SERVE GOD THROUGH WORK

  We celebrate Labor Day this week end.  For many people, it is not a happy time, as there are many unemployed and underpaid. The broken economy leaves too many without decent work.   We need to be in prayer for the many who are struggling to make ends meet.  May God guide our nation in creating a more just economy that truly honors the dignity of work and the rights of workers.  God saw fit for man to work.  The Apostle Paul told the Thessalonians in his second letter to them, “For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: “If a man will not work, he shall not eat.” (2:10)  Through the discipline of work, our lives are developed.  Our work enables us to care for our self and family.   I Timothy 5:8 “If anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for his immediate family, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.”

  All honest work is God’s work and through faithful performance of it, we serve God.

  A Christian worker must work not simply to please men but primarily to please God.  For the Christian, there is no secular work for all work must be a commitment to serve God.  There is no sacred/secular split in the eyes of God.  Whatever we do should be done in the name of the Lord and to glorify Him in the process. This verse in Colossians 3:17 should inspire us to see the workplace as a place of ministry; “And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.”    Jesus said it like this, “In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.”  Matthew 5:16   

  Martin Luther understood this when he wrote, “The maid who sweeps her kitchen is doing the will of God just as much as the monk who prays — not because she may sing a Christian hymn as she sweeps but because God loves clean floors. The Christian shoemaker does his Christian duty not by putting little crosses on the shoes, but by making good shoes, because God is interested in good craftsmanship.”

  It is said that after the bombing of Germany, a statue of Christ was found in a cathedral in a town in Germany.  Both of the hands of Jesus had been broken off during the bombing.  Rather than repair the statue these words have been engraved on its base: “HE HAS NO HANDS BUT OUR HANDS.”

“Christ has no hands but our hands to do His work today.
He has no feet but our feet to walk in His way.
He has no tongue but our tongue to tell men how He died.
He has no help but our help to bring men to His side.”

  We are God’s masterpiece for good works.
 

 

 

RESPECT FOR SINCERITY

  We certainly respect a person who is honest, genuine.  Right or wrong, they live by what they believe.  Saul of Tarsus (Apostle Paul) was such a man. We see him first in Acts 8:3; “But Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off men and women and put them in prison.”  Saul was a Jew, a Pharisee, dedicated to Judaism.  Christianity, to him, was false and a threat to all that he believed.  We see Saul again in Acts the 9th chapter verse 1, “Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples.”  It is as Saul goes to Damascus to carry out more of his hate for Christianity that he met the Lord and was converted, changed, into being a Christian, a follower of Jesus.  What a drastic change. Now, Saul is as sincere for Jesus as he was against Jesus.   

  We need to learn to respect every human being for their struggle. Respect must be held for any person who endeavors to live accordingly with their convictions, no matter how drastically they may differ from our convictions.   Sincerity is a wonderful virtue in any life.  So many of us live as self-cheaters, not living our lives in accordance with our beliefs, but living under a veneer, masquerade, false pretenses. So, how wholesome it is to find people who are very conscientious, living sincerely their convictions.

  But, sincerity alone is not the hope of man.  Sincerity plus truth is the means of salvation. We must never allow sincerity to overwhelm us into thinking it does not matter what a person believes as long as they are sincere.  Saul of Tarsus is such an example, he was sincere but sincerely wrong.  Just because a person is sincere, does not make them right.

  There is a real danger in thinking one is right.  A mind set-sets in. A haughtiness which doesn’t allow for consideration of anything else.  As someone said, “Don’t confuse me with the facts my mind is made up.”    
We too often think we know it all so won’t listen to anything else. We shut out new ideas and push people away from us by our self-righteous attitude.  Such rightness creates a kind of religious snobbery which hurts the cause of Christ.

  Like Saul of Tarsus, hold to what you believe until your mind is changed by the Lord.  I believe that God has spoken to us through the living Word, Jesus and the written Word, the Bible.  He has given us His truth.  We need to seek it and accept it for our lives. I believe that God so loved us that He sent Jesus to be our salvation.  “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.”  Acts 4:12   This I sincerely believe.  What do you sincerly believe?

WHAT A DAY

                  “WHAT A DAY THAT WILL BE”
“There is coming a day when no heartaches shall come
No more clouds in the sky, no more tears to dim the eye.
All is peace forevermore on that happy golden shore,
What a day, glorious day that will be. 

What a day, glorious day that will be,
There’ll be no sorrow there, no more burdens to bear,
No more sickness, no pain, no more parting over there;
And forever I will be with the One who died for me,
What a day, glorious day that will be.

What a day that will be when my Jesus I shall see,
And I look upon His face,
The One who saved me by His grace;
When He takes me by the hand
And leads me through the Promised Land,
What a day, glorious day that will be,
What a day, glorious day that will be.”

  This song was written by Jim Hill who established both his ministry and his presence as a performer on the gospel circuit in the early ’60s.  Musically, he is known for a tenor voice with a purity that was outstanding. Hill worked with groups such as the Statesman Quartet, The Stamps Quartet, and the Golden Keys Quartet. 

