Sign-up for my free 20-day devotional, The Word Before Work Foundations, at http://TWBWFoundations.com--Series: 7 Biblical Principles for Resolving Conflict at WorkDevotional: 2 of 7If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. (Romans 12:18)I’m ashamed to admit that I’ve been waiting eight years for someone to make the first move in pursuing peace with me. From my perspective, this person is the “more guilty” party in our conflict (whatever that means). But today’s passage has convicted me to take the first step toward peace. This verse is also the source of the second of seven biblical principles I’m sharing for resolving conflict at work….Principle #2: Make the First Move to resolve any conflict.This principle is directly connected to the first one we explored last week to “Praise the Prince of Peace for the grace and mercy he has shown you.” If Jesus waited for the guilty party to make the first move in resolving conflict, you and I would be eternally dead in our sin. But Christ did move first. He pursued peace with us while we rejected him. And so, to follow Jesus fully includes following his example to blaze trails of peace with others. Which is why Paul said, “as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone” (see Romans 12:18). Hebrews 12:14 says the same thing: “Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy.” The call here is proactive rather than reactive in the image of Christ.What conflict is nagging at your attention most this Monday morning? Is it a team member you’re frustrated with for missing a deadline? Is it a boss whose stubborn opinion on a policy infuriates you? Is it a client who you’ve heard has been speaking poorly about you behind your back? Whatever it is, resolve to make the first move to pursue peace. To make this more practical, allow me to suggest you take a couple of minutes to complete these four actions.First, create a note in a place that will be easily accessible throughout this series. It could be a note on your phone, desktop, journal—wherever.Second, write down the name of the person you’ve been thinking of during this devotional. The one you have the most unresolved conflict with. Can’t think of anyone? Think about who you don’t want to see on Zoom, in the breakroom, or at the grocery store today. That’s the name!Third, jot down Romans 12:18 underneath their name to remind yourself of the biblical call for you to make the first move in pursuing peace.Fourth, pray for the name on your list and ask the Lord for wisdom as you pursue peace with them. Next week, we’ll get even more practical about what God’s Word says about how to do exactly that!

Explore the transforming power of biblical principles in resolving workplace conflicts. Discover the significance of being a peacemaker, guided by Christ’s teachings. Learn practical steps like prayer and confession to embrace grace and mercy in your daily interactions. Understand how conflicts stem from differing opinions and the call to pursue peace is ever-present in scripture. The journey to harmony starts with acknowledging the need for peace in both our hearts and workplaces.

Sign-up for my free 20-day devotional, The Word Before Work Foundations, at http://TWBWFoundations.com--Series: Work in HeavenDevotional: 5 of 5They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads….And they will reign for ever and ever. (Revelation 22:4-5)Today concludes our series exploring 5 biblical truths about work on the New Earth. Here they are again:Truth #1: We who are in Christ will delight in our work for eternity.Truth #2: We will be rewarded with varying degrees of responsibility based on how we live and work today.Truth #3: We can expect some continuity between our work now and our work on the New Earth. Truth #4: We will have unlimited time to do the work we want to do for God’s glory.Truth #5: We will reign with Christ intimately forever and ever.I saved the best truth for last. Because it is that foundational truth—that we will finally be with God fully—that makes all the others so wonderful.But read Revelation 22:5 again. We won’t just be with God. We will work and reign with him, which is exactly what he intended from the beginning (see Genesis 1:26-28).On October 22, I’ll be publishing a picture book called The Royal in You to help you and your kids catch a vision of just how glorious this eternal vocation will be. As I say in the book…The best part by far is King Jesus will be there,making everything new with His peace, love, and care.God says He won’t rule this world all on His own—He’ll send princes and princesses out from His throne.So don’t think for one second that Heaven is boring,because we’ll be reigning, creating, and exploring!Not just for our joy, and surely not for our glory,but to love and to worship the One who is worthy.It’ll be so much better than your wildest dreams—ruling heaven on earth next to Jesus our King.How should we respond to that vision of our eternal tomorrow today? Here are three ideas. First, seek God’s face until you see his face. Not just when you’re studying your Bible before work. But right now. At your desk. Before your next appointment. Be relentless in seeking communion with him all day every day.Second, play a mental tape of what King Jesus might say about your work today. Hebrews 6:10 says that “[God] will not forget your work.” And my guess is that those memories will fuel many of our interactions with Christ on the New Earth. What might Jesus say about how you worked today? Play it out mentally as a means of cultivating your hope and faithfulness. Finally, baptize your imagination of work on the New Earth as a means of spurring your heart to worship. You can do this by memorizing some of the Scriptures we’ve read in this series, completing some of the practices, or by picking up a copy of The Royal in You. But don’t miss this: worship of Jesus should be the response to all of that imagination. Eternity is not ultimately about us. It’s not ultimately about enjoying the work of our hands. It’s about worshiping “the One who is worthy!” I pray this series has helped you worship him even more enthusiastically.

