The "sluggard" is one who is habitually inactive or lazy. And whatever. The excuse may be far-fetched, but they will have an excuse. It is the homely virtue that leads to all success. Register. The completed registration allows us to send order and donation receipts to the email address you provided. Fresh sermon illustrations and updates on new sermons, preaching articles and much more! TEXT: 1 CORINTHIANS 15:58 God honors hard workers by crowning them with his personal blessing. God created people to be his coworkers Man was created in the image of God and since God is a worker, man - created in God's image - must be a worker, too. Please be aware that these items are sent out from our office in the UK. The New Testament assures us that the noblest form of that promise shall be fulfilled in the Christian man's communion with his Lord here, and perfected when the diligent disciple shall 'be found of Him in peace,' and stand before the King in that day, accepted and himself a king. 1. 1. A wife and mother must work extremely hard. The only road that goes to the top is the hard road. Slow down, man. Thats the way our society is going today. Remember, working hard is first a mindset (and so is laziness). Place of Israel in the Gods Plan of Salvation "All I want is to sit in his shade, to taste and savor his delicious love. Title: Drama and Diligence John Wivell. read more, Scripture: What a beautiful ideal of Christian life results from putting together all these items. 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 This article is also available and sold as a booklet. Nazarene, Serving the Lord is a lifelong mission, although the nature of the work may change. If you are a lazy person, or if you tend toward laziness in certain areas of your life, confess your sin to God. Dont work only in order to receive. 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. Chuck's sermon is an excellent example of a sermon that sharpens the way we read the Bible. 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. 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. We are also called to honor and obey our heavenly Father-this is the highest obedience. We live in a madcap world that work the whole night and sleep the whole day with no time for Everybody in the world has been fascinated by the court case here in Florida. When we are most intent we are most silent. However, difficulties do not excuse the need or erase the consequences. Wisdom advises where and how to invest ones work energies. Earnestness is the sentiment, of which diligence is the expression. Full Diligence No Creeping Sluggishness, We may be very diligent in some aspects or applications of our religion and yet be sluggish in other points. Five characteristics of Difference Makers in this world. Copyright 2003-2023 | Outreach, Inc., All rights reserved. Diligence is engaging the mind for productivity (Proverbs 21:5) 3. If I am going to be faithful to the Lord in my service, I must be adequately prepared and the preparation is my responsibility. 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. Well come to the other later. I am not talking about the number of hours that you work. 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. You will be honored because of your hard work. A weak or vacillating soul may fall back on the fear of punishment or need to survive as a pivotal motivation for diligent labor; however, the mature Christian will ultimately be driven by sober love (. In Scripture diligence is highly commended. This is Labor Day Weekend, the weekend when everybody who can go somewhere goes somewhere so they can play for one last weekend because the real hard work of the last part of the year starts on Tuesday morning. It has no commander, no overseer or ruler, yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest. Conscientious hard work and perseverance, particularly with regard to a relationship with God. There is a great seduction in the question, What will a little sleep hurt?. The same idea is seen when it comes to the quality of diligence. You must be focused in life. read more, Scripture: Of one fellow-worker, Paul said, "And we . "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: That is, the real power is not in a flashy start, but rather, true power is demonstrated in a continual movement towards completion. 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. Proper motivation, mixing a sense of obligation, love, hope, faith, and reputation, all help to drive and move us toward a diligent work ethic, much like that of Noah. We need to be hard workers. Even on the brink of success, while he holds it in his hands, procrastination seduces him to stumble at the threshold of victory. If we become the people God wants us to be, then He will direct us in the path He wants us to take. 'If that servant begin to say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; and to be slothful, and to eat and drink with the drunken, the lord of that servant will come in an hour when he is not aware.' 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. Take it easy. All rights reserved. Do not be deceived! Plan it. Consider how your employer would evaluate you if his assessment was based on your work ethic in ministry. 2. Pro 6:8 but they store up their food during the summer, getting ready for winter. Dawn, noon & moon Nehemiah 4:21"So we carried on the work with half of them holding spears from dawn until the stars appeared." Youth offers a time of relative freedom from many adult cares and responsibilities, even if unperceived. For soon, the roles will be reversed. One of the first lessons of the Bible work ethic is that industriousness requires that you sacrifice any addictive pursuit of luxurious sleep and play (. Pilot this strait by avoiding both extremes. If you can put a task off for five more minutes, why not ten? God is a worker God is a worker. read more, Scripture: [Proverbs 16:26; 19:14; 21:5; 26:15], 11. Another of the phases of the virtue, which Peter here regards as sovereign, is represented in our translation of the word by 'earnestness,' which is the parent of diligence. 1 Corinthians 15:58, Denomination: Here are some practical steps you can take: [ Proverbs 12:24, 27; 31:27] a. 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. Find stories, quotes, humor, and statistics to bring your sermon on Work to life. He who diligently seeks good seeks favor, but he who searches after evil, it will come to him (Proverbs 11:27). Nehemiah 4:21. Hard work yesterday does not guarantee tomorrows success. And Thomas Fuller noted, To be employed in useless things is half to be idle. Part 3 Serve Like A Girl Hurray! I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me (Philippians 4:13). "Every Pharaoh that is pursuing The slothful man roasteth not that which he took in hunting: but the substance of a diligent man is precious (Proverbs 12:27). Dedicate part of your profit and increase to helping others, and thereby avoid the cruel descent into oppression and destructive desire for wealth at all costs. 'Just as I labour for your sakes at this unfamiliar work of writing, so do you toil at perfecting your Christian graces.'. '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. 'Giving all diligence, add to your faith ' -- 2 Peter i.5. We have been looking at the spiritual gifts of the Body of Christ in Romans 12: prophecy (speaking Gods Word to others), Interpreted, this means, take care of business first, then take care of your personal affairs. Beware the great lie of procrastination. One of the most talked-about shows on television today is called, The Office. However, not only is our reputation evidenced by our diligence in labor, so is our Gods reputation! However, those who learn to work their way through the thorns and briars of this life will be better trained and prepared by their heavenly Father to overcome the difficulties of developing a spiritual life and growing into a mature Christian (. Secondly, his work is not for himself, but for others, and that faith and hope that others will benefit drives him on. Diligence is the opposite of slothfulness.It is the dedicated fervency God calls us to invest in each task that we perform. It is the dedicated fervency God calls us to invest in each task that we perform. God turns our weakness into incredible strength. Rather, find satisfaction in simply doing good work for God and men. Therefore, use wisdom, look ahead, exercise forethought, and choose tasks as objects of your work that are of the highest priority. [Proverbs 28:13], 18. Acts 6:5-7King James Version (KJV) Security promotes productivity Joshua chapter 10:6-15 3. we need to be wholly dependent on Him. Note the wide field of action for this homely grace. We drove through that little town, looking for a fast food place. Or you dont like what God has brought into your life: lots of disappointment, lots of frustration. Thank You for Your abundance. But as the clock ticks away, the easy way becomes harder, and the hard way becomes easier. For the glory of God, take up the call to be diligent, remembering Gods provision for you. And the very reason for exercising it is the completeness of God's gift. 11775 SW Fifth Street HARD WORK: Spiritual Growth is Not an Accident July 5, 2009 He just sleeps his life away. There is no leaving that task back at the office. Motherhood is one of the true full-time jobs. 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). Quackery always deals in mysteries and rare things. Preached by Jimmy Seibert Luke 5:1-3. Compare your life to those who live in the bad part of town, and compare that life to that lived by those on the other side of the world. 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