Industriousness, July 18, 2008
Industriousness, July 18, 2008 I went by the field of the lazy man, and by the vineyard of the man devoid of understanding;
And there it was, all overgrown with thorns; its surface was covered with nettles; its stone wall was broken down.
When I saw it, I considered it well; I looked on it and received instruction:
A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest;
So shall your poverty come like a prowler, and your need like an armed man. Be diligent to know the state of your flocks, and attend to your herds;
For riches are not forever, nor does a crown endure to all generations.
When the hay is removed, and the tender grass shows itself, and the herbs of the mountains are gathered in,
The lambs will provide your clothing, and the goats the price of a field;
You shall have enough goats' milk for your food, for the food of your household, and the nourishment of your maidservants. Proverbs 24:30-34, 27:23-27, www.solascriptura.com Father, Solomon observed and made logical deductions. Give us the wisdom to do the same. We know that endeavor, in Your name, is rewarded, but as clear as we are on that fact, we sometimes think that what we have personally accomplished will endure. Help us not to overly value the transitory. Help us to see that our industriousness here is simply one more important part of Your plan for our lives. We sometimes work hard here but our treasure is there, with You, forever. Strengthen our resolve to do the right thing, every day. In Christ' name we pray, amen. Bruce Caldwell
Forward to a friend:
http://app.icontact.com/icp/sub/forward?m=176169&s=10466934&c=O8UL&cid=207588 Labels: Industriousness
Industriousness, June 4, 2008
Industriousness, June 4, 2008 "By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.
"As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love.
"If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love.
"These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full. John 15:8-11 Jesus, You have taught us that God is glorified as we bear fruit as Your disciples. It is Your love for us, just as it was the Father's love for You, that is the enabling factor. Help us, this day, to trust and obey and to abide in Your love in such a way that it is obvious to everyone that we seek to serve You. The result you promise is that Your joy will fill us and that our joy will be complete. There is no way to have joy in this troubled world, Jesus, but to seek to be Your disciples, no matter what happens. The world will perish that a more perfect existence may come to all of those who name You as their personal Savior and in clinging to that fact we are able to possess joy. In Jesus Holy name, we pray, amen. Bruce Caldwell
Forward to a friend: http://app.icontact.com/icp/sub/forward?m=175530&s=10466934&c=O8UL&cid=207588 Labels: Industriousness
Industriousness, May 14, 2008
Industriousness, May 14, 2008 "I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser.
"Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.
"You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you.
"Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.
"I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.
"If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned.
"If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. John 15:1-7, www.solascriptura.com Thank You Jesus for speaking directly to us. Divine instruction, not from the mouths of men, is indeed a treasure. Here You tell us that it is not just You speaking to us but You and the Father are one. Father, Your word says, "bear fruit" or perish. That sounds harsh but it is only harsh to those who do not seek to bear fruit. We know that You give us different gifts by which to serve You but none of is without a gift. Help us to seek to serve You this day, knowing that the tests and challenges of life serve to bring understanding and growth. You "prune" us, as painful as it may be at times, that we might bear more fruit. Teach us to see the value of difficult times that we might grow and bear more and better fruit. Jesus, without You we can do nothing that glorifies You and without You we can do nothing that endures. In service to You, we pray, amen. Bruce Caldwell
Forward to a friend: http://app.icontact.com/icp/sub/forward?m=175499&s=10466934&c=O8UL&cid=207588 Labels: Industriousness
Industriousness, April 21, 2008
Industriousness, April 21, 2008 "This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.
"Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends.
"You are My friends if you do whatever I command you.
"No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you.
"You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you. John 15:12-16, www.solascriptura.com Father, You have taught us that the two greatest commandments are to love You with all our heart, mind and soul and to love our neighbors as ourselves. It seems Father, that all Christians find the first commandment completely clear and that the command to love our neighbors, though clear, is much more challenging. Help us to understand that the kind of love we should have for each other is as the love You have for us. Father, not many of us have the depth of love for others that we have for You. Help us to see that our own imperfections make it difficult at times for others to love us. Then help us to see that the imperfections in our acquaintances and friends are not only to be expected but they are to be forgiven as You have forgiven us. Father, again You say, bear fruit! We thank you for defining the fruits of the Spirit that should characterize our lives; love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, faithfulness, goodness and self control. Now help us to manifest our love for You by loving our neighbors in a way that is impossible without Your Spirit in us. In Jesus Holy name, we pray, amen. Bruce Caldwell
Labels: Industriousness
Industriousness, March 29, 2008
Industriousness, March 29, 2008 ... He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers,
for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ,
till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ;
that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ—from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love. Ephesians 4:11-16, www.solascriptura.com Father, Your word has made it clear. Every Christian must do their share if the body of believers is to grow. You have taught us that we are to seek to be mature in our relationship with You, no longer being as children who are deceived by the cunning of evil. Father, we see that there are different ways to serve You and that You want to equip us to be as Jesus among men. Teach each of us what Your expectations are this day and every day and then enlighten us and lead us as we seek to serve You. The presence of our fleshly, sinful instincts must decrease and Your perfect presence must increase. In Jesus Holy name, we pray, amen.
