sermon on hard work and diligence

It is the way of total financial collapse, the way to wasted days, wasted weeks, wasted months, wasted lives. Please contact the publisher to obtain copies of this resource. Understand that frequently you are not going to receive encouragement or applause for getting started. The first element, then, in Christian diligence is economy of time as of most precious treasure, and the avoidance, as of a pestilence, of all procrastination. Find stories, quotes, humor, and statistics to bring your sermon on Work to life. That is a warning to those of us who make our living speaking. (For example, as above, focus first on the long process of sustaining food before enhancing shelter, which you can do while you are waiting on the harvest.). The greatest success and wealth pertains to riches not of this life. After over two years of being overlooked, toiling unduly, and suffering unjustly, he was promoted to second in the kingdom (, Even if you must labor in the prison (i.e., a lowly, boring job), work with diligence, zeal, and faithfulness, so that you exemplify the integrity of Christians. Title: Drama and Diligence 1. Guest. "Whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance; for ye serve the Lord Christ" (Colossians 3:23-24). our society who think Rather, find satisfaction in simply doing good work for God and men. I applied my heart to what I observed and learned a lesson from what I saw. Wheres the fire? Outline: 1. Again, the lazy man will have his reason to justify his laziness. whatever your image of God Go bigger. When thou sittest to eat with a ruler, consider diligently what is before thee: and put a knife to thy throat, if thou be a man given to appetite. Noah may not have been working on the ark for the entire span of 120 years. God teaches us to trust in him and in his Son our Saviour. D, Scripture: Eventually, you, Build Up a Defense Do Not Trust in Riches. That is to say, when you watch out for your own affairs, and then when you take care of the business that you are employed in, you will be honored. God is calling all of us to the hard road. read more, Scripture: Notice how Chuck . (503) 644-9017. Wise haste has sometimes to be content to go slowly. Go to the ant, you sluggard! There is a world out there. Brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall: For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (II Peter 1:1011). by Lyn Chaffart | May 7, 2016 | Dedication, Diligence, Motivation, Priorities. The night of weeping, the night of toil, is nearly past. Topic: THE RESULTS OF SERVING DILIGENTLY AND SELFLESSLY This week. 4. Accordingly, we have updated our Privacy Policy and Terms and Conditions in order to comply with GDPR. Be Patient, Work Humbly Do Not Expect Overnight Success, or to Get Rich Quick, Too often, people are willing to work hard, but they expect the world or their employer to reward them equally. First, note that in our text, 'giving all diligence, add to your faith.' '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. June 5, 2005 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, INTRODUCTION But for all that he is not a bit afraid of putting the other side of the truth, and saying to us in effect. God waited patiently, hoping for mankind to repent while Noah was building the ark (, God specifically worked with mankind for 120 years before sending the flood (. It is a sign of increasing godliness. It is difficult to prosper by the keeping of promises, the deliverance of value and goods and services and deeds and denouncing the so-called shrewdness with sound merit and good ethics. read more, Scripture: If we will put it forth, then the gifts that God has given, and which are not really ours unless we put it forth, will pass into the very substance of our being, and unfold themselves according to the life that is in them; even the life that is in Jesus Christ Himself, in all forms of beauty and sweetness and power and blessedness. Do not be deceived! 2. The attorneys on both sides have laid out their case for the jury to make a decision. The moments granted to any of us are too few and precious to let slip unused. How much time off? As mentioned, the beginning or end of an important task can be the most difficult. If we desire that upon our Christian lives there shall shine the perpetual sunshine of an unclouded confidence that we have the love and the favour of God, and that for us there is no condemnation, but only 'acceptance in the beloved,' the short road to it is the well-known and trite path of toil in the Christian life. Seest thou a man diligent in his business? For example, consider your choice of major in school, or sought position in employment: Many people advocate a job that makes you happy. We must gather ourselves together under the impulse of an all-pervading and noble earnestness, too deep to be demonstrative, and which does not waste itself in noise, but settles down steadily to work. There is no leaving that task back at the office. Motherhood is one of the true full-time jobs. - Sunday Morning. Again, consider that God foretold a figurative army of locust, who were stinging, devouring, resistant, entitled, and yet they were of mankind. Friend, may be you are poised, smart, educated, technically