by Terry Laughlin | Aug 31, 2017 | Labor Day Truth's
A Motivation To Work
Proverbs 10: 4-5 has this truth, “Lazy hands make a man poor, but diligent hands brings wealth. He who gather crops in summer is a wise son, but he who sleeps during harvest is a disgraceful son.” 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12 says, ” Make it your ambition… to work… so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody.
Let the Holy Spirit prepare your heart with these questions. How are you seen by the general public as they see you work in the job God has placed you in? Are you seen as diligent, trustworthy, faithful and productive?
A lesson from the horse business: I knew of a Christian couple who loved Arabian horses, they saw their possession of these high quality horses from a Biblical truth, the horses belonged to the Lord, they only had stewardship over them for Him. When it came time to take any of those horses to an Arabian Horse Show, their ignorance about the business motivated them to just pull horses out of the corral, clean them up, and lead them into the arena. This mindset prevented them from receiving the titles and benefits they should had received, considering the high quality of those horses. Often, they drove home back to the ranch living with the disappointment of defeat.
After many years, they developed a listening spirit – the Lord raised up a horse trainer who explained to them how to condition and train their horses. They applied the hard work of conditioning, training, and promotion. Taking the same horses to the same horse shows, they received the first and second place finishes their horses deserved – they were even offered $15,000.00 for one for their western pleasure horses.
This Christian couple learned to plant the seeds of hard work in the proper season, they got themselves prepared to be in the harvest field of success, no longer disgracing their breeding program, and they had no concern about paying the bills while gaining respect from others in the Arabian Horse breeding business.
God’s Biblical principle for us all, do not be lazy, be diligent so we may enjoy the wealth He has for us in whatever work were are placed in. The writer of the Book of Colossians has a truth we must all grasp and remember daily, “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.
by Terry Laughlin | Aug 31, 2017 | Labor Day Truth's
Earnestly Working For The Lord
The writer of the Book of Colossians gives us a truth that everyone must grasp and apply, “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward.” (Colossians 3:23) Notice the text says, “Whatever, you do.” Your farming, your job, the things you enjoy, your marriage, raising your kids, work for the church, the care of your pets, time with family, friendships, how you speak to others – whatever, you do!
Notice the text tells how much effort we are to apply: “Work at it with all your heart.” Ephesians 6:7 says, “Serve whole heartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not people, because you know that the Lord will reward each one for whatever good [you] do, whether slave or free.” Anyone can say they will do such and such, or this or that, the problem is the work does not get completed with a right heart, seldom completed at the proper time. However, when the work is being approached from the right heart, the task will be completed with all their strength, with steadfastness, and certainty. Their will be no short cuts, wrong motives, empty excuses. Rather the boss is present and watching or far away, the whole hearted servant strives for perfection.
When I was in the horse business, I developed a unique grooming program which involved the hard work brushing and rubbing down show horses. Being a groom for high dollar Arabian show horses requires your best. First: After a workout – a horse should be walked until the animal’s respiration, his breathing is back down to normal. A whole hearted groom takes notice of the horse’s nostrils and breathing, a half hearted groom will walk the horse for only five minutes or so, then think “Awe he’s good.” Second: If need be a whole hearted groom will stand the horse in front of a fan, to help cool the horse down. Then rinsing the animal off with lukewarm water, not cold, so the blood flow continues to build muscle. A half hearted groom will just grab any water hose and rinse the horse off, with no concern over the water temperature. Third: Brushing and rubbing the horse. After the horse has dried off, the whole hearted groom brushes the horse with three styles of brushes, then the horse is hand rubbed down – after several months of this grooming practice, the horse has a natural shine, looking like the animal has had an expensive wax job. This grooming process enables the horse to build muscle so hard that the blood veins can be seen under the skin, like a body builder. A half hearted groom rinses the horse off with water, and then gets a spray bottle, adds a little baby oil to water, sprays the horse down with the solution, presenting a unnatural shine. The horses groomed correctly looks a 100% better than the horse that was half heartedly groomed.
Here is a truth worth grasping, no matter was is done, the right whole hearted approach is seen by all and gets the best results in the end. Do you give a right whole hearted effort in your work place?
by Terry Laughlin | Aug 31, 2017 | Labor Day Truth's
God’s Attitude About Work
The Bible says, “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. Anyone who does wrong will be repaid for his wrong, and there is no favoritism. – Masters, provide your slaves with what is right and fair, because you know that you also have a Master in heaven.” (Colossians 3:23 – 4:1)
I would propose to you, working as doing our work unto Christ will make you and I a witness for the Lord that surpasses the average wage earner, that causes people to take note of the life we live in obedience to the written Word of God. The heart of the average employee is more influenced by a world view rather than having the mind of Christ, as the Bible tells you and me to have. (1 Corinthians 2:10-16)
There are many passages of Scripture that specifically speak about work, with a key truth being, “Six days you shall labor and do your work.” (Exodus 20:9) This command comes from God who sets the example before us as being a worker. The Bible says, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” (Genesis 1:1) By the end of the sixth day He made the sun and moon, all the living creatures, everything on this earth for Him and us to enjoy. “And God saw that is was all good.” (Genesis 1:25)
There is nothing more than a great biker would love to do, take a long vacation, making the long motorcycle ride – touring and seeing everything God has created. Imagine, if everyone person were a specialist in landscaping, they could not get done what God has created, especially in six days. Even the best doctors and vets cannot create human beings or animals. No matter how smart and gifted they are, they cannot sustain life for eternity. When all is said that can be said, all is done that will be done, this earth as we know it will be burned up. God will create a new heaven and a new earth. (Isaiah 65:17; Revelation 21:1)
The Book of Psalms says, “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands.” (Psalm 19:1) Jesus said, “My Father is always at His work to this very day…” (John 5:17) Dr. Charles Mayo of the famous Mayo Clinic once said, “There is no fun like work.” The writer of the Book of Ecclesiastes wrote, “…there is nothing better for a man than to enjoy his work, because that is his lot…” (Ecclesiastes 3:22)
The key steps to doing our Labor As Unto Christ is to have a thankful enjoyment of God’s gifts, seeing your job as a discharge from God, knowing God is going to bring all things under His judgment, (Ecclesiastes 11:9) and not seeing your job as simply and money seeking opportunity. (Ecclesiastes 5:10-17) The book of Exodus reminds us that is the Lord who gives different abilities to achieve things and perform certain tasks. (Exodus 31:3) The writer of the Book of Thessalonians tells us, “if anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat.” (2 Thessalonians 3:10) According to Jesus Christ – God is always at His work. The right heart reflection, we should always consider all we do as doing it for the approval of God.
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