2 Thessalonians 3:10

"For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: 'If a man will not work, he shall not eat.'" 2 Thessalonians 3:10

You may have read about the man, a construction worker who took a sandwich out of his lunch bag, looked at it and threw it on the ground, yelling, "Baloney again! I hate baloney." A coworker said, "If you hate baloney so much, just ask your wife to make you something else." The man replied, "That's the problem. My wife didn't make the sandwich. I did."

Whether this story is true or not, doesn't really matter. It's a great parable.

As Michael Josephson in Character Counts said, "Lots of people continually make their own baloney sandwiches and then act as victims when it's time to eat them. It's like the man who killed his parents and had the audacity to demand mercy because he was an orphan."

Or like the overweight man who kept eating hamburgers and blamed and wanted to sue MacDonald's, and three other hamburger chains for contributing to his obesity. And like the lady who sued a store because she fell over an unruly child and hurt herself—and the unruly kid in question was her own child! The tragedy was she won the case and was awarded something like $700,000! We've gone sue crazy in this part of the world where I live and much, if not most, of it is because of gross irresponsibility and pure greed—wanting the rewards of hard work at someone else's expense.

I realize it can be extremely difficult (and sometimes impossible) in tough economical times to get work, but if work—any kind of work—is available and I don't want to work, nobody, including the government, is responsible for paying me or feeding me … neither are my parents…nor is society. As Paul implied, if I CAN get any kind of a job but don't want to work or do so-called menial work, then I don't deserve to eat. Let me add, I've done some pretty menial work in my time—working as many as three jobs at once in the summer break and part-time through the school year to put myself through college. Years later, I'm still working a second part-time job to supplement my ministry income.

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, if in any way I'm acting irresponsibly and trying to get others to do for me what I can and need to do for myself, help me to confess up and accept personal responsibility. And if I'm supporting an irresponsible child or person, help me to wake up and motivate him/her to grow up. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus' name, amen."

|
More

Journey with Intimacy by Steven W. Zachary

http://www.TheMessage2.us Take this seven-day journey with Jesus and watch your life change forever!

|
More

John 3:16

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16

"Years ago, R. G. Lee told a powerful story about a mountain school that had a hard time keeping a teacher. It seems there was a group of big, rough boys who took pride in running the teacher off. The biggest and roughest of them all was named Tom.

"A new young teacher won over the boys, however, by letting them write the rules for the school—which were very strictly enforced with a rod. For example, cheating would be punished with five strokes of the rod, and stealing with ten strokes, both to be given with the offender's coat off.

"Everything went well until one day Tom's lunch was stolen. A frail little boy in hand-me-down clothes that were too big for him admitted his guilt. The school rules demanded that he be whipped. When the teacher called the little fellow up front, he came whimpering and begging to leave his coat on. The pupils insisted he obey the rules and take off his coat. When he did, a deathly silence settled over the room, for he had no shirt on and his emaciated body looked like skin stretched over bones. The teacher gasped and dropped the rod. He knew he could never whip that little boy.

TO CONTINUE READING...CLICK HERE

|
More

Hebrews 9:14, 22

"How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? … And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission [forgiveness of sins]." Hebrews 9:14, 22

I can certainly identify with Dr. Paul Brand who said, "I used to think it strange that the Bible keeps talking about the cleansing power of the blood. 1 Peter 1:2. It seemed to me that blood was messy stuff. I needed to wash my white lab coats if they became stained with blood. Today, I love the analogy; it is so true of the body. The blood is constantly cleansing every cell, and washing away all the debris that accumulates all the time. I like Paul's phrase in Hebrews. Hebrews 9:14. 'How much more shall the blood of Christ purge [cleanse] your conscience from dead works?'" (Dr. Paul Brand in God's Forever Feast, Discovery House, 1998.)

