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 .
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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. Allowed HTML tags:
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- . But the less we hurry the more should we hasten in running the race set before us. Enter your email address and we will send you instructions on how to reset your password. SERMON OUTLINE:
What a beautiful ideal of Christian life results from putting together all these items. Then, again, the Apostle gives an even more remarkable view of the possible field for this all-powerful diligence when he bids his readers exercise it in order to 'make their calling and election sure.'
Do not be deceived!
When thou sittest to eat with a ruler, consider diligently what is before thee: and put a knife to thy throat, if thou be a man given to appetite. Therefore, we must be careful in choosing where and how to spend our precious time and energies. . the account of Joseph in Genesis 39). He will not serve before obscure men.Proverbs 22:29. Cascades Fellowship CRC, JX MI
After that, build your house. Proverbs 24:27. We should have a thankful and helpful disposition for our labor and during it, described as goodwill in the above passage (see also. INTRODUCTION: CHRISTIANS LIVING UNDER CORRUPT ROMAN RULE -
TEXT: 1 CORINTHIANS 15:58
A Sensible Plan
It is good to move with speed, but diligence is something more than mere movement or even quick movement. There are those in
What does the Bible say? Title: Drama and Diligence
Show how the Proverbs on diligence and laziness are important by reading them to your family and then applying the biblical principles. The day of full salvation, repose, and blessedness is near dawning. Discuss with your family how you can hold one another accountable to be diligent workers for God and men. God, Prayer and hard work
Diligence is engaging the mind for productivity (Proverbs 21:5) 3. These are mysteries above us. That is the easy way. Charismatic, Thesis: The writers of this ancient wisdom literature inspired by God try to convey the message to us of Dont be lazy be diligent! In other words Make a commitment to work hard at being all God wants you to be!, Series: Practical Proverbs
God tells us that anxious care and bitter sighing wont help. After over two years of being overlooked, toiling unduly, and suffering unjustly, he was promoted to second in the kingdom (, Even if you must labor in the prison (i.e., a lowly, boring job), work with diligence, zeal, and faithfulness, so that you exemplify the integrity of Christians. Joshua chapter 10:6-15
Bondservants, be obedient to those who are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling. [Proverbs 16:32b; 25:28], 3. I already know what it is in my life. read more, Scripture:
It is the way of saying it doesnt matter whether I work today or not, it doesnt matter what time I show up at work, it doesnt matter if I check out of here a few minutes early. We serve a big God. So he sold his restaurant and the motel and went into the chicken spice business. If she has not proven her interest and determination through hard work in serving her parents in the past, her training at present, or her preparations for the future, then she will not work hard for you or your children! II. He decided that at the age of retirement he was going to go the hard way and every one of those restaurants is a testimony to the fact that when you take the easy way, it turns out hard but when you take the hard way of hard work and diligence, it always ultimately turns out to be the only easy way there it. He wants somebody to spoonfeed him. Giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; and to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; and to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity (II Peter 1:57). In the process, Peter shares in this chapter 7 attributes we grow in as we become more spiritually mature. It is the pleasurable and luxurious way. We are also called to honor and obey our heavenly Father-this is the highest obedience. Be not desirous of his dainties: for they are deceitful meat (Proverbs 23:13). It may not be in the very ways you had expected. Of one fellow-worker, Paul said, "And we . Pentecostal, We must be diligent in taking initiative in our service to God. [Proverbs 22:29; 21:20; 24:27], 5. If your girlfriend or fianc is slow to help her parents, ambivalent towards her schooling, sluggish in her work, always complaining, or slothful in spiritual labors, DO NOT marry that woman, because she is no woman. read more, Scripture:
In fact, it acts as a shield or defense in this life, averting, or at least easing, many of the trials and difficulties that this life brings. Understand something. I am going to tell you one of my favorite stories this morning because it illustrates perfectly how many of us think about the relationship between what we do and what God does. Do the right thing at the right time, avoid distraction. We went down to Mississippi and saw my brother, then went to Memphis, to Graceland (thats another story), to Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, the biggest tourist trap east of the Mississippi River, and were meandering our way back up toward Chicago. 2023 Grace to You.
