Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might because in the grave where you are going there is no planing, no foresight, no work. This means to take pains, to strive for something. Do not wait for someone to tell you that you need to get busy and work. Understand the character building that is presently going on in you. I did not read every single verse that addresses this subject. However, not only is our reputation evidenced by our diligence in labor, so is our Gods reputation! And Thomas Fuller noted, To be employed in useless things is half to be idle. 'Raw haste' is 'half sister to delay.' Proverbs 6:6-8, Proverbs 6:9-11. Next time you tell yourself this lie and waste your valuable time, look in the mirror and decide who you are going to be. read more, Scripture: Wheres the fire? read more, Scripture: Its the picture of the man who is so lazy that the food is put in front of him and he just dips his hand in the soup or in the dish and is too lazy to bring it to his mouth. Secondly, his work is not for himself, but for others, and that faith and hope that others will benefit drives him on. Psalm 32:9; Proverbs 6:6-8; Proverbs 26:3; Isaiah 1:3. Go to the ant, you sluggard! Prepare in spring, summer, and fall for winters great need! Hebrews 10:26-39, Habakkuk 1, Habakkuk 2:2-4. Sloth Baptist. Proverbs 6:9-11, Denomination: Sadly, such analogies often insult the beast (. I have been doing this in Waynesboro for the last 3.5 years. Plan it. Theyre known to dig their curved claws into a tree branch and hang without effort for hours-on-end; they are as unmotivated as they look! Thats American society today. Earnestness is dumb, and therefore it is terrible. I am talking today of working hard for the Lord! Increased knowledge. A key component of the godly work ethic is wisdom. Realizing that giving up will only lead to regret and frustration. Even on the brink of success, while he holds it in his hands, procrastination seduces him to stumble at the threshold of victory. Consider how much more would be accomplished for the kingdom of Christ if you worked as hard in ministry as you do for a paycheck. Ephesians 6:1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. Luke 12:35-48. I went past the field of the sluggard and past the vineyard of the man who lacks judgement. Please be aware that these items are sent out from our office in the UK. The Apostle uses a very remarkable expression here, which is rendered in our Bible imperfectly 'giving all diligence.' The more you sleep, the harder it will be to wake up from this way of life. Conscientious hard work and perseverance, particularly with regard to a relationship with God. Its the way of laziness, the way of the sluggard. B. He was just successful locally. Get up early. Do it. Hard work is also not entertaining distraction. A wise man is strong, Yes, a man of knowledge increases strength; For by wise counsel you will wage your own war, and in a multitude of counselors there is safety., I Peter 2:18-20; Ephesians 6:5-8; Colossians 3:23-25, The soul of a lazy man desires, and has nothing; but the soul of the diligent shall be made rich., For wisdom is a defense as money is a defense, but the excellence of knowledge is that wisdom gives life to those who have it., piercing yourself through with many a sorrow, The hand of the diligent will rule, but the lazy man will be put to forced labor., Woe to you, O land, when your king is a child, and your princes feast in the morning! Thank You for Your grace. Observe the Miserable, Wretched, Cowardly, Pitiful Plight of the Sluggard. 2 Peter 1:1-11, Denomination: Many people move but are not diligent. Proverbs 4:20-27. The easy way is efficacious and speedy, the hard way arduous and long. Maybe youve prayed and prayed, but the answer that you wanted hasnt come. Nehemiah 4:21So we carried on the work with half of them holding spears from dawn until the stars appeared. You want to rest? Wise haste has sometimes to be content to go slowly. The next time you go to Kentucky Fried Chicken, remember that those thousands of restaurants all over America and now all over the world were started by a man who at the age of 66 decided that he was not going to go the easy way. How long will you lie there, you sluggard? [Proverbs 22:29; 21:20; 24:27], 5. 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. Since the UK is now no longer a member of the EU, you may be charged an import tax on this item by the customs authorities in your country of residence, which is beyond our control. Free Sermons and Sermon Outlines for Preaching : The Results Of Serving Diligently And Selflessly. Sacrifice and hard work are part and parcel of the Christian life. God honors hard workers by crowning them with his personal blessing. 1 Corinthians 15:58, Denomination: The easy way is saying take it easy, slow down, back off, dont have a heart attack. In the book of Nehemiah Gods people experienced the same drop in motivation when they were working on rebuilding the wall around Jerusalem. This article is also available and sold as a booklet. Diligence is hard work (Proverbs 12:24) 2. '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.' The fact that God calls what he does work and calls it good means that work must be significant, that it must have intrinsic value. Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life (Proverbs 4:23). God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit were actively working through some preacher during these years of Divine longsuffering (, Only Noah and his family were saved after this time period (, Therefore, unless other preachers worked during this period and died before the flood, Noah and his family would have been the only shining light, which is corroborated by Gods approval of Noah (. Many of you have [Proverbs 3:27-28; 12:26; 21:25-26; 24:21-22; 25:21-22], 13. Dont work only in order to receive. It is saying tomorrow. Slow down, man. Thats the way our society is going today. You're Preaching, But Do You Know Who's Listening? God only holds us responsible for what we can do. 2 Peter chapter 1 instructs us to live a diligent faith, one which continues to grow from the time we accept Christ as our personal Savior and Lord. Through God's grace we have been given His virtues, gifts which we must . Proverbs 13:4 says, "The soul of the sluggard desireth and hath nothing, but the soul of the diligent shall be made fat. God gave you two feet. Consider her ways and be wise, which, having no captain, overseer or ruler, The lazy man does not roast what he took in hunting, but, For God is not unjust to forget your work and labor of love which you have shown toward His name, in that, Prepare your outside work, make it fit for yourself in the field; and, Through wisdom a house is built, and by understanding it is established; By knowledge the rooms are filled with all precious and pleasant riches. Hard work! We do not know for sure. 'To-morrow and to-morrow' is the opiate with which sluggards and cowards set conscience asleep, and as each to-morrow becomes to-day it proves as empty of effort as its predecessors, and, when it has become yesterday, it adds one more to the solemn company of wasted opportunities which wait for a man at the bar of God. For example, kindness, patience, endurance and self-control are all found in the definition of love (1 Corinthians 13:4-8). Powered by Congregate, Fifth Street church of Christ There is no substitute for the goodness a godly mother brings. [Proverbs 10:26; 19:15], 15. CONSISTENCY IS HARD WORK I am preaching about the value of hard work. Ecclesiastes 11:1-8 Anywhere. Ruth 2:1-23, It is an insult that is still used today on playgrounds across the globe. "It is a remarkable painting of a Read, re-read, and even memorize the proverbs that pertain to both laziness and work. 1 Corinthians 3:6-9, Denomination: Ask God to grant His blessing and favor in your work (cf. We came through Knoxville and got on I-75 heading toward Lexington and Cincinnati. The Season of Easter Series: When Jesus Shows Up During the Season of Easter we .read more Scripture: Acts 9:1-22 For soon, the roles will be reversed. very lovely Sign up for our newsletter: Consider how your employer would evaluate you if his assessment was based on your work ethic in ministry. What a beautiful ideal of Christian life results from putting together all these items. Guest. A great need comes upon him, which required time to prepare precious time that he has twiddled away and so, his life falls into ruin. Truly, when you have diligence, you do have real power. Things invariably go wrong in ways that we cannot anticipate, because of our limited experience. Note the wide field of action for this homely grace. Beware the great lie of procrastination. Romans 16:12, Denomination: Being tired is no excuse for bypassing the opportunity to work, and no one appreciates the murmuring, because such complaining belittles the toil that others produce. You're Preaching, But Do You Know Who's Listening? read more, Scripture: But the less we hurry the more should we hasten in running the race set before us. 52-week preaching calendar to help you plan your sermons, Customizable sermon manuscripts for verse-by-verse preaching, Preach with creativity and impact throughout the year, [NEW YEAR] 4-Week Series to kick off 2023, [PRODUCTIVITY] Fulfill your full potential, [FOUNDATIONS] Getting back to what matters most. He who diligently seeks good seeks favor, but he who searches after evil, it will come to him (Proverbs 11:27). Discontentment will get us nowhere, but only humble trust and steadfast faith. Sooner begun, sooner donethe first and last steps are usually the hardest (English Proverb). You can be sure that the lawyers on both sides vigorously 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. read more, Scripture: Let the records show I am in favor of vacations. The Pattern for Life and Love -- Diligence Unity among Gods people depends upon diligence: Preachers are to be diligent in reminding Gods people of His truth (2 Peter 1:15). There are other verses in there that apply to the whole topic of hard work. Introduction But, because he simply wanted to eliminate any occasion for false teachers and sectarians to accuse him of using the brethren, he worked night and day, as a preacher and a tent maker (. Besides our spouse and children, few things in our lives publicize our character and establish our reputation more than our work. Here is the application. Often people feel hindered at the start of something, and they dont know where to begin. [Proverbs 16:32b; 25:28], 3. 2 Timothy 2:1-10 Go to the ant, you sluggard! Although seductive pitfalls abound, which lure us into a denial of the consequences of laziness, the wise will grow in the knowledge of Gods Word, overcome, and diligently lead a life of commitment. Happiness in labor comes less from the work that comes to you, but it comes more from the attitude you bring to your work! Copyright 2021, Institute in Basic Life Principles ~ Privacy Policy~ Terms and Conditions~Log In. Allowed HTML tags: