. 13:18 So you, my friend, you are the last piece of the operation. 13:23 Now, are you interested in management? 13:26 I am, but not like this, I mean... 13:29 I mean, I'm not comfortable with this. 13:31 Well, you better be. 13:35 Does Mr. Martin know about this? 13:37 Does Mr. Martin know about this... why would we 13:40 propose this to you if Mr. Martin had not known? 13:42 Of course he knows. 13:44 (Loud sigh) I mean, I can't do this. 13:47 This is really some unethical stuff, I mean my 13:51 personal ethics and, more importantly, my spiritual 13:54 beliefs won't let me do this, I mean, I'm sorry... 13:56 Hey um, just, just... wait just a second! 13:59 Let me explain something to you... 14:01 If you are waiting for a prayer answered from God, 14:06 you won't get it... more so, Christianity 14:12 in a workplace - especially if you are thinking about 14:14 management - it won't work! It doesn't matter. 14:17 Actually, what matters here, I matter! 14:21 And, if you ever want to work in a city like this again, 14:23 you have to do this, Cole, willingly have to do this 14:28 because whether you do it or not, it's going to show that 14:30 it's your fault anyway. 14:32 Whoa - does Cole ever have his hands full! 14:36 He has a successful career so far. 14:39 He's in line to get a nice bonus at year's end 14:43 which he is already planning to use to pay off all of his bills, 14:47 and as a down payment on a cute little sports car. 14:50 Now if he doesn't do what they say, there's a good chance 14:54 he gets fired. 14:55 All of his hard work and good fortune goes down the drain. 15:00 What would you do? 15:03 (Loud sigh) What am I going to do? 15:06 I can't do that. 15:09 But if I don't, they'll take my job away 15:12 and they'll blackball me. 15:14 Wait a minute... AH, okay! 15:27 Ah, Prophet... Hm? 15:30 I need your help, I'm in a tough spot. 15:33 No you're not. 15:37 What? 15:39 You're not in a tough spot! 15:41 I'm about to lose my job, these people are crazy! 15:46 They want me to do some pretty unethical stuff. 15:48 Who gave you the job? They did. 15:52 Cole, who gave you your job? 15:58 God did. 16:00 Exactly. 16:01 Sometimes when we're in tough situations, 16:04 we lose focus on who is really in control. 16:08 Now Cole, you've been faithful to God for a long time. 16:11 This is just a huge test of your faith. 16:15 Now those two guys, around here some people 16:19 treat them as if they're gods, but trust me... 16:22 they are not God. 16:27 I don't think I'm the one you need to be talking to right now. 16:31 Yeah, you're right, I lost focus. 16:37 I know what I have to do. 16:39 Wait, Prophet... how in the world do you know? 16:43 I know, I know... I got asked that question 16:45 several times today. 16:47 I've been around for a long time, so I've heard a lot, 16:52 I've seen a lot, so I know a lot. 16:56 I just try to help a lot. 16:57 Ha, ha, ha, ha, thanks Prophet. 16:59 You'll do just fine. Thanks. 17:06 Now, Cole looked for some advice from the Prophet, 17:09 but the Prophet reminded him of something he already knew. 17:13 Cole has spent time in the Word of God, 17:16 he knows what Christ taught, so why is this a dilemma? 17:19 In similar situations, we might be saying to ourselves, 17:23 "I don't want to lose everything by not complying," 17:27 but what really will be lost if you do comply 17:30 with an ungodly director? 17:32 Inherently, how many of you already know what 17:35 Cole's answer should be? 17:52 "Lord, I humbly ask for Your forgiveness. 17:58 I panicked and I lost my focus. 18:04 God, you know my situation, give me strength, Lord, 18:11 and help me get through it all. 18:18 May Your will be done, God. Amen 18:34 (Phone is ringing) Jonas Martin. 18:39 Mr. Martin, there's a Cole Elliot here to see you. 18:42 Oh yes, Cole... send him in. 18:55 Cole, it's been a long time. Ah yeah. 18:57 You don't seem well, are you 19:00 doing all right? Is everything okay? 19:04 Actually, sir, (deep sigh) it is not. 19:08 Cheer up, fall in line over him. 19:14 I don't know, the way he mentioned Martin's name 19:17 didn't make me feel too confident. 19:20 If only Martin finds out... He won't! 19:23 Martin is concerned about results. 19:27 He doesn't care about these things. 19:31 Besides, everybody else is in line. 19:33 And you know what, I think we gave 19:35 this "Cole" kid a big scare. 19:38 He will be with us, don't worry about it. 19:41 Hey! There he is...we were beginning to think that you 19:45 decided to change careers, Cole. 19:47 I take it you made the decision to join us... 19:49 That would be smart! 19:51 Actually, he won't because neither of you 19:55 work here anymore and I suspect that it will be a long time 19:58 before you work anywhere again. 20:01 Watchers of the throne, eh? 20:03 There's only one throne I care to acknowledge 20:06 the power of - God's. 20:10 Here is the foolproof way that you're career in life 20:13 will be successful. 20:15 Every single day, without exception, wake up and read 20:18 God's word - there's power and wisdom in the word of God. 20:23 As you read, be prayerful and be open to the leadings of the 20:27 Holy Spirit. 20:29 For example, today you are going to a meeting where you must 20:33 defend your idea. 20:35 You're pretty sure you're going to have some stiff opposition 20:38 to your recommendation from someone who feels they are 20:41 your rival. 