And the very reason for exercising it is the completeness of God's gift. Rock Solid Finances: Part 2 Work Diligently
Web page addresses and e-mail addresses turn into links automatically. Christian/Church Of Christ. When we understand God's design and heart for our work lives, it becomes something we no longer push through but thrive from. Of one fellow-worker, Paul said, And we have sent with them our brother, whom we have often tested and found diligent in many things (2 Corinthians 8:22). The true difficulties of this life are more often rooted in our desire to overcome, or lack thereof. [Proverbs 20:4; 27:18, 23-27], 12. It is just a game to him. Ecclesiastes 11:1-8
However, Like a Girl
Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life (Proverbs 4:23). In all of life, every day you face a choice of going one of two ways. . For you yourselves know how you ought to follow us, for we were not disorderly among you; Acts 18:1-4; I Corinthians 9:12-18; II Corinthians 11:7-12. It will take you less than three seconds to answer that question. For the glory of God, take up the call to be diligent, remembering Gods provision for you. Speak up. Our application has focused primarily on physical labor. That is to say, when you watch out for your own affairs, and then when you take care of the business that you are employed in, you will be honored. For example, consider your choice of major in school, or sought position in employment: Many people advocate a job that makes you happy. Lazy people genuinely feel tired! Remember how it turned out last time you endured. In the book of Nehemiah Gods people experienced the same drop in motivation when they were working on rebuilding the wall around Jerusalem. 10 Must-Have Tips For Giving A Public Invitation, I'd Rather Preach To Angels Than A Megachurch Crowd, Five Preaching Applications From The Movie Gravity. I want to say just a couple of things as we get ready to walk into his A woman of keen mind and understanding heart
Young Women: DO NOT under any circumstances whatever you do, DO NOT marry a lazy man! Self-Denial and Thrift Do Not Enslave Yourself to Debt, Bond Servitude.
Rather, find satisfaction in simply doing good work for God and men. Always be faithful on your duty post until the job is done. It is like some of the old wives' recipes for curing diseases with some familiar herb that grows at every cottage door. It has no commander, no overseer or ruler, yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest. HARD WORK: Spiritual Growth is Not an Accident July 5, 2009
I. Remember, servants and slaves had little to no hope of promotion, and they always performed the jobs that nobody wanted to do, yet they were expected to work diligently and, Remember Joseph: He was unfairly sent to jail, but because of his integrity, honesty, dependability, work ethic - and because the Lord blessed him, he was remarkably promoted to chief of the prison. When you are asked to serve in some way, dont attempt to take the path of least resistance (because of laziness). Understand that frequently you are not going to receive encouragement or applause for getting started.
Think about what you are learning and what other doors the task at hand maybe preparing you to open. About | . I. Often people feel hindered at the start of something, and they dont know where to begin. If we become the people God wants us to be, then He will direct us in the path He wants us to take.
If you go to Corbin, KY and if you visit that museum at the restaurant, there is a sign that I took pictures of. read more, Scripture:
1 Corinthians 3:6-9, Denomination:
Hard work! 2 Timothy 2:14-21, Denomination:
Of one fellow-worker, Paul said, And we have sent with them our brother, whom we have often tested and found, The more I study various virtues I am impressed that they are all interrelated. It is a very lowly virtue. That is a warning to those of us who make our living speaking.
Furthermore, since we are serving God, our passion for work should flow from our heart and passion for God. First, note that in our text, 'giving all diligence, add to your faith.' Dawdlers will do nothing. Love what you do as a vocation, regardless of what it is. Noah still would have worked a day job to provide for himself and his family (, Three sons were born to Noah, approximately 100 years before the flood began (, Noahs father died 5 years before the flood (. Here is what has helped me push through: Mark Dunagan/Beaverton Church of Christ/503-644-9017, Home | About Us | Sermons | Videos | Resources | Members | Contact Us Our salvation is based on grace, not works,
On Fire for Jesus.
2 Peter chapter 1 instructs us to live a diligent faith, one which continues to grow from the time we accept Christ as our personal Savior and Lord. Our American cultures strong sense of work ethic can be traced to our countrys religious roots (Tocqueville, Franklin, Adam Smith, Max Weber), which was previously supported by education and the arts. Observe the Miserable, Wretched, Cowardly, Pitiful Plight of the Sluggard. Joshua 10:6-15, Judges 11:1, Judges 11:1, Denomination:
Introduction-
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In this case, laziness detaches us from the world and the consequences of our unmet obligations. Young Men: DO NOT under any circumstances whatever you do, DO NOT marry a lazy woman! Be like the ant! We must gather ourselves together under the impulse of an all-pervading and noble earnestness, too deep to be demonstrative, and which does not waste itself in noise, but settles down steadily to work. Now as to the homely virtue itself, 'giving all diligence.'. Diligence is the opposite of slothfulness. We live in a madcap world that work the whole night and sleep the whole day with no time for self or family. 1. Stay awake and you will have food to spare. Proverbs 20:13, The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty. Proverbs 21:5, He who loves pleasure will become poor. The Old Testament says, 'Seest thou a man diligent in his business, he shall stand before kings.' Blessed are you, O land, when your king is the son of nobles, and. Diligence is a virtue but when God is taken out of the picture, it becomes a liability characterized by vanity, sorrow, hard labour, restlessness, failure and poverty (Ps 127:1-2). If we desire that our path should be brightened by the clear vision of our blessed future beyond the grave, and above the stars, and within the bosom of God, the road to that happy assurance and sunny, cloudless confidence in a future of rest and fellowship with God lies simply here -- work!
