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Showing posts with label Slothfulness. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Slothfulness. Show all posts

Tuesday, May 19, 2015

Slack in Your Work

This devotion comes from Extra Devotions, one of FMM's free Ebooks.



Slack in Your Work

“He also that is slothful in his work is brother to him that is a great waster.”

Proverbs 18:9 (KJV)
 

       When we are slack in our work, when we work slowly and half-heartedly we are brother to him who destroys/wastes (based on which translation you’re using). It is sobering to realize that not doing your best as unto God in everything you do means that you are choosing to serve who you want to serve (selfishness). God has set a high standard, yea a perfect standard: one which demands our all, our focus, our attention, and our effort.

      When a machinist starts a new job and works feverishly to benefit his new boss and company, he is doing his best. But after time when the job’s newness seems to wear off and the blessings of having a job there seems to vanish from memory, it is easy to “ease up” in your work. When we do this we are brother—we are closely related—to him who destroys!

        I’ve dealt with this issue as a young man trying to get my own company going. At first, I worked hard and gave everything, but as the hard work kept coming and my body felt like just going a bit slower, I had to battle with slowing up/not working my hardest. In manual labor, I probably won’t consistently have the same speed, but am I pushing myself to my best? Am I working as if I was working for God (I’d definitely do my best then)? Am I treating my employer the way I want to be treated by those I hire?

     This proverb comes back to one of the central principles of the New Testament—doing to others what you want them to do for or to you (author’s paraphrase). When I have somebody working for me who is lazy or I can tell doesn’t have “his heart in his work,” I don’t like having him work for me because I know that I’m not getting the best value for my buck, and they don’t appreciate me hiring them because they aren’t acting like it. As an “employer,” I feel like they are destroying my potential earnings and causing a drag on our productivity. If I have too many of this type of people working for me, my business will be destroyed!

       We could go on looking at examples and applications of this Proverb and maybe some of you need to, but my hope is that the seriousness of this Scripture will be “latched onto.” I pray that we get this into our hearts and spirits and that we work hard.

       Lord, give us the strength to work for others as we would want them to work for us. Help us to do our best as unto You, Father. In Jesus Name, amen.
 

Monday, February 23, 2015

The Diligent will Rule but the Slothful pay Tribute


The hand of the diligent shall bear rule: but the slothful shall be under tribute.”

Proverbs 12:24 KJV

       If you are diligent, God will give you some measure of rule. But if you are lazy, you will be a slave to those that are diligent. In our culture today, many wicked men and women are diligently devoting time and attention—many even their entire lives!—to furthering the doctrines of demons, the teachings of Satan through colleges (and other “education” facets), politics, and businesses. Many of these men and women care nothing about honesty in their dealings because they do not know God. They will propagate the erroneous worldview and life themes of chance, through evolution; fate, through “romantic” love; self-indulgence, through psychology; and “intellect” and “wisdom” through philosophy, research, and logic. In short, these wicked people propagate meaninglessness, hate, and other such sins and dangerous mindsets that the Bible warns us about.

       Remember that the diligent are the ones that rule! But the principle applies to the wicked men and women who diligently propagate the devil’s doctrines as well. We must stand against them and diligently do our duty to share the truth of God’s Word. Where are you men of Courage? Where are you men of Valor? Where are you men of Righteousness? Where are you men that Fear God? Stand! Stand up and fulfill your duty to share God’s Word in the public sector, the private sector, the corporations, the campuses, etc... GO!

    Stand strong and be diligent, dear Believers! Draw close to the Lord and let Him be your strength and shield against their bombardment of false teachings and ideologies! Speak out when God gives you a window, make the most of every opportunity with the outsiders of the Faith. Go to the Lord and have your fears and burdens lifted; however, as you leave His rejuvenating presence in the quiet of your morning devotions, prepare to pick up your cross and struggle forward amid blows, insults and hateful looks for the cause of Christ!

“If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.” 
 John 15:18-20 KJV

Thursday, January 1, 2015

Slack in Your Work?


Slack in Your Work

“He also that is slothful in his work is brother to him that is a great waster.”

Proverbs 18:9 (KJV)

 
       When we are slack in our work, when we work slowly and half-heartedly we are brother to him who destroys/wastes (based on which translation you’re using). It is sobering to realize that not doing your best as unto God in everything you do means that you are choosing to serve who you want to serve (selfishness). God has set a high standard, yea a perfect standard: one which demands our all, our focus, our attention, and our effort.

      When a machinist starts a new job and works feverishly to benefit his new boss and company, he is doing his best. But after time when the job’s newness seems to wear off and the blessings of having a job there seems to vanish from memory, it is easy to “ease up” in your work. When we do this we are brother—we are closely related—to him who destroys!

        I’ve dealt with this issue as a young man trying to get my own company going. At first, I worked hard and gave everything, but as the hard work kept coming and my body felt like just going a bit slower, I had to battle with slowing up/not working my hardest. In manual labor, I probably won’t consistently have the same speed, but am I pushing myself to my best? Am I working as if I was working for God (I’d definitely do my best then)? Am I treating my employer the way I want to be treated by those I hire?

     This proverb comes back to one of the central principles of the New Testament—doing to others what you want them to do for or to you (author’s paraphrase). When I have somebody working for me who is lazy or I can tell doesn’t have “his heart in his work,” I don’t like having him work for me because I know that I’m not getting the best value for my buck, and they don’t appreciate me hiring them because they aren’t acting like it. As an “employer,” I feel like they are destroying my potential earnings and causing a drag on our productivity. If I have too many of this type of people working for me, my business will be destroyed!

       We could go on looking at examples and applications of this Proverb and maybe some of you need to, but my hope is that the seriousness of this Scripture will be “latched onto.” I pray that we get this into our hearts and spirits and that we work hard.

       Lord, give us the strength to work for others as we would want them to work for us. Help us to do our best as unto You, Father. In Jesus Name, amen.
 

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