Vii Be Positive Demonstrating The Fruits Of The Spirit
We must remember we may be the only representation of Jesus that some people see all day. We should cheerfully work hard every day, maintain high ethical standards and integrity, and work without complaining.
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.
We should be loyal to our employers and supervisors, and treat coworkers and colleagues with kindness and compassion.
Put on then, as Gods chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience,
Let us strive to always bring up morale.
I perceived that there is nothing better for them than to be joyful and to do good as long as they live also that everyone should eat and drink and take pleasure in all his toilthis is Gods gift to man.
Finally, always be willing to give an explanation for why we work hard, in order to honor God.
But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect
When you inspect your own heart today, do you display a good work ethic or are there areas you can fine tune?
How have you seen a good work ethic displayed in your own sphere of influence? Id love to hear in the comments below.
Because of Him, #HopePrevails!
Work Like God Is Your Boss
The Apostle Paul said, Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men,knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ .
These words can be especially encouragingand challengingif you dont like your job or have trouble getting along with your boss. The Bible tells us that all Christians are ultimately working for the Lord. Paul wrote, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God .
Whether youre making peanut butter sandwiches for little ones, typing emails in a cubicle, or scrubbing toilets, your hard work brings glory to God.
What Does Protestant Work Ethic Mean
The Reformation of the Christian church took place in the early 16th century.
It was brought about by Christians who protested many of the practices of the Catholic church that they saw as being in conflict with the principles of the Bible.
Those Christians who protested against the Catholic church became known as Protestants due to their protests.
There were a few main themes to this protest at the time.
The protesters said Sola scriptura Sola fide and Sola gracia .
Their claim was that the Catholic church had departed from these Biblical truths.
Then they replaced them with a works-based salvation that ignored the saving grace of God through Jesus Christ.
It could also be said that the Catholic church had become too successful.
Through the centuries, Christian Biblical beliefs had led to many advances in technology, finance, and business.
Many researchers have documented how the church even invented capitalism, making the way for billions of people to escape poverty and a subsistence life. This created enough wealth to expand the audience for the Gospel across the entire globe so many could receive everlasting life.
These advances propelled Europe -and then North America- ahead of every other world civilization and have been the subject of academic scrutiny for a very long time.
The church was both the benefactor and beneficiary of these immense increases that made life much better for all people within the churchs sphere of influence.
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Pauls Previous Instruction About Work In 1 Thessalonians
Not only did Paul set an example for the Thessalonians to follow he also gave some very specific instructions regarding work. He particularly focused his attention on those who were undisciplined and did not work:
9 Now on the topic of brotherly love you have no need for anyone to write you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another. 10 And indeed you are practicing it toward all the brothers and sisters in all of Macedonia. But we urge you, brothers and sisters, to do so more and more, 11 to aspire to lead a quiet life, to attend to your own business, and to work with your hands, as we commanded you. 12 In this way you will live a decent life before outsiders and not be in need .
We need to recall that this instruction is given in the context of the believers sanctification, and also that these words are not suggestions but apostolic commands . In this text, the believers motivation for working hard is brotherly love. And so Paul commands the Thessalonians to strive to lead a quiet life and to mind their own business .
We turn next to 1 Thessalonians 5:
12 Now we ask you, brothers and sisters, to acknowledge those who labor22 among you and preside23 over you in the Lord and admonish you, 13 and to esteem them most highly in love because of their work.24 Be at peace among yourselves. 14 And we urge you, brothers and sisters, admonish the undisciplined, comfort the discouraged, help the weak, be patient toward all .
There Is A Difference Between Working Hard And Overworking Yourself Which Scripture Doesnt Condone
12. Psalm 127:1-2 Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain. It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows: for so he giveth his beloved sleep.
13. Ecclesiastes 1:2-3 Everything is meaningless, says the Teacher, completely meaningless! What do people get for all their hard work under the sun?
