Showing posts with label work. Show all posts
Showing posts with label work. Show all posts
Sunday, November 2, 2014
People At Work
Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters. Colossians 3:23
As I sat for a three hour layover recently at Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport I observed all sorts of employees doing there jobs. Facilities management emptying trash. Skycaps pushing people in wheelchairs. Customer Service answering confused passengers inquiries. Restaurant workers busily fulfilling orders. People were scurrying about on this busy day working hard at their jobs.
As a believer no matter what we do we need to perform it as if working for the Master Himself because ultimately we are. God does not want us to be slackers but to work hard whether we are a grave digger, store clerk, CEO of billion dollar company, or a mom at home, to name a few. Be an example for the kingdom in every facet of your life
When you are at work or at play take your duties seriously.
PRAYER: I am your servant Lord and I willingly work at each of my jobs in a manner to please you and be an example for your kingdom to non believers. Give me strength to persevere. In Jesus' name. Amen.
Monday, September 3, 2012
WORK AS IF WORKING FOR THE LORD
Today our nation celebrates Labor Day usually bringing on the anticipation of cooler weather,football season, and back to school time. What is Labor Day really? The first Labor Day was 1882. It stemmed from a Central Labor Union wanting a holiday for their workers. It became a Federal holiday in 1894. People were to celebrate trade and labor organizations. Some places used to hold parades and speeches.
As I think of Labor Day I think of work. When Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden by eating fruit God told them not to God had something to say in Genesis Chapter 3. It is too long to put here but basically God said to man " because you disobeyed me you will work the land all the days of your life". Take time and read Genesis 1 through 3 for a refresher. It has some good things in there we all need to remember.
In society today in America, our government almost encourages laziness by increasing welfare and unemployment. People get to feeling entitled and thus become dependent and lazy expecting everything. They have no desire to do anything if the government and hard working tax payers are doling it out to them. It says in 2 Thessalonians 3:10 "For even when we were with you we gave you this rule, if a man does not work he does not eat." Parents, it is good to start teaching your young children responsibility so they do not grow up lazy and expecting someone else to do things for them . Their future spouses will thank you too. When you do work, do it with a smile and be thankful for your job. Colossians 3:23 says " Whatever you do do it with all our heart as if working for the Lord and not for man." Working brings a reward too to help you pay your bills and do fun things. Now stay at home moms out there, you are working too and yours is the most important job ever so never say "I am just a mom" and men show respect and love to those beautiful women who are raising your children. It is not easy. My husband even got me my own stay home mom business card several years ago when my children were small.
Genesis 2:2-3 is where the verse is giving us Sunday, the Sabbath, as a day of rest. When I was young, on this day no malls were open and mostly only an occasional gas station, movie theater, or restaurant were open. It was actually quite refreshing as I recall. One day of less hustle and bustle, giving workers a day of rest and time to worship the Lord too. You need to to refresh and renew. Honor that day.
Those retired among us, do not just drift away thinking you can play golf or sit in a rocking chair. If you are blessed with health and ability to get around go find a place to volunteer. There are many places who would be thrilled with your services. Stop saying you are too old.Keep working past that set retirement age if you feel like it. Who says you are too old?
Today stop and say thanks too for those critical employees such as doctors, nurses, medical staff, firefighters, police, and the military who do not have this day off. We appreciate what they do to keep us healthy, safe, and secure.
So today if you are blessed with a day off enjoy it. Regardless be sure to thank the Lord for your job and the blessing of work. Get up each day and say "I get to go to work today" instead of "I have to go to work today". See your job as a Mission field God has placed you in. Stay home moms that means you are ministering to those darling little children. Go now into your mission field being thankful each and every day.
PRAYER: Lord thank you for jobs. Thank you for those who create jobs.thank you for the blessing of an income. Thank you Lord for giving me the opportunity to witness where you have placed me. In Jesus name.amen.
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Thursday, July 12, 2012
HELP LORD!! I CAN'T TAKE IT ANY LONGER!!
Have you ever been in a situation you just wish were over? A good example might be your work. Let's say you have an impossible boss and he or she demands way too much of you. Your job is no longer fun because of requirements by your employer that make no sense. You want to give your two week notice or simply feel like quitting and walking out. But is that really the best idea? Not really, especially if you have a family and bills to pay.
Have you ever wondered why the Lord is allowing you to suffer under the hands of an impossible boss? You wonder where is God in all this. Maybe God is still very much there but you are in need of learning some valuable lessons.