qualified, charming and GDPR is the new European privacy regulation, which will replace the Data Protection Act 1998 in the UK and the equivalent legislation across the EU Member States. Unless otherwise noted, all quotations are from the New King James Version, copyright 1994 Here are some practical steps you can take: [ Proverbs 12:24, 27; 31:27] a. He was now 66 years old, the time when most men retire. Here are twenty practical principles from Proverbs to motivate you to work hard and avoid laziness. Text: Acts 9:1-22 Like a door that easily revolves and yet groans, so does the lazy man, easily rolling over in his bed, complaining of being tired, and easily returning to his slumber. You must be focused in life. Dont work too hard. Arise early! read more, Scripture: However, those who learn to work their way through the thorns and briars of this life will be better trained and prepared by their heavenly Father to overcome the difficulties of developing a spiritual life and growing into a mature Christian (. Prepare in spring, summer, and fall for winters great need! We have to have a humble attitude. Our public behavior, among those who, Certainly, unbelievers will use whatever sins or perceived inconsistencies we exhibit as a means to speak evil of our Lord and dismiss us, Him, and the gospel (. read more, Scripture: For example, kindness, patience, endurance and self-control are all found in the definition of love (1 Corinthians 13:4-8). The centre of Gods purpose for us. Nehemiah 4:21So we carried on the work with half of them holding spears from dawn until the stars appeared. Like drunkenness, laziness destroys the very thing required to curb it. Abandoning laziness and growing in diligence means you must be controlled by the Holy Spirit. The confirmation of the 'call,' of the 'election,' both in fact and in my consciousness depends upon my action. Still further, one of the other writers of the New Testament gives us another field in which this virtue may expatiate, when the author of the Epistle to the Hebrews exhorts to diligence, in order to attain 'the full assurance of hope.' Sermon 1 & 2: Wise vs foolish We seem to see Peter, not much accustomed to wield a pen, sitting down to what he felt a somewhat difficult task, and pointing the readers to his own example as an instance of the temper which they must cherish if they are to make anything of their Christian life. Here is the application. [Proverbs 10:26; 19:15], 15. . Peter's first letter shows that he believed that Christians were 'chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father.' Thats where we are. God waited patiently, hoping for mankind to repent while Noah was building the ark (I Peter 3:20)God specifically worked with mankind for 120 years before sending the flood (Genesis 6:3)Question: What do we mean by the terms, "diligence", "work . II. Just start somewhere. [Proverbs 22:29; 21:20; 24:27], 5. We werent in any hurry, and soon it was past lunch time. Earnestness is dumb, and therefore it is terrible. Dedicate It is the word with which the Apostle, left solitary in his prison, besought his sole trusty companion Timothy to 'make haste so as to come to him before winter.' Ask the Spirit to make you a hard worker for God. Congregational. I am not calling on you to work 70 or 80 or 90 or100 hours a week. "The sluggard craves and gets nothing, but the desires of the diligent are fully satisfied." Proverbs 13:4 "All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty." Proverbs 14:23 Cut some corners. Part of the reason and joy of work is the ability to help others. Thesis: Both the exceptional and the everyday experiences with the living Christ are valid and necessary in accomplishing Gods work in and through our lives. However, all work. In 1956, 16 years later, he was successful, but he was not known. We sent you an email. I did not read every single verse that addresses this subject. The rest is excuses. Trevor Musia. In the process, Peter shares in this chapter 7 attributes we grow in as we become more spiritually mature. What an incredibly powerful quality long term diligence can be in our lives, because obviously: Samuel Johnson was spot on when he observed, Great works are performed not by strength but by perseverance. Lifelong Diligence - A Godly Work Ethic. Blessed is that servant whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing?' Be skilled in what excites you in life, because once you have determined what it is that God has gifted you to do, if you will become skilled at it, you will not serve before obscure men. Back in 1940 a man named Harlan Sanders was in Corbin, KY and he bought this old dilapidated restaurant and built a motel which was very advanced for that day. You're Preaching, But Do You Know Who's Listening? INTRODUCTION: CHRISTIANS LIVING UNDER CORRUPT ROMAN RULE - Notice the use of soul to describe the diligent man. God turns our weakness into incredible strength. [Proverbs 3:27-28; 12:26; 21:25-26; 24:21-22; 25:21-22], 13. Thanks for your interest! In a time of economic crisis, many people today would love some hard work! They become discouraged, when they do not feel like they are being used to their full potential. Hard Work and Providence We must not only press on all points, but we must endure, Prioritize, Prioritize, Prioritize No Dissipation, Mans life is of limited earthly span and resources. God's will for the human spirit is that it would never suffer entropy. 