Take This Job And Love It, Part 1 Series

TEXT: 1 Samuel 18:1-11, 14

INTRO: - Don't let this title deceive you

- It directly relates to your job

- But every student and

Housewife can benefit

- White collar, blue collar and no collar

- Jim Bakker told me

The biggest lesson he learned in prison

Was that God was not interested

In WHAT he had done or accomplished

But in WHO he is.

-If we are going to influence our world we've got to live a Godly life

-In a worldly workplace.

JOBS I'VE HAD AND LESSONS I'VE LEARNED

1. Mowing Yards -- 11 years old

* I learned jobs don't come to me

* I have to go to them

2. Grocery Store -- 14 years old

* Learned to do a good job and get promoted

* Never to young to succeed

3. Loading Docks -- 17 years old (second job)

* 2-10 at store

* 11-7 at the docks

* 8:30-2 school

* Learned: I have to sleep!

4. Navy Boot Camp

* Learned to submit to someone with a bad attitude

5. Fueled Planes -- 19 years old

* Learned how to race tank trucks in the middle of the night

6. Managed a gym

7. Opened my own factory cleaning business

* When no one will hire you -- hire yourself!

8. Construction

- I hear people complain about their employers and employees

- David had a bad work environment.

- I want to give you some principals that will help not only in any work environment

* But in all relationships of life

1. Appreciation Shouldn't Be Expected

- Appreciation comes through relationships / friendships

- If you expect appreciation

o Expectation will lead to frustration

- Your boss -- company -- isn't there to fill your need for affirmation

- If you are the Boss you should affirm and appreciate your workers

- But don't go to work needing to be affirmed & validated as a person

- Because your job is not who you are!

- STOP waiting for your Boss

„X Your Coach

„X Your Teacher

„X Your Spouse

- To affirm you (they should)

- But remember what the President of the universe thinks about you

- The CEO of the world

- Says you're the apple of his eye

- The head not the tail

If you're waiting for your Boss to affirm you

You will get your priorities wrong!

If you can't get Love, encouragement and affirmation through

ƒÝ Spouse

ƒÝ Dad

ƒÝ Mom

ƒÝ Brother

ƒÝ Sister

Then buy a dog!

They always love you!

- But stop being hurt

- Because your Boss didn't thank you

- And validate you for doing what he hired you to do

- He's not your spouse

- He's not your God

EXAMPLE:

- When I was working construction in Michigan with a cold

- He complained about something

- And I got upset

- I am working in sub-zero weather WITH a cold!

- He said -- "That's not my problem."

If you expect them to affirm you, you will become under motivated.

- Years later I understood

- He didn't care what I was going through

- He is paying me to do a job

- He's not there to "hold me"

EXAMPLE:

21 years old -- Construction

Church interim Pastor

No Pay

They were using me!

God asked me if I would be used would I do it for nothing!

- Now if you are the boss

- You should affirm a good employee

- You will keep them with praises and raises

- Men are the worst

- We are created to desire praise

- Because God gave men a position

- Before he gave them a person

- Men will show off for praise

„X Name plaque

„X Business card

EXAMPLE: Jenessa -- Barbie Dolls

Jake's friends picked them up

- You can praise a man into anything

- Even God inhabits the praises of his people

- And will show off!

2. Atmosphere Cannot Be Changed To The Positive By Using Negative

- Stop complaining!!!

- David never complained to anyone about how he was being treated.

- He had spears thrown at him

„X He keeps singing.

- Imagine his wife asking "how was your day?"

EXAMPLE: - going through a tough time

- Patti always asks "How was your day?"

- I would respond, "The best one ever!"

- But I got in a bad habit of

„« Good day

„« Bad day

- She said, one day

"How about no more good days or bad days?"

"Only days filled with God's Grace"

Grace to enjoy the good days

Grace to endure the bad days

Because THIS IS the day the Lord made!

- David kept singing

- And changed his environment