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Pauls Example In 1 And 2 Thessalonians
What makes Pauls instruction regarding work so forceful is that he practiced what he preached. In 1 Thessalonians 2, Paul ties the impact of the gospel that was preached in Thessalonica with the work ethic and lifestyle of those who proclaimed it :
1 For you yourselves know, brothers and sisters, about our coming to you it has not proven to be purposeless. . . . 5 For we never appeared with flattering speech, as you know, nor with a pretext for greed God is our witness 6 nor to seek glory from people, either from you or from others, 7 although we could have imposed our weight as apostles of Christ 19 instead we became 20 among you. Like a nursing mother caring for her own children, 8 with such affection for you we were happy to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own lives, because you had become dear to us. 9 For you recall, brothers and sisters, our toil and drudgery: By working night and day so as not to impose a burden on any of you, we preached to you the gospel of God. 10 You are witnesses, and so is God, as to how holy and righteous and blameless our conduct was toward you who believe. 11 As you know, we treated each one of you as a father treats his own children, 12 exhorting and encouraging you and insisting that you live in a way worthy of God who calls you to his own kingdom and his glory .
What It Means For You
Be industrious at your work. Take a real interest in it. Even if what you do seems menial or is not the type of work you feel you were born for, endeavor to become skillful at it. Industrious work leads to a sense of accomplishment, and developing your skill might actually increase your job satisfaction.
At the same time, be balanced. Enjoy occasional rest and relaxation. These periods are even more enjoyable after we have worked diligently. Also, by earning our necessities, we build a sense of self-worth and win the respect of othersincluding our family.2 Thessalonians 3:12.
Never be anxious and say, What are we to eat? or, What are we to drink? or, What are we to wear? . . . Your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.Matthew 6:31, 32.
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Effective Habits To Embrace In Parenting
To be an effective parent, you must be a leader in your childs life, guiding with a gentle hand and setting a solid example. Dr. Randy Schroeder provides the insight you need to be a leader-parent. As he explores the foundational Rsrelationship, routines, responsibilities, and rulesyoull better understand the role you play in your childs life. Youll learn great phrases to employ such as Either/Or/You Decide and When You/Then You. While there is no perfect parent, this nuts-and-bolts material will equip you to lead your child in a loving, confident manner.
Pauls Last Words To The Thessalonians2 Thessalonians : 16
16 Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with you all. 17 I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand, which is how I write in every letter. 18 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all .
Lets remember that Paul strongly desired to return to Thessalonica, but his efforts were repeatedly hindered by Satan.29 Because Paul was not able to return, he wrote these two epistles and also sent Timothy to Thessalonica in his place. What I want you to see from Pauls epistles to the Thessalonians is that he does not emphasize his return to Thessalonica as much as he does our Lords return His Second Coming to earth. Paul wants these Thessalonians to be more focused and eager regarding the Lords return than on his return.
Then in verse 18 Paul closes with this benediction: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. The gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ is all about grace. It is by grace that we are saved. It is by grace that we endure. It is by grace that we will enter into the blessings of enjoying God for all eternity. And so it is that the first thing Paul says to these saints , and also the last , is to remind them of Gods grace.
I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand, which is how I write in every letter .
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Christian Quotes About Hard Work
Hard work beats talent when talent doesnt work hard. Tim Notke
Pray as though everything depended on God. Work as though everything depended on you. Augustine
There is no substitute for hard work. Thomas A. Edison
Without hard work, nothing grows but weeds. Gordon B. Hinckley
What you do in your house is worth as much as if you did it up in heaven for our Lord God. We should accustom ourselves to think of our position and work as sacred and well-pleasing to God, not on account of the position and work, but on account of the word and faith from which the obedience and the work flow. Martin Luther
Fear God and work hard. David Livingstone
I used to ask God to help me. Then I asked if I might help Him to do His work through me. Hudson Taylor
We tend to set up success in Christian work as our purpose, but our purpose should be to display the glory of God in human life, to live a life hidden with Christ in God in our everyday human conditions. Oswald Chambers
Through hard work, perseverance and a faith in God, you can live your dreams. Ben Carson
Read the Bible. Work hard and honestly. And dont complain. Billy Graham
If God is satisfied with the work, the work may be satisfied with itself. C.S. Lewis
Trust In The Lord With All Your Heart And Lean Not On Your Own Understanding In All Your Ways Submit To Him And He Will Make Your Paths Straight
In the end, some of us might feel frustrated with our jobs. Perhaps we have a difficult boss, our work seems boring or were not where we want to be professionally. No matter what the situation, remember: Bible verses about hard work call us to be dedicated, prudent and to work for God.