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. Let the records show I am in favor of vacations. Preaching Today is blessed to have him as an editorial A few months ago, I came across an article in The Boston Globe about religion in the workplace. And whatever. It is the way of no plans, no forethought, no enthusiasm, no diligence. Therefore, I want you to decree loud and clear like this: Sacrifice and hard work are part and parcel of the Christian life. Good morning everyone, let me get your mind thinking- Acts 6:5-7King James Version (KJV) You will rise until you serve before kings. If you want to be a strong Christian -- that is to say, a happy man -- you must bend your back to the work and 'give all diligence.' His life is spent. You have to go extra miles to achieve success in your pursuit in life Matthew 5:41. Notice, it was, Again, Jesus suffering from thirst and hunger used His thirst as an occasion to reach a lost Samaritan (. "Every Pharaoh that is pursuing Diligence is the opposite of slothfulness.It is the dedicated fervency God calls us to invest in each task that we perform. It will take you less than three seconds to answer that question. Are you there? Therefore, use wisdom, look ahead, exercise forethought, and choose tasks as objects of your work that are of the highest priority. The easy way is the way of procrastination. Somebody said to me, Well, what about the work-aholics? I answered, One sermon at a time, please. Stephen Curry, alongside Warriors head coach Steve Kerr, told reporters that he appreciated the invite to the White House as it was a "great opportunity for us from the basketball community to . The focus of this message is the command to serve the Lord with diligence. 'Giving all diligence, add to your faith ' -- 2 Peter i.5. If we desire that our path should be brightened by the clear vision of our blessed future beyond the grave, and above the stars, and within the bosom of God, the road to that happy assurance and sunny, cloudless confidence in a future of rest and fellowship with God lies simply here -- work! The Book of Proverbs records many warnings against slothfulness, and throughout Scripture we find instructions to live with diligence. Dawn, noon & moon Dedicate part of your profit and increase to helping others, and thereby avoid the cruel descent into oppression and destructive desire for wealth at all costs. Slow down, man. Thats the way our society is going today. For myself personally, I have found that the middle of any project can rather be the difficult part, especially if I look up and around with the dreaded realization, I am not even half done yet. Our work for others will be done, even though our toil will not be quite yet complete (, Therefore, whatever we choose to accomplish in this life, we must strive to complete diligently, because our window of opportunity is relatively small (. Often people feel hindered at the start of something, and they dont know where to begin. There are those in It is the way of getting up early and staying up late. Please see our News & Announcements for Recent Changes to our Meeting Times, Mark Dunagan However, the answer is not always to play life completely safe. 2 Timothy 2:14-21, Denomination: Sermon illustrations on Diligence. Sermon illustrations on Work. Hence we gather that no Christian growth is possible unless a man gives his mind to it. There is no substitute for the goodness a godly mother brings. Emulate Ruth's godly characteristics. He will serve before kings. How long will you lie there, you sluggard? No man becomes a vigorous Christian by any other course than 'giving all diligence.' And, says Peter, on this very account, because you have all these requisites for such a life already given you, see that you 'bring besides into' the heap of gifts, as it were, that which you and only you can bring, namely, 'all diligence.' 3. Its the way of laziness, the way of the sluggard. Attitude and diligence makes the difference. You may have heard the term, a match made in heaven. You can go the easy way or the hard way. He wants somebody to spoonfeed him. God promises to reward the diligent with blessings, including the following: The soul of the sluggard desireth, and hath nothing: but the soul of the diligent shall be made fat (Proverbs 13:4). Independent/Bible. II Peter was written from prison during a time of intense persecution and a time of false teachings which condoned a virulent sexual permissiveness and moral relativity. Break down the project into smaller, more manageable portions. But a more fundamental truth is this: the key to success in life is finding out what it is that you like to do, what it is that is the passion of your life, and then become very good at it. Samuel Johnson was spot on when he observed. Rise up early and work until late. Let us then look, first, at the homely excellence that is the master-key to all Christian maturity and grace, and then at the various fields in which we are to apply it. Day 5 of 40 days of fasting! 