TO CONTINUE READING...CLICK HERE

|
More

Hebrews 10:24-25

"And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching." Hebrews 10:24-25

In his book, Homemade, Dr. Ernest Mellor shares: "Recently my wife and I sat charmed at an outdoor performance by young Suzuki violin students. After the concert, an instructor spoke briefly on how children as young as two, three and four years old are taught to play violin. The first thing the children learn, he said, is a proper stance. And the second thing the children learn—even before they pick up the violin—is how to take a bow. 'If the children just play the violin and stop, people may forget to show their appreciation,' the instructor said. 'But when the children bow, the audience invariably applauds. And applause is the best motivator we've found to make children feel good about performing and want to do it well.'"

Being affirmed and appreciated is not only important for children, it is for adults too. When genuinely expressed, it is a great source of encouragement and motivation.

TO CONTINUE READING...CLICK HERE

|
More

2 Corinthians 12:9

"But he [God] said to me [the Apostle Paul], 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me." 2 Corinthians 12:9

"Johnny Fulton was run over by a car at the age of three. He suffered crushed hips, broken ribs, a fractured skull, and compound fractures in his legs. It did not look as if he would live. But he would not give up. In fact, he later ran the half-mile in less than two minutes.

"Walt Davis was totally paralyzed by polio when he was nine years old, but he did not give up. He became the Olympic high jump champion in 1952.

"Shelly Mann was paralyzed by polio when she was five years old, but she would not give up. She eventually claimed eight different swimming records for the U.S. and won a gold medal at the 1956 Olympics in Melbourne, Australia.

"Lou Gehrig was such a clumsy ball player that the boys in his neighborhood would not let him play on their team. But he was committed. He did not give up. Eventually, his name was entered into baseball's Hall of Fame.

TO CONTINUE READING...CLICK HERE

|
More

Acts 2:42, 46-47

"They [the early Christians] devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer…. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved."Acts 2:42, 46-47

Bruce Larson tells this story in his book, Faith for the Journey. Once there was a successful factory that made drills. One day the owner told his corporate officials that he was going to retire and that he had chosen his son as his successor. At the next board meeting the son asked his four vice presidents, "What are your goals for the company for the next five to ten years?"

One vice-president replied, "Well sir, we're looking at new sizes and shapes for different drills."

The son then dropped his bombshell. "I have news for you—there is no market for drills." One could feel the tension in the air. He continued, "From now on we will not think drills. We will not sell drills. We'll sell holes! People don't want to buy a drill; they want to make a hole!"

As they began to think of other ways to create holes they developed, among other methods, lasers for drilling holes. This attitude change and other innovations keep this company in business while its competitors lost large shares of the market and some even went bankrupt.

It wasn't aptitude but attitude that made the difference!

Reports by research specialist, George Barna, in recent years have shown that the church and Christians as a whole in the U.S.A. are not making any significant impact on the culture. Also, there is little difference in the manner of living between Christians and non-Christians. Others such as Chuck Colson are saying that in the U.S. we are now living in the post-Christian era. Alarming observations.

So what is wrong? A scary thought is that we could be rapidly heading in the same direction as the church did in Great Britain a century or so ago. Then the great spiritual and missionary endeavors were coming out of their country. But today the church there is but a shadow of what it was. As one British rector (minister) poignantly said about the church in England: "The times changed, the people and their needs changed, but the church remained the same, and little by little it became irrelevant and lost its impact." Instead of looking at itself, the church then blamed the indifference of the people for their leaving in droves.

True, our message never changes but the application of it and our methods of presenting it must apply to the needs of today's generation—not yesterday's. Furthermore, we are NOT in the business of building churches with a little "c". We are in the business of saving people and making disciples.

Like the disciples and early Christians, when we do God's work in God's way for God's glory may it be said of today's Church: "And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved"

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, today's world has become so much more complex and the competition for the hearts and minds of today's generation is all but overwhelming. As your children and church members please help us and our leaders understand the needs of our neighbors and communities and apply the gospel to meet the needs of our children, youth, adults and the aged. And perhaps even more importantly help me to so live that people seeing Jesus in me will want what I have. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus' name, amen."

|
More