Bruce Caldwell
Labels: Industriousness
Industriousness, March 1, 2008
Industriousness, March 1, 2008 Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give him who has need. And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ.
But he who does wrong will be repaid for what he has done, and there is no partiality. ... we urge you, brethren, that you increase more and more;
that you also aspire to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you,
that you may walk properly toward those who are outside, and that you may lack nothing. Ephesians 4:28, Colossians 3:23-25, I Thessalonians 4:10-12, www.solascriptura.com Father, we know that your desire is that we are fruitful. You have taught us that one of the reasons to accumulate assets is to share them with those in need. Help us to know that assets, granted to us by You, make us a custodian, one who administers benefits to others. Working with enthusiasm and joy is your hope for us. Again Father, help us to know that what we do for and unto men should be as if we were doing it for You personally. We work and serve, not to our glory, but to Yours. How tempting it is Father to take credit for dispensing Your gifts. Even the gift of love and caring, though free to us, came at a great cost to You. Help us this day to freely give that which we have been given. In the material sense, most of us lack nothing that we truly need. Help us to be spiritually satisfied by Your word and presence and to generously share Your love. In Jesus Holy name, we pray, amen.
Bruce Caldwell
Labels: Industriousness
Industriousness March 1, 2008
Industriousness March 1, 2008 Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give him who has need.
And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ.
But he who does wrong will be repaid for what he has done, and there is no partiality.
... we urge you, brethren, that you increase more and more;
that you also aspire to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you,
that you may walk properly toward those who are outside, and that you may lack nothing. Ephesians 4:28, Colossians 3:23-25, 1Thessalonians 4:10-12, www.solascriptura.com Father, we know that your desire is that we are fruitful. You have taught us that one of the reasons to accumulate assets is to share them with those in need. Help us to know that assets, granted to us by You, make us a custodian, one who administers benefits to others. Working with enthusiasm and joy is your hope for us. Again Father, help us to know that what we do for and unto men should be as if we were doing it for You personally. We work and serve, not to our glory, but to Yours. How tempting it is Father to take credit for dispensing Your gifts. Even the gift of love and caring, though free to us, came at a great cost to You. Help us this day to freely give that which we have been given. In the material sense, most of us lack nothing that we truly need. Help us to be spiritually satisfied by Your word and presence and to generously share Your love. In Jesus Holy name, we pray, amen.
Bruce Caldwell
Labels: Industriousness
Industriousness #11
LORD, You have been our dwelling place in all generations. Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever You had formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God. You turn man to destruction, and say, “Return, O children of men.” For a thousand years in Your sight are like yesterday when it is past, and like a watch in the night. You carry them away like a flood; they are like a sleep. In the morning they are like grass which grows up: In the morning it flourishes and grows up; in the evening it is cut down and withers. For we have been consumed by Your anger, and by Your wrath we are terrified. You have set our iniquities before You, our secret sins in the light of Your countenance. For all our days have passed away in Your wrath; we finish our years like a sigh. The days of our lives are seventy years; and if by reason of strength they are eighty years, yet their boast is only labor and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away. Who knows the power of Your anger? For as the fear of You, so is Your wrath. So teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom. Return, O LORD! How long? And have compassion on Your servants. Oh, satisfy us early with Your mercy, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days! Make us glad according to the days in which You have afflicted us, the years in which we have seen evil. Let Your work appear to Your servants, and Your glory to their children. And let the beauty of the LORD our God be upon us, and establish the work of our hands for us; yes, establish the work of our hands. Psalms 90:1-17, http://www.solascriptura.com/Father, for these Holy and wise words we are grateful. Help us O’ God to fulfill Your expectations and to use each day to Your glory. Life is truly finite, we see the end approaching quickly for ourselves or for others and we realize that our opportunities to serve You and others, on this earth, will be gone. Help us Father, to make the most of what You have given us. Point us to a reunion, to an eternal life, with all those love you and in the meantime help our work be meaningful and joyful. In Christ’ name, amen. Bruce Caldwell Labels: Industriousness
|
|
|
