Os Hillman Intro Message On The New TGIF Vol 2

In 1994 my life changed dramatically as a result of a series of personal and business crises that would last seven years. God’s faithfulness was proved over and over during that season. And, God totally restored all that I lost during that time of adversity.

A verse in Jeremiah 9 says it best:

This is what the LORD says: "Let not the wise man boast of his wisdom or the strong man boast of his strength or the rich man boast of his riches, but let him who boasts boast about this: that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight," declares the LORD (Jer 9:23-24).

Friend, can you see that God’s desire is to have a personal relationship with you? And that His nature is kindness, justice and righteousness? Another important verse that God used during this time came from Isaiah 45:3:

"I will give you the treasures of darkness, riches stored in secret places, so that you may know that I am the LORD, the God of Israel, who summons you by name.”

In this verse we learn that God often takes His saints into dark places in order to reveal secret things to us. It is this very process that is required for God to reveal things that can only be revealed in the hidden places of adversity. And, I learned that God plans to use those adversities in our lives and the lives of others.

This is because you and I were not placed here for just us or God, but also for others who need encouragement in their own journey. TGIF Today God Is First is the result of God revealing treasures out of darkness, revealed in the secret places of His presence.

Men and women in the workplace often write me from across the world and say the same thing consistently—"You read my mail today. You said what I needed in my life right when I needed it most.” I later realized that the challenges I faced in my work life call were being experienced by many others throughout the world. Whether they are an executive, a mother of five, a teacher, a nurse, or Christian vocational minister—the issues people face are often the same. Men and women need to be validated as full fledged ministers of the gospel of Jesus Christ—even in their secular workplaces.

You see, God does not want us to have the attitude that is reflected in the more common use of the acronym TGIF—Thank God It’s Friday. Rather, He desires for us to look forward with anticipation every Monday through Friday so that His presence can be experienced in our daily working lives. This is the place of calling for all of us who work. We should look expectantly to each day with the goal of making God first in our personal lives and in our work lives as in "Today God Is First”.

This new collection of 365 daily inspirational messages will encourage you no matter where you are in your walk with God. For those of you who are reading these for the first time, I pray they will help you take the presence of Christ into the place where you spend 60-70% of your daily life—the workplace. For those who are reading this as their second collection of TGIF, I pray you will be encouraged just as you were in the first TGIF.

An important truth is becoming evident to God’s people.  As Martin Luther brought the word of God back to the people—today, God is bringing the work of God back to His people. When we come to know Christ intimately and understand that God has ordained each of us for a specific purpose, we learn that God desires us to live out our purpose, (His purpose) through our calling in our spheres of influence and in our work.  Through living out our calling where you spend most of your time Monday through Friday, you will begin to transform your family, workplace, community, city and nation.  May you begin each day and declare "Today God Is First!” 

God bless you.

For Christ in the workplace.

Os Hillman