Now sure you do not tell someone who can not stand their job and can not see God in any of it that there is a 'big plan'. Hardly anyone likes to be preached at. In fact God may not cause a certain thing to occur but He can in fact use it to 'grow' a person into the image of Christ. That is more than likely what is occurring.
There are some Christians who would laugh at me for saying this and may mock me and say "yeah right. God is causing me to hate my job"! Tests and trials of life come in all shapes and sizes. We really never know what is around the corner so we need to be prepared to react in a Christlike fashion when things don't go your way or you feel your 'joy meter' running down.
Trials, tests,and hardships are not pleasant. I have discussed this subject a few times lately. Have you ever heard someone say "nothing good comes easy?" You have to work at things, persevere, stay positive, control the urge to spout off, and just keep running the race of life to win.
Isaiah 55:8 says "For my thoughts are not your thoughts and my ways are not your ways."
Whatever it is you are doing try to keep a good attitude. Colossians 3:23 reminds us "Whatever you do work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord and not for men.".
Wherever you are at today and feel like giving up hold onto Jesus. Ask Him to give you strength as well as a peaceful spirit to endure the challenges ahead.
PRAYER: Lord Jesus sometimes I do not understand why I have to go through certain things. Give me strength to accomplish my tasks as if you were beside me. Help me do all things remembering I represent you. In Jesus name. Amen.
Thursday, October 13, 2011
WHY IS IT SO HARD TO WAIT??
Being patient is a spiritual discipline. Here in this 'instant' society we want things to happen and we want them to happen now. Things do not happen overnight. If you push, pry and nag to find out things or wonder why something is not happening faster than it is then you are going to get yourself all wound up and in some sort of emotional tsunami. Just try to relax and get involved someplace else to take your mind off whatever it is you can not wait for. Hastiness causes words to be spoken that you wish you would not have ever come out of your mouth or makes you do things because you can not be still and wait.(See Psalm 46:10). Taking matters into your own hands is usually a disaster waiting to happen.
The following brief paragraphs are a few examples of things we have to wait on and sometimes do not enjoy very much.
Patience waiting for a baby to arrive is commonplace for a young married couple especially waiting for a first child. You get a hypothetical due date but then that date comes and goes and no baby. What happened? Did someone miscalculate something?
You do not hear back from a friend in quite a while and start wondering what is wrong when in effect you find out the friend or a family member is sick or dying then your huffy inpatient spirit made you feel stupid.
You are excited about an interactive display at the store where a demonstrator is telling you how wonderful some new gadget is, so you succumb to his sales pressure, take the item home, and regret ever buying it. What you should have done is waited and thought about it and most likely you would have left it in the store.
At times we speak out of impatience and are sorry we did. We can not wait on some action so you 'shoot off' your mouth to someone and are sorry.
The computer is not printing something so you keep hitting the print button repeatedly. Finally you give up and the next day 25 copies of the same page come shooting out of the printer.
There is a place you want to reserve for a special function and you can not get them on the phone and you are getting so frustrated.You assume things that may not even be factual about why this place is treating you rudely.Things take time.
If you are building a house or pouring concrete for a sidewalk you need to be able to wait for cement to cure and dry or your home or sidewalk will not be stable.
Waiting for an internet signal sometimes is maddening at the local coffee shop or at home.
Raising a child takes patience but in the end yields a wonderful reward.
We call some business and are transferred multiple times or put on hold then disconnected. Now there is an exercise in patience! So you see by these examples that patience is a valuable spiritual discipline to learn and practice.
Why is it so hard to wait? We want things and we want them now! If you have small children it is good to start early instilling in them the value of waiting and not making them think everything in life comes easy or they are 'entitled' to it. Isaiah 40:31 says "But they who wait upon the Lord will get new strength. They will rise up with wings like eagles. They will run and not get tired. They will walk and not become weak." Proverbs 20:21 has something to say about waiting and money and it says "A large gift received at one time in a hurry will not bring good in the end."
Do not make snap judgements. Think things through. Pray at all times. Pray over business decisions, marriage partner decisions, job decisions, major purchases and many other things.