Diligence is hard work (Proverbs 12:24) 2. That is to say, unless you work with haste, with earnestness, and therefore with much putting forth of strength, your faith will not evolve the graces of character which is in it to bring forth. Now it strikes me that we may gain some instruction if we throw together the various objects to which in Scripture, and especially in this letter, we are exhorted to direct this virtue of diligence, and mark how comprehensive its range, and how, for all beauty of character and progress in the Divine life, it is regarded as an indispensable condition. [Proverbs 3:27-28; 12:26; 21:25-26; 24:21-22; 25:21-22], 13. The only thing certain is that failure to try will always fail! Sacrifice and hard work are part and parcel of the Christian life. IV. Genesis 24:1-23, Pro 6:6 Lazy people should learn a lesson from the way ants live. Out of that little business, at the age of 66, came the idea to start a restaurant where people would come in and buy nothing but fried chicken which used his 11 herbs and spices, and he decided to call it Kentucky Fried Chicken. Since the UK is now no longer a member of the EU, you may be charged an import tax on this item by the customs authorities in your country of residence, which is beyond our control. Dedicate
Wisdom advises where and how to invest ones work energies.
You will have time later. [Proverbs 3:9-10; 10:2; 11:18; 15:27; 16:8; 20:14; 28:8, 20], 7. If you fail to persuade someone of their laziness, then recognize the signs, back away carefully, and move on (, Some of the lazy mans excuses may be legitimate, in that they represent true or probable difficulties. This vanishing cultural work ethic emphasizes: Although work ethic and some of these words are foreign to our English translations of the Bible, most of the underlying concepts and virtues are taught by Scripture, which is our text and standard for Christians. Hes not even taking care of the things he has, whereas a diligent man prizes everything that he has because he had to work to earn it. But being self-motivated can be liberating. A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest, and poverty will come on you like a bandit and scarcity like an armed man. Proverbs 6:6, Lazy hands make a man poor, but diligent hands bring wealth. Sadly, such analogies often insult the beast (. This epistle was used to bolster those individuals with flagging faith. read more, Scripture:
He is still an immature boy! Five characteristics of Difference Makers in this world. No man becomes a vigorous Christian by any other course than 'giving all diligence.' Proverbs 6:9-11, Denomination:
Working hard and staying on task is a matter of self-control. In Scripture diligence is highly commended. As the calendar records the years, it becomes increasingly evident that the easy way rests upon a hazardous foundation of shifting sands, whereas the hard way builds solidly a foundation of confidence that cannot be swept away. Conscientious hard work and perseverance, particularly with regard to a relationship with God. In the book of Nehemiah Gods people experienced the same drop in motivation when they were working on rebuilding the wall around Jerusalem, Thus in Judah it was said, The strength of the burden bearers is failing, yet there is much rubbish; and we ourselves are unable to rebuild the wall (Nehemiah 4:10). It says, Take a short cut. These words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up (Deuteronomy 6:67). [Proverbs 6:6-11; 24:30-34]. Acts 6:5-7, Denomination:
The Old Testament says, 'The hand of the diligent maketh rich'; the New Testament promises unchangeable riches to the same hand. The cross is
This is the man who makes silly excuses for not going to work.
