TODAY'S QUOTE

"As divine guidance begins to unfold,

it always seems to come with hard,

gritty work." 

-Loren Cunningham in

"Is That Really You, God?" 

LITTLE PEACOCKS?

More of Solomon's wisdom.

"Then I observed that most people are motivated

to success because they envy their neighbors.

But this, too, is meaningless - like chasing the

wind."  

(Ecclesiastes 4:4 NLT)

And further Solomon says;

"I observed yet another example of something

meaningless under the sun.  This is the case

of a man who is all alone, without a child or a

brother, yet who works hard to gain as much

wealth as he can.  But then he asks himself,

'Who am I working for?  Why am I giving up

so much pleasure now?'  It is all so meaningless

and depressing."  

(Ecclesiastes 4:7,8 NLT)

Just a thought here.  Don't you think that the base

cause of all this effort is that little word "Pride",

what we call the "original sin."  All that effort 

simply to "show off" in this life here on earth.

But, in the eternal prospective is an effort in 

futility.

The same author, Solomon, in another of his

writings said;

"Pride goes before destruction

and haughtiness before a fall."  

(Proverbs 16:18 NLT)

MORE FUTILITY

More wisdom from Solomon.

"So I decided to compare wisdom with foolishness

and madness (for who can do this better than I

the king).  I thought, 'Wisdom is better than 

foolishness, just as light is better than darkness.

For the wise can see where they are going, but

fools walk in the dark.'  Yet I saw that the wise

and the foolish share the same fate."

(Ecclesiastes 2:12 - 14 NLT)

No matter how wise you or I are.  Nor how

foolish the other person is, we all will share

the same fate,  that is, the grave and having

to answer to God who gave us life.

Again our focus needs to be on our appointment

with the day we stand before our maker - God.

"I came to hate all my hard work here on earth,

for I must leave to others everything I have earned."

(Ecclesiastes 2:18 NLT)

Just an observation here.  I probably have lived 

longer than you have and may have seen something

more often as a result.  But you have seen it too.

MOST INHERITANCES ARE PLAIN AND 

SIMPLE SQUANDERED.

There was an old saying when I was growing 

up that said;

"Grandpa earned it.

Son held it.

Grandson lost it."

Really, do I need to say anything more.

"So I decided there is nothing better than to

enjoy food and drink and to find satisfaction

in work.  Then I realize that these pleasures

are from the hand of God."

 (Ecclesiastes 2:24 NLT)

More observations on my part.

I personally do not believe in "retirement".

It will cause an early demise if nothing else.

But mankind was not made to retire.

I know, I am retired.  I worked until I was 75

years old and only retired then because the 

company I worked for shutdown.  That was

many years ago.  And in the work I was involved

in nobody wanted an old man.

So, I volunteer and stay busy all I can depending

on my health at the time.

However, many years ago I noticed that most 

retired people are "BORED".  So they are always

looking for something to do.

My best friend retired the earliest he possibly could.

You guessed it.  He comes over to visit and see if 

there is something he can do.

There is a satisfaction in doing things.  The satisfaction

for accomplishing something can be ever bit as 

satisfying, or more, as wining some kind of game or 

other that actually accomplishes nothing.

TODAY'S PROMISE

"And we know that God causes everything to

work together for the good of those who love

God and are called according to his purpose 

for them."

(Romans 8:28 NLT) 

WORK: A DEVOTIONAL EXPERIENCE

Image courtesy of: www.Pixabay.com  

WORK: A DEVOTIONAL EXPERIENCE

"What ever your task, work heartily, as serving

the Lord and not men, knowing that from the 

Lord you will receive the inheritance as your

reward; you are serving the Lord Christ."

(Colossians 3:23,24 RSV)   

Is your work dull, boring and meaningless?

Is your work tiring and getting you down?

It doesn't have to.  Your work can be transformed 

into a joyful, refreshing situation with purpose

and meaning.

How can my work be changed from a weary

routine to an invigorating opportunity?  Very

simply.  Take Jesus to work with you.  It works

for me, and it will work for you.  When we do 

our work enthusiastically as unto the Lord it

becomes a holy thing.  We are to do it for God,

and not man.

When we work heartily as serving the Lord, 

with "hymns and spiritual songs, singing and

making melody to the Lord with all your hearts."