You have to work hard to get things and not think things should be just dropped into your lap. This too is an area that requires patience in saving for the future and things you want to have. Only through diligent hard work and waiting on God can a person have success. A person does not become a doctor without much study, sacrifice, and hard work .Today in the world people think they should get things without the effort. Things worth anything take effort. We live in a society in America where people do not want to wait or work and think they are 'entitled' to things.Sadly our own government is perpetuating this attitude which is not Biblical might I add. It takes hard work and patience to build up savings. If you give up, you may think you need government assistance or you just use credit cards because you can not wait. Be patient until you build up the money. Do not fall into the trap today of the 'class warfare' going on in our nation. If you want something go to school, learn a skill and work hard. Do not sit around thinking other people should not have their wealth. In America we all have a chance to succeed. It is so sad becasue this mentality is teaching people to envy those who worked hard, took the time, and did what they did to gain their wealth. You mature and grow by working hard for something , not being envious of others. Work hard and wait and you will receive a reward.
2 Corinthians 9:6 says "Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously." Work hard at all you do as if you were working for the Lord because you really are. (See Colossians 3:23).
Patience is in fact a fruit of the spirit(See Galatians 5:22). Proverbs 21:5 says "The plans of those who do their best lead only to having all they need, but all who are in a hurry come only to want." Do not be quick and hasty in deciding everything. There are those persons whose jobs often depend on snap decisions such as in the military, medicine or pilots but most people can have time to think through things if it is not some dire emergency. Proverbs 29:20 says "Do you see a man who is quick with his words? There is more hope for a fool than for him."
It truly is a spiritual fruit of the spirit and discipline to be able to wait. Rushing into things only leads to trouble in many instances. Listen to the warnings of God in the Bible and pray. Cast your cares upon him and give him your impatient spirit. Before you decide a matter perhaps sleep on it overnight .It might save you lots of heartache in the end.
PRAYER: Lord it is so very hard to wait at times. We speak before we think and then regret it and end up apologizing. We do things without thinking how they will affect other people. We jump to conclusions and rush to judgment. Lord help me to not be hasty to do anything but slow me down Lord. Help me sit and rest and wait for your timing in all things. In Jesus Name .Amen.
Song included: click link to enjoy this worship song...While I'm Waiting
http://youtu.be/hbRVm0wJVi0
The following brief paragraphs are a few examples of things we have to wait on and sometimes do not enjoy very much.
Patience waiting for a baby to arrive is commonplace for a young married couple especially waiting for a first child. You get a hypothetical due date but then that date comes and goes and no baby. What happened? Did someone miscalculate something?
You do not hear back from a friend in quite a while and start wondering what is wrong when in effect you find out the friend or a family member is sick or dying then your huffy inpatient spirit made you feel stupid.
You are excited about an interactive display at the store where a demonstrator is telling you how wonderful some new gadget is, so you succumb to his sales pressure, take the item home, and regret ever buying it. What you should have done is waited and thought about it and most likely you would have left it in the store.
At times we speak out of impatience and are sorry we did. We can not wait on some action so you 'shoot off' your mouth to someone and are sorry.
The computer is not printing something so you keep hitting the print button repeatedly. Finally you give up and the next day 25 copies of the same page come shooting out of the printer.
There is a place you want to reserve for a special function and you can not get them on the phone and you are getting so frustrated.You assume things that may not even be factual about why this place is treating you rudely.Things take time.
If you are building a house or pouring concrete for a sidewalk you need to be able to wait for cement to cure and dry or your home or sidewalk will not be stable.
Waiting for an internet signal sometimes is maddening at the local coffee shop or at home.
Raising a child takes patience but in the end yields a wonderful reward.
We call some business and are transferred multiple times or put on hold then disconnected. Now there is an exercise in patience! So you see by these examples that patience is a valuable spiritual discipline to learn and practice.
Why is it so hard to wait? We want things and we want them now! If you have small children it is good to start early instilling in them the value of waiting and not making them think everything in life comes easy or they are 'entitled' to it. Isaiah 40:31 says "But they who wait upon the Lord will get new strength. They will rise up with wings like eagles. They will run and not get tired. They will walk and not become weak." Proverbs 20:21 has something to say about waiting and money and it says "A large gift received at one time in a hurry will not bring good in the end."
Do not make snap judgements. Think things through. Pray at all times. Pray over business decisions, marriage partner decisions, job decisions, major purchases and many other things.