Sign-up for my free 20-day devotional, The Word Before Work Foundations, at http://TWBWFoundations.com--Series: Work in HeavenDevotional: 4 of 5No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him…And they will reign for ever and ever. (Revelation 22:3,5)There are dozens of jobs I would love to try: write a musical, be a travel planner, design a bookstore, serve as personal photographer to a president or dignitary. The list goes on and on. Why don’t I give one of these careers a shot? Because loving my neighbor through my work requires the pursuit of excellence in my work. And the pursuit of excellence requires loads of focus and time.You simply can’t “do it all” if you want to do your most exceptional work for the glory of God and the good of others. But you can in the life to come! That brings me to the fourth of five biblical truths about work on the New Earth we’re exploring in this series: We will have unlimited time to do the work we want to do for God’s glory.Psalm 37:4 says this: “Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.” On the New Earth, we will perfectly “delight in the Lord,” because we will be free from all sin. And so, there will be no disconnect between our desires and God’s. As Dr. Randy Alcorn explains, “our desires…will be sanctified and fulfilled on the New Earth”—including our desires for our work.But that could be way off in the future. How should you and I respond to this truth today? Here are three ideas. First, praise God for freeing you from the burden of finding your “dream job” in this life. He has found it and has it waiting for you on the other side! Second, choose which skill you will master for God’s glory and the good of others in this season of life. Need help? Consider using my book, Master of One, as your guide. Finally, put vocational dreams that distract you from mastering that skill on a Someday list. I have many of the vocational dreams I shared above in a “Someday” folder in my to-do list app, even though there’s almost zero chance I even touch those projects in this life. So why put them in there at all? Because it’s a way to remind myself that this life isn’t my only chance to “do it all.” If my desires align with God’s I’ll get to do everything I want to do very soon. But right now, I’m going to focus intensely on mastering the work I’ve chosen to do in this season for the glory of God and the good of others. I pray this devotional frees you to do the same!

Sign-up for my free 20-day devotional, The Word Before Work Foundations, at http://TWBWFoundations.com--Series: Work in HeavenDevotional: 3 of 5Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on…for their deeds will follow them. (Revelation 14:13)A fortune teller once told Walt Disney that he would die on his birthday before he turned thirty-five. As Disney biographer Bob Thomas explains, “the prediction had a profound effect on him…he seemed to be in a race against time to accomplish all the work he wanted to do.” Can you relate to Walt Disney? Of feeling like time is speeding up and the drumbeat of hurry only seems to be growing louder? I used to feel that burden far more than I do today. What has God used to free me? Biblical truths about work on the New Earth in general and this one in particular: We can expect some continuity between our work now and our work on the New Earth. What kinds of continuity? At least these two. First, there will be some continuity in what we work with as Isaiah 60 promises that some of the best cultural goods from this life will miraculously be resurrected in the next one. The New Earth is not a return to the Stone Age. We can expect the very best work of all time as our starting point. Second, there may be some continuity in our occupations on the New Earth. Revelation 14:13 says, “Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on…for their deeds will follow them.” Pastor John Mark Comer points out that the Greek word for “deeds” here can also mean “occupation.” In other words, you may be working today at the craft God intends for you to develop for his glory for eternity! (If that sounds terrible to you, don’t miss next week’s devotional.)What should our response be to this promise of continuity between our work now and then? A remarkable lack of hurry today.This has been one of the most profound and surprising benefits of meditating on the promise of work on the New Earth personally. I am far less hurried than I used to be. I am at peace with the fact that I (and you) will die with unfinished symphonies. Because I know that if the things on my to-do list are on God’s to-do list, he will either 1) choose someone else to complete that work, 2) complete the work on his own, or 3) bless me with the opportunity to finish the work when I rise from the nap that is death.I pray that as you meditate on these biblical truths, you will experience that same peace and lack of hurry in your own work today!

Discover how our earthly work influences responsibilities in the New Earth. Explore the fascinating biblical insights from the Parable of the Minas, showcasing the rewards for faithfulness. Learn about the importance of a servant mindset as preparation for eternal service. Delve into the idea that while all believers are equal in God’s eyes, their positions in the afterlife may vary based on their earthly actions.

Delve into the inspiring vision of work in the new earth. Discover how eternal work will be a joyful experience, free from the burdens of sin. The discussion highlights biblical promises that we will thrive in our tasks while being fully present with God. Engage with practical exercises that transform work frustrations into hopeful prayers. Uncover the glorious idea that our hands will craft meaningful labor forever!

Explore the art of balancing ambition with contentment. Discover how biblical teachings encourage us to seek good desires while embracing gratitude for what we have. Uncover strategies for measuring progress backward rather than forward. Delve into the importance of rest and how it nurtures both aspiration and satisfaction. This engaging discussion highlights that cultivating contentment doesn’t mean abandoning our goals but instead integrating spiritual growth into our pursuits.

Exploring the balance between confidence and humility offers profound insights for personal growth. The discussion emphasizes setting God-centered goals that inspire and elevate. It highlights the importance of recognizing our strengths while humbly acknowledging our weaknesses. Drawing from biblical teachings, listeners discover how true confidence stems from a relationship with God, enabling us to navigate the workplace with grace and purpose.

Explore the fascinating tension between self-care and self-sacrifice through the life of Jesus. Discover how he prioritized moments of solitude while exemplifying selfless service. By withdrawing for peace, he demonstrated the importance of rest, yet his ultimate mission centered on giving and serving others. This duality poses a challenge: how can we embrace both in our own lives? Tune in for insights on integrating these principles for a richer spiritual journey.