We must each see our calling as something bigger and broader than our current work tasks. Make an effort to work as though youre doing it for the Lord and your perspective can change. Also, trust God and ask Him where He wants you. Ask for professional guidance as you move forward in your career, and for peace when it gets difficult.
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For Even When We Were With You We Gave You This Rule: The One Who Is Unwilling To Work Shall Not Eat We Hear That Some Among You Are Idle And Disruptive They Are Not Busy They Are Busybodies Such People We Command And Urge In The Lord Jesus Christ To Settle Down And Earn The Food They Eat
Some of the Bible verses about work ethic that are essential to remember can be found in 2 Thessalonians 3:10-12. The line the one who is unwilling to work shall not eat emphasizes the importance of having a solid worth ethic and the consequences for not giving our all in our jobs. Hard work is important and helps meet our needs.
What Does The Bible Say About Working
“The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it.â âGenesis 2:15
God created us to work. Not in a sadistic sense to do his bidding or face his wrath. But to subdue the earth and have dominion over every living creature . In other words, all of life, culture, and work is to reflect the beauty and glory of God. This is emphasis of scriptures about work throughout the Bible.
Whether youâre a pastor, construction worker, elementary teacher, entrepreneur, or stay-at-home mom, work is rooted in Godâs good creation, and it’s to reflect his glory. We see this plainly laid out in the verse mentioned above .
Jesus himself was a carpenter, and his earthly dad, Joseph, was a carpenter, too. God himself even got his hands dirty when he made âman of dust from the groundâ .
Not only did God command us to work, but, being created in his image as a Creator, we are hardwired with a desire to createâto work.
This doesnât mean that weâre able to create something out of nothing like God. Instead, we can create things out of something already created. From creating a meal out of multiple ingredients to building a house out of different materials, to varying degrees, we can create.
What is more, like God, we can bring order out of chaos. âThe earth was without form and void⦠And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the watersâ . As the Spirit of God brought order to creation, we too can bring order to the world we live in.
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What The Bible Says
The Bible promotes a balanced view of work. It praises industriousness and condemns laziness. At the same time, the Bible does not endorse workaholism. Rather, it encourages us to enjoy reasonable periods of relaxation. Ecclesiastes 4:6 says: Better is a handful of rest than two handfuls of hard work and chasing after the wind. So we should not become so wrapped up in our work that we neglect our family or our health. There is no merit in working ourselves to death!
There is nothing better for a man than to eat and drink and find enjoyment in his hard work.Ecclesiastes 2:24.
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Lack Of Passion Or Purpose
Many of us dont work in career fields where our kingdom impact is very obvious. We spend our days working mundane jobs and completing routine tasks.
And, lets be honest, this can be pretty discouraging. We know that were called to serve God, but we feel that most of our week is spent doing things that arent relevant to His mission.
But that is simply a lie.
Its a blessing to work in ministry, where we can witness our kingdom impact firsthand. But serving God is not limited to missionaries and pastors. Hes placed each of us in a specific position, uniquely equipped to carry out His will.
The Bible tells us that we can work with energy and purpose, because in everything we do were working for God. Whether He has called you be a stay-at-home parent, a doctor, or an accountant, He has called you to perform your tasks faithfully, in His name and for His glory.
So, we need to be good stewards of what Hes given us our time and talents, our relationships, and our careers. We should be committed to diligence and integrity in everything we do. If this is true for us, well be serving Him well.
In one of Jesus parables, a man left his servant with a sum of money, to do with it what he thought was best. This servant acted prudently and increased the value of the investment. As a result, his master commended him, Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful with a few things I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your masters happiness. .