You have to work hard to get things and not think things should be just dropped into your lap. This too is an area that requires patience in saving for the future and things you want to have. Only through diligent hard work and waiting on God can a person have success. A person does not become a doctor without much study, sacrifice, and hard work .Today in the world people think they should get things without the effort. Things worth anything take effort. We live in a society in America where people do not want to wait or work and think they are 'entitled' to things.Sadly our own government is perpetuating this attitude which is not Biblical might I add. It takes hard work and patience to build up savings. If you give up, you may think you need government assistance or you just use credit cards because you can not wait. Be patient until you build up the money. Do not fall into the trap today of the 'class warfare' going on in our nation. If you want something go to school, learn a skill and work hard. Do not sit around thinking other people should not have their wealth. In America we all have a chance to succeed. It is so sad becasue this mentality is teaching people to envy those who worked hard, took the time, and did what they did to gain their wealth. You mature and grow by working hard for something , not being envious of others. Work hard and wait and you will receive a reward.
2 Corinthians 9:6 says "Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously." Work hard at all you do as if you were working for the Lord because you really are. (See Colossians 3:23).
Patience is in fact a fruit of the spirit(See Galatians 5:22). Proverbs 21:5 says "The plans of those who do their best lead only to having all they need, but all who are in a hurry come only to want." Do not be quick and hasty in deciding everything. There are those persons whose jobs often depend on snap decisions such as in the military, medicine or pilots but most people can have time to think through things if it is not some dire emergency. Proverbs 29:20 says "Do you see a man who is quick with his words? There is more hope for a fool than for him."
It truly is a spiritual fruit of the spirit and discipline to be able to wait. Rushing into things only leads to trouble in many instances. Listen to the warnings of God in the Bible and pray. Cast your cares upon him and give him your impatient spirit. Before you decide a matter perhaps sleep on it overnight .It might save you lots of heartache in the end.
PRAYER: Lord it is so very hard to wait at times. We speak before we think and then regret it and end up apologizing. We do things without thinking how they will affect other people. We jump to conclusions and rush to judgment. Lord help me to not be hasty to do anything but slow me down Lord. Help me sit and rest and wait for your timing in all things. In Jesus Name .Amen.
Song included: click link to enjoy this worship song...While I'm Waiting
http://youtu.be/hbRVm0wJVi0
Monday, September 5, 2011
WORK HARD
Many who work for pay are off today due to the Labor Day holiday.What better time to write a devotion about hard work than this day off for many. Since the beginning of time man has had to work. In the garden of Eden, God originally had wonderful plans for Adam and Eve but you know the story. By being disobedient and messing up, so to speak, they ended up being cursed and changing the good things God had planned. Genesis 3:1-24 relates the story but read verse 17-19 which says "To Adam he said, “Because you listened to your wife and ate fruit from the tree about which I commanded you, ‘You must not eat from it,’ “Cursed is the ground because of you;
through painful toil you will eat food from it all the days of your life. It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the field. By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return.” From then on man has had to toil, pull weeds from his garden and do hard manual work.
2 Thessalonians 3:10 says "For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: "If a man will not work, he shall not eat." I do not feel it was God's design to have everyone getting food stamps if they are healthy and able to provide for their family. Some are lazy and feel like people owe them something. Sadly our government today tries to demonize successful wealthy people who worked hard to achieve by depicting them as spoiled rich people. Proverbs 10:4 says "Lazy hands make a man poor, but diligent hands bring wealth." Genesis 2:15 says "The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it." Ecclesiastes 10:18 says "Laziness leads to a sagging roof; idleness leads to a leaky house." This verse hit home for me this past Saturday as we were trying to leave for a weekend road trip and had a water main break. My husband can do almost any repair job and is not lazy and was able to repair it. Hallelujah, thank you Jesus! Proverbs 12:24 says "Diligent hands will rule, but laziness ends in slave labor."
1 Timothy 5:8 says "If anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for his immediate family, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever." If you are the head of the family it is your duty to take care of your family. Teach your children the value of hard work, diligence and providing for the future.
A wise person will plan ahead and save money for when he has an emergency or is out of work. Putting aside a little money each month is a smart thing to do. Proverbs 6:6-8 says "Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise! It has no commander, no overseer or ruler, yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest." Notice an ant hill sometime. Those tiny creatures never rest. They carry huge loads on their tiny backs to build their ant hills and take food to their family.