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12, Denomination: If you do, God will punish you, sooner or later. In Scripture diligence is highly commended. Hard work is also not entertaining distraction. You will have plenty of goats milk to feed you and your family and to nourish your servant girls. Proverbs 27:25-27. Consider how your employer would evaluate you if his assessment was based on your work ethic in ministry. Like The Tortoise and The Hare story, a person born with less advantages, or fewer talents, with diligence can overtake or out-perform those who were given more. Sounds began to come from the back seat indicating that an imminent stop would be well advised. It is a homely virtue, but if in its homeliness we practised it, this Church and our own souls would wear a different face from what it and they do to-day. Trust God to overcome any bad habits youve developed regarding work and diligence.d. One month of self-control will not help us become all we can be in this life. It is a call not to waste your life but to get up and get out and do something with the opportunities that God has placed before you. [Proverbs 13:4], 14. This sermon was gleamed out of many SermonCentral contributors and any part of it can be used because it is for Gods glory that we preach His Word. [Proverbs 20:13; 24:30-34; 26:14; 31:15], 4. Diligence is a virtue but when God is taken out of the picture, it becomes a liability characterized by vanity, sorrow, hard labour, restlessness, failure and poverty (Ps 127:1-2). Salvation Army. We live in a madcap world that work the whole night and sleep the whole day with no time for self or family. How can I read through Psalms and Proverbs in a month? Rock Solid Finances: Part 2 Work Diligently We are told there was so much demanding activity, they did not even have time to eat (, Rest for the hard-working is deserved and needed, but the diligent know how to dig a little deeper to accomplish needed tasks or help those in need. 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! But, even if he did take 120 years to build the ark, please also consider that? You may bear different fruit than you thought you would or even hoped for. Paul tells us to be diligent. He took me home with him for a festive meal, but his eyes feasted on me!" (Song 2:3-4 The Message)I recently had the opportunity to read through a personal testimony that I . 2 Thessalonians 3:6-13, 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12, Denomination: The Divine gift, then, is everything that will help a man to live a high and godly life. He becometh poor that dealeth with a slack hand: but the hand of the diligent maketh rich (Proverbs 10:4). Ruth 2:7She said, 'Please let me glean and gather among the sheaves after the reapers.' Think about what you are learning and what other doors the task at hand maybe preparing you to open. 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! He will not even bring it back to his mouth. Proverbs 19:24. It is called The Hard Way. It is comparatively easy to prosper by trickery, the violation of confidence, oppression of the weak, sharp practices, cutting corners, all those methods we are so prone to pileate and condone as business shrewdness. He's not even taking care of the things he has, whereas a diligent man prizes everything that he has because he had to work to earn it. They came not from the north, south, east, or west, but from a bottomless pit in the very ground underneath the nation being punished and destroyed (. [Proverbs 1:8; 2:1-2; 3:1-2; 4:1-2, 10-11, 20; 5:1-2; 6:20; 7:1-3; 8:32-36; 22:17-21; 23:15-25], 20. Introduction- Yet, if we pay attention, he will provide an opportunity to serve him every day in some way. The thoughts of the diligent tend only to plenteousness (Proverbs 21:5). She is still an immature girl! B. Ye shall diligently keep the commandments of the Lord your God, and his testimonies, and his statutes, which he hath commanded thee (Deuteronomy 6:17). Without it, the faith, though it may be genuine, which lies in a man who is idle in cultivating Christian character, will bear but few and shrivelled fruits. Here is what has helped me push through: Mark Dunagan/Beaverton Church of Christ/503-644-9017, Home | About Us | Sermons | Videos | Resources | Members | Contact Us If we are to be 'found in peace,' we must be 'found spotless,' and if we are to be 'found spotless' we must be 'diligent.' However, difficulties do not excuse the need or erase the consequences. When we understand God's design and heart for our work lives, it becomes something we no longer push through but thrive from. Only take heed to thyself, and keep thy soul diligently, lest thou forget the things which thine eyes have seen, and lest they depart from thy heart all the days of thy life: but teach them thy sons, and thy sons sons (Deuteronomy 4:9). The completed registration allows us to send order and donation receipts to the email address you provided. The only road that goes to the top is the hard road. It is tough, but it is the only one that goes where you want to go with your life. That is to say, unless you work with haste, with earnestness, and therefore with much putting forth of strength, your faith will not evolve the graces of character which is in it to bring forth. . Thank You for Your abundance. Why, because he was not worth it? Allowed HTML tags: