Michael K. Farrar, O.D. The spiritual gift of leadership is one of the gifts of Romans 12. When bad things happen, can God use them to accomplish good? I am talking today of working hard for the Lord! Apply the Gift of Righteousness Paul tells us to be diligent. [Proverbs 16:26; 19:14; 21:5; 26:15], 11. A pennyworth of some familiar root will cure an illness that nothing else will touch. As you may be aware, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) comes into full effect on 25th May 2018. Have you ever felt like complaining against the LORD? The hand of the diligent shall bear rule: but the slothful shall be under tribute (Proverbs 12:24). 3. we need to be wholly dependent on Him. The moments granted to any of us are too few and precious to let slip unused. very lovely Sign up for our newsletter: This message continues our consideration of unhypocritical love as described in Romans 12. Help Grace to You bring important resources like this to people in your community and beyond, free of charge. It is the way of destruction, poverty, starvation and desperation. Ephesians 6:1-9, Denomination: First Baptist Church Harrisonville Missouri pastor, Josh Ancello's sermon on 2 Thessalonians 3 Hard Work & Diligence. Dont just sit there, dont just roll over, dont be a couch potato. I was talking to a man who was a contractor and years ago a father of his friend took him aside and warned him about going out and buying the new truck and all the new equipment just so he could look "successful and established". Why not fifteen, thirty, forty-five, an hour, a day, a week, a month, a year, a lifetime? A man who is empty-handed, but diligent, possesses more than a lazy man with both hands full. 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12, Denomination: B. Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy. If your wife is regularly wondering how the bills are going to be paid, and youre not taking initiative to lead, confess your failure in leadership and take control of your family finances. He just lets it sit there and rot. Through God's grace we have been given His virtues, gifts which we must . Ministry and spiritual discipline is often hard work. Are you there? These simple commands elevate ones work to the status of moral obligation to our fellow man and the Lord. Please see our News & Announcements for Recent Changes to our Meeting Times, Mark Dunagan The only road that goes to the top is the hard road. The easy way is the way of procrastination. If there is a setback, or something in any given project does not cooperate with you, understand that you are learning important skills, trouble-shooting is probably one of the most important things a Christian can learnbecause much is life is all about trouble-shooting the problems caused by sincoming up with solutions and preventing future trouble. The focus of this message is the command to serve the Lord with diligence. Like brute beasts that understand nothing more than pain and satisfaction, such people work only because they must work to survive. [Proverbs 10:26; 19:15], 15. Audio Sermon: http://www.godsbreathpublications.com/living-diligent-faith/ We can be complacent or strive toward quality work, for excellence. Doing so, and diligently doing it, 'he shall be found in peace.'. Although seductive pitfalls abound, which lure us into a denial of the consequences of laziness, the wise will grow in the knowledge of Gods Word, overcome, and diligently lead a life of commitment. Guest. On the front, Jesus prayed for fruit, in the middle, He bore fruit afterwards he thanked God for fruit so work as if you were to live a hundred years, pray as if you were to die tomorrow. You can go the easy way or the hard way. I can do nothing more -- nor is it necessary that I should -- than put before your mind, in a sentence or two, the various applications of it which our letter gives. Proverbs 6:6-8, Proverbs 6:9-11. You shall not consent to him or listen to him, Bondservants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh, not with eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but in sincerity of heart, fearing God. Schedule it. Still further, one of the other writers of the New Testament gives us another field in which this virtue may expatiate, when the author of the Epistle to the Hebrews exhorts to diligence, in order to attain 'the full assurance of hope.' Hard work is also not entertaining distraction. Yes, some have more than others, and no, my experiences do not enable me to exactly or completely sympathize with your own. We need to be hard workers. Note the wide field of action for this homely grace. Look for them. 4. There must be fervour if there is to be growth. You will rise until you serve before kings. Or you dont like what God has brought into your life: lots of disappointment, lots of frustration. It is the way of getting up early and staying up late. They too are a gift from God, but they are meant to be a reward for hard work and preparation for more hard work. If we will put it forth, then the gifts that God has given, and which are not really ours unless we put it forth, will pass into the very substance of our being, and unfold themselves according to the life that is in them; even the life that is in Jesus Christ Himself, in all forms of beauty and sweetness and power and blessedness. And the hard road looks hard but once you do the hard thing in life, it turns out to be the easy thing. b. The key in working out is consistency. 2 Honor your father and motherwhich is the first commandment with a promise 3 so that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.[a] Hard Work and Providence (For example, we may be diligent in service to needy saints but fail to stand for Gods truth and resist spiritual compromise , Such diligence will be in vain if we give up and quit before we finish. Be the best prisoner you can be! Calamity struck, I-75 was being built, and would bypass the town of Corbin, KY, meaning nobody would stop at the motel or eat at his restaurant. The hard road looks difficult and daunting. Lifelong Diligence - A Godly Work Ethic. Go out to the cemetery. The number one recipe in the restaurant at the motel was the best fried chicken in all the state of Kentucky, made from 11 herbs and spices. Romans 12:8c: He who leads, with diligence. Whether at home, at work, or in ministry, admit to God that you havent been working as hard as you should (He knows already)HeH, and ask Him to cleanse you from sin. Hence we gather that no Christian growth is possible unless a man gives his mind to it. Please be aware that these items are sent out from our office in the UK. our society who think This means to take pains, to strive for something. Theyre known to dig their curved claws into a tree branch and hang without effort for hours-on-end; they are as unmotivated as they look! Diligence is the key to avoiding such destructive thoughts, choices, and habits. Through His Son, Jesus Christ, God graciously provides believers with the strength needed to be diligent: Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord, according as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue (II Peter 1:23). It is the dedicated fervency God calls us to invest in each task that we perform. Pastor Felix teaches on diligence. I am impressed and amazed with how much Gods Word has to say about it. 2 Thessalonians 3:6-13, 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12, Denomination: You may bear different fruit than you thought you would or even hoped for. For myself personally, I have found that the middle of any project can rather be the difficult part, especially if I look up and around with the dreaded realization, I am not even half done yet. Ecclesiastes 11:1-8, Denomination: Thats where we are. Secondly, his work is not for himself, but for others, and that faith and hope that others will benefit drives him on. 'On this very account' -- because He has given so much -- we are to lay 'all diligence' by the side of His gifts, which are useless to the sluggard. It is the way of no plans, no forethought, no enthusiasm, no diligence. Sloths are mammals who move only when necessary and even then very slowly. Thats a picture of the man who goes out hunting and he captures his prey, but because he is lazy, he doesnt even bother to roast it. He took me home with him for a festive meal, but his eyes feasted on me!" (Song 2:3-4 The Message)I recently had the opportunity to read through a personal testimony that I . GDPR is the new European privacy regulation, which will replace the Data Protection Act 1998 in the UK and the equivalent legislation across the EU Member States. The more I study various virtues I am impressed that they are all interrelated. The Season of Easter Series: When Jesus Shows Up During the Season of Easter we .read more Scripture: Acts 9:1-22 Ask the Spirit to make you a hard worker for God.b. These qualities are all related in one way or another to diligence and are qualities that, without exception, by every culture around the world throughout time. Hard work yesterday has to be followed up with hard work today to guarantee tomorrows prosperity. Cheat if you have to. But if you want to be sure that you are one of the called and chosen, work and you will get the assurance.' Christian/Church Of Christ. Sermon illustrations on Diligence. Consider its ways and be wise. During the Season of Easter we However, difficulties do not excuse the need or erase the consequences. "Work is like an armour that protects a person against afflictions, and diligence is like a sword that wards off misfortune." Another scholar said: "Nothing is better than having a reason that is adorned with forbearance, a deed that is adorned with knowledge, and forbearance that is adorned with truthfulness!" Some scholars have said: 1. It is a sign of increasing godliness. Break down the project into smaller, more manageable portions. We must choose to obey God rather than people. Pull some strings. Far more important, diligence is a quality valued by our Creator Himself, and is one that can, when combined with the other virtues, prepare us to for eternity. It is a call not to waste your life but to get up and get out and do something with the opportunities that God has placed before you. Trevor Musia. [Proverbs 1:8; 2:1-2; 3:1-2; 4:1-2, 10-11, 20; 5:1-2; 6:20; 7:1-3; 8:32-36; 22:17-21; 23:15-25], 20. God turns our weakness into incredible strength. You may have missed the start of this series called Like a Girl! I reminded you that most of us of have heard or used the phrase like a girl as an insult. The centre of Gods purpose for us. Here is the application. This type of love is so obvious, so basic that to be void of such love is comparable to complete unbelief and apostasy: Frequently, while the diligent are working late into the night or rising early in the morning, they will ask themselves, Why am I doing this? Others may taunt them, Why are you working, For people to persist in pursuing a difficult goal and work is difficult (, Faith is essential to our hope, because we hope for what we cannot see (, Noah demonstrated his great faith by his diligent obedience in building an ark for a flood he had never seen (, Therefore, we must understand and believe that God requires our diligent labor. The thoughts of the diligent tend only to plenteousness (Proverbs 21:5). It is difficult to prosper by the keeping of promises, the deliverance of value and goods and services and deeds and denouncing the so-called shrewdness with sound merit and good ethics. THEME: CONSISTENCY IS THE KEY FOR GROWTH Give careful attention to your herds. When will you get up from your sleep? This week. If we desire that upon our Christian lives there shall shine the perpetual sunshine of an unclouded confidence that we have the love and the favour of God, and that for us there is no condemnation, but only 'acceptance in the beloved,' the short road to it is the well-known and trite path of toil in the Christian life. If you do, God will punish you, sooner or later. The completed registration allows us to send order and donation receipts to the email address you provided. "The sluggard craves and gets nothing, but the desires of the diligent are fully satisfied." Proverbs 13:4 "All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty." Proverbs 14:23 Notice the use of soul to describe the diligent man. Part of the reason and joy of work is the ability to help others. Ask God to grant His blessing and favor in your work (cf. A wise servant will rule over a disgraceful son and will share the inheritance as one of the brothers. Proverbs 17:2. read more, Scripture: Lord Jesus, Thank You for Your faithfulness. Copyright 2003-2023 | Outreach, Inc., All rights reserved. Unless otherwise noted, all quotations are from the New King James Version, copyright 1994 God is a worker God is a worker. For some reason we seem to think that since God is the all-powerful, all-knowing, ever-present Creator of the universe and anything else in existence that he should do everything on a grand scale. If we are to be 'found in peace,' we must be 'found spotless,' and if we are to be 'found spotless' we must be 'diligent.' The confirmation of the 'call,' of the 'election,' both in fact and in my consciousness depends upon my action. Receive the gift of righteousness It is employed, for instance, to describe the eager swiftness with which the Virgin went to Elizabeth after the angel's salutation and annunciation. It is the homely virtue that leads to all success. These things have their limited place in the life of the mature, hard working adult; however, they are quickly outgrown, and they must often be sacrificed even completely when the need arises. These hardships must be overcome, or the lazy man, and those who depend upon him, will suffer mightily. Security promotes productivity We also need to work hard spiritually. (Great for Labor Day), Scripture: 'Now is the accepted time.' All day long he craves for more, but the righteous give without sparing.Proverbs 21:25, The sluggard says, Theres a lion outside or Ill be murdered in the streets Proverbs 22:13. Use your power, your intelligence, your vision, your gifts and all that God gave you, to do something. It seems to me very like Peter that there should be so much in this letter about the very commonplace and familiar excellence of diligence. For riches do not endure forever and the crown is not secure for all generations. Proverbs 27:23. Emulate Ruth's godly characteristics. II Peter was written from prison during a time of intense persecution and a time of false teachings which condoned a virulent sexual permissiveness and moral relativity. We live in a madcap world that work the whole night and sleep the whole day with no time for Accordingly, we have updated our Privacy Policy and Terms and Conditions in order to comply with GDPR. Pro 6:8 but they store up their food during the summer, getting ready for winter. read more, Scripture: Happiness in labor comes less from the work that comes to you, but it comes more from the attitude you bring to your work! Paul challenges Timothy to focus like a soldier, train like an athlete, and work like a farmer. It can be worse than you think, and it can get worse than that! [Proverbs 11:29; 15:22, 32; 18:15, 22; 19:20; 21:16], 10. "Every Pharaoh that is pursuing It may, however, be misguided. The Office gives us a glimpse into the cubicles and . read more, Scripture: read more, Scripture: He was now 66 years old, the time when most men retire. (GNB), Scripture: The lazy man always puts off for tomorrow. A wise man is strong, Yes, a man of knowledge increases strength; For by wise counsel you will wage your own war, and in a multitude of counselors there is safety., I Peter 2:18-20; Ephesians 6:5-8; Colossians 3:23-25, The soul of a lazy man desires, and has nothing; but the soul of the diligent shall be made rich., For wisdom is a defense as money is a defense, but the excellence of knowledge is that wisdom gives life to those who have it., piercing yourself through with many a sorrow, The hand of the diligent will rule, but the lazy man will be put to forced labor., Woe to you, O land, when your king is a child, and your princes feast in the morning! No man or woman, old or young, white or black can make it, succeed or prevail in whatsoever by diligence, strength or hard work alone (1Sam 2:7-9). Find stories, quotes, humor, and statistics to bring your sermon on Diligence to life. However, not only is our reputation evidenced by our diligence in labor, so is our Gods reputation! The Lord will do special things through this message. Noah would have been reduced to using much simpler technology (no power tools maybe no metal tools). Create your own incentives. You must be focused in life. In Scripture diligence is highly commended. whatever your image of God Go bigger. Samuel Johnson was spot on when he observed. 0 . Go to the ant, you sluggard! 11775 SW Fifth Street The plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance! Introduction It is funny how we think God should work. [Proverbs 20:13; 24:30-34; 26:14; 31:15], 4. Let the records show I am in favor of vacations. For myself personally, I have found that the middle of any project can rather be the difficult part, especially if I look up and around with the dreaded realization, I am not even half done yet. read more, Scripture: May 5, 2013 June 5, 2005 Dont sit on the sidelines. Acts 9:1-22. Diligence in Hinduism "Who so performeth - diligent, content - the work allotted him, whatever it be, lays hold of perfectness!"-The Bhagavad Gita 18:45. The Book of Proverbs records many warnings against slothfulness, and throughout Scripture we find instructions to live with diligence. A fruitful faith, a sure calling, a cloudless hope, a peaceful welcome at last! We have been looking at the spiritual gifts of the Body of Christ in Romans 12: prophecy (speaking Gods Word to others), God gave you two hands. Noah may have worked up to 120 years constructing the ark! In 2 Peter chapter one, before Peter even mentions the first of the virtues to add to our lives, he mentions, One single year of faith has virtually no value: 2 Peter 1:5, One day of being morally courageous has no impact in the long run: 2 Peter 1:5, Being a good Bible study for a few weeks isnt going to give us much wisdom: 2 Peter 1:6. So she came, and she has continued from early morning until now, except for a short rest. Young people may feel like they have given their. You're Preaching, But Do You Know Who's Listening? Realizing that giving up will only lead to regret and frustration. Please contact our webmaster for questions or comments concerning this Web site. Treat your work (house cleaning, school work, or whatever it is) as though you will reap a harvest from your labors. Live the Gift of Righteousness Why, because he was not worth it? 'Wherefore, giving all haste, add to your faith.'. Day 5 of 40 days of fasting! Try to stand up right when the alarm clock goes off. If obedience to parents or an employer, or a government, is contradictory to obedience to God, we have to make a choice. Suppose someone were to show up at your workplace tomorrow, shove a microphone in your face, and ask, "How do you think your work affects One of the most talked-about shows on television today is called, The Office. It's the most dreaded question of the job interview, and when the time comes, you can't seem to push the words out of your mouth. Be sure you know the condition of your flocks. Ye shall diligently keep the commandments of the Lord your God, and his testimonies, and his statutes, which he hath commanded thee (Deuteronomy 6:17). Hard work is a Christian virtue. Every morning I try to get up at 6:00am to go to the gym to work out. Being tired is no excuse for bypassing the opportunity to work, and no one appreciates the murmuring, because such complaining belittles the toil that others produce. The phrase implies that diligence is our contribution. 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