(Ephesians 5:19 RSV)  Then the drab routine task

we are doing becomes pure joy.

MY WORK CAN BE A SACRED TASK.  

TODAY'S PROMISE

"Poor is he who works with a negligent hand,

But the hand of the diligent makes rich.

He who gathers in summer is a son who acts wisely,

But he who sleeps in harvest is a son who acts

shamefully."

(Proverbs 10:4,5 NASB)

PATH TO POVERTY

Images courtesy of: www.Pixabay.com

"Being lazy will make you poor,

but hard work will make you rich."

(Proverbs 10:4 GNT)

"Work and you will earn a living;

if you sit around talking you will

be poor"

(Proverbs 14:23 GNT)



CAUSE OF FUTILITY

Leaving God out of your plans
causes futility.

"If the Lord does not build the house

the work of the builders is useless;

(Photos courtesy of:www.Pixabay.com)

if the Lord does not protect the city,

it does no good for the sentries to 

stand guard.

It is useless to work so hard

for a living, getting up early

and going to bed late.

For the Lord provides for those he loves,

while they are asleep."

(Psalms 127:1,2 GNT)

Put God in control of your life 

to cut out the futility.

SECURE INVESTMENTS

Image courtesy of:www.Pixabay.com

"Do not store up riches for yourselves 

here on earth, where moths and rust 

destroy, and robbers break in and steal.  

Instead, store up riches for yourselves 

in heaven, where moths and rust cannot 

destroy, and robbers cannot break in and 

steal.  For your heart will always be 

where your riches are."

(Matthew 6:19-21 GNT)

Image courtesy of:www.Pixabay.com

"We leave this world just as we entered it -
with nothing.  In spite of all our work there
is nothing we can take with us."
(Ecclesiastes 515 GNT)

MAKE YOUR OWN GOD

image courtesy of:www.bigfoto.com

Have you thought about making your own god?

A lot of people in this old world do.  It does not

matter if it is an ignorant savage down in the 

South American jungle whittling one out of a

tree, or a sophisticated person from a cultured

country making one out of gold.  Or even an 

highly educated intellectual deciding in there 

mind what kind of a god they could believe in -

they all have one thing in common.

THEY DO NOT WORK.

They are like the the sculpture below.

It is only material, it lacks power.

No engine, no power.

"

"God is Spirit, and those who worship

Him must worship in spirit and truth."

(John 4:24 NKJV)

But there is a God who has been hearing and answering

my prayers for over sixty years now.  Has your god got

that kind of record?

He is found in the Holy Bible.

He created this old world and gives us life.

He loves us enough that He even died for us

then rose again.

His name is:

JESUS CHRIST.

WORK

REAPING FROM READING

I do not read as well as you do.  But I have learned 

to read a little bit.  And over the years there have been

so many things that; encourage, inspire, motivate, or

even warn me, that I feel compelled to share some of

it with you.

"Comparative few people die of overwork.

By far more people die of underwork and 

over-worry."

-W.V. Marshburn. M.D.

in 

"Spiritual Experiences in 

Business Life."

p. 92

THAT'S JUST LIKE LIFE

What is it?

That is a gate the granddaughter made out of "stuff"

that was laying around.

A gate to where?  Well, no where.

Then, what for?  Oh!  Keep the boggy man out,

I guess.  You would have to ask her, if she knows.

She wanted to make a gate.

You can be sure though, 

that it took her and grandpa some effort.

It cost her and grandpa some time.

Let's face it.  She was bored and wanted to do something.

How much of life is just like that.  We do something just

because we want to.  But the reality of it is that it,

does not do us any good.

It does not help anyone else.

And it sure does not do anything to help God's work.

"For God has already placed Jesus Christ as the one and 

only foundation, and no other foundation can be laid.

Some will use gold or silver or precious stones in

building on the foundation;

others will use wood or grass or straw.

And the quality of each person's work will be seen

when the Day of Christ exposes it.  For on that Day

fire will reveal everyone's work; the fire will test it

and show its real quality.

If what was built on the foundation survives the fire,

the builder will receive a reward.

But if your work is burnt up, then you will lose it;..."

(1 Corinthians 3:11-15 TEV)

WHERE THE RUBBER MEETS THE ROAD

"No mater how much you dream,

how much useless work you do,

or how much you talk,

 you must still stand in awe of God."

(Ecclesiastes 5:7 GNB)