Author: Inspirations By Katheryn

I am kind of a world traveler. I have lived in Korea, United Arab Emirates, Sri Lanka, Tokyo, Canada, Afghanistan, India and USA. I remember when President Kennedy was assassinated, watched the first human walk on the moon, Alaska became a state, President Kennedy & Martin Luther King were shot, and the first human walked on the moon. I remember when the first Star Wars movie came out, 900 religiously misguided humans committed suicide in Guyana, when Microsoft was "invented" and the Ayatollah Khoumeini took over Iran, kicked out western companies (employers) and returned his country to the dark ages. I WAS THERE WHEN MOUNT SAINT HELENS BLEW. I remember when the Berlin Wall fell, the Internet was created, the first warm-blooded animal was cloned (a sheep) and the Hubble Telescope was launched - all in the 1980s. And you?

BARNA: “What Faith Looks Like in the Workplace”

On By Inspirations By KatherynIn ethics, InspirationalLeave a comment

In the famous Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5, Jesus tells his followers to be the “salt of the earth” and the “light of the world.” But what does this look like in the modern workplace? How are working Christians, from the boardroom to the classroom, heeding this call from the New Testament? In Barna’s recently released study on vocation, produced in partnership with Abilene Christian University, we found encouraging signs that Christians are living out their faith with integrity. Previously on Barna.com, we’ve covered data about the sacred value Christians perceive in their professions, the challenges working parents face and the Church’s important role in encouraging faith and work integration. Here, we’ll look at the specific values and virtues that define today’s Christians’ work ethic.

Christian Workers Are Setting the Bar High


Encouragingly, working Christians say they hold to standards and virtues of professional integrity that represent the Church well. They are rooted in a conviction that Christians should act ethically (82%), speak the truth (74%) and demonstrate morality (72%). On an even more spiritual level, respondents say working Christians should make friends with non-Christians (66%), withstand temptation (59%) and do excellent work in an effort to bring glory to God (58%). Most believe people of faith should be guided by an attitude of humility (63%) and service (53%), while also looking out for others by speaking out against unfairness or injustice in the workplace (53%) and bringing grace and peace to others (48%). The trend is clear: most employed Christians want to do good in their places of work—but not always in a way that stands out. They appear less inclined to see it as their responsibility to be influential: one-third believes they should help mold the culture of their workplace (35%). In addition, only one-quarter says sharing the gospel is a responsibility (24%), pointing to a general wariness of speaking explicitly about faith, an attitude not uncommon in today’s climate. However, the more exemplary Christian workers in this study show more spiritual boldness with a higher willingness to share the gospel than the average Christian worker.

Faith in the Workplace

Christian Millennials are the most likely generation to say it’s completely important for Christians to mold culture (40%, compared to 35% of Gen X and 33% of Boomers) or serve others (58%, compared to 51% of Gen X and 51% of Boomers) at their jobs. However, other responses from Millennials imply they have some vocational lessons left to learn: When asked to point to values they should exhibit in the workplace, traits like speaking the truth (68% vs. 78% among Boomers), demonstrating morality (72% vs. 76% among Boomers), acting ethically (77% vs. 85% Boomers) or withstanding temptation (54% vs. 66% among Boomers) diminish in importance among Millennials, particularly compared to Boomers. However, less than half say their church gives them a vision for living out their faith at work (46% vs. 57% of Gen X and 53% of Boomers agree “strongly”). This could be a wake-up call for church leaders to equip the largest generation in the workforce with a deep vocational understanding.

Go here to read more and order Barna’s book. b04c9-home-buy-book

 

 

 

My Monday Night Prayer

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God, you are my life, my heart, my soul. You have done stupendous and amazing things to save me. Nothing was too hard. You raised the dead back to life and thereby destroyed death. You are the light of my soul, my hope, my song. Your love is so high it reaches the stars which join in chorus to sing of your glory. Your love is so deep, the ocean waves dance in gladness at the sound of your voice.

Jesus, you did so much for me ~ for us all. You came to earth to suffer with us, though you didn’t have to. We were rebelling against you, so you rolled up your sleeves and met us on our level. Only then would we let you lift us up with you. Thank you, Jesus, for such love. And it is summer. We had a gentle summer rain yesterday and the flowers smiled. Thank you.

Monday 10/29 ~ You need us. We need you.