20:43 In fact, you know from past experience that whatever 20:46 you say, they will take the opposite position just to try 20:50 and make you look bad. 20:52 Should you prepare for war? 20:54 Should you learn their position 20:56 and be prepared to take them out by showing 20:58 their sheer stupidity or should you trust in God's ability 21:02 to help you present your plan? 21:04 If you asked God to help you as you built your plan, 21:08 wouldn't He surely be there with you when you presented it? 21:12 Nehemiah 6:16 tells the story of God doing just 21:16 that for His people 21:17 It says the following... 21:29 You might go to the meeting and find out that your rival 21:32 really has nothing much negative to add, but before you started 21:37 scratching your head in amazement, 21:38 you remember the verse that says the following: 21:46 That's in Proverbs 16:7. 21:48 Pray - first giving thanks and then ask for the 21:52 Holy Spirit's guidance in everything that you do that day. 21:57 One day, I was struggling making a business decision, 22:00 and I called my dad and I said, "Hey, I'm working on this 22:04 and I'm working on that," and I explained all the wonderful 22:07 things that I was doing. 22:10 And my dad, who is a retired pastor, kind of smiles 22:15 and he has that little lilt in his voice and he simply 22:19 asked, "Do you know how many times you've used the word, 22:24 "I" in the last few minutes?" 22:28 It struck me - Take the "I" out of your plan. 22:32 Submit to God for His guidance. 22:34 Proverbs 16 says the following: 22:40 God wants you to do well to the same degree that He 22:43 wants you to be totally wrapped up in Him. 22:47 God, however, will not bless one of His kids 22:51 so that they can hold it over the other of His kids. 22:55 I saw a mother at the park the other day 22:57 with her children and I wondered... 22:59 I wonder if that's how God sees us? 23:01 She had two children, one was with her and one 23:03 was off playing in another part of the park. 23:07 So there was an ice cream truck that came by 23:09 and she bought a popsicle, and she gave it 23:12 to the child that was there and the other kid was off playing. 23:17 So when the child that was off playing came back, 23:19 he was taunted by his sister. 23:22 "Mama gave ME a popsicle, you don't have one." 23:28 So the mother took the popsicle from the one that she gave it to 23:32 and she ate it! 23:34 And the kid cried out... "Mommy, you took my 23:37 popsicle!" 23:38 So the mother said, "The popsicle belonged to me 23:41 in the first place, so I gave it to you and I can 23:46 take it back - I'm not going to let you use what I 23:50 gave you to tease your brother." 23:52 Now I thought about how some of us look at the blessings 23:56 that we have today... 23:57 God cannot allow one of His kids to taunt the other 24:02 with the blessings that they received from Him. 24:06 If you really want to thrive in your workday, 24:10 get yourself one of these... it's my "Promise Book." 24:14 And no matter what situation is in front of you, 24:16 there's going to be something in here that can help you. 24:20 For instance, I'm going to a meeting and I'm not really 24:24 sure of how it's going to be received, 24:27 the information I'm taking. 24:29 So, I went to my Promise Book and it tells me, 24:31 "You need confidence." Yes, I really do. 24:34 So it sends me over to the "You need confidence" section, 24:36 and here it says, 1 Philippians 4:13... 24:44 Hebrews 13:6... 24:52 And there are so many subjects here... 24:54 When you need power in your life; when you need courage; 24:58 when you need patience... 25:00 So I love this because this brings the word down to me 25:03 on a subject matter level and I can use it as 25:07 I go to work all day. 25:09 PLEASE help as many people as you can today. 25:13 A story was told of a young man that wanted to become 25:16 incredibly wealthy... so he went and found the 25:21 wealthiest man that he could find that was close by 25:23 and he went to ask him... what's the secret of his wealth. 25:28 So the wealthy gentleman took the young man down to the 25:31 lake bed and he had a bucket and then he had a pipe 25:37 in his hand... 25:39 He said, "I want to ask you a question, hold that bucket... 25:41 I want you to go down to the lake and I want you to scoop out 25:44 a bucket of water and bring it back." 25:47 So he went down the bank and brought a bucket of water back. 25:51 And the wealthy, older gentleman said, "How long would it take 25:58 you to empty that lake with that bucket?" 26:01 Well, the young man said, "It would be forever, 26:03 you can't empty a lake with a bucket." 26:06 So then the older gentleman showed him a pipe. 26:11 He said, "How long would it take for you to empty that 26:15 lake if you could get all that water 26:18 to flow through this pipe?" 26:21 The young man said, "Now that could happen - it might take a 26:25 while, but that could happen." 26:27 The older gentleman then told him, he said, "What you can't 26:32 do with a bucket, you can do with a pipe, 26:34 and God's blessings work similarly." 26:38 "You see, there's a point in which the bucket is full, 26:41 but there's never a point at which the pipe is full 26:44 because the pipe's purpose is to make sure 26:47 that the water flows through; however, as long as the pipe 26:52 is functioning and water is flowing through the pipe, 26:56 it stays full, so instead of being a bucket, be a pipe." 27:01 God wants you to be as successful 27:03 as He can trust you to be... connected to Him. 27:06 God inspired John to assure us of this in 3 John 1:2... 27:23 Remember, you may be powerless over what they can do to you, 27:28 but they are powerless over what God will do for you. 27:32 Until next time, keep "Working the Dream" |
Revised 2017-10-02