Pastor Mickey

# 1. Accept Work as God’s gift; not punishment Ecclesiastes 5:19 KJV “…rejoice in his labor- this is the gift of God.” The first and most important key to winning is to rejoice in your labor, finding fulfillment in what you have been called to do. So many people wake up dreading their jobs, ill tempered and anxious. Often, what we think is a marital problem is actually a work related problem. 70% of people are working on the wrong job. This means they have gifts and talents not being fully utilized, which leads to frustration. “Happiness lies in the joy of achievement and the thrill of creative effort.” – Franklin D. Roosevelt When you treat your work as a gift from God- you become a problem solver. Mechanics solve car problems- Lawyers solve legal problems- carpenters solve building problems- Be a problem solver! A. Work is a gift Personally- It helps you discover dormant qualities, exposes you to others, forces you to communicate, think outside self,etc. - B...

With credit to Dan Miller-- Okay,  The Lorax  has provided yet another boost for Dr. Seuss.  But I still find it notable that 21 years after his death, Theodor Seuss Geisel has five picture books in the top 50 on USA TODAY’s Best-Selling Books list.  His books have sold over 500,000,000 copies.  26 of the original 46 Dr. Seuss books are available as interactive apps.  His most famous book –  The Cat in the Hat  – used only 225 words.  Success is often not nearly as complicated as we suspect.  Rather, it’s a result of doing something “remarkable.”   If you could easily be replaced in your work, you are very vulnerable.  If you are doing something “remarkable” then your position is secure.   And here’s one of my favorite quotations from Dr. Seuss - “Don’t cry because it’s over.  Smile because it happened.”

On Black Friday, 1929, the stock market crashed and America was plunged into the Great Depression. During that same time, a drought turned the western portion of Oklahoma into what became known as the Dust Bowl. Conditions were bleak for many, so families packed up in cars and trucks and traveled west on Route 66 in hopes of finding work in California. Thousands of men hopped freight trains bound for the west coast, where promises of jobs and mild climates lured many "okies" westward. In Oklahoma City, the need was great. Jobs were scarce, and there were no government programs to assist the poor. Hospitals and soup kitchens were stretched to capacity. Many who had lost their jobs were forced into foreclosure on houses, farms and businesses. Against this backdrop, my paternal grandmother, Bessie Keith quietly began her ministry among the poor people who camped along the North Canadian River. Many had lost jobs, many lost farms and homes..But worse of all, many lost hope...

Norman Vincent Peale, while traveling through Asia, once visited a tattoo shop owned by a Chinese man. As he viewed the various tattoos on display, Peale noticed one which read, "Born To Lose". He asked the proprietor why someone would want to place that slogan permanently on their body. The Chinese tattoo artist simply replied--- “Tattoo on heart before tattoo on skin”. What's in your heart will determine your outlook in life. Your attitude affects every decision- Where you will work; who you will build relationships with; and will dictate the success or failure of your future. Trials and struggles in life tend to get us down, and we then respond negatively in difficult times. But God’s Word tells us to do just the opposite…”Count it all joy when you fall into various trials.” James 1:2 NKJV That doesn’t make sense to our natural minds. How can we rejoice over trouble? Does the Bible say I am to be joyful in the middle of tough times? Yes...Because if you lose your j...