On By Inspirations By KatherynIn eternity, HeavenLeave a comment

The scripture for today, October 29 (10/29), is John 10:29 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

00-1st Century Worship KINDLE-COVER-Thumbnail“My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand.”

No other person can take your salvation away from you. They may badger you, belittle you, torture you, kill you, but they cannot take your salvation away from you. The only one who can do that is you.

Jesus himself said, “All men will hate you because of me, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved” (Matthew 10:22).

The Apostle Peter said, “Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fall….Be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of lawless men and fall from your secure position” (II Peter 1:10; 3:17).

Hebrews 2:1 says, “We must pay more careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away.”

Determine now to read the scriptures for yourself (God speaking directly to you) and praying (you speaking directly to God) and meet with other Christians to give and receive encouragement and be better able to stand firm.

You cannot do it alone. You need us.  We need you.

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Teaching and loving Muslims

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Some people ask me if I am in danger by teaching over 6000 Muslims the Bible.  It is unlikely, living in the US.  However, there is always that possibility. In that case, do I dare tell my students to risk their lives to become a Christian if I am not willing to do the same? Each day, no matter where I live, I am one step closer to Home.

Sunday 10/28 ~ God gave each of us an assignment

On By Inspirations By KatherynIn death, Enemies, Inspirational, persecution, sacrifice, victoryLeave a comment

The scripture for today, October 28 (10/28), is Matthew 10:28f as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

00-Stephen-Cover-Kindle-Thumbnail“Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father.”

This scripture indicates that sometimes God’s allows you to “fall to the ground” ~ your body suffers, or you are killed. How can that be? After all, God is so loving. Surely a good God would not allow any harm to come to someone if he truly loves them.

But we all have our assignment from God in this war between Good and Evil. Just as Job in the Old Testament lost his entire family and entire wealth and then his health, he refused to blame God. He even said, “Shall we accept good from God and not trouble?” (Job 2:10).

Satan causes bad to happen to you. Why? In order to get you to blame God for it. Your assignment is to refuse to deny God. That way, Satan loses one more battle, and God wins one more.

There is an old Christian song called “Victory in Jesus.” How can you have victory in Jesus if you do not have something to be victorious over? Romans 8:37 says we are more than conquerors. How can you be a conqueror if you have nothing to conquer?

Stand strong and say with James (1:2) that you consider it pure joy whenever you face trials. Hard to say? Of course, it is. But it could turn your life around.

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#martyrdom, #Muslims, #Islam, #SecretChristians, #persecution, #JesusChrist

My prayer for Saturday

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I hear your voice calling me, Lord. I hear it in the wind, in the hooting of that owl, in the gentle rushing of the creek.  I hear your voice now in song.  My heart sings along with yours. My spirit feels your spirit, my soul touches your soul. Oh, that you have granted me the privilege of being your child. The very thought of it confounds my imagination. You, my Maker, are also my Father. You watch over me and care for me and protect me. Even if I were being beaten right now, I will feel your protection. There is nowhere I can go that I am beyond your watchful eye and the shadow of your wings. There is nowhere I can go that you cannot hear me, see me, and touch me. I adore you, Lord my God, and worship you.

You have done so much for me through my life so far, how can I begin to thank you for them all?  If I made a list, it would become a large and thick book. When I become afraid, you give me courage. When I stumble and do wrong, you lift me back up. When I cry, you wipe away my tears. When I laugh, you laugh with me. When I am sick, you make me well.  When I limp, you are my staff. You give me enough shelter to keep me out of the elements when I sleep. You give me enough clothing to keep me warm, enough food to keep me healthy, enough mercy to remind me to be merciful to others. Most of all, you ransomed me from Satan. And now, you are preparing a special place for me in heaven where I will spend eternity thanking you for being the God of Love.

Saturday 10/27 ~ God sent Jesus and he fixed the problem

On By Inspirations By KatherynIn Death of Jesus Christ, eternity, Life of Christ, Satan, sin, victoryLeave a comment

The scripture for today, October 27 (10/27), is Mark 10:27 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

0-Joseph-Cover-Thumbnail “Jesus looked at them and said, ‘With man, this is impossible, but not with God: All things are possible with God.’ “

Can we be perfect? God let mankind try for many centuries to be perfect.

To one group of people he gave over 600 laws and said, “If you keep these, you will be perfect.” But, as hard as the Jews tried, no one could keep the Law of Moses perfectly.