For the believer we should have a good work ethic. Just because it is five o'clock does not mean you will not help someone if the phone at your office rings at the last minute. You are working for the Lord anyway not for man. Seek to bring honor to the company you work for by being honest and honorable. Colossians 3:23 should be every believers 'job description' and it says "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters." Set a good example. Go beyond the call of duty as they say in the military. Ecclesiastes 3:22 tells us "So I saw that there is nothing better for a person than to enjoy their work, because that is their lot. For who can bring them to see what will happen after them?"
Enjoy your life. Love what you do. I love the motto for the 'Life is Good' company which says "Do what you like, like what you do." Most of us are also familiar with the childrens' book, 'The Little Red Hen' which is a work ethic book of sorts for little ones. No one wanted to help the little red hen work but they all wanted to enjoy the fruits of the hens' labor.
Many complain about their work but if you are employed in todays' world you have much to be thankful for, and better yet, if you are in a job you love that is even greater. 1 Thessalonians 5:18 says "In all things to give thanks for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus."
PRAYER: Father I am thankful for the ability to work. I pray for those people who are out of work through no fault of their own and are looking for a job. Open up jobs for those who need them. If any reading this have been made to feel they are too old to work because of society and they really want a job help them have the courage to go for it. Help those who do have jobs to work at them with joy and to remember to be a 'missionary ' of sorts right there where God has placed them. Thank you for the blessing of a free society in the United States. For any reading this from nations not free I pray for bondage's to be broken. In Jesus Name. Amen.
through painful toil you will eat food from it all the days of your life. It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the field. By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return.” From then on man has had to toil, pull weeds from his garden and do hard manual work.
2 Thessalonians 3:10 says "For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: "If a man will not work, he shall not eat." I do not feel it was God's design to have everyone getting food stamps if they are healthy and able to provide for their family. Some are lazy and feel like people owe them something. Sadly our government today tries to demonize successful wealthy people who worked hard to achieve by depicting them as spoiled rich people. Proverbs 10:4 says "Lazy hands make a man poor, but diligent hands bring wealth." Genesis 2:15 says "The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it." Ecclesiastes 10:18 says "Laziness leads to a sagging roof; idleness leads to a leaky house." This verse hit home for me this past Saturday as we were trying to leave for a weekend road trip and had a water main break. My husband can do almost any repair job and is not lazy and was able to repair it. Hallelujah, thank you Jesus! Proverbs 12:24 says "Diligent hands will rule, but laziness ends in slave labor."
1 Timothy 5:8 says "If anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for his immediate family, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever." If you are the head of the family it is your duty to take care of your family. Teach your children the value of hard work, diligence and providing for the future.
A wise person will plan ahead and save money for when he has an emergency or is out of work. Putting aside a little money each month is a smart thing to do. Proverbs 6:6-8 says "Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise! It has no commander, no overseer or ruler, yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest." Notice an ant hill sometime. Those tiny creatures never rest. They carry huge loads on their tiny backs to build their ant hills and take food to their family.
For the believer we should have a good work ethic. Just because it is five o'clock does not mean you will not help someone if the phone at your office rings at the last minute. You are working for the Lord anyway not for man. Seek to bring honor to the company you work for by being honest and honorable. Colossians 3:23 should be every believers 'job description' and it says "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters." Set a good example. Go beyond the call of duty as they say in the military. Ecclesiastes 3:22 tells us "So I saw that there is nothing better for a person than to enjoy their work, because that is their lot. For who can bring them to see what will happen after them?"
Enjoy your life. Love what you do. I love the motto for the 'Life is Good' company which says "Do what you like, like what you do." Most of us are also familiar with the childrens' book, 'The Little Red Hen' which is a work ethic book of sorts for little ones. No one wanted to help the little red hen work but they all wanted to enjoy the fruits of the hens' labor.
Many complain about their work but if you are employed in todays' world you have much to be thankful for, and better yet, if you are in a job you love that is even greater. 1 Thessalonians 5:18 says "In all things to give thanks for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus."
PRAYER: Father I am thankful for the ability to work. I pray for those people who are out of work through no fault of their own and are looking for a job. Open up jobs for those who need them. If any reading this have been made to feel they are too old to work because of society and they really want a job help them have the courage to go for it. Help those who do have jobs to work at them with joy and to remember to be a 'missionary ' of sorts right there where God has placed them. Thank you for the blessing of a free society in the United States. For any reading this from nations not free I pray for bondage's to be broken. In Jesus Name. Amen.
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