  My preacher friend, Bobby Awtrey, tells this story of how it came to be written.  Jim Hill relates that his mother-in-law became very sick. He was a very new Christian at that time. One day when he was coming home from work, he was asking God why this was happening to his mother-in-law.  Then he said, words just started filling his mind but he did not have anything to write the words down.  So, when he got home he got out of the car, looked down and there was an old piece of cardboard. So, he picked it up and wrote down the words to “What A Day That Will Be.”  The first person that Jim Hill sang the song for was his mother-in-law. 

  What truth and encouragement this song is to so many.  Listen to what God has promised for His children.  Revelation 21: 3-4 “And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be His people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes.  There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”

  In the midst of tragedies, heartache, sorrow, death; we need GOD’S GOOD NEWS.  All the bad things which happen to us in this world ought to help us understand, that this world is not home.  In fact, this world was never intended to be so good, that we would not want to leave it.  As Christians, we are aliens and foreigners here, just making our way home.  I am on my journey now.  How are you doing as you journey toward that Heavenly Home?

SECOND CHANCE

  Michael Mason, minister of Cornerstone Christian Church in Jackson, Michigan wrote a beautiful article about Charles Colson in his “Christian Caller.”  Thank you, Michael, for your article. 

  “Charles Colson went to be with the Lord on April 21, 2012.  He was 80 years of age.  He has been a popular speaker, author and radio commentator, as well as one of the foremost leaders of Evangelical Christianity. 
At one time, Charles Colson was the Special Counsel to President Richard Nixon. Colson performed very special assignments for the president, such as drafting legal briefs on particular issues, reviewing presidential appointments, suggesting names for White House guest lists and helping influence lobbying within the White House for special interests.  It was some of those “very special assignments” which crossed moral, ethical and legal lines. It was said of Colson, “He would walk over his own grandmother if necessary.” He developed a reputation as “the hatchet man.”  As the details of the Watergate scandal came to light in the early 1970s. Colson was indicted and convicted of obstruction of justice. 

  At the time of his arrest, Colson’s close friend, Thomas L. Phillips gave Colson a copy of Mere Christianity by C. S. Lewis. After reading it, Colson committed his life to Christ.  It is said that Charles Colson found freedom in prison.   After his release from prison, Colson founded Prison Fellowship in 1976, which today is “the nation’s largest outreach to prisoners, ex-prisoners, and their families. 

  Mitch McConnell, United States Senate Minority Leader, wrote: “For nearly four decades, Chuck Colson’s life and example have been a constant and necessary reminder of those of us in and out of public office of the seductions of power and the rewards of service.  His famous redemption story and tireless advocacy on behalf of the marginalized and the outcast have called all of us to a deeper reflection on our lives and priorities.  Colson lives on as a modern model of redemption and a permanent rebuttal to the cynical claim that there are no second chances in life.”

  I had great respect for Charles Colson.  I read his blog constantly.  His writings certainly expressed his total commitment to Christ.  His life should remind us that repentant, change, can be real and life can be dedicated anew to the cause of Christ.  The past does not need to enslave us nor drag us down for we too can be set free in Jesus.  “But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions –it is by grace you have been saved.”  Ephesians 2:4-5

SAVIOR AND LORD

  There is a good deal said about Jesus as Savior.  I rejoice in that.  Joseph was told, “She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” Matthew 1:21
What a wonderful promise to have Jesus as our Savior, Deliverer, Forgiver.  We need to praise God for that awesome blessing. 

  But, I am concerned that a whole lot is not said about Jesus being our LORD.  You know, when we accept Jesus as Savior, it also means that we accept Him as our Lord. We can’t have one without the other.  Through faith, we submit to God’s control.  Being a Christian means that we allow Jesus to be our Master (Lord) of our life.  We need to give up trying to call the shots, and say, “Jesus, what would you have me to do, I’ll do it, even if it isn’t easy?”

  You want me to repent (change)?  I’ll try my best to live by your Word, rather than by my way.
You want me to confess that you are my Lord?  Say with my mouth that I believe in you?  In front of people (publicly)?  Okay.
You want me to be put under water, immersed, baptized into Christ?  A little strange, but no problem, you are the boss.  You are my Lord (Master).
You want me to become like Jesus?  I will dedicate myself to do just that. 
Quit struggling and give yourself totally to Christ.

  I am told that in the Red Cross life saving course in swimming that they teach you to swim out to a struggling, panicked swimmer and wait.  That’s right, do nothing – wait.  Wait until that person almost goes down for the last time.  You wait, tread water, and watch them flail away trying to save their own life, so as not to drown.  You wait until they go limp and give up.  Then, you grab them and take them to safety.
The point is, as long as a person is trying to save their own life, you cannot save them.

  As long as a person is trying to save their own life,  Jesus cannot save them. Man has to give up and submit to Jesus.  He saves.  He is Lord (Master).

  The Apostle Paul penned such beautiful words about Jesus in Philippians 2:9-11:  “Therefore, God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is LORD, to the glory of God the Father.”

  Make Jesus your Savior and Lord.