To the rest of the world, he basically said, “Try to figure out for yourselves how to be perfect.” So they tried all kinds of religions, but with all of them, they could not be perfect.

Finally, mankind was ready for Jesus. He came to earth and lived that perfect life that is impossible for us to live. He became the perfect Lamb of God, and became our sacrifice for our sins, for Romans 6:23 says “the wages of sin is death.” He collected the wage of death from Satan for us.

So now, according to Romans 6:3-4, just as Jesus died on the cross, we too can die to our sinful nature ~ the part of us that sins and doesn’t care. Then, just as Jesus was buried in his tomb, we too can be buried in a watery tomb of baptism. And finally, just as Jesus was raised up out of his tomb the Savior, we rise up out of our watery tomb the saved.

Then God considers us perfect too. God cannot associate with sinners in his heaven. He can only have perfect people in his heavenly home. Impossible for us to live there with him someday? Yes. But, God sent Jesus to fix that problem. With God, nothing is impossible.

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My prayer for Friday 10/26 ~

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I adore and admire you so much, Jehovah God. You are far above all that I am. Far above every possession or ability. Far above all thought or imagination. Yet, you know me by name. You make time for me. You love me. I praise you for being so good and so right. I am nothing compared to you Yet you take my nothingness and share your glory with me. You take my nothingness and make me the child of your heart. Oh, my Lord. I love and worship you.

Thank you for your love that sticks with me no matter when I do ~ good or bad words, good or bad decisions, good or bad actions. Your love never ceases. It is overwhelming. I do not deserve it. I am so unworthy, for I cannot be sinless and you are so perfect. How can I thank you? My whole life, I will thank you.

Friday 10/26 ~ God left some of his creation for us to finish

On By Inspirations By KatherynIn blessings, Inspirational, ThanksgivingLeave a comment

The scripture for today, October 26 (10/26), is 1st Corinthians 10:26 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

000-COVER-KINDLE-Thumbnail“For ‘The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it.’ “

This is a thanksgiving scripture.

The beautiful part of God’s creation is that he left a lot of it undone for us to finish. After all, we are created in his likeness.

He left the stones and clay in the ground so that we could dig it up and build cities. He left the wool on the sheep so we could shear it and make warm garments. He left the trees growing tall so we could hew them and build barns and houses. He left the gravel in the ground so we could harvest it and build roads.

He left the ore in the ground so we could mine it and make skyscrapers, airplanes, ships, trains, automobiles. He left the water in the lakes and seas so we could capture it and create power and transportation ways. He left the beautiful stones unseen so we could dig them up, shape them, polish them, and make beautiful decorations.

Yes, we were created in the likeness of our Creator. He loved to create. So do we. So, whenever we make something good from his creation, we honor him.

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#Love #God

Thursday 10/25 ~ Bored in heaven

On By Inspirations By KatherynIn #friendships, church, Death of Jesus Christ, ego, good works, Heaven, sacrifice, Saved from hell, worshipLeave a comment

The scripture for today, October 25 (10/25), is Hebrews 10:25 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

06-PROMISE KEEPER-ChildsCartoonThumbnail“Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another ~ and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”

Do you declare, “I can walk through nature ~ the temple of God ~ and feel God is closer there than in a church building”? Well, do you really do it? How often? The purpose of the church meeting is not so much to encourage yourself as to encourage your fellow Christian and visitors along with worshiping God.

Look at the context. Verse 23 says “Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess” and verse 24 says, “Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.” How do you do these things? A lot of it is done during your congregation’s worship and encouragement service.

And what comes after our verse for today? Verse 26 says, “If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left.” Meeting together with other congregational members is one of the major experiences that keeps you and your friends from falling and missing heaven. Or does worshipping all the time in heaven sound boring too?

Should you meet once a week? This scripture says to meet “all the more as you see the Day [of Judgment] approaching.’ Do you say, “But that’s too inconvenient”?

It was inconvenient for Jesus to leave a perfect heaven for an imperfect earth. It was inconvenient for him to leave the company of angels for the company of sinners. It was inconvenient for him to do this for 33 long years. Inconvenient to take the blame for your sins, and then take your punishment. Inconvenient to experience agonizing spiritual death when God left him alone on the cross in your place, and then that agonizing physical death in your place.

Do you really know inconvenience? Do you love Jesus or not? Do you love your fellow Christian or not?

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