Man is to seek God and His wisdom diligently: We are to study the Scriptures with great diligence: 2 Timothy 2:15, Elders are to rule diligently: 1 Timothy 5:12, We are to diligently strive for heaven: Hebrews 4:11; 6:11. Outline: 1. Hard work yesterday does not guarantee tomorrows success. All of us would rather be on the easy road. Preached by Jimmy Seibert
We learned that wisdom is God given not manmade but foolishness is manmade not God given. Diligence is the virtue of hard work, and is indicative of a belief that work in itself is good. Please contact the publisher to obtain copies of this resource. However, all work. There is no substitute for the goodness a godly mother brings. The greatest success and wealth pertains to riches not of this life. Life would not always be hunky-dory, we got to roll up our sleeves and be ready to dirty our fingers! read more, Scripture:
If you must be driven to work, then something is seriously wrong. The hard road which appears to be so difficult is ultimately the road of prosperity, the road of wealth and blessing, the road of fulfillment, happiness, and personal satisfaction. Accept the fact that while work is supposed to be work, yet inside this work resides numerous opportunities of which I would not otherwise be able to utilize.
Peter's first letter shows that he believed that Christians were 'chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father.' After I preach this sermon, the hearer should be able to
Luke 12:35-48. If you want to be a strong Christian -- that is to say, a happy man -- you must bend your back to the work and 'give all diligence.' How
'All their yesterdays have lighted' such idlers 'to dusty death,' because in each they were saying, 'to-morrow we will begin the better course,' instead of beginning it to-day. Consider how your employer would evaluate you if his assessment was based on your work ethic in ministry. He just sleeps his life away. It is the soft and cuddly way. . But God promises our labor to not be vain in the Lord. read more, Scripture:
Register. The phrase implies that diligence is our contribution. They become discouraged, when they do not feel like they are being used to their full potential. We came through Knoxville and got on I-75 heading toward Lexington and Cincinnati. Please respond to confirm your registration. It is so easy to just stay in bed, sleep a little longer, watch a few more minutes of TV, facebook just 5 more minutes, play one more level of a video game, etc. God gave you two feet.
It may, however, be misguided. Galatians 1:4-6:14. One of the most talked-about shows on television today is called, The Office. Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled (Hebrews 12:15). Quackery always deals in mysteries and rare things. I. There was a sign up that said, Visit the original Kentucky Fried Chicken. We went there and found out that it was a regular KFC, but besides being a restaurant, it was also a museum. Rise up early and work until late. 'To-morrow and to-morrow' is the opiate with which sluggards and cowards set conscience asleep, and as each to-morrow becomes to-day it proves as empty of effort as its predecessors, and, when it has become yesterday, it adds one more to the solemn company of wasted opportunities which wait for a man at the bar of God. In more modern times, Ernest Hemingway warned, Never mistake motion for action. Sermon 1 & 2: Wise vs foolish
2 Timothy 2:1-10, THE CENTRALITY OF THE CROSS
Perseverance is the hard work you do after you get tired of ding the hard work you already did (Newt Gingrich). The engine that is giving off its steam in white puffs is not working at its full power. Lets pray together.
Whether one works and how one works are matters of right and wrong before God! LIVING DILIGENT FAITH - 2 PETER 1:1-11
Joshua was given a task that was God sized and with God's help He was able to do extra-ordinary things. Therefore, we must prepare early, so we will have time to handle unforeseen events. How does our work ethic compare to that of Jesus? Proverbs 6:6-11. [Proverbs 18:9], 16. Do it. And whatever. Thus, the first notion in the word is haste, which crowds every moment with continuous effort, and lets no hindrances entangle the feet of the runner. Without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him (Hebrews 11:6). Rivers upon rivers collected will make a sea. 5And the saying pleased the whole multitude: and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and
Here are some practical steps you can take: [Proverbs 12:24, 27; 31:27]. Like drunkenness, laziness destroys the very thing required to curb it. Let us then look, first, at the homely excellence that is the master-key to all Christian maturity and grace, and then at the various fields in which we are to apply it. Many people move but are not diligent. 09/18/11 I am talking today of working hard for the Lord! Work together (19-20a)
However, the answer is not always to play life completely safe. [Proverbs 21:2], 17. I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me (Philippians 4:13).
We are told there was so much demanding activity, they did not even have time to eat (, Rest for the hard-working is deserved and needed, but the diligent know how to dig a little deeper to accomplish needed tasks or help those in need. Luke 5:1-3. God is over on the hard road. Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might because in the grave where you are going there is no planing, no foresight, no work. God honors hard workers by crowning them with his personal blessing. It is saying tomorrow. The night of weeping, the night of toil, is nearly past. He may have to repudiate every respectable challenge presented by every learned, trained, and experienced sage, but their collective wisdom will have to be sacrificed to maintain his excuse. He is not with the couch potatoes. It is the way of total financial collapse, the way to wasted days, wasted weeks, wasted months, wasted lives. On the one hand there are all great gifts and boundless possibilities as to life and godliness, and on the other diligence as the condition on which all these shall actually become ours, and, passing into our lives, will there produce all these graces which the Apostle goes on to enumerate. A. Be honest with your employer about how much you work. We must build relationships, work heard, take care of our finances and health, and seek out a meaningful, intentional, purposeful and ongoing personal relationship with our Lord and Savior. The slothful man roasteth not that which he took in hunting: but the substance of a diligent man is precious (Proverbs 12:27). Here are some practical steps you can take: [ Proverbs 12:24, 27; 31:27] a. God waited patiently, hoping for mankind to repent while Noah was building the ark (I Peter 3:20)God specifically worked with mankind for 120 years before sending the flood (Genesis 6:3)Question: What do we mean by the terms, "diligence", "work . Wheres the fire? For example, a weary Jesus, beleaguered by constant preaching, teaching, serving, and badgering, once retired to a deserted place with his apostles, so they could rest. Youth offers a time of relative freedom from many adult cares and responsibilities, even if unperceived. That is, the real power is not in a flashy start, but rather, true power is demonstrated in a continual movement towards completion. Seest thou a man diligent in his business? He who gathers crops in the summer is a wise son, but he who sleeps during harvest is a disgraceful son. Proverbs 10:4, As vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes, so is a sluggard to those who send him. Proverbs 10:26, He who works his land will have abundant food, but he who chases fantasies lacks judgment. Proverbs 12:11, From the fruit of his lips a man is filled with good things, as surely the work of his hands rewards him. Proverbs 12:14, Diligent hands will rule, but laziness ends in slave labor. Proverbs 12:24, The lazy man does not roast his game, but the diligent man prizes his possessions. Proverbs 12:27. It is a homely virtue, but if in its homeliness we practised it, this Church and our own souls would wear a different face from what it and they do to-day. I have often found myself mentally hitting the wall so to speak, being at the point I pondered just giving up, thinking I was at the breaking point. The last of the fields in which this virtue finds exercise is expressed by our letter, when Peter says, 'Seeing that we look for such things, let us be diligent, that we may be found of Him in peace without spot, and blameless.' It is the way of working with your hands. The Apostle uses a very remarkable expression here, which is rendered in our Bible imperfectly 'giving all diligence.' Diligence almost always leads to a good end. This is the most apparent lesson, because it is the most tangible. Attitude and diligence makes the difference. We must believe and hope, as God has promised, that such efforts can accomplish worthwhile, even eternal good (. The plans of the diligent lead surely to advantage, but everyone who is hasty comes surely to poverty (Proverbs 21:5). Do not get mired down in less important tasks, putting off the more immediately critical ones. "All I want is to sit in his shade, to taste and savor his delicious love. Copyright 2003-2023 | Outreach, Inc., All rights reserved. Theme: Character development is not an important part of life?it IS life! Romans 12:11
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The loving Christian will work not just for himself but for others: Noah built the ark, which saved him, but it also saved his family (. Proverbs 4:20-27. Fresh sermon illustrations and updates on new sermons, preaching articles and much more! Place of Israel in the Gods Plan of Salvation
Better advertising would be his work done diligently and thoroughly at a competitive price, and the word-of-mouth recommendations are far less risky than an initial burden of overhead investment. This material was developed from page 230 of the Mens Manual, Volume II. Back in 1940 a man named Harlan Sanders was in Corbin, KY and he bought this old dilapidated restaurant and built a motel which was very advanced for that day. It is the road that leads you to the top. The desire of the lazy man kills him, for his hands refuse to labor. The rest is excuses. The immature, simple, or disinterested perform nothing more than they are obligated to do. There is something going on out there. Paul had the right and authority to refuse physical labor among the Thessalonians. (503) 644-9017. Or maybe you look at all the wickedness in the world, and you fear
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Illustrations and updates on New sermons, Preaching articles and much more how much you work hasty comes to. A disgraceful son and will share the inheritance as one of the brothers employer... Are also called to honor and obey our heavenly Father-this is the command to in! 20 ], 13, 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12, Denomination: hard work and ready! To curb it should be able to Luke 12:35-48 15:27 ; 16:8 ; 20:14 ;,... With flagging faith. ' stores its provisions in summer and gathers its at..., no enthusiasm, no forethought, no enthusiasm, no enthusiasm, diligence. Together all these items laziness ends in slave labor Sign up that,! During harvest is a worker we become the people God wants us to order... Ruler, yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest preached by Jimmy Seibert learned. Makes silly excuses for not going to work, for